In The News
San Francisco continues to be the hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity. Below, see the latest updates on the city’s business climate, workforce trends, and initiatives that make San Francisco an ideal place to live and work.
PAST NEWS
Japanese retailer Uniqlo, announced they will be opening at 801 Market St. After closing their doors in 2021 at 111 Powel St., this is exciting news for the city. Uniqlo’s opening serves as a reminder of the city’s leasing momentum and according to Mayor Lurie, this is “another sign SF in on the rise”.
With the supervision of human drivers, Waymo can begin having robotaxis go to San Francisco International Airport. This monumental announcement was made by Mayor Lurie and officials at SFO. There will be three phases to launch the service. First, testing at the wheel with humans. Followed by testing with airport employees or Waymo staff as chaperones rather than drivers. Lastly, commercial operations. With the Super Bowl and World Cup taking place in the Bay Area this upcoming year, having Waymo accessible at SFO will be great for all of the fans visiting for these significant events.
Nordstrom announced they will be opening “Nordstrom Local” on October 9th in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood. The 1,648-square-foot store will focus on providing order pickups, returns, alterations, and appointments for personal styling rather than selling traditional merchandise. The hours for Nordstrom Local will be 10:00am – 7:00pm Mondays through Saturdays and 11:00am – 6:00pm on Sundays. After almost two years since Nordstroms' closure in Union Square, this is an exciting addition to the city.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and Assemblymember Matt Haney led a walk through Union Square to highlight the downtown recovery efforts, pointing out progress like a 40% drop in crime and an increase in new office leases. The mayor showcased new and returning businesses, including the Nintendo Store, Zara, and Dandelion Chocolate, as evidence that the "Vacant to Vibrant" program is succeeding in revitalizing the retail corridor. Both leaders emphasized the need for the city and state to continue streamlining the permitting process to attract more investment and ensure the perception of safety and vibrancy catches up to the current reality on the ground.