A Different
Kind of
Downtown

Vacant to Vibrant transforms downtown San Francisco vacancies into vibrant communities, shaped by local participation. 

Illustration by Felicia Liang

A Program By

with support from

Presented By

Learn more about sponsorship opportunities and become a supporting partner.

Visit the Pop-ups

  • GCS Agency

    201 Jackson St.


    With an unwavering commitment to curating captivating exhibitions, immersive pop-up events, and art-centric programming, GCS endeavors to elevate art communities while fostering meaningful relationships between artists and their audiences.

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  • Holy Stitch!

    100 California St.
    Suite 140

    Holy Stitch! creates dynamic experiences where people can learn about clothing manufacturing.

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  • Devil's Teeth

    One Embarcadero Center,
    Suite 1113

    Devil’s Teeth is a San Francisco based bakery with a dedicated following for their breakfast sandwiches and other baked goods.

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  • Teranga

    Four Embarcadero Center,
    Suite 4104

    Drawing inspiration from traditional Senegalese recipes, Teranga utilizes African superfood ingredients to create new experiences as well as reintroduce old classics.

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  • Rosalind Bakery

    Four Embarcadero Center,
    Suite 4504

    Rosalind Bakery's mission is to create exceptional naturally leavened breads and croissants. They partner with farmers in Half Moon Bay and Pescadero to bring real farm-to-table food to their community.

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  • Whack Donuts!

    Four Embarcadero Center,
    Suite 4507

    Since launching in 2020, Whack Donuts! has popped up at a multitude of cafes and breweries, offering their signature vegan donuts to their loyal and growing community.

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  • The Mellow

    332 Pine St.


    The Mellow SF exists because of their love for community. Their mission is to come together, under one roof, to share each other’s appreciation of mother nature and ultimately, beauty in all its forms.

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  • Phil Spitler & Victoria Mara Heilweil

    332 Pine St.

    Victoria Mara Heilweil & Phil Spitler create collaborative, sculptural artwork using LED illumination.

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  • KALW

    220 Montgomery St.
    Suite 100

    KALW is rooted in the Bay Area and inspired by the world. They create and curate programming that is informative, innovative, inclusive, and entertaining. They nurture new and underrepresented voices with the goal of engaging the individual and strengthen the connections between us.

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  • Creativity Explored

    220 Montgomery St.
    Suite 100

    Creativity Explored is a San Francisco nonprofit that partners with people with developmental disabilities to create an artistic, studio-based collective where the creative capacity of any person can flourish.

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You bring the ideas, we handle the logistics.

Vacant to Vibrant is a program by SF New Deal and the City of San Francisco. We help small businesses collaborate with local property owners to create engaging pop-up experiences and community spaces in downtown San Francisco.

Our team handles everything from managing pop-up permitting to securing city funding so it’s easy for locals to participate in turning vacant storefronts into vibrant gathering places — and help re-energize the neighborhood. 

In the Press

Raising Up Downtown

Help fund the fun.

Your donation supports local pop-up activators bringing vibrancy downtown.

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