New Vacant to Vibrant Pop-ups Coming in 2025!
Al Pastor Papi, Craftivity, and Nooworks are some of the upcoming new Vacant to Vibrant pop-ups coming to Downtown San Francisco!
SF New Deal and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), the local organizers behind Vacant to Vibrant, are proud to announce a new wave of locally-owned businesses set to open in Union Square and across Downtown San Francisco.
This achievement marks a significant milestone for the innovative San Francisco program with its 21st storefront opening since launching in 2023, with another 25 businesses slated to open over the next year.
One of the city's busiest neighborhoods, Union Square, will now welcome several more local businesses downtown as Vacant to Vibrant will help open the doors of 4-6 new storefronts in formerly vacant properties on and around Powell St., following a new multi-million dollar investment from the City of San Francisco. The next to open in Union Square will be Al Pastor Papi and Nooworks, opening in early summer 2025.
“Vacant to Vibrant is a movement that proves small businesses are the heartbeat of a thriving city. By working hand in hand with local small businesses, property owners, and key partners like JPMorganChase, we are building a downtown that reflects the diverse and dynamic spirit of San Francisco. These long-term leases downtown and new pop-ups in Union Square signal real momentum, showing that when we invest in small businesses, we invest in the future of our city," said Simon Bertrang, Executive Director of SF New Deal.
Delicious dishes by Al Pastor Papi
Miguel Escobedo, the chef and founder of Al Pastor Papi, is thrilled to announce the opening of his new pop-up location at 232 O'Farrell Street in San Francisco's historic Union Square. Known for its authentic Mexico City-style al pastor, Al Pastor Papi has garnered a devoted following since its inception in 2018.
"Union Square has always been a vibrant part of San Francisco, and I'm honored to bring Al Pastor Papi to this iconic neighborhood. After taking time to focus on my health and family, I'm excited to share our beloved al pastor menu with the community once again. This pop-up represents a new chapter for us, and I can't wait to welcome both longtime fans and new customers to our O'Farrell Street location," said Miguel Escobedo, Chef and Founder of Al Pastor Papi.
Nooworks is coming soon to Union Square in San Francisco
Nooworks, the fan-favorite Mission-based apparel brand, is expanding its footprint downtown with a new pop-up location at 236 Powell Street. Known for its vibrant, artist-designed textiles and size-inclusive, California-made garments, Nooworks brings playful, feel-good fashion to the heart of Union Square. As a brand, Nooworks champions creativity, sustainability, and community in everything they do.
"Union Square is such an iconic part of the city, and we’re excited to bring our colorful and creative energy to a new corner of San Francisco. We opened our first storefront in The Mission for over a decade, and this pop-up is a chance for newfolks—locals and visitors alike—to discover the art, color, and community that define Nooworks", said Jen D'Angelo, Founder of Nooworks.
Above features a craft workshop hosted by Craftivity
Beyond Union Square, Vacant to Vibrant continues to expand with additional storefronts downtown. In SOMA, newly selected pop-up activator Craftivity will open a new storefront in early summer as well. Craftivity is a hands-on arts and crafts studio specializing in unique team-building experiences and creative group events across the Bay Area. Craftivity offers joyful, customized workshops for groups of all sizes to help people reconnect through the power of creativity.
"We believe that creativity brings people together—and that’s exactly what we hope to spark in the heart of San Francisco. Opening our doors at 215 Fremont through Vacant to Vibrant allows us to share the joy of making with even more teams, friends, and curious minds across the city. Whether you’re pouring concrete for a lamp, eco-dyeing with flowers, or creating texture art on canvas, Craftivity is here to help you reconnect, recharge, and rediscover the creative spark we all carry," Mary Lee, Founder and Chief Craftivist at Craftivity.
NEW DOWNTOWN POP-UPS:
Al Pastor Papi (@alpastorpapi415)
Location: 232 O'Farrell Street (Union Square)
Business Owner: Miguel Escobedo
Property Owner: The Roxborough Group and AWH Partners
Nooworks (@nooworks)
Location: 236 Powell Street (Union Square)
Business Owner: Jen D'Angelo
Property Owner: Sieroty Company
Craftivity (@sf_craftivity)
Location: 215 Fremont, Suite 1
Business Owner: Mary Lee
Property Owner: Clarion Partners
Launched in 2023, Vacant to Vibrant has since activated 18 storefronts in neighborhoods across Downtown San Francisco, including the Financial District, Yerba Buena, and the East Cut.
Due to the program's overwhelming success and thanks to support from its many partners, Vacant to Vibrant continues to extend its reach across San Francisco to new downtown corridors, with plans to activate an additional 25 storefronts on a rolling basis over the next year. This program expansion will continue to include grant funding and technical assistance for small businesses, as well as support for participating property owners.
With Vacant to Vibrant’s continued goal of securing long-term leases for these storefront pop-ups, four businesses from the program’s second cohort that opened last summer have signed multi-year lease agreements, joining seven other small businesses from the first cohort who also secured long-term leases.
For more information on Vacant to Vibrant and updates on upcoming storefront openings, please stay tuned on vibrantsf.org or Instagram at @vacanttovibrant
