September 24, 2006
Emporium Reopening
Sure, we talk all big about how we're above crass materialism and how yuppie bastards are ruining this town for us Missionistas -- but okay, we'll fess up: we are extremely excited about the Westfield San Francisco Shopping Centre's reopening of the old Emporium space on Market and Powell this Thursday (the 28th). Cross your fingers along with us that the opening ceremonies will include Gavin cutting a red ribbon with a big ol' pair of scissors!
The new Westfield will host the city's first Bloomingdale's (which will be the largest on the West Coast), a fancy Burke-Williams day spa, will connect to the current San Francisco Centre mall (with the Nordstrom's in it), and will feature an upscale food court (called the Food Emporium) and fancy restaurants. The food court will include a Beard Papa (yes, that'll be two Beards Papa within three blocks of one another), a Slanted Door to go, the relocated Straits Cafe, and -- the one we're most excited for -- Tom Colicchio's 'wichCraft sandwich bar. That's because we'll finally get to try Top Chef winner Harold's mortadello dandelion quickfire-challenge winning sandwich!
The Chronicle had an explosion of articles about the new mall, including an interesting look at the history of the Emporium mall, how the remodeling worked to preserve the architecture of its famous dome, and exhaustive profiles of the spa and food options and Bloomie's -- they're probably mostly excited since it's so close to their offices. But do check out their photos, they're very cool.
And it wouldn't be San Francisco if there weren't some local political angle too -- one store, the Bristol Farms Market, has been denied a liquor license by the Board of Supes, because they're a non-union shop. We hope the spa's unionized!
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I'm pretty stoked about the mall, too, although I still kind of miss the Emporium, the poor-man's Macy's. Did you know for several years at Christmastime they used to set up a mini carnival on the rooftop complete with a ferris wheel? If ferris wheels freak you out, imagine riding one on top of a four story building!
Bloomies is also having a little celebration the morning they open, and a private party the previous day/night(that past shoppers seem to be invited to--just guessing since I can think of no other reason why I was invited. So, online Bloomingdale's shoppers, or those who shop at other Bloomingdale's, should keep an eye out for the invites in the mail).
I just wrote about the new Bloomies on my blog as well, thinking it was a frivolous shopping post, then saw like 3 or 4 articles on it in the Chronicle the next day.
Anyway, the more department stores, the better. I grew up going to Bloomingdale's on the East Coast and am happy to see the store in my current home, too.