Arts & Entertainment Take Advantage of Union Square's Winter Walk for Last-Minute Holiday Shopping The street closure and holiday festival on Stockton Street known as Winter Walk is back on, and it will be running through Christmas Eve, if you're planning to get any last-minute shopping done in Union Square.
SF News Saturday Links: New Bookstore Now Open in Union Square, Thanks to SF’s Vacant to Vibrant Program A 90-year-old man plowed through a Los Gatos coffee shop, DUI suspected; pop star Kesha gave an impromptu performance at a Palo Alto bar but was kicked out by unsuspecting security staff; and SF’s Powell Street now has a new independent bookstore, 'The Best Bookstore.'
Business & Tech The Hilton Union Square and Parc55 Sold for $408 Million, Though Were Previously Worth $1.5 Billion We’re just now learning the sale price of a hotel deal that happened three months ago, and SF’s largest hotel the Hilton Union Square, plus the also-very-large Parc55, sold for $408 million, though they’d been worth $1.5 billion in 2016.
SF News SFPD Releases Bodycam Video of Them Shooting A Dog and Its Owner in Union Square Melee After officers shot an aggressive dog and its owner on the afternoon of Sunday, November 9, the SFPD has released bodycam footage of what led up to the shooting, and how the suspect threw a plastic bottle at officers after they shot his dog.
SF News Unprovoked Dog Bite Leads to Officer-Involved Shooting of Man, Dog in SF’s Union Square A confrontation near O’Farrell and Market streets between the SFPD and a homeless man, whose large, off-leash dog allegedly bit a bystander in an unprovoked attack, led to one of the officers shooting both the man and dog in the legs.
Arts & Entertainment Union Square Ice Rink Now Back Open, Macy’s Holiday Tree Coming Back This Tuesday The Union Square Holiday Ice Rink officially reopened for the holly jolly season Wednesday night, and mark your calendars, because the giant Macy’s Christmas tree is getting lit up next Tuesday night.
SF Restaurants, Food & Drink Off the Grid Food Truck Party Getting Its Own Holiday Food Pop-Up In Union Square The folks behind the beloved local food truck meetup series Off the Grid are getting their own brick-and-mortar place in Union Square’s former Uniqlo store, and the place will be called Off the Grid’s Holiday Food Market.
SF News Macy's Not Closing Anytime Soon, Will Partner With Local Developer to Redevelop Union Square Property In what surely seems like a win for downtown and for Mayor Daniel Lurie, regardless of whether he had a hand in it, Macy's has confirmed that it will not be closing its Union Square flagship store anytime soon, and will instead work with a developer to reimagine the property.
SF Restaurants, Food & Drink Unsurprisingly, Downtown Bar Owners Not Happy That Lurie Is Adding 20 New Liquor Licenses to Union Square The 20 new liquor licenses Mayor Lurie is dropping on Union Square are getting predictable blowback from downtown bar owners, who are still struggling from the pandemic and not particularly keen on having 20 new competitors.
SF News Union Square Macy’s Was Evacuated Saturday Over Reports of an ‘Explosive Device’ Attention Macy’s shoppers, the downtown SF Macy’s was evacuated late Saturday afternoon after reports of an "explosive device,’ though a bomb squad did not find any evidence of explosives, and the store reopened for business Sunday.
SF News Lurie Gets His 20 New Liquor Licenses for Union Square, After Newsom Signs Bill Allowing These There may be 20 new bars coming to Union Square, or maybe existing restaurants given the newfound right to serve booze, as Governor Newsom granted Mayor Lurie and Scott Wiener their wish for 20 new liquor licenses for Union Square.
SF News Uniqlo Reportedly In Talks to Open a Downtown SF Store Again, Maybe in the Vacant Old Navy Space After the flagship, three-story Union Square Uniqlo store closed in 2021 as that shopping district dove down the abyss, we’re now getting word that Uniqlo may want back into the downtown SF game, and might even be eyeing the vacant Old Navy.
SF News Design Approved For Sparkly Revamp of Powell Street The three blocks of Powell Street between the cable-car turnaround and Union Square are set to see some light installations, cafe tables, new paving and more under a new proposed revamp.
Arts & Entertainment That Union Square Pop Mart Opened Today, For All Your Labubu-Buying Needs Chinese designer toy sensation Pop Mart soft-opened their highly anticipated new Union Square store Monday in what was once the flagship Skechers store at Powell and O’Farrell streets, providing another option for people who want more Labubus.
SF Restaurants, Food & Drink Michael Mina Confirms Return of Bourbon Steak to Westin St. Francis, Plus New Cocktail Bar by Steph Curry We now have confirmation from chef Michael Mina and his restaurant group that Bourbon Steak will indeed be returning to the space at the Westin St. Francis, which has been undergoing renovations for the last year. And where a wine bar used to be will be a fancy new cocktail spot from Steph Curry.
Business & Tech Good News for Union Square, as Bang & Olufsen Is Returning, in the Old Britex Fabrics Location Danish luxury electronics retailer Bang & Olufsen actually closed their Union Square store long before the pandemic and subsequent downtown SF downturn, but they're coming back this October in the former Geary Street Britex Fabrics space.
SF News Day Around the Bay: Former Team USA Swimmer to Take on Full CA Coastline in 2026 The Pink Triangle installation is set to return next week for its 30th Pride celebration; residents of Musk's Starbase, Texas, were told they might lose their property rights due to new zoning; and a former Olympic swimmer plans to swim the entire CA coast in 2026.
Arts & Entertainment SF’s Union Square Nintendo Store Opens to Huge Crowds, and Mascot Animals Crossing All Over the Place Today was the long-awaited opening day of the new San Francisco Nintendo Store in Union Square, and it was on like Donkey Kong as many video game fans and their favorite mascots hedgehogged the spotlight.
Business & Tech Yep, Now Saks Is Closing Its Union Square Store As has been pretty widely predicted, Saks Fifth Avenue has officially announced the closure of its Union Square store — which has been operating on an "appointment only" basis since last summer.
SF News John Varvatos Moves Back to Union Square; Could H&M Be Next? As retailers flee the dying, anchorless SF Centre mall, it looks like it could be Union Square's gain.
SF News Zara Gives Good News to Union Square With Flagship Store Planned Fast fashion retailer Zara is planning to relocate a block away from its existing location in Union Square and open a huge new flagship store at the corner of Post and Powell.
SF News Union Square Chanel Store Rammed by Car In Apparent Smash-and-Grab Attempt Yet another would-be smash-and-grab was unsuccessful at the Union Square Chanel store early Monday morning, though the would-be burglars did serious damage to the storefront, and police suspect the same burglars tried this again at a nearby McDonald’s.
SF News Saks Could Be the Next Major Retailer to Exit Union Square Saks Fifth Avenue, which already switched to an appointment-only model at its Union Square store, may not be sticking around much longer in SF, real estate experts surmise.
Arts & Entertainment Things To Do This Week: Free Tulips, ‘Screaming Queens’, Bikes & Books, Burlesque, Game Fest This week, March 17-23: The annual free tulip event will be at Union Square; Roxie's having a one-night screening of the Compton Cafeteria riot doc, 'Screaming Queens'; plus, bikes and books, a burlesque extravaganza, and a free game fest.
SF News Sunday Links: Stranded Astronauts Set To Return Home This Week The astronauts who've been stranded in space for several months are getting picked up by a new crew; the Nintendo store is bringing its second US location to Powell Street; and an American influencer apologized for snatching a baby wombat from its mom in Australia.
