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SAN FRANCISCO – Off the Grid – the familiar food truck and catering crew is getting a pop-up brick-and-mortar space in downtown San Francisco as part of the city’s Vacant to Vibrant program, and it’s just in time for the holidays. 

Revitalizing downtown

This week, city officials announced four new Vacant to Vibrant businesses will be opening in downtown San Francisco later this month. 

Off the Grid, with its robust schedule of events throughout the city and other Bay Area cities, has made a name for itself over the last decade as a place to dine and gather with family and friends. Their events in itself are vibrant by nature. 

Officials said the Off the Grid rotating holiday food market is coming to 111 Powell Street later this month. 

Emptiness is activated 

The vacant storefront was once occupied by the Union Square UNIQLO store. That store left in 2021 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Last month, SF Mayor Daniel Lurie confirmed the Japanese clothing retailer would be returning to the city at 801 Market Street in the building Old Navy once occupied. 

Those who patronize their markets have come to know a diverse array of sumptuous food trucks, such as Bacon Bacon, Curry Up Now, Mozzeria, Cousins Maine Lobster, Bini’s Kitchen, Sunrise Deli, Johnny Doughnuts, Sam’s Chowder Mobile, Chicken and the Farm, Respectable Bird, Lamas Peruvian Food and many others.

The Vacant to Vibrant program promotes small businesses and gives them new opportunities they may not have had before by filling vacant storefronts as the city has struggled to rebound economically from the pandemic. The program started in 2023 in partnership with nonprofit, SF New Deal. 

The latest round of popups is part of Mayor Lurie’s Heart of the City plan. The plan equates to opening at least five new storefronts in the city’s commercial core in the plan’s first 100 days. 

In all, 26 downtown storefronts have been activated since the Vacant to Vibrant program launched. 

The other most recent small businesses to join the program are:

TIAT (The Intersection of Art & Technology): an immersive art/tech space led by local nonprofit at 151 Powell (Opening Nov. 7)The Wild Fox: a new café concept from the SPRO Coffee Lab team at 123 Battery Street (Opening Nov. 12)Fibers of Being: Local fashion label expanding to a new Market Street storefront. (Opening later in November)Dandelion Chocolate: Mission-based chocolate makers. (Now open). Officials say their Union Square pop-up shop just exceeded its first-month sales goals.

Details on which food vendors will be participating in the Off The Grid holiday pop-up are yet to be released.  

You can visit all of the pop-ups: Download the map here. 

Food and DrinkSan FranciscoDaniel LurieEconomy