24th Street Is Thriving, Union Square Isn't: Neighborhood-First Marketing for San Francisco Corridor Businesses

Short answer: San Francisco's retail vacancy fell to 5.8% citywide in Q2 2026, its best level since 2023, but that average hides a split. Union Square sits above 20%, while neighborhood strips like 24th Street in the Mission have vacancy around 3–4% and growing sales. Much of San Francisco's spending has shifted to where people live. For corridor businesses in the Mission, Excelsior, Richmond, Sunset, Fillmore and elsewhere, the strongest marketing is neighborhood-first: own local search, build regulars, speak your neighbors' languages and use the street itself as a marketing channel.

01What the data shows

• Citywide retail vacancy fell from 7.0% in Q1 2025 to 5.8% in Q2 2026, according to a September 2026 city report for the Small Business Commission. The same report noted Union Square above 20% and called out 24th Street as a thriving corridor.
• Mission corridors diverge. Mission Local's analysis of sales tax data found 24th Street was the Mission's top-growing strip since the pandemic, while Valencia and Mission streets were flat and 16th Street slightly up.
• Neighborhood strength elsewhere. Mission Local described the Excelsior's quiet persistence in sales tax data. Marcus & Millichap's 2026 retail report noted that corridors such as Fillmore Street and Japantown have been more insulated from downtown weakness.
• New businesses are moving in. The city reported that 39 businesses secured long-term leases in previously vacant storefronts through its Storefront Opportunity Grant program, in neighborhoods from the Excelsior to Chinatown.

The JPMorganChase Institute found that by 2024, median small business revenue in San Francisco was still 11% below 2019. Recovery is happening corridor by corridor, not citywide.

Neighborhood-first marketing

1. Win "near me" searches in your neighborhood

Most corridor customers live or work within a mile. Keep your Google Business Profile complete: hours, photos, menu or services, and attributes. Mention your corridor and cross streets ("on 24th Street near Bryant"). Steady reviews are the biggest factor you control. Our local SEO work focuses on exactly this.

2. Build a regulars list

A neighbor who visits weekly is your most valuable customer. Collect emails or phone numbers with consent, using a QR code at the register or a loyalty card, and send a short note when something new arrives. Automated follow-up does this without extra staff time.

3. Speak your neighbors' languages

San Francisco's corridors are multilingual. If your customers speak Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, Russian or another language, add translated menus, signs and Google posts. It tells neighbors you're for them.

4. Use the corridor as a channel

Merchant associations, street fairs, Sunday Streets, night markets and cross-promotions with nearby shops bring people onto the block. Plan offers around those events and post them a week ahead.

5. Be the place for local occasions

Birthdays, team dinners from nearby offices, school fundraisers and holiday shopping all happen close to home. Make it easy to book a group, order catering or buy gift cards online. Mission Local quoted one owner who has seen more office and catering orders from within the neighborhood.

6. If you're new, launch loudly

New storefronts get one chance at a first impression. Set up your Google profile before opening, post opening-week offers, invite neighbors and the merchant association, and ask early customers for reviews. Our restaurant marketing and local retail work includes launch plans.

What to measure

Track calls, direction requests and website clicks from your Google profile, repeat visits from your list, reviews per month and event-day sales. Compare against the same months last year to see whether your corridor's recovery is reaching you.

For a plan built around your corridor, see how we work with San Francisco businesses.

FAQ

Which San Francisco neighborhoods are recovering fastest? City and local reporting point to strong corridors such as 24th Street in the Mission and Mission Bay, with Fillmore and Japantown more insulated. Union Square and parts of SoMa remain weaker.

What's San Francisco's retail vacancy rate? Citywide retail vacancy was 5.8% in Q2 2026, according to a city report, though Union Square was above 20%.

What's the most effective marketing for a neighborhood shop? A complete, well-reviewed Google Business Profile plus a list of regulars you can reach directly.

Sources

• City of San Francisco: Commercial leasing trends report (September 2026)
• Mission Local: 24th Street is the Mission's top-growing business strip
• Mission Local: Excelsior sales tax data
• Marcus & Millichap: San Francisco retail market report 1Q 2026
• City of San Francisco: Storefront Opportunity Grant awards
• JPMorganChase: Downtown revitalization in San Francisco