Renowned international retailer Zara has announced its decision not to renew its lease of the Union Square location in San Francisco, the retail chain said.
The store is slated for closure in less than a year, with its lease set to expire in January 2025, as confirmed by the company to the San Francisco Chronicle on March 7, but the reason for the closure remains unclear.
The move doesn’t signify the chain’s complete departure from the city, as the company is dedicated to its two-story store in the former Westfield San Francisco Centre, now rebranded as the Emporium Centre San Francisco, as reported by the Chronicle. Additionally, Zara’s Stonestown Galleria outlet on the opposite side of the city will remain open.
The news came mere hours after The North Face—an outdoor wear brand founded in San Francisco almost 60 years ago—announced the closure of its Post Street location, just steps away from Zara, at the end of March.
Last month, Macy’s revealed plans to shutter its 400,000 square foot flagship store in Union Square as part of a broader strategy to close 150 stores across the nation in the next two years.
“As someone who grew up in San Francisco, Macy’s has always meant a lot to the people of this city,“ said Mayor London Breed at the time, as reported by KTVU. ”It’s where families came to shop for the holidays. It’s where many people from my community got their first jobs, or even held jobs for decades. It’s hard to think of Macy’s not being part of our city anymore.”
Since the start of 2023, the city has witnessed dozens of closures, including well-known establishments such as Nordstrom, Saks Off 5th, Anthropologie, Office Depot, H&M, and Jeffrey’s Toys—the oldest toy store in the city and the inspiration for Pixar’s “Toy Story.”
Many such closures are attributed to the increasing incidents of smash-and-grab robberies and an unfavorable business environment.
Several other notable companies have announced closures in the Bay Area.
Last fall, Target shut down its downtown Oakland store due to over 100 smash-and-grab thefts in 2023. In-N-Out Burger’s sole Oakland location also closed in January—the first time in the company’s history—citing rampant burglaries and armed robberies. Additionally, a Denny’s, also in Oakland, shut down recently because of crime.
