Union Sq. in San Francisco’s downtown has seen higher days — and even higher years. With huge companies packing up and leaving, the favored public plaza is redefining its id.
The context
Based on reporting from the Los Angeles Instances:
- Practically 30 shops closed within the downtown space for the reason that pandemic and 7 extra are on faucet to shutter.
- A dip in shopper purchases, provide chain points and hefty operation prices together with public security are some components behind the 6% emptiness fee uptick within the metropolis within the first quarter of the yr. Final yr the determine was at 5.2%, described because the “highest within the metropolis” since 2006.
- There are about 300,000 fewer individuals in downtown compared to 2019 and homelessness has impacted foot site visitors.
- “It’s a really significant issue for the entire metropolis, a lot much less downtown,” mentioned Bay Space Council Financial Institute Govt Director Jeff Bellisario within the article.
The response
LA Instances reported that San Francisco Mayor London Breed “pushed again in opposition to the narrative” that Union Sq. is in bother.
Breed mentioned within the article that the media shouldn’t be speaking concerning the shops that moved in.
“These of us who don’t stroll the streets in San Francisco, that don’t reside in San Francisco, however they need to write about and commentate about San Francisco, I problem you to come back to this metropolis and see what it looks like,” Breed mentioned at a Could information convention. “I problem you to come back store on the shops that you just’re complaining about, which you in all probability by no means even stepped foot within the first place.”
Breed acknowledged in an ABC 7 article the necessity to beef up extra police presence to attract extra enterprise within the metropolis and foot site visitors. She added that involved residents are “going to see a distinction” with proposed updates to the town.
Why it issues: Breed mentioned that shops like Ikea and Banana Republic are shifting into Union Sq. – however nobody is masking that.
Marisa Rodriguez, Union Sq. Alliance CEO, mentioned within the article that whereas some shops left, luxurious retailers are right here to remain.
“The guts of the sq. is thrashing robust — it’s alive,” she advised the LA Instances. “There actually have been challenges postpandemic that a variety of main cities have been experiencing. We are attempting to place ourselves to satisfy the second and pivot the place we are able to.”
Breed echoed her sentiments and introduced a $6 million funding for 3 blocks close to Union Sq. the place shops closed like H&M, Uniqlo and Hole closed.
San Francisco’s metropolis officers are positioning their metropolis’s business space as unbeatable and undeterred. Whereas Union Sq. confronted (and nonetheless is dealing with) struggles and retailer closures, its reps are reminding others that there’s extra to come back and to disregard the haters.
Regardless of detrimental press surrounding a model, proceed to remind others concerning the realities of the state of affairs – discover and amplify constructive information.
Increase up your model and proceed shouting from the mountaintops about its resiliency, however don’t lean towards being delusional both. Strike the precise steadiness of positivity and talk that arduous fact to others.
Rodriguez acknowledged the problems at hand however didn’t solely dwell on them both.
If you happen to dig deep, there are all the time nice tales to inform. Deal with discovering the constructive and galvanizing tales of comebacks and folks triumphing over adversity. As a result of who doesn’t love an underdog?
High Headlines:
- From Amazon and Kleenex to Cheerios and Dove – the Morning Seek the advice of ranked the ten Most Trusted Manufacturers in the USA with some acquainted names among the many high winners. The manufacturers are ranked on firms that individuals belief would “do the precise factor.” Others who made the checklist embody Band-Help, Lysol, UPS, Amazon, Kleenex, Cheerios and Dove.
- Air New Zealand desires to see how a lot you weigh earlier than stepping on their airplane. New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority must know the way a lot passengers weigh for its worldwide flights as a part of a security measure to make sure weight distribution is acceptable for a survey. Program officers are making certain passengers know that their weight is not going to be disclosed to anybody. Their info might be straight despatched to the load survey and gained’t be seen whereas on the size. The Aviation Authority emphasised eager to defend clients from any potential embarrassment by having their weight hidden from anybody, which confirmed care and concern on their half.
Sherri Kolade is a author at Ragan Communications. When she shouldn’t be together with her household, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style movies, studying and constructing an authentically curated life that features greater than sometimes discovering one thing deliciously fried. Comply with her on LinkedIn. Have an important PR story thought? E-mail her at sherrik@ragan.com.
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