Excelsior's post-pandemic recovery shows it can pay to shrug off tourism

"In the first quarter of 2020, sales receipts on business corridors on Mission Street and Geneva Avenue fell by nearly half - from roughly $163,000 to $87,000. By mid-2021, revenue had clawed back close to the pre-pandemic levels. But unlike some other neighborhoods, there was no dramatic surge. Instead, the Excelsior settled into a pattern of modest, relatively stable receipts, fluctuating between $130,000 to $165,000 from 2022 to 2025."

"The Excelsior's business corridors are different from parts of the city that draw in visitors from out-of-town, or even other neighborhoods. It is a place of family-owned legacy businesses and longtime residents, of nail salons, taquerias, produce stands, and dollar stores. The area's relatively low commercial rent and loyal, local customer base helped balance out the extremes that devastated areas that were more dependent on out-of-towners making impulse purchases."

The Excelsior District in San Francisco experienced a significant initial pandemic impact in early 2020, with sales tax receipts on Mission Street and Geneva Avenue dropping nearly 50% from approximately $163,000 to $87,000 in the first quarter. However, the neighborhood's recovery pattern differed markedly from other city areas. By mid-2021, revenues returned close to pre-pandemic levels and subsequently stabilized into a consistent range between $130,000 and $165,000 through 2025. This steady performance contrasts with the volatile swings experienced elsewhere in San Francisco. The Excelsior's resilience stems from its unique economic structure: family-owned legacy businesses, a loyal local customer base, and relatively low commercial rents. These factors insulated the neighborhood from the extreme fluctuations that devastated areas dependent on out-of-town visitors and impulse purchases.

Read at Mission Local