New Owners of Downtown SF Mall Move to Evict Last Three Businesses Who Have Not Left

"It seems odd that there are businesses that still want to stay open in a dead mall, but one of them has frontage on Mission Street, and the other two are apparently trying to stick it out for some reason. With the former Westfield Centre mall, which became the San Francisco Centre briefly, now auctioned out of receivership late last year, and with most of the mall totally emptied of stores and food stalls, it's only a matter of time before the whole place gets padlocked and goes completely dark for some indefinite period of time."

"But there are apparently three holdout businesses, and the SF Business Times reports this week that the mortgage trust that now owns the 1.5 million-square-foot retail complex has filed unlawful detainer suits against three businesses, following notices of eviction that were issued in November. We don't know which businesses these are or what the play is here, except for one, which is the seven-year-old bar and lounge that faces Mission Street called Executive Order, near the former Bloomingdale's back entrance, in the space that was once occupied by 'wichcraft when this mall opened."

"Owner John Eric Sanchez told the Chronicle in late November that he was hoping to "hold out as long as we can," but with $35,000 to pay in rent every month, it's not clear whether the place has even been breaking even. Also, a shoe store called Sole & Laces told the Chronicle in November that they believed their lease was good through all of 2026, so perhaps they are trying to stick around as well."

The former Westfield Centre, briefly renamed the San Francisco Centre, was auctioned out of receivership late last year and now sits mostly emptied of stores and food stalls. The mortgage trust that acquired the 1.5 million-square-foot retail complex filed unlawful detainer suits against three businesses after issuing notices of eviction in November. One confirmed holdout is Executive Order, a seven-year-old bar and lounge facing Mission Street that faces $35,000 in monthly rent. Sole & Laces believes its lease extends through 2026. The trust informed tenants that signed leases were extinguished and ordered tenants to vacate immediately. Some stores, like Ecco, are planning phased closures with an apparent January 31 employee closure date.

Read at sfist.com