Mission Bay Needs Stores But Says No To Chains

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Mission Bay's Fourth Street earned early billing as one of the city's up-and-coming neighborhoods. But even as the housing and office spaces are quickly occupied, there's still a lack of retail presence in the area. The fire that destroyed MB360 didn't help matters and forced Bimma Loft—one of the few stores in the area—to close (appointments are still accepted).

However, leasing brokers remain optimistic. And although Mission Bay is exempt of retail formula restrictions, property owners are passing on chain stores to keep the doors open for indie or local options.

"We get calls from every chain store you could imagine because we don't have to follow Measure G [which limits chains]," Erika Elliot, a leasing broker, tells SFGate. "But we say no because it's exactly what we don't want on Fourth Street. What we are trying to do is build a neighborhood."

But the question remains: Which non-chain stores will take the leap and test the Mission Bay waters? It's only a matter of time before the prospective 5,000 residents need to do some shopping.
· Mission Bay draws residents, but not shops [SFGate]
· San Francisco's Best Independent Shopping, Spring 2014 [Racked SF]