Always something going on in Chinatown - August 2nd, 2025
By Eric Tanaka
Published on January 19, 2026 - HOODLINE
Commercial Street in San Francisco’s Chinatown shook off its quiet streak last Saturday as Lunar New Year celebrations officially kicked off with a new weekend market aimed at steering shoppers back into neighborhood storefronts. The launch filled the narrow block with lion dancers, pop-up vendors, and traditional foods as organizers rolled out a multi-week series that will run into March.
Officials Point to Persistent Vacancies
Francis Christian Chan of the San Francisco Office of Economic & Workforce Development said the block has been sitting at “more than 50 percent” vacancies, and that the new marketplace is designed to bring customers back to local businesses, as reported by ABC7 San Francisco. Local merchant Mill Lei, who runs a Chinatown supermarket, told the station she brought traditional foods to “bring the lucky and happiness to everyone,” a sentiment that neatly captures organizers’ focus on spotlighting existing Chinatown proprietors rather than overshadowing them.
Weekend Market Turns Commercial Street Into Pedestrian Hub
The pop-up, branded as the Commercial Break Marketplace, closed Commercial Street between Kearny and Montgomery to car traffic and lined the block with booths from Chinatown merchants, according to event listings on Funcheap. Organizers plan to keep the momentum going with recurring activations every Friday and Saturday, from midday into the early evening through early March, pairing cultural performances with a rotating mix of small-business vendors to encourage people to keep coming back.
Parade Will Cap the Season
The series is scheduled to culminate with the Alaska Airlines Chinese New Year Parade on Feb. 15, the city’s marquee Lunar New Year event, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. City and neighborhood partners have increasingly turned to street activations like this marketplace to help revive business during the holiday season.
Why Organizers Zeroed In on Commercial Street
Organizers say Commercial Street was chosen because it physically links Chinatown and the Financial District, a strategic spot meant to capture both tourist crowds and office workers and then funnel those weekend visitors into nearby brick-and-mortar shops. The city’s Shop Dine SF campaign and Office of Economic & Workforce Development have promoted similar neighborhood programming as part of broader efforts to support small businesses during the Lunar New Year, according to SF.gov. Event pages outline the market’s hours and list rotating programming slated for specific weekends through March.
Greg