A former Barneys department store in San Francisco’s Union Square has a tenant after five years of vacancy.
Maybaum Gallery, founded by Christina Maybaum in 2018, is moving into 20,000 square feet across several floors of the former Barneys building at 48 Stockton Street, the San Francisco Standard reported. The ownership of the building wasn’t reported.
The lease signals the beginning of a chapter for the building, whose past tenants included retail heavyweights like FAO Schwarz and the Joseph Magnin Company.
Union Square is bouncing back after stores like Uniqlo, Zara and Macy’s closed amid the pandemic, and the gallery lease is the latest evidence of a comeback. Uniqlo and Zara are moving back to the neighborhood, while other stores like Pop Mart and Nintendo contribute to increased foot traffic.
Several small businesses have also moved in, taking advantage of the city’s “Vacant to Vibrant” pop-up initiative, reviving empty storefronts.
Maybaum Gallery’s one-year lease is welcome news for members of the local art scene after gallery closures and museum struggles across the city. Maybaum will continue to operate her original gallery nearby at 49 Geary Street. The new location will have group exhibitions and other events, while the Geary Street space will host solo shows.
“We’re going to throw a lot of large-scale events in this space, for artists, art lovers, and collectors to gather,” Maybaum said. “That’s such an important part of a thriving city, and of revitalizing Union Square.”
The long-term Barney’s vacancy is part of what made the deal possible, Maybaum said.
The gallery owner got an attractive rate “because the market is so weak and because very large spaces like Barneys are harder to fill.”
She is hoping the gamble pays off.
“Initially, I felt like it was a little too much space, but then I thought, ‘Why not?’” she said. “I love it, and I want to be part of the solution in downtown San Francisco. I don’t want to move out, as a lot of people are doing. I want to help revitalize Union Square, and help make it a destination for culture.”— Chris Malone Méndez
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