Retail chain faces stiff opposition to reopening iconic store

Few cities across the U.S. were as battered by the pandemic as San Francisco. Its once vibrant downtown corridor has undergone a brutal transformation over the past few years. 

Once-bustling shopping districts and tourist hubs like Market Street and Union Square are now dotted with boarded-up windows and “For Lease” signs. Fewer visitors and lots more unhoused people stroll the sidewalks.

Legacy retailers have been fleeing for years.