Shin Dig, a private venue on Irving Street near 5th Avenue, has hosted events ranging from bridal showers to corporate meetings, but neighbors who walk past have been generally greeted by drawn shades and a locked door. That may change soon, as its owners seeking new pop-up retail stores to give passersby a reason to stop in.
A pop-up for Tillamook Cheese in June 2014. (Photo: Sffood.net via Shin Dig)
Shin Dig, the sister company of a delivery service called Wine Meats Cheese that supplies offices and events, has advertised its 1,000-square-foot space as the "perfect space for a pop-up store on vibrant Inner Sunset Irving Street corridor." Shlomo Franco, who owns Shin Dig with his wife, Stephanie Franco, said the space has been successful as a spot to hold private events and meetings, but community feedback indicated that neighbors wanted more.
"Shin Dig would like to expand the offering to anything that benefits the neighborhood, including any kind of pop up-retail concept with an offering that speaks to the demographics of the Inner Sunset," said Franco. "We want to genuinely serve as a blank canvas for neighborhood residents to have new experiences that we would otherwise have to leave the neighborhood to get."
Photo: Shin Dig
Franco, a San Francisco native who lives nearby, describes the private events held at Shin Dig as "hyper-local," with 90 percent of the clients booking the space living within a five-block radius. "Shin Dig was designed with a modern look and feel that would also be be comfortable and fit in with the neighborhood. For some of our clients, it has become an extension of their living rooms and offices."
Formerly a small grocery store, Shin Dig's space still makes use of in-wall refrigerators that neighbors used to get their eggs and milk from, though today the units are filled with wine racks. A large table custom built from reclaimed wood is the centerpiece of the room, and a flat-panel monitor is available for business presentations. "The table, large as it is, can be moved in and out of the room as needed," explains Franco.
Photo: thestorefront.com via Shin Dig
Franco didn't say exactly what types of businesses would be holding their pop-ups at Shin Dig, but he did say that his team will carefully vet potential retailers to ensure that they're a good fit: "You won't see a cell phone company hold their pop-up here." Most pop-ups are expected to last from a few days to a week, with frequent turnover. When not being used as a storefront, the space will continue to host private parties and meetings.
After acquiring an additional beer and wine license, Franco said Shin Dig hopes to hold wine tastings and classes on cheese and pickle-making, among other topics. "Shin Dig would like to formally respond to the suggestions of more than 100 neighbors who have visited and asked for beer, wine and food education courses," he said.
"We plan to launch a series of talks, classes and meetings led by neighborhood residents who have expertise in a food or wine subject area and answer the neighborhood's call for a neighborhood meeting space that builds community around a passion for all things local," added Franco. "It's neat to see the room as an empty canvas and how it can transform into whatever the neighborhood wants."
Shin Dig is located at 403 Irving between 5th and 6th Aves. For information about booking the space, call (415) 967-7495.
