Kith, the New York streetwear label run by Ronnie Fieg, has taken a concrete step toward a San Francisco flagship, filing city permits for a Union Square space that would combine a ground-floor shop with a neighboring restaurant area. The paperwork outlines roughly 5,600 square feet of retail, with an expansion into an adjacent unit for dining. If it comes together, the address would be Kith's first Northern California storefront and another signal that national brands are once again circling Union Square.
Permits Show Size And A Possible Restaurant
City permit filings reviewed by local reporters put the ground-floor space at 100 Stockton at about 5,600 square feet, with an adjoining build-out that could be used for a restaurant, as reported by The San Francisco Standard. According to that reporting, the documents identify the tenant as Kith, note that this would be the brand’s first Northern California store, and peg it as roughly the 21st U.S. location. The permits are still preliminary, so nothing in the filings guarantees an opening date or even a final deal.
100 Stockton's Reboot And What Occupies The Building Now
100 Stockton was transformed from a former Macy’s men’s department into a mixed-use property by Blatteis & Schnur, reopening with new office, event and dining components, as reported by the San Francisco Business Times and on the building’s own site. The upper floors were leased to Convene for a sizable events operation, while several adjacent ground-floor retail bays are still available for new tenants. The overall pitch is to reposition the old department-store block as a more visitor-focused retail hub.
Retail Outlook In Union Square
Market data from Cushman & Wakefield shows Union Square's retail vacancy at around 20% in Q1 2026, down from roughly 23% a year earlier, while asking rents for premier ground-floor space have remained elevated. The report credits recent reopenings and fresh lease activity for the improvement. That tighter market helps explain why national brands are poking around for space again, even if the neighborhood is still in comeback mode.
Brokers Say It Is A Vote Of Confidence
Local brokers told reporters that Kith's interest reads as a vote of confidence in tourist-facing retail, with renewed foot traffic and higher visitor spending driving demand. Kazuko Morgan, a leasing broker quoted in coverage, pointed to an influx of tourism and wealth getting dumped into the local economy as key tailwinds, and Marisa Rodriguez of the Union Square Alliance said Kith's potential arrival signals positive momentum. Those comments were reported by The San Francisco Standard.
How Kith Mixes Retail And Dining
Kith often pairs its retail model with food and other experiential concepts. The company’s site, via Kith, highlights its Kith Treats cereal-and-ice-cream bars as regular fixtures inside flagship stores. The brand also leans heavily on collaboration drops and recent partnerships, including a Kith x Nike Linen Collection showcased by Kith, to drive traffic and social buzz. If that playbook is used on Stockton Street, a Union Square outpost could function as both a shopping destination and a ready-made social-media backdrop.
Where This Would Fit In A Comeback
Openings such as BAPE earlier this year and other recent signings have been framed as part of a slow but noticeable comeback for Union Square, with brokers and neighborhood groups quick to celebrate every new lease. If Kith ultimately signs on, it would join a growing roster of streetwear and experiential concepts targeting the area. For additional context on fresh openings and broker chatter, see SFGATE.
For now, the permit filings are the first public hint of Kith's interest rather than a confirmed opening date. Leases still need to be finalized, city officials must sign off on the build-outs, and landlords will have to stitch together multiple street-level spaces to deliver the blended retail-and-dining footprint described in the documents. We will be watching for tenant-improvement permits and any formal announcements from the brand or from the building's ownership group.
