COVID Recovery: Business Opens As Workers Begin Returning To San Francisco Offices
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A small family-run business just opened its doors for the first time in the heart of San Francisco's Financial District.
After more than two years of delays during the pandemic, modern Mexican eatery Mixiote is officially open inside Salesforce East. It's happening at a time when the city is encouraging more workers to return to the office.
Known for its slow-steamed meats and bowls, the business was born out of the non-profit kitchen incubator La Cocina.
"It's our first week here at the new location," said Arturo Marin, who runs Mixiote with his mother, Alma Rodriguez. "So we're definitely just getting our feel of how it is down here. It's been great, the people are supportive. We really thought it was going to be slower than it is, but we've seen a lot of people coming back to the building."
After experiencing success doing catering and pop-ups, Marin and Rodriguez, who is owner and chef, were ready to open their first brick-and-mortar in 2019. But then the pandemic hit.
Currently, Mixiote is the only eatery open in the office space.
"We're really proud of being a family-owned business and I think that's what we relied on mostly, we knew there would be a lot of hurdles and obstacles to open this place," said Marin.
Mixiote provides another option for those returning to the office including Quyen Hoang. She used to frequent food trucks for lunch pre-pandemic, but those mostly haven't returned. Other cafes and restaurants remain shuttered.
"I like them," she said of Mixiote. "They're different from what I've been having around... the other nearby place is a cold salad place."
The pandemic hit the Financial District particularly hard. Many small businesses closed for good, and office buildings remain largely empty. Mayor London Breed said last week, she's working with business leaders to push employers to bring more remote workers back sometime in March.
"I keep saying just like the Warriors, there's strength in numbers, so if one company is coming back this day, and one company is coming back that day, what is that going to do for the overall feeling of downtown and really our recovery," said Breed.
"Many of our member companies have called their workers back to the office, whether that's full-time or part-time or rolling into some sort of new pattern," said President and CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Rodney Fong.
Mixiote said it's signed a one-year lease and hopes to extend it if business goes well.