Zara won’t renew lease on Union Square site

International retailer Zara will not renew its lease at its location in San Francisco’s Union Square after it expires in January 2025, the company confirmed to the Chronicle on Thursday.

But the company does not plan to shutter its other downtown San Francisco store, a twostory location inside the former Westfield San Francisco Centre, now called the Emporium Centre San Francisco, a company spokesperson said. It also has a store in the Stonestown Galleria on the other side of the city, which will also remain open.

The Union Square closure comes at a tumultuous time for the historic shopping district. In addition to the planned closure of Macy’s flagship location in Union Square, more than 40 retailers have closed or announced closures downtown since the beginning of 2023. Earlier Thursday, the North Face announced it will close its Post Street location, which is less than a block from Zara, at the end of the month.

The former Westfield mall has also seen an exodus of retailers since Nordstrom shuttered its huge flagship store there.

But the building’s new management is rebranding the now half-empty shopping center, renaming it the Emporium Centre San Francisco and trying to diversify its offerings by seeking culinary, entertainment, fitness, medical, recreation and education tenants to fill its vacant spaces. Other luxury retailers have plans to move into or expand in Union Square, including Chanel, which will take over what is now the Williams Sonoma store, and multiple luxury watch stores.