If you look at the population density per neighborhood[1], that area is not any denser than other parts of the city, including the very residential Richmond and

If you look at the population density per neighborhood[1], that area is not any denser than other parts of the city, including the very residential Richmond and Sunset districts, but the number of shops is much higher. That means that all things being equal, shops throughout the city are more spread out and have less competition, allowing them to have an easier time being profitable. To me that tells me that downtown is entirely reliant on people going there from other parts of the city, while the other neighborhoods service their local communities. Furthermore, urban malls rely on foot traffic: malls are either a destination (you go there because you need multiple things so you save multiple trips around town) or they are a place of convenience (they are next to transportation hubs or landmarks with lots of foot traffic). Westfield SF was rarely the first, and lost the later for years due to the pandemic. 1: https://statisticalatlas.com/county/California/San-Francisco-County/Population https://statisticalatlas.com/county/California/San-Francisco...