every store is CLOSED in Embarcadero San Francisco 

Every commercial business could close down or go out of business and YET San Francisco voters will vote for the same laws, measures, and officials that are dooming their city. This is self inflicted. No one should feel sorry for them.

This is the answer to shoplifting... just don't have anything to steal.

That is just unreal dude… thanks for doing this. People need to see what these policies are doing to our country. 😢

I was stationed in SF (USCG) on YBI in the late 90's. A crew mate of mine from San Pedro knew SF and took me to the Enbarcadero. Being from a small southern town, I was blown away by how alive it was. This footage is creepy and, even though I hear on the news about the problems there, I couldn't possibly have realized just how bad it is. Thanks for making it clear to me and to tens (hundreds?) of thousands, as I heard some of the audio on Glenn Beck's show - which led me here. Unbelievable. Keep it up. This cancer is spreading.

What is really concerning is that it takes decades to build a world-class city and tourist destination, and only five years to destroy it with poor policies. Same thing with Portland, Seattle, New York City.

I was born in San Francisco. My grandparents owned 3 beautiful flats on Franklin St. My dad had a grocery/liquor store for 22 years. My uncle was a gripman on the cablecars for 37 years. This sickens me. People need to wake up to the lack of leadership and vote out destructive politics.

wow, this is just unbelivable. I used to shop at Embarcadero just avoid big and packed shopping centers but look at this place now. I also love its architecture a lot.

This city deserted is eye opening but so are the comments of everyone’s incredible memories, from every decade possible, from people who lived, visited, and worked there in the height of everything is beautiful to read and hear about. Thank you for all your memories!! 💯🌟

This is heartbreaking to see that some of our most thriving US Cities are being left abandoned due to bad leadership decisions.

My heart goes out to all the shoplifters, thieves, and robbers who now have to venture further out from the safety of their home cities in order to get their wares in hopes of supplementing all their government assistance program checks. Thank you.

People told me I was crazy when I sold my home & moved a few years ago. Totally different city now.😔

Absolutely sickening what the lawmakers and politicians allowed to happened in our once beautiful top city in the USA

My great grandfather was born there in 1882 and founded the Chinese Times. There’s a street named after him below Grant Avenue (Walter U, Lum Place) What a waste, most of the family has moved away to Southern California, Arizona and Texas. My prayers go out to the law abiding citizens of SF they don’t deserve this and hope they can somehow turn this around. The Bay Area was so beautiful in the past.

This is what lawlessness does to an area. People need to feel safe to shop Downtown SF.

My escape from the world was the theater in the Embarcadero. They offered the best films. I could get a Ritter Sports chocolate bar at the Walgreens around the corner for the movie. Afterwards I'd walk along the bay considering the movie and enjoying a light crowd. If it were really busy I'd take the short route instead. A few times I could watch the parrots of Telegraph Hill in the trees to the west in a small park. Looks like a ghost town 10 years later. It use to feel like a great city and a great part of the city, active and interesting, it felt alive then.

Wow. The last time I visited was 2019 right before the pandemic. Things were already shifting but the city still bustling. What a difference 4 years makes.

I was a summer intern downtown in 1984. I'd go the embarcadero square almost every lunch. Always bustling with people. Throngs, all happy. It was a healthy environment. Street musicians actually making a living. This video is surreal.

So sad. Thanks to the new law in California that prevents business owners from filing charges or not allowed to hurt the thieves. Congratulations 🎉

I just looked it up, and the high end hotels like the Regency are STILL charging their high prices. What a lot of nerve that is. The last time my son stayed in one of their nicer downtown hotels, he saw a murder victim being wheeled out of the high end hotel across the street from his. Only a FOOL, knowing how bad it is, would pay those prices to stay in such an unsafe, deserted place. The last time I was there, the whole city looked like one big, bad neighborhood. What a shame, it used to be a beautiful city full of beautiful parks. Now, it's only full of criminals, trash and drugs.

I remember vising the Embarcadero Center as a kid in the early 90s when my dad came for some business conference and that place was packed. I think we stayed in that neat looking Hyatt next to it. My parents let me and my sister when we were only 11-12ish wander around the center by ourselves, as it was a safe place with plenty of people. I remember there was a cool comic book/game store there, with a owner who was super cool and introduced me to some neat stuff I had never seen before. That's so sad its deserted now.

When you value the well-being of thieves over the well-being of business owners, then what you get is many thieves and no businesses.

It’s almost by design that these stores closed. I mean, why else would San Francisco decriminalize shoplifting? To better the community? Yeah because that makes sense. 🙄

As a New Yorker, I was stationed in SF in mid 80’s and for 40 years I always thought, I could live there, it’s so beautiful. This is a complete shock! I left my heart in SF and it doesn’t look like I’m gonna get it back!

WOW! Incredible to see, sad to believe!. This is something everyone needs to see! Thanks for your great work Leo. In the immortal words of Freewheeling Franklin, "keep on KEEPING-ON"

I'm shocked there are actually still tourists. That's a minor miracle.

I was stationed at Travis AFB in the late 80’s and interviewed for jobs in San Francisco and LA in the 90’s. I am so heartbroken by what those areas have become. What’s scary though is that the governor who is overseeing the decline of this once great state is being rumored for a White House run. Truly shocking.

I used to work there, and it alway looked empty like this on the weekends because most of the Financial District consisted of offices for tech and they don't work weekends. But it's sad to see the remaining places up for lease. The cost of living got to be too high, and the crime got to be too bad, and it forced a lot of us to leave. So sad.

Wow, I moved away from San Francisco about ten years ago. But when I was living there, I loved to go to the Embarcadero Plaza. I was able to find bargains, even there. It is strange to see it all closed up. Thanks for this view.

As a Californian i can say without a doubt SF is almost unlivable. Rent, homeless people, violence, theft, it's all too much for people and businesses to even attempt to live there.

San Francisco, as a city, is like that friend with issues who doesn't know they have issues. And when you tell them something's wrong, they think you're the crazy one, so they just keep getting worse.

You have to walk through the plaza and go up the escalators to enter the towers from the street. So even though the towers probably aren't as full as they were pre-Covid due to remote work, there are still offices in them that are open, so the plaza needs to stay open to allow access. It is sad seeing all of the stores and cafes closed. I worked at Embarcadero Center for many years - it used to be such a hub of activity with bars, restaurants, shops and people. I remember when U2 gave an impromptu free concert in Justin Herman Plaza (now Embarcadero Plaza) back in the 80s. It was the perfect spot because it was such a busy place. They had an audience of over 10K people by the end of the first song. ETA: I'm curious if this was shot during the week or on a weekend? EC was always pretty abandoned on the weekends, usually just a couple of restaurants and shops open. The shops/restaurants/cafes mostly served the workers from the towers, so it didn't make sense for most of them to pay staff on the weekends when there weren't many workers there. I remember having to work on the weekends and not being able to find anything close to grab a bite to eat other than Peet's.

This is happening to every city in the US. People buy online and don't go to stores anymore.

I worked on San Francisco for a few months TDY back in the late 80s, back when California was still a part of the US and when San Francisco was a great city to work in or visit. I worked down the road from the Embarcadero for a couple of weeks: My wife would meet me there at lunch during the week and the pace was busy and thriving. San Francisco is slowlty getting what it voted for. The most frustrating part is how confused and amazed the residents seem to be trying to figure out what happened...

How many millions in tax revenue that goes to pay city services is lost now, daily, weekly and annually? How many on the "zombie" tours will return home and tell others not to waste their time going there? There will be plenty more closings. SF is in real trouble here.

I am amazed. When I lived in the area in the early 80's, the Plaza was always vibrant and hopping!

Remember it from the '70's and '80's. It was buzzing. As a kid I loved the spiral staircases and the tiles.

Me and my husband went to San Fran some 4 years back and I couldn’t believe what had happened to it.People just shooting up on the streets not even in a tent.I told my husband how scared I was .I’m from L.A. originally and was there a couple of years ago.They have ruined such beautiful and fun cities,I never want to go back to L.A either.The homeless and crime is insane,so 😞

The worst part of it all, is that the state and local governments, along with their administrators could not possibly care less. I should know, I was married to a member of one for 12 years until 6 months ago. This is a collect a paycheck and don't make any waves situation. Ask anyone who is willing and not too scared to tell you the truth, and you'll hear the same exact thing. Guaranteed.

DON'T LET THIS FOOL YOU 🗳 VOTE BLUE ACCROSS THE BOARD ALWAYS... And save our Democracy.. The Supreme Court with MAGA Republican majority is now compromised.

Took the family to SanFran about 15 years ago for spring break. We got a city pass with unlimited rides on the tram and did Fisherman's, Alcatraz, the aquarium, boat out to the Golden Gate Bridge, the art museum and over to the Muir Woods. The best vacation ever. You couldn't pay me to go back.

This is what you get for not prosecuting criminals.

Voting over and over for the same party officials resulting in the same result over and over is the definition of insanity.

3:13 "... good luck with that" is my new favorite catchphrase.

Fascinating. Everything is well maintained, music playing, flower planters beautiful and clean. No homeless sleeping or dirt/pee etc.

California's new slogan should be "we got what we voted for". Or California, we can only blame ourselves..

I used to stay at the Hyatt Regency on a monthly basis for years. It's hard to believe that a majority of people voted for this. They should have seen this coming. How stupid can they be!?

We visited China Town right there in San Francisco, about 2-3 weeks ago, everything was so peaceful until we heard a loud pop on the corner of Grant Ave and Clay St., a small crowd gathered and we raced to see what the commotion was all about. I saw two fellows grabbing bags and luggage out of a parked car that had it's rear window smashed out. The parked white Kia Sorento had New York license of KAS 4383 , the red Tesla 3 next to it on the street where the guys jumped into and sped off had a license of 8ZTP109.

It’s so sad! I remember walking the streets of San Fran in my 20s and loved that’s city in the 90s

I live in Palo Alto -- just a few miles south from San Francisco on the peninsula. I've worked and visited the city countless times. Just before the pandemic, things began to change in regard to crime in the city. Without cops arresting perpetrators, would-be criminals were emboldened. My sister visited in 2019. Since it was her first visit to the city, I took her to all of the traditional tourist spots -- including Pier 39, Ghirardelli, Fisherman's Wharf, Lombard Street, a Giants game, etc. While we were at Fisherman's Wharf, a homeless man pulled down his fly and began urinating in front of both of us. My sister walked away. However, I went over and told the guy (while he was still urinating). He just responded, "What are you going to do -- arrest me?" When the pandemic hit a few months later, the entire city shut down. I visited several times. Given the number of rooftop terraces, some businesses were able to use them as a loophole for meetings (as they are considered "outdoor" areas in the city). I attended several meetings on those rooftop terraces. It was surprising to see the city so empty. However, with each trip to the city, I noticed more and more crime. On my way to one meeting in 2020, I was riding a scooter from Caltrain (4th and King) along the Embarcadero to the Ferry Building. I crossed Embarcadero and made my way to California Street. I had never seen so many homeless and, yes, human waste on the streets. I had to be careful so that I didn't roll over either the homeless or their waste. Then, on California Street, a young homeless man (who was across the street) began throwing baseballs at me. I stopped because I was surprised. However, he continued to throw them and yell obscenities at me. I continued on my scooter to the destination (a work meeting at the Newhall Nest atop 260 California Street), I told an off-duty cop working security at the entrance. He told me that there was no point in calling the police because "their hands are tied." By 2021, this was the "new normal." Between the high taxation, high crime rate (including non-reported or non-prosecuted crimes), unceasing odors and the growing homeless problem, San Francisco is now a shell of what it once was. Due to the pandemic, businesses discovered that it was cheaper and more cost-effective to do business outside of the city. So, white collar workers (especially tech workers) have left the downtown area. This has led to a loss of businesses that needed that business to afford the astronomical rent/lease payments. Criminals are so brazen now that shoplifting affected so many businesses. Moreover, non-criminals feel less safe. So, they don't frequent those businesses that are most affected by a perpetual criminal presence. The homeless have now shifted throughout the city -- panhandling at tourist areas along the Embarcadero from the Ferry Building to Fisherman's Wharf (and areas just off of those locales). However, at night, they move a little further inside the city -- into the business areas -- because it is warmer at night and the buildings block the cold wind. At this point, I have no desire to visit the city. I have no desire to go to meetings in the city (which, I admit, used to be fun work excursions). Not only is it still expensive to go (by train or by parking), it's actually quite dangerous. It always feels that the city is on the cusp going from annoying crime to something worse (i.e., violence). Plus, and this is just a pet peeve, the entire downtown area between Caltrain to Ghirardelli Square is filled with the smells of human excrement mingled with strong skunk weed. Between the crime, odors, homelessness, human waste and occasional needles, I'd rather not walk or ride most places in San Francisco.

No representation without taxation. No voting rights for non taxpayers!! Make America Safe Again!!

San Fransisco is beautiful. Wowww!!! Oh my goodness! What a beautiful city.

This is great reporting you're doing. I was last up in San Francisco just before the pandemic and it was grim even back then.

This happened also in the Chicago area decades ago. We had many malls go to this route as crime was out of control. It's horrifying.

Thanks Leo for letting people know what happens to a city when they cater to criminals.

MOST ESPECIALLY MISSING, at the Embarcadero, are the homeless (?) and the shoplifters (nothing left to steal)

I grew up in Redwood City. About 20 minutes south of SF. Back in 2012 i saw he writing on the wall and got out of there, so did most of my family. Its nice to look back and know that I was right.

So sad, I used to go to The Embarcadero all the time 5 years ago. Can’t believe what San Francisco residents have allowed to happen to this once great city. There used to be an amazing Indian restaurant in that plaza. How do you let junkies take over your city?

Thank you so much for posting this. I left the SF Bay area ten years ago and this is shocking. I've been to Embarcadero many times, it was always bustling. Great shops and restaurants, very pleasant vibe, lots of people. This is so sad.

“For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind…” (Hosea 8:7)

This is happening in a lot of big cities.....high rents, AMAZON, lack of employees.... shopping areas we went to on wkends are gated up with lease signs and for sale as well

30 years ago I worked in the financial district and would walk to Embarcadero Center on my lunch hour. It was so busy it was hard to get a table in any of the restaurants. It hurts my heart to see what it has turned into.

This just makes me cry. I am a native San Franciscan, born and raised in the 60s. I miss the City as it was, so many nice and not-so-nice memories, but it is still my "home". My friend from junior high worked at Three Embarcadero and we would meet at lunch almost daily where it was so crowded and lots going on to see, to do, and to walk. We were in our 20s back then. To see this as a ghost town now makes no sense. I no longer live in the City, but still have two brothers that live there. They, too, say it has changed for the worse. Something has to be done to bring San Francisco back to life and clean up the city. :(

I had a store in the Embarcadero three in the late 80s and early 90s. La Beau Monde women’s clothing and shoes. I’m very sad to see the Embarcadero is closed. Thank you for sending the video out. Cheers.

Oh man so sad. I used to frequent this area a lot. It was always packed with office workers and tourists.

Thanks for posting this video. It is very sentimental to me. In high school, I worked in the Embarcadero as a tile setter. As you see, there are thousands of beautiful circular tiles all over the Embarcadero. Back then, it was bustling with beautiful retail shops, beautiful women, business people just going about their lives. Now, it's dead. The San Francisco that I loved no longer exists.

I used to work across the street from the Embarcadero in the '90s. It was a thriving, bustling area in a world-class city. It's current condition is beyond tragic.

Former bay area resident now in Orange county. Always loved returning to visit the City. No more, haven't been in many years. Sad what has happened to my favorite city.

Last time I drove by that area in 2019 I remembered how nice and busy it was, its sad how it empty it is compared to those times.

This mall used to be a great destination during lunch or even on the weekends. When it opened in the late 80s and 90s, every floor was packed with shops and restaurants. Now there are barely a handful left.

You know how in scary films they always use cemeteries that are unkempt or old looking to exude a creepy atmosphere? I just realized watching this that an abandoned mall is actually more creepy, because whereas a cemetery was always for those who passed on, a mall was supposed to be for the living, i.e. full of life. Families walking around together, packs of teenagers running wild but still well behaved, the children's court area with amusement rides for toddlers and up. What on earth happened to this mall?

Thank you for this coverage, since I havn't been there in years but heard that is was dying. What time of day and what day of the week are you recording. It's hard to tell if some places are just closed, or if they are CLOSED.

I lived in San Francisco in the 60's and early 70's. Just think, one of the main players who helped this happen is getting ready to run for president. This is America's future if that happens.

I am almost 60 and my father use to take our family to San Fancisco to see my aunt and Uncle. My Uncle would take my sister and I to the zoo and walk from his house as our parents visited. It was incredibly beautiful, My heart is broken for this place. All of California is a heartbreak, shadows of a beautiful yesterday.

Sadly, nothing will change for the better. Anyone who knows how to properly run a city does not want the job. What is as surprising is the residents of SF have not risen up and demanded the Mayor, the Board or Supervisors and the DA resign immediately.

I worked there in 1998-2000. The shopping center was empty even back then. Only thing that was somewhat busy was a few coffee shops early morning.

Great footage, thank you for sharing this. I was hoping to glean insight as to why this is happening. I noticed this video was shot 1 week after the shootout that occurred there. Do any locals know how much that event may have affected this, or some of the reasons why this is happening to the Embarcadero?

Keep documenting. People need to see this! Horrible situation in SF. When bad goes to worse with no end in sight.

This almost happened in NYC, but people couldn’t move and tourists just kept coming no matter how unsafe it was. So many people in person denied and still deny the danger of past and current crime gaslighting truthful people, while protecting themselves by taking Ubers, staying in after dark, or moving and not stating safety as the reason why 💙🙏🏻💙

I was born and raised in S.F. and the Bay Area. I escaped in 2012. I used to work in the Embarcadero Center. (Embarcadero Plaza is that big, open area at the end near the clock tower). I couldn't believe that little sushi shop at the end is still open! Haha! Used to eat lunch there all the time.

My God! I was stationed on Treasure Island in the 1980's when I was on shore duty in the Navy. The Embarcadero was thriving and filled with people all day and into the night. My girlfriend and I went there all time to eat and drink. This is crazy.

Vote these corrupt politicians out.

I was a train operator with Bart for 25 years. Before covid the platforms would be packed, so much so we ran 4 extra trains, we called the baby commuters. My 10 car train would be filled to the gills. During covid I was lucky to have 10 people on a train, only the working poor and homeless road the trains. After covid maybe a quarter of the people came back.

Thank you for your video. It's a sad truth that needs to be told about every big city in the United States. I have friends coming from Spain and warned them that they are not going to see anything in SF nowadays except for empty places, beggars, junkies and crime scenes. They confirmed by text that it's true what I told him. If you're thinking to coming to Chicago downtown, it's getting out of hand as well.

Recently, my cousin visited from Canada, and I took her to several spots in SF. We had a great time. I grew up in SF, in the 80's, so i have an idea of what areas to avoid

That’s what happens when The People vote for measures to make shoplifting and various other crimes misdemeanors…You get what you vote for.

Thanks for documenting this. I used to love wandering around there during lunch hour. John Portman was the architect of the Embarcadero’s modern/brutalist style, and it was so different from many of the other shopping/dining/office spaces in SF. Great shopping, dining and people watching, plus in the early spring, you could walk over to the nearby park and see all the parrots gathered in the flowering trees eating blossoms. I enjoy reading other’s recollections and experiences of the very unique Embarcadero. I hope it comes back to life one day…

You are my favorite San Francisco Poet. I know this is bigger than poetry, but I just have to note this. Thanks.

The Inner Harbor in Baltimore is the same. It used to be so alive, with stores, restaurants, live music and people everywhere all the time. Now....completely abandoned! SO SAD!!!!

I remember visiting this mall when it used to be full of people and businesses. What a shame to see it now! SF should thank their liberal city leaders for protecting the criminals instead of the law-abiding citizens and businesses. We don't visit SF anymore because of the feces, crime, drugs, and lawlessness. Thank you for the great video on exposing the truth in a once beautiful city.

I worked in SF back in the early 1980s. My company was located a short walk from the Embarcadero and I would often spend my lunch hour in this part of the city and I never could have imagined this transformation. It's like a ghost town.

Wow, I can’t believe this. This is unrecognizable to me. Where are all the tourists? That was the backbone of income for San Francisco.

They voted for this for years and years and I don’t feel sorry for them one bit. Great video

I think we need to watch Westfield Mall, rumor, it going to completely shut down in 6 month's. The city is collapsing around us. San Francisco's Board.of Supervisors will not do anything to stop this madness.😢

What a shock! Many years ago, I worked at Embarcadero Center II. It was a vibrant, lovely building to work. Nice restaurants (my favorite was Scott’s Seafood Bar and Grill). A co-worker and I would also go to this Mexican restaurant for drinks and quesadillas after work. I loved Embarcadero Center. So sad to hear this. Last time I stayed at the Hyatt Regency and the ice rink was packed.

It's an urban wasteland. The "greed is good" crowd outpriced each other until nothing is left. No one can afford to live there, eat there, work there, so they don't. Every major city in the country is faced with this and all for the very same reasons. You can see the very same thing in Phoenix. The 3-R economy, (retail, restaurant, real estate) doesn't work. When you don't engineer, manufacture, produce anything, everyone just pushes paperwork, so to speak, and this is the result. We not only deserve this coast to coast, but we're getting there at record speed...

I used to live in the Bay area in the 70's, and then again in the 90's. I truly can't fathom how this could happen to beautiful San Francisco.

This is what happens when you give power over to the politicians / government.

This is so sad and frightening at the same time, thank you Leo for sharing your video coverage with us

San Fransisco use to be my favourite city to visit! Now I wouldn’t go if the trip was free! 😮

Fascinating. Most interesting is that while it is mostly abandoned there is little that is run down about the place. No graffiti. No homeless. Pretty much spotless.