Roland Li

1 week ago | sfchronicle.com | Harsha Devulapalli |Roland Li

San Francisco has experienced a turbulent job market since the disruptive pandemic shutdowns, subsequent tech hiring boom and layoff surge, and slow recovery due to remote work. The shift to working from home has bolstered some industries like tech, which can hire in a greater area, while the lack of foot traffic, particularly downtown, has badly hurt others dependent on in-person customers.

2 weeks ago | sfchronicle.com | Roland Li |Ko Lyn Cheang |Shira Stein

President Donald Trump abruptly paused the high reciprocal tariffs that took effect Wednesday — with the exception of China, whose rate was increased to 125% — sending Bay Area tech giant stocks surging. “It’s obviously good news,” said Ted Egan, San Francisco’s chief economist, on the pause. But the impact of China tariffs on the city is hard to immediately measure, and other economists warned that costs could still rise on some consumer goods.

2 weeks ago | sacbee.com | Roland Li

Lululemon closed its Uptown Oakland store on Monday, according to a sign posted outside its entrance. The reason for the closure was unclear. The store was rammed by a car in 2024. It also suffered a break-in in 2023 when a man backed an SUV into the entrance. Lululemon opened the store on the ground floor of the Monogram apartment complex at 2495 Broadway, part of a wave of new projects in the area. Lululemon didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

2 weeks ago | sfchronicle.com | Roland Li |Nora Mishanec |Mario A. Cortez

The Corte Madera home goods company — which sourced 72% of its products from Asia last year and also had disappointing earnings — was one of the many immediate victims of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs. Its stock plunged 40% Thursday, its biggest drop as a public company. On Thursday, the stock market had its worst day in five years, dating to the COVID pandemic, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq index losing 6%. It fell an additional 5.7% Friday.

3 weeks ago | sacbee.com | Roland Li

Seven more retailers have closed at San Francisco Centre, the city's biggest mall, adding to a relentless exodus as Bloomingdale's prepares to depart, emptying the downtown destination's largest active retail space. Luxury watch brands Rolex and its Bucherer division, along with Richemont's Panerai and IWC Schaffhausen, have all recently shuttered four separate stores. Apparel store Psycho Bunny is gone, as is Sunglass Hut, according to the mall's online directory.