Auction of San Francisco Centre mall delayed again

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Walk inside San Francisco Centre these days and you can't help but notice, it's empty. The giant mall has seen a persistent outflow of stores in recent years and is a shell of its former self.

"It's just been so different coming in and not seeing anybody really. And all the stores are closing and it's just so sad to see that," said Arwyn Benitez.

Benitez is the assistant manager at Shoe Palace. She tells us over the past year she's worked here, she's experienced a noticeable decline in the number of customers. Benitez says she worries how long Shoe Palace might stay open.

"It's just a lot of tourists, but then they ask me, what's going on with the mall? I'm just like I don't know," Benitez said.

The San Francisco Centre's slow death stands in stark contrast to other areas of the city like Union Square, which has seen an influx of successful new businesses, including Nintendo.

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But if a buyer is found for the mall, what could replace it?

Commercial real estate expert Mark Ritchie says there could be several options.

"There are a number of people who would find entertainment experience retail that could fill some or a portion of the project and bring it back into the public's mind," said Ritchie.

Ritchie says one challenge for any potential buyer could be the building's sheer size, which Ritchie tells us is over two million square feet.

"Really, it was a blend of two or three massive retail buildings into one center," said Ritchie.

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No matter what happens to the San Francisco Centre, many local shoppers hope it will help revitalize not just the mall itself but this area of the city.

And as for what they want to see most, several tell us they're open to ideas.

"I think it's time to rethink things. If something doesn't work right now, trying to resurrect the past might not be the best approach," said Lucile Glessner.

The auction was scheduled for Thursday, but one company involved is now estimating it may be delayed again until September.

Lenders have been trying to sell off the mall since it changed ownership in 2023. Many are finally hoping a buyer might come through.