Up to 30 workers at San Francisco’s Saluhall food hall face layoffs Dec. 1 as Kerb Food, the UK-based operator, ends its contract with the Market Street venue.
The split marks a major shift for the two-story dining destination inside 925 Market St., a building owned by IKEA parent Ingka Centres and branded as “the Meeting Place.” Saluhall debuted in April to considerable buzz, anchoring the complex alongside San Francisco’s only IKEA store.
Kerb managed the hall’s proprietary concepts: a coffee counter, soft serve station, and two bars. Those operations will shut down entirely. Centralized food hall staff, including bussers and dishwashers, also lose their positions, according to workers granted anonymity because they lacked permission to speak publicly.
One employee pegged the affected headcount near 30, though an existing eatery is expected to absorb a handful of them. Staff at the five remaining third-party restaurants won’t see changes.
Kerb did not answer requests for comment.
Restaurant operators are scrambling to adapt. David Jacobson, chef-owner of Cheezy’s Artisanal Pizza on the ground floor, said his kiosk must switch to compostable plates and disposable utensils by Nov. 17, replacing the ceramic and metal tableware vendors had shared.
Jacobson, a Delfina alum, opened in April. He called August “super scary slow,” with payroll barely covered between Outside Lands and Burning Man.
Meanwhile, he praised Kerb’s on-site crew but faulted London management for unresponsive communication that delayed basics like signage.
Jacobson secured a yearlong lease directly with Ingka, replacing the month-to-month deal he had under Kerb. He now takes over the shuttered coffee bar, keeping the beverage menu while shifting food from pastries to breakfast sandwiches on house-baked loaves. He rehired some cafe workers to preserve their expertise.
“They already know how to build a latte, so I wanted to keep that working culture going instead of starting over from scratch,” he said.
Saluhall has struggled since opening. Four of the five upstairs Bay Area restaurant tenants departed, citing high rents and weak sales. Two kiosks remain vacant. A spokesperson for the Meeting Place circulated a prior statement from manager Miia Kautovaara saying working with Kerb provided “a strong foundation” and that Ingka now aims to bring Saluhall closer to its core business and long-term vision.
