X departs San Francisco, local businesses face uncertain future

Elon Musk's social media company X, previously known as Twitter, is relocating its headquarters from San Francisco to Austin, Texas, a decision announced in July. This move is largely attributed to California's new gender identity law, which mandates that parents be informed of their child's gender identification. While some employees will be transferred to other California offices, the departure raises concerns among local businesses that relied on the patronage of X's employees. Local business owners express their worries about the future, with some reporting significant drops in sales. Cristian Torres, co-owner of CTKempanadas, noted that 20% of his business came from X and its employees, and he hopes to continue serving them even after the move. Similarly, Perry Dann Pancho from Poké Bar reported a 20% to 30% decline in sales compared to the previous year, attributing this to the absence of customers from the nearby X headquarters. The community's response to the announcement is divided. While many local officials, including former Board of Supervisors president David Chiu, view the departure as a positive change, citing concerns over the platform's content under Musk's leadership, local business owners feel the loss acutely. Chiu criticized Musk for allowing harmful content to proliferate on the platform, arguing that the city has done much for X. Mayor London Breed has not attempted to persuade X to remain, focusing instead on ensuring the success of other companies in the city. The city's chief economist, Ted Egan, suggested that X's diminishing size would lessen the impact of its departure, indicating a shift in the local economic landscape as the tech giant exits San Francisco.