Jandii Will Open Second San Francisco Cafe Location
Owners of Sweet Maple are expanding their newest brand into a former Kitchen Story space in early November.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Jandii plans to open its second San Francisco location in early November 2026 at 3499 16th St. This expansion follows the debut of the cafe’s initial site on Taraval Street earlier this year.
Why it matters
The move marks a strategic re-utilization of existing real estate assets held by the ownership group following the closure of a previous concept at the same address. Operators often leverage known, viable locations to minimize transition time and infrastructure setup costs during multi-brand scaling.
The new cafe at 3499 16th St. marks the second Jandii location to open in San Francisco since July 2026. Owners Hoyul Steven Choi and Jiyeon Choi are transitioning the property following the permanent closure of their Kitchen Story location at the same site in January 2026.
The players
Jandii
A San Francisco-based cafe brand owned by a multi-concept hospitality group.
Hoyul Steven Choi
A hospitality entrepreneur and owner of multiple San Francisco dining concepts.
Jiyeon Choi
A hospitality entrepreneur and owner of multiple San Francisco dining concepts.
Kitchen Story
A restaurant concept formerly operating at 3499 16th St. under the same ownership.
Sweet Maple
A popular San Francisco breakfast and brunch establishment operated by the owners of Jandii.
The details
The expansion places the new Jandii unit into a former Kitchen Story storefront, allowing the ownership group to repurpose an existing commercial space. Hoyul Steven Choi and Jiyeon Choi manage a portfolio that includes Sweet Maple, using their established operational expertise to convert the shuttered Kitchen Story footprint into the Jandii brand.
Timeline
January 2026: Kitchen Story closed its 16th Street location.
July 2026: Jandii opened its first location on Taraval Street.
Early November 2026: Jandii will open its second location.
Market Landscape
This move follows a standard pattern of restaurant groups refreshing their portfolio by replacing legacy concepts with newer, higher-growth brands in proven locations. It reflects the industry practice of internal brand rotation to maximize the utility of existing real estate footprints.
Operators looking to scale should monitor the efficiency of re-using existing commercial infrastructure for new concepts. Managing the transition between legacy brands and new units can save on build-out costs, provided the underlying lease terms support the shift.
The takeaway
Successful scaling often involves refreshing your brand portfolio within your current property inventory to capture new demand with lower overhead. Evaluate your existing leases to see if underperforming units could be revitalized by rotating in a fresh concept.
Further reading
For more on shifts in the local retail landscape, visit the Openings & Closings section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KRON4.
Live Poll
In your neighborhood, do you generally welcome new businesses replacing older, well-known local cafes?
