Pandemic pop-up to brick-and-mortar (2020-2022)
During COVID-19, thousands of food vendors in cities like San Francisco started as home kitchens, pickup-truck operations, and outdoor pop-ups. Many built enough demand to open permanent storefronts once restrictions lifted.
A wave of independent restaurants and food shops opened in the early 2020s, redefining the local food scene.
The pop-up-to-permanent path became a standard route for small food businesses, lowering the risk of opening a storefront.
Corey's Pizza followed exactly this path—home kitchen to pickup truck to permanent shop—making it part of a larger shift in how neighborhood food businesses get started.
