My Story

Growing up northeast of San Francisco in the state’s capitol, Nate Mahoney, founder of The Urbanist SF, didn’t realize he had spent his youth visiting San Francisco as a tourist until he relocated to “the city” as an adult.

A Bay Area resident since 2002 and living in San Francisco since 2006, when he made his move to the “west bay,” he quickly found that while San Francisco bared similar features of an old friend, she was still a virtual stranger. Illuminating the difference between being familiar and being local, his memories of visits with his family over the years suddenly seemed like they could have been to another planet, and not to a city he thought he knew. Suddenly being local was as nuanced as having a favorite laundry mat and as straightforward as confidently placing your vote for district supervisor. A city that is defined by its history, geography, food, architecture, creativity, penchant for innovation and spirit, San Francisco has all the elements of a true urban dwelling. Realizing that he would not feel grounded until he found his footing, with his anthropological spirit, a sincere desire to settle in and his affinity for discovery in tow, Nate set out on foot to discover his new city.

“In short: San Francisco is a perfect place for a pedestrian. A place to wander through and marvel at - full of cultural synergy from technology to food. One may be daunted by climbing her hills, but rewarded in full by incredible views at her peaks.”

Inspired by locavores and an advocate for sustainable living and local makers, Nate began researching the needs of urban pedestrians through interviews in order to begin curating kits through partnerships with other small businesses. The first Welcome to San Francisco kits were sold to brides to give to their out of town wedding guests in 2014. Guests attending from coast to coast and all over the world received a kit with locally made goods which included locally crafted goods and a custom illustrated walking map of San Francisco by local illustrator Carissa Potter and printed locally at Colpa Press, a collaborative project designed to make the city feel welcoming and accessible. Combining the ethos of San Francisco and Nate’s own dedication to sustainability, these kits now exist as a resource for all kinds of visitors - whether touring or moving, their contents offer locally made products that help welcome you to a new city that has so much to offer.