Pinterest is pinning its name on a new office door: the company today officially announced that it is moving its offices from Palo Alto to San Francisco, confirming our reports from June that were further confirmed this weekend by Pinterest’s international growth executive Sarah Tavel. Pinterest tells us its office will be at 572 7th Street for now.
The news was delivered today by San Francisco’s Mayor Ed Lee, who has rung in the news by launching his own Pinterest account.
So far, it’s a dry mix of three Pinboards, on SF Living, SF Sports and SF Economy, but let’s give it a little time. (A screenshot of the main page is the illustration here.)
Putting to one side that the Mayor’s office decided to issue a press release for this news — some might think that’s a bit of overkill for one little startup — it is a bit of a coup to show that the fastest-growing companies (and Pinterest is certainly one, judging by other news today) are looking to set up shop in the city rather than continuing to congregate further south. The attractions include reasonable rents and the proximity of other startups in the area. Tech scenes in cities like London and New York have also demonstrated that close quarters can be a good breeding ground for innovation.
The Mayor’s office says that Pinterest is currently finalizing plans for a long-term home in the SoMa neighborhood and has for now signed a short-term lease for “immediate growth.”
“I am thrilled to welcome Pinterest to the ‘Innovation Capital of the World,’ and am pleased that our efforts to attract and retain the industry’s best and most innovative companies are working,” said Mayor Lee in a statement.
“We’re pleased to now call one of the world’s great cities home,” Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann added. “Thanks to Mayor Lee, his team and everyone who has helped make this move possible.” It’s not clear whether the company got any special tax breaks or other sweeteners to seal the deal.
The office notes that Pinterest is a member of sf.citi (San Francisco Citizens Initiative for Technology & Innovation), a 501(c)6 organization “created to leverage the power of the technology community around civic action in San Francisco.”
Back in May, we interviewed Mayor Lee about the migration of tech companies away from San Jose and further into urban San Francisco — Pinterest’s move being one example of that. The full interview is below.