Nate Mahoney Studio

Tag: transit

  • Serendipity

    Serendipity

    DRAFT:

    Serendipity in the City: The Spark Behind My Small Business

    Starting a small business is always a leap of faith, but sometimes the city itself conspires to give you a nudge. My venture, focused on helping people slow down and truly appreciate San Francisco, was born out of a moment of pure serendipity.

    It all started when I joined my friend Cathy on one of her Castro walking tours. Midway through, I struck up a conversation with a lovely couple visiting from southern Germany, currently on a sabbatical year to explore the world. We shared stories, admired the neighborhood, and then went our separate ways. Or so I thought.

    The very next day, I was stationed at my pop-up kiosk at the Union Square Muni station, my small business was barely a day old, when I looked up to see that same couple strolling by. We laughed at the coincidence, and we all had the pink rose crystals from the Pink Triangle Park, which commemorates LGBTQ+ history in such a moving way. We even snapped a photo to send to Cathy, connecting the threads of our serendipitous meetings.

    As if the universe wasn’t done weaving the story, the couple immediately booked my POPOS (Privately Owned Public Open Spaces) tour for Monday morning. That tour turned into another magical moment, Yana, the brilliant designer behind the San Francisco walking map, joined us just before our meeting to discuss the upcoming New York City map design. I found myself guiding new friends from across the globe through hidden rooftop gardens and tucked-away plazas, while collaborating with a local creative talent I deeply admire.

    That’s the heart of why I started this small business: to create opportunities for spontaneous connection, discovery, and appreciation of the city. San Francisco is full of moments like this, glimpses of beauty and community, if we simply slow down to notice.

    If my first week in business at the kiosk was any sign, serendipity is not just a theme for my business, it’s at the core of my artist lifestyle, and the ethos for the experiences I hope to share with every curious person who engages in community with me.

    —

  • Kiosk in the Union Square Muni Station.

    Kiosk in the Union Square Muni Station.

    There’s something magical about Thanksgiving morning in the city. It’s quiet with many having traveled to the suburbs for turkey prep.

    However, this year instead of cooking, I had a last minute morning meeting with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, (SFMTA, better known as the iconic worm logo, MUNI) to finally get kiosk keys for the Union Square Muni Station.

    Autobus Worm, (2025) acrylic on canvas, 10” x 8” x 1” Nate Mahoney.

    This morning I was clutching a fresh set of keys that jingled like music for the holiday season!

    Today is about food, friends, and family for sure, but it’s a complex holiday that carries both joy and reflection. Embracing both sides of Thanksgiving allows us to celebrate family and food while honoring the truths of the past.

    This year was very special for me, it was about getting the keys to be ready for opening day, this Black Friday for theurbanist.com kiosk!

    I had been working behind the scenes with the city on permitting and with collaborators for months. Designing goods and services to help everyone enjoy the city like a local. We crafted our best welcoming urban conversation starters with welcome kits, walking maps, and our walking tours.

    Travelers and shoppers are about to rush through the station this Friday. I am ready to join the Black Friday buzz. There’s a unique thrill in opening the kiosk for business for the first time.

    I’m excited to be rolling up the shutters for the first time this Friday. The metallic click, click, click will feel like unlocking a tiny stage where personal, people-focused community building can happen.

    By the time the post-turkey crowds head to downtown for Black Friday, I’ll be right in the heart of it all. Union Square is already shimmering with lights, an ice skating rink, and the energy is contagious.

    Whether you’re a commuter, a holiday shopper, or just passing through, swing by our new kiosk. We’ve got Urbanist flair to share. You might even find a city-themed surprise or two in our just released 2026 Walking map design!

    2026 San Francisco Walking Map

    Here’s to starting the season by rolling up the gates at our new kiosk, with a smile, and to bring a whole lot of excitement for what’s ahead.

    Happy Thanksgiving and see you in person at the Kiosk!

    220 Geary Street San Francisco CA 94102. The kiosk is inside the Union Square Muni station.

    Land Acknowledgment. We acknowledge that this project takes place on the ancestral lands of Native Peoples. We acknowledge this not only in thanks to the Indigenous communities who have held a relationship with this land and stewarded it for generations, but also in recognition of the historical challenges. Additionally, we make this acknowledgement as a point of reflection for us all as we address these wrongs in an effort to heal our relationship with Native Peoples.

    Open 11 am to 6 pm for Black Friday, 2025.

    Open 24/7 at theurbanist.com

  • The Urbanist

    The Urbanist

    Why did I create an urban-focused small business?

    I’m working on refining my ‘why’ statement as a work in progress:

    I created a small business to help people thrive in the city at the intersection of local community, urban inspiration, art, and design. 

    My passion to support people in the city is based on my own experience. I looked for a place to call home after leaving the suburbs. I moved to the city looking for creative inspiration and queer safe space. But, it was a challenge to adapt without knowing how to find belonging and the high cost of living had me operating in survival mode. 

    Now, the city is my home, I want to put all of my urban problem solving skills to good use, helping others[a] here feel welcome and able to find what they are looking for by creating goods, services, and community building. This is how I want to show up as an artist[b] in the city and how I want to interact with the world. 

    When I started this business, I focused on things people needed. I interviewed people and curated a welcome kit 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. These kits now exist as a resource for all kinds of visitors – whether visiting or relocating, their contents offer locally made products that help welcome you to the city that has so much to offer.

    I want to grow and become a sustainable business by evolving these welcome kits and to offer services that build community[c]. It’s a future goal is to help people find affordable[d] housing in the city. 

    I thoroughly enjoy living in the city and want to also make my job enjoyable. I celebrate the serendipity that occurs when people come together and I want to use humor and inject joy into my process, making it healthy, fun, and the end result both lively, human, and engaging. I want this small business to be able to thrive while maintaining its unique voice in the fast-paced urban environment.

    —The Urbanist

    Welcoming essentials for urban explorers. Taking the sense of secrecy out of urban exploration while leaving all the adventure, The Urbanist aims to offer mindful, sustainable, and essential services to the community, fostering a sense of accessibility and familiarity for visitors, tourists, and relocating urban explorers.

  • Autobus Worm. Painting on display at the SF Railway Museum show.

    Autobus Worm. Painting on display at the SF Railway Museum show.

    Autobus Worm, (2025) acrylic on canvas, 10” x 8” x 1” Nate Mahoney.

    Painting for sale at The Urbanist.