MAUM Market San Francisco: brands, visits and past events

The September 20, 2026 event has passed. Checked October 27, 2026, MAUM’s San Francisco page lists Sunday, December 20, 11am–4pm at the Ferry Building Back Plaza. Confirm the organizer’s current page before traveling; this article’s footage and interviews document Dahna’s May visit, not the upcoming vendor lineup.

MAUM Market is a curated marketplace for Asian-owned brands. Its current city navigation lists Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. The live organizer pages are the authority for current locations and schedules; this report focuses on Dahna’s San Francisco visit.

The word maum (마음) is Korean for heart or mind. The name fits the format. Shoppers can talk directly with the people who make the products.

A typical MAUM Market brings together artists, designers, and small-business owners selling ceramics, fashion, jewelry, stationery, home goods, art, food, and beauty. Some vendors are established brands with retail distribution. Others are launching their first product line. Both types set up side by side.

Representation is central to MAUM Market. The organizers build supportive spaces where emerging and established Asian-owned brands connect directly with the public.

Place creation. MAUM Market partners with cultural institutions and public destinations, including the Ferry Building in San Francisco and ROW DTLA in Los Angeles, to bring Asian-owned brands into places people already visit.

Mindful curation. Vendors apply and are selected. Shoppers encounter a range of categories rather than a single type of product.

Meaningful collaboration. Brands meet customers, but they can also meet each other, buyers, press, and agencies. For a small brand, a day at the market creates an opportunity to hear direct customer feedback and see how people respond to the product.

The SF edition sets up on the Back Plaza of the Ferry Building, on the waterfront side facing the Bay Bridge. The plaza is fully outdoors, so plan for sun and wind.

Embarcadero Station serves BART and Muni Metro and is a short walk away. The F Market streetcar serves the Embarcadero. If you drive, check the Ferry Building's current parking guidance before leaving. The Ferry Building Marketplace inside offers food, coffee, and restrooms; individual shop hours vary.

Dahna went to the May 2026 market at the Ferry Building. Watch the 2-minute, 36-second recap above for market scenes and brand introductions, with English captions for the Korean dialogue. The footage shows the May edition, not the September vendor lineup.

Vendors set up across the plaza. Many booths were single tables with samples, testers, and a founder standing behind them. The crowd built around noon. By early afternoon, popular booths had short lines and some products had sold out. At the May market, Birdie Sparkling Tea's co-founder told us Peach Oolong sold out within an hour and a half of opening.

Allow one to two hours and bring a tote bag. Ask vendors which payment methods they accept; carrying a little cash can be useful.

A good reason to visit is the chance to follow your curiosity. Ask a tea founder which flavor they drink at home, or ask how a swimmer ended up making shampoo. In Dahna’s May interviews, those questions led to stories about family rituals, ingredients, and everyday frustrations. You leave with more context for the product you tried and the person who made it.

The vendor mix changes each edition. Based on the May 2026 market and the organizer's descriptions, these are the categories to look for. The brands we interviewed in May are examples of past participants, not a confirmed September vendor list.

Many participating brands are early-stage. In May, Dahna interviewed founders who described their brands as seven or eight months old. BEENUVO said it launched directly into the US, selling through Amazon, TikTok Shop, and its own site.

Read our founder interviews from the May market for the full stories behind IMUNIKA, Birdie Sparkling Tea, BEENUVO, OFFLOW, and SOOO. Birdie has since rebranded as ORCHA; the interviews retain its May name.

Plan a little ahead so you can spend your time meeting makers.

From Dahna’s perspective, the value is hearing what a shopper needs to know before trying something unfamiliar. At a booth, a founder can explain an ingredient, demonstrate a product, and hear the next question immediately. That exchange can help a marketing team understand which part of the story needs to be clearer online.

Our May interviews offered two useful examples. Birdie’s co-founder preferred Apple Jasmine but reported that Peach Oolong sold out first. IMUNIKA’s founder recommended whole beans while reporting that drip bags were the day’s best seller. Both raise a practical question: is the product the team most wants to introduce also the easiest place for a new customer to start? Read the founder interviews for the full accounts and Dahna’s proposed tests.

For a future event, we would choose one customer question to investigate, then plan the booth and content around it. These are starting points for a brand’s own brief:

MAUM Market accepts applications through the Apply as a Maker form on its website. Selection is curated. Check current dates and application availability directly with the organizer.

For a Korean brand exploring the US, consider whether an outdoor market suits the product: can shoppers safely try it, understand its use, and carry it home? Budget for inventory, staffing, travel, and content alongside the participation fee. Treat the day as a local learning opportunity; one event’s shoppers and sales cannot establish demand across the US.

Dahna helps brands plan US pop-up participation, from preparing an application to on-site content and follow-up. MAUM Market makes its own selection decisions. Contact us to discuss your brand’s goals and a suitable event plan.