Kindred threw an epic block party in San Francisco
How we are bringing the local community together.
At Kindred, we believe the best connections happen face to face—around shared meals, good conversation, and open doors. So when we welcomed our full team to San Francisco for a company on-site, it felt like the perfect time to throw open the doors to our new HQ — a bright, two-story space in Jackson Square that feels less like an office and more like a Kindred clubhouse. What started as a simple housewarming quickly turned into something bigger: a full-on block party, with neighbors, members, friends, and future members all invited. Because when you’re building a community, there’s no such thing as too many chairs at the table.
We originally imagined the housewarming as something small and sweet — just our team and about 60 Kindred members gathered in our new space. But then Veronica, who leads People Ops (and moonlights as a pro party planner via her business DinnerEve), looked around and said, “What if we made it a block party? Took over the whole street?” She didn’t have to ask twice.
We opened up the invite list to 300 people—Kindred members, friends, neighbors, and soon-to-be members—and set out to create something that felt like a living, breathing snapshot of our community in motion.
First stop: our neighbors. Thankfully, we share a block with Bix, one of San Francisco’s most iconic restaurants. Not only did they say yes, they lent us tables, chairs, and their blessing. A good neighbor goes a long way—and theirs made this whole thing possible.
Our invites were hard to miss—bold, joyful, and unmistakably Kindred, with a first peek at our new logo and branding.
From there, it was a 48-hour sprint. The whole team jumped in to bring the event to life, and one of the first things we set up was a big mirror near the entrance. We called it the selfie mirror, and across it we printed the words: “The world is worth sharing.” It’s a small phrase, but it’s the heartbeat of Kindred.
When the doors opened at 6 p.m., people started streaming in. The entire street had been blocked off for Kindred, and walking into that space felt surreal. Members were welcomed at a check-in desk — Veronica’s husband, Garrett, even jumped in to help — which added a warm, personal touch.
Guests wandered through the space, snapping selfies in front of the selfie mirror and soaking in the vibes. AJ Hicks, a local indie folk musician, played live music. A Kindred member recommended chef Jes, who served up the most delicious Mediterranean-inspired appetizers.
Our Kindred Concierge team manned a “Ask Me Anything” station. They also circulated throughout the event answering questions from members and curious newcomers. It was especially fun to watch members meet their Kindred concierges in real life, after developing relationships with them online.
Written on the walls were prompts like “What does home mean to you?” and “What’s on your travel bucket list?” Guests wrote their answers on Post-its. One of the more unexpected answers (“New Jersey”) got a good laugh from both the team and the community.
A mini magazine station showed off the first edition of Kindred magazine, which profiles some of our incredible members and homes. One of our members, Bob, alias #BeLikeBob, flipped through it, turned to Meiwen — our brand designer who brought the magazine to life — and said, “It’s sensational.”
We set up a station where guests could write postcards, and later we mailed them out. One person wrote, “Hey, I’m at a Kindred event and thought of you,” while others used the postcards to invite friends to join Kindred. It was a small but meaningful gesture that added a personal touch to the experience and extended the spirit of community beyond the event itself.
The whole time, our heartstring-tugging brand video playing on a loop, and guests seemed enthralled watching these clips of members taking meaningful trips, all thanks to Kindred. One member told us they’ve been to plenty of VC-backed startup events, but this one felt genuinely homey — which is exactly what we were going for, and what every Kindred community event aims to achieve.
Midway through the evening, our co-founder and CEO, Justine, stepped forward to welcome the crowd. She began with heartfelt thanks to our neighbors at Bix and then shared a personal story: Her father once worked mere blocks away. Tas, our other co-founder, followed with a heartfelt reflection. Just two years ago, it took months of effort to gather a crowd for events like this. And yet here we were: 300 members and friends showing up with just 48 hours’ notice. Tas also gave a special shout-out to Manit, a San Francisco member who has hosted more than 100 nights on Kindred and who embodies the generosity that fuels this community.
The night also marked a first: our wider team meeting the Kindred community in person. It was deeply moving to watch members seek out specific team members and concierges just to say hello and put a face to the name.
Kindred is built by wildly generous, open-hearted souls — people who show up and who believe the world is meant to be shared. We’re endlessly grateful to all the humans helping us shape a new kind of travel, one that’s community-driven, story-rich, and rooted in belonging.
