Community empowerment, particularly through the strengthening of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and the management of street vendors, has become a priority in Indonesia’s national economic development. This study examines the effectiveness of the empowerment programs carried out by the Department of Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Trade of Surabaya City towards the Culinary Tourism Center (Sentra WisataKuliner, or SWK) in Jambangan District—an area experiencing a decline in attractiveness compared to other centers in Surabaya.This research adopts a qualitative approach and employs the ACTORS framework (Authority, Competence, Trust, Opportunities, Responsibilities, Support). It explores the forms of empowerment, challenges encountered, and the program's impact on business actors and the sustainability of the SWK. The findings show that the empowerment program is implemented comprehensively, including business training, legal facilitation, mentoring, promotion, and infrastructure revitalization. However, key challenges remain, such as limited product innovation, insufficient use of digital technology, and low consistency among business actors. While entrepreneurs perceive the program positively, they expressed the need for more relevant training and more sustainable promotional efforts. This study contributes to the literature on local creative economic empowerment by highlighting the need for locally tailored empowerment strategies and cross-sectoral collaboration to support the sustainability of SWKs as hubs for creative economy and culinary tourism.