Best Places to Shop in San Francisco
Collected by Tommy Alexander , AFAR Staff
600 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA
The tall white walls are the perfect easel for the bibelots on sale at Rare Device. Whether functional or decorative, each item looks like a work of art that you'll really want in your home. You'll find things like Scandinavian-designed coffee...
Photo by Jeffery Cross, AFAR Media
Heath Ceramics
2900 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
While Heath Ceramics is over 60 years old, having been founded in 1948 in Sausalito, their colorful bud vases, dinnerware and tiles have enjoyed a boom in recent years. Straddling the line between a rough, hand-crafted aesthetic and an elegant,...
Photo courtesy of City Lights
4519, 261 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
In an age when many independent bookstores have surrendered to the advance of chain stores and Amazon, City Lights is a true survivor. Since it was founded by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti in 1956, it has served as a gathering place for San...
Photo by Erin Kunkel
4035 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122, USA
An artist and an architect curate a cool mix of practical things here. You'll find books on furniture and design, and interesting items like wooden radios and pencil sets. Lots of it is handmade. The store also sells chairs and tables that Luke...
Photo courtesy of The Mill
You couldn't find a union more perfect if you tried. Bread wizard Josey Baker, who mastered the art of crafting whole wheat flour into complex, delicious loaves of bread, joins Jeremy Tooker of Four Barrel Coffee, one of the city's infamous third...
Photo by WCities/Flickr
Gimme Shoes
416 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
Since 1984, Gimme Shoes has gained a San Francisco following for sourcing some of the best designer footwear at affordable prices; at Gimme Shoes, they don't limit themselves to "luxury" products and instead focus on quality. They pride themselves...
Photo courtesy of MAC
170 O'Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
San Francisco isn't known for its high-fashion scene. That said, MAC is the place to go when you're looking for designer styles. MAC stands for "Modern Appealing Clothing," and the store carries just that, with collections for men and women by...
Photo courtesy of the Painted Bird
Painted Bird
1360 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
You don't usually associate a vintage store with being choosy, but a visit to the Painted Bird in the Mission will change your mind. This small shop carefully selects its items from the public, which means its stock is chock full of treasures—...
The Workshop Residence
797 22nd St, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA
This creative collective founded by Ann Hatch, is a brilliant example of encouraging, supporting and showcasing artistic talent. In the heart of the cool Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco, you'll know you're in the right spot immediately-...
Ferry Building
One, Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA
If Chinatown is one of San Francisco's most historic neighborhoods, continue walking for another ten minutes and you'll arrive at one of its newest attractions, the Ferry Building. Actually, the building itself is not new, having been completed in...
Bi-Rite Market
Pickup the best local food products the bay area has to offer at Bi-Rite Market. The Mission was not always the pantheon of San Francisco nouveau cuisine that it is today. Now, the area—especially the block of 18th Street between Guerrero and...
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