San Francisco Shopping Guide

Listed are some of the coolest independent shops in San Francisco.

To begin, select a neighborhood and/or tag from below.

The stores associated with your selection will appear right here and on the map.

101 Music

For those who savor the hunt as much as the feast, 101 Music is the perfect music store. Nearly every square nanometer of the shop's two locations are replete with vinyl records spanning...

101 Music

For those who savor the hunt as much as the feast, 101 Music is the perfect music store. Nearly every square nanometer of the shop's two locations are replete with vinyl records spanning...

826 Valencia

Towards the back of 826 Valencia is a hidden treasure, a writing/tutoring center providing much needed help and guidance to local school kids. So it seems rather appropriate that the front space...

A B Fits

With one of the largest selections of denim on the west coast, A B Fits is a fitting tribute to the city the birthed the blue jean. With their 30 or so styles of pants and jeans there is at least...

Adobe Books

When a local artist wanted to do an art installation by rearranging all the books in a bookstore by color, Adobe Books agreed and the result was magical. Can you imagine a corporate store ever...

Alla Prima

For some unknown reason European women understand the concept of buying lingerie for themselves--not for Valentine's Day, the new boyfriend or girlfriend or their wedding nights. They buy and...

Alla Prima

For some unknown reason European women understand the concept of buying lingerie for themselves--not for Valentine's Day, the new boyfriend or girlfriend or their wedding nights. They buy and...

American Rag

Seamlessly mixing new and vintage clothing to create a unique look may mainly be the work of hip celebrity stylists, but with stores like American Rag the task got just a little bit easier. The...

Amoeba Music

For anyone who doubts for a second the ability of independent music stores to survive against the corporate megastore witness Amoeba. The huge, vibrant record store stocks thousands of new and...

Amoeba Music

For anyone who doubts for a second the ability of independent music stores to survive against the corporate megastore witness Amoeba. The huge, vibrant record store stocks thousands of new and...

Reader Suggested: Anica Boutique carries hard to find designers in the heartof Russian Hill, San Francisco. Anica offers a fine-tuned mix of classic vintage pieces and avant-garde designers like United Bamboo, Vena...

Aquarius Records

Tired of music stores where the staff's knowledge does not run much deeper than Justin + Britney 4EVER? Try Aquarius Records. The feisty music store, specializing in indie rock, metal, punk...

Aqua Surf Shop

The light wooden floors, the pleasant aqua walls, the well lit and well organized retail floor are three of the many reasons why Aqua is not your average surf shop. For the hardcore surfer who...

Aqua Surf Shop

The light wooden floors, the pleasant aqua walls, the well lit and well organized retail floor are three of the many reasons why Aqua is not your average surf shop. For the hardcore surfer who...

Architectural Elements

Architechtural Elements is the store with the courage of its convictions. The look they present is unwaveringly modern, from the block sofas to the dramatic lighting cast in steel or ceramic, from...

Area

Reader Suggested: Area is an interior accessories store. It features a wide variety of items beautifully displayed by the owner John. With a keen eye John carries items that will please any interior designer or...

Argonaut Book Shop

Between the Gold Rush and the 1906 earthquake, the Mexican American War and the OJ trial, we say California has had more history than some centuries-old nations. Argonaut Book Shop is the...

Aria

Sure you can go ahead and call Aria an antique shop, but this isn't your grandmother's antique shop--where you need to dig through tons of junk to find treasure. The objects at Aria are...

Atys

When an inset, half-hidden store is packed with men and women, young and old, it's usually a sign that they're doing something right. In Atys' case, they're doing everything...

August

In August you'll find a shop where the hip, zen surroundings are perfectly in tune with the clothing and accessories. Laid out in an impossibly long shelf one side is denim from some of the...

Backspace

Having spent its early year in the back of neighborhood furniture shop Find, Backspace was quite literally that. These days the shop has grown into its own pretty little storefront, but its...

Bath Sense & More

The flowers growing in the bathtub outside will intrigue you into going inside Bath Sense. Once you do, you'll find yourself in the middle of a fantasyland of bath and body products. Plush...

Behind the Post Office

Behind the Post Office, a small store that's somewhat lost in the craziness of Haight-Ashbury, offers the fundamentals of fashionable living. Among its super-funky neighbors, the store is a...

Bettina

Bettina carries the brands carried by most other chic boutiques in San Francisco. But, what sets Bettina apart is their ability to introduce new brands to San Francisco. Among the usual suspects...

Big Pagoda

The goods of most American showrooms purporting to sell Chinese furniture are about as Chinese as Beef and Broccoli and Chow Mein. Not so at Big Pagoda. Owner Kurt Silver spent over a decade in...

Blackman Cruz

At Blackman Cruz the objects either came from dead people, are made from dead people or animals or could easily kill you. By objects that came from dead people we of course mean antiques, but...

Black Oak Books

If you go to a bookstore to drink a caramel cinnamon super-moca-fraza-chino-mundo and peruse the magazine section then we just can't recommend Black Oak. It seems that the staff and clientele...

Blu

The hipper, younger sister of Cielo, Blu is less expensive and less serious. Inside the simple, sanitary interior, Blu lets their clothes do the talking--and boy do they have a lot to say. They...

Body Time

Long before a "bath and body" store was a staple of American Life, Body Time was making and selling its own soaps, oils and lotions. The store began as a perfume shop, where essential...

Body Time

Long before a "bath and body" store was a staple of American Life, Body Time was making and selling its own soaps, oils and lotions. The store began as a perfume shop, where essential...

Body Time

Long before a "bath and body" store was a staple of American Life, Body Time was making and selling its own soaps, oils and lotions. The store began as a perfume shop, where essential...

Body Time

Long before a "bath and body" store was a staple of American Life, Body Time was making and selling its own soaps, oils and lotions. The store began as a perfume shop, where essential...

Body Time

Long before a "bath and body" store was a staple of American Life, Body Time was making and selling its own soaps, oils and lotions. The store began as a perfume shop, where essential...

Body Time

Long before a "bath and body" store was a staple of American Life, Body Time was making and selling its own soaps, oils and lotions. The store began as a perfume shop, where essential...

Bound Together Books

Harkening back to Haight Ashbury's counter-culture roots Bound Together is a bookstore that does the '60s proud. The volunteer-run collective mainly stocks books, zines and other...

Bows & Arrows

Reader Suggested: Bows & Arrows is a sneaker store in Berkeley, CA on historical Telegraph Avenue. We carry limited releases from Adidas, Vans Vault, New Balance U.K., Creative Recreation, Asics and Nike...

Britex Fabrics

We're not exactly clothing designers nor do we pretend to be, but even we can't can't help peeking inside Britex Fabrics every time we pass by it. Such is the allure of thousands...

Builders Booksource

With the proliferation of home-improvement shows it seems that if you have a thousand dollars and a can of paint you can turn any room into a designer showroom. For anyone who is looking for a...

Builders Booksource

With the proliferation of home-improvement shows it seems that if you have a thousand dollars and a can of paint you can turn any room into a designer showroom. For anyone who is looking for a...

Bulo

It's pretty easy at this point to get the shoes of all the major European luxury brands in America. But what about the smaller outfits? The type of designers that make everyday shoes that are...

Bulo

It's pretty easy at this point to get the shoes of all the major European luxury brands in America. But what about the smaller outfits? The type of designers that make everyday shoes that are...

Candystore

There are definitely some candies, mostly of the classic variety, at CandyStore. But most of the candy comes in the form of eye candy. The cheery space fill racks and shelves with fun, colorful...

Ce Soir

Reader Suggested: Ce Soir provides just the right atmosphere and friendly owner Quynh Nguyen offers the right combination of expertise and enthusiasm to ladies who are in search of sexy bras, thongs, and other...

Chamalyn

If you haven't had the pleasure of eating the Black Sesame Pocky snack or using an eraser shaped like sushi or writing on a notepad decorated with some cutesy critter on acid, it's never...

Cielo

Cielo is the older, more serious sister to Blu. Cielo tends to travel in European circles and owns every room she walks into. The clothes are for adults without being too adult. The very latest...

City Lights

When is a store not just a store? When it plays a pivotal role in a major American literary movement. Opened in 1953 by poet Louis Ferlinghetti, City Lights quickly became a favorite hangout of...

Comic Relief

Long after most comic books shops have closed down and others are just barely hanging on, Comic Relief is thriving. Why? Maybe it's the owner's unabashed devotion to all things comic...

Dark Garden

Every so often we come across a store that does something unique, really, really well. Such is the case with Dark Garden. The store focuses on making one-of-a-kind, custom corsets. Using...

Dema

Sure you could, and should, buy French fashions and Italian fashions and Japanese fashions. But don't miss the great clothing design that's happening right in your backyard. Dema is the...

De Vera

A small out of the way storefront is no precursor to the drama and refinement that waits inside De Vera. The store mainly holds the designs of San Francisco jewelry designer Frederico de Vera. De...

Diesel

For those that are used to independent bookstores of the cramped and cluttered variety, Diesel is a breath of fresh air. The design conscious, fiercely independent bookstore stocks new and used...

Dish

There is only one fact you need to know about Dish, the owner carried Seven jeans before just about anyone. Before every butt from Tillamook to Tuscaloosa was (sort of) covered by Seven jeans,...

Dish

There is only one fact you need to know about Dish, the owner carried Seven jeans before just about anyone. Before every butt from Tillamook to Tuscaloosa was (sort of) covered by Seven jeans,...

Doe

Doe is general store, San Francisco style. In what isn't the biggest space in the world they manage to squeeze in clothing for men, women and children, various home accessories, lotions and...

Dog Eared Books

Phoenix, Dog Eared, and Red Hill Books represent a type of bookstore that's fast fading into extinction. They're big, lively, a bit messy and generally a good place to spend an hour or...

Double Punch

Double Punch is where Robocop meets Blythe, where Han Solo meets the Uglydolls. The collectors' toy store does not discriminate as to where the toys come from, the pedigree (designer toy or...

Elizabeth Charles

Paris, Milan, New York and . . . Sydney? The country better known for its marsupials and pristine beaches is an emerging fashion center as well and Elizabeth Charles is a perfect showcase for the...

Erica Tanov

Carrying clothing from her own brand and others of a similar vein, Erica Tanov sees the modern woman as a Zen fairy who still manages to run her own business, raise three healthy kids and pair...

Erica Tanov

Carrying clothing from her own brand and others of a similar vein, Erica Tanov sees the modern woman as a Zen fairy who still manages to run her own business, raise three healthy kids and pair...

Flax Art & Design

It's hard not to walk into Flax Art & Design and be inspired. Inspired to make a card, draw a picture, frame a photograph or pick up a paint brush. The family-owned art supply store sets...

Flight 001

These days where every train station and airport have become bastions of legalized assault, it's nearly impossible to be a fashionable traveler. So, you have two options, you could travel in...

Flight 001

These days where every train station and airport have become bastions of legalized assault, it's nearly impossible to be a fashionable traveler. So, you have two options, you could travel in...

Form Vintage Modern

At Form Vintage Modern you'll see two different approaches to the same aesthetic. First are mid-century modern furnishings in pristine condition. Teak chairs, Danish casegoods, low-lying...

Giant Robot

If Giant Robot the magazine began as an ode to Asian pop culture, then Giant Robot the store is now a mecca for the same. Alongside copies of the latest issue of GR you'll find all sorts of...

Gimme Shoes

Gimme Shoes has been keeping San Francisco high society in heels for decades now. The store stocks only the finest, most stylish European shoes. There's nary a shoe to take a stroll in the...

Gimme Shoes

Gimme Shoes has been keeping San Francisco high society in heels for decades now. The store stocks only the finest, most stylish European shoes. There's nary a shoe to take a stroll in the...

Gingko

In the world of furniture "custom made" is too often code for "out of your price range," and "Asian" evokes images the Buddhas, temples and intricate carvings. In...

Harputs

Years before Run DMC sang "My Adidas" Harputs set up shop in a quiet corner of San Francisco and became a haven for all things Adidas. Decades later their fervor for the brand has not...

Harputs Market

For decades avant-garde fashion jetted from New York to Tokyo, flying right over San Francisco's head. With Harputs Market, dark, high-style clothing finally has a West Coast outpost. The...

HeidiSays

Is there anyone that hasn't experienced the joys of a lollipop? HeidiSays isn't just a lollipop, it's that giant lollipop that you can only get from amusement parks. First, the...

House of Hengst

House of Hengst quite literally houses designer Susan Hengst's thriving fashion line. The line is best known for its dresses, which exude femininity and confidence in equal parts. But almost...

Huf

Huf is all about sneakers. Retro sneakers, classic Vans, a ton of Nike along with some brands you'll be hard pressed to find outside of New York. The sneakers are set up gallery style for...

Huf

Huf is skate shop, sneaker geek heaven and hip clothing boutique rolled up into one (or three rather). The 808 Sutter and Hayes street locations are all about sneakers. Retro sneakers, classic...

Hydra

Several men walking around in a bath and soap store. What is wrong with this picture? Hydra is no average soap monger you see. It tricks you into going in with fantastic displays like buckets full...

Hydra

Several men walking around in a bath and soap store. What is wrong with this picture? Hydra is no average soap monger you see. It tricks you into going in with fantastic displays like buckets full...

Inside

Don't discount the value of a good reproduction. The bedrock of Inside's collection are reproductions of mid-century modern classics, made as their creators would have wanted them. Eames...

Iris

You need only look Iris' cute logo, glance at their cute window, and you'll be ready for the cute lingerie that awaits inside. The cozy, comfortable lingerie lounge that's clearly...

Isotope

Between its cool couch, the array of comics laid out just so and the widely grinning owner and his funky suits, it's hard to see Isotope Comics as anything other than a realization of a dream...

Kidrobot

To call Kidrobot just a toy store would be like calling Barneys just a department store. The cool, quirky store was a pioneer in selling designer toys. These vinyl, plush and plastic toys are...

Kozo Arts

Following age-old Japanese techniques, Kozo Arts is all about the art of paper making and book binding. Their silkscreen prints are printed on handmade paper, each color individually screened to...

La Rosa Vintage Boutique

Reader Suggested: Carries the absolute best men's and ladies vintage clothing and accessories. From about 1900s-1960s. Lots of suits and cocktail dresses.

Le Sanctuaire

For quite literally a taste of the good life, try Le Sanctuaire. The foodie haven stocks the absolute finest spices and specialty food products (Iranian caviar, French salt, premium olive oil),...

Light Me Up... Turn Me On

Want to instantly make a room look better, bolder, more beautiful? Start with the lighting. Light Me Up... Turn Me On specializes in architectural lighting, the type of lighting that can transform...

LIMN

Is it a New York furniture showroom you want? A massive space complete with massively expensive avant-garde furniture, conceptual design accessories and a demure staff clad in back? LIMN is...

Little Otsu

Little Otsu began as a vegan accessories retailer but when it realized the vegan market as being met it morphed into a printer and retailer of creative paper goods. Now there's a progression...

Lost Art Salon

It's a good bet you might get lost once or twice on your way to Lost Art Salon. But that's somewhat appropriate considering you're going to a gallery that celebrates unheralded...

Lotus Bleu

Lotus suggests Asia, Bleu suggests France and in the case of Lotus Bleu both suggestions are accurate. Lotus Bleu brings together art, textiles and home accents from Southeast Asia and France. The...

Lunettes du Monde

You will pay dearly but gladly for glasses from Lunettes du Monde. Then you will put on your glasses, find yourself staring at any shiny surface and smile. The store understands that glasses are...

MAC

In fashion, where fortunes turn on a dime, that a little boutique can persist for 20 years and stay every bit as relevant as it was when it opened is nothing short of remarkable. MAC has done just...

Metier

Metier is how we've come to prefer our clothing stores. No massive avant-garde installation art. No secret doors or hidden signs. No gimmicks. Just a long, long rack of nice clothes. Some...

Miki's Paper

A purveyor of Japanese hand stenciled paper, Miki's Paper proves that on rare occasions a store can be a calm, tranquil space. We're not sure why it happens, but as soon as you walk into...

Minnie Wilde

The clothing of Minnie Wilde is about as fun as you'd expect clothing you bought from a place called "Minnie Wilde" to be. The San Francisco clothing line and shop mostly ignores...

Modern Artifacts

Artifacts, in this case, is not an overstatement. Modern Artifacts finds and sells the type of furniture, mostly from the mid-20th century, that can also be found in the permanent collections of...

Modern Times Bookstore

Bill O'Reilly's head would probably explode upon walking into Modern Times Bookstore and can we all agree that that's a good thing? The decades old bookshop fills it shelves with...

Mod Lang

There are few true barometers of "coolness" out there. We firmly believe one of them sits behind the window of Mod Lang. Just look at their weekly chart of albums and see how many of...

Moe's Books

While a grand old piece of history itself, Moe's Books is a great steward of literary history as well. The four-storied bookstore is full of new, used and rare books. The used book section...

Monument

Monument is just that to the world of mid-century furniture and accessories design. Th museum like space house an enviable line up of furnishings. Like any museum, some pieces are classics that...

Musical Offering

A calm haven in a frenzied world, Musical Offering is one of few record stores left specializing in classical music. Their collection is extensive: they specialize in Early Music (music made from...

Nancy Boy

90 percent of new skin, hair and body product lines are 99 marketing. They get the same old stuff, put it all in sleek packaging and sell it you for way more than they should. Not so with Nancy...

Needles & Pens

Needles & Pens shows us you don't need a book deal to publish, nor a sales rep and a studio to make clothes. This is creativity at a more personal, DIY level. Needles is led by co-owner...

Nida

It's hard to find small stores in San Francisco that carry designer-with-a-capital-D clothing. Nida is one of a few such stores. The collection, drawing from Europe's finest, is...

Ooma

Short for objects of my affection, Ooma offers the quirky vision of its owner who invites you into her store as if you were a good friend dropping in for tea. She loves her store, her customers...

Past Perfect

Reader Suggested: Past Perfect over on Union St (and also Lombard, they opened a second location) is a fabulous vintage store that I love to explore. They carry home decor, furniture and fun knick-knacks from the...

Past Perfect

Paxton Gate

Paxton Gate calls itself an "eccentric garden store." The plants are in the back but to get there you'll have to navigate a wall of moose and deer heads, Japanese sheers and...

Peace Industry

You know a trade is a dying craft when you've never heard of or seen it before you walk in to one particular store. In this case, we're talking about a store called Peace Industry and the...

Phoenix Books

Phoenix, Dog Eared, and Red Hill Books represent a type of bookstore that's fast fading into extinction. They're big, lively, a bit messy and generally a good place to spend an hour or...

Picnic

Picnic is easy to describe, but hard to believe. The merchandise, the staff and the set-up of this small store will charm you, and you'll buy something really cute for less than $100. The...

Propeller

Propeller is not just another nonsensical, hipper-than-thou store name. To us at least, it refers to the careers or promising young designer the store helps propel. The furniture and accessories...

Rabat

Reliable and steady may not sound complimentary, but Rabat proves that it can be the highest of compliments. If you ever want shoes in San Francisco, Rabat should be one of your first stops....

Rabat

Reliable and steady may not sound complimentary, but Rabat proves that it can be the highest of compliments. If you ever want shoes in San Francisco, Rabat should be one of your first stops....

Rabat

Reliable and steady may not sound complimentary, but Rabat proves that it can be the highest of compliments. If you ever want shoes in San Francisco, Rabat should be one of your first stops....

Rabat

Reliable and steady may not sound complimentary, but Rabat proves that it can be the highest of compliments. If you ever want shoes in San Francisco, Rabat should be one of your first stops....

RAG

San Francisco is not exactly known as a hot-bed of fashion design and production, but that doesn't mean there aren't still some talented designers eager to showcase their work. For these...