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It’s time to talk shop. Whether you have a dozen trendy gal pals, hipster cousins, or tradition-loving in-laws, these city-specific guides to the Best Holiday Shopping will solve all your gift-giving dilemmas.
Best Holiday Shopping in....
Best Holiday Shopping
San Francisco
Hot & Cool
There are neighborhoods in San Francisco in which it is completely un-apparent that the country is in an economic recession. The Marina is one of those neighborhoods, and while many stores there are about style over substance, Workshop (2254 Union St.) is the opposite—it’s about high-quality women’s clothing from France, Italy, Australia, and Japan. One of the other best places in the city for high-end women’s casual wear is Erica Tanov (ericatanov.com), the shop of a local designer who trained at Parsons and built a Berkeley institution. The SF store is in the Fillmore, one of the other neighborhoods that the economic downturn passed over. Just up the street is Nest (nestsf.com), a go-to outpost for domestic bliss that can be bought: small treasures such as quilts and silk throws, linens, vases, tablecloths, and pottery. If it’s jewelry you’re after, look no further than Manika Jewelry (manikajewelry.com) on Maiden Lane, just around the bend from Union Square, which is delightful for its non-chain vibe and selection of eclectic, contemporary designers, some local. If there’s anything this group of top shops leaves out, you can likely find it at the Ferry Building Marketplace (ferrybuildingmarketplace.com), smack on the waterfront at Embarcadero and Clay Street. From Recchiuti Confections to Boccalone Salumeria to Cowgirl Creamery, not to mention a number of destination restaurants, the Ferry Plaza was an insta-hit when it opened and has remained so. The Saturday Farmer’s Market is world-class.
Hip
Hipsters have no dearth of shopping choices throughout the city, but the chief concentrations of hipdom are in the Mission and the Haight. The latter holds the key to jean couture at Villains (villainssf.com), while the best shoes in the ‘hood are to be found at Shoe Biz (and Shoe Biz II, shoebizsf.com), which stocks everything from rave sneakers to biker boots. (Haight Street is also where to find all things vintage.) In this context, the Mission starts to look downright upscale, and Sunhee Moon (sunheemoon.com) is the upwardly mobile anchor, where women’s duds are concerned. (There’s also a Fillmore branch.) The store embodied the “local, sustainable” model before foodies did, manufacturing most of the collection just a few miles from the store headquarters in the Mission. Another local fave for both men’s and women’s accessories is a far-flung Tokyo import, Hideo Wakamatsu (hideowakamatsu.com), with affordable, designer-driven luggage, bags, wallets, and such. If you’re not quite sure what you need, or want, head straight for RAG, which stands for Residents Apparel Gallery (ragsf.com), in Hayes Valley. Here local designers consign their wares—men’s, women’s, kids’—and the jewelry selection alone is worth a look.
Classic
The newly renovated Chanel (chanel.com) store on Geary Street is the latest in the luxury comeback lineup. While Barneys’ crowds have thinned out since the start of the recession, the Chanel brand is destined to keep retail hope alive. A less conservative, but no less classic, clothing mecca is Yves St. Laurent (ysl.com), for both men and women, on quaint Maiden Lane near Manika (see above). For accessories to go with your classic clothing finds, as well as your home and garden, check out Molte Cose (2044 Polk St.) on Nob Hill, Italian for “many things,” all in good taste. If art is on your agenda, skip most of the obvious along the Post Street corridor, and make your way to the Meyerovich Gallery (meyerovich.com), a hidden, fourth-floor gem that is, itself, a small museum (think Baldessari, Motherwell, Rauschenberg). The most classic of all San Francisco shops might just be Gump’s (gumps.com), the department store that’s famous for a reason, or several: unparalleled customer service, buyers with an eye for the exquisite, and a designer focus.
