Hayes Valley Shops

Never has a name been more suited to a business. Epicurean Trader is exactly what you’d expect: a trader of small-batch, artisanal food goods, and then some. Every item within this gem box store is hand-selected and conjures images of wicker baskets stuffed with cheese and bread. If you’re planning a picnic, buy everything, right down to the salt (it’s Jacobsen’s), here. We especially love the gourmet kits, which here are curated by personality. (Who wouldn’t want to receive a sustainably packed box filled with olive oil, spices, sea salt, locally roasted coffee beans, and small-batch honey?) While many of the products are available online, visiting the stores—there are three of them—is an experience. The wildflower bouquets are exquisite, the interior is beautifully merchandized, and the bakery counter is a sweet dream. Store images courtesy of Leslie Santarina.

Occupying a pretty clutch location across from the Blue Bottle on Linden Alley, the interior of Clare V.'s first San Francisco boutique is every bit the brand's chic, subtly Parisian aesthetic, with soft light pink floors and French-inspired posters on the walls. A garden in the back connects them to the Steven Alan on Hayes. Photos: Ulysses Ortega

The first thing you'll notice about this home décor shop is the grandiose space—the wood-paneled ceilings are tall and rounded, and there are huge skylights that fill it with natural light. Owner Matt Bissinger, an SF native, stocks the space with everything from mid-century furniture to ceramics, candles, vintage maps and wall-hangings, and other objects that make excellent gifts. P.S. They do registries.

Mary Mar Keenan is a long-time potter that made a name for herself making tableware like plates, mugs, and serving bowls for some of the area's best restaurants (she designed plates for both The Progress and Nightbird). She sells her earthy, heartfelt pieces out of a teensy studio, and they're sort of the best souvenir (or wedding gift) imaginable.

Corina Nurimba and Catherine Chow, the two Cornell grads behind Azalea, are big believers that shopping should be an experience, and a pleasant one at that. This means that customer service is priority number one at both the original Hayes Valley outpost and the newer one in the Mission. The stores are split into men's and women's sections and do a really great job of staying current and affordable with the brand offering but not super trend-driven in the assortment (Topman and Nudie jeans for guys; OAK, T by Alexander Wang, and the house line for gals).

This goldmine of a shop is the work of former Old Navy designer, Leah Bershad. The space is dimly lit much like a museum, which makes sense since the Southwestern-tinged biker rings, folksy wall hangings, and embroidered dresses from Mexico are essentially pieces of art. And it's not all vintage either, as Leah stocks contemporary items from Ace & Jig, Raleigh Denim, and Cinq Workshop, too.

This beautiful store stocks a little bit of everything for men, women, and home—it's literally a one-stop-shop for things that are cool and globally sourced (hence the name). For the girls, there's cotton separates from Japan and slouchy knits from LA-based Shaina Mote, lots of heritage and street-wear brands for guys, and minimalistic wood and brass pieces for the home from under-the-radar designers like Futugami and Akarino Tane.

There's something of a down-the-rabbit-hole effect when you walk into this magical antiques store. Everywhere you look you'll see collectible curiosities that owners Rod Hipsund and Kelly Ishikawa plucked from antique sales and vintage markets. Particularly impressive are the old-school typewriters and stacks of pre-owned books. Even the contemporary stuff, like the Bonny Doon hand balms and pottery, has a turn-of-the-century vibe.

Focusing primarily on Belgian and Japanese designers (Engineered Garments, Dries Van Noten, Comme des Garçons), the long-standing MAC is one of the city's primary destinations for edgier labels. It's enduring power probably has something to do with the owners, a brother-and-sister team with a seemingly bottomless well of design knowledge, which they pass onto their employees and customers.

Packed to the rafters with books, gifts, stationery, and things for the home from all over the world, Rare Device is a time suck, in the best possible way. There's also a gallery space in the back, home to monthly art shows, workshops, and kid-friendly events. There's also an outpost in Hayes Valley.