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With its grand department stores and funky secondhand boutiques, San Francisco summons a full range of shopping experiences. From the anarchist bookstore to the mouthwatering specialty-food purveyors at the gleaming Ferry Building, the local shopping opportunities reflect the city's various personalities. Visitors with limited time often focus their energies on the high-density Union Square area, where several major department stores tower over big-name boutiques. But if you're keen to find unique local shops, consider moving beyond the square's radius.
Each neighborhood has its own distinctive finds, whether it's 1960s housewares, cheeky stationery, or vintage Levi's. If shopping in San Francisco has a downside, it's that real bargains can be few and far between. Sure, neighborhoods such as the Lower Haight and the Mission have thrift shops and other inexpensive stores, but you won't find many discount outlets in the city, where rents are sky-high and space is at a premium.
Seasonal sales, usually in late January and late July or August, are good opportunities for finding deep discounts on clothing. The San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Examiner advertise sales. For smaller shops, check the free SF Weekly, which can be found on street corners every Wednesday. Sample sales are usually held by individual manufacturers, so check your favorite company's website before visiting.
The vintage jewelry here, mostly from the early part of the 20th century, includes a wide selection of estate pieces and objets d'art. With rings that range in price from $5 to a couple thousand, there's something for everyone. Hours can vary, so it's best to call ahead before visiting.
Margie Rogerson opened this store to showcase her platinum-only designs. While she carries a large selection of engagement rings, her specialty is colored stones: rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Their colors really sparkle against the background of this all-white and Lucite space. It's open by appointment only.
Dozens of diamond bracelets in the window attract shoppers to one of the city's best vintage jewelry shops, where rings, brooches, and other glittering items represent various eras and styles, from Victorian and Edwardian to art nouveau and Arts and Crafts. The shop has been selling fine jewelry, including engagement rings and a few vintage watches, since 1969.
For boutique shopping that's anything but hit or miss, browse through this unusual selection of jewelry by artists like Gabriella Kiss, Harwell Godfrey, and Gillian Conroy. The one-of-a-kind rings, charms, and pendants have won this boutique a loyal following.
Along with gems in dazzling settings, San Francisco's oldest retail store—it's been in business since 1852—carries luxury watches by Jaeger-LeCoultre and others. On Saturdays well-heeled couples scope out hefty diamond engagement rings.
This gray marble beauty towers over Union Square with almost as much leverage as its signature blue box. The company that all but invented the modern engagement ring makes more than just brides swoon with Elsa Peretti's sinuous silver and architect Frank Gehry's collection using materials like Pernambuco wood and black gold.
This local favorite prides itself on its selection of rare gemstones, such as golden sapphires and violet tanzanite. Custom work is a specialty: the no-pressure design consultants are happy to discuss how to make the jewelry of your dreams a reality.
Each contemporary piece of jewelry here is one of a kind or a limited edition. The beautiful, unusual items might be sculpted out of resin, hammered from copper, or woven with silver wires.
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