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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.
New and vintage goods sit stylishly side by side in this fun, well-lit Outer Sunset space that sells books, lotions, hats, cups, dog leashes, and other items, most of them designed by local artists. Don't miss the greenhouse in back.
Owner and noted wine expert Gary Marcaletti stocks hard-to-find wines and hosts Saturday-afternoon tastings that usually start at 2 pm.
If you're into the quirky and whimsical—bacon-flavored lip gloss, daisy pushpins, wacky snow globes, and cutesy toys and games—you'll enjoy browsing through Wishbone, which also has an extensive selection of unusual cards.
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