San Francisco is a city known for eclectic taste and decades of style. Originality is practically oozing from every crack in the sidewalk, but the best part is inheriting another San Franciscan’s belongings. There are several vintage and thrift stores here that will catch your eye, whether it be for clothing, furniture, or art. We’ve chosen the absolute best ones and with this helpful list anyone can be an original.
On the edge of the Mission District sits a colorful two story building bearing words like ‘ANTIQUES,’ ‘VINTAGE’ and ’60s, 70s, 80s!’ This spot is a vast antique shop called Stuff, which, obviously, has a ton of stuff. Customers can find practically anything they desire in this quirky store — chairs, shoes, beds, tennis rackets, and so on. If you’re looking for a truly eclectic and fun place to step back in time, look no further than Stuff!
If you’re looking for a blast from the past, go to Decades of Fashion. With clothing that dates from the 1880s to the 1980s, not only will you find something you love, but you will be fascinated by how much there is. Known widely as an emporium of fine vintage fashion, this place has literally everything — shoes, bathing suits, lingerie, dresses (both formal and informal), pants, coats, ties, gloves, jewelry, hats, and more. Haight Street perfectly accommodates this spot’s funky and nostalgic brilliance.
Wasteland
Store
Wasteland is the new Urban Outfitters — they are trendy, surprising, and sell a wide range of brands from miscellaneous affordable garb to high end designers like Fendi. Stepping into Wasteland is like finding a hidden gem among the rubble, and you may not know where to start. They’ve got a sprawling space with hundreds of items on endless racks all the way to their back wall, and the store even smells like fresh laundry. Wasteland is like the coolest department store you’ve ever seen, and you’ll never want to leave.
Curiosities
Shop, Store
Situated in West Portal, Curiosities attracts all ages and tastes. This shop is just like the name suggests — it’s a curiosity. Their website features pictures of all kinds of trinkets, including bobbleheads, jewelry, pottery, and some Asian memorabilia. The interesting thing about this store is that they sell old and new items, so you really can’t go wrong. If you’re looking for something truly unique, make sure to visit Curiosities.
Painted Bird
Store
The Painted Bird is a trendy, aesthetically pleasing vintage merchant. Their website, which features bright shots of customers and workers in vintage pieces, is a look-book of what they feel their store evokes. Not only are their items trendy and cool, but they’re situated right next to Noe Valley, one of the coolest areas in San Francisco. If you’re someone who is looking for the next new thing, a stop into the Painted Bird may help you find new life in someone else’s clothes.
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Vintage Modern
Store
Our last pick is Vintage Modern, an antique store that sells 20th century furniture, carpets, and home decor. This store very conveniently showcases their major in-warehouse pieces on their website, which notifies web users when a certain item has been sold. The owners of Vintage Modern have been in this business since 1988 and proudly still collect valuables, and after all this time, their excellent taste is a given. You’ll definitely find something to love at Vintage Modern.
Amanda Limond is a passionate musician, photographer, and writer at San Francisco State University. She spends most of her time hopping on a train to explore the city or trying to find the perfect book. Amanda loves travel, having been around the world, and constantly thinks of where to go next. Never being seen in a boring shoe, she loves fashion, art, and music, and hopes to fuse the three of them in her own museum piece one day. She hopes her big ambition will lead her to living in Manhattan and working in photojournalism. You can find Amanda on her photography instagram (@photolimond), or editing site.
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