On the one hand, we are known for groundbreaking innovation in technology, architectural development, and, sometimes, even politics. At the same time, many San Franciscans deeply appreciate historical artifacts and work hard to preserve the buildings, businesses, and objects that hold the stories of where we came from.
My mom passed down an interest in vintage and antique exploration. She taught me the joy of the treasure hunt for that perfect item, whether it’s a handmade doodad, lovingly crafted furniture, or an arcane item related to some facet of San Francisco’s history.
Vintage shopping has delivered me maps of The City for my wall, a history book on the Jewish families that have impacted San Francisco, and, most recently, a patch from the San Francisco Department of Cryptozoology, which City Hall should make real.
Inevitably, vintage shopping also yields friendships and community with other like minded lovers of ancient ephemera, even among the chaotic competition of a coveted estate sale.
I met vintage retailer Krystyl Baldwin at a Golden Gate Estate Sales event in the Castro in February, from which she went home with an antique bread warmer, and I a set of Waterford crystal footballs commemorating 49ers Super Bowl wins. She recently developed San Francisco Vintage Maps to help treasure hunters explore antique goods in The City beyond Haight Street, which everyone already knows is a reliable destination for vintage shopping — clothing in particular — so I asked if she could take me around to some of her favorite spots in The City in neighborhoods less well-known for their antiques.
We started our journey at Real Old Paper, a vintage poster store at the edge of Ghirardelli Square, Owner and San Francisco native Andrew England curates the store as a means of preserving the changing, perhaps fading, art of advertising.
“Back then, they took more time with it, they had better printing methods,” he says. “It was more about the artwork and less about the quantity. With digital displays, there’s less artwork involved.”
It was hard to leave without buying an original “Star Wars” poster, but Krystyl and I were due at Textures, a vintage clothing store with an emphasis on retro sportswear. It stands in sharp contrast to the neighboring souvenir shops on Jefferson Street, as Fisherman’s Wharf is not even remotely known for vintage markets.
I can imagine tourists love taking home well-maintained 49ers Super Bowl shirts and comfy San Francisco Giants jackets as a reminder of their time in The City.
We made our way to North Beach, where Grant Street is absolutely bursting with colorfully curated vintage finds. Leather jackets caught my eye at Jason Galloway’s store, Via Margutta Vintage, and we discussed the folly of fast fashion and vintage reselling as a foil to that.
“I like to see that kids that are discovering this,” he says, referencing vintage shopping trending on TikTok and social media. “I always tell younger customers to buy this one nice jacket even though it’s $100, because it will last 50 years.”
Throughout the rest of the day, we explored San Francisco history on Valencia Street at Landline Home. There, owner Tony Leo took us behind the scenes of the Cherin Building in which the shop is housed, and got our hands dirty digging for gold at nearby Community Thrift. We ended at The Box in SoMa, a letterpress shop from the 1850s that now sells printed antiques and serves as a one-of-a-kind event space.
None of these were typical shopping experiences. There was a pervasive love of San Francisco and a desire to exchange stories of that reverence at every location. We discussed the garage sales we’ve stumbled on, the items we’ve collected that represent our connections to The City and to each other, as well as the people we’ve met while sifting through matchbooks of hotels long since closed.
While there is plenty of competition among the vintage retailers of San Francisco, there’s also a heartwarming amount of collaboration. Via Margutta features a gorgeous orange display case that Krystyl picked up for them at the Bloomingdale’s closeout sale (RIP), and as we stopped by other shops, everyone keyed each other into upcoming events and opportunities to create more business.
San Francisco’s growing vintage retail scene not only offers an uplifting contrast to the environmental and political concerns that currently make shopping something of a minefield, it creates a space for people to come together and share their love of The City. And you can’t put a price tag on that.
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