News from the Heart & Soul of San Francisco
AT ITS REGULAR monthly meeting tonight, the Board of Appeals ruled that Oska, the German clothing line, is a chain store and must comply with the city’s formula retail ordinance before it can proceed with plans to open at 2130 Fillmore Street, formerly the home of Jet Mail. EARLIER: Oska stirs chain store fight on…
By Barbara Kate Repa SPURRED BY CONCERNS that the local shopping district is losing its charm and uniqueness as corporate labels gobble up real estate on Fillmore Street, some business owners are now attempting to block a newcomer — Oska, a German-based clothing company — from moving into the neighborhood. The charge is being led…
SACRAMENTO STREET’S collection of antique shops, interior designers and home accessory stores got a boost — in offerings and experience — when Hudson Grace opened at 3350 Sacramento a few weeks ago. The new store is the brainchild of Monelle Totah and Gary McNatton, who helped build Williams-Sonoma, Banana Republic, the Gap and Restoration Hardware…
By Marjorie Leet Ford MIMI LAWRENCE ALWAYS wanted to have her own store. “I started in retail when I was six,” she says, recalling her childhood in New Jersey. “I loaded an ice chest of soda pop into a little rowboat with a one-and-a-half horsepower motor, like an eggbeater, and rode around the harbor selling…
FOR MORE than a decade, Fillmore merchants have provided a lively illustrated folding map of the shops, entertainment and dining opportunities in the neighborhood. The map, which is updated regularly, helps locals and visitors alike navigate the thriving local business community. With more than 200 businesses in the neighborhood, there are constant closures, openings and…
Story and Photographs by Carina Woudenberg FOR JUDY GILMAN and her daughter Marcella Madsen, owners of Nest, the eclectic gift shop at 2300 Fillmore, a shared love of art and eye for snagging old and new treasures has enabled them to nurture a loyal following over the past 17 years. “I’ve been going to the…
WHAT’S SHOCKING about the new Steven Alan boutique, recently opened at 1919 Fillmore, is the amount of fashion terrain it covers, for both men and women. There’s jewelry, scarves, underwear, cologne, shoes, purses, sunglasses, watches, hats, sweaters, dresses, ties — even pajamas in soft cottons with whimsical prints. And there’s also even more unexpected items…
RETAIL SPACE on Fillmore Street has become among the most desirable in San Francisco, second only to Union Square. Much of the demand comes from national brands finding creative ways around the city’s attempts to curb the proliferation of chain stores. The city defines “formula retail” as companies with 11 or more stores. So major…
By THOMAS REYNOLDS For the first time in almost four decades, Mrs. Dewson’s Hats at 2050 Fillmore Street wasn’t open in the days leading up to Easter, which is typically prime time for hat buyers. A few days later a sign went up in the window telling the news: After 37 years, Mrs. Dewson’s Hats…
“FRESH PERFUME IS THE BEST,” proclaims Meg Christensen, manager of Le Labo, the scent emporium that opened during the holidays at 2238 Fillmore Street. The spare shop has no perfume in stock, but will mix one of its 12 fragrances on the spot while the customer waits. Costs range from $58 for a 15-ml. portion…