Shopping in San Francisco
Westfield San Francisco Centre
Epicenter: Market and Powell, San Francisco CA
For San Francisco visitors and tourists, the opulent Westfield San Francisco Centre mall and its surrounding downtown San Francisco shopping environs (Union Square is just a few blocks away) epitomize the San Francisco shopping experience. A gold and marble stronghold of commercialism, the Westfield San Francisco Centre was guarded by police barricades during the peace protests before the Iraq War, and is home to some of the world's largest American chains, including a five-story Nordstrom's, a two-level Abercrombie & Fitch, numerous outlets found in malls across the country such as Victoria's Secret and Bebe, and including high-end retailers like Kenneth Cole and Club Monaco.
Union Square Shopping
Epicenter: Post and Stockton, San Francisco CA
A lone Corinthian column surrounded by newly installed palm trees marks San Francisco's Mecca for shopaholics. Ringed by Macy's, Saks, Neiman Marcus and Levi's stores along with colorful flower stands and street performers. Surrounding streets feature superstores like Virgin Megastore, Gump's and Britex Fabrics along with boutiques for Coach, Bulgari, Cartier, Thomas Pink, Louis Vuitton, MaxMara, Emporio Armani, Diesel, Prada, Celine, Escada, Gucci, Guess, Hermes, Agnes B., Betsey Johnson and Wilkes Bashford. On the lighter side, DSW is a large discount shoe wharehouse steps from the most expensive shops on Union Square, and Imposter's sells classy faux jewelry.
Chestnut Street Shopping
Epicenter: Chestnut and Scott, San Francisco CA
Chestnut is a street lined with a mix of sophisticated shops, beauty outlets and restaurants alongside brand name retailers. While unique and offbeat in nature, Chestnut Street retains a distinctive neighborhood feel. Here shoppers and locals find incredible shoe boutiques like Rabat featuring trendy but functional footwear and specialty shops like Blue Bird, a gift shop carrying kitschy gifts like porcelain dolls and oversized potato heads. Well-known retailers, like Gap Body or the small, unique Chadwick's of London for cotton and lace lingerie, lend a mass appeal. Williams-Sonoma, a neighborhood fixture, has the best in cookware, utensils and cookbooks. For beauty care, Bare Essentials or the Body Shop will keep you looking great with the best in cosmetics and skincare. A lunch break on Chestnut means a choice of Cafe Marimba, an open, airy colorful Mexican restaurant or Cozmo's which prepares wood oven meats and seafood paired with California wines. On any day, Chestnut Street is bustling with shoppers, professionals meeting for coffee at Bechelli's or neighborhood Moms with strollers shopping at Books, Inc. The highlights of this cozy San Francisco neighborhood are a sophisticated ambience and streamlined energy conducive to shopping.
Chinatown Shopping
Epicenter: Bush St. and Grand Ave., San Francisco CA
Enter the Dragon Gates for access to another, redder and more-bustling world of shopping in San Francisco's Chinatown, tucked loudly away between North Beach and Union Square shopping. Ornate lampposts, pagoda roofs and a Bank of America that could just as well be in Shanghai highlight San Francisco's eclectic Chinatown. At every turn, candles burn and vivid silks grace the jam-packed window fronts, where import vendors sell nearly everything, including (but by no means limited to) carved Buddhas, paper parasols and regal mahogany furniture, perfect for exotic gifts or indulgent tourist fodder. Apothecaries abound, selling delicate green teas, rose-scented black teas and a variety of other ailment-banishing brews by the ounce. For a sweet surprise, the fragrant Fortune Cookie Factory tucked away on Ross Alley is an exciting find. Chinese food is just as abundant: for some of the best in San Francisco, the inexpensive House of Nanking is just off Chinatown's main drag a few blocks west on Kearny (at Jackson).
Embarcadero Center 1-4 Shopping
Epicenter: Sacramento to Clay, San Francisco CA
Embarcadero is an underutilized shopping expanse, usually crowded with professionals who work in the nearby towers or locals who know this San Francisco mall is light on foot traffic but heavy on great stores and accessory shops. Embarcadero is retail haven with brand names like Gap, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Liz Claiborne, Victoria Secret and Express Jeans. Even though the Embarcadero holds big names, this San Francisco shopping mall has unusual stores: the Discovery Channel Store for science lovers and the Giants Dugout for the sports enthusiast. The mall's spacious outdoor and indoor design lends itself to a more comfortable and easy shopping experience. The Embarcadero is contoured for the busy shopper with wide walkways and well-placed stairwells. During sunny days, the upstairs patio is perfect for patrons dining at Fuzio, a high-energy Italian restaurant or for coffee drinkers at Java City. The shopping mall is also home to the Embarcadero Theater, a movie house showing the brightest alternative and independent films by top directors.
Fillmore Street Shopping
Epicenter: Fillmore and California, San Francisco CA
On Fillmore Street, it's easy to feel pampered with several well-known beauty retailers and ritzy interior design boutiques fresh out of New York. Rachel Ashwell's Shabbychic furniture and bedroom design store is next to Betsy Johnson's runway shop on this luxe stretch of Fillmore that combines a busy wealthy Victorian neighborhood with a thriving San Francisco shopping center. Every shopping wish list is checked off here with select perfumeries, furniture designers like Zinc Details and specialty beauty outlets like Aveda. For shopping fuel, Fillmore street offers a Starbuck's as well as a locals-frequented Royal Grounds. A distinctly picturesque part of town, Fillmore Street maintains an air of charm and simplicity while still offering a luxurious and high-end lifestyle.