Store Adore
www.storeadore.com
Launches San Francisco with the “Best Of” Awards

September 15, 2008 - New York City, NY—Store Adore (www.storeadore.com), a personalized web-based guide to the best boutique shopping around the country and online, expands shopping coverage to include San Francisco.

Tie-dye shirts and peace signs were once the uniform for San Francisco’s free love days. Now, the famous seven by seven miles display a much more sophisticated style via inventive shops found throughout a cornucopia of neighborhoods, each with its own fashion sense. Socialites feel at home with the tony vibe of Pacific Heights; Union Square’s briefcase-carrying financial-types rub shoulders with tourists scouting big name brands; Marina’s boutique-laden streets attract trend-seeking yuppies; and those who want to hold on to the past feel right at home in still-hippie Haight Ashbury. With a plethora of shopping options for every personality, we couldn’t leave San Francisco off our list for another minute.

- Cristina Miller and Meredith Barnett, Co-founders of Store Adore.

Store Adore was founded by Meredith Barnett, a former editor at Lucky magazine, and Cristina Miller, a former management consultant. The founders have been best friends since childhood and are both Harvard MBAs. They have lived in the same city—often as roommates—for their entire lives, with the exception of college. Meredith attended Brown University and Cristina attended Stanford—hence the reason why the Bay Area is so close to her heart. “During my college years, after hitting all the shops on Palo Alto’s University Avenue, I would head north for more. Exploring San Francisco’s bustling boutique scene was how I fell in love with the city, and I have been longing to launch Store Adore there since we first conceived of the concept for the site,” Cristina says.

Store Adore launched in February 2008 with coverage of boutiques and specialty stores in fashion, beauty, accessories and home in New York and Brooklyn; Boston; Los Angeles; Washington, DC and several hundred e-boutiques. With the addition of San Francisco as well as Philadelphia, The Hamptons, Chicago, and several new online stores in the summer of 2008, the site now boasts 2800+ boutiques, with new stores added every day. Store Adore is often described as a Zagat meets Citysearch meets Facebook—for boutique shopping.

Passionate shoppers log on to StoreAdore.com and search the site’s extensive database of thousands of editorially profiled boutiques and specialty stores around the country (including over 200 in San Francisco) and online. Users can also create and download custom shopping maps of popular shopping neighborhoods like Marina/Cow Hollow, Pacific Heights, Mission, and Union Square; write their own store reviews; and take advantage of exclusive discounts from dozens of stores.

Store Adore San Francisco Launches October 1, 2008

Read Store Adore’s complete listing of San Francisco stores, find exclusive discounts, contribute store reviews, and make and download shopping maps at www.storeadore.com.

Other Store Adore Featured Areas:

New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, The Hamptons, Philadelphia

Read below for a roundup Store Adore’s favorite store in every neighborhood.

Store Adore Shops San Francisco

Marina/Cow Hollow

Ambiance, 1864 and 1858 Union Street

Tucked amidst the bustle of Lower Haight, Ambiance welcomes serious shoppers with a well-stocked selection of party dresses, colorful flats and heels), designer jeans and a plethora of colorful baubles and chic wraps from a variety of contemporary labels. Since the first store’s opening on Haight Street, owners Donna and Kieran O’Leary have followed with locations in Noe Valley and the Marina. The girly decor at each location—chandeliers, shabby chic dressers, and crowded racks of head-turning dresses—makes Ambiance feel more like your best friend’s closet than one of the trendiest spots in town.

Pacific Heights

Blu, 2259 Fillmore Street

Although the floor to ceiling window storefront spans the heavily walked corner of Fillmore and Clay, most customers admit to first noticing the Blu while entering or exiting the Clay movie theater next door. Once inside behemoth space, which is lined with racks of designer duds, they often feel cheated that they didn’t venture in sooner. The sales gals not only know their brands, but they can also recite a six-degrees of separation lesson on each designer, dutifully listing country of origin, schooling and fashionable next of kin, all while floating around the warehouse-like interior with cool ease. Blu carries the best of avant garde lines, (the well-curated selection of overseas designers should be on any fashion students mandatory curriculum), as well as wearable pieces. Owners Mary and Jaisi (who also own Cielo down the street) stock garments by Japan’s Yoshi Yamamoto, shoes by Belgian Ellen Verbeek, and clothing by fellow Belgian Sofie D’hoore, plus France’s Girbaud.

Mission

Minnie Wilde, 3266 21st street

Inspired by vintage textiles and show ponies, sailboats and classic film, the local team behind Minnie Wilde (designer Terri Olson and her retail partner Ann D’Apice) twists some fun into classic clothing shapes. At this small Mission storefront, blazers come candy pink striped seersucker instead of the usual navy blue, and traditional belted trenches are grey and finished with a bubble hem instead of the old Sherlock Holmes style. In addition to the store’s signature Minnie Wilde line (marked by tags reading “made with love”), the shop is also stocked with other local indie designers. And for those who pay attention to such issues, the collection is not only designed in San Francisco, but manufactured here too.

Lauren Heights/Presidio

Bettina, 3615 Sacramento Street

Owner Doretta Boehm is often called Bettina by customers who assume she named her Sacramento Street boutique after herself. However, the über-chic store which always stocks an eye pleasing palette of neutrals and easy to wear dark colors, is actually named after her sister, who heads up the Sausalito location. If Boehm’s stylish staff (she lovingly calls them “Bettina Girls”) and her boundless energy (even after arriving from the straight from the plane scouting trips she takes to Southern Thailand) have created a loyal following, then the following that her signature jersey line has created can only be described as cult. The versatile styles, like deep v-necks, wraps, tunics, and empire waists, are not only flattering but are also one-size-fits-all, which makes it easy to swap with girlfriends. We also shop here for Christopher Fischer cashmere, Genetic and Union denim, and tops made from recycled materials by Burning Torch.

Russian Hill

Cat Seto, 2406 Polk Street

Owner Catherine Seto gave up a gig as a professor at the University of Michigan to follow her dreams (and use her degree in painting) to create paper goods and sell them at her eponymous shop. Dense with flowers of all kinds, the prints on Seto’s hand-illustrated notes, invitations, and greetings are reminiscent of the charmingly feminine wallpaper hanging an old time ladies’ powder room. Her custom invitations are delightfully “for girls only,” and seem made for an afternoon tea or shower. In addition to Seto’s designs, Cat Seto, her Russian Hill jewel box of a shop, stocks a plethora of other items— the only requirement being that they boast “a good print or pattern,” according to Seto. Fanciful dresses by Glam and Lucca outfit will outfit you for that ladylike affair, and hip plates, mugs, platters and more make perfect hostess gifts.

Hayes Valley

RAG Resident’s Apparel Gallery, 541 Octavia Street

The word co-op usually conjures up images of dingy communal housing and unwashed hair, but this unflattering depiction is not the case in San Francisco’s progressive shopping arena, where RAG is a retail all star. With its bright clean space, RAG is essentially an art gallery for wearable and usable art, showcasing original threads that were mostly likely created in the 415 area code. In keeping with the store’s art world feel, each line available at RAG is flanked by a picture of and information about its designer, so you can educate yourself while you diversify your wardrobe. And for those eco-chic shoppers out there, RAG is about as eco-friendly as it gets: it’s a certified green business that sells locally designed and manufactured items as well as recycled, handmade designs. How’s that for cutting down on your carbon footprint?

Union Square

Metier, 355 Sutter Street

Young, fresh, and centrally located just off Union Square, Metier stocks of-the-moment pieces from up-and-coming designers, as well as some more established (but not overly prevalent) names, like Mayle, Rag & Bone, and Clu, plus a wide range of shoes and stunning jewelry with an antique-y feel from lines like Chan Luu, Cathy Waterman and Ten Thousand Things . The shop itself is light and roomy, and the staff members who are as young and fresh as the clothes themselves, are eager to share their well-studied passion for style with their customers.

Upper Haight

Behind the Post Office, 1510 Haight Street

What charming boutique Behind the Post Office lacks in square feet, it makes up for in top quality brands and an inviting energy. Even when they’re not shopping per se, locals make a habit of passing by the storefront to check out the rotating display of the shop’s best pieces hung from hangers in the window as if offering a glimpse of what your closet look like—if only. A familiar, neighborhood appeal is one of the many reasons that shoppers flock to the Haight Street shop; another is the merchandise—tailored pieces by Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent, Ella Moss and Splendid jersey tees, Citizens and J Brand Jeans and harder-to-find lines like Circus & Co, a sweet and more affordable line of girly baby doll dresses and colorful clutches.

Lower Haight

Doe, 629 Haight Street

Full of fantastical knick-knacks and lavish garb, Doe is the spot for the shopper seeking wonder, whimsy, and posh paraphernalia. Notables here include James Perse, Velvet, and Anne Kimball tops; Stewart+ Brown, Mixie and She-Bible dresses; an extensive selection of Joe’s Jeans; beautifully crafted accessories and small selections for men and children. Both style and spunk are the name of the game here: Porcelain gnomes, salt and pepper shakers inspired by Matryoshka dolls, and numerous other mystical creatures appear on tea cups and plates, purses and belt buckles throughout. Whoever said you couldn’t mix fashion with fantasy?

Noe Valley

Uncivilized Elegance by Mabel Chong, 1311 Church Street

An incredible piece of jewelry can inspire an outfit. Mabel Chong’s jewelry, with its sparkling gemstones, deep colors, and intricate construction, could inspire a whole new wardrobe. With many pieces priced at under $100 and new handmade styles being churned out weekly, you’ll want to stop by at least that often. Chong starts with traditional gold-filled wires or edgier copper wire and pairs the foundations with green amethyst, rubies, baroque pearls or other standout gems, stringing, tying or layering until the intricate piece is done. The exceptionally vibrant colors go well with bridesmaids dresses, and given as gifts, these necklaces, bracelets and earrings will be appreciated long event the big event is over.