Special Feature: Products Sally Recommends
Union Square: San Francisco's Downtown Shopping District
When San Franciscans say they are going shopping "downtown," they mean that they are going to the shops on and near Union Square. Although most San Francisco neighborhoods have their own shopping districts, some of them quite extensive, there is nothing like shopping "downtown."
Officially, Union Square is a square-block palm-tree-lined park bordered by Post, Stockton, Geary, and Powell Streets. The Square dates back to the 1860s when it was the site of pro-Union Civil War demonstrations. The granite column in the center of the Square commemorates Admiral Dewey's Spanish-American War victory at Manila Bay. A bit of local history is seen in the face of the bronze Victory statue atop this column; it was modeled after Mrs. Adolph de Bretteville Spreckels, a San Francisco benefactress.
Beneath Union Square is a four-level parking garage, the first underground garage in the United States. It was designed by Timothy Pfleuger (also the architect of the Macy's building at Geary and Stockton) and built in 1942.
Before the 1906 earthquake and fire, Maiden Lane, an elegant two-block pedestrian street east of Stockton Street, was called Morton Street and was lined with bordellos. Today, it is lined with fine shops, including Christofle and Chanel. The Circle Gallery at 140 Maiden Lane is San Francisco's only Frank Lloyd Wright building.
Union Square is colorful. Fresh flower stands dot the sidewalks. Cable Cars run by along Powell Street. Crafts people sell their wares curbside on Stockton Street between Post and Sutter. Shop windows tempt passers-by with their colorful displays.
Catch a bird's eye view of Union Square from the open elevator in the St. Francis Hotel on Powell Street or head one block north to the Sir Francis Drake Hotel at Stockton and Sutter for a cocktail with a view at Harry Denton's Starlight Room.
Take your chance on last-minute theater tickets at STBS inside the Stockton Street garage where same-day tickets are sold at half price; most San Francisco theaters are just a block or two away.
The Union Square shopping district spreads out a few blocks in all directions from the park. The big anchor stores on Union Square are Macy's, Neiman-Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue. A few blocks to the South is the San Francisco Centre which is anchored by Nordstrom and houses close to 100 smaller stores. Newcomers to the Square include the Disney Store, Borders Books, and Virgin Megastore.
Beverly Dubrin's Favorite Union Square Shops
Argonaut Book Shop
786 Sutter Street
(415) 474-9067
Rare and out-of-print
books, prints, maps, and manuscripts, especially pertaining to early California.
The Brick Row Book Shop
278 Post Street, Room 303
(415) 398-0414
Antiquarian and rare books with an emphasis on first-edition
eighteenth- and nineteenth-century English and American literature.
Borders
Books and Music
Powell & Post Streets
(415) 399-1633
A book megastore that also features recorded music, videos, and computer software.
Cafe de la Presse
352 Grant Avenue
(415)398-2680
European newspapers, magazines, and guidebooks and a typical French cafe.
Harold's
International Newsstand
454 Geary Street
(415) 441-2665
The City's best selection of out-of-town newspapers.
www.haroldsnewsstand.com
Virgin Megastore
Corner of Sutter and Market Streets
(415) 397-4521
A music megastore with a delightful cafe on the third
floor, overlooking Market Street.
The Candy Jar
210
Grant Avenue
(415) 391-5508
Chocolate truffles are the specialty.
Scoop your own selection of wrapped candies.
Ghiradelli Chocolate
44 Stockton Street
(415) 397-3651
Made-in-San-Francisco
chocolates, a tradition since 1852.
Macy's
Stockton
& O'Farrell Streets
(415) 397-3333
The biggest store on Union
Square, with entrances on Geary, Stockton, and O'Farrell Streets. Very complete
clothing, home, and electronic selections. The Cellar, a food emporium with informal
restaurants, prepared food to take out, bake shops (Tom's Cookies, Boudin Bakery,
and Noah's Bagels), and chocolatiers (Godiva, Joseph Schmidt, and Neuhaus) occupies
much of the basement.
Saks Fifth Avenue
384 Post
Street
(415) 986-4300
The only Northern California branch of this
upscale New York store.
Neiman-Marcus
150 Stockton
Street
(415) 362-3900
San Francisco's version of the famous Texas
store.
Nordstrom
San Francisco Centre, 865 Market
Street
(415) 243-8500
Clothing, accessories, and gifts for men,
women, and children. The only major store with a full-service spa.
Diana
Slavin Womenswear
3 Claude Lane
(415) 677-9939
The showplace and retail outlet for this San Francisco designer.
Gucci
200 Stockton Street
(415) 392-2808
The place to
stock up on Gucci-logoed clothing and accessories.
Hermes
212
Stockton Street
(415) 391- 7200
The famous Hermes silk scarves
and other classic accessories.
Bogner
400 Sutter
Street
(415) 434-3888
Status clothing for skiing, tennis, and golf
plus upscale sportswear for men and women.
Joan Vass
359
Sutter Street
(415) 433-7913
Distinctive color-coordinated knit
separates for women.
Arthur Beren Shoes
222 Stockton
Street
(415) 397-8900
Shoes: Ferragamo, Arche, Mephisto and more
for women and men.
Betsey Johnson's Clothing
160
Geary Street
(415) 398-2516
Women's clothing with the spirit of
the 1960s.
Eddie Bauer
San Francisco Center
845 Market St 311
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 343-0146
Clothing and equipment for the outdoors person.
Botegga
Veneta
120 Geary Street
(415) 981-1700
Beautiful,
and expensive, Italian leather luggage, accessories, and shoes.
Chanel Boutique
155 Maiden Lane
(415) 981-1550
Stylish classic women's
clothes and shoes from France.
Brooks Brothers
201
Post Street
(415) 397-4500
The Ivy League look lives on in this
clothing for men and women.
Burberry's Limited
225
Post Street
(415) 392-2200
Burberry trench coats, umbrellas, scarves,
and more.
California Gentleman
450 Post Street
(415) 781-8989
Custom shirts for men and women.
Emporio Armani
1 Grant Avenue
(415) 677-9400
Mini-boutiques within
a boutique, each devoted to a different collection from the Giorgio Armani line
of clothing.
Loehmann's
222 Sutter Street
(415)
982-3215
First-quality designer clothing for women at discount prices.
This is Loehmann's first locations in a downtown area.
MAC
5
Claude Lane (men's), (415) 837-0615
812 Post (women's), (415) 775-2515
MAC is an acronym for "Modern Appealing Clothing." Both shops feature
trendy, unique designs.
North Beach Leather
190 Geary
Street
(415) 362-8300
High-style leather coats, jackets, dresses,
pants, and boots.
Obiko
794 Sutter Street
(415)
775-2882
Art as clothing. More than 100 designers and milliners are
represented.
Wilkes Bashford
375 Sutter Street
(415) 986-4380
Clothing for the fashionable man or woman. Many European
labels.
Britex
146 Geary Street
(415) 392-2910
The ultimate fabric store with fabric stacked floor to ceiling. Also, every notion
imaginable.
The Disney Store
Post & Powell
Streets
(415) 391-6168
A lively store with everything Disney...mugs,
plates, videos, hats, clothes.
Gump's
135 Post Street
(415) 982-1616
A San Francisco tradition for special gifts, now in
a new location with Buddha reigning over the first floor.
Pierre Deux
120 Maiden Lane
(415) 296-9940
A French country
store specializing in Provencal prints.
Tiffany & Co.
350
Post Street
(415) 781-7000
Gifts and jewelry, extravagant or modest,
all wrapped in the signature pale blue box tied with a white ribbon.
Crate
& Barrel
125 Grant Avenue
(415) 986-4000
Moderately-priced contemporary basics for the home.
Pavilion Christofle
140 Grant Avenue at Maiden Lane
(415) 399 -1931
From France, silver flatware, jewelry, and decorative pieces.
Williams-Sonoma
340 Post Street
(415) 362-6904
The store behind
the popular kitchenware catalog. Everything for the kitchen and the table.
Cartier
231 Post Street
(415) 397-3180
Jewelry and watches from Paris.
Lang Antiques and Estate Jewelry
323 Sutter Street
(415) 982-2213
"San Francisco's
largest collection."
La Parisienne
460 Post
Street
(415) 788-2255
Costume jewelry and gifts from Paris in a
delightful French shop.
Write With Style
865 Market Street
(415) 977-0759
www.writewithstyle.com
Brand name pens, corporate gifts, leather goods, etc.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.