(Brendan Mainini for Cast)
Bay Area jeweler Cast opens whimsical Marin boutique + more local style news
26 October 2022
Plus, Coco Republic levels up Union Square's furniture game and Friends merch is there for you in San Francisco.
(Drew Altizer for Cast)
Talk about eye candy…and ear, neck, wrist, and finger candy. Local fine jeweler Cast's first-ever brick-and-mortar is a veritable feast of deliciousness. Just like the beautiful selection of necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings found within the 500-square-foot space, the store design sparkles with chic and whimsy. The colorful vignettes, displays and drawers beckon, demanding you try on the likes of the dreamy Venice Mini Getaway ring or elegant Brazen bracelet (swoon).
The best part? Unlike some, ahem, stuffier shops, Cast welcomes the interaction—in fact, it's built into the store concept. "I can’t remember a time when I walked into a fine jewelry store without feeling intimidated and out of place," Cast cofounder Rachel Skelly says. "That’s why we created Cast. We’re here to inspire curiosity and discovery, with exclusive collections created in collaboration with some of our favorite designers and artists."
ICYMI: Many of those designers are our favorites too, including Lauren Harwell Godfrey, Kristy Ford, Alice Cicolini, and Francesa Villa. Can't wait to discover more gems on our next trip over the bridge. You?
// Village at Corte Madera, 1536 Redwood Hwy (Marin), castjewelry.com
(Courtesy of Coco Republic)
Opened last week, the 40,000-square-foot furniture and lifestyle showroom also happens to be the retailer's first U.S. store. Situated on Stockton Street in the heart of Union Square, Coco Republic makes quite the first impression. More than 2,000 chic products—from lighting and rugs to tabletop items and furniture—inhabit the three floors, along with a fresh mocktail bar featuring Lyres beverages.
So why did the Aussie brand choose SF for its American debut?
According to CR's creative director and vice chairman, Anthony Spon-Smith: "Our brand was born in Sydney. I feel that San Francisco and Sydney are sister cities. They share a vibe that anyone visiting the two cities for solid amounts of time would recognize. There are very distinct synergies in the way Californians and Australians live—a lifestyle that is light on its feet, casually cool and connected to nature."
// 55 Stockton St. (Union Square), cocorepublic.com
Whether you rocked "the Rachel" back in the day (guilty!) or you're just now learning the lyrics to "Smelly Cat," all the Friends merch can be yours. Just head over to the new pop-up shop in Union Square. It's part of The Friends Experience, an Instagram-able recreation of the gang's apartments, Central Perk, yadda yadda (oops, Seinfeldian slip.) Even if you don't have time or the inclination to buy a ticket to see Joey and Chandler's recliners or chill in Monica's kitchen, the store is open to all.
You'll find fun Friends-y things like Joey's bedtime penguin pal Hugsy in stuffed animal form, as well as coffee mugs, tees and notepads sporting Friends-isms like How you doin'? / We were on a break / Pivot, etc. On our shopping list: the crap bag, turkey enamel pin and a Central Perk apron. Oh. My. Gawd.
// 150 Powell St. (Union Square) store.friendstheexperience.com