The Bay Area has long been known as a breeding ground for innovative ideas, and this weekend's opening of The Garage in Fairfax brings that out-of-the-box thinking to retail. When Fairfax dwellers Krissy Teegerstorm and Michele Schwartz noticed that the 1960s auto garage on Sir Francis Drake had been vacant for more than a year, they saw a golden opportunity. As artisans, they are always looking for new outlets to sell their wares, and this charming old-school shop appeared to be the perfect venue to do just that. And it could also be a space to promote other local designers looking to do the same. So they negotiated a lease with the building owners (who also run the popular Good Earth Grocery) to house their pop-up until someone else buys up the prime real estate in the center of town.

Knowing that their time at the garage would be limited, they sent out the call to other local designers and quickly amassed a group of 10 Marin county makers to fill out the space. "We're creating a space that's charming and fun, where you can walk in and find unique, handmade items with a personal touch that you won't find anywhere else," says Schwartz. Vendors include CCMG (original textiles), Featherweight Clothing Co. (graphic tees & re-styled vintage clothing), Lilibee Jewelry (fine fashion jewelry with serious edge), Parallel Print Shop (earth-friendly letterpress paper goods), Smiling Dog Studio (wearable art & fine-art photography), and Sunny Day Salvage (repurposed vintage home goods). Future plans include a monthly flea market, plus classes in art, crafts, and design.

"We've called it a pop-up retail experiment because we don't know how long we'll be there. Whoever buys the building will most likely tear it down. So we're going to have as much fun as possible while it lasts," says Teegerstrom. It could be three months or three years, but since there's no telling, you'd be wise to take a jaunt up to Fairfax sooner rather than later. This one's a gem you don't want to miss.

The Garage opens 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Sat. 4/27, 2000 Sir Frances Drake Blvd., Fairfax, 415-846-1713, thefairfaxgarage.com. At the opening, you'll find baked goods and coffee from Fairfax's own Fat Angel Bakery, organic tea tastings from Marin's Desta Teas, and agua fresca from Grilly's.

*BONUS*
Krissy Teegerstrom's Perfect Day in Fairfax

11 a.m. Fill up on eggs, piping hot beignets, and chicory coffee at Fairfax's best brunch place The Hummingbird.

1 p.m. Work it off with a hike in Deer Park. (Grab a snack on the way at locally-owned Good Earth Natural Foods, where all the produce is labeled with how many miles it traveled to get there). Make the round trip (6 miles) to the gorgeous, glittering Phoenix Lake. This time of year you'll see a lot of wild iris. There are tons of shorter or longer hikes, and Deer Park is hugely popular for mountain biking, which was born in Fairfax.

3 p.m. For post-hike beers and brats, stop at bike-themed bar Gestalt House.

4 p.m. Browse ethically-sourced and recycled goods at The Herban Garden, Trouve, and Magpie Vintage. Then grab a to-die-for ice cream cone (made with Strauss) at Scoop.

5 p.m. End your day at the classy and cozy 123 Bolinas wine bar for a glass of vino and some tasty locally sourced gourmet bites.