After 23 years, Wilkes Bashford’s flagship moved from its old spot at the Stanford Shopping Center to a built-from-the-ground-up, elegant nearby space.
Plus, San Francisco welcomes Face Foundrié and Rocksbox to the Marina and Pac Heights, respectively—meanwhile Dogpatch and Sausalito celebrate the holidays with festive shopping events.
Wilkes Bashford’s new Palo Alto flagship doubles the size of its former space.
(Courtesy of Wilkes Bashford)
Thank you, shopping gods, for some fantabulous retail news: Iconic Bay Area luxury department store Wilkes Bashford recently opened the doors to its new store in the Stanford Shopping Center. At 25,000 square feet, the elegantly appointed space features 41 designer labels, 21 fine jewelry cases, an espresso bar, and a private VIP suite.
Designed by renowned architectural firm Gensler, the interior vibe is on point in every way: bright and airy, and filled with natural materials, furnishings and décor with clear references to California’s coastlines.
The stars of the show, naturally, are the treasures hanging from racks, meticulously folded on shelves, and beckoning from glass cases. Along with individual boutiques by Brunello Cucinelli, Kiton, Zegna and Brioni, you’ll find expanded collections from celebrated labels including Valentino, Bottega Veneta, Khaite, Thom Browne, Lanvin, Odeeh, The Row, Canali, Dolce & Gabbana, and more. The extensive jewelry collections sparkle with pieces from designers like Pomellato, Sydney Garber, Nam Cho, Sylva & Cie and Aaron Henry.
// 180 El Camino Real, Building FF, Stanford Shopping Center (Palo Alto), wilkesbashford
Dogpatch is going full (holiday) hog with a neighborhood winter market this weekend.
(Courtesy of Bryr)
Of course, SF’s coolest hood is holding the coolest shopping event. On Saturday, December 7th, Dogpatch Winter Market is the place to be. Participating? More than 60 local shops, foodie businesses, restaurants, artists, and galleries including Birds on a Wire Workshop, Dogpatch Games, Revel (plants, flowers, goods), Letterform Archive, a nonprofit center all about graphic design, Rickshaw Bagworks, artist Dale Eastman, Zus Clothing, Jolt ’N Bolt Bakery and Cafe and Lobster Tee.
Along with hella good gift-gathering, sparkly sips and fun activities will be flowing at storefronts and several hub locations including Minnesota Street Project, Museum of Craft and Design, and the American Industrial Center on 22nd Street. (The block between Third and Illinois Streets will be closed to traffic.)
We’re especially looking forward to visiting clog-haven Bryr for its post-renovation reopening and getting crafty with the team who will be leading complimentary, family-friendly ornament-making sessions using scrap leather. Along with all the yummy clogs, an array of gifting goodies like socks, bags, and candles fill the festive shelves…plus sips from Fort Point Brewery.
Winter Market tix are free but register on Eventbrite.
// 11am to 6pm, Saturday Dec, 7; in and around 610 22nd St. (Dogpatch), dbasf.com
Prepare to glow! Face Foundrié lands in the Marina.
(Courtesy of Face Foundrié)
For its first Cali location, the Minneapolis-based chain of facial bars decided Chestnut Street was it. (Makes sense, as franchise owners Heidi and Hayley Jacquin are longtime Bay Area residents.) Grand opening day is Saturday, December 7th; the first 100 people in line will receive a $100 gift card and goodie bag—plus 25 percent off any service booked in store.
For those not familiar, FF provides cutting-edge services at accessible prices. Facial treatments reign supreme; brow and lash treatments are also available. A few of the most popular treatments: H2Glow by Hydrafacial, which uses patented technology to cleanse, extract, and hydrate with super serums for a dewy glow; and Ice Queen, a “cold therapy” service that boosts circulation, reduces inflammation, and tightens pores.
Also noteworthy: FF partners with respected skincare brands like EltaMD, Hydrafacial, Dr. Dennis Gross, Holifrog and more on its own product line.
// Grand opening is 10am to 2pm, Saturday Dec. 7; 2156 Chestnut St. (Marina), facefoundrie.com
A new gem on Fillmore Street: Rocksbox opens first brick-and-mortar.
(Courtesy of Rocksbox)
San Francisco–based Rocksbox recently waved bye-bye to its roots as a jewelry rental/subscription service and transformed into a traditional jewelry e-tailer. Now, with the debut of its first storefront on Pacific Heights’ main shopping drag, it’s officially a real-life retailer, too. The homey but minimalist space is the opposite of an intimidating, glass-cased jewelry boutique—here all the earrings, bracelets, rings and pendants are meant to be touched and tried on.
Along with showcasing the fashion jewelry for which it's known (most pieces are $200 or less), the store will be a place to experiment and expand its assortment of brands.
Along with Rocksbox’s own in-house designs, the store currently carries about a dozen designers. Among them: Ana Luisa, Luv AJ, Joy Dravecky, Soko, and Lele Sadoughi.
When curating its lineup, Rocksbox prioritizes businesses that are women-run, adhere to ethical manufacturing processes, and/or have a philanthropic component.
With this new bling-y addition joining neighbors Fiat Lux, Catbird, Alexis Bittar and Gorjana, we officially dub Fillmore Street Jewelry Row.
// 2208 Fillmore St. (Pacific Heights), rocksbox.com
Save the date! The Sausalito Winter Market is a holiday shopping wonderland.
(Courtesy of Botnia)
If buying local, quality things is a priority for the gifts you wrap, hit the annual Sausalito Winter Market on Saturday, December 14th. The Sausalito Center for The Arts plays host to more than 25 local artisans and businesses (heavy on Marinites) including Botnia, Amanda Hunt Jewelry, Wolfspout, Mercy Vintage, Heath Ceramics, and more. Admission is free. Happy shopping.
// 10am to 5pm, Saturday Dec. 14; 750 Bridgeway (Sausalito), sausalitowintermaket
