The best fashion and gift stores California

Urban and trendy fashion for men and women, which focuses on young people 18-30 years with vintage, hipster and retro trends. The brand has been in the news several times with provocative designs that have provoked many reactions. Also a space for the home, gadgets and some jewelry. The first store opened in Philadelphia in 1970. Today Urban Outfitters operates more than 400 outlets in the United States, Canada and Europe. A must for those who love fashion at reasonable prices.

Temple of pas bag for men, women and children. This is the equivalent of our European H & M. It belongs to the same chain as Gap, but it is declination less class.

Second hand store for luxury clothing, you will find here vintage vintage brands over several decades. Prices are higher than in other San Francisco friperies, but quality is not the same either.

Organisation, this is the watchword in this second hand store perfectly sorted and filed. It is difficult to give an objective perspective on American Rag: some love, others hate. Still take a look if you go across the corner: there may be a good opportunity for you.

This bookshop is reminiscent of a literary salon. In the entrance hall, you'll find a sofa inviting you to read, smoking tea and a few cookies or dried fruit. We sit and chat about the next poetry reading or acoustic guitar concert. The shelves are filled with second-hand books on eclectic themes. At the far end of the store, a small opening leads to the Backroom Gallery, a tiny room where local artists are exhibited.

It looks like a rangé attic that hide many treasures. Novels, photo books, children's spaces, travel books. A great selection of books on music and dance, especially opera and classical music.

At once stationery, bookstore, exhibition space and clothing shop, Needles and Pens you immerse you in the world of trend rock and punk graphics. A versatile space maintained by a horde of volunteers.

This small independent publishing house specialises in graphics and stationery. The Valencia Street store sells maps, calendars and notes of graphic artists who win to be known. Here you'll find thousands of cute little things.

Here's the address you need, the Japanese BD Temple, Kinokuniya has hundreds of copies in Japanese but also in English. You will also find your favorite Japanese magazines. The floor is reserved for more classical literature on everything that affects Japan: art, history, travel, etc. From the first floor, cross the hall to the stationery section opposite the left. Cards and fabulous silk papers for sale among pens and miniature gadgets.

Here we sell new, old, magazines, Cds and, obviously, books. Many books. Take the time to search among the shelves and do not hesitate to ask for help from booksellers. They will surely be better off than you in all this mess.

Opened in 1976, this pretty bookstore sells second hand books and new books. Cosy atmosphere in this small store that gives you a chance to sit down for a few moments.

Bookshop that promotes anarchist ideas, you will find all the literature on the subject: theory, history, art, magazines as well as CD, DVD, etc. Do not hesitate to ask questions to volunteer staff who will be happy to enlighten you on any point of theory. Also do not miss the anarchist fresco outside the store where the great names of the anar movement in the United States are represented.

Good business hunters, collectors and those looking for an alternative to the Rose Bowl flea market in Pasadena City College, with free entrance.

The big, chic chain is also in San Francisco. Despite major difficulties during the covid, this 450-store chain finally held up with the help of U.S. government bankruptcy protection. There's an assortment of clothing and accessories for women, men and children, including swimwear, outerwear, loungewear, bags, sweaters, jeans, dresses, suits, jewelry and shoes. The style? Casual and stylish at the same time. High prices.

Located on the port of Half Moon Bay and founded by the famous Jeff Clark, the first surfer to have dominated the waves of Mavericks, this store is today a must in this site which shelters one of the biggest surf spots of the world. It's a very nice store where you can find everything you need to face the waves. Jeff and his wife Cassandre have succeeded in creating a real community around their passion, where they organize events and radiate today on a worldwide scale. They have opened a paddle store next door.

You may be familiar with the San Francisco Giants, one of the best baseball franchises in the United States. In fact, it has won more games than any other team in the history of American baseball. It was founded in New York and remained there until moving to San Francisco in 1958. The Giants won the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014 after more than 50 years without one. This is their official store. Drop in for a souvenir and take a look at the stadium.

Until 2021, the charming Alley Cats Books was located here. In the wake of the pandemic, it has been replaced by another bookstore, Medicine for Nightmare, which aims to offer radical political writing, local poetry, books telling the story of the modern world, and bilingual English-Spanish literature. Above all, the bookstore hopes to ward off all sorts of "societal" nightmares: "colonial nightmares, patriarchal nightmares, worldly nightmares. A particularly ambitious program!

A real Ali Baba's cave, specialized in musical instruments from all over the world. When the store was founded in 1982, it sold only Chinese instruments. It was so successful that many customers began to exchange their instruments from all over the world for these Asian instruments. This is how Clarion became a store specializing in exotic instruments! Today, Clarion hosts not only Asian music concerts, but also many Chinese film screenings.

A great local art gallery to stroll through, in the heart of quirky Polk Street. Studio Gallery was opened in 2003 to showcase the work of Bay Area artists. It features art in a variety of media, primarily painting, on subjects such as the region's cityscapes and countryside, or work inspired by food and drink. Tiny, the annual exhibition of small works, is one of the most popular. Many artists do custom work and accept commissions.

For lovers of vintage photography, this neighborhood store is a very pleasant stop. You can find there old cameras, as well as the necessary accessories for vintage prints such as chemicals, film and paper. Very nice atmosphere, we chat with customers, and a warm and enlightened welcome from the sellers who are real specialists. It's a small dive in a world of photo enthusiasts version XX° century which awaits you here.

The new owners have just taken over the torch of the oldest record store in San Francisco created in 1970: Aquarius. With another address in Oakland, this record store offers a large and eclectic selection: indie rock, punk, metal (black, doom, sludge), reggae, sixties psych, seventies proto-metal, international music, experimental electronic music, hip hop, country and bluegrass... A good place to hunt for music, if you still have a turntable in your living room to listen to your purchases.

An ideal address for stocking up on kitsch souvenirs, but also a few refined pieces to bring back as gifts. From ocean-scented candles and California cookbooks to a calendar of old San Francisco photos and organic cotton shirts, Lola of North Beach is inspired by its immediate surroundings, as the store is very close to Fisherman's Wharf and the ocean. That's why we love this store, where you'll find lovely postcards, magnets, mugs and humorous books.

South of Mission, in the Bernal Heights neighborhood, Thrillhouse Records is a punk darling that you'll easily recognize by the skull and crossbones ghosts in its window. In addition to punk, you can find metal, classical, jazz, indie rock, classic rock, soul, reggae, hip hop, movie soundtracks... The record shop is specialized in vinyl, but it also offers a small but decent quantity of cassettes, CDs, movies, t-shirts, zines and pins. A small gold mine!

Dick Vivien, owner of Rooky Ricardo's Records, salvaged the stock of a bankrupt record shop some 30 years ago and sold his 45s for a few dollars. Gradually, word of mouth spread and the store became more professional. Today, it's an essential institution in the world of rock, r'n'b, soul and funk. With an estimated stock of 100,000 items, the store is said to be a major source of inspiration for local musicians and DJs in the San Francisco area.

Opened on the pier and in the magnificent vintage building, this large and bright bookstore offers activities around readings, signatures, and even culinary practices. There is a beautiful section dedicated to San Francisco, the Bay Area and Northern California, a cooking section, an important nature section, another on organic farming, cool books for kids, etc. Book signings by authors such as Chelsea Clinton, George Saunders or Dave Eggers are regularly organized there.

Board this temple of piracy, compass in hand, sail among the sharks on the raging seas, discover hidden treasures, drink rum until you're blue in the face and let yourself be carried away in this wonderful ship. More than just a pirate store, 826 Valencia is a literary association for children that offers free writing workshops throughout the year. A real Ali Baba's cave for imaginative youngsters who dream of long voyages on the Caribbean Sea.

A must-see in the Italian Quarter! The Goorin Brothers started their hat business in 1895, and for four generations the family has carefully cultivated the tradition. Despite its retro feel, this store opened in 2006. You'll find classics as well as the latest in hats for a stylish and contemporary look. A cowboy hat or a panama, a sailor cap or a slap hat, all are neatly lined up and ready to be tried on...

In addition to these stores in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Amoeba music empire has a store in Berkeley. It's a must for old vinyl lovers, new or used, who won't be disappointed! You'll find the best of underground rock and hip-hop, soul, electronic, new and classic jazz, world music, roots music and experimental music. And beyond a store, it's a meeting place and a showroom. A must-see in the California music scene.

To take the boring wait in a gloomy in the dark frame where you look at your laundry, nothing better than a nice coffee where you can enjoy a good breakfast. Forgetting that the machine turns. Many young people and music.

Welcome to Evangeline's: in the heart of Old Sacramento, this store is a bric-a-brac of original ideas. The second floor is dedicated to all kinds of knick-knacks (funny books, wigs, badges, fantastic stuffed animals and gothic accessories) and the floor above is famous for its costumes, between princess dresses and cowboys, but also masks of all kinds. A real institution in the neighborhood, for your daily life or your most crazy parties. You can also order on the store's website.

Here you can stroll through the many brand boutiques of Galeries Macy's, comparable to Galeries Lafayetteand have a meal in one of the restaurants, but not only! Entertainment venues include the Century Theater and the Punch Bowl Social: American restaurant chain and animated bar offering karaoke, bowling, pool, arcade and virtual reality games. Some events are organized within the shopping centre throughout the year and published on their website regularly.

Citadel is probably one of the largest outlets located around Los Angeles. Located in the city of Commerce, about 13 km southeast of Downtown, this mall is home to a large number of year-round discounted brands. Among them are Asics, Banana Republic, Bonobos, Boss, Calvin Klein, Coach, Converse, Disney, Fossil, Gap, Guess, Karl Lagerfeld, Lacoste, Levi's, Michael Kors, New Balance, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Puma, Quiksilver, Swarovski, Timberland, Tommy Hilfiger, Tumi, UGG, and Vans.

This pretty boutique located in the heart of Ocean Beach specializes in women's ready-to-wear clothing. Modern, but with a touch of bohemian inspiration, the clothes blend in perfectly with the spirit of the neighborhood. There are beautiful colorful long dresses, bodysuits, short skirts, swimsuits, shorts, delicate outfits, tank tops with floral patterns... Mostly 100% cotton. Creations frequently renews its stock, so don't hesitate to come back several times if you stay in San Diego for more than a week.

About 20 minutes south of Downtown, in the San Ysidro neighborhood - near the Mexican border - stands San Diego's largest outlet. It houses more than 100 discounted brands, including Adidas, Armani, Boss, Calvin Klein, Coach, Converse, Guess, Hollister Co, Karl Lagerfeld, Lacoste, Levi's, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, New Balance, Nike, Quiksilver, Swarovski, The North Face, Timberland, Tommy Hilfiger, Vans and Victoria's Secret.

A visit to Old Town is inseparable from a visit to its market, ideal for buying travel souvenirs. There are over 40 stores selling a choice of Mexican textiles, leather accessories, blankets and ponchos woven in Peru, Ecuador and Guatemala, Amerindian dreamcatchers, silver and turquoise jewelry, sombreros, tea and coffee, dolls, Peruvian-made mirrors, objets d'art... Plus: every weekend, stalls from the Harney Street Market add to the mix.

In the heart of Los Feliz, Skylight Books has been welcoming a hip community in search of its literary fix since 2008. The excellent collection of art books and the wide variety of magazines will undoubtedly encourage you to spend the afternoon leafing through most of the books you find. An entire section is dedicated to California and Los Angeles. A few meters further on, a second store offers a more general selection, with a large number of novels. Authors are regularly invited to come and read their publications.

With a million CD and vinyl references - 33 rpm, 45 rpm, 78 rpm, etc. - this is a vertiginous selection that almost makes you forget you're living in an age of Spotify and downloads. - it's a dizzying selection that almost makes you forget we're living in the age of Spotify and downloads. Amoeba Music may have its origins in San Francisco's Berkeley district, but it's in the heart of Hollywood that this monument to music makes Los Angeles vibrate. Set over two floors, it's a veritable temple, even housing a section dedicated to films, with numerous DVDs. Finally, a stage regularly hosts concerts by artists of all kinds.

This is probably the best bookstore in Los Angeles - with Skylight Books in Los Feliz and The Last Bookstore in Downtown as its only real competitors. The choice of books is the result of a combination of good taste, an appetite for current affairs and a curiosity for what's new... So much so that the challenge is to find a shelf that doesn't have at least one book you don't immediately want to devour. Events are also regularly organized with leading contemporary authors and members of the film industry.

Attention film buffs: this is the place to find all the books on film history. For over 70 years, Larry Edmunds Bookshop has been on a mission to provide spiritual nourishment to many writers and directors. The program includes more than 500,000 books of photographs, 6,000 posters and 20,000 books on the 7th art and theater. In addition, events are frequently organized, such as film screenings featuring cult directors from Hollywood's Golden Age and book signings with authors.

Welcome to childhood! Here is a store dedicated only to kites, a great traditional specialty of China. After your visit here, you will be able to fly lions, dragons, dolphins, pumpkins, butterflies, bees or Santa Claus... A real Ali Baba's cave for young and old. Field of experimentation at the Presidio, at Baker beach or why not at Golden Gate Park! Something to make you happy at home, when you come back from your stay in San Francisco.

We've fallen in love with this iconic boutique, which opened in 1982. Fur-lined coats in large checks, winter mini shorts in houndstooth patterns, red berets, denim overalls... You'll find a mix of original vintage clothing and pieces inspired by the early 1970s. Plus: relatively affordable prices, often sweetened by attractive promotions. Before you come, take a look at the Polkadots & Moonbeams website, whose stock is frequently updated with the latest sales.

Opened in 1971, this family-run business has grown into a department store that passionately celebrates pop culture. You'll find everything from bacon-slice Christmas decorations and Mr. Potato figurines to Hawaiian shower curtains and pistol-shaped coffee sets. These more or less useful gadgets are called novelty gifts. Nevertheless, Soap Plant / Wacko also boasts a serious section of art books exploring pop culture in all its guises, from Marvel comics to zombies, design and fashion.

As you stroll through Sunset Junction, don't miss this beautiful - and expensive - boutique. You'll find superb selections of men's and women's ready-to-wear, made up of semi-luxurious garments, with noble materials, bold cuts and perfect fit. Also on sale: irresistible accessories, including jewelry, scarves, bags, shoes and hats. Here, Belgian and French creations by Dries van Noten and Isabel Marant rub shoulders with cutting-edge American brands.

This charming store located a few blocks south of Golden Gate Park, offers a thousand and one treasures that it will be difficult not to want to bring back in its luggage. You can find a little bit of everything: kitchen utensils, decorative objects, jewelry, games for children and also clothes. The products have been made by talented local artisans and artists in a bobo/hipster style that almost reminds us of Paris, or the island of Ré but with a devilishly Californian touch! Prices not cheap, though.

This concept store has spawned several outlets in California, including two in San Francisco. The one in Mission is the most accessible and central. A superb store offering creative and affordable jewelry (the earrings are superb, golden and elegant without being flashy), baby clothes and comforters, some feel-good clothing, accessories (bandana scarves...), but above all gifts of all kinds that feel good: board games, and lots of cool goodies in the colors of California, hipster-style.

Petfriendly Travel is a U.S.-based directory of dog-friendly travel destinations. It lists dog parks in the U.S. and Canada, dog-friendly beaches, pet-friendly accommodations (rentals and campsites) and pet-friendly restaurants. The site also includes information on how to travel with your pet (dog, cat, bird, etc.) and activities to do with your four-legged friend. Finally, there's a forum where you can chat with other pet owners.

One of San Franciscans' favorite stores near Hayes Valley. You'll recognize its window from afar, lined with vinyl records. This store for the avid digger or the simple vinyl enthusiast is an Ali Baba's cave. It competes cheekily with Amoeba Music, even if it's not as big as Amoeba. For, among the shelves of 33 and 45 rpm records, it boasts an important selection at a few dollars, much larger than its competitor. It's a pleasure to rummage through the shelves for rare gems. A fine selection of jazz, soul and groove records.

When visiting Warner Bros. Studios, be sure to stop by this store to complete the experience - especially as it's located just 3 km north of the sets. On the latter, the phrase "It's a wrap!" traditionally heralds the end of a shoot, as does the French: "C'est dans la boîte!". This store takes these words literally, reselling a large number of costumes and clothes worn briefly in TV series or feature films, all at rather affordable prices.