Sabah House - Your Stop for Artisanal Finds in the Lower Haight
A few weeks ago, Steven and I decided to go shopping on Haight Street. And in the few months since I’d been there, so much had changed. We began our evening in the upper Haight where The Haight Ashbury Music Center was closing, more of the store fronts that I remember belonging to unique clothing boutiques and vintage treasure troves were replaced with chains, and the closest thing I saw to the Haight Street I knew and loved was a couple of Janice Joplin stickers on store doors. It made me very sad and I left the upper Haight completely empty-handed. Then as Steven and I were walking down to the Lower Haight to get some Korean food, the brightly lit and homey yet chic boutique Sabah House caught my eye. As we made our way in, the associate behind the counter, Andrea greeted us with a warm welcome and told us all about the store. And the more I learned about the company, the more I found it to be just what Haight Street needs at a time like this.
Sabah Shoes
It’s possible that you may have already heard about Sabah House before, as they’re well known for their shoes, which have been featured in Vogue, Domino or Marie Claire.
In 2013, Sabah founder Mickey Ashmore was inspired to create a shoe style based off of a traditional Turkish shoemaking method. Partnering with a family of artisans who handcraft every pair, he now sells his designs at Sabah House boutiques in New York City, London, Dallas - and as of late last year, San Francisco on our very own Haight Street. For those who can’t make it to one of the boutiques, the shoes are also available on the Sabah Portal.
Ashmore’s hope for the boutiques - which feature a selection of various accessories and home goods - was that each location would “have its own personality and feel like its part of the neighborhood fabric, not a chain.” And this store’s style definitely feels like something that can be appreciated by the Haight Street shopper who loves unique finds and supporting passionate artisans rather than large companies.
The Service
Something that really stood out about this store was the customer service. Andrea was kind enough to offer us beverages while we shopped - taking full advantage of the store’s bar and kitchen set up. (The space was formerly the eatery Nectar Fresh.) I felt very at ease looking around and like I could learn a lot from her about each product I was interested in.
The Home Goods
The unique home-like layout of the store makes for very lovely in-situ displays and gives you a very vivid feel for what pieces would look like in a real home. And the various pieces from their selection of home goods - while cohesive together in the displays - could fit into many home styles. Transitional, modern, boho chic, rustic, minimalistic - you name it.
What I Took Home: Fefo Studio Bowls
My purchase from my first trip to Sabah House consisted of two Fefo Studios bowls. These ceramic beauties are white with a dipped off-white and charcoal effect. Minimalistic yet whimsical, they stood out to me immensely as I walked throughout the store.
Since purchasing them, we’ve used them as vessels for chips, fruit, soup and - as shown below - Fablunch’s mushroom risotto and my favorite mac and cheese recipe.
Their contrasting color palette adds a touch of elegance to the table every time. And they are ridiculously easy to clean - making them a practical choice for everyday use!
I’m so incredibly happy that I found this store. During your next visit to the Haight I highly recommend stopping by. In my opinion, stores like this that highlight quality pieces made by hardworking artisans are just what we need to guide the ever-changing Haight Street towards a better and more authentic path. Happy shopping!
