The Chicest “General Store” I’ve Ever Seen
The last shop I visited mask-free before the effects of COVID-19 was the Outer Sunset darling, General Store. The store has a long and narrow design with a tunnel-shaped detail to the center of it. And it has a rather wide selection of merchandise to choose from, from cards and candles, to children’s gifts, to jewelry and apparel. Oh and you can’t forget my bread and butter when shopping: The home decor/goods section. Join me as I showcase the kinds of great finds that await at the chicest general store I’ve ever been to.
Disclaimer: These photos were taken early this year, hence why the customers and staff aren’t seen wearing masks or social distancing. I also cannot guarantee that every item in my photos are still being sold in-store.
The Selection
What I love about this store is that it had a little something for everyone. A lot of boho inspired clothing and accessories, artsy books, minimalistic pottery and whimsical cards. Its selection definitely makes it a go-to for unique and beautiful gifts for friends, and a destination for window shopping with your best buds…you know, when that becomes a thing again.
One of the things that stood out the most to me was their selection of Montessori toys. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this term, it’s a type of toy - commonly made from wood - that is designed to stimulate creativity and even develop fine motor skills. For example, you’ll see in the image below the sets of nestled rainbow blocks, and the stack of balanced blue stone-shaped blocks. I’ve never seen Montessori toy sets so beautiful in my life. It made me want to snag a set to save for my future children!
What I Came For
Earlier this year when I was up in Seattle, I discovered the store Totokaelo - which I’m sad to report has since closed permanently due to the effects of COVID-19. And one of the brands that they carried that I fell in love with was Kati Von Lehman. This Portland-based ceramist created mugs, plates, bowls and planters that were right up my alley! So when I returned to San Francisco, I was on a mission to see what local stores sold her work. This research is what made me discover General Store.
Earlier this year, General Store still had a 2nd San Francisco location situated just a few blocks away from their main Judah store, which was focused on home goods and decor . This is where I spent the bulk of my time when perusing their selection. One of their sales associates has confirmed with me that this 2nd location has since closed down, however I am happy to report that most of the inventory from this location has been moved over to the main location! It’s the exact mood and aesthetic I’m always aiming to achieve, and made me inspired to fill my home with more artisanal pottery and serving dishes!
The Garden
Another cool feature of the main location was their beautiful garden in the back of the store. When the weather is less post-apocalyptic, I recommend giving it a try. It may also be a good spot to take a socially-distanced breather if you need a short break from your mask.
This may not be the easiest or most fun year to go shopping, but I wanted to share a store that has some really fun finds because I have really loved supporting boutiques and small businesses during this time. Especially since San Francisco has already reportedly lost over half of its small businesses due to the pandemic and lockdown.
See for Yourself
COVID update: During my recent phone call with the store, they confirmed with me that they are open daily from 11 AM to 5 PM. But I encourage anyone making the trip to a store during lockdown to call ahead of time just to be on the safe side!
For those who don’t yet feel comfortable shopping in person, you can always shop their site. And I really recommend checking out my favorite online finds of theirs, which I’ve linked to in the button down below!
While their second location mentioned earlier has closed, they say all of their inventory has been consolidated to their Judah location. For those in SoCal, General Store also has a location in Venice.
For any further information about this store, check out their website or Yelp account! Happy shopping!