San Francisco Shopping: Part 3 - Burlingame
By: Anh-Minh Le, decor8 Contributor
Learn more about Anh-Minh here.
For the third installment of my series on Bay Area shops, I decided to head to Burlingame. Located just 10 minutes south of the city, Burlingame is one of those suburbs that popped up after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The main shopping drag ? Burlingame Avenue ? is a mix of major chains and charming boutiques. Sure, you could spend your paycheck at the huge Pottery Barn or DWR, but don?t overlook the smaller, independent stores listed below...
Fortezza ? 269 Primrose Road
Located just off of Burlingame Avenue, Fortezza offers all sorts of lovely stuff ? from accessories to personalize your space, to furniture for most rooms in your home. I usually find myself drawn to the seating collection here, which has included colorful metal outdoor chairs and narrow dining room chairs that are ideal for tiny quarters. I?ve also had my eye on some artwork that graces the walls of the store.
Therapy ? 264 Lorton Avenue
Yes, this is an offshoot of the Therapy stores located side-by-side in San Francisco?s Mission District. The Burlingame shop carries clothing (organized by color!), accessories, gift items and home d?cor goodies. Given its funky inventory and affordable prices, Therapy seems like one of the few stores in downtown Burlingame that caters to a younger set of shoppers. My most recent purchase here was a cute little wooden owl who now sits on top of a stack of books in my living room.
Pot-Pourri ? 1460 Burlingame Avenue
Pot-Pourri?s Burlingame location (there?s also one in Oakland) has been offering a good collection of handmade arts and crafts for almost a decade. This store/gallery specializes in pottery, glass, wood and wall art. A pair of La Contessa earrings tucked into a wooden box by Mikutowski would be a hard gift to beat!
Willa and Willa Home -1402 and 1414 Burlingame Avenue
This marvelous pair of stores, located just five doors apart from one another, is reason enough to make the trip to Burlingame. One shop offers an eclectic selection of gifts, while the other is all about home furnishings. My favorites include the Juliska glassware, John Robshaw textiles and Susan Jane Designs vintage jewelry. Willa also stocks some wonderful stationery from the likes of Bella Muse and B Designs.
While you?re in Burlingame, check out the Museum of Pez! And if you?re an Eichler fan, you?ll be happy to know that Burlingame is the home of more than 100 of his mid-century homes.
Related posts:
Shopping San Francisco: Part 1 - The Mission
San Francisco Shopping: Part 2 - Oakland
(Images: A special thanks to Chris at Pot-Pourri and Kay over at Fortezza for snapping these photos for us.)
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