One of the most interesting stores I've ever seen, X-21 Modern is packed with odd and wonderful things. Towering old surgical lamps converted to modern lighting, giant Mardi Gras heads, scientific instruments of uncertain origin... this place has it all.

If you visit, make sure to see the downstairs area too. It's easy to miss unless you know it's there.

890 Valencia Street (@20th)
San Francisco, CA 94110
telephone: 415.647.4211

Otsu has a magic all its own. It's a paper and t-shirt place, with a vegan-recycled-hipster t-shirt theme. One can't really describe Otsu other than to say it's cool and definitely worth a visit.

849 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 255-7900

I LOVE this little place. The "needles" part refers to local handmade clothing and t-shirts, wallets, cool patches and other things made of cloth. The "pens" part is zines, zines, zines.

Needles and Pens also has a small gallery space (showing well selected work by younger artists) some jewelry and odds and ends.

It's a resolutely upbeat place that's a great pleasure to visit. Prices are reasonable too.

3253 16th Street (between Guerrero & Dolores) in San Francisco.
(415) 255-1534.

OK, most people know this as simply as the "Pirate store" because it offers -- against all odds -- a collection of things you'll need if you ever decide to become a pirate.

The other (and real) purpose of 826 Valencia is to provide (excellent) writing workshops for kids and teenagers. My daughter has participated in several of the classes and they're just great.

The address is, surprise, 826 Valencia.

I've never been able to figure out Paxton Gate and I've never been able to skip it when I'm on Valencia.

One part of the deal here is kind of creepy -- stuffed animals, animal skeletons, things like that. It's all wrapped up in a kind of neo-Victorian scientific curiosity meets modern SF hipster macabre obsession.

I mean, you can buy stuffed mice here that are wearing clothes and posed like mistrels. Or just a snake skeleton or a fox skull.

The other part of this place is one of the most wonderful (small) plant store. It's as if some kind of crazed biological expedition from another century got stranded on a reef on Valencia and decided to open a store.

Oh, and you can buy herbal teas here. And sometimes fake glass eyes. And handmade Japanese pruning sheers... and... and...

Paxton Gate is like no other place you'll ever see. It's right next door to 826 Valencia.

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Freewheel bills itself as the best bike store in San Francisco. That's a bit of a stretch. American Cyclery in the Haight should claim the honor of best overall store and City Cycle in Cow Hollow can make a case for itself on the ultra modern end. But no matter, Freewheel is groovy as heck.

You can find good retro gear here -- and a nice relaxed attitude. I've never had a bad experience at Freewheel, this is pure bay area bike culture (yay!) in all it's glory. Go there. Spend money. They're good folks.

914 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110-2321View Map
4156439213

Another place that defies description, Rayon Verte has hand-selected antique wonders (all reasonably prices) original artworks, some by Kelly the store's owners, fresh flowers, a little furniture. Some beads.

Like, everything is here. And everything you see is cool.

Where else can you buy old circus sideshow signs in SF?

You've just got to go here because you'll find something utterly fantastic that you can't find anywhere else in the world.

I don't know the address for it, but it's on the south side of 16th street between Valencia and Guerrero (or maybe Dolores).