Are You Going to San Francisco Shopping?
Thinking of a San Francisco spree? Flower in your hair optional. The City by the Bay used to be a savvy choice for Christmas shopping thanks to its blend of luxury flagships, indie design studios, and maker markets that showcase Northern California’s craft culture. Add glittering holiday décor, bay views and easy public transport, and you’ve a festive city break that’s as enjoyable as it is productive. (Or so we thought)
Here's the Marketing Pitch
Where to shop
Union Square and surrounds: Classic department stores, all now closed, heritage jewellers and luxury houses, by appointment only, plus festive window displays and a seasonal ice rink most years. Uhh, not sure about this. Maiden Lane’s boutiques make for a stylish detour.
Hayes Valley: Compact, design-led and highly giftable—think small-batch fragrances, minimalist homewares, stationery and sustainable fashion.
The Mission (Valencia Street): Independent bookshops, vinyl, vintage and contemporary local labels; great for one-of-a-kind presents.
Ferry Building Marketplace: Artisan food gifts—single-origin chocolate, small-batch olive oil, cheeses and coffee—under one handsome roof.
Chinatown and Japantown: Traditional teas, ceramics, paper goods, confectionery and kitchenware at friendly prices.
Fillmore and Pacific Heights: Upscale apparel, beauty, children’s wear and tasteful home décor on strollable streets.
Ghirardelli Square and Pier 39: Tourist-friendly once upon a time, beware of pick pocketers and handbag snatchers. May be useful for sweet treats and stocking fillers with a San Francisco stamp.
Seasonal highlights
Union Square tree and holiday rink? (check current-year dates 2025)
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair (usually late November–December), a Victoriana-themed market experience.
Pop-up markets across the city—look for “makers” fairs and gallery shops for locally made ceramics, textiles and prints.
What to buy (If you can find a store open)
Bay Area tech accessories and smart home gadgets.
Californian wines, craft spirits, bean-to-bar chocolate and small-batch pantry goods.
Sustainable fashion and jewellery from local designers.
Outdoor gear for coastal hikes and Sierra trips.
Practical tips
Getting around: Muni, BART and the historic cable cars cover most shopping districts; rideshares fill the gaps. Consider clustering neighbourhoods by day to avoid criss-crossing hills. Don't go out after dark.
Weather: Microclimates are real—layer up and bring a tote-friendly brolly.
Sales tax: Expect roughly 8–9% added at the till in San Francisco.
Bags and packaging: Shops may charge for bags; a foldable tote saves money and waste.
Timing: Weekday mornings are calmer. Big-box deals peak around Black Friday, while independent boutiques often shine closer to mid-December.
Shipping: Many US retailers ship nationwide; ask about flat-rate or holiday bundles if you’re travelling on.
Easy day trips for extra browsing
Oakland and Berkeley: Bookshops, design stores and vintage on College Avenue, Temescal and Fourth Street.
Marin Country Mart (Larkspur): Chic, family-friendly open-air shopping with weekend markets.
Napa’s Oxbow Public Market: Foodie gifts paired with wine tasting.
Where to pause between purchases
Third-wave coffee bars around Hayes Valley and the Mission.
Oyster bars and wine counters inside the Ferry Building.
Cosy North Beach cafés for cannoli and a rest from the hills.
Be advised most cocktail bars don't open until after 5pm
And Now For The Reality
The allure of a big American City like San Francisco, New York City or Seattle Washington has long been on my radar for a long weekend shopping trip, I’ve done a few NYC shopping trips to 5th Avenue, the famous designer discount store, Century 21 and Bloomingdale’s, Saks and Bergdoff Goodmans, caught a show on Broadway, ice skated at the Rockafella centre or the Wollman rink in Central Park and if there was any money left peered in the window of Tiffany and Co Holly Golightly style.
San Francisco used to be the same, the massive Saks Fifth Avenue on Union Square, situated next door to Tiffany and Co, Barneys on O’ Farrel St, Nordstrom Rack for designer bargains, Neiman Marcus on Stockton St plus high designer boutiques the length and breadth of Geary, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Van Cleef and Arpels, Bottega Veneta.
If you are planning a shopping trip this year to San Francisco and haven’t visited for a while don’t bother, literally everything has closed down and if it hasn’t, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Van Cleef, the stores are either guarded by truncheon yielding security guards or by appointment only. What’s left of a once vibrant city is now overrun by the homeless and addicted, wandering the streets like the walking dead. Go to Walgreens, the pharmacy at 11pm at night and you’ll face a scene worse than the scariest of horror movies, 24/7 Halloween.
It’s the result of the wealth of Silicon Valley disappearing and looting and smash and grab apparently by the actions of others states attempts to clean up their homelessness by paying people to leave and go to San Francisco, I don’t know how true these claims are.
All the big department stores have closed, Saks and Barneys, massive commercial properties stand empty and the only Nordstrom, a new venture just reopened outside the city centre, is for online customers only, a drop off and pick up centre that carries no merchandise whatsoever.
Actual shopping as a pastime has all but completely disappeared from this once vibrant stylish, possibly the most stylish, American City.
The last man standing is Macy’s which I did venture into to see a homeless man on scooter riding around the make up department. I was rooted to spot too shocked to snap a picture and the energy in the store, a shell of it’s former self with assistant-less counters, undressed mannequin displays, was eerie, the place was pretty much deserted.
I did one full circle of the ladies department on the 3rd floor, by this point on our shopping trip we were pretty desperate to find something, anything to buy. I stopped to look at Good American, the only brand I recognised as fresh and modern, the rest could have been merchandised 10 years ago and not touched since.
We ended up at the bottom of Stockton St where the trams stop at Market Street where we found a 6 story Ross Dress For Less, we were told the Marshalls designer discount store had also closed. This was our last hope.
We had to queue to get through security, yep, then spent a good hour combing the packed rails. There was very little quality clothing of old and even fewer designer brand names we’d come to expect, in the past always managing to snag a sneaky bargain especially when it came to branded shoes or trainers. On this visit we found nothing and left empty handed.
Completely at a loss we decided on a manicure pedicure and maybe a blow dry to pass sometime but a city where at one time you’d find a nail place on every block had transformed into empty shop fronts with boarded up windows. We walked and walked and couldn’t find one beauty shop or hair dresser open on a Saturday.
A whole day spent shopping yielded one pair of sneakers, Jordans by Nike from the Shoe Palace on Geary, where the old Express used to be, another store now closed.
When we returned to our hotel empty handed another guest appeared with 5 or 6 shopping bags packed to the brim with goods. Shocked we asked her where she’d been to find all the stuff she’d bought. “Target” came the reply. “I bought all the things I’ve seen on TikTok”
If you’re choosing just one city for Christmas shopping in the US, I'd recommend you stick to New York City the perennial standout. (That said I haven't been myself for a few years) Between Fifth Avenue’s iconic windows, Bryant Park’s Winter Village, the Union Square and Columbus Circle holiday markets, extended shop hours and unrivalled public transport, it delivers maximal choice and festive theatre in one walkable, well-connected package—ideal for ticking off lists from luxury to artisan in a single weekend.
| Rant Or Rave | Rant |
| Pros | Hard to find |
| Cons | No shops |
Margaret Louis
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