The intersection of Haight and Ashbury is the center of the hippie world but turn east or west down Haight street and the culture continues. Following Haight street to the west of Ashbury will first take you to the Mystery Mister Vintage Clothing store. A black sign hangs above the door advertising jewelry, antiques and vintage clothing. The store features a mixture of items from unique antiques, including posters and figurines, to hats and beautiful lace dresses. The window display is an eclectic collection of various items that the storekeepers frequently change.
The next store at 1524 Haight Street is called the Ashbury Tobacco Center. This store holds three floors of smoking paraphernalia. They have a vast inventory of hookahs, bongs, pipes, tobacco and decorative items. Near the entrance of the store there are a few touristy pieces but the main focus, obviously known from the name, is smoking ingredients. The prices are reasonable and the workers are friendly and very helpful. All your smoking needs can be fulfilled in this store and fun fact: Jimi Hendrix was a prior resident of the apartment at this address.
Next up is the Haight Street Market at 1530 Haight Street. Out front there is a nice seating area with umbrellas, tables and benches where customers can sit and enjoy their purchases. The market features local owners and local produce. It has been owned by the same family since the 80’s and has recently experienced an expansion to almost double it’s size. The market now holds a deli, meat counter and café in the expansion to the left of the entrance. Samples of the fresh, local produce can be found throughout the store and delicious food can be ordered from the new café. The market is crowded with all of your desired products including organic items. This small, family owned market holds all of your eating needs.
At 1540 Haight street is a music shop called the Haight Ashbury Music Center for all your musical needs. The store is locally owned and has been under the same management for over 30 years. They got their start in 1972 and since then have serviced thousands of musicians. Above the door there is a display of Haight- Ashbury street fair posters from over the years and vintage clothing and posters are featured in the window display. Walking around the store you will find acoustic, electric and bass guitars, ukuleles, banjos and mandolins from the string family. Also, drums, amplifiers, keyboards, microphones and various pieces of equipment for recording. This store has the ability to satisfy all your musical needs.
1552 Haight Street holds one of the oldest businesses on the street called Distractions. Owned by Jim Siegel you can find a wide assortment of items including clothing, accessories, CD’s, Tarot cards, gifts, incense and glass smoking paraphernalia. The store has a rich history from selling glass pieces bought from Bob Snodgrass to hosting underground dance parties and events, that still happen today. Distractions features crazy artwork on the outside of their building with bright colors and intricate faces and designs over which sits an old Victorian apartment. A sign is displayed in the front window saying “pipes & accessories in the back room…” The store prides themselves on a close-knit and friendly staff that will greet you at the door and help you with your every need.
The next shop is filled with quite the assortment of trinkets. The Tibetan Gift Corner is located at 1584 Haight Street. It is a crowded shop filled with one-size-fits-all pants, incense, jewelry and many other odds-and-ends. One of the windows displays a collage of pictures of steal your face signs, jewelry, street fair posters, clothing and peace signs amongst other things that the store holds inside. Navigating your way through the store can be difficult because it is chock full and not very organized but valuable items can certainly be discovered all throughout the store you just have to look.
Next up is a children’s clothing and toy store called, Kids Only at 1608 Haight Street. This store may seem out of place amongst the array of stores but this is a unique children’s store that carries one of the largest selections of hand tie-dyed and Batik clothing for newborns through size 14. Walking around the store you will find unique styles of clothing in baby rompers, t-shirts, dresses, leggings, socks and hats. The store is very bright in color from the various clothing and also the toys and stuffed animals that can be found throughout the store. The prices are affordable and the clothes are unrepeatable. The store is eccentric and fun for children.
Haight Street Shoe Repair is located at 1614 Haight Street. The store displays a large sign in the front window with the name and the words, “Birkenstock, Welcome,” which is a nod to the hippie lifestyle. A unique feature to this store is that it only accepts cash, which some people find to be pretty inconvenient. The store is very small yet charming with an old-fashioned feel. There isn’t much to it because its simply a shoe repair store but they get their job done.
Bookstores are becoming very rare these days but at 1644 Haight Street can be found TheBooksmith. A sign sits out front displaying the upcoming events that the bookstore will be holding. This week the store will be featuring Panio Gianopoulos and Christian Kiefer. The window displays various books for all ages. Bookstores have become a rare commodity but fortunately this is one of at least two bookstores located on Haight Street alone. The Booksmith is a fairly expansive store with multiple shelves filled with books and plenty of space to hold small events. The spirit of paper books has been carried through in this store and the owners plan to continue this on for many years despite the failing hard copy book economy.
Wasteland, located at 1660 Haight Street, is the last store on this side of the street before crossing to the other side. Wasteland is different from many of the other stores on Haight Street because it is located in three other places in California. From the outside Wasteland does not look like a clothing store. The sign above the door is made out of broken pieces of a mirror with bright red paint on the front of the building. When entering Wasteland the vibe of Haight street is easily seen in the style of the clothing and the vibe of the store. The layout is very open and it is a fairly large store that is easy to navigate and organized with featured articles of clothing hanging on the walls. The clothes are very much for the hippie, flower-child.
The first spot on the opposite side of the street is Decades of Fashion at 1653 Haight Street. It is a vintage clothing store featuring clothing from 1880 to 1980 for men and women. The store is fairly new having only opened in 2005. The building is very large and dominating from the outside but when entering you realize that it is very much a costume store. The clothes are so old and out of date that in most cases they would only be purchased for a costume party of some sort. The store is lined with racks and racks of vintage clothing, shoes, hats, bags and accessories and mostly everything is one of a kind. Decades of Fashion is a very whimsical place with a staff to match it.
The next stop back towards the intersection of Haight and Ashbury is Relic Vintage at 1605 Haight Street. This store is more of a high-end vintage shop. The outside of the store doesn’t give away much with a simple red awning displaying the store’s name but the inside features some very nice pieces. The clothes lean towards the fancier side with vintage dresses and suits for men, not your traditional vintage store with old band t-shirts. Because of this the items tend to be pricier but fair. The store displays the clothes to make them look beautiful and it is not at all cluttered. In the center of the store sits an old-fashioned leopard print chaise lounge that exemplifies the style of the store perfectly. The vibe of the store is in keeping with the vibe of the high-end vintage clothing.
A burger joint called Burger Urge is next up at 1599 Haight Street. The building is located on a corner with two walls made up mainly of windows allowing a view both in and out of the restaurant. A bright orange sign displays the name with white and teal designs. The menu features original burgers such as the Love and Haight and the San Francisco Original. Orders are taken at the counter and customers sit at various sized wooden tables. It’s a large and open restaurant with the tables spread apart so the customers never feel crowded. Burger urge has good food, a nice location and a casual vibe.
The last stop on the west side of Haight Street is California Surplus, an army surplus store, located at 1541 Haight Street. It is a very small store that doesn’t have too much gear but for the more basic items it is useful. The store also has some touristy items displayed in their window. The sign out front says, “CALSURPLUS we got it all… and more.” Painted on the sign is a peace sign, which is interesting for an army surplus sign but completely in keeping with the vibe of Haight Street’s peace and love.