Welcome to Racked SF, where local fashion blogger Kristen Philipkoski reports on retail comings and goings around San Francisco. Phiipkoski has been living and shopping in San Francisco for 20 years, and she blogs about it over at Stylenik.com. Seen a store open, close, or otherwise claim your attention? Hit the tipline, s'il vous plait.
This week we have secret parties, furniture sales, back-to-school sales, an upcoming new men's store, and lots more to please the San Francisco shopping and style enthusiast. Shindigs are happening in practically every neighborhood as well as the city's outskirts, so get ready for an eventful weekend!
1. Tenderloin: Despite San Francisco's chilly summer temperatures, the Phoenix Hotel's pool is hard to resist--especially when it's surrounded by 30 local designers hawking their fab wares. That's what's happening at the Haute Pool Party/Indie Design Fair on Saturday from 1 to 8pm at the hotel: 601 Eddy Street (between Larkin and Polk streets). The $5 tickets are sold out, get the $10 passes here before they're gone too (tix are $15 at the door)! [SF Bay Guardian]
2. SoMa: Is it back to school time already? It must be, because Chronicle Books' Back-To-School warehouse sale starts next Wednesday, August 22. Head to 680 Second Street between Townsend and Brannan for hundreds of titles at 65 percent off, plus stationary, journals and toys. [Refinery 29]
3. TBA: Last week we told you about a new Drybar opening in San Jose, and this week the blow-dry-only chain is throwing a party with coupon site Bloomspot. Would you like to know where the party is? Us too! But it's a secret right now. If you'd like to find out, go here and sign up. If you'd like to know sooner, forward the link to lots of folks. The payoff is a free blowout and cocktails, which is as good a reason as any to spam our friends. [Drybar/Bloomspot]
4. Union Square: Tonight, head to the Gap where the fashion mavens from online interior magazine Rue will inject your Gap-wear with some serious style while you enjoy bites and beverages. Bonus: you'll get 30 percent off an item of your choice. It's happening tonight from 6-8pm at 890 Market (at Powell). Don't forget to RSVP at rsvpsfevent@gmail.com. [Rue on Facebook]
5. SoMa: On the hunt for some minimalist but functional new furniture? If yes, go see the folks at HD Buttercup, where they're wrapping up an end-of-summer sale with 20 percent off Gus modern pieces. Their sleek sectionals, chairs, rocking chairs and sliders are making us very wanty. And a sale is a very good reason to spend an hour or three browsing the store's enormous showroom of gorgeous home offerings. [HD Buttercup blog]
6. Union Square: San Francisco has become a menswear hub, with stores like Welcome Stranger, Unionmade and Voyager opening up and thriving in the past few years. The trend continues with Onassis opening its first store outside New York in a 2,500 square-foot space in San Francisco's Westfield Center. Stay tuned for details--construction started last month and they tell us it's opening in October! [Onassis]
7. Potrero Hill: Indie Mart is on again on Sunday. You'll find 100 of our fair city's hand-crafters on Wisconsin between 16th and 17th Streets from 12 to 7pm. Thee Parkside is nearby for tots and bloodies. [SF Bay Guardian]
8. Hayes Valley: Nida is having a giant sale with 70 percent off rarely-on-sale brands including Isabel Marant, Opening Ceremony, Danielle Alessandrini, and Notify. Even back-to-schoolers on a budget can show up for class looking tres chic! Get the goods at 544 Hayes Street (between Octavia and Laguna). [Refinery 29]
9. Berkeley: Have you been to Convert in Berkeley? It's a pretty great boutique. And on Saturday it will get even more awesome with a trunk show featuring a spanking new line of women's denim recently launched by the co-founder of Seven for All Mankind--you know, the brand that had us all paying upwards of $100 for jeans without batting an eye in the '90s (and paving the way for $200 and up! Money well spent, we say). The brand is Koral, created by Peter Koral and some former Seven colleagues. They come in a variety of washes including metallic, and you could win a pair while you sip a delicious beverage at 1809b Fourth Street in Berkeley between 1 and 5pm this Saturday August 18! [Convert]