Let me explain. One of the great things about the Bay Area (San Jose excluded) is the abundance of shopping streets that feature mostly local stores like Zinc, Heidi Says, small boutiques, socially conscious stores, or local chains like Barney's (best burgers on the planet), Le Boulangerie, A.G. Ferrari, and so on. Some examples are Filmore, Union, and Hayes in SF; Solano in Albany, and Shattuck/Telegraph in Berkeley.
All of them have a few blemishes, but the big chains are usually relegated to downtown SF and upscale malls like Emeryville, Walnut Creek and Santana Row.
Even thought Chestnut is in the middle of the Marina aka DINK/DIWK central, it was one of the streets that has tons of cool local stuff. Obviously, the GAP, Williams Sonoma, and the Lucky Jeans store took away some of it, but an Apple store is probably the death knell to the area.
I got used to Diesel on Castro (after all, the gays need to get their jeans somewhere), but the GAP on the corner of Haight and Ashbury still chaffs my ass.
So, how long until a Banana Republic is going to ruin Fillmore or Hayes?
3 comments:
You left out Rockridge, sir! That area is still unblemished, unless you count Safeways and the recently added Trader Joe's (after all, the DWIKs have to get their dinner party food somewhere).
So you buy your jeans at Diesel?
Contrary to public opinion, I'm Eurotrash rather than gay. And no, I don't have any Diesel products.
P.S. Congrats again on taking yourself off the market.
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