Thrifting in the Mission Highlights
Fall season is almost here, but anytime is a good time to go thrifting in the Mission. Last week, I had to take my Vespa scooter in for it’s first service at Scuderia West, which has become my go-to place for all things Vespa. Today’s trip would turn into a 6 hour Vintage Finds odyssey - - so many of the things I love most about being in the vintage trades happened. And shopping along Mission and Valencia streets, just gave me the chance to to hang out in one of my favorite neighborhoods in San Francisco.
The Community Thrift Store is such a classic vintage location to shop. It’s fun to just meander with all the vintagers through rows & rows of stock. Today I got kinda lucky, and found this Alfred Hitchcock's San Francisco - ‘Footsteps in the Fog’ book in perfect shape!
Alfred Hitchcock’s San Francisco book, purchased from the Community Thrift store, where I met the store clerk, who said good choice on the Hitchcock book, that she had seen many of his films, while she was a UC Santa Cruz film student. I then told her I was a vintage camera dealer in the Outer Sunset, and that one of my specialities is supplying local college students with Super-8 film cameras. She was like so many of those students who wished to add to their video-making by creating their own original pieces of cinema. Then I proceeded to do an impromptu Vertigo film tour, focusing on one section of the city where they filmed the movie.
On the way to the Mission Dolores Basilica, I stopped by Sour Cherry Comics - - "a Queer-centric comic book store with cute, friendly vibes that sells graphic novels, manga, (some) single issues, as well as books, toys and art from local artists." (From Sour Cherry Comics.) I had a really affirming conversation with the young gal owner, who was quite open to discussing their business popup model, who featured local artists, and the over all climate of actually being able to lease a brick and mortar store around the City.
She likened the challenge to the city not being supportive of small businesses starting up, and also due to the greed and delusional thinking by the building landlords. That struck a chord with me, because I have heard of many small business horror stories right in my own neighborhood of the Parkside Sunset. I ended up buying a Princess Leia comic book and totally vibing with her on the coolness of Dr Aphra comics - and all the surprisingly good new story-tellers coming up in the Star Wars comic book world.
The day almost at it’s end, I happened to run into the flagship store of Double Down Zine. I had a pleasant experience talking with the store attendant, who said that their owner was back in Hawaii on vacation - I’m sure, hitting the waves, or any vacant pools she could find to pavement surf. I was in the market to pick up a used pair of skater pants, they often fit me so well, and free me up to shoot photos & shake it up round’ town. I found this pair of skinny cut grey chinos, that you had to roll up at the bottom - they looked complementary with my 1968 Stan Smith Adidas. Double Down has this unique try-on tent, and Atrium right there in the store. It was a real pleasure to try on garments in this quaint place.
shops of honorable mention
Valencia Street Vintage - tried on an original pair of WW II flight goggles, purchased a pair of Steam Punk googles for my Vespa
No Shop - the attendant let me ‘borrow’ a carbon bag for my shopping bounty. When I said, ‘what’s the name of your shop? He said, ‘No. It’s easy to remember’, in deed!
And I gotta say, those Lucky Green Air Jordan high tops, did look solid (for 179.$) ... but I made out good for the day
