Completely unassuming on the outside, and at a rather hidden location (on an ally basically, in San Francisco's South of Market district), walking in unfolds a colorful wonderland for jewelry makers of all skill levels. I took my two friends there for their first General Bead excursion. My friend Megan, the lucky girl, lives a block away from General Bead so we met at her house for a pre-General Bead toast.
Once we arrived at General Bead, we were greeted by George, one of the store's two resident felines. The first thing you notice when you walk in is the crazy, colorful decor. Every inch of the walls that doesn't have merchandise on it is covered with some sort of decoration or picture. There are pictures of cats and French Bulldogs randomly hidden everywhere in the store.
The first floor walls are covered by rows and rows of glass beads and supplies. Here is Megan trying to make a big decision on what type of earring setting to get:
Upstairs is a treasure trove of just anything you can imagine for making jewelry, as well as a selection of beaded curtains (so in case you were wondering where to buy a beaded curtain in the year 2011, look no further). I am also a huge fan of the "5 cents a gram" bead boxes upstairs. The three of us spent close to 30 minutes combing through the boxes for goodies:
 |
| Megan and Stephanie doing some treasure hunting |
Unfortunately we got the boot when the store closed at 6 and didn't get to spend nearly enough time at the store (the last time I visited I was there for close to two hours!). It was great getting to share this little gem of a store with my friends, and I hope it made them as happy as it made me. Its almost impossible to leave this store without a smile on your face.
 |
| My General Bead haul. Soon to be jewelry! |
General Bead is located at 637 Minna St between 7th & 8th Sts, San Francisco, 415-255-2323
No comments:
Post a Comment