Looking to stay on trend with the latest shops, boutiques and galleries in Southern Marin? We’ve got you covered.
Sausalito
Amour Vert
With washable silk blouses, cashmere sweaters and recycled polyester dresses, a women’s clothing store that considers the entire lifecycle of a garment opened in August in downtown Sausalito. “We hand draw, cut and sew all of our samples at our Atelier HQ in San Francisco,” says store manager Carolyn Solomon, who lives in town. The brand’s commitment to sustainability includes low impact materials, conscious packaging and a partnership with American Forests to plant a tree for every tee sold.
666 Bridgeway, Sausalito; 628.237.6067
Salt
Longtime Sausalito resident Angela Johansen first opened her downtown Sausalito gift and lifestyle shop, Salty, at the peak of the pandemic. The name change reflects the store’s evolution to focus on natural materials, the thoughtful ways they’re used, and art inspired by the ocean, woods and mountains that surround us. The store has also doubled in size, adding slow fashion — cashmere from Denmark, basics from Los Angeles, San Francisco-made shirts and thoughtfully produced accessories — to its home, furniture, stationary, body care and gift assortment.
42 Caledonia St, Sausalito; 415.494.8070; salt-ca.com
Mill Valley
Bluemercury
Established in 1999 by the visionary duo Marla Malcolm Beck and Barry Beck, Bluemercury stands as a premier destination for luxury beauty, specializing in a meticulously curated collection of high-end cosmetics, skincare and wellness essentials. Top-tier brands carried in-store: La Mer, Skinceuticals, OGEE and many more.
800 Reedwood Highway Frontage Road, Mill Valley; 415.424.4441
The Cashmere Sale
Business partners Pam Ferroggiaro and Patti Ogden are returning for their 16th year of a holiday season pop-up. Though there are a few items that are not made entirely from cashmere, such as jackets and hats or the occasional alpaca throw, “95% of the items are 100% cashmere,” says Ferroggiaro. Open daily at Strawberry Village from October 16 through December 17, pants, sweaters, pullovers, accessories, baby blankets and menswear, from traditional knits to fine gauge cashmere, is available. Look for them between Evo Spa and D&O Salon.
800 Redwood Hwy, #580, Mill Valley; 415.308.5026 / 415.320.3266
Esqueleto
Esqueleto features handcrafted fine jewelry, artwork and objects. With a commitment to ethical sourcing, sustainable practices, and supporting creative and talented independent designers and makers, Esqueleto is a destination for the most unique fine jewelry, presented in casual, light-filled boutiques.
100 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley; 415.328.3538
Passion Flowers
Owners, floral designers and partners Renato Gouveia and Marcelo Camillo first opened a retail flower shop in Corte Madera in 2001, that closed in 2010 when they pivoted to flowers for events. Their latest full-service shop in Mill Valley opened earlier this year and plans to offer floral design classes soon. For now, it’s custom flower arrangements for homes and businesses as well as weddings and corporate events.
1 East Blithedale, Mill Valley; 415.888.2624
Spectrum Audio Visual
A building similar to a house near downtown Mill Valley is the chosen environment for owners and husband-wife duo Alan and Alyssa Hutchings to showcase their business’s full service audio, video, home automation, surveillance, and network solutions for the home. “We consider ourselves home technology integrators,” says Alan, who opened in April and brings more than 20 years’ experience in residential AV and network space. Upgrade, remodel, or new build: the design process is collaborative to ensure each client’s vision comes to life with the highest sound and picture quality.
206 E. Blithedale, Mill Valley, 415.569.4380
Tantrum
Richard and Amanda Weld weren’t planning on opening a second toy shop (their first is in San Francisco’s Inner Richmond neighborhood) but the grand redwoods towering over Mill Valley’s Lumberyard helped change their minds. Generally avoiding gimmicks, the Welds import beautifully made toys from France, Spain, and Denmark, and work with local artists and makers, too. “Our core aesthetic is mid-century with a Wes Anderson-like carnival vibe,” Amanda says.
129 Miller Ave, Mill Valley; 415.888.8450; shoptantrum.com
Vintage Ruse and Boomerang Lounge
After running an after-school art program in San Francisco and a vintage clothing, furniture and clothing store in Tam Valley, owner and Tam Valley resident Jules Mercer moved into a much bigger space where her vision for a community hub, performance space and retail hub came to life on April 1. The iconic building, known for its curvy window frames, was a long-abandoned former rug store and now hosts Vintage Ruse, Mercer’s retail clothing, vinyl, accessories and more business. Boomerang Lounge is a performance space for seasoned and emerging musicians as well as local events like open mic, trivia nights, dancing, or movies. Upstairs is an area for kids and teens programs, classes, support groups, and workshops. “[I am] the largest seller of affordable vintage items in the area, curated from overseas,” Mercer says.
256 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley; 415.350.4396
Tiburon
Fiorla
After a successful pop-up for her ready-to-wear line in San Francisco, owner Robyn Shore planted her business in downtown Tiburon, opening a retail store in July. Known for loungewear using luxury fabrics, especially silk and other natural fiber fabrics, a full range of cashmere styles, lighter silk/cashmere and cotton/cashmere blends make their way into dresses, cardigans, jogger sets, pants and tops. Though her store carries several other complementary brands, the long-time Marin resident makes all of her brand’s silk, linen and blended fabric styles in the USA.
80 Main St, Tiburon
Main Street Mercantile
After closing her Koze and Koze Beginnings stores during the pandemic’s earliest days, founder Darla Fisher reopened in the same adjoining downtown Tiburon storefronts as Main Street Mercantile. In August, the business expanded across the street, adding weekend casual menswear to the mix. It’s “all the items you would want to pack for a wine country getaway, a daytrip to the city or a guys’ night out,” says Tiburon resident Fisher. Soft shirting, sweaters and outerwear, vintage Levi’s, Retro Brand graphic tees, Mauritius leather jackets, AG denim, leather goods, bar ware and small batch gift items are also available.
21A Main St, Tiburon; 415 435 1916
Christina Mueller is a long-time Bay Area food writer. She hails from the East Coast and has spent way too much time in South America and Europe. She discovered her talent as a wordsmith in college and her love of all things epicurean in grad school. She has written for Condé Nast Contract Publishing, Sunset, and the Marin Independent Journal, among others. She volunteers with California State Parks and at her childrens’ schools, and supports the Marin Audubon Society, PEN America, and Planned Parenthood. When she is not drinking wine by a fire, she is known to spend time with her extended family.
