MCM Roadtrip: San Francisco’s Jackson Square
William Stout Architectural Books, the renowned design and architecture bookshop founded by William Stout in 1974 in Jackson Square, San Francisco, CA
Packed with boutiques, coffee shops, galleries and one of the best architectural book shops in the country, this small area packs a lot into a small footprint and makes for a delightful way to spend an afternoon in San Francisco.
Jackson Square is bordered by Broadway and Washington to the South, Columbus Avenue to the West and Battery Street to the East.
Eames Playing Cards at William Stout Architectural Books in Jackson Square San Francisco, CA
The recently renovated Transamerica Pyramid building is a good place to start. Check out the exhibit, Vertical City showcasing the designs of tall buildings by architect Norman Foster.
Next stop, William Stout Architectural Books, the renowned design and architecture bookshop founded by William Stout in 1974. The shop has well known titles as well as the obscure so it is easy to while away the hours. Thankfully, In 2022 the Eames Institute acquired the bookshop so we can count on many more years of browsing and buying.
A Joan Brown Painting, Zoo 1957, at the Foster Gwinn Gallery in Jackson Square
Jackson Square is home to many art galleries. We particularly enjoyed our visit to Foster Gwin gallery. This gallery focuses on Bay Area Contemporary Art from 1945-1975. Scott Richards Contemporary Art gallery is another must visit.
We couldn’t wait to take a bite of this great peanut butter and jelly cookie from PostScript in Jackson Square, San Francisco.
Take a pit stop at the delightful PostScript Speciality Market and Cafe for a coffee and a treat or order lunch if all that art has made you hungry.
Jackson Square is also home to high end speciality retailers. Don’t miss a visit to Schott for their leather jackets, Aesop for their body care products and Anine Bing and Isabel Marant for the latest in fashion. Need a new watch — Shinola is also located on Jackson Square.
Wrap up your day with drinks at our favorite San Francisco restaurant, Bix. Located on Gold Street, a small alley off of Montgomery, Bix is an elegant supper club. Sip your martini at the bar while a jazz trio plays. Very midcentury.
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You can’t miss the Schott store in Jackson Square. Make sure you head inside for great leather jackets.
