Say-So

Ahhh, San Francisco! Only here (and any other affluent and progressive contemporary settlement of 350 000 inhabitants or more), can one stumble upon the fresh buds of postconsumerism. Post modern consumerism exists where, the society has shifted it’s values from acquiring: a lot, new, mass produced, disposable items to preferring: fewer, quality, unique, old items. The emphasis of the shopkeepers who run second hand clothing, refurbished furniture, old books and records, and curiosity shops is not making heaps of money, getting filthy rich and retiring at an ocean side resort somewhere in the tropics. It is often a genuine interest, a love of a craft, or dedication to a specific cause - a calling, which distinguishes them from every other retailer. The customers are expectedly, people who reciprocate given
fascination, their purchases are not meant to reflect upon their societal ranking nor advertise their rate of success. The postmodern consumer has either overcome the main stream society’s preoccupation with the material, or was forever immune to it. “Retail - deconstructed” struck me when I entered the San Francisco’s only independent pirate supply store . Wondering amongst few purchasable items such as t-shirts, books, ink bottles and writing feathers, small bunches of waxes and seals, fake jewel rings and of course pirate attire including eye patches, I was puzzled by “what is it I am supposed to buy here?”. There was lard, a whole barrel of it. There were drawers with knee pipe pieces, miniature meat hooks, shells, fake furry pieces and a whole lot of other unrecognizable items. I was perplexed: “surely no one needs this stuff”. Despite all my doubts, the store is there, for real, having enclosed a fantasy pirate world within it. Digging deeper, 826 Valencia helps students, ages 8–18, to develop their writing skills. It is a concept store, a gallery, where browsing is most of the fun, where buying a self published student book, zine or magazine encourages young minds, where a poem by a 14 year old leaves you feeling absolutely inadequate.
As if 826 Valencia wasn’t treat enough, no. 824 is inhabited by Paxton Gate home and landscaping store. Sean Quigley has taken his fascination with the natural world and turned it into a unique, reflective, curiosity ( I hesitate to use the over trumpeted advertising phrase aimed at mass mind control ) … shopping experience.
There are: insects, butterfly wings, penis bones, turkey claws, porcupine needles, fossils, hand crafted pruning tools, iron cast tea sets, tea blends, carnivorous and resurrection plants among others, taxidermied rodents, books, jewelry, tiny drawers of old medicine or chemical labels and many more surprises I am not able to name. Browsing the store is like visiting a natural science museum, just looking is all the fun, but if fancy strikes you, you can pay for a marvel of nature and bring it home. Yes, once again these are non utilitarian items in a strange way - luxury products, yet without the main stream pretense of exorbitant price and exclusivity. Such retail antithesis, is possible only in San Francisco (or insert your own choice of progressive, affluent, contemporary city) where owning the latest, the newest, the most expensive does not distinguish you from roughly 140 000 others ( top earning 20% ) and the progressive consciousness along with awareness of dangers of over-consumption form new purchasing paradigms and become the consumerist avant-garde. I am delighted.