36 Hours in San Francisco: Small Business Edition
By: Tess Murphy
We have an important tip for your next visit to San Francisco: Shop locally. As you’re perusing adorable stores and restaurants that could exist nowhere else, you’ll really get a sense of the Bay Area’s spirit and charm. Not only that, but your valuable dollars will help small businesses stay in the city with ever-rising rents.
Here at Indiegogo, we help entrepreneurs bring their ideas — and their business — from concept to market. Our company was born in San Francisco, the thriving center of creative entrepreneurship. We know firsthand that there’s nowhere else more fun to shop locally.
On your trip, follow this itinerary to support unique small businesses that were funded on Indiegogo.
Friday
4 p.m.: Literary landscape
Start off your trip with a visit to a local bookshop and art gallery, all in one. Adobe Books has live music shows and readings, contributing to the creative vibes on the Mission District’s 24th Street. The store is such an important hub that, when the store’s rent increased by $4,000, art and book lovers on Indiegogo raised money to keep its doors open. Now, the store is still going strong. Go see what makes this local shop so special and worth fighting for: Peruse the free gallery and pick up an affordable, used book!
5 p.m.: Sidewalk museum
If it’s nice out, walk up to the hustle and bustle of Market Street and towards the Ferry Building to tour the Living Innovation Zone. Fun, interactive sculptures make hands-on education accessible for all, giving adults and children who are passing a way to get interested in the arts and science. The public installations keep San Francisco stimulating for everyone — including those who can’t afford to visit museums. Check out Whispering Dishes, two parabolic dishes that make it sound like the person whispering on the other side is right next to you.
6 p.m.: Dinner with a mission
Tired? No problem: Cab over to the Bayview, an area sadly overlooked by many tourists, even though it’s rich in SF history. The jazz-themed Old Skool Cafe employs at-risk youth, giving them marketable employment at a well-respected restaurant — 92 percent of its young workers have gotten their high school diploma. Try the restaurant’s delicious “comfort food from around the world” while listening to the soothing sounds of jazz.
7 p.m.: Wine not?
If you want to understand the hype about California’s wine, grab a nightcap at a wine bar! Wine Down started off as a project between two friends who couldn’t find exactly what they were looking for: an affordable wine bar downtown with a friendly atmosphere and quality drinks. So, with the help of Indiegogo backers, they created the place of their dreams. Wind down your evening by tasting some of the best wines California has to offer.
Saturday
10 a.m.: Cultural infusion
A historically Latino neighborhood, the Mission District is home to a vibrant fusion of cultures, local businesses, and arts movements — including some gorgeous murals. After strolling around the open-air artwork on Clarion Alley, take a breather at one of the many coffee shops in the Mission, like Four Barrel Coffee or Ritual Coffee Roasters. Then, find some inner energy by visiting Against the Stream, a meditation center. Discover the meaning of California zen in a space that has worked hard raising money to engage with the local community. Breathe deep at the peer-led meditation, offered seven days a week!
1 p.m.: Charming charcuterie
What do you get when you mix a cheese shop, cafe and a wine bar? A uniquely San Francisco style of multitasking. Mission Cheese is a hub for all of the region’s best cheeses, allowing you to indulge in charcuterie and wine, all while getting a proper meal. Indiegogo backers were so inspired by the founder’s story of love for cheese that they helped Mission Cheese become a reality with 106 percent of its goal raised. Help its doors stay open with your dollar, all while enjoying California’s world-class cheeses.
3 p.m.: Play in the gutter
Work off that dairy fat by climbing up Dolores Park, with its magnificent view of the San Francisco skyline. Then, keep up the pace with a round of bowling! Mission Bowling is an adorable, one-of-a-kind bowling alley that could only exist in San Francisco. The owners transformed a concrete driveway into a cozy space for dining and bowling. Stay for a round or two, and don’t worry if you forgot your socks — they sell cute pairs for $4!
6 p.m.: Worldly dining
Amble south to the hip bars and restaurants of Bernal Heights. Then, settle in at El Buen Comer. The owner infuses her Mexico City upbringing into each dish, with hand-rolled enchiladas and organic masa. Surprisingly, Isabel could hardly believe that she could open a restaurant before she found support in her food community and among Indiegogo backers!
Taste her signature red and green sauces to learn why it’s so important to encourage budding entrepreneurs.
7 p.m.: Mixers in motion
Made by friends who love to refurbish VW buses, Old Bus Tavern serves up the culinary lessons this crew learned by roadtripping across the Southwest — in their bus, of course. Along their journey, they learned how to incorporate chili in food and cocktails. In addition to their beers brewed in-house, fourteen taps feature a rotating selection of other local craft beers. This brew pub started with support from Indiegogo backers who helped raise $33,571 to make it happen. Make it an evening to remember with one of their unique cocktails.
8 p.m.: Show business
End the evening with a show at The Lost Church, founded by a creative couple who wanted to host musicians and theatre in the neighborhood. Housed inside a building designed by sculptor David Ireland, the unique space will give you a sense of the Mission’s daring creativity. See a reading, a play, or some live music!
Sunday
10 a.m.: Kinky breakfast
Learn what pride means in San Francisco at this kinky coffee shop. As long as you’re away from work, you might as well take advantage of it with some NSFW activities! Wicked Grounds will wake you up with a combination of delicious caffeinated beverages, a full breakfast and lunch menu, and bondage toys.
12 p.m.: Shoppers’ union
In Pacific Heights, Union Street offers block after block of quaint boutiques. Give yourself a few hours to peruse its many shops. Juicy News is a family-owned business full of periodicals, books and even stationery. It’s so near and dear to the city’s heart, that Indiegogo backers helped to save it!
3 p.m.: Peace, love and touring
Now that your legs are worn out, give yourself a break by continuing to tour — in a VW van! In the City of Love, the San Francisco Love Tours will transport you to a time of peace and togetherness, all from the comfort of a hippie van with a psychedelic paint job. The smaller vans can weave around the city, hitting up the less-traveled roads that bigger tours can’t. See the real San Francisco on this relaxing ride!
6 p.m.: Toast to the memories
If you enjoy knowing where your food comes from and how it’s made, then you’ll appreciate knowing more about your beer! Toast to a wonderful trip in San Francisco at Black Sands Beer, where the focus is on sharing the recipes and the process of brewing the beer. Watch as beer is made, talk to the fermenters, and even pick up a homebrewing kit.
Enjoyed your trip? Learn how you can continue to support some of the Bay Area’s most popular entrepreneurs.
