Some of the Stores You’d Shop at During The Summer of Love

Hippie, bohemian style has become iconic over the decades, but imagine you could go back in time and shop these fashions for the first time.

What stores did rockers and San Franciscans frequent during the Summer of Love? What did they buy? Bob Cut takes you back in the time machine to some of the stores that offered hippie threads in 1967 San Francisco.  

House of Richard

Address: 1541 Haight

Backstory: House of Richard was a boutique owned by Richard Cherney. On January 7, 1967, San Rafael’s Daily Independent Journal described it as “a shop owned by and catering to hippies.” The newspaper also spoke about a clerk working there, wearing colored, prism glasses that created a “psychedelic vision.” The store was called exotic in the book Haight-Ashbury: A History, by Charles Perry.

What You’d Buy There: Mexican clothing, such as ponchos and huarache sandals:


Photo:  FAMSF

Photo: FAMSF

Anastasia’s

Address: 631 Clay Street (there was also a locale in Sausalito)

Backstory: In 1961, Helene “Helie” Robertson and her mother Marie opened the first Anastasia’s in Sausalito. The second boutique was opened on Clay; soon Robertson was sought out for her handmade designs, which were later manufactured and sold nationwide.

What You’d Buy There: Out there, original, handmade clothing that were a mix of mod and hippie


velvet-underground


Posters featured from the San Francisco Library Archives.

Posters featured from the San Francisco Library Archives.

Xanadu

Address: 1764 Haight Street

Backstory: Xanadu is advertised in several lists referencing the ‘60s as a leather goods store.

What You’d Buy There: Xanadu sold leather crafts, and according to the book California Split, where you would go to get custom sandals made. The boutique apparently also sold clothing, per the psychedelic poster above by Terre.

Velvet Underground

Address: 471 Broadway Street

Backstory: Apparently, Stevie Nicks would visit this store before hitting the big time. She told concertgoers that she couldn’t afford the clothes, that it was the most expensive rock star clothing store, but vowed to shop here once she could. Until then, she claimed that the spot she stood on in the center of the room was hers. Nicks also mentioned that Janis Joplin and Grace Slick would buy all their clothes there. Janis Joplin was said to have bought her gold fishnet vest at Velvet Underground. In the lyrics of “Gypsy,” Stevie sings:

“So I’m back to the velvet underground
Back to the floor that I love
To a room with some lace and paper flowers.”

The store was open from noon to midnight, according to a 1967 Lesley Kamstra psychedelic poster (above).

What You’d Buy There: In an article for the L.A. Times, Stevie Nicks said that the Velvet Underground carried beautiful things, including mid-thigh length tunics, and slinky, nightgown-material bell bottoms. When she was here, she decided that these were the kind of clothes she would always wear.


Some of the Stores You’d Shop at During The Summer of Love
Scroll to top