In a classic red-brick building in Oakland’s produce warehouse district, this small boutique carries design-savvy, often handmade goods like leather satchels, goat-milk soap, cocktail or shaving kits, outdoor utility pants, and beeswax candles. It’s nirvana for urban hipsters who prize craftsmanship and uniqueness above mass-produced, for-the-people designs. You’ll pay a pretty penny, but anything you do buy is guaranteed to pass...

Let’s get something straight: this is no thrift store, baby. The vintage dresses, coats, skirts, blouses, shoes, and accessories hanging on the rails here are curated as carefully as if this were an art gallery. But you’re still allowed to have fun. In fact, the staff are delighted when you find something your size that makes you look like a...

Two different pedestrian alleyways hide over a dozen boutique shops inside what were once horse stalls for horse-drawn carriages. Equal parts hip, Californian, and DIY chic, these shops are delightful even just for an hour of browsing. Most shops are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m., closing sometimes between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. In smaller Alley 49, you’ll find vintage and...