The Curiosity Shoppe

Unbelievably rude shopgirl, and the stuff here is the worst kind of twee: individual pipe cleaners for 10 cents? A pair of wooden dice with google eyes? Right. Next!

Dear San Francisco, While I am happy this «local» business was able to make it big, I stand behind the points I made below. I am bolstered in this opinion, upon discovery at my local Target, that the Curiosity Shoppe is peddling «unique goods» to the masses, at expensive, for Target, prices, with its own line.
If you don’t take it from old Axe P., you’ll end up broke with something you could have bought from Target, at a cheaper, but not cheap price.
Love,
Axe P.

2 stars because they are very rude! The guy is chatting with is friend…
No Hello, no good bye!
The sign «Will be back soon» is on the door almost every time I try to go there.
Despite some cool stuff there is not much
I don’t think that I will go there anymore.

Maybe it’s just because we had come from Paxton Gate, but I really thought this place was just «meh.» Could be partly because we were completely ignored by the two people working there, who were super interested in chatting over whatever «quirky» thing had caught their attention for the moment. But mostly I think it’s because it was stocked with stuff I’ve largely seen before online, yet at higher prices. Plus it’s tiny, and pretty much only one person can fit between the table and the side wall, so it’s hard to maneuver around and see everything.
So I’d say, if you’re into the kind of bizarre and possibly dark things that the name «The Curiosity Shoppe» evokes (at least it did to me), you’d be better off going to Paxton Gate instead. Way cooler (and actually cheaper for some of the way cooler stuff!).

this store was actually kind of boring. it is a small shop with little items that i’ve seen online a million times. nothing really stood out, and don’t really see this store having a huge fan base. we were in and out of there in about 2 minutes.
a boring review for a boring store…

It’s an awesome shop to poke around in when you’re shopping in the Mission. Nice mix of stuff. I’m not sure but they may have had something on tv recently for Oddities SF.

This is one review I’ve been mulling over for a couple weeks. I’ll start writing it, draw a blank, hit «Save Now» for what little I’d scrawled in this text box, and then close the tab. Every time I look at my profile it’s one of the top unfinished reviews that’s just staring at me.
In truth, I don’t know what flowery and inventive things I could say about the Curiosity Shoppe that haven’t already been said.
I came because people were raving about it along with 826 Valencia and Paxton Gate across the street and happened to be in the area.
The shop has about as much space to move around in as a large walk-​in closet. It’s rather minimalistic, comparable to Giant Robot’s GR2, also serving as a small gallery.
The most interesting thing in the shop was the wall in the back on the room covered in an artist’s handwriting with little drawings here and there, peppered with a few Jack Kerouac references. It edged on the quirky side with a short story about meeting a mother and daughter who were wearing the same outfit who’ve dressed in matching clothes for years.
The other piece in the tiny gallery was a scale model of the artist’s workspace made out of toothpicks and popsicle sticks.
Otherwise, the rest of the Curiosity Shoppe are pricey, kitsch items ($ 60 bowl of ceramic peanuts, $ 35 dart-​shaped wall hooks, $ 130 porcelain bear figures, a $ 60 France-​shaped board for cutting cheese, $ 100 coat rack that’s just wires sticking out in all different directions, etc). Most of the things don’t really serve a very practical purpose or serve more than an aesthetic purpose. Even their own product descriptions online pose that people don’t know what they would be good for (example: 5 porcelain keys for $ 40:
).
As some people have mentioned there’s a handful of library card catalog drawers with a few dime store novelties within for a few cents.
Curiosity Shoppe’s OK, but I doubt I’ll make any major purchases there.

Curious indeed. A lil shop with blackboards in the back where you can doodle to your heart’s content, and little things to browse around at and admire the fact that yes, you are fully, completely in the Mission.

Cool store.
They sell really particular things, but I always enjoy walking in and going through the things they have. They always have a section of items they change every couple of weeks. I bought the cutest bag for just 20 $ :)
If you are strolling down Valencia St, this is a nice place to drop in.
They also have a cool (small) shelf of art-​design books for sale

Wonderful to look around, not really much to purchase. I absolutely loved this ceramic peanut– actual size. But really, what would I do with it. Looked at it, held it, loved it… but put it back on the shelf.
I seem to find a lot of cute things online, but in store I was disappointed. Still, it’s worth a visit if you have the time. Fun to browse.

Dear Unilocal
It has been much too long since I’ve written a review: nearly 4 months in fact. I found myself in a new job, a new life, and an utter lack of time for things that I had a hard time counting in the category of «real life» ( Unilocal included)
But I signal my return to Unilocal with a short review of The Curiosity Shoppe. It’s a cute little story with little items a la Etsy. Pointless little things that no one needs (including a wooden moustache on a pole which I found adorable).
The service is friendly and it’s the adorable kind of store that one can always find something unnecessary

Pop quiz: Where can you find the following items?
1. A gun made out of felt
2. the World’s Smallest Postal Service (a letter that is transcribed for you that is no larger than your thumbnail)
3. OOAK (one-​of-​a-​kind) wallets made from recycled materials
4. cute coin purses made by a local artist
Curiosity Shoppe!
What a GREAT place for gifts! Everything is super creative and cute! For example, I saw a taco bag (to hold little things), a brush that were in the shape of dentures (a visual is much needed) and a set of 99 tiny cards «for all occasions». There were 3 different cards that read «thank you», «fuck you» and «sorry». I loved it!
Fantastic place to browse, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for and want to be surprised!

There are few places that look good on paper (er, well, the internet) AND in person these days. I often find myself drooling over something on the internet only to find that it doesn’t quite measure up in person — things appear less fantastic or you find yourself staring at objects that you could find everywhere else.
The Curiosity Shoppe is one of these few places. It lives up to its name, website, and hype.
Packed into this tiny storefront is a treasure trove of — I’ll say it — curiosities. Handmade or well-​thought-​out objects and posters, all covetable in my book. Things that make you smile (a card catalog full of items under $ 1.00 — pipe cleaners, erasers, marbles) and things that even your boyfriend notices and likes (earrings!?).
Consider me curious about the Curiosity Shoppe no more, just smitten.

I like going to the Curiosity Shoppe for an in-​person look at items I’ve perused on Etsy, etc. The prices are comparable, so I can just buy them on the spot, avoid shipping charges and support a local business in the process. This is good. And dangerous. And great for instant gratification.
The staff is indeed a little too cool for school, but I prefer this to desperate friendliness that burdens me with non-buyer’s guilt. I am already burdened with guilt, thanks. I do think the shoppe is hyped beyond justification, but I appreciate it nonetheless. As others have noted, it’s the perfect place for gifts and unneeded, but desperately wanted, tchotchkes.

Super creative and crafty. Adorable hand painted bird houses, fun stamp scenes, kitchy odds and ends– seeds of life in earrings and googly eye dice. Lots of new vs old like the old fashioned phone receiver that you can plug into your cell phone, or a hair comb with usb port. Fun place to browse. Friendly service.

When I walked in here I was like, «Yeah lets see how curious it really is.» And boy was I amazed.
I was pleasantly surprised to say the least, there are so many little things that tickle your mind and make you say, «Huh, now that’s interesting.» I didn’t buy anything but I was real close to purchasing an old phone headset that connects to your cellphone’s headset jack.
Browsing this store is like browsing a museum, you gotta do it slowly and have some time on your hands because you just might miss the little details that make this store such a treasure. Great selection of novelty items. (Plus: Great gifts for those friends that are hard-​to-​shop-​for.)
Just a side note: It would be nice to be greeted or talked to, I saw how friendly and personable the staff was and not even a Hello! Um, Hello?

Small little shop on Valencia that sells curious little knick knacks. With an ode to a library, there is a collection of random books and gifts. From a taco bill fold to a cookie wallet, from little cards to how to make a paper airplane, this place is great if you are looking for something unique and a little off beat. I came here on a Saturday because they were hosting «The World’s Smallest Letter» with Lee and I was shocked at the amount of foot traffic this little store gets. It’s a great little shop to walk visit, especially when Lee is there!

A very well curated little shop with a cornucopia of unique and hilarious items. There were a few things I wanted and regret that I did not purchase, such as the dart shaped coat hangers (tasteful modern home décor) or the «pizza pocket» (a faux pizza slice zip-​up pocket, great for concealing things from those lactose intolerant bastards).
This store in a nutshell captures the charm of the Mission: playful, creative, delightfully cool, but still welcoming and accessible to all.

I LOVE the Curiosity Shoppe.
Every time I find myself wondering around the Mission, I make sure to stop by the CS. It’s a small place, but packed with the coolest DIY kits, funky accessories for the house and artsy educational books. Their website is also really good to see what’s new and I love just browsing through it. As of now, I bought, for me and for lucky people:
— a kit to make rings out of buttons
— shrinky dink paper!
— a tie with the instruction printed on it
— a DIY duck tape wallet kit
— sunprint paper kit
— a mini picnic table with 4 bottles for condiment, perfect for BBQ
— a origami hamburger set (yes, it’s amazing!!)
And this is what YOU can buy ME (please oh PLEASE, I WILL LOVE YOU 4EVER!):
— this cool birdie light:
— those dart coat hooks:
— this paint by number kit:
— this carve-​your-​own-​postcard set:
— this cool saw necklace:
Let me know if you wanna buy me more things, I’ll give you more suggestions!
Mmmuuah!

Saved 40 bucks by not buying a planner and small wallet at Little Otsu. Picked up 2 dollar Wildlife Iron-​On Transfers here.
There’s a lot to look at in this small space and the items spark creativity like most shops that sell things that leave you saying, «I can make that.»
The Scenic 49 Mile paintings would make a nice addition to any stylish low-​key apartment.
General consensus, stores with random kitsch are a dime a dozen but The Curiosity Shoppe has enough of it’s own personality to set it apart from the rest.

This store looked really cute but everything in it was pretty useless to me. Items are in little drawers, jars, on tables but none of them really had a function and none were so cute that I’d waste space in my place with them.
There is also a lot of stuff with birds on them or shaped liked birds or bird like. I don’t like birds which makes me very mainstream, according to the artist. You can’t design anything for middle America with birds on them because it won’t sell.