Gump's

Since 1861, a visit to San Francisco wasn’t complete without a wander through Gump’s, the exotic emporium crammed full of jade figurines, Chinese antiques, and Japanese screens. In 1995, Gump’s moved to less cramped digs, and shifted its focus to high-end housewares, sold mostly though its catalogue. These days, the store’s two airy floors, overseen by an enormous wooden Buddha, are a mishmash of serious antiques, folk art (don’t miss Jeff Soan’s carved wooden hens), and kitsch—think ceramic-shard-covered cacti and Herend figurines.