Words by Sheri Baer and Sara Fruman
Amy Roseveare remembers her cruise to Copenhagen vividly. She only had two days in the city known for picturesque canals, cobbled streets and breathtaking castles. Still, as an award-winning stylist and personal shopper with a client visiting the city after her, she needed to tackle her professional agenda first.
“I spent days researching where to shop in Copenhagen,” Amy recalls. “It’s a big shopping destination—and I had this huge list. Once I got there, I spent 100 percent of my time working on that list. Few stores were what I would call up to my standard and where I would want my client to go.”
Before she knew it, Amy had no time to do anything else. That’s when she began to think. What if there was a reliable guide for finding the best stores in cities across the U.S. and worldwide?
Amy began creating The Curated Shopper (thecuratedshopper.com), her little black book of stores, hand-picked and vetted by Amy herself. “This is my pure, objective opinion based on decades of shopping expertise,” she explains. “Everyone knows the most popular spots to shop. My goal is to help you find the hidden treasures.”
Cover Photo Shop: Betty Lin / Shop: McMullen
Always on the hunt for just the right clothing, jewelry and accessories, Amy looks for stores that prioritize customer service, size inclusivity and a range of price points. “I never tell them who I am when I go,” she notes. “I want to know how the normal person going into the store is treated.” She examines the point of view of the owner: “Is this merchandise I’ve seen all over the city or even the world? Or does this store feature local designers?” She also talks to a variety of local experts to make sure her choices are spot-on.
A Bay Area native now based in Burlingame, Amy travels extensively to curate her ever-expanding list of chic international shops. Just in time for the holidays, she teams up with PUNCH to highlight a sampling of the tips she shares with clients and subscribers.
Sethi Couture
290 Main Street, Los Altos
Sisters Pratima and Prerna Sethi created this captivating boutique to showcase their namesake jewelry line as well as other luxury independent jewelry lines. A carefully selected array of home goods is also offered in this zen space.
Angela
1129 Chestnut Street, Menlo Park
Classic with a twist is how I’d describe this charming Menlo Park boutique, with offerings from Peter Cohen and Dorothee Schumacher. Complete the look with jewelry from Ray Griffiths and shoes from Pedro Garcia.
Olivia
315 Main Street, Los Altos
This is THE boutique for under-the-radar Italian luxury fashion! In addition, Olivia sells a highly curated selection of antique jewelry—a gem of a shop.
Found by Maja
3681A Sacramento Street,
San Francisco
Maja has the fabulous ability to perfectly combine vintage pieces along with new items, creating a dreamscape in hues of blues, greens and pinks. It’s a true interior design inspiration.
Betty Lin
3625 Sacramento Street,
San Francisco
Betty Lin hits it out of the park with her lifestyle-driven boutique. She can outfit you from casual to dressy, including all the accessories.
Anthem
1208 Donnelly Avenue,
Burlingame
889 Santa Cruz Avenue,
Menlo Park
3274 Sacramento Street,
San Francisco
The original Anthem Home store in SF has been my go-to for luxe gifts and interior design since it opened in 2008. Now, with multiple Bay Area locations, you can experience the refined choices of owner Janelle Loevner.
Metier
575 Hayes Street,
San Francisco
Sheri Evans and Trina Papini have created everything your jewelry box needs—from current designers to antique treasures. Their taste is impeccable.
Lang Antique &
Estate Jewelry
309 Sutter Street,
San Francisco
This sparkling store is home to one of the largest collections of antique and estate jewelry in the entire country, with a specialty in pieces from 1850-1950. It’s truly jaw-dropping.
MAC: Modern
Appealing Clothing
387 Grove Street,
San Francisco
Since 1980, this has been the go-to boutique for creatively-minded, adventurous shoppers. Siblings Ben and Chris Ospital have an extremely keen and discerning eye for pieces from established and up-and-coming designers you’ll love and wear for years.
Rebecca Overmann
518 Octavia Street,
San Francisco
This inspiring shop is the ideal place to source unique hand-crafted jewelry in San Francisco. Rebecca is especially known for her engagement and wedding rings, and she has done numerous custom projects for my clients.
East bay
Esqueleto
482A 49th Street, Oakland
Lauren Wolf has created an inviting oasis of many brands of hand-crafted jewelry and art in this Temescal neighborhood shop. The big, juicy diamond rings from her eponymous line are particularly magical.
McMullen
2257 Broadway, Oakland
This is THE luxury concept store in the East Bay! Sherri McMullen’s creative and fashion-forward point of view comes through in her exquisite selections of clothing, accessories and home goods.
Dish
480 23rd Street, Oakland
Desiree Alexander, with her exuberant personality and cheery smile, shows her distinct point of view with her merchandise. She focuses on sustainable lines, especially from local BIPOC women, which are ideal for a luxe casual look.
beyond the bay
L’Eclaireur
10 Rue Boissy d’Anglas
75008, Paris
This chic concept store in the heart of the 8th Arrondissement in Paris is one of my absolute favorite boutiques! You can shop for men, women, your house and your jewelry box all in one stop. The curation is impeccable.
Capitol & Irene Neuwirth
225 26th Street Site 38A,
Santa Monica
This store is a true shopping destination as it’s home to the luxe clothing store Capitol and a shop-in-shop of Los Angeles jewelry designer Irene Neuwirth.
Sonia Boyajian
357 North La Brea Avenue,
Los Angeles
Sonia, a fine jeweler by trade, is also an exceptionally talented ceramicist. Her by-appointment gallery-like store features her whimsical, luxe creations ranging from vases to jewelry to dishes and beyond. I’ve never left empty-handed.
La Garçonne
465 Greenwich Street, New York
This boutique, which doubled in size in 2022, is a haven for understated, luxe minimalism. Their distinct buy is chock full of timeless, high-quality pieces.
Browns
39 Brook Street, London
Housed in a 17th-century townhouse, here you can explore four tantalizing floors of cutting-edge fashion, jewelry and accessories. They also have a sister store in the Shoreditch neighborhood.