Heartfelt SF

Heartfelt is located in the neighborhood of Bernal Heights in the southern part of San Francisco. We think of ourselves as an old fashioned general store with a modern twist. It truly is a store like no other. We are proud of our customer service, free gift wrapping and a large array of gifts for all ages. We also sell a variety of local grown fresh flowers. 436 Cortland Avenue San Francisco, CA 94110 415.648.1380 [email protected]

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We moved.

Visit us at our new spot

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Many moms have come into the store recently asking for a new product called Chewbeads. They are super safe beads babies can chew on.  So I ordered them and since then have been selling really quickly. I've been a little tempted to try biting one myself...

Of course, there's nothing wrong with the old-fashioned attitude overheard at the counter: "I do not see why babies need special beads to chew on, let 'em chew on anything." 

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Farmgirl Flowers and a bouquet

One of my kind coworkers sent me a bouquet for Boss Day.  I was so impressed with it that i asked the owner of Farmgirl Flowers, Christina how she came up with her techniques.  She said she just tried and tried different combos until she got where she wanted to be. The bouquet is abundant with flowers and as time goes by it is designed for you to pull out bedraggled stems and it still looks grand. I marvel at them every time I pass her stall at the San Francisco Flower Mart.  Christina, you are amazing. 

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shopping for men folk

We think of ourselves as a general store and because of that we try to carry something for everyone.  There is really nothing particularly general about us but I like the old fashioned sound of general store.  This means we must carry things for men.  Things that men might shop for for themselves or things that someone might give a man.  A challenge.  Folks cross our threshold and say “Do you have anything for men?”.  I begin a short tour, we have high quality ear buds (come in a nice case), a very practical screen,device cleaning cloth, old man cocktail guide, margarita glass etc etc.  I often show Mark stuff I have found at trade shows to get his opinion.  At the Stationary Show in May I found a few new resources.  One of them was Alliance Rubber.  An old US firm that makes everything in the rubber band world from huge straps for pallets to regular office rubber bands.  Mark was interested in this find.  I bought from them some cable ties to keep your cords neat, very practical plain black ones.  And something called Universal Grips, really thick bands that you put on lids or jars or stuff you do not want to slide.  Mark has asked again and again how these items are selling, they hit a cord with him.  I like it when we find stuff for the gentlemen.

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Sometimes an object causes excitement

A woman from Australia came up to the counter with a glove mold hand.  It is really heavy, not crazy expensive and handsome.  She said, "Quickly before my husband changes his mind.  I have to take this in my carry on all the way back to Australia.  I collect hands."  She was so simply, pleased.

Her mood was infectious.  Her clutching of the hand made me smile.  I thought of her this morning when I looked at the objects on my mantle.  They reminded me of places I have been and stopped me this morning in a sweet way.

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So much to offer and surprises

We have so much to offer and I am pretty excited where we are going and where we have been the last few weeks.  I hosted, helped get out into the world a new community college that Seth Godin created called Krypton Community College.   Our first meeting left me trembly and I look forward to the next.   The site launch is pending,  www.heartfeltsf.com looks fat and happy and the response has been very positive.  We are hosting an after hours by invite only launch party with incredible food so make sure you sign up for our mailing list to experience eating in the store  and celebrating our year of hard work making a site that reflects our range of product and the affordable, clever whimsy that we offer the world.  I am determined to make shopping about surprises for instance you will find within us, an authentic henna kit from India, licorice from Holland, a neck roll with a hoodie attached so you can sleep incognito on the plane, USA made ribbon made of paper and fibre that puts a new spin on curling ribbon and this basket of wooden spools….choose ten and paint them then string them with a little one.  This will give you a new perspective on it all.

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Jimmy Fallon, Sesame Street and The Roots sing the Sesame Street theme song. 

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take a minute in your day

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A priest paints paintings and makes them into greeting cards.  Heartfelt bought them.  They were delivered today wrapped in this paper.  Nice touch Father John.

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We make bows for your packages, a personal touch.  We are now selling them because you asked and we are flattered.

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A food revolution for moi

Today so many incredible things were delivered at the store I do not know where to begin.  The Lekue largest size steamer arrived.  I have never carried this one and the possibilities in terms of easy, healthy meals prepared in minutes are endless.  I cannot wait to show it off and the deal still holds if you purchase a steamer the cookbook is free.  I am still following the VB6 way of eating…Lekue has kept me on the straight and sort of narrow, eating only veggies before 6 p.m. I know what I am sending out for Xmas this year.  

If you are around check out the new socks, soft, funny and really pretty, thanks Blue Q!  They are also for sale on our fun, not yet launched, yet  up and running web site!

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A Simple Tale of Jacks

A customer who is a 4th grade teacher ordered 50 sets of jacks last week.  The kids in her class had started playing them at recess and it took off like wild fire.  There is something about toys and games that pass through generations that is pleasing.  Jacks are great for hand eye control, learning to play with others and occupying one’s small self without a screen.  Get your own set of jacks and see if you remember how to play or take up a game with your wee neighbor.  Enjoy Sundays, I am sort of not working.

http://www.heartfeltsf.com/store/jacks-metal/dp/7528

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Lobby Pets Gone Wild! | Giraffe Manor, Nairobi

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This made me happy, I am having a bit of a thing for giraffe's.  The giraffe mask we just got in has lovely eyelashes.  I have never gotten close enough to a giraffe's head to see but these look like they have the eyeliner thing down.

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Things I do not buy ...Came across these in a catalogue ...yikes.  Coco monkey banks.  They will never darken Heartfelt's doors promise.

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Flowers, growers and appreciating where you are seated

There is a grower at the SF Flower Mart named Ron that we have bought from for years.   He knows growing and has grown flowers for eons.  He is kind, and funny and sits and schmoozes in his area at the mart, with Wayne another long time grower.  These gentlemen know the flower business.  The other day he lamented that his wife was out of town and that he was really at loose ends without her, could not sleep etc.  He told me that last Sunday she was out on the back porch talking to her daughter.  Ron could hear her laughing and loved the timbre of her voice and the joy he was overhearing.   From where he was sitting he could also hear his neighbors up the hill fighting and arguing.  He just sat and appreciated where he was at in life.   So simple yet so important to appreciate the pluses.  Thanks Ron.  Here is Wayne and Ron in his booth at the mart. and a bouquet I made with some of Ron’s flowers.

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Mediocrity, not

I am back in SF, I was visiting K in New York and attending NYNOW which used to be called the NY International Gift Fair.  Trade shows are suchchanging entities, I wonder if they changed the name to be more “now”.  I saw this sign on the street in Soho and it caught my eye.   It is such a wonderful mantra.  One that gets you off of an unexciting place.  Mediocrity is a lull. a place where you stop and think instead of going forward, perhaps a spot where fear gets to be the boss.  The equal sign slashed through meaning not.  And me, not a regular me but an upside down crown M me.  If you are wearing a crown best that it is upside down.  K pointed this little piece of urban art out to me and I was so inspired.   The next time you are here…..stopping and going at the same time or stymied remember mediocrity is not you.

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The best gift ever

A long time ago I started lusting after a friends collection of Stangl.  Stangl is a pottery line manufactured in Trenton, New Jersey in the 30’s 40’s and 50’s.   A friend collected about four patterns and I admired the glaze colors and the hand painted flowers or fruit often with flourishes around the edges.  They were old lady-sh yet stylish at the same time.  There was something about the colors and combos of the ones she chose that drove me wild.  I decided on a pattern to collect,  it was called Golden Harvest.  I was visiting my dad in Florida and I was wandering around the second hand stores in his town.  I came across a store full of “Golden Harvest” a full set.  It was priced individually and way out of my price range but I never had seen that much all together.  I brought my dear dad into the store to show him.  He shrugged and said that was nice and I departed back to New York.   A year later I turned 40 and he sent my best friend 6 plates to be set at my birthday dinner.  He had bargained with the owner of the shop and gotten the whole set for me.  As I made salads for my birthday dinner the other night I used one of the bowls.  Whenever I use it I think of my dad and the effort and the kind forethought.   What a gift.  I love that about the store.  The joy when someone hits the counter with the perfect item, it is infectious.

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I gave Kris my Japanese, Charcoal, face soap...so I got a new bar.