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Local Blogs
April 26, 2012
Unless you’re particularly thick skinned, it can feel awkward to merely browse inside a store. I have, more than once, purchased a thing I didn’t originally plan to buy because I felt like I was paying rent to the space, the time I’d spent there, and the staff that had qualified me as a consumer. But, sometimes, you just want to look around. Get ideas. See rare and radical things. I rather like the idea of a store conceived in a way that it might as well be a park, a playground of art and antiques, and you can just explore. Or check out books, even. Maybe see some music and drink a beer. And go home, electric with experience. Viracocha is such a place...
Mission / Viracocha - by Leslie
August 28, 2013
Where beautiful artifacts, music, poetry, literature, art and design come together in the Mission. Browse the collections on the main level, hole up in the lending library, or catch a live performance in the hidden venue below. Not only is this one of the coolest places in the city, but their warm and welcoming staff makes it’s one of the friendliest, too.
Viracocha: Celebrating Culture & Community - by Max Gibson
December 09, 2010
Embracing products from years past, stepping into Viracocha is half retail experience half museum visit, as early 20th century products line the walls and tables. From vintage royal typewriters, to Tom Jones vinyl, Viracocha maintains their eclectic assortment of products through their commitment to presenting unique items of quality...
SF Papers
Mission's Viracocha: Not Just A Glorified Garage Sale - by Aidin Vaziri
October 09, 2011
Stepping into Viracocha is like stepping into a different time and place. Since opening its doors last year at 998 Valencia St., the space formerly occupied by the spiritual emporium Botanica Yoruba, this eclectic vintage store has become one of the Mission District's most popular destinations - and not just for its breathtaking selection of beautiful old typewriters...
Viracocha Is Legit - by Emma Silvers
September 12, 2014
Shopping Accolades
Top 5 Creative Boutiques in Mission - by Tristan Pollock
June 25, 2014
Walk into Viracocha and be enveloped by the mood created by wooden walls extending up to high ceilings. Comforting objects: antique sewing machine tables, typewriters and record players, are illuminated by cozy lighting. Why does it smell so good in here? Palo Santo—which looks like bits of kindling—is burning. Take a peek into the lending library where you can tuck in for a read. Downstairs is the most beautiful room where indie bands play intimate shows...
Our Favorite Places To Shop: Top 100 Shops - Hyper Curated
July 16, 2012
This eclectic vintage store contains everything that makes the Mission District so wonderful under one roof: vintage clothes, underground literary journals, one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture, records and, in a charming backroom library, an astounding selection of reading material. Meanwhile, the wood-lined performance space makes it a haven for local artists, writers and musicians.
36 Vintage Shops To Visit In San Francisco - by Christine Giglio
September 13, 2010
This community operated retail space is dedicated to the exploration of vintage design and fashion as well as that of local arts and performance. While they sell vintage goods, they also serve as a community space for interactive art performances. “By focusing mainly on vintage and antique products, in fun, creative, and interactive ways, we hope to offer new perspective on reused and redesigned materials.”
Bathroom Praise
Let The "Bowl Games" Begin
September 02, 2013
From the outside it’s an inviting, rustic looking boutique. Once inside, Viracocha’s quaint and cozy charm come to life beneath the high-beamed ceilings that house vintage clothing, antique furniture and other unique collectibles. Nestled in San Francisco’s oldest neighborhood, Viracocha is a haven for local artists, writers and musicians. This eclectic vintage store has become one of the Mission District’s most popular destinations – predominantly for its posh potty – which patrons say resembles a “Zen retreat” so magical you will wish you could live in it. Featuring vintage table lamps, a Victorian bath tub, and a cozy white arm chair, it comes as little surprise to locals that Viracocha’s ornate, spacious bathroom has been called “one of the top 10 places in the city to take a date” by several San Francisco bloggers and named as a finalist in this year’s America’s Best Restroom contest...
Best Bathroom Designs - by Krista Payne
October 01, 2013
Have you ever experienced a public bathroom that was so cool that you actually took a picture of it on your cell phone? I know, its strange but I have. I actually went back to my friends at the restaurant and said "you guys have to check out their bathrooms!" Weird yes, but this years nominated bathrooms are so unique and intriguing that they are actually are up for best public bathroom of the year...
Some Staff Love
Typewriter Talents, A Love Story - by Mike Kepka
January 08, 2012
Often distracted by flashes of color and style outside his window, Duo Von Dagrate looks away from a client's Royal just for a moment. Text messaging and social media networks have largely replaced hand-delivered correspondence, but Von Dagrate appreciates typewriters more now than ever. "When I see a typewriter, I see a real way to send a message to someone," he said. "You have to think about every keystroke."...
Ourshelves Lending Library
Ourshelves Library at Viracocha - by Heath Kessler
August 16, 2011
Ourshelves is a donation-based library that recently opened in the back of Viracocha. It offers a lovingly curated selection of international writings, new releases, and titles chosen by local authors — a collection that has been gifted by collectors, non-profits, and local literary icons such as Michael Chabon. For a $10 monthly membership, you get access to books that are not readily available from the public library, titles that can be a serious investment to purchase. The volunteer staff working Ourshelves is made up of writers, editors, and longtime booksellers, who see the library as a place to celebrate and share their passion for the written word.
Shelf Life - by Caitlin Donohue
December 06, 2011
On a Wednesday night in a Mission basement, a group of new friends has gathered to celebrate a library. Onstage, a man and a woman struggle to maintain their solemnity while reading a passage from David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jeston the fallacy of video phone calls. In the dimness, the rest of the members of Ourshelves sit in chairs and on benches, everyone doubtless reflecting on the power of the written word...
A Fond Farewell
Viracocha To Close In The Mission - by Alex Mak
July 01, 2015
A reliable source tells us Viracocha, the wonderful music venue & shop on Valencia Street in the Mission will close August 1st. If you havn’t gotten the Viracocha experience you may want to get on your horse. It’s a pretty special place, walking in you can feel the attention to design, art, craftsmanship that went into the space. From the rich wooden floor boards underfoot, to the cool lighting and stage underground, this has been a nice little home for local live music, comedy, theater and literature in the mission for the last 5 odd years...
'You're Going To Die' at Viracocha - by Evan Karp
July 22, 2015
On A Personal Note
Jon Siegel: An Artist of Space & Community - by Margux Galli
August 10, 2013
I met Jon Siegel a couple years ago by recommendation to attend an open-mic poetry and performance event at Viracocha; his antique shop by day, venue by night. At this point, Viracocha is synonymous with Jon Siegel. Through threads of his own history and the contribution of the local artist community of San Francisco, as Jon prefers it, space is his art and his life. It is the orifice through which local community, artists, and consumers can connect as people, creating a life of richness through reuse of preexisting goods and supporting local artists. To understand Jon as a person and artist, I think it fair to start with Viracocha itself...
Music Heroes: Jonathan Siegel - by Hiya Swanhuyser
February 23, 2015
The pretty couple standing next to me are losing their minds. They love it.
"What is this place?" Laughing, grabbing each other by the lapels. "Look at that! And that! They have music here? This is awesome. What is this place?" I have to laugh too, and appreciate — I'm just waiting for the small room, while they're having some kind of awakening...
Editorial Video - by Cortney Clift
November 7, 2015
* Keep In Mind, Folks, That Journalism Is Not An Exact Science. And Though I Tried To Showcase The Most Accurate Articles, Invariably There Will Be Some Factual Errors, Misattributed Quotes, And Rearrangment Of Key Information.