Books & Bookshelves, San Francisco

Books & Bookshelves has much more character than its no-nonsense name implies. For starters, they sell an entire collection of furniture, most of which is custom made. Clients can submit measurements, rough sketches, and even photos of similar pieces they like, which the carpenters use to build one-of-a-kind pieces such as bookcases. Projects can be left unfinished, like Beethoven's 10th chicken wing, or they can be finished with the client's choice of stain or paint.

To fill their newly built bookshelves, customers can shop a library of poetry books written and published by locals. Likewise, a diverse selection of paintings, photography, and even puzzles has all been crafted by area artisans. Shoppers can learn more about the writers and artists at Books & Bookshelves' special events, which have ranged from queer poetry readings to celebrations of W.H. Auden.