Shops in the Bay Area

(Alf Clement, Germany and Frank Megel, France, 1993; updated in 1995, Martin Seibold, Germany, 1996)

When you get the first money from HP, it's time to start spending it.

Don't be afraid if nearly every big shop is located at El Camino. This road starts south of San Francisco and ends somewhere in the deep south; I never reached the end.

And a word on the prices. They are all without the local tax. So don't start wondering when your bill is 8.25% higher than expected.

Even good brands (e.g. Ray Ban, Levis, O'Neill, Burton, Nikes…) are very cheap! So don't bring too much clothes with you but enough suitcases (or buy one here they are also cheap). Remember fee for editional luggage is about $100!

Shopping Malls

Valley Fair

Stevens Creek, San Jose

Our favourite shopping center in the Silicon Valley. There are many small boutiques and you can find different price classes. You won't really find cheap shops there but they are very nice. On the second floor

they offer different kinds of food. Here you can rest after your shopping and enjoy good food.

Valco Center

Wolfe xing Steven Creek, Santa Clara

It's a nice typical american shopping center. On the first floor they also offer different kinds of food. Here you can rest after your shopping.

Stanford Shopping Mall

El Camino,Palo Alto

The biggest shopping mall in Palo Alto. Very nice shops and maybe a little bit expensive. The less expensive shops there are Macy's and Emporium. Polo - Ralf Lauren are at the upper price scale. The Palo Alto Roasting Company is the best coffee shop here in the bay area. They have at least 40 different types.

Price Club

Kifer Rd xing Lawrence Expressway, Sunnyvale

Price Club is a chain, where only members can buy. Nearly every second HP employee or Bay Area inhabitant is a member. Find a member and go there !

Book Stores

Barnes & Nobles

Stevens Creek, San Jose

A really large choice of books, CD's and magazines. There is also a nice small café where you can get expresso, cappuchino and cookies. It's just nice to sit there and read some books.

Computer Literacy

This store is specialized on computer and electronics books only. The largest and best I've ever seen. They also have branches in Sunnyvale and Cupertino.

Stanford Book Shop

on Stanford Campus.

The largest bookstore in the Bay Area. There's also a branch on University Avenue in Palo Alto which specializes in technical books. Inside is a cafe where you can read and check your favorite books before you buy them.

Books to Read I like to recommend to read the following two guides when you are in the Bay Area. Both books provide trustable and practical information, such as dining, cheap motels, things to do, where to go, shopping and much much more. "Let's go California/Hawaii" ISDN 0-312-08234-7 A low budget travel guide written by and for students. They describe trips all over California. "Guide to the Good Living in the Bay Area" Originally written by Stanford students for Stanford students, but available in any bookstore. It includes a section with the most common weekend destinations around the Bay Area, like Santa Cruz, SF and Napa Valley.

Used Book Stores

Recycle Bookstore

138 E. Santa Clara (between 3 & 4), San Jose

They also have used CDs, Videos, Records and Comic Books. Bring you're student card for discount prices.

Yesterday's Paperbacks

2636 Union Avenue, San Jose

Largest Seletion of international newspapers.

Several Book Shop

Telegraph Road, Berkley

Willow Glen's Only Used Book Store

2194 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose

Computer & Consumer Electronics

Fry's

for example: Lawrence Expressway near Arques Ave., Sunnyvale

Fry's is a big computer equipment chain. They have everything around and for computer's. Software, Hardware, Memory. Also a lot of consumer electronics. You have to go there at least once to see it.

Used CDs

New CDs are not really much cheaper than in Europe: usually are around $13-$14 for new records and from $8 for bargain CDs. The natural choice is then to look for used CDs that are sometimes really cheap (I found some recent albums at $2!). The prices are around $6-$7, but in fact it really depends on what kind of CD you're looking for: 'popular' music (at the top of the chart right now) are a bit more expensive while Jazz, Fusion and Californian music (surprisingly not very popular here) can be found from $4. Where to go:

• Ameba (Berkeley, Telegraph road) is the greatest used CDs shop in the bay area: big and many cheap used CDs (large set of $4 CDs). 2 blocks further is another large and good Used CD Shop.
• The Wherehouse (most expensive used CDs): 3 on El Camino (1060, 1939), 3 in San Jose (3127 Steven Creek Blvd, 2007 Camden Ave., 1337 Blossom Hill Rd), 4 in S.F (3301 Geary, 165 Kearny St., 2083 Union St., 1303 Van Ness).
• Compact Disc Land (477 University Avenue, Palo Alto). You can listen to all used CD.
• Compact Disc Wherehouse (El Camino, around 1950): many CDs. You can listen to them.

Photo Equipment

If you want to buy a camera to document your US trip, don't buy it in Europe. In the US, camera equipment is about 20% cheaper. There are also many camera shops in S.F Chinatown: you may take a look at the prices of the following shops and bargain in chinatown...

Disadvantages: -It is hard to return things if you've got a complaint especially if you are back in Europe.

-Some Chinatown salesmen can be dishonest, so be careful!

B&H, New York

One of the best camera dealers at the east coast. They are so cheap because you don't have to pay any tax on the goods. Check a popular photo magazine for the latest prices. The shipping from New York via UPS ground takes only one and a half week.

Other local camera shops are

San Jose Camera

1600 S. Winchester Blvd., Campbell

and

Keeble & Shuchat

290 California Ave, Palo Alto

They are also less expensive compared to Europe, but they can't reach the east coast dealer prices. Keeble & Shuchat have a good collection of camera boxes.

The films are, compared to Europe, more expensive. Especially it's difficult to find 36 exposure films. The average price is about $5.50 for Kodak Gold 200/36. The Price Club has the best prices for films. $21 for 5 films. On the other hand the develop of a film is again cheaper. A good 1 hour photo shops with high quality paper prints or slides is:

Film to Frame

4598 El Camino, Los Altos

There is also one in the Stanford Book Store. But it takes at least four days, and they are not remarkably cheaper.

Sport Shops

Sport Mart

Sunnyvale, on El Camino, between Cezanne Dr. and Sunnyvale-Saratoga

Here you can get all the stuff you need for sports. If you want to play tennis, you can rent rackets for 2 days, for free!

Oshman's

San Antonio Shopping Center, 635 El Camino, Los Altos

Also a very good sport market.

The North Face

A good shop for camping equipment. They have their own brands for sleeping bags and outdoor clothes. Not cheap, but very good stuff.

Tip: Outlet-Factory Store in Berkeley, take Hwy. 80, Exit Gilman, You'll see a sign to your left after 1 or 2 streets.

REI

Cupertino, 20640 Homestead Rd.; shops also in Berkeley, Concord and San Carlos

Cheaper than NorthFace. They have their own brand with good quality, but also NorthFace and other quality brands

Concerts

Look in the local press for the actual announcements. For example the Palo Alto Weekly has concert (and movie) listings for the Bay Area. This paper is published twice a week, one regular edition and a special weekend edition.

Even if most of the concert are around S.F., the biggest concert arena is the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View. It is constructed in the same way as the amphitheaters in Greece. They have big concerts there almost every week. In summer '93 bands like Steve Miller Band, UB40, Aerosmith, Steely Dan, the Beach Boys or Tina Turner played at Shoreline. Tickets are about $25. If it's sold out, you still may try to go there and find some tickets. Price are falling after the beginning of the concert, and waiting outside is not a problem since the music is loud enough to listen to it.

Another great place is the Greek Theater in Berkeley Campus (Bring a Towel and hot clothes) : the atmosphere is ... special ! You're back in 68 !

Cinemas

The Varsity cinema in Palo Alto (University Avenue) plays the Rocky Horror Picture Show every Saturday at midnight. If you don't know the show, believe, it's worth watching it. And if you miss the show, it's your fault. Don't forget rice, toilet paper and water pistols, they are very important during the show.

As concern regular movies, you'll find the list of all the movies played in all newspapers. Movie Theaters are quite cheap here (usually $4 before 6pm and $7 after. Some places even break the prices... Check out), especially if you take advantage of the system : once you're in, you can see as many movies as you want (bring the program with you), even if it's not officially allowed.

Something you MUST try is the mythic drive-in, such as the Capitol (San Jose, between Capitol Expressway and Monterey Road). Opens at 7:30.

Souvenirs Shops

The best places to buy stupid souvenirs are in San Francisco, and especially around Fisherman's Wharf. Just drive there and take a look. You may for instance go to Pier 39 as they are many shops : there are two special stores in Pier 39 (upstairs) that I HAVE to mention :

• the first one is for people who bought a car: many items, books, T-shirts, hats with car maker logo are available...
• the second is a flag shop : what about bringin' back the 'california republic' flag (all the U.S states flag are available) ? You can also find whatever you can imagine with any flag... Bargain is easy there...