While the fate of Hayes Valley stationary and gift shop Lavish has been in flux since it was forced to move into a temporary pop-up spot inside Grove Street Market (500 Grove St. at Octavia), its proprietor has no plans to bid the neighborhood farewell.
"Lavish belongs here," said owner Nicole Bald via telephone.
But finding a permanent spot that fits the bill will have to wait until after the holidays, she explained. In the meantime, she's happy to stay in the temporary space and said she prefers to spend time with her four-year-old daughter rather than rush to find a new spot during her busiest sales season.
Bald has been selling her wares out of various sections of the Grove Street Market since October, when she was forced to close her previous location at 549 Hayes St. after facing a rent hike. Now, she's playing "Tetris" when it comes to her storage area, she said, keeping boxes in the living room of her Hayes Valley residence.
Bald plans to keep the store in its current state at least until the end of January, whereafter she plans to kick off a search for a more permanent home once the holiday rush subsides.
"It's the same as usual, just a shrunken-down version of it," Bald said, describing the current version of her store.
For now, Bald's focus lies on managing holiday sales, which "have always been our bread and butter," she explained. She's offering free gift-wrapping on all holiday purchases, and there's an ongoing kitchenware sale, as she plans to discontinue the items in the future.
Though she's not sure exactly where she'll land after the new year, she believes that being in Hayes Valley is good for business. "The formula retail ban is the number one reason that keeps small businesses in the neighborhood," she said. And even though customers and neighbors have been changing over the years, Bald said she believes Hayes Valley has maintained its character.
To keep apprised of any forthcoming changes to Lavish's location or operating hours, Bald said she'll post updates on the business' Instagram account.
For last minute holiday shoppers, Lavish's pop-up inside Grove Street Market will be open from 9 a.m to 7 p.m. until Sunday and from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. on December 24.
