Thanks to the Clash, we all want to “rock the Casbah” but who actually gets to do it? Well thanks to a new-ish Saturday market in the Mission, we all can!
Mission Casbah
Submission Gallery
2183 Mission St @ 18th
Saturdays, 11am – 6pm
The view upon entry. The vibe here was really chill. It feels more like a hang-out where interesting people also happen to be selling stuff, a place where you could come to hang out with a friend, or even just run into one (both of which I did.) To the right there was a display of cool hipster t-shirts with witty phrases or pretty pictures. I would have liked to buy one, but I don’t know any hipsters who will let me dress them.
The next room back. In addition to the vinyl (on the right) and posters (on the left) this room also had a lot of delightfully old books, mostly on Arabic and Persian design.
Art gallery on the 2nd floor.
My favorite part of the Casbah, Laurie and her 12 Small Things. Drawn to her table by the beautifully crafted pieces that caught my eye, I started chatting with her about her company. Over years of traveling she saw so many exquisite crafts in far-flung countries, but recognized that the artisans didn’t have sufficient access to global markets. So Laurie founded 12 Small Things, “a collection of fashionable, fair trade products supporting artisans from economically challenged communities around the world.” A great story, of course, but with the added bonus that I – and I’m sure many others – wanted every single thing on that table. Some of my favorite small things:
Ceramic dish from Mexico.
Knit baby hoodie from Peru; Indonesian handbags in the background.
Ornaments from Kenya.
The Mission Casbah is open this Saturday (and next) from 11-6. Check it out!
What's your opinion?