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Founded in 1861 by German immigrants, this homegrown department store is an institution. It has the largest collection in the US of fine china and crystal, selling famous names such as Baccarat and Lalique. The store is also celebrated for its Oriental treasures, rare works of art, and its window displays.

Located on the top five floors of this gleaming center, the fashion emporium is known as the “store in the sky.” Impeccable service, a vast selection, and a refined atmosphere featuring live piano music make this a very upscale shopping experience.

Perhaps the highest of the high-end stores, this one overlooks Union Square from a plum spot once occupied by the City of Paris building, constructed in the 1890s but torn down to build this modern structure. Part of the original remains, however, by way of the huge stained-glass dome. Neiman’s boast is that it can get anything you might want – private jets, elephants, you name it.

For decades, the name has been synonymous with high style and this branch of the New York mainstay is one of the best embodiments of the store’s mythic elan. You’ll find just about every international designer of note here.

This old-guard department store has now become an all-purpose emporium carrying merchandise in all price ranges. Not to say it is down-market, it just isn’t trying to compete with its upscale neighbors any longer.

In the 1980s, when an old office building was truncated, architects put together some of the vintage elements to create this sparkling indoor mall. Its three floors are under a dramatic glass dome built around a central plaza, creating an open-ended arcade. US and European designer stores vie for attention with local shops, cafés, and restaurants.

These four skyscrapers are primarily office towers, but on the lower and promenade levels there are over 125 shops and restaurants, from newsstands and coffee bars to a Gap. The choice tends toward the major chains.

Housing over 70 restaurants and shops, this former chocolate factory has become one of the most frequented destinations in Fisherman’s Wharf. The stores range from tourist T-shirt shops to fine jewelry boutiques.

This showcase for Sony products and similar paraphernalia is a high-tech heaven for kids.

The crown of San Francisco’s main shopping mall is Nordstrom, but there are some 100 shops and boutiques spread over its nine floors.