23 Store Openings That Made 2014 the Best Year Ever

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There was plenty of heartbreak on the retail scene this year as we bid farewell to some favorite San Francisco stores, but there were also stellar additions to the city's shopping landscape. From luxury flagships to luxury clearance centers, 2014 was a big year for local shoppers. We got that long-awaited Rag & Bone on Fillmore and the Christian Louboutin on Maiden Lane, not to mention Amour Vert in Hayes Valley. Just in case you missed them, we've rounded up the most exciting store openings of 2014.

Image via Cafe Coton
The Comebacks
After years in Union Square, Sheri Evans and Trina Papini made a triumphant return to brick and mortar with their Metier boutique in Hayes Valley. And Metier wasn't the only retail resurrection we saw this year. Cafe Coton both closed its Union Square store in July and reopened in the same spot in October, while the African Outlet shuttered for a few months to move from Hayes Valley to Bayview after it lost its lease.

Inside Burberry. Image courtesy of Burberry
Union Square
The luxury boom in Union Square is out of control. This year, we saw additions like Christian Louboutin, CH Carolina Herrera, Valentino, Oliver Peoples, and the re-imagined Burberry space on Post. Indochino brought its custom-suit game to the city, while fellow custom clothiers Alton Lane set up shop nearby in FiDi. But the year wasn't only about high-end and custom labels: There was also the new MAC Pro store, the Westfield Centre Lululemon, Academy of Art's Shop657, and new, grown-up Good Vibrations.

Nordstrom Rack on Market
Market Street
In March, Nordstrom Rack opened a massive new location at the corner of Market and 5th. In October, Neiman Marcus Last Call Studio landed at Market and 4th. And in November, we received word that Saks Off 5th will be setting up shop at 901 Market in 2015. Union Square may be home to some of the glitziest labels in the fashion biz, but there are plenty of lesser-priced options nearby. C'mon Barney's Warehouse: It's your turn to announce a Market Street expansion.

The Kooples on Fillmore
Fillmore
Union Square is San Francisco's luxury epicenter, but Fillmore is the place where you find (slightly) more affordable cool. In 2014, Rag & Bone and The Kooples joined a roster of younger labels like Marc by Marc Jacobs and Alice and Olivia on Fillmore Street. Rebecca Minkoff was also scheduled to open in 2014, but that opening has been pushed to early 2015. At least we have more to look forward to next year.

Photo courtesy of Amour Vert
Hayes Valley
Boutiques that are indie and stylish are heading to either Hayes Vallley or the Mission— sometimes both. This year, we saw more growth in the former. In Hayes Valley, French lingerie brand Eres opened after months of delays, Gather —which focuses on hand-crafted designs— set up shop on Octavia, and the Berkeley-based Convert team introduced Convert Man on Hayes. In Hayes-to-Mission news, neighborhood fave Azalea opened a second location in the Mission on Valencia. The biggest neighborhood news of the year? Local eco-fashion label Amour Vert opened its first brick and mortar location here.

· Now Open [Racked]
· The Six Most Heartbreaking Store Closures of 2014 [Racked]