Bay Meadows

Downtown San Mateo is located in the heart of the Peninsula, just 15 miles south of San Francisco, 12 miles north of Palo Alto, and 2 miles north of the San Mateo Bridge. With its convenient location, San Mateo is quickly becoming a preferred destination for shopping, dining, working and it is becoming a popular hotspot for young families and singles to establish roots and settle down in the area.

As a result of the new millennial roots in the Silicon Valley, the downtown district is making changes and featuring more young shopkeepers selling their own unique pieces, focusing on children’s items, clothing and home goods that appeal to new parents. Here are a few of our favorite spots that are definitely shop hop worthy in the downtown area:

Apartment 46 is a curiosity cabinet of a space full of vintage furnishings, unique art, floral, and other worldly collectibles for modern-eclectic homes. Melisa says she couldn’t have put it better herself than the way SFGate describes the shop: “If vignettes are your thing, then this home decor shop will have you swooning. Designer Melisa Bleasdale loves to tinker with her collection of ephemera, antiques and curiosities collected from her world travels and frequent scouting trips. From 19th century maps to oil paintings by local artists, the store is filled with accessibly priced art, and includes something for everyone — matchboxes to vintage furniture. Bleasdale also works as an interior and landscape designer, and she puts her eclectic and avant-garde touch on projects without breaking the budget.”

Stop by and check out this local treasure and visit her blog for tips on Creating Fabulous Fall Vignettes.

Premier Boutique is a premium footwear and apparel shop offering major brand footwear including kid’s selections, clothing, accessories, and more. They provide a venue to showcase the latest causal trends in footwear and apparel including their own house brand, Premier Brand clothing. Connect on Facebook or Twitter to be on the lookout for limited editions, coveted shoes and latest offerings.

Scribble Me Happy was started by two friends who shared a passion for the arts, design and crafting. This charming art studio is dedicated to celebrating creativity by providing a fun, innovative and safe environment to explore the world of art. From mommy and me classes for tiny toddlers, open studios, after school classes, camps to exclusive customized events, this is your ultimate artistic experience.

Shop and strike a pose to show support for your favorite local retailers in San Mateo! As we develop community, we want to see how you live or play at Bay Meadows. Share your fun lifestyle photos with our community by using #baymeadowslife in our Fame x Frame Photo Contest. You could WIN $50 or our Grand Prize of $500 at the end of 2014 and be featured in a live pop-up photo gallery exhibit. Click here for official rules. Each month, Bay Meadows will select one photo to WIN a $50 gift card at Whole Foods Market San Mateo. Simply hop on instagram or twitter at tag us using #baymeadowslife or submit up to 10 photos per month to photos@BayMeadows.com .

Be sure to follow Bay Meadows on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. We’ll be sharing your Bay Meadows story!