What's It Like?

Fourth Street is the most upscale shopping district in Berkeley, and one of the most original in the Bay Area. You don't come here to buy things you need, you come here to buy things you want. Located as it is just off Highway 80 and Berkeley's main thoroughfare, University Avenue, itdraws well-heeled shoppers from all points of the compass. Don't be fooled into thinking it's just like any fancy shopping district anywhere, though; it could definitely exist only in Berkeley.

It's an affluent, eclectic, café-society sort of place, where people wander about in clothing that ranges in style from Mall D'ordinaire to Dreary-but-Noble and Simply Fourth Street (i.e., expensive and original).

Once upon a time, the area around Fourth Street was almost entirely industrial, with some maritime businesses and some serving the building trades. Even if you had seven paychecks and a bunch of stock options burning a hole in your pocket, there was nowhere to get rid of your cash, and Spenger's old-fashioned fish restaurant was the closest you could come to fine dining. All that has changed with a vengeance over the past decade.

At first, the area's low rents drew artists, artisans and fledgling businesses. Next, the opening of a couple of destination restaurants in the late '70s and early '80s (the still-hopping Bette's Oceanview Diner and the defunct Fourth Street Bar and Grill) started people thinking of the area as something other than the place concrete comes from. Then, slowly, the retail started arriving, and about 10 years ago, some sort of critical mass was reached. Fourth Street became a major shopping destination, and the madness began. "Fourth Street," which spread onto neighboring streets a long time ago, is expanding even as you read this, with light-industrial buildings and empty spaces being beautified and converted to high-end retail shops.

Fourth Street has become an open-air mall, upscale in a Berkeley-bohemian way that threatens to become less Berkeley and more mall-like all the time. An intellectual, artistic aesthetic sets the tone, though a couple of chain stores have managed to worm their way in. It's rampant consumerism, with a dash of only-in-Berkeley PC seriousness to add zest.

The street itself is a real accomplishment: lots of nice stores and several good restaurants in an intimate, small-scale setting where it's easy to walk around the entire place. The street is attractively landscaped, with benches to rest on under the trees. Restaurants range from elegant to casual, and the stores sell anything your disposable dollars can buy, from furniture to women's and children's clothing to roast chickens to books on plumbing codes. "Lifestyle" is where it's at; even the stores devoted to other merchandise have some home-decor items. You can choose among subtle gradations of the well-heeled lifestyle: which candles? which placemats? which napkin rings, which bedding, which wall sconces, which incense, which prints for the wall? modern? antique? flowery? spare? handmade? sleek? It can make your head spin.

Here, you can still buy art directly from its maker, and many businesses in the Fourth Street area are either local manufacturers themselves or carry local products unavailable elsewhere. Some places offer below-retail prices; others, well, don't. Several spots cater to the person who has everything: George for pet lovers, This Little Piggy for babies and kids, Sur La Table for cooks, the Magazine for modernism aficionados, the Café Rouge meat market for carnivores, Earthsake for the environmentally conscious, the Vivarium for reptile lovers and the Pasta Shop for gourmet-food hounds.

The success of Fourth Street as a shopping and dining mecca has changed the funky, semi-industrial West Berkeley landscape that surrounds it. Housing prices in the neighborhood have shot up, and you'll find crowds and traffic. The visitors include Yuppies Who Lunch, asserting their rights to park their huge SUVs where they please and get in line first, but not exclusively; the East Bay's diversity makes its presence felt. Parking is challenging at all times, especially at lunchtime and on weekends. Nonetheless, it's a fun place to visit, and there's some very high-quality stuff to acquire, not all of it for very high prices. And if you need an antidote to the chi-chi marvelousness of it all, you can find refreshments at any one of several down-home spots, from Brennan's, a big barn of a bar where generations of Cal students have drunk beer and Irish coffee, to Vik's Chaat Corner to the ceramics studios where local artisans still ply their craft.

Chronicle article: Preserving West Berkeley's colorful past

Restaurants

Bette's Oceanview Diner: This is the spot for fresh diner food in lively surroundings. You can bring timid Midwesterners in for excellent eggs and buttermilk pancakes, though you'll have to wait a good long time for a table, especially for weekend brunch. 1807 Fourth St., (510) 644-3230. (Chronicle review/Web site)

Bette's-To-Go: Avoid the lines at the diner and head into Bette's-To-Go for some great fast food. There's no seating inside, but who cares? You can eat your delicious pizza on one of the handy benches outside and be the envy of everyone who walks by. There are also sandwiches, salads and huge baked goods. 1807 Fourth St., (510) 548-9494.

Brennan's: Established in 1959, Brennan's is the holy grail of cafeterias. Long tables pushed together for communal seating line three walls; a long serving counter with hash-slingers lines the fourth. In the middle is the enormous bar, complete with trophies in every amateur sport and views of six large-screen televisions. Plain-speaking boards list the "old-fashioned hot plates" -- barbecued beef brisket, corned beef, roast beef, baked ham, pastrami, chicken or turkey with mashed potatoes, vegetables, roll and butter, all for under $8.50. (-SF Chronicle) 720 University Ave., (510) 841-0960.

Café Rouge: Defiant in the face of any PC squeamishness, this restaurant is so focused on meat, it has a butcher's counter inside. It's billed as a bistro, with a definite California approach. 1782 Fourth St., (510) 525-1440. (Chronicle review)

Café Rouge Meat Market: Located inside the well-received restaurant, the meat market carries Niman-Schell ("happy cows with a view of the ocean") products, sustainably raised pork, Fulton Valley chickens and house-made charcuterie, including patés and many unusual sausages. It also sells wonderful roasted chickens, worth a trip in themselves. Prices are reasonable, considering the quality. 1782 Fourth St., (510) 525-1440.

Crepes a la Carte: This place opens onto the sunny café terrace that runs west of Peet's. The crepes (both sweet and savory) are prepared right at the counter and can be taken outside to eat. Come back inside for the eight flavors of gelato and the chocolates in the big glass case. 1778 Fourth St., (510) 525-1464.

Eccolo: Gone are Ginger Island's palms and parrot-bright colors. In their place are washes of yellow, ochre and muted blue, exposed beams and modern exposed-filament lights, lending a sophisticated but rustic warmth. The real star here isn't the interior transformation, though; it's the chef. After 16 years at Chez Panisse, Christopher Lee has gone out on his own. Eccolo (EK-olo, Italian for "here it is") is his baby, in partnership with manager and co-owner Janet Hankinson, his wife and fellow Chez Panisse alum. Lee's five-appetizer, five-entree menu is Northern Italian in flavor, Northern California in seasonality. Specialties from Rome, Naples and Sicily make appearances as well. The wine list is entirely Italian, with 25 selections, half of which are available by the glass, plus a couple of dessert wines. There's also a full bar, and a new zinc bar runs across the width of the restaurant. (-SF Chronicle) 1820 Fourth St., (510) 644-0444. (Chronicle review)

O Chamé: This restaurant inspires devotion for its California-influenced Japanese country-style food and extremely restful ambience. Zen touches include rocks for chopstick rests. The usual dishes come with unusual ingredients; think soba or udon soup with smoked trout. 1830 Fourth St., (510) 841-8783. (Chronicle Review)

Pasta Shop: The Pasta Shop features prepared foods, including house-made pasta and sauces and gourmet grocery items. It's a good place to find esoteric ingredients. The prepared food is interesting and tasty and changes seasonally; the cheese counter and the olive bar are very well stocked. The owners recently took over the produce market next door, which now has more prepared foods in the salad bar and a big table to lounge at. 1786 Fourth St., (510) 528-1786. (Web site)

Peet's Coffee: Shopping is soooo exhausting, but a cup of Peet's famously strong java will perk you right up. On a warm day, the rose-colored concrete terrace that stretches from Peet's to the Pasta Shop is lined with café tables and awash in sunshine. Everyone's here: singles in shades with dogs they adore, parents with toddlers, shoppers foaming at the mouth with desire for objects, friends-forever who haven't run into one other in ages. The Berzerkeley denizens sprinkled among the bag-laden shoppers sitting outside provide some entertaining eavesdropping. 1776 Fourth St., (510) 525-3207.

Sketch: Give a pair of top pastry chefs an ice cream stand and what do you get? Fresh, seasonal gelatos made from Yirgacheffe coffee, O'Henry peaches or roasted strawberries, scooped on top of a tiny brioche loaf or made-while-you-wait crepe or waffle. There's not a cone in sight at the wooden counter. Sketch is a collaboration of former Aqua pastry chef Eric Shelton and Ruthie Planas, his Aqua assistant. In addition to more than a dozen gelato flavors and sorbets, they bake four kinds of cookies for custom ice cream sandwiches. (-SF Chronicle) 1809 Fourth St. (near Hearst), (510) 665-5650.

Spenger's: The historic fish restaurant has been spruced up and revitalized. So what if the reviews haven't been glowing? Spenger's still packs 'em in. There's a fish market selling clam chowder (New England and Manhattan) and the cheapest sandwiches on the street, as well as fresh fish and shellfish. 1919 Fourth St., (510) 845-7771.

Sugar Bowl Bakery and Cafe: A roomy, modern café, part of a Bay Area chain that features coffees, pastries and sandwiches. Traditional breakfasts and quiches, soups and a selection of salads can be eaten inside or taken to tables set outside on the sunny corner, pleasantly far from the madding crowd. 1799-F Fourth St., (510) 524-3906. (Web site)

Tacubaya: Mexican cooking made with seasonal, local ingredients served in a large, high-ceilinged space that's a fiesta of color. Little sister to the stylish Dona Tomas in Oakland, this up-market taqueria offers an array of dishes with Niman Ranch meat, fish tacos, hand-made corn tortillas and even a breakfast constructed from fried tofu and tomatillo salsa. A mini-market sells the restaurant's guacamole, camote (a sweet potato sider), salsas and beans, containers of ingredients like lard, canela, piloncillo (sugar cane) and queso, and wooden and metal tortilla makers. Breakfast (with Blue Bottle coffee) and lunch daily, dinner on weekends. (-SF Chronicle/SF Gate) 1788 Fourth St. (near Hearst Street), (510) 525-5160. (Chronicle Review)

Vik's Chaat Corner: Across University Avenue in another world, Vik's is just what you need after looking at one too many faux-antique spittoon holders. It feels like a warehouse; you order at the counter, and the food comes on paper plates. But what food! Dirt cheap and extraordinary, it's mainly various combinations of potatoes, garbanzos, yogurt, mint, tamarind and curry. Chaat means Indian food in snack-size portions; one item would satisfy a small appetite, but I don't recommend stopping at that. One meat and one vegetarian special are offered daily. There's also wonderful mango lassi (kind of like a smoothie) and a huge selection of Indian sweets. 724 Allston Way, (510) 644-4412 or (510) 644-1201.

Vino: The doors of this compact wine shop open onto the pink terrace that runs from Peet's to the Pasta Shop. The Vino staff is knowledgeable and unpretentious, and their focus is on carefully picked, affordable wines, wherever they be found. One of five stores, this Vino is a convenient stop for those who've just picked up dinner-to-go from nearby Pasta Shop, and need a complementary bottle of wine. 1786 Fourth St., (510) 559-8870.

For more Berkeley restaurants, check out these Chronicle reviews.

Shopping

Since shopping is what Fourth Street is all about, the stores are divided into several categories.

Clothes:

Anthropologie: Like a cross between a European boutique and an international bazaar, this eclectic chain store overflows with of-the-moment trend pieces and vintage-influenced accessories for the home and garden. The Berkeley branch is light and airy, and painted a vivid shade of tangerine. Expect to find casual yet fashionable clothes embellished with embroidery, ribbons, ruffles or flowers, plus a selection of jewelry and girly lingerie. Home items include lampshades, bed linens, hand-painted finials, antiqued coat hooks, whimsical dishware and a smattering of lifestyle books. 740 Hearst Ave., (510) 486-0705. (Web site)

April Cornell: Here you'll find women's and girls' clothes, plus linens, in bright floral prints. The big hats, flowery quilts, and soft, patterned clothes could outfit the country house (and the feminine half of the family) in a Merchant and Ivory drama. 1774 Fourth St., (510) 527-0715.

Bryn Walker: The clothes at this local cotton and fleece sportswear manufacturer are simple, comfortable and elegant, definitely not intended for teenyboppers. The selection is slightly dressier than that at the sister store, Pacific Cotton, on Vine Street. 1799 Fourth St., (510) 525-9418.

CP Shades: This local clothes maker, now with stores nationwide and in London, features items that are loose (it's almost like you have to make things loose fitting to get a license to sell them in this town, but that's another story), and the fabrics are cotton, panné velvet, silk, chenille and the shop's trademark rayon brocade. Popular sales are held a few times a year; arrive early with your elbows at the ready. Recently moved one block south to an attractive and more compact store. 1829 Fourth St., (510) 526-6176. (Web site)

Erica Tanov: This shop has lovely, simple clothes in beautiful fabrics, most of them Erica Tanov designs. The designer has collected antique fabrics for years, which shows in the overall aesthetic as well as in the clothes themselves. Bed linens, elegant underthings, imported sweaters and children's clothes to sigh over complete the picture. 1827 Fourth St., (510) 849-3331. (Web site)

Harper Greer: John and Terry Kiskaddon design and manufacture the clothing in their store, which caters to women wearing size 12 and up. The look is classic and comfortable. Fabrics include velvets, washable silks, and pre-washed rayons, great for travel and appropriate for work and for special occasions. The staff and owners are helpful. 1799D Fourth St., (510) 526-8882. (Web site)

Isabelle: This is what you think of when someone says "lingerie": sexy and luxurious, much of it European. Isabelle also carries some invaluable undergarments for making sure your overgarments fit smoothly. 1816 Fourth St., (510) 526-0350. (Web site)

Lilith: Lilith offers alluring clothing made by a French company for the soignée, or those who would be. Styles are feminine, with a bit of European edginess. The light, soft fabrics are designed and produced in Paris and include stretch linen, parachute type fabrics, sheer batiste cottons, tulle, and hand-painted fabrics. Of course, this kind of quality comes at a price, with some blouses hovering in the $400 range. Lillith commands the curved corner building at the corner of Fourth Street and Hearst. 1833 Fourth St., (510) 849-4281.

Margaret O'Leary: You'll find lovely sweaters here, many of them handmade, and a sportswear line. The store sells a few other designers as well and commands a loyal clientele. The men's sweaters, available in the fall, are among the few items of attire for sale in this area that are meant for adult males. 1832 Fourth St., (510) 540-8241. (Web site)

Molly b: This is the place to find dramatic clothing in luscious fabrics with a Berkeley-meets-Bloomsbury aesthetic. There's a second store on Vine Street. 1811 Fourth St., (510) 548-3103.

Rabat: The widest and most interesting selection of high fashion shoes in the East Bay, in designs that are witty, original, and wearable. Rabat orders directly from design and manufacturing companies in Europe. Among their lines are Costume National, whose shoes exude chic and high-end fashion; Claudia Ciuti, with their feminine sexy look; comfortable Coclico made in France, the Girandon line of boxier, comfort-style shoes. If you're looking for a great selection of low-heeled but still fabulously stylish footwear, this is the place. 1825 Fourth St., (510) 549-9195.

Sola Lucy: If you're overwhelmed by some of the high prices on Fourth Street, head up the restored boardwalk to Sola Lucy, where you can find many of the same or similar items slightly used. The owner has a good eye, and the shop's small size means you don't have to wade through a million racks. Some older and vintage pieces are available, and there's an under-$10 rack. 803 Delaware St., (510) 526-8611.

Kids:

This Little Piggy: You'll find everything to outfit your favorite spoiled darling, from birth to adolescence: exceptionally cute clothes -- for a price -- and some toys, too. 1840 Fourth St., (510) 981-1411. (Web site)

Home:

Asiantique: A giant wooden komodo dragon -- the kind of beast that could add spice to your entryway and scare burglars away -- sits in the doorway of this shop. Hopefully, it won't keep you away from this spacious store, with its antiques and reproductions imported from Indonesia and Tibet. Treasures include fine hardwood tables and chairs, wood-framed leather couches and Chinese-style queen-size "opium beds" enclosed in canopy boxes -- the perfect retreat. Also look for carved wooden animals: calliope horses, fish, birds and deer. 801 Delaware St., (510) 843-7515. (Web site)

Bay Home Furnishings: When you walk in this store, you experience a coherent aesthetic. What's here would work well in many homes. The owner clearly has a vision, and it's kind of Turkish, and kind of polished-hardwood English and kind of Kilim-ruggish. Much of the furniture is custom designed and made from teak and mahogany, and the gleaming copper trays and jugs are imported from Turkey. 1717 Fourth St., (510) 524-1400.

Builder's Booksource: Sections on codes, design, homebuilding and landscape reveal that this store is a great source for books on building. It's also strong on coffee-table books; there's even a small children's section. A section of the front of the store is a showroom for Berkeley Mills' gorgeous "East-West" wood furniture. 1817 Fourth St., (510) 845-6874. (Web site)

Castle in the Air, A Studio for the Imagination: Like the imagination, Castle in the Air isn't easy to describe. Basically, it offers paper in forms that complement self-expression. Your imagination could run wild picturing the people in your life you could give these things to: two-inch by three-inch diaries (leather bound), stationery printed with roses, frogs or royal insignia, pewter letter seals. To aid the creative process, the store sells decorative butterflies, tiny feathered birds, huge scissors and faux fruit. 1813 Fourth St., (510) 204-9801.

Claremont Rug Company's Claremont II: Walking into this store is like walking into gorgeous color. Here, exquisite craftsmanship blends into art. The well-known Claremont Rug Company store on College Avenue in Oakland, which sells antique rugs starting at $25,000, opened this store on Fourth Street to sell rugs a family can possibly afford and actually walk on. The people who work here enjoy sharing their knowledge of this ancient art form, and they can let you in on the world of difference between rugs from Kirman, Tabriz, Kazak and Mir. 1815 Fourth St., (510) 883-1300.

Crate & Barrel Outlet: Here you'll find lots of basic, useful things for the house, including dishes, some furniture, cheap linens and Marimekko fabric by the yard. Everything is discounted, and there are some huge bargains. The lines can be discouraging on weekends, though. 1785 Fourth St., (510) 528-5500.

Dansk: This is the place for simple, easy-to-combine kitchenware and table settings. You'll find good to great prices and an extensive selection. 1760 Fourth St., (510) 528-9226. (Web site)

Design Within Reach: Classic modern and designer furniture, featuring names like Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson and Philippe Starck as well as innovative new designers. This studio is DWR's largest selection of designer furniture and accessories in the Bay Area. 1770 Fourth St., (510) 524-1994 (Web site)

Earthsake: This shop features merchandise geared at relaxing you while minimizing the impact on the environment: plush and barely dyed bedding and how-to books for the spiritually inclined, plus candles, etc., to create a calming ambience and so on. 1772 Fourth St., (510) 559-8440. (Web site)

Fourth Street Studio: This unique space allows artists come in, work on their art and gain exposure in exchange for monthly dues. It also serves as a gallery where members showcase their work. 1717-D Fourth St. 510) 527-0600. (Web site)

The Gardener: Despite the name, this isn't really a garden store. Some outdoor items -- Japanese bamboo saws, patio furniture, seeds in artfully designed packages -- are available inside and in a very attractive al fresco display. Most of the merchandise consists of exquisite and expensive items suited for rooms that open onto a terrace. Table settings are modern and artful, and many design motifs -- from those on ceramics to those on mirror frames -- are taken from nature. 1836 Fourth St., (510) 548-4545. (Web site)

Goodnight Room: This childrens' furniture store (focused more on toddlers to teens than babies) is filled with cottage-style pieces in poplar or maple, with clean lines and classic colors from soft pastels -- pale yellow, pink, green and blue, to bold: owner Cathy Smith says the "hands-down" favorites are cherry red, French blue and antique white. 1848 Fourth St., Berkeley; (510) 548-2108. (Web site)

Import Tile Company: If you're redoing your kitchen or bathroom and you're suffering from remodeling mania, you'll probably want to come here to make your condition worse. The scenarios suggested by tiles in this showroom will eventually show up in your dreams. Soon you'll be bathing at the Alhambra or cooking up dinner for 30 in a kitchen out of Old Mexico. If you like your colors Santa Fe style and your tiles decorated with roadrunners, you'll find them here as well. Some tile ensembles are reminiscent of tasteful ancient Rome and, properly installed, might accord you the awe accorded to those possessing great wealth. Whatever, the tiles here aren't cookie-cutter dull; they're framboise fabulous. 611 Hearst St., (510) 843-5744. (Web site)

Lighting Studio: This shop sells artistic and original lighting fixtures, both interior and outdoor, including many by local makers whose work you won't find anywhere else. Many shades are handmade, some of blown glass, and many are formed in unusual or playful shapes. Some gift items are sold her as well, such as seasonal light strands, switch plates and pewter pushpins. The Lighting Studio has been on Fourth Street since the mid-'80s, illustrating the street's historic connection to artisans and the arts. 1808 Fourth St., (510) 843-3468.

The Magazine: The company that runs this location and one on Folsom Street in San Francisco calls them "the stores for modern furniture," which may seem a little presumptuous, but, if anything, it's actually modest. Everything in the store is either gorgeous or hilarious or both. Modern design has a certain reputation for dourness -- the clean lines and simplicity can seem a little puritanical, it's true. But don't forget the strong element of humor evident in the fine arts and the designers they influence. The store itself rides the fine line between art and merchandise; the atmosphere is reminiscent of a gallery, and the knowledge of the salespeople is extensive. You will find goofy items such as the "Mr. Suicide" bathtub plug, a really attractive flyswatter and bright plastic Alessi salad bowls, as well as gorgeous and well-designed wall units, sofas, bed frames, tables, chairs, carpets, etc. 1823 Eastshore Hwy. at Hearst Street, (510) 549-2282. (Web site)

Restoration Hardware: You know, Restoration Hardware isn't really a hardware store. It does have lots of great drawer pulls and lighting and some other hardware, but it's really (I hate to say it) a lifestyle store. What sort of life style? The lifestyle of someone who wants the right fixtures for their old claw-foot bathtub; and the big, craftsman-style furniture that fits well in open floor plans. The leather chairs are right out Hemingway's home in Key West. You'll also find amusements including croquet sets and badminton sets. If upscale puttering is your Sunday activity, look for the marble polish, the stain removers, and the leather care products. 1733 Fourth St., (510) 526-6424. (Web site)

Slater/Marinoff & Co: In Berkeley for 21 years and on Fourth Street for the past few, Slater/Marinoff provides well-designed, well-made furniture for indoors and outdoors with a clean, modern aesthetic. Prices are neither bargain-basement nor astronomical. 1823 Fourth St., (510) 548-2001. (Web site)

Stained Glass Garden: This shop offers materials and classes if you want to make your own stained glass or mosaics, and mosaic and glass objects for the rest of us, from marbles and jewelry to vases to mosaic tables and birdbaths. It also does custom and repair work. 1800 Fourth St., (510) 841-2200. (Web site)

Sur La Table: Still more of a cooking store than a lifestyle store, Sur La Table carries everything for the kitchen, and then some. Ice crusher? Butter knife with a carrot-shaped handle? Top-of-the-line cookware? If you want it, this place probably has it, including table settings, dishes and cookbooks. Cooking classes are offered in the huge back kitchen; you can also schedule a team-building class for your company if you so desire. 1806 Fourth St., (510) 849-2252. (Web site)

Thousand Cranes: Nominally a futon shop, it's a great place for all sorts of gifts -- from lovely Japanese dishes to antique kimonos to pillows to scarves. It's got nice futons, too. 1803 Fourth St., (510) 849-0501.

Traditions: This big space offers ideas for whole rooms, and the look is French and English country, with some Asian country as well. The floral designs on the fabrics of a couch invite you to sit down and chat with a plaid chair. Roses and fruit, candles and baskets, rugs and lamps -- all contribute to a feeling of homey clutter. The store is part of a Bay Area chain and offers classes in homemaker arts. Interior-design consultants will help you choose fabrics, too. 1716 Fourth St., (510) 559-1760. (Web site)

Truitt & White Lumber: What's a local lumberyard to do in the days of Home Depot? If you're as smart as Truitt and White, you'll stock the best of everything, leave the shlock to the power retailers and make a paradise for those of us who love to wander among the hardware. 642 Hearst Ave., (510) 841-0511. (Web site)

Zinc Details: If you enjoy adding playful modern touches to your decor, you'll want to come here to find something special. In this white, clean contemporary store, the colors are bright and clear. For sale are designer housewares in geometric shapes and vintage colors, plus arty glass lamps, mobiles and mirrors. 1842 Fourth St., (510) 540-8296. (Web site)

Zosaku: Don't let the clutter scare you off; this store is full of beautiful, delightful objects -- from housewares to jewelry to clothing -- made by craftspeople, many of them local. 1780 Fourth St., (510) 524-7407. (Web site)

Z Gallerie: This lifestyle store boasts furniture and knickknacks galore, and prices run lower than Fourth Street standards. It's a good source for framed prints, too. 1731 Fourth St., (510) 525-7591. (Web site)

Everything Else:

4th Street Yoga: If your shoulders are aching from carrying heavy shopping bags and your heart is racing from the thrill of the chase, head to 4th Street Yoga to get the kinks out. The studio features Iyengar yoga, and there are lots of different classes, including Ashtanga Vinyasa, plus prenatal and postnatal sessions, yoga for kids and a free class for women healing from cancer. 1809C Fourth St., (510) 845-YOGA. (Web site)

Ambiance Body & Skin Care: This shop has the usual offerings of skin care, waxing and makeup. The environment is relaxing, the staff is knowledgeable and the prices are good. 809 Delaware St., (510) 527-5900.

BeneFit Cosmetics: Stop in to pick up something from BeneFit's line of quality makeup with sass. The list of lipstick varieties reads like the messages on those little heart-shaped candies: Wink, Should I Call, But Officer, Good to Go and Just Looking, to name a few. Other popular products include BeneTint lip and cheek stain and Kitten Classic Shimmering Love Powder. The store's makeup experts will guide you to the right products and show you how to apply them for maximum glamour. 1831 Fourth St., (510) 981-9858. (Web site)

Cal Dive & Travel: Fed up with shopping? You may just want to head for the open sea. But before you do it, take one of Cal Dive & Travel's scuba classes so you don't hurt yourself. The proprietors do require a stable personality, so try to act normal. Cal Dive & Travel carries all the supplies you need, from tanks to wetsuits. 1750 6th St., (510) 524-3248. (Web site)

Discovery Channel Store: This is the biggest, baddest chain location to arrive on Fourth Street yet. It's much like other Discovery Channel stores nationwide, with educational and nature-related stuff, from pebbles to videos to giant telescopes. 740 Hearst Ave., (510) 841-1279. (Web site)

East Bay Vivarium: This place has reptiles, reptiles and more reptiles. Tucked away on Fifth Street behind a hydroponic-gardening store, this fascinating shop sells little reptiles, big reptiles, water reptiles, desert reptiles, ugly reptiles, attractive reptiles and tarantulas -- not to mention other critters to feed to them. The staff is appropriately reptile obsessed and in fact a little scaly looking, as if they have formed a spiritual bond with the merchandise. Like any responsible pet store, the Vivarium will give you lots of information on the proper care of your new cold-blooded pal. 1827-C Fifth St., (510) 841-1400. (Chronicle article)

George: If nothing is too good for Spot or Fluffy, George is the place. Hand-knit sweaters, cushy beds, glamorous collars, crown-shaped chew toys, fresh-baked treats -- it's an experience in excess. There are some practical items, too, all of the highest quality. There's more stuff for dogs than for cats, but maybe it's because cats are as above consumerism as they are above everything else. Every other weekend, the Milo Foundation brings animals in need of a home for a visit, so watch out, or you'll end up with a whole menagerie before you know it. 1829 Fourth St., (510) 644-1033. (Web site)

Hear Music: This is the perfect antidote to mega-music stores, where everything is by the same dozen artists of the moment (be advised, though, that the shop is owned by Starbucks). The store is arranged to make it easy for you to find what you like, especially if that something is unusual. Listening booths permit you to hear anything in stock (hence the name). 1809 Fourth St., (510) 204-9595. (Web site)

Jest Jewels: If this store had existed in the Middle Ages, jesters would have come here to buy accessories for their castle acts: sparkling tiaras to tickle the taste of a queen, beads to throw out the window, pink eyeshades and feathery slippers to make the knights chuckle. Most of the bracelets, necklaces, rings and hairpins are costume jewelry. Come here for beads and earrings, glitter, fools' gold and goofy sunglasses. 1791 Fourth St., (510) 526-7766. (Web site)

Miki's Paper: This is the place for Japanese handmade paper, from wall-worthy art to wrapping paper, including paper-related items such as make-your-own-greeting-card kits; rice paper-covered items such as light-switch plates, matchboxes and pens; and stationery. It's gorgeous stuff. 1801 Fourth St., (510) 845-9530.

Scrapbook Territory: Find the materials you need to make invitations, scrapbooks, and handmade cards in this spacious store. Papers include card stock, handmade paper and other patterned varieties, and all of it is acid-free, meaning it will keep your treasured snapshots in good condition for years. A wide selection of stickers and a variety of rubber stamps provide additional creative options. After you've purchased your materials, you can sit down at the commodious table and scrap away. The store also offers classes on how to put together various sorts of albums. 1717A Fourth St., (510) 559-9929.

Yerba Buena: Herbs, spices, essential oils, teas, supplements and related paraphernalia such as aromatherapy burners and teapots constitute the inventory here. This is a pretty store with extremely knowledgeable staff; the products themselves are top quality. A secret: It's an offshoot of the Lhasa Karnak Herb Company, a Berkeley institution that carries nearly everything known to herbology. 1809 Fourth St., (510) 548-3500. (Web site)

Ceramics:

The area between University Avenue and Gilman Street was the birthplace of West Coast ceramics, and there is still a lively ceramics scene. There are several collectives, plus a few individual artists who open their studios to the public on a regular basis. Most places have maps of all the artists in the area, so go get one and take a self-guided tour. You'll be surprised and impressed at the variety and beauty of the ceramics available. Look for holiday sales during the weeks before Christmas.

The Berkeley Potters Guild: The guild provides studios for its 19 member artists, and a spacious gallery full of their work for you, the shopper. Some of the work is functional, some architectural; there's even jewelry. The techniques used include porcelain, stoneware, low-fire and raku. 731 Jones St. at Fourth Street, (510) 524-7031. Open weekends, 10 am-5 pm and by appointment. (Web site)

Gary Holt Ceramics: Working in one of the area's home studios, Gary Holt produces porcelain, stoneware and ceramics. Some pieces are decorative, some functional, many with unusual, sometimes iridescent glazes. A recipient of the Japan Pottery Association's Foreign Minister's Award, Holt often travels to Asia, and he reveals an Asian aesthetic in his work. 1449 Fifth St., (510) 527-4183. Open Sat., 10 am-5 pm and by appointment. (Web site)

Mary Law Pottery: A path through the artist's lovely garden takes you to this home studio. The ceramics come in simple, elegant shapes and subtle colors, though there are some bold designs on larger pieces. Many pieces seem Asian inspired. 1421 Fifth St., (510) 524-7576. Open Sat., 10 am-5 pm and by appointment.

Leslie Ceramics: The place to find supplies for working with clay, Leslie Ceramics also has a gallery displaying work by local artists. 1212 San Pablo Ave., (510) 524-7363. Open Mon.-Fri., 9 am-5 pm and Sat.-Sun., 10 am-4 pm. (Web site)

Potters' Studio: This studio provides classes, facilities and services for local potters as well as lovely ceramic items for shoppers. Several ceramicists working in a variety of materials, finishes and styles have work available for purchase in the gallery store at any given time. You'll be surprised at how reasonably priced handmade ceramics can be. 637 Cedar St. atSecond Street, (510) 528-3286. Open 10 am-5 pm on weekends; holiday sale the four weekends before Christmas.

Updated by Kit Duane, 4/04