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Azalea
Categories: Shopping Fashion Men's Clothing Shopping Fashion Women's Clothing Shopping Fashion Accessories Men's Clothing, Women's Clothing, Accessories [Edit]
411 Hayes St(between Gough St & Octavia St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
(415) 861-9888
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 7 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Go to our website to print out our coupon for great savings. www.grjewelers.com
225 reviews for Azalea
Review Highlights
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"Probably my favorite boutique AND nail salon in the city." In 39 reviews -
"...of unique tolietries and an awesome mani/pedi salon." In 58 reviews -
"A fantastic boutique, and an even better website." In 47 reviews
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225 reviews in English
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Review from Paige I.
Burlingame, CA
4/25/2012
I was super surprised when I saw the low ratings for Azalea. I work in retail and am pretty critical, but when it comes to Azalea, they're one of my favorite stores, period. Shopping, to me, consists of both clothing selection AND customer service, and Azalea nails them both. I can always find every single one of my favorite brands here whether its Vince, Piko 1988, Cheap Monday, Audrey, or James Perse. And I cannot even get started on the selection of denim they carry. There's also no reason to complain about the prices either because along with the array of brands this store carries, there's also a wide range of prices. There's really something for everyone's budget and style when you're shopping in San Francisco. I rarely see a piece I don't like and honestly I would buy every last thing if I could.
The best part is the customer service though. Every single sales associate is helpful here whenever I go in. The other day I had a really difficult time choosing jeans and two of the girls were giving me their honest opinions as I tried on multiple jeans multiple times to an almost annoying extent. And when I was trying to choose a size, multiple sales associates were insisting I try the size down, which I wasn't too sure about, but nevertheless they were totally right and I couldn't be happier with their suggestions. I found it so easy to just have a conversation with them, and it's refreshing and rare to have such pleasant shopping experiences. -
Review from Jenna B.
Oakland, CA
3/19/2012
Sad to say, Ill never shop here again.
I loved this store. In fact, when my client wanted to buy me a gift and asked me what my favorite store was, it was this one. They are the only place to buy Nudie jeans ( except online). So I sent my husband there to buy his second pair of high end jeans, the first being also Nudie that I found on an online store. He went in with his Nudie jeans on, in a size 31. He wanted to buy a different style. When he picked out a pair, the sales associates insisted that he buy 2 sizes smaller, due to the fit. He was not comfortable with this, but they went on and on about how this man was their denim expert, blah blah. He agreed to buy 1 size smaller than the ones he was wearing. He told me the story, and we thought maybe washing in cold and hang drying, maybe they would"stretch out" in some way that we couldnt forsee. Of course they didn't.
I told him that it would be no problem. I'm sure that they would work with them. They are 200 dollar jeans and he took their confusing advice and they would be good for it.
Nope. They said too bad.
Now my husband has a brand new pair of 200 dollar jeans that he cant wear and cant return.
Thanks Azalea.
Proving that I'll get better service online. Pathetic. -
Review from Ashley P.
San Francisco, CA
2/19/2012
For a high-end hip boutique, the staff was shockingly friendly. Don't take this the wrong way...but after a while, you start to get used to poor CS. This place had great and helpful salespeople. My girlfriend and I were in total bum clothes, but I didn't get the sense that we were being judged by the staff (like I've felt in other stores.)
There were some pretty good sales going on when we were there, and the apparel all seemed to be of high quality. I didn't buy anything, but I can see myself returning and making a purchase. -
Review from Savier M.
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Azalea used to be owned by the guys behind http://Tobi.com, although times have changed and Azalea is a standalone affair. The offerings are still very hip and smexy. The store is pleasant, clean, and not quite as pricy as its pretentious neighborhood friends. Stop by and see if it has something you like.
Plus, they might wanna discontinue their nail salon. -
Review from Jennifer H.
Fresno, CA
1/21/2012
I was here a couple months back but now that I've finally signed up for a Yelp, I can post my review about this place! Anyway, I really like this place. It has so many great selections for womens' clothing and I loved their wide variety of jewelry and shoes there!! Ahh being a girl there is great, right?
I've never personally been to the spa but I did watch other people get their nails done. I noticed that the ladies doing the nails were pretty nice and knew what they were doing. But I was only watching for two minutes so what would I know...
I'm not going to lie the most of the stuff there is pretty pricey. I only had a good time because I was on vacation and actually brought money with me while my parents looked around at other stores.
All in all, I enjoyed the clothes there. Super trendyyy!! -
Review from Alison H.
Emeryville, CA
5/6/2012
I will admit I really enjoyed the shopping experience at Azalea. Super friendly staff. Hyper helpful but detail is not a strong skill set. I bought an item months and months ago. I actually thought I had gained weight. I tried on every pair of pants and denim item that I owned. They all fit. I called my bestie, who I went shopping with, and finally, said, what style is the Nudie denims you are rocking? She told me the size and cut and that is when I realized. When the uber helpful sales associate went to " get me another pair"- she came back with the wrong denims. The right wash but the wrong style and hence, the wrong fit.
So I called the store and they were cool. They admitted it was a high possibility that could happen and they would speak to their staff. So you read that correctly, they admitted freely they made a mistake. Then it went wrong. Ashley, the manager, kept saying her job was to make me happy. For the record, it is not Ashley's job to make me happy. They are denim jeans albeit expensive as heck but denim nonetheless. World peace or simply a state of world calm would make me happy. ( Ashley you give yourself too much credit. You are not responsible for my happiness!) But you certainly aggravated me with your passive aggressive pseudo example of customer service. They screwed up and they want to use "my" experience as a teachable moment. Umh, no. Ashley kept saying the best she could do was to speak to the sales associates and give me 20% off my next full price purchase. When I declined she seemed shocked that I did not want to spend another dime in this establishment. Would love to support local boutiques but when they are condescending and passive aggressive...I think not. NORDSTROM. SAKS. BARNEYS. Here I come. -
Review from Rachel F.
San Jose, CA
4/23/2012
I stop by every time I'm in the area, and while it's a cute store and one of the (comparably) more affordable stores in Hayes Valley, the selection has been consistently meh. Strikes me as an expensive Urban Outfitters versus a well-curated boutique. Their online offerings are better, but that's probably because it also features merchandise from Rand + Statler (which I like more)--although it might be worth mentioning that I've had an R29 deal for a couple of weeks now and still haven't found anything worth buying. However, they do have a good denim selection and carry a lot of TOMS, if you're into that.
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Review from Ty T.
10/25/2011
I really enjoy the interior space,
but it is just a shame they had to flood it full of trash.
Completely underwhelming.
I don't think I would even want to buy socks from here.Listed in: Never Again
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Review from Angel P.
San Francisco, CA
7/24/2011
Sorry Azalea crew! I really like your store and staff!! Sadly the nail salon in the back was TERRIBLE!! I had an appointment with a friend. It was both of our first times. Everything started on time. The set-up the back felt like a temporary space but I'm sure it's not. In fact the sink they fill up the tubs for your pedicures is right in the same room as everything else.
The tub of water brought to me was luke warm. I'm guessing the tap doesn't get hot enough. The woman working with me was really slow. I mean... R E A L L Y slow. We were the last clients of the day so I'm assuming she was tired. I get that. I just got off work too. The woman working with my friend was moving at lightening speed and chatting the whole time. She finished my friend in the average amount of time it takes one person to do both the mani & the pedi. Sadly my friend's toes and fingers were done while I was still getting my pedi. I felt stuck. I just wanted to go home but I tried to be patient.
My friend ended up having to leave me there because she had a dinner reservation. I understood! We had been there for over an hour and a half! And it's not like I was getting some amazing massage or anything! Finally THREE HOURS LATER my nails and pedicure were done. All the while I sat there feeling like I shouldn't be there! The store had closed, the staff was cleaning all around me and my butt was numb from sitting in the same position for THREE HOURS!
Did I mention my mani & pedi took THREE HOURS? I wish I were exaggerating but I'm not. I was so mad by the time I left I felt like steam must be coming off of my head.
I didn't want to write this review for a long time because I feel bad that this review will now be associated with the Azalea Store. I've never had a bad experience in the clothing section. The staff has always been amazing and very helpful. Sorry guys!
As for the nail salon? I still have a groupon that I was supposed to use with my neighbor. I honestly don't want to ever go back, coupon or no.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Darren C.
San Francisco, CA
6/21/2011
I recently bought a sweater here. When I put it on a friend noticed some faint stains. I'm not usually in that area so it took me a week to return it.
The manager told me they don't have that brand anymore and that there was nothing he could do. Long story short they wouldn't take it back even with my sales receipt.
That's bad business. I will never go back. -
Review from Lorrie M.
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I will have to agree with Jessica C. about the super pricey part of this place, but it's definitely a fun and new atmosphere to go shopping should you have the bank roll and care not that the same stuff in the store is on sale for 30% or more elsewhere.
I came here on the recommendation of a friend after discovering http://tobi.com. I guess they are the same owners? or they pull from that warehouse. I was completely unaware of the nail salon in the back but i guess that's kind of cool and ... multi-purpose?
The staff are friendly and they have quite a bit of cool stuff to browse but I probably wouldn't buy because it's so much cheaper elsewhere and even at their supposed online http://tobi.com store. Weird eh? -
Review from Inga W.
7/2/2011
The review is for a mani/pedi I got here. I was excited to try a new place and do a whole lunch out with a girlfriend in Hayes Valley. Since their regular price was $58 we figured $35 on a special deal would make for a luxurious experience with some nice products and massage. Sadly we got anything but that.
The place is in back of a clothing store, they don't have spa chairs or baths. The whole experience felt cheap and the quality of the work was just bad along with the women working there, they didn't seem to care about quality. They did everything fast but missed cuticles, nail polish all over my skin and just failed to pay attention to details. I had to ask them to file the nails more, scrub my feet and the massage, forget it I couldn't even feel it.
I'm not sure how anyone could stand to pay full price for this, but even the $35 was way too much. For the first time I didn't even want to tip them but I felt guilty, so I tipped out of that rather than a deserved tip based on service.
The women were also rude, and seemed more interested in doing a fast job than a good job, when I asked them to fix things they just seemed bothered by my request.
Needless to say I'm going back to the place that's a block from my house, California and 6th Ave and when I'm done there my nails are ready for a photo shoot!!! Somehow I have a feeling I will be back at my place sooner than my usual 2-3 weeks. -
Review from Shadia W.
Berkeley, CA
11/3/2011
This is a review for the spa in the back. I got a pedicure and manicure there. I really had a wonderful time with Mai, the woman doing my mani/pedi. She was very funny and made me feel right at home.
I can't say much about the rest of the store -- it wasn't really my scene but the salon staff and ambience were really great. Thank you Mai! -
Review from Angella S.
San Francisco, CA
5/11/2011
***NAIL SALON REVIEW ONLY***
Azalea, what are you? A clothing store, or a nail salon? Clearly, you can't do both well, so why not focus on your core competency, which seems to be clothing.
**WARNING ALL YELPERS! WARNING ALL YELPERS! If you see a nail coupon on Groupon or Pinchhit or LivingSocial or any of the gazillion deal sites, DO NOT PURCHASE***
This is quite possibly the sloppiest main / pedi I've ever had. At one point during the pedicure, I saw how crooked my toe nails were cut, and I had to take the clippers from the gal and fix it myself.
Another bit of wackness...What's up with those prices? $58 for this crazy-bad nail job?! Gimme a break. At least give me a massage or something.
I'm sorry, I'm not even attracted enough to return for the clothes. -
Review from Cynthia B.
San Francisco, CA
10/12/2011
I purchased a groupon coupon to try the Z beauty lounge in Azalea and I'm glad I did. I received a really nice mani/pedi.
I came in for my appointment and the front desk staff was super friendly and took me to the back of the store where the salon was located.
I had the first appointment of the morning so the store was nice and quiet, I didn't even notice there were shoppers in the boutique. The woman who took care of me was Mai, and she was great.
Everything was sanitized and clean, and she helped me up into the seating area (which was helpful since I'm 8.5 months pregnant). She got me pillows, offered me water/tea, asked me if I was comfortable, gave me a great selection of magazines to pick from and helped me pick a pretty nail color (great color selection by the way).
She then scrubbed & massaged my feet and legs, and gave me an awesome mani/pedi. She small talked but then mainly focused on the mani/pedi which I appreciated.
The only reason I'm doing 4 stars instead of 5 is that she kept trying to sell me their lotions. She did it about 4 times and I did not want to pay $24 for lotion. Also, it took about an hour & fifteen minutes - which is longer than I normally need for a mani/pedi.
Still, overall, a good deal. -
Review from Linh D.
Union City, CA
6/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bought a groupon for one of my gf bday gift to try it. Kept her company while she has her mani and pedi. They werent able to fit me in because they only had three technicans and already two working on another two.
While observing the technican working on friend's hands I noticed that she didnt look like she put time and effort to make the nails shape nicely. She slight chipped the nail during filing and didnt do anything to fix it other than trying to file the chipped nail off.
Drying the nails was a different thing, they could at least invested in some better heating and drying methods than a portable small fan that freezed her hands after awhile.
One of the technican claimed that their shop has been in the location for over 8 years, if so, they really need to think about redoing the place to make it more nicer and more equiped. I understand the shop is located within a clothing shop and maybe some remodeling would affect the store, but at least have better portable equipment if installation of certain equipment is not allowed.
Just the design of the area for the salon was a bit tacky. It looked like you were sitting on a extra ledge of bathroom tiles as a sitting area. Slippers werent included if you didnt bring any for your pedicure. Normally the salons would provide some disposable colorful floppy slippers. But they didnt, they were selling the regular beach slippers in different colors, didnt catch how much it was. But all in all, at least my friend had a good time being pampered, but she probably would agree she been better salons. -
Review from kelly c.
6/28/2011
As a bday present, my friend got me a thoughtful mani/pedi groupon to Azalea. First off, I thought this was a clothing store, not a nail salon but low and behold, they have a secret area in the back for this kind of action. The day we went, it was busy. Two manicurists on site and 3 ladies in the chair so they could not fit my friend in who was a walk in. My experience here gets graphic below:
Right after a customer left, the young manicurist in her 20 takes the chair pillows and pats it down and did NOT change out the floor towel where a previous client had their feet on. I'm thinking ok..no big deal..kinda gross...
Booboo #2 The whole process was flawed. For example, she put my right hand in the water bowl but not the left. She had lathered oils on my fingertips THEN put lotion all over my hands.
Booboo #3 short hand massage that lasted a mere 5 seconds.
I like the color choices. I'm glad I didn't come out with any cuts or bleeding. Gave a $5 tip and that was that. -
Review from Lindsay W.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2011
This review is for the scary "nail salon" experience in the Z-beauty lounge in the back. The staff in front at the boutique were very pleasant.
I'm kicking myself for not reading Yelp reviews before I bought the Travelzoo special.
This "blood orange" mani-pedi was what was advertised for my voucher:
http://www.azaleasf.co...
Basically it was a horrible experience of false advertising and foulness. No hot oil massage, no hand and foot treatments, nada. I think the only thing orange about it was the cheap lotion that they tried to sell us for like $30. I really, absolutely, couldn't believe they even think of charging $58.00 for this crappy service. If I had to paid the full price, I would have tried to get my money back.
I went with a friend that bought the voucher too and we had a hard time making an appointment because they only have 2 manicurists on staff Fri-Sun. Weird. So we booked for Sunday around 5pm after some back and forth.
It is kind of an awkward seating situation because you are in the corner of a boutique and seated up high on a sort of platform that is really not comfortable. They have you put your feel in some slimy water and then use a small wobbly stool for the pedicure. Not very relaxing at all when you are trying not to knock the stool over the whole time.
The pedicure: not comfortable or relaxing (massage was like 30 seconds) but my toes looked decent at the end. I would say it compares to a very low end nail place (ie: I wouldn't pay more than $13 for it)
The manicure: Bad bad bad. Firstly, the lady chopped my nails straight off without even asking. And when I say chopped, I mean clipped so short that your fingers are sore for the next four days. My fingers look like a 5 year old's. Then, she aggressively cut my cuticles, and on one, cut my actual finger. When I said "ouch!" she ignored me and continued to butcher my bleeding cut until I had to say "OUCH!!!!" again and pull my hand away. Then she just poured some blue liquid onto the cut, pressed it in so it was burning like crazy and continued butchering the rest. Disgusting. I should have just left right then because I have had to put neosporin on my cuticles for the last few days to prevent infections.
After all this, they had the nerve to say "you should have bought more than one voucher because it is such a good deal! And you should bring your boyfriends next time!" ....What?
Moral of the story, especially if you are going to pay full price, please PLEASE take your business to Hand Job in the Castro. I think their mani-pedi is about $55 and they give you friendly service, unlimited champagne, and amazing nails at the end. -
Review from Food C.
San Francisco, CA
1/1/2012
Worst nail salon ever! Unsanitary rocks and the staff complained about having to take the shellac off that was on my nails. I would give this place zero stars if it was possible.
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Review from Tasha A.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 7/23/2011
Meh. After careful inspection of our manicures the next day we noticed that our cuticles were coming apart.
Our "buff" that we asked for on our nails turned out to be not anything like that at all- all our nails were scratched with an emory board and now look terrible. It's going to take weeks or months for my nails to grow out without having scratches on them.
The clear polish is coming off and my nails looked better before I came in.
So, even in lieu of the coupon, I still would never come back here for a manicure.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/11/2011
Um...they have a cool nail salon in the back of their boutique! It took me years and a livingsocial… Read more »
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Review from S C.
San Diego, CA
1/23/2011
This review is for a mani-pedi I purchased (through Groupon) - not for the boutique, which is actually quite nice.
I should start by saying, my nails turned out great. But the experience was pretty awful. Ambiance is meh. I made an appointment with a friend, and we arrived at the same time, but the ladies working there insisted on us going one at a time: so two ladies working on my friend, while I just sat there, and then the reverse. A bit awkward.
Then, in general the service was really rushed and rough. The woman who did my manicure tore into my cuticles with the zeal and precision of a drunk hedge trimmer and as soon as she was done she set up a fan blowing icy air at my hands.. meanwhile the other lady was offering to fish my wallet out of my bag so I could pay her before my nails were even dry! -
Review from Linna L.
4/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I think this place unfairly gets a bad reputation from previous reviewers. Would I pay the full price for my mani-pedi? No, but my experience was worth the groupon voucher that I did pay for.
When we arrived, the ladies were nice and offered us tea and water. My friend and I were worked on concurrently, so no one had to wait for the other to finish.
Pros: (1) The seats were pretty comfy. (2) The ladies were nice enough to make small talk with us about where we were from and what we did, etc. (3) The final product was pretty good. On day 4 after my manicure, my nails were strong - no chipping. (4) After our service, they let us sit around in front of the fans until we needed to go - no rushed service. (5) When we did need to go, the lady wrapped our feet in an oiled saran-wrap like material so that our toe nails wouldn't get ruined because we failed to wear open-toed shoes that day.
Cons: (1) I wouldn't have paid for this service at its usual price. (2) Even though the ladies were trying to be friendly by making small talk, I felt like it sometimes was a little too much because my friend and I were having fun in our own conversation.
I would be remiss if I did not disclose that at the beginning of our service, the lady spoke to me in Chinese and I was able to speak back to her, seemingly creating a bond of familiarity and interest. Maybe this helped? Maybe she just happened to be in a better mood that day? Who knows, but I definitely would not write this place off as a 1 star place. If another groupon opportunity arose, I probably would go back. -
Review from lily l.
San Francisco, CA
1/19/2011
Got a groupon for an all natural mani-pedi for $28.
The salon is a strange place: behind a clothing store. Got there on time for my appointment and all of the ingredients are supposedly natural. My manicurist was nice and friendly. The services were done in elevated seating and rather then a manicuring chair or station which was interesting.
Their retail is pricey but EVERYTHING at this salon is clean and disposable. even the pumice. They come as disposable pieces of adhesives attached to a handle. That was a good thing to see. They had organic nail polish which I had never seen before. I think it was because the manicures and pedicures were done in these elevated seating areas that made it hard for the ladies to get leverage to file the nails. The end results were okay though it seemed to take a very long time. I wonder about the retail prices.
There was a hard sell for the products which made me feel pressured but overall the place is fine.
Everything overall was fine. -
Review from Jordan B.
San Francisco, CA
1/12/2011
Worst mani-pedi i've ever had. Grumpy woman taking my appointment (don't scold me and my roommate for waiting til the deadline of our groupons, just tell us when you're open!), uncomfortably lukewarm and shallow water keeping my feet cold rather than relaxed, a little lotion smearing but no real massage (though they tried to get me to pay $10 more for 10 minutes), really uneven polish, and a rushed feeling the whole time. Glad i paid half price. Will not go back.
That said, the man at the front desk was lovely. -
Review from Sofia H.
6/5/2011
I go to Hayes Valley maybe once or twice a year and always make it a point to stop in here.
They have a nice selection of denim and if you go at the right time you can score a great pair for an excellent price.
The jewelry seems to be on the steep side but I'm sure it's all handmade and of the finest materials.
I do like the re-usable shopping bags....nice touch.
Nail salon in the back of the store is a bid odd, but convenient for those that want a one-stop-shop. -
Review from Jordana C.
San Francisco, CA
7/28/2011
Store has great stuff, this review is for the Nail Salon only, it was awful! I agree with the previous yelper and would NOT recommend or go back even with a coupon.
I had a travel zoo discount and was really excited about relaxing and getting my mani/pedi last Saturday. The seats were OK (no massage built in, we'll live), but the position in which you have to rest your feet was just super uncomfortable. I kept moving to make it better, but that's not a good idea when you are getting your toes painted :)
The pedicure took almost an hour and I was scared I was going to be late for dinner and had to say something. I could completely see them taking 3 hours if given the time as mentioned by the other yelper.
Hence, after my pedicure, the manicure went much faster and was done very haphazardly. Cuticles were barely cut. It is four days later and you would never know I had a manicure as the paint on my nails is completely chipping off.
Go to Azalea to shop a, not for the nail salon. -
Review from Dave S.
12/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
My favorite place in San Francisco to buy mens jeans. Good selection and helpful staff. They tend to sell many brands that you won't find in Bloomingdales or Barney's (Kasil Demin, etc).
They do hem jeans but takes 4 or 5 days to get them back. Easier to go to a tailor with same day service.
Prices are high, but they seem to have often sales. Today ALL jeans where 30% off, which made for some good purchases. -
Review from Annie M.
San Francisco, CA
10/12/2010
I came here for jeans and left super-satisfied. My salesperson (I didn't get her name, but she was a petite, funky asian girl if that narrows it down) was fantastically helpful, translating my vague "I want skinny jeans that aren't too skinny, you know?" preferences into several denim selections that made my behind look divine and my legs look looong (an impressive feat given my short inseam).
Even better, based on my feedback on her initial choices, she found even more options and slid them, unobtrusively, under the door of my changing room. I was swimming in a sea of skinny jeans! I was paddling in a pool of pants!
I left with a great pair of DL1961 jeans that I'm looking forward to wearing post-hemming (see: short inseam). They have a current offer where, if you bring in a pair of old jeans that are still in a wearable condition (since they'll be donating them to charity), you get 20% off your denim purchase. Also they have generous sales where denim is marked down by 50%.
At the checkout, I received a red fabric tote bag, emblazoned with 'Azalea' on the front. The shopgirl told me that, if I bring in the bag the next time I purchase something, I automatically get 5% off. Sweet! I'll definitely be coming back soon :). -
Review from Lydia T.
Philadelphia, PA
12/15/2010
Rating is for ONLINE and PHONE INTERACTION ONLY. I live in Philly.
Corey was a pleasure to work with over the phone. Very courteous and helpful.
And just to say, a lot of people are ragging on the prices in this boutique....have you never shopped at a boutique?? That is their nature to be more expensive, go to Target if you want suggested retail prices.
Thanks!! -
Review from Tiffany L.
San Francisco, CA
3/8/2011
I bought my winter coat here and I LOVE IT. The sales are excellent if you come at the right time. I was able to get a winter coat AND a shirt for my fiance for under $100. My shopping buddies were also able to pick up coats for under $100! I totally loved the sale and they had a decent amount of merchandise. I did however see some things I owned that I paid way less for, but thats always hard for shops to keep up with.
I did get yelled at for eating a macaron. It's been awhile since I got berated for eating food in a store. I was a little surprised but I agree with the other reviews - service was kinda off. I didn't feel super welcome, I felt like they wanted me, my friends, and our box of delicious paulette macarons out of the store! -
Review from Shannon B.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2010
YET another Groupon purchase (I'm on a roll lately)...
Made an appointment for the Z Nail Salon a few days ahead for the Sunday before Christmas in the hopes of gettin' my nails all done up to last through the holidays. The gentleman on the phone was very polite and helpful.
Showed up right on time and found my way back to salon. The ladies welcomed me by name and gave me a place to put my things. They settled me in to one of the seats and then fussed over the pillows to make sure I was comfortable. They gave me some nice warm green tea, which I definitely needed after the cold walk.
I was glad to see that they use individual giant bowls for each patron, keeping everything very sanitary. They brought over magazines--"This one is brand new!"--and kept complimenting me (I'm a sucker for flattery). The lotions and whatnot smelled tropically delicious.
I agree with my sister that I wish they had UV lights for drying my nails instead of fans (I knocked one of my fingers against the fan and messed up a nail - whoops!) but otherwise I am very satisfied. My finger polish lasted 5 days before it really started chipping and my toes still look nice nearly 2 weeks later. I would definitely recommend this place, but MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. With the Groupon business they are very busy, and I had to watch them turn away some walk-ins. Frankly I respect that as it shows they know their capacity and give preference to appointments.
Value: 3 stars (it's pricey if you don't have a coupon, but I think you get what you pay for)
Service: 5 stars
Ambiance: 4 stars -
Review from chris o.
San Francisco, CA
5/7/2011
I used a Groupon coupon to get the blood orange mani-pedi, and I think the only think blood-orange about it was the citrus scent on the lotion. The staff for the boutique was knowledgable and friendly, and at first the nail technicians were pleasant. However, they were not that organized. First one person was in charge, then another.
I did like the stone foot soak.
I was treated fine until two more customers came in, then I had the feeling of being rushed through my appointment. The thought crossed my mind that because I was using a coupon I wasn't getting the best treatment. The session was ok: I got the mani - pedi and later, in the sun, noticed a few streaks of poilsh on my finger, and a slightly uneven application of the second coat. I am not a big 'nail person' and it's a treat to get a mani-pedi, but I probably will want to try another place the next time. -
Review from Ligaya T.
San Francisco, CA
3/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
My friend's voice rose nearly an octave when she heard I hadn't been to Azalea. Hayes Valley... I'm thinking intimate, overpriced hipyuppie boutique with solid duds and snooty sales folks. In every way but the staff, the stereotypes were spot on. For innovative designers and cutting edge fashion, keep walking, friends. Instead, you'll find easy browsing for both guys and gals in the likes of Ted Baker, James Perse, Michael Stars and other such safe brands. A few Helmut Lang pieces were the only things that got me salivating. As for denim, the selection featured a surprising range...
On the hunt? A few things to keep in mind when jean shopping:
- Flashing pube bone and whale tails are inexcusable.
- Is a second person required to peel them off?
- Does your ass look magnificent?
- Is a hemming necessary?
- Will I have an awful case of VPL (visible panty line)? Shout out to Caro S for that one!
None of these I uttered aloud. Instead I said, "skinny, mid-rise and dark rinse in 28, please" while eying the Cheap Mondays. A floppy-haired, hipster salesboy named Bryan gave a self-assured point to a pair of Sevens which I quickly disregarded as flat-bum, white girl jeans. Two Mondays, one Nudie, three random but expensive pairs later and no closer to my goal I tried 'em on for the hell of it. Somehow denim whiz kid had intuited all my concerns and sized me up in like point two seconds, because the jeans fit so incredibly well, I swallowed the $200 price tag.
I'm still confused about the nail salon in the back though!?Listed in: Give the Gift of Stuff
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Review from Tom L.
San Francisco, CA
2/15/2006
Buyer beware! I had previously bought a pair of jeans at full price, but first inquired if they had any upcoming sales, to which the co-owner giggled and smilingly replied "Oh, we don't have sales. We get too much stuff!" (huh?) Of course, a few weeks later practically the whole store is 40% off. Plus, I can tell from earlier Yelp reviews referencing sales that this was a bald-faced lie.
In an act of magnanimous stupidity I returned. This time they sold me a pair with a manufacturing defect without telling me or labeling it as such and after directing me into a dark bathroom to try them on. When I tried to take them back, the comically immature manager looked me in the eye and insisted they're supposed to be like that -- a sewing error that creates a massive flap over the crotch and down the left leg -- because "the front is all wrinkly anyway." I politely asked her to compare it to another pair and she feigned searching but could not produce one.
It's partially my fault for buying them on sale (for the low low price of $120) and letting them talk me into altering them on the spot. But in this kind of a situation, with an obviously defective product and a super-premium price, as a repeat customer I would have expected to have been treated with a little more respect and been offered some type of consideration, such as an at-cost replacement or discount on a future purchase. Instead I was lied to, treated disdainfully and met with intransigence.
I suggest you try one of the other dozen-odd boutiques in the city that carries the same stuff, but (hopefully) with better customer service.
P.S. I already know I'm a tool for repeatedly paying three figures for pants in the first place. All the more reason to keep me as a customer though, don't you think? -
Review from Wakako U.
San Francisco, CA
3/4/2007
It should be a crime to jack up prices as much as Azalea. You can't fool me.
Azalea had this one jacket for $325. Other boutiques sold the same jacket for $150. -
Review from Steven H.
New York, NY
4/24/2009
Having probably been most affected by this economic downturn out of my close circle of young Republican friends, I don't get to do much shopping, personal grooming, or designer drugs these days. However, this doesn't mean that Azalea is completely out of my itinerary any time I'm in San Francisco.
It's true, the recession has forced me to toss lower value gold coins into wishing wells and, yes, downgrading from girlfriend-experience-escorts to something a little more casual hasn't been a treat either, but I'll still go to Azalea if I ever need a nice coat or some fine ladies to oggle.
To preface, my sister does work here, but since we haven't spoken since she was born, I wouldn't consider myself biased. This fact does, however, give me older brother rights to hit on and subsequently seduce all of her coworkers by uttering 'oink oink' to them every time they walk by (like AC Slater, except in the most neo-Freudian sense).
Also, if I were a girl, I'd totally shop here. In the late 80's, women had it good. They were only responsible for things like flower arranging, learning to play the harp, and giggling politely at her husband's friends' dinner party jokes. But, now that they're voting, driving, and appearing at all sorts of events in public, they need a flexible wardrobe to accommodate their fast-changing lifestyle. Azalea is definitely go-to spot for this purpose.
A more real-life example of Azalea's awesomeness is when I was interning for this high-fashion magazine, and I had to get two copies of the unpublished Harry Potter book for my boss' twins. Azalea totally had them in stock and the ladies there also gave me a makeover so that my boss would be impressed. But, then my chef girlfriend broke up with me for not being true to myself :( -
Review from Smiley H.
Millbrae, CA
3/10/2011
i got a travelzoo coupon here for mani and pedi. Really good deal.
making the appointment was not a problem.
my friend and i showed up right on time and my lady was 15 min late.
those two ladies are very nice but they were talking way too much amongst themselves. While they were talking my lady cuts my finger with the cuticle cutter. It wouldn't stop bleeding. Hello! stop talking!
i would not come back here. There are way better places to get a mani and pedi in the city. The polish wasn't even that nice. i can see the layers and i had black nail polish put on. what is that?
very disappointing. -
Review from Veronica V.
San Jose, CA
1/13/2010
If you are like me you hate navigating the mall, hate parking in those annoying structures and the way they make you feel trapped, either because you know it's going to end up being an exorbitant 30 bucks or because when you are finally ready to leave all of the terrible drivers are leaving too and they always forget to pay before leaving causing a clusterfuck at the exit.
That said, I try to shop anywhere that is walking distance and when looking for some holiday wear for the guy in my life I walked over to Azalea for a quick and painless transaction. Azalea has a nice assortment of brands and fabrics which lean on the monochromatic dark and neutral side. Of course, in a place like this the salespeople are attentive and it reminds me of when I worked at Diesel so thinking back to those days makes me conscious of the role of the salesperson so I'm not too bothered when I am followed around the store.
Sales guy shows me the Naked & Famous Blue Oxford Slimshirt and there you go...
Ladies, do yourself a favor and buy your man a Naked & Famous Blue Oxford Slimshirt or the Linen Slub Oxford! The fit is perfect while the 8oz. fabric has a great feel and silhouette. Pair this with some dark Levi's or some gabardine slacks and a skinny tie and you are set for the bar or the company party.
Understated.
Nice.Listed in: Lower Haight/Hayes Valley: The…
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Review from Liz K.
2/24/2010
Well I clearly should have read the Yelp reviews for the nail "salon" before I ventured in today. Whoops. There went 26 bucks.
I decided to treat my hands during lunch after an intense meeting of note taking today. I walked in, checked in at the counter, and was told they could get me done now. Sweet.
I'd been in to Azalea before and had seen the "salon" area, so I wasn't shocked like some people. It's still pretty janky though... hence the "salon". I picked my color from an impressive and well organized selection of OPI and Essie and some other brands I don't know so I don't use. Then I waited. For 25 minutes. To me, that does not constitute "we can help you NOW". Granted, there were two nail techs there, both helping a girl with a mani/pedi, so I sorta understood why I was waiting... until the one who I thought was working on her hands got up and had me start. Um, the other girl's nails were painted or finished... so, what were you doing over there for 25min while I read a People Mag and watched the clock?? Not sure.
The actual manicure experience was okay - She just filed my nails and cleaned up my cuticles, gave me the sugar scrub that comes with the Z manicure, a little massage with some decent smelling lotion, and hot towels. At this point I had forgotten how long I had waited since I was enjoying myself. She painted 'em up and once I deemed I was dry enough I packed up and paid up. At this point, I was thinking, wow! Great experience! I'll give you a good tip - 20%ish of 18 bucks, so $4 tip, $22 total.
Apparently I gave a REALLY good tip since my brain had a malfunction and I said "make it for $24", just thinking about the four dollars... and when I signed my credit slip I realized I gave her a SIX DOLLAR TIP on 18 bucks!!! I didn't really let it get to me until I walked outside into the light and started to get a better look at the paint job...
...uneven, doesn't reach the cuticles (strange squiggly tops), and there is paint ON my cuticles and fingertips. Um, I can do this to myself at home, thank you very much.
And yes, the surroundings are not great. I'm glad I didn't get a pedi 'cause my tush would have been complaining about that pillow/tile seating.
So, lesson learned for today? Stick to the plan and read the reviews before you go!Listed in: Seeking the best in Pedicures,…
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Review from Amanda B.
8/18/2010
************* REVIEW 236 ****************
Went here for the Yelp event & the clothes were chic, casual, but everything seems bigger. I'm used to more form fitting outfits.
Beside men & women clothes, they have shoes, accessories, jewelry, skincare, bath products & more.
The store is spacious, clean. well displayed. What my favorite selections are "Happy Socks" & jewelry. I bought a few pairs that was on sales 50%, you can't beat that.
I got to come back for that gold necklace Dylan was showing me, he was so helpful.
Oh & there's a bathroom here, & so it's perfect to shop without holding it up!
