Beadissimo

I am SO disappointed that this business is no longer open… I definitely did not visit this hip little bead store enough. Damn.
I loved the open, airy feel to this store. I also loved how you could just purchase whatever you wanted, then hop onto one of their tables in the back and use all of their tools, and knowledgeable staff, to shape your next project. They always had such unique and funky pieces, and even though I couldn’t ever afford to buy everything I wanted, it was still fun to browse.
They also had some really amazing classes offered, and I had been meaning to sign up for one. Oh well.

I’m saddened that Beadissimo has closed. I’ll miss you!
PS — If you set up shop anywhere in the city, I’ll come buy your beads. You don’t need the biggest, prettiest Valencia St. space. Get a closet on Eddy… I’ll be there! :)

I just went to check it out and unfortunately it closed…

Jewelry gurus should heat straight here: the staff is extremely knowledgeable about all things jeweled (and hemmed – I’ve had them do tailoring on a beaded dress before).
After all, where else can you walk in having lost one half of an earring pair, and turn the remaining earring into a lovely, willowy, necklace– within 5 minutes: new sterling silver chain, jump, clasp and all?! At the whopping cost of $ 5?!
I dare you, find me a better place than this for such a task.
P. S. Just made trip # 2 to this joint, and they fixed a necklace that had come unhinged/​unclasped (who knows what the hell happened) FOR FREE. It was closing time and it required the use of only one pair of pliers (and I think it was subtly suggested that this was tantamount to re-​sewing a button on a shirt, something I ought to feel free to try at home next time), but I appreciated this place all the more.
Fix your jewelry here. They people know what they’re doing. Which is fantastic because I sure don’t.

5 stars.
First of all the staff is very well learned in the ways of beading. If you have a design problem or not too sure on how to finish a project, Beadissimo staff can help. If you need some serious attention then the classes rock.
Second of all the place is a creative space. Beadissimo is clean and the beads are beautiful. My favorite beads are the larger semi precious stone selection. They make very eye catching center pieces.
Thirdly their prices are not that bad. The tool selection is the best tool selection in the city. Metal working tools, wire working tools, PMC molds etc… and for a very good price. The Precious Metal Clay (PMC)prices also are excellent. I once called all the bead stores in the bay area to compare PMC prices and found that Beadissimo’s prices were best beyond compare.
Last of all they have a work table. This can be used at no charge. If I want to sit all day and work on a piece I can do that. If I need extra beads or want to add a different element to my piece –the beads are right there.
Great stuff.
Hooray for Beadissimo!

If you need a clasp, a catch, a clamp, a clench (everybody needs a clench), a fastening or maybe even a grapple, hasp, pin or snap, Beadissimo just might have it. And they’re also really, really nice too.
I’m not really a bead guy, but you know them hippies are all right with me (p.s., I spent a couple years acting like one less the BO).
Put a little Berkeley in your Mission day gents and gals.

So I started a new hobby that I’m totally obsessed with… and beadissimo is my new hangout. I know nothing about making jewelry. well maybe alittle… I used to make hemp necklaces in «high» school, but I want to make really nice pieces. pieces that I would actually spend money on.
This store is really beautiful! Alot to look at especially for a newbie like me. I start to get overwhelmed and wonder if the things I’m picking out are gonna work… guess what .the owner… who is so nice and helpful totally clears things up and tells you what you need! I have had other hobbies.(i.e knitting). before and when your new to a craft and you might have questions that are very simple alot of times you will get attitude from the oldtimers. I never felt that there. I liked her so much that I sign up for a class. fun fun! and I look forward to many more classes .they do offer alot. Things are a bit pricey. but I’m all about helping out the mom and pop stores. especially when they are friendly, helpful and nice! They also have a work area in the store so if your in the middle of a project and need help or need help getting started you can sit and go to work.

Well, I have to admit that I’m very partial to this place because I took a class here last summer that changed my life. I’m now at the point where stores are wanting to buy my work and I would not be where I am today without Beadissimo and the lovely, and very talented owner, Kate. Yes, Beadissimo is a little expensive. However, if you are a long term customer there is a frequent buyer card and the fact that many times Kate will help you with your pieces for free when she could be charging you. The classes here are amazing. I’ve only taken them with Kate, but I can tell you the woman is very nice, funny, and is a fountain of knowledge about jewelry. Try asking her a question she doesn’t know the answer to. Very tough.

Seriously, the first ten times or so that I walked past this place I thought the sign said BREADissimo and I would get all excited only to run in and discover that there was not even a baguette to be found.
Now that I live in the Mission, I walk past this store nearly every day and I just find that I resent it. If you are the type of person who prefers beads to bread (WTF??), then I guess this is the place for you. My partner’s crafty mom stopped in here and bought a handful of beads that she described as «rare finds». So… uh… great! At least they’re Atkins-​approved.
Personally, I’d much rather find me a rare pumpernickel. So if anyone would like to open up Breadissimo on Valencia Street, they can have my firstborn.

This place was suggested to me by the nice people at Imagiknit as a place where I could find beads for the fringe of a shawl I’m knitting. I wandered over there last Monday. I was not greeted as I came in (it seems when you really need help, no sales people are around and when you are just browsing and don’t want to be bothered, they’re all over you), so I looked around and found two women sitting at a table in the back making some jewelry and sorting beads. Finally I got their attention and one of them troubled herself to point me towards seed beads and a needle and some string. Of course, this turned out to be a much bigger project than I had expected and so I asked the same girl to check the stock in the back for more stuff, and she seemed more willing once she realized that I was going to be spending upwards of $ 50. Anyways, it seemed a pretty poor selection, and I was not able to get all the tings I needed for my project, so I’m going to have to hunt around at other places.
Minus one and a half stars for lack of service.
Minus one half star for lack of product.

I have been to a bazillion bead stores in my life, and have yet to find the «perfect» one — that I would give five stars to. However every store has its pros and cons, and I thought I’d go through and list those for some of the SF bead stores I frequent. For Beadissimo:
Pros: It’s a clean, well-​organized, welcoming place. It’s on Valencia in an urban-​hip area of town, and there are lots of friendly people out and about enjoying the neighborhood coffee shops, restaurants, etc. Beadissimo doesn’t have a huge bead selection, but they do have plenty of stuff. It’s also comfortable inside, with areas to bead and places to sit down. Huge windows with tons of light. It’s nice to be inside. To me though, what they excel in is their class lineup… you can take one-​day classes on a huge array of jewelry-​making projects/​skills… from basic beading to elaborate chain making to light metal-​smithing. I’ve taken a couple of their classes, and definitely got my money’s worth, between the teachers’ skill, the facilities and the provided materials. They have a nice website that lists their class calendar and always seems up to date.
Cons: It would just have to be the size of their selection of beads. They do have a certain amount of the usual lineup (standard beads), and then a decent sized area of more exotic/​ethnic beads… and a pretty decent selection of silver beads that you buy by the ounce. So it’s not like they have no selection — it’s just not a place that I would make as a destination spot, if I were wanting to do a serious update of my bead stash. It’s more the kind of place I’d go if I were in the neighborhood and would then get spontaneously inspired to take on some new project… or I would go there to sign up for one of their many fascinating-​looking classes.

This is a great little space, I could spend hours here just browsing all the beads. Classes are fun too. The beads are a bit more on the expensive side like most bead shops. I prefer getting my beads at expos… soooo CHEAP. But if I’m feeling creative, Beadissimo is a good substitute until the next expo rolls around. Friendly and attentive staff too.

It’s welcoming and comfortable here. You can start or finish your jewelry at a table in the shop. However, I agree with others on Unilocal that I wish it were less expensive. If you’re not careful with your tray while walking around the shop. you could easily amass hundreds of dollars and then wonder at home why all of that only amounted to a handful or two of beads – which might make you wish you’d bought some expensive necklaces made by someone else. You can only exchange for store credit.
I rarely wear jewelry and never tried to make it until walking into a bead store last month. This is a friendly spot, but if I were to continue the habit I’d have to look online or at less expensive shops to shop for supplies. But I’d probably still come for for a class or to get supplies on a whim.

mum and stepmum took various classes here and both of them make me the most fabulous baubles. so my reasons were entirely selfish for venturing into this dungheap called the ‘Mission” to purchase gift certificates for my personal jewelers. lesson learned: ASK FIRST. both ladies informed me that Beadissimo’s selection of beads were not as vast as other sources (they swear by an online site where they get Swarovski crystals) and they are pricey to boot. mummy says she only got enough beads to make a bracelet w/​out a matching necklace. Lord forbid, the humanity, how ever will she survive. some people should learn the meaning of «it’s the thought that counts.»
btw: the bracelet mum made was gorgeous

I’ve been beading for about 5 years now … and there are very few bead stores that I would consider to be … good. I generally rate my beads stores on three things:
1. friendliness of staff — like when I walk in the door do I feel like I’m invading the cool zone — or that I’m welcomed into somone’s home?
2. Selection of need-​to-​have stuff — as a jewelry maker I tend to purchase most of my large quantity purchases on line or wholesale. A bead shop to me has to have good stock of the basics — tools, chain, wire, findings … so if I run a little short I don’t have to wait a week to get what I need in the mail.
3. Classes — THIS is actually the most important thing to me. I started making jewelry in a beginning class. I continue because I’m able to keep learning new and different techniques.
I rate Beadissimo 5 stars across the board. They’re smart and friendly and welcoming … and I feel at home whenever I walk in the door.

There is a bead store in New Orleans that is simply amazing. Their staff and selection is beyond words and whenever I am there I stock up on everything I can afford.
When I can’t afford to get out to NO, I usually order my supplies online, but sometimes I don’t have the patience to wait and I go to various bead stores in the city.
Beadissimo is well spaced out, but overpriced and their selection is lacking. The items they have are nice, and they follow trends well, but I always leave disappointed.

Kate is the Funkqueen of Universe! She rocks!
This place is way too cool for words. I love the staff and Kate is a Goddess of all things Beads! I’ve taken sevAn then of course there’s Kate, she’s awesome, creative, smart, talented and she loves showing you how to bead. The trunk shows are amazing if you can get to one, go for the great selection of new beads, it’s amazing. I missed the pajama party which looked like fun and there are the bead brunches on Sunday– both of these events give you a 10% on your bead purchase. which is my only reservation, beading can be a little pricey!

I am not much of an Arts and Craft kinda guy. But damn, I couldn’t help but look at some of this stuff and be like «if I put these beads with these beads and have this as a centerpiece thingy, it wouldn’t look half bad»
Too bad I wasn’t gonna pay no money for it.
My friend, who had a $ 20 gift certificate for some reason, got a few things though.
Pretty cool place if you’re into this kinda stuff.
Oh yeah, it looked like they did classes and such in the back too.

I get it, like Bellissimo. But kind of boring. As a bead store, you could have gone in soooo many more exciting directions. Wasted opportunity. Bead me up, Scotty. On the Beadin’ Path. Beady and the Beast. Beading Rainbow. Bead Salad. Feel the Bead. Beaditude.
Update: To Bead or Not to Bead (Eileen gave me that idea. Her store would be called Beady Ei’s.)
Update 2: Okay, I have to be fair. I finally went in and had a fun time. The ladies there are super nice and they let you use their tools. They also have nice couches to sit on. I’m still a little overwhelmed by bead world but I’m warming up to it.

I took a soldering class here and loved it. Instructor new her stuff and was sarcastic and funny. Professional setting too. Like this place more for classes and open studio than bead selection.