The Frankenart Mart

This place has been a mystery to me for years. I used to think it was for little kids, but it was open today while I was wandering, so I wandered right in. Usually, you can’t untangle art from pretentiousness, but somehow, this place manages.
Participating in their current theme «gift theater» felt like a dream. If having an experience that is completely unexpected appeals to you, please visit the Frankenart Mart. I can’t explain it. Other Unilocal reviewers can’t explain it. Even the person running the mart couldn’t explain. You just have to live it, I guess.
Someday I hope to learn why the hot dog has become an important, almost iconic figure at the Frankenart Mart. Maybe there’s a story there they haven’t told yet…

This is the type of place that will leave you thinking that maybe commerce isn’t a total loss. Bring a bunch of friends and make some cheap, silly, sausage themed art with their free to use supplies. Redeem a Free Cat Hair coupon. Or stop by on Hotdog Day (once a month) and celebrate this charmingly quixotic art gallery with a complimentary hot dog.

A beautiful example of San Francisco’s neighborhood quirkiness. Remember being a kid and making up the rules as you went along. Welcome back to that feeling at the Frankenart Mart! What a lovely departure from the concrete hills, into something completely different, curious and fantastical. It really confused me at first, but the more we took it in, interacted with our host/​curator/​artist, I started to love this place.
What is it? I don’t know. Will I go back? Absolutely!

We had lived in the neighborhood for years and years and passed this little oddball, uh, something or other, shop, museum, weirdness collector? Somehow, we never were around when it was open. Then – as usual, it takes an out-​of-​towner to discover your own city – we traipsed over there and found it open, helmed by Leslie (I think that’s her name – sorry if I’m wrong!) and her two cat assistants. She explained the place, inasmuch as it can be explained. I think it’s kind of a performance piece that rotates its focus, combined with a tongue-​in-​cheek «mart» (I wanted the hot dog shirt, but alas, sold out), combined with a DIY arts studio. We loved it and drop by every now in the same way that we drop into The Nature Company, to get a massive oxytocin hit (from art the same way as from the parrots).
Given what it must take to keep the place afloat (I hope they have Medici level sponsors), it’s quite something that the place exists, and has been around for years, and continues to do what it’s funky and wry mission in the world.
It can be easy to discount art, particular these days given what’s happening in education, but from a neuroscience lens, one way of looking at a place like Frankenart Mart is that it’s a generator of neurological states characterized by (some mix of) love, community, perspectival expansion (via the absurdist art and presentation), and hope, and to recognize that these states are physical-​informational, and that therefore they go with those who visit The Mart, affecting whatever comes next in their experience, contextualizing the next stimuli in a bigger, better, more oxytocin-​saturated frame. Just like sitting here in this café, recalling The Mart, is affecting my mood (positively), my willingness to feel «communed» with my fellow café dwellers, and more buoyed for the rest of my work day. All from a tiny shop that specializes in hot dog art!
To treat the effects of art as real, embodied, and tangible, to me, helps explain the deep importance and effect of supposedly humble shops like The Mart. Thanks, all you crazy kids.

I’d been interested to come by here for years, although I never really understood what it was. Having been, I still don’t really get it, but it is pretty neat! We stopped by and hung out for a bit with a very friendly employee & cats. I just looked around but my sister managed to buy a couple of pins. I found the layout frankly a little confusing, but overall it’s an interesting stop.

Hands-​down one of my favorite places in SF — your local one-​stop shop for cat hair, canned poetry, free hot dogs, joy, etc.

The owner reached out to me and I look forward to giving this place another try. Next time I walk by and it’s open I am definitely going to stop in.
Thanks for the messages! I look forward to coming back.

Only in SF, only in SF. On desolate Balboa Street sits a small 200 SF something storefront. We just happened onto the place which says something about why everyone should just wander now and again. From the outside you will have no idea what this place is about, but something about hot dogs drew my hungry ass inside. Once there, I asked if this was some kind of special hot dog store and she said no; instead, it is literally just a living art project. Once a month they offer free hot dogs (both kosher and vegetarian) to whomever wants one. The space is laid out with participating artists work from paintings to other multi-​media projects. From the very amateur to those who actually paint. The store literally itself is a «living» art project. The current theme is Battle and anyone can install their art on this theme in their space. All works are sold on consignment. I am not sure if the place really makes any money but kudos to the young lady who has been running the store for the past few years. Fans of the unique, art of the people, etc., should check this place out.

Eight minutes on the clock before the next 31-​Balboa bus arrives. Is there enough time? Will we make it?
Yes! My mom got her hot dog and I made an impulse buy for a sock coin purse.
What a cute, versatile space this is.

I’m smitten. I love this place so hard.

This place is ridiculously awesome.
This place is ridiculously awesome — when it’s open.
I wish I was a poet so I could write a poem and call the number on the telephone to record it. Or, that I wasn’t allergic to cats so I could hang around and purchase something and redeem my «free cat hair» offer. Really, this place is ridiculously awesome.
I can’t really explain why, so I’ll take a stab at describing it. It’s a co-​op gallery-​studio where anyone (and everyone, it seems) can contribute a work of art pertaining to a given theme. And then they can sell it in a consignment sort of fashion. For really, really, really, cheap. I know, I used «really» too much in this review.
If you aren’t already attempting to schedule a time to visit this special place, which has less-​than-​normal business hours, then … you either hate cats, creativity or free hot dogs.

Thank you Zeke for lounging in the window.
I cannot resist going into places that have adorable kitties in the window.
Frankenart Mart has not just one, but two adorable kitties (Zeke and Reuben).
The gallery itself is tiny, but full of fun art made by local artists for sale at prices that won’t break the bank (I’m talking $ 20 here). My personal favorite at the moment is the chair upholstered in stuffed animals. Although I don’t believe the chair is for sale.
This is a spot not to be missed (especially on free hot dog day).

Come for the art… Stay for Reuben and Zeke!

This place is AWESOME and I am so happy to have it in my hood. Art/​Lab/​Gallery and all around fun place + free hot dogs once a month! x Great art prices and always interesting work to see and do! Yes I said do! Go on now — GO get thee to Frankenart Mart!

This is one of those places that makes San Francisco, well, San Francisco. Unique. Different. Inspiring. Unpredictable. Smells like hot dogs sometimes. Colorful. Friendly to animals. Etc.
Located in the decided unhip-​and-​lets-​hope-​it-​stays-​that-​way Inner Richmond, Frankenart Mart is somewhat hard to describe, but whatever it is, it’s worth checking out. Often. It’s a peculiar and endearing mixture of art gallery, open mic space, cat play pen, hot dog stand and possibly advanced research think tank. It endeavors to unearth the hidden artist in all of us that we’ve buried under layers of gunk. Heck, they’ve even got a small desk there dedicated to being a workspace for people (like you, yes, you) to come in a make stuff. And then you can sell it there and make millions! So go on already — get in there, see some independent art, get inspired, and join the fun.

Could Balboa Street in the Inner Richmond be the next hip shopping district in the likes of Hayes Valley, etc? These several blocks feature the Richmond and Tekka restauraunts.
Now comes the Frankenart Mart — an «art space, project laboratory, gallery type thing» where artists and aspiring artists alike are allowed to display and hawk their wares. Watch an artist work in the «arterium,» buy some affordable art or join the fun. Or just pet a cat.