Viracocha

The hippest place in the Mission!
Part antique shop and part speakeasy. Not sure if they actually sell their typewriters. I came here on a wonderful Thursday night for some live music and to recharge my inner Mission hipster. What is the point of yuppie life besides going to cool places that your friends haven’t yet discovered?
There’s normally a small cover ($ 5 cash only) for the downstairs performance area. The music isn’t for everyone but it’s definitely unique and interesting.

Love this space. It’s so unique. We randomly walked in and really liked the space. They had some musicians performing that evening — cool sounds and just amazing vibe with the wood downstairs room.

This place is pretty mysterious ;). It’s been there for several years, but so many people who pass by it every day don’t even know it’s there. When it’s closed, it’s pretty much impossible to notice. It’s kind of a beer/​wine bar but also a store but also a music venue but also has some other events sometimes. The aesthetic is a really fun reclaimed wood sort of thing, and they do it really well. The underground venue is where they usually have shows ranging from jazz to country to classical. It’s a very intimate space, with a small bar at the back and a really great vibe. I always enjoy coming here!

I miss the projects on 16^th (best place to score crack… sigh).
…But now we get places such as Viracocha: Part antique/​curio shop, part bar, part performance venue.
I just so happened to be entertaining some friends from out of town and had just wanted to show them how the mission had changed for the good/​bad when we happened upon Viracocha. We walked in had a drink, or two, and headed downstairs to see a performance.
What a thoroughly awesome place. I highly recommend stopping by or seeing if they have any great shows… very eclectic by the way.

Stumbled upon this place on a Friday. From the outside its so warm and inviting that we were drawn in. The store is in the front of the location, wine bar in back and music venue downstairs. The staff was welcoming and let us check out the music before paying so that we could decide if we wanted to stay. (cover was $ 10 that night). The crowd was chill. They serve wine/​beer. Wines were $ 8+ and Beer was $ 5+. Quite affordable. Definitely a great place for a date night or just relaxed night out with friends. We didnt shop but it was kindof dark inside at night to really see around but I definitely will go back during the day to take another look.

DO NOT BRING YOUR TYPEWRITER HERE FOR REPAIR — THEY WILL STEAL IT.
I brought my early 1900s Corona flip top typewriter here in September, 2014. After a few weeks I called to find out if it could be repaired, and had a lot of trouble getting had of Duo. When I finally got him after calling every day for a week he said he was still looking for the part he needed. And since then, almost eight months ago now, I have not heard anything from him. I’ve left dozens of messages, gone in countless times, left notes with the other people at the store, and I’ve never gotten any information at all. As far as I can tell, he’s just stolen it from me. Who knows maybe that’s where they get all the typewriters they sell.

Great place for acoustic music, beer and wine. Check it out.

Negative two stars for the shit world music downstairs. jesus god. i beg you and all your Berkeley white ladies singing world music – stfu.
Upstairs all is great. 5 stars. John is an amazing visionary.

I walked through the store front and was consumed with the aroma of teak and cedar wood. I felt I was transported into hipsterville. There was a very sexy doorman, a live pianist/​singer/​trumpet player with an enchanting growl in his voice, a beer and wine bar and a downstairs theater with great acoustics. And lastly, one of the best bathrooms I’ve ever been in. Let’s just say I took longer than necessary to lounge around.

This is a beautiful store and hidden gem in the Mission. I went with a friend to see their friend Graham play piano and trumpet. He was playing them both at the same time! Very talented guy. The Knights of Revery were about to start a show downstairs and I am planning to come back with a bunch of friends to see that show. The downstairs theater is intimate with brick and lounge tables and christmas lights. These are the kinds of things that make the Mission so special!

Everything cool in SF happens in basements. It’s fun to explore the curio upstairs amongst ancient albums my dad used to have (The original cast recording of South Pacific), but I come here for the live events down below. In this intimate space with wine and beer bar, you are so close to the action it’s like you’re in the performer’s living room, except so much cooler. The history isn’t just on the walls, you can feel it in your bones. And smell it in the air. I’d come for just about any show I can imagine, but had a blast seeing Ask Dr. Hal. Stories, crazy video, the works. Go here.

This place is so much fun. Have been here several times. It’s funny — looking at first few photos, looks like a night club only. I only know it as a cool vintage clothing/​magazine/​music store. My favorite time is when the black cat is sleeping in the vintage tub. Not sure if that happens all the time or if that was a 2x thing. Love it here. Plus — it’s right across the street from Herbivore and around corner from Jay’s Cheesesteak — where I get awesome vegan meals.

This is my favorite music venue in the Mission. They often have jazz, folk, singer songwriter, rock music, acoustic, etc. The music is in the wood paneled room in the basement.
I am just hoping they can make this place profitable. If it closes, I will cry.

There aren’t enough AMAZING things to say about this place.
The owner (s) really put all their heart and soul into it, from the gorgeous woody basement space I’ve seen quite a few book readings and musical performances in, and the carefully selected merchandise.
LOVE the renovations they made this summer as well: The wooden swing! The new stage! The bar! It is an absolutely breathtaking space that truly has one of a kind things to see, experience, and take home with you.
It’s an understated gem in a neighborhood full of trend. Obviously made possible by wonderful WRITERS, ahem.
Don’t miss this place!

I think you might need to be a 20-​something hipster with a sizable trust fund and a lot more tolerance than I have for all things artsy fartsy to properly appreciate this store, or whatever it actually is.
I made the mistake of going into Viracocha thinking it was a retail store. At first my suspicions were validated, as I saw price tags attached to the soooper-​pricey hipster jewelry in the case. It was all rather predictable for the space, in line with many other «local» and «artisan» jewelry lines sold in the neighborhood. The prices struck me as a bit inflated for what the items were, but then, I’m sure I just «didn’t get it» and was missing out on the extra value added by cool points.
I looked around a bit in the semi-​dark space, trying to discern through the clutter what all was actually around me… and lo and behold, I saw many vintage typewriters! Since I grew up typing voraciously on my mother’s old school typewriter, I felt immediately sentimental and inquired on the price of one of the beautiful old machines. A young gentleman with a handlebar mustache responded that that particular machine wasn’t for sale, since it needed to be fixed. Okay, fair enough… although why, then, was it on their sales floor?
So I inquired about the machine next to it, and was informed that that typewriter, while not broken, was also not for sale. Hrmmph.
It was at this moment that I realized there was no point in trying to shop in a store where nothing I was interested in was actually for sale, so I left.
I haven’t been back to Viracocha and can’t envision a scenario where I might return. It turns out that I’m not really all that into «high-​concept» arty shopping experiences. I guess I’m old-​fashioned that way.

Another prime example of the «weird Valencia store where I can’t figure out what exactly it is that they sell and how they stay in business». Seriously. I get that the back room sells books (lots of classic titles, yay!) but the front end? I could not distinguish between the merchandise to be sold and the furniture used to display the merchandise. This and the pirate store (also on Valencia) are baffling yet intriguing to me.

Viracocha is truly the most epic venue and space that I have been to in this city.
There is something innately beautiful, genuine, and absolutely stunning about this special spot.
From the energy, to the carefully thought out accents which grace it, to the staff, to the music which moves like silk throughout this wondrous business — Viracocha is mysteriously and preciously — perfect.
I am in love.
Trust.

Quirky store. Looks like vintage typewriters are the new fixies and Viracocha’s got a bunch of ‘em. They’ve also got a giant black cat walking around and a live piano player (at least on weekends). It wasn’t always obvious what was for sale vs display, but like Paxton Gate this one is a must see…

Now this is what the Nission is all about. The shop is an assorted mishmash of antiquities and fine items from a decidedly unmodern age. It’s almost like a general store, since you can expect to find everything from hand salves and eyeglasses to vintage typewriters and books of poetry. I think I spotted a sewing machine and a lantern. The point is you’re going to discover some gem once you step inside.
But in itself, I’d maybe give this concept 4 stars. The real reason it’s unabashedly 5 shiny reds is because of the downstairs event space. It’s almost carnivalesque in feel, maybe old timey? Definitely intimate, perhaps like a Greenwich Village coffeeshop from yesteryear? I had the chance to see a dublit (
) reading and performance here the other night, and it was a knock-​out. Will be bck again, real soon.
Oh, and I looked up Viracocha and was happy to find out «he» was the Incan Creator of Civilization. Very nice.

I suppose it almost feels sinful to give this place any less than everyone else’s 5 stars and I must admit that it is a very cool joint that’s both unique and mysterious … but I just can’t get myself to say this is the BEST of this type of place I’ve ever been to. So here it is, a 4 star.
However, this is not to say that this place is most definitely worth your time. From the moment you step in the door and see the red bathtub with a «I don’t give a %^!@$» kitty sleeping next to a Marilyn Monroe portrait, you already know that this is going to be fun. There’s dramatic piano music ringing throughout the small, space which you eventually find out to be an actual, antique looking pianist whose tip jar resembles the peanut guy.
It is filled with antiques, but more so, very unique antiques such as old-​world type writers, desks, tables, chairs, strange objects you can only think of finding on Riley’s Believe It or Not, and some modern flares like letterpress stationary.
This spot is undoubtedly entertaining and will probably keep you fascinated for a long time to come.