Farewell Favorites: Busvan for Bargains

900 Battery Street
For the better part of 60 years, Busvan for Bargains was San Francisco's favorite retailer of ready-to-assemble shelves, bookcases, and TV stands, as well as sofas and other furniture. For apartment dwellers and first time homeowners not yet through the salad days but ready to trade up from milk crate chic, Busvan filled the void between used items or department store junk and high end decorator furniture. Both the 72,000 square feet store on Battery Street and the smaller 244 Clement Street location were always fun and funky. Both contained unique antiques in addition to the (un)usual Busvan inventory. The family business announced its impending closure in the spring of 2002.

Both Busvan locations displayed one of the nine automatonic clowns that were totems of the Fun House at Playland at the Beach. Choose the link to see one of these amazing artifacts (583k). 

 


Copyright 2002 Hank Donat
mistersf.com home