On a sunny Friday afternoon, I stopped in the Castro to chat with Jennifer Meyer, owner and founder of Local Take. A gallery gift store featuring all local artists and designers, Local Take has two locations: one in the Castro and one in the Inner Sunset. It all started when Jennifer Meyer fell in love with San Francisco after taking a trip to visit her aunt and in 1999, she packed all her things and drove to California from Ohio.
“I worked in corporate retail for a bit but that was really soul sucking. I wanted to see people’s needs and wants rather than deciding their fate from a home office.”
Luckily, she manifested the change she needed and after a few years running her own pop up stores, Jennifer opened Local Take in 2013. When Jennifer moved to San Francisco, she picked up on how much creative work was present. After befriending many artists, she saw the need for creating outlets for local artists.
“I wanted to do something for my community - start a place where local art could come to live.”
The shop now comprises work from over 100 local artists. Jennifer tells me that whereas in the past, she used to go looking for artists to be featured in her store, she now receives over 10 submissions a week. Jennifer Meyer’s initial love for San Francisco’s art scene has propelled her small business into the creative outlet she sought out.
Stop by Local Take to pick up some local art and support this small business online or at their 2 locations!
-Valentine Batra