Episode 53: Serendipity

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Serendipity’s unique blend of cards, gifts and wonderful customer service

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“My store just has so many good memories. It is just the place I love to be”.

In this episode our featured voice is Lisa Sherratt the owner of serendipity, a specialty gift and card store. Over this past year of producing this series, we have been looking for data on the impact on small businesses from the combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic collapse. Here are a few data points we've found to provide context to our interview with Lisa Sherratt.

Since San Francisco’s first shelter-in-place order on March 17 of 2020 to February 9 2021 open small businesses have dropped by over 50 percent according to new data compiled by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Between March to July of 2020 the Hamilton Project estimates that four hundred thousand small businesses nationwide closed their door permanently.

Lisa Sherratt

Lisa moved with her husband to California from Scotland in 1997, taking advantage of the passport she was born with. In 2002 she opened her first store with a partner in The Richmond, later moving to Noe Valley. Having sold that business in 2009, Serendipity opened on Valencia Street In May 2010.
Lisa moved out of SF in 2011 to Moss Beach where she resides with her husband, 2 sons (8 and 12) 3 cats, and a hamster.

Serendipity - there’s a card for that

All about Serendipity...

If you're strolling down the Mission's trendy Valencia Street, stop into Serendipity -- a shop filled with clever cards, gifts for all kinds, irresistible jewelry, unique art, delicious chocolatey treats, and bath-time indulgences (to name just a few categories).

Owner Lisa Sherratt prides herself on filling the store with the coolest staff and the best goodies by local and small makers. She also likes to support women-owned and run businesses, so you'll find a great selection supporting them! Lisa has tremendous experience knowing what to fill a shop with -- she has been running Serendipity since 2010 and before that was in Noe Valley with a small shop there.

Lisa and the Serendipity crew are more than just a team that works in a store, they frequently support local schools, The Women's Building, and the living wage Coalition. Lisa also rides for the Aids Lifecycle (2019 and 2020).

Support this Small Business

You can support Lisa and the Serendipity team by shopping in person and online.

Come on in and check out all they have to offer and get ready to buy a hilarious (and sometimes inappropriate) card or two!

Please enjoy our online shop and email us at 803valencia@gmail.com if you're looking for something in particular.

Check out our New Serendipity Surprise Gift Boxes here.

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“I think just the reminder for me of how great my vendors are and how great my customers are and how people have really, really gone out of their way to try and support us has been incredibly touching. You know, people definitely didn’t need to do the things they did. And they have worked very hard to try and keep me going in many different ways.”

— Lisa Sherratt, Owner, Serendipity

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