pancakePROFILES: Azil Boutique

Are you guys ready for the next featured small business in my holiday gift guide series? This week, I'd love for you all to learn more about to my friends at Azil Boutique. For those who may not be familiar, Azil is a charming jewelry and accessories shop located in San Francisco's Hayes Valley and Russian Hill neighborhoods. Filled with dainty and beautiful pieces, Azil is your one stop shop for the jewelry lover on your holiday list. 

I met Azil's shop owner, Liza one afternoon at the Hayes Valley location. Nestled in between a couple of my other favorite Hayes Valley gems (Chantal Guillon and Juice Shop, anyone?), Azil is home to pieces that are both simple and exquisite. From gem stones to metals, Azil's got it all. And the best part? Pieces can be custom ordered, which is awesome for people with child-sized fingers and wrists, such as myself. (Seriously guys - after my visit to Azil, I found out that my index finger was a size 4.5!). Want to learn more about Liza and her shop? Scroll below for a fun little Q&A!

What inspired you to open Azil Boutique? 

I had been creating and selling my own jewelry (Ofina) a couple years before opening Azil Boutique. I wanted to have a space where I could have a workspace and a space that showcases not only my own jewelry line but also other independent, unique lines. 

Why did you decide to open Azil in San Francisco, and what drew you to Hayes Valley?

In the early stages of my jewelry line Ofina, I traveled to all major US cities doing trade and retail shows and the was always my favorite! I fell in love with the city, people, and culture.  I love that the city really supports small business, creatives and innovators and that's when I decided to make the move.  

What's your favorite foodie spot in Hayes Valley? 

I always have to have my New Orleans iced coffee from Blue Bottle in the Linden Alley. Love to have lunch on a sunny day in the courtyard of Arlequin. 

You have another store open on Polk - why did you choose that neighborhood as your second location?

Yes, we just opened in March! I chose Russian Hill because I love the neighborhood feel of where we are on Polk Street. Compared to our clients in Hayes Valley, where the majority are visitors from around the world, the Russian Hill location allows us to hopefully build a neighborhood clientele. Russian Hill gives us that opportunity to have returning clients that we can treat as family, the kind where they can walk in and say what's new and we can show them new pieces that fit their style because we have that relationship. The Polk Street location also has a beautiful (and much bigger!) workspace overlooking a garden which helps me relax through the day. 

What's your favorite foodie spot on Polk? 

I haven't pinned down a favorite place yet, but I am fond of Amelie for wine. 

How do you gather inspiration to create jewelry?

A lot of my inspiration come from living in the city. Patterns and shapes I come across every day from the city's architecture, nature, and the individuals that live here inspire me to create pieces that I feel are a mix of modern and bohemian, chic, clean and simple lines.

And last, but certainly not least, what is your favorite pancake "flavor" and why? 

I love pancakes topped with blueberries and strawberries. Why? Because it's the only time I incorporate fruits with anything else! That's healthy, right? ;)

During my visit, I picked up a custom heart-shaped ring in silver and rose gold - a popular seller in the store. Check out a few of my holiday gift picks below - perfect pieces for the jewelry-lover on your gift list. Oh and between me and you? There might be a little giveaway on the blog soon... so you'll want to come back for that!

Rings (L-R): Monogram Ring in Silver or Gold ($42); Infinity Ring in Rose Gold ($38); Double Knot Ring in Silver ($45) // Bracelets (L-R): Simple Tube Leather Bracelet in Black ($20); Chain Leather Bracelet in Cobalt ($24); Double Druzzy Cuff in Champagne Gold ($64) // Necklace: Teardrop Druzzy Necklace in Rose Gold ($72)

Full disclosure: Again, I don't make any moo-lah if you click on the links above, and I didn't get paid to write this post, but I did receive a beautiful heart-shaped ring for my child-sized fingers, as a gift. This post is simply meant to show some love to some awesome San Francisco peeps I believe in and think you should support. So go out there and show some love, y'all!