Head to this roof deck in a historic building for a throwback to the city’s gilded age—and an impressive vista.

roof deck RH San Francisco flagship

Courtesy of RH

The roof deck of the new RH flagship has a great view of San Francisco

The cult of the “cloud couch” has a new place of worship: An 80,000-square-foot RH retail mecca that just opened on Pier 70 in San Francisco’s historic shipyard. Five floors clad in opulent marble, limestone, massive chandeliers, hand-forged iron doors, and coffered ceilings put a luxury spin on “brick and mortar” furniture shopping.

RH San Francisco flagship contemporary preview
RH has devoted a full floor of its massive retail space to previewing its new minimalist contemporary line.

Courtesy of RH

Four floors of retail space—each with two 100-foot long corridors—will be filled with the brand’s signature sleek lighting, accessories, and furniture in a sophisticated neutral palette mixed with art and artifacts sourced across the globe. And the fifth-floor “roof park,” with its mature London plane trees, sculptural hedges, fountains, and retractable glass walls, offers show-stopping views of the downtown skyline—and the iconic bay.

RH San Francisco Palm Court restaurant
The Palm Court restaurant at RH is a skylit garden space at the center of the 80,000-square-foot retail space.

Courtesy of RH

The building itself might be enough to lure architecture buffs to this museum-like space. Constructed in 1917 at the corner of Illinois and 20th Street, and designed by prominent architect Frederick Meyer, it’s a meticulously restored example of Classical Revival style. RH chairman Gary Friedman has a thing for historic buildings. He devoted his sizable resources toward revitalizing the Three Art Club in Chicago, and the former site of the Museum of Natural History in Boston’s Back Bay before taking on this multi-year restoration project.

RH wine bar San Francisco
Shoppers can pause for a glass of vino at one of the store’s two wine bars.

Courtesy of RH

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With the shipyard project in San Francisco, he’s bringing back the more glamorous days of in-person shopping, offering two wine bars (serving more than 40 varieties of wine by the glass, many from local vineyards) and a swank garden restaurant, The Palm Court, with an open-fire kitchen, indoor date palm trees, and a massive fountain.

The 1917 building, designed by Frederick H. Meyer, was owned by Bethlehem Steel.

Courtesy of RH

Like Ghirardelli and Levi’s, the RH location is on track to become a tourist destination in its own right, and represent the success story of a hometown brand made good.