San Francisco - March 06, 2006

Turning Japanese

Chamalyn Store Opens

Do recent events have you stomping around town with a sour look on your face?

What you need is a quick pick-me-up from Chamalyn, a shoe box of a store in the Mission that’s a shrine to all things Japanese and adorable.

Owner May Lynn Chan has assembled a collection of stationery and snacks according to the following principle: Any object, when miniaturized or given a little face, instantly becomes maddeningly cute.

You’ll coo over erasers shaped like pancakes, sushi, and tiny bundles of bok choi. Anthropomorphic cherries, bread rolls, and milk cartons dance across notepads and journals. The candy selection is a Japanophile’s dream come true, with every variety of Pocky imaginable. And the drink bar serves an appropriately adorable beverage: bubble tea (the strawberry guava flavor is unexpectedly delish).

Even the chocolate-filled biscuits have little koala faces — which means that you could scowl right back at them if you were so inclined.

But we suspect your mood will suddenly be more sweet than sour.

Chamalyn, 3491 19th Street, at Valencia Street (415-948-1313).