Kozo Arts (San Francisco)

Two words come to mind when describing Kozo Arts, the specialty paper store that's been tucked away in Cow Hollow for more than ten years: elegant and custom. The small boutique, which doubles as a studio for its resident artists, specializes in handmade paper with Japanese influenced designs. Also for sale is imported silk, a perfect compliment to the exquisite paper. Mix and match to have Kozo's artists create gorgeous handbound photo albums and journals with an exotic flair. Their custom capabilities make Kozo Arts the perfect place for finding classy, unique gifts. If choosing the material yourself simply isn't enough project control, Kozo offers a number of classes that will teach you how to create the handmade goodies yourself. Kozo also features a number of materials and greeting cards made by local artists. Keep your right arm, they'll even custom wrap the gifts you've bought- all you have to do is pay.

- Excerpt from Paper a Plenty by Lisa Butterworth.