This is by far my favorite gallery in SLO. I always some irresistible piece to purchase. They have local artists as well as larger brands. Everything is beautiful and well priced too! read more

This store is located downtown so parking can be an issue. If you're looking for some unique jewelry or local art, this is the place to go. The prices vary so there's something for everyone. If you're visiting the area and looking to bring back some treasures, this is the place to go read more

Hands Gallery - Store front - Art Galleries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Hands Gallery is a unique store where local, national and international art is showcased. Do you appreciate one of a kind artistic gifts? Is it Art, jewelry, home decor or novelty items you are looking for? Look no further, Hands Gallery is your place. May I note the most beautiful and exquisite items. I've been patronizing Hands Gallery for 16 years. Every time I patronize my shopping or perusing experience is always different. In a very positive way might I add ;D Last, but not least, gift wrapping is available free of charge ;D the wrapping is a nice simplicity in style. I like it ;-) read more

See all

Really poor customer service and policies. My husband spent a lot of money on a Mother's Day gift that is not me and not practical. I returned it a few days later and they would only issue store credit. They said the owner sometimes makes exceptions, but then came back and said she would not. Now, I'm stuck with a credit at a store I really don't want. I have worked in retail for 25+ years... there is no reason that a non-seasonal item shouldn't be able to be returned for the same tender when it's done within a few days. Do not buy gifts or anything at this store you might decide you don't want. Awful return policy and not flexible. Super disappointing. read more

Every time I go downtown, I visit Hands. My husband bought me a cute picky ring, silver with a small Opal. Love all the unusual gifts.

Love the unique gift ideas they have at this store. We purchased a nice drink glass, and a couple of cute decor that says FAITH AND PRAY. Prices are reasonable and the items are great quality. We will definitely be back! read more

Hands Gallery - Art Galleries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Very enjoyable stop and purchase here. Lovely array of jewelry, crafts, and cards all easily seen and touched. I ended up with a funky mirror with a decorated wood frame that I love but didn't need. It's that kind of a store! read more

OK, but little real ART ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cute, but no cigar, as many items are made in China... While some of the handmade stuff is interesting, it is more of the generic appeal to tourists type....or good for last minute X-mas shopping & such. True Art Gallery's usually has stuff that costs in the hundreds to many thousands. But if you are in the market for costume jewelry, or need a modest gift, this could be for you. As for me, I did not find anything special that I would buy for my house, except for the cool Solar power earth globes...but at $140+ up, I felt it was not worth it. Now if it was not mass produced & collectable....maybe....but many of these things break after a year or so...and then you have a $140+ paperweight. Another cool item was a few of their $45-60 X-mas ornaments (but you cannot see the inside, unless backlight) , but the cheaper ones were just garish. The hardwood items at first looked good, but when I looked closer, it was not made of Koa, nor any precious wood. Despite the rush of X-mas shoppers, someone did a good job of helping me, but when I turned some items upside down to see where they were made & saw China....well that was a let down. You can find better craft/art stores down in Solvang or in the Cambria Area (think Harmony Glassworks). Hands is good for a modest gift for a co-worker or maybe your MIL....ha...ha... It is kind of sad that true Art Galleries do not thrive here as well as in Carmel or SF....but they have far richer clientele. read more

See all

Love this place! I came here yesterday because they carry Sweet Bella Jewelry! So glad they are supporting our local artisans and products from other small businesses. I'll be back for more jewelry! read more

Hands Gallery - Sweet Bella Jewelry - Art Galleries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Hands Gallery is the best shop in SLO for my go to for gifts and amazing items. I absolutely love this shop and the employees and owner are the best!!!! read more

Hands is a "must stop" for Christmas stocking stuffers for my wife. I visit the store every December, about 10 days out from St Nick's arrival, and I always leave satisfied that I got some unique gifts. They have a variety of eclectic offerings: bathrobes, earrings, chimes, pens, etc. Hands also feature some local artists, and in the past, we have purchased several prints for friends and family. Unlike some of the reviewers, I have never experienced any poor service while in the store -- always a positive experience. Cheers! RS read more

This shop has been our go to for unique, quality gifts! They have been there for decades and have a beautiful space! From jewelry to artisan gifts, we always find something that we can't pass up! read more

This store if full of art, much of which is functional. Sure they have stuff you can hang on the wall or display on a table but they also have art that can be used every day. Things like salt and pepper shakers, candle holders, furniture and pottery. They also have plenty of jewelry. I bought a cool wiener dog pendulum clock as a gift; they have numerous crazy clocks. The prices seemed quite reasonable to me and the staff were very friendly and helpful. read more

I heart Hands Gallery!! :) Great place to find one of a kind gifts for your girlfriend! *hint hint* ;) Local artists sell their affordable pieces here! You'll find unique items from jewelry to home decor to cute knick knacks! I love coming here to just browse around! And I always want to buy the whole store!! I've gotten tons of gifts for my good friends! I've bought Dogeared necklaces, kaleidoscopes, little keepsake boxes, cute useless stuff! If you ask them to wrap it, they'll package it nicely with some colorful yarn too!! :) Tips: - Great unique gifts that your significant other would love! - Annual trunk sale in November (10%off) - Get on their mailing list for store events! - Must stop by the "sale" table, usually 50% off read more

5/5 I always appreciate the beautiful gifts and unique home finds that Sarah works tirelessly to source. During the Holiday season she sells stunning wreath headbands, that the previous owner of Hands makes. They are always a conversation piece and really bring the holidays to life! Every Christmas I end purchasing a dozen of these. Locally made and only sold at Hands, these treasures make the perfect gift! read more

This is one of my favorite shops in SLO. Having grown up here, I feel like the Hands Gallery has always been a part of downtown (and never seems to get old). This is the first place I stop when looking for Christmas / birthday gifts for friends and family - they have a great assortment of jewelry, art, and decorations that are unique and fairly priced. Although they tend to carry products from the same artists year to year, every time I visit I find something new. read more

Eclectic collection of unique gift items, decor, jewelry & more. There is also an area of odd-ball stuff that's always worth a look. The greeting cards are lovely & also unique. Staff is friendly. I have shopped in person many times & recently through their website - again, great stuff, presented beautifully & delivered quickly. Good communication, too. read more

Hands has something for every budget. I love this place for a birthday gift and if it isn't just right, they always offer to provide a gift receipt. Their items are unique and of quality, things you won't find anywhere else, made by artisans and small companies. Locally owned and operated, this is not an art gallery, it is a shop filled with handmade items by craftspeople. You won't find a $10,000 painting here (I don't think), but you will find a great gift for your mom or your BFF whether you are looking to spend $5 or $500. I wish my whole life was just filled with items from Hands. I love it that much. read more

When I was younger, in my first couple years of college, and had first gone into this little store, I loved it. Now that I'm a bit older, with more experience *shopping* in downtown boutiques in other areas of the world, which pretty much sell the same type of items (hand made pottery, candles, jewelry, etc.), I can say with great confidence that every time I've come here with friends or family, the main women who work behind the counter need to take a course in customer service. I don't care if they are the owners of this boutique or not. They're no multibillion dollar industry, such as a Louis Vuitton Boutique, and yet these two old prudes behind the counter act as though they own boutiques all around Paris. Now that I'm a bit older, and have visited this place passing through not too long ago, I wanted to give it one last chance. Same thing. Things haven't changed. How many customers did I see walk through their door, including myself, and no acknowledgement whatsoever...no interaction at all. Even while I was looking at all the jewelry and key chains in front of their faces. Do they only cater to friends? Locals who visit DAILY? Well I've got news for this boutique: you are located downtown. The heart of a tourist spot, especially since there is a college campus with many non-locals attending Cal Poly. Hellooooo? Needless to say, I won't be coming back. There are much cuter boutiques to visit next door, across the street and a block or two away from Hands Gallery. Sooo, So long, farewell, there's others that are bet-ter (singing to the tune of Sound of Music's "So Long, Farewell" song) ;p read more

Cute spot! Lots of eclectic artistic items. We were looking at some of the prints in the back. This place is full of higher-quality items and has a very warm quality. The staff seemed very friendly and were happy to help. It's located on the main stretch in SLO, which has surprisingly easy parking. read more

Hands Gallery - Art Galleries Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Hands has a wonderful collection of items. I especially love the delicate necklaces they have. The jewelry, among other items are quite pricey, but beautiful to look at. However, the people who work there eye-ball every move you make. It's somewhat offending how much they watch your every move and are so distrusting. The employees don't even acknowledge your presence, but they sure do know exactly where you are in the store. I usually cut my visit short because I feel so uncomfortable. read more

I really like this store. In fact, I bought a beautiful Pyrra necklace for my last Christmas at Hands Gallery. She treasures it. I spent yesterday looking for a unique sympathy card. The card shop across the street said they were closing because their rent had been increased to $10,000 per month. They were selling everything at 75%, but unfortunately there weren't any sympathy cards. So, it was only natural for me to stop at Hands. The store was fairly busy. There were only two clerks (from what I could tell) in the shop, both behind the register. One of the clerks was asked for assistance, a young blond girl with a diamond nose stud. She said, "I'll be a minute" without ever looking up from behind the counter at the person who spoke to her. I stood around the card tower and wondered if the card I liked was appropriate to send someone who's father recently passed. After 10 minutes, I asked a fellow shopper for her opinion, since both clerks were still behind the register. When I walked up to the counter, the blond girl greeted me with "Is that all?" I affirmed it was and handed her my American Express card. She flatly said, "We don't take American Express." Her tone was a little off. I replied, "Oh, ok" with a curious smile and dug out my Visa card. She accepted the card without a smile, a look in the eye, or a Thank You. After ringing up my order, she returned my card and the receipt I needed to sign and said "Here you go." I signed my charge and handed it back to her, again smiling and wondering if she had recently had some dental work done. Maybe that's why she seemed so sour? She put the paperwork away and walked around the counter to finally help the person who asked for it 15 minutes earlier. She was wearing beach sandals, which I guess is appropriate dress for someone planning to go to Pismo Beach after work. If the owner of Hands is reading this review, let me say how Customer Service is important. I'm sure you know this, but what might be forgotten is how Customer Service can be more important to the shopper than the item being purchased. It really is no different than getting crappy service from a waiter in a fine restaurant. You have a lovely store with unique and beautiful items. But, in a city were building owners are raising rents, shouldn't business owners and their employees make their best effort to ensure shoppers enjoy their purchases? It costs you nothing in having a trained employee learn the importance of a smile, offering a warm greeting and closing a sale with "Thank you for visiting us. I hope you enjoy your purchase and look forward to seeing you again." Ignoring this little detail though will sure make it difficult over time to keep up with the rent. read more

Hands is one of those places where you'll always find something new and interesting to check out. It's one of my favorite gallery-type stores in San Luis Obispo. There's a lot of selection here without anything being particularly overwhelming, and it seems like the curator has taken care to pick items that appeal to a wide demographic of people who might come in. You can usually find something for almost anyone here. read more

Love shopping here. Great place to find gifts for friends and family! They are super helpful and will even do all the wrapping for you!

The service and the products are excellent. Since the lockdown, I have ordered online a few times. They have hand delivered the items to me with adorable presentation. Every year they add a local landmark handpainted globe Christmas ornament. I am obsessed with collecting them all. You will not be disappointed with Hands Gallery! read more

It was a really cute store with lots of stuff to look at - great place to find a gift or two. The lady who worked there was super nice and let us bring our dog in - but it might have been because she was super-emotional watching the chilean miners being rescued. :) If back in the area, I will stop in to see what's new. read more

This is one of my favorite stops in San Luis Obispo. The gallery is charming. Airy and full of interesting eclectic local artists wares. And yet it's not at all crowded. Each piece is nicely displayed. What I most like about it though is that there is a huge range in prices. There are items you can buy for less than $10 and beautiful masterpieces for hundreds of dollars. The staff is unfailingly helpful and friendly. In some art galleries if you don't look like you're ready to lay out a few hundred dollars to buy something you're not worth the time of the staff. No snobbery here. This is clearly a gallery meant to be accessible to all. If you're on a trip and don't want to be burdened with the treasure you just bought or get home and wish you had made that purchase, they will ship for a reasonable fee. It's also on the main drag surrounded by lots of charming restaurants and shops so you don't have to go out of your way to stop by. read more

This is such a special little place. Amazing local artwork! If you're looking for somewhere to buy a little gift, this is a great place. The staff is so sweet! read more

Beautiful store and staff is always so kind. Happy to see this business still standing since so many friends from out of town love it. Recommend for great gift shopping, unique finds, and personal loves. read more

Amazing shop with phenomenal customer service. I bought a beautiful ring at Hands a bit over a year ago on a trip to SLO. The gem popped out (I wear it daily) and I sent it to them to fix since I live in San Francisco. They fixed it free of charge, send back in its original packaging, and communicated through every step of the way. I have never had this type of customer service - they have raised the bar!! read more

I love browsing in this store. Went last week to find a gift for a friend, and the girl working there was very helpful when I told her what I was looking for. Ended up buying a sweet necklace by Lisa Leonard Designs. They wrapped it in a simple little brown box with a "hands" stamp & tied with a velvet bow. read more

Hands Gallery is a must stop when we have out of town guests. The breadth of their art and the quality of the pieces make this a favorite stop. The selection is quite eclectic, and to some degree defies description. If you are looking for an odd set sof salt and pepper shakers, or an incredible engraved dinner table, or hundreds of items in between, there seems to be something for everyone here! Go Often, increase art collection and enjoy life! read more

i love walking through this store for its' ideas and to let the creative juices flow. there is a good deal of jewelry and gifts. i usually find things here for my mom and aunts. i don't necessarily leave with a hands gallery bag, but it's great to peruse. read more

I liked this little store, I was drawn in by a large wooden calendar that you could see from the street. It was impressive and crazy expensive like $2700, not in my budget anytime soon. I liked some of the other unique items like scarfs and wind chimes, but found the jewelry to be nothing that I haven't seen at Macy's or Nordstrom for the most part. Shop around if you see a necklace you love, chances are you will find it someplace else for half the price. read more

Beautiful, unique gallery. I love their jewelry selection! However, I do feel that some of the artwork is a bit overpriced for what it is, but everyone is entitled to price their artwork however they see fit. read more

Love this local place with handmade local items, Love love love the Lisa Leonard jewelry that you can purchase here or at lisaleonardonline.com I want to own every one of her pieces. read more

This place has the best and most unique jewelry that I have seen. For ever occasion they seem to have the perfect gift. They have some amazing art and sculptures as well. The staff is very helpful and eager to answer any questions you may have. It is such a cute place! I always find a million things in here. read more

A true gem in downtown SLO! Their inventory changes often and there is always wonderful things. For almost every occasion they have the perfect gift. I often go in without any ideas, I tell an employee the occasion and my budget and they always give me options. Also, the gift wrapping is darling! read more

Cute store downtown with handmade jewelry and funky home decor items. You can find beautiful gifts here but they're extremely pricey. I've noticed that you can find most of the artists online selling their items at lower prices (probably because Hands takes a portion of their profit and by selling it on their own they can afford to lower the price). So if you find something in the store that you love, see if you can find it online first :) read more

Hands Gallery is a great place to look at all kinds of interesting items. They have some hand made work: pottery, jewelry, furniture, and lots of well chosen mass produced merchandise. The attention to detail is nice and the presentation is always great. It is a nice store to browse through. read more