Freak Factory in Mission Beach, San Diego, California

Where Eclectic-Tiki-ness is Peacefully Cool

Mission Beach, the thin strip of land separating the manmade Mission Bay from the mighty Pacific Ocean, is populated by some of the hippest people on the planet. This is a surf-manic part of town, and any business that enforces the 'No shirt, No shoes = No service' policy would go out of style a lot sooner than a printed Hawaiian shirt would.

Though, curiously, what is it about the printed Hawaiian shirts that make them such staple items in coastal gift shops? They even manage to take up a lot of room at the Freak Factory, the adorably freaky souvenir shop at the corner of Mission Blvd and Portsmouth Ct just north of Santa Clara in Mission Beach.

Guarded and patrolled by Monkey, the mild-manner chocolate mutt who seems to enjoy nothing more than to casually preside over the sidewalk while watching his mistress carve out another freakin'ly awesome design onto a piece of wood at the front of the store, the Freak Factory is a miniature jungle of self-contained freakiness that embodies everything that is cool about this neighborhood of San Diego. It is jam packed with eclectic and artsy items for fun-loving and green-living folks who love woods and handmade knits and knots... and even burnt incense.

For all the merchandise they had stuffed into this small-ish place, everything is quite well organized. The counter running along the right side of the store holds handmade laces (neck and wrist and ankle) with anything from native-ish fish bone to hook to skull and crossbones and even Che (yeah, Che... imagine that!). Tiki poles, mugs (lots of Munktiki stuff), and handcrafted carved and painted wood blocks on the wall (along with other Caribbean style head-shop items... They keep the whole collection fun and light-hearted, though. No real woodoo channeling here). The back of the store has glass works and tabacco stuff along with decorated boxes.