ABOUT FONDA

Fonda’s Daughter is a place to honor the legacy of my dad, Fulvio Fonda— the man who gave me my love for all things vintage. He has always had a way of making magic out of the mundane—of making me feel as though there is adventure around every corner.

As young kids, he would take my two sisters and me on weekend hikes. Along the way we’d find pieces of jewelry and shiny trinkets in our path. Sharing our sense of excitement and surprise, he’d tell us that a band of pirates must have taken the same route and lost part of their treasure along the way. It was only as a young adult that I found out he had been strategically dropping things for us to find during all those years.

Most of my childhood memories are similar—not of Saturday morning cartoons or trips to the park around the corner. They’re filled with bedtime tales of Huckleberry Finn and the Pirates of the Carribean—of radio flyer wagon rides around the Sunday swap meet at Aloha stadium, watching dad on his quest for stories from another time.

Fonda & Fonda’s daughter having the ritual ritual cup of coffee after a morning of treasure hunting

Over the years, it became more and more deeply etched into my mind through trips to thrift stores, garage sales and swap meets that my dad was on his own treasure hunt—seeking out pieces that made him feel something. A coat that made you feel like you were part of a secret society, a painting that shot you back six decades and made you feel the joy of a simpler time, a piece of jewelry that you could imagine someone receiving as a gift three generations before.

This life long quest led him to open two antique shops in San Francisco—his first, Fonda’s Gallery, in 1973 and years later his second, Uptown Antiques on Filmore Street.

To this day, my dad and I still spend every Sunday together at the swap meet, followed by breakfast. It is my favorite ritual and one I can’t imagine life without. Since I was a little girl, everyone at the swap meet has referred to me as “Fonda’s Daughter”. (“Fulvio” is a bit of a mouthful.) It is a title I couldn’t be prouder of, and one that felt exactly right for a store filled with treasures I’ve found with my dad.

Fonda’s Daughter is a place to honor his legacy. Every piece in this place holds a memory of another moment I was able to share with him, another piece of our story being woven together and making me the person I have become. They are all things we felt were true “treasures” and we can’t wait to share them with you.

The adventure continues with this newest little treasure hunter…