Shopping at Berkeley's Tail of the Yak is like stepping into an alternate reality: You'll walk out with something you didn't know you wanted/needed: in my case, a little black pompom and some pale paper flowers.
Co-founded by Lauren and Alice, Tail of the Yak specializes in antique jewelry, textiles, glassware, candles, and paper (paper garlands, streamers, lanterns, boxes, and even lotus flowers). Ideas flow freely: For instance, one quiet afternoon, Alice began twisting scraps of paper into shapes that would eventually form into flowers dip-dyed in India ink.
Photography by Mimi Giboin for Remodelista.
![700 rm tail of yak sign](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-sign.jpg)
Above: Tail of the Yak is located at 2632 Ashby Avenue in Berkeley, CA.
![700 rm tail of yak store interior](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-store-interior.jpg)
Above: Garlands of bay laurel adorn the space. A pair of pastel Venetian glass chandeliers hang from the ceiling; the fixtures were sourced from an SF auction; Lauren and Alice drove them across the bay in their pickup truck.
![700 rm tail of yak citrine yellow](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-citrine-yellow.jpg)
Above: Antique vases and colorful paper boxes.
![700 rm tail of yak cards](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-cards.jpg)
Above: Delicate gold and silver cards are stacked among hot-pink-stamped journals.
![700 rm tail of yak crepe paper](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-crepe-paper.jpg)
Above: Cyclamen flowers by Anandamayi Arnold are made of paper and unwrap into ten different strands of crepe paper.
![700 rm tail of yak ribbon](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-ribbon.jpg)
Above: Bright spools of satin and silk ribbon are stacked near the front window.
![700 rm tail of yak little flags](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-little-flags.jpg)
Above: Stacked antique textiles in a dark wooden cupboard.
![700 rm tail of yak white pink](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-white-pink.jpg)
Above: A stack of antique Ukrainian textiles dating back to the early 19th century.
![700 rm tail of yak radish boxes](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-radish-boxes.jpg)
Above: Pink apple-shaped paper boxes made by Teresa Weller feature hidden flecks of gold.
![700 rm tail of yak tapers](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-tapers.jpg)
Above: White parrafin and yellow beeswax tapers wrapped in pink satin ribbon.
![700 rm tail of yak czech linens](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-czech-linens.jpg)
Above: Taupe and ochre linen napkins from the Czech Republic.
![700 rm tail of yak packaging](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-packaging.jpg)
Above: Items are packaged and ready to ship. Tail of the Yak will ship just about anything except for their glassware; contact the store for pricing and availability.
![700 rm tail of yak flowers](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-flowers.jpg)
Above: Pale purple lotus flowers made of paper by a local Berkeley artist.
![700 rm tail of yak business cards](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/img/sub/uimg/04-2012/700_rm-tail-of-yak-business-cards.jpg)
Above: Down to the store's business card, every little detail counts.
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