Avant Card

This store sells cards, postcards, books, posters, etc. It's a tiny store next to the University of California, Berkeley. The packed-ness adds to the feeling that the store is homely. Seriously, it is packed with stuff. Its specialty is cards with pictures on them and they have a whole bookcase full of it. If you're looking for a perfect postcard of a dog looking cute or various other interesting and unique types of postcards pictures or greeting cards this is the place to buy and find it.

PROS: You'll find exactly what you're looking for.
CONS: Store is super packed.

I've gone there a couple of times when looking for birthday cards. The location is great if you goto UC Berkeley, because it's right across the street from campus. That's the reason I originally went. The store itself is pretty small, but they don't make it feel cramped at all. The walls are all black, making the store have a really dark feeling. The selection is pretty good, they have cards for pretty much every occasion(birthdays, get well, etc.) The thing I really like about them is their workers. They always smile and greet you as you enter, and you get the feeling they're not being fake about it. Overall, it's a great place to go for cards. I highly recommend it.

PROS: location, workers are nice, good selection
CONS: store is kinda small and dark

We all know the feeling of standing in the card aisle at our local drug store, looking for the perfect card for that someone special. Yet everything you see is so bland and overdone that you feel like a schmuck for even thinking about giving one of those cards to someone else.

Tired of that? Try Avante Card, in Berkeley. They carry a unique selection of cards, stationary, gift wrap, and more. They carry cards with beautiful artwork on them, handmade cards, cards with a political humor you won't find in Walgreens. What you won't find here is the same old stuff from companies like Hallmark or Shoebox.

The small store manages to pack in a good selection of cards, so that you could easily spend an afternoon browsing. Any time I wanted something different and special, Avante Card would be on my list of places to check.

PROS: Unique selection of cards, stationary, and gifts wrapping
CONS: Won't find more mainstream cards here.

Despite the name, you won't find much outside of the mainstream here--few ethnic cards, no queer choices that I've seen. That said, the rest of the card selection is decent--kind of like a Hallmark store, only wearing all black. They also carry stationery, some picture frames, and other related items. The cards are mostly list price, credit cards accepted over $5.
AC Transit lines #40, 51, 7, 52L. Across the street from Cal.

PROS: Convenient to campus
CONS: Parking on campus