Business of the Week: Routes Gallery

1508 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo

(415) 482-6199; routesgallery.com   

What do they offer? 

Routes Gallery offers Asian statuary and spiritual gifts such as garden pottery, indoor and outdoor fountains, and carved or cast statues in stone, wood and bronze. The collection includes wall art, rugs, and unique accent pieces. Prices range from $50 to $5,000, with antique furniture between $500 and $1,500.

For gifts, you will find tiny handheld charms, the same cards carried by San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum, and CDs of modern mantra singers and sacred chants. 

Gallerist Richard August Reuther scours India, Southeast Asia and China, importing the best of the best for an impressive list of international clients, including many in Marin County and the Bay Area.    

Though there is much emphasis on sacred art from Asia, the gallery also has abstract and modern Asian art using traditional motifs. 

Be sure to meander through the rooms and out the back door, down the serene garden path, which is banked by statuary, plantings, and fountains. You will find more delights on the rear porch.  

Professionals served by Routes Gallery include interior designers, decorators and landscape designers. Many who shop for their own homes and offices have an Asian aesthetic. Body workers and acupuncturists seek items to provide a tranquil environment for their clients. 

Who are they? 

Originally from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Reuther's family collected art from around the world. At Wayne State University, he had a double major in anthropology and psychology. To observe social and cultural anthropology, he traveled often to Latin America, bringing back suitcases full of art, mostly textiles and jewelry, which he sold to pay for his trips.  

Bali beckoned when one of his professors, who had done research there, wove lyrical  stories. During that trip, Reuther ’s interest in Asian art blossomed.     

After school, he left the world of anthropology for a wholesale business specializing in Asian art. He felt Californians who travel there often would be a better market, so he decided to move west. "Though I can’t rule out the influence of ‘California Dreamin,’” Reuther laughed. “I had friends here and I just packed up and drove."  

How long have they been there?

Routes Gallery has occupied the same charming building near the corner of San Anselmo Avenue and Center Boulevard for seven years.     

On buying trips to Asia Reuther tries to stay at least a month so he can fill a container. It takes about six weeks and a lot of logistical effort to get the purchases to his San Anselmo gallery.    

“I feel like the Wizard of Oz,” he said. “It looks so calm here in the store, but the truth is to create this Emerald Palace is no small feat.”  

"Routes" is a play on words. True to the scholar he is, Reuther named the business after a book by UC Santa Cruz anthropologist James Clifford. The name refers to the “routes” we travel in life and being aware of “roots” -- where things come from and where they (and we) are going.   

Why are they business of the week?  

Because of his background in anthropology, his inquisitive mind, the many books on his shelves, and his travels, Reuther is able to explain the meaning of objects in his gallery, beyond their obvious beauty. 

A typical nugget: “It is not wise to put a fountain in your bedroom, your mojo will evaporate. It is thought to be bad for your dream state, your dreams will float away.” He explains that the ancient Indian philosophy of space, "vastu," has many similarities to Chinese feng shui.  

For Routes Gallery, there is no job too large or too small. Many of the statues weigh half a ton and Reuther is on hand for the crane installation. If you are considering an outdoor project, he will happily come to your house to take measurements.   

Routes Gallery donates to some local charitable organizations and the Norbulingka Institute for Tibetans.   

“What people appreciate about shopping here is that I can contextualize the items in a way other store owners might not be able to do,” he said. “Many Asian shops across the country specialize in one country or area, I tend to buy all across Asia where I have many relationships with artisans and crafts people. A statue business, for example, might involve several generations of family. I get to know them and respect their workmanship. It becomes personal for me and I enjoy sharing my passion with clients.”