For the past half decade, the Garnet Avenue business district has been home to one of the most unique shopping experiences in San Diego. Pangaea Outpost, 909-A Garnet Ave., is celebrating its five-year anniversary in Pacific Beach. “It’s an acknowledgement of our success,” said Pangaea Outpost general manager Susan Burland. “A number of the staff have been here since the inception, so it’s more than just a store. It’s almost like a big family.” Five years ago, owners of the 12,000 square-foot warehouse on the corner of Garnet and Bayard Street had trouble renting it out. Today, 70 local merchants with goods from around the world fill that space with an eclectic variety of merchandise ranging from clothes and jewelry to folk art to toys to plants to novelty gifts. “We have so many vendors and such diversity of product that basically we carry a little bit of everything,” Burland said. “The product comes from many different parts of the world – it’s the Pangaea aspect.” Vendors at Pangaea Outpost pay between $100 and $3,000 per month for a spot in the marketplace based on size and location of the space. In addition to rent, merchants pay a 14 percent commission on each sale. “We are extremely selective in the vendors that come here. We want each vendor to make a living, so we try to have a minimal overlap (of products),” Burland said. “We try to keep it totally exclusive.” Burland said the laid back atmosphere at Pangaea Outpost also makes it unique. Visitors can enjoy a free cup of coffee while browsing or reading one of their edgy books for sale such as “The Book of Beer Pong,” “Build This Bong,” and “100 Ways to Flip the Bird,” on the couches set up in the middle of the store. “We have a lot of regulars – people who come in to hang out even if they’re not purchasing anything,” Burland said. “It’s a very laid back, pleasant atmosphere. It’s not just a store – it’s a place to meet.” With such a potpourri of goods, Pangaea Outpost seems on the surface like a glorified swap meet. Burland said that is not the case. “It’s not a garage sale or a flea market. It’s a merchant marketplace,” Burland said. “Each group has the quality of an upscale retail store.” Even though Pangaea Outpost is opening a second location in Del Mar next month, perhaps no place is better suited for it than Pacific Beach. Burland said she likes the atmosphere here. “I like the energy of PB. It’s vibrant; it’s different; it’s not a bedroom community,” Burland said. “I like this environment – I find it edgy, different, laid back.” The same could be said for Pangaea Outpost.