Why is this tagged California?

Um. Brooklyn is a borough with a large number of neighborhoods and more than 2 million people. And thousands of mom and pop type stores.

It would help if you can tell us what part of Brooklyn you will be in and hone in on what type of shop. Upscale? Budget? Resale? Ethnicity?

Hey NYTravler: Thanks for jumping in on the conversation - I'm completely open to suggestions without knowing anything about Brooklyn or its many faces - anything from budget to over the top - it's a way for my wife and me to 'discover' what makes this borough tick - any ideas would help.

Maybe you could start by reading this and then come back with where'd like to focus

http://enjoyingnyc.com/2011/05/06/discover-bronx-part-1-places-to-go/

I don't think the borough as a whole "ticks". People who live in Marine Park really haven't much of a clue about Bushwick, generally speaking, or vice versa. Cobble Hill folk have only a vague sense (if any) of the concerns of people in Sheepshead Bay. I'm not sure anybody in Brooklyn thinks a tile shop is quirky. (People in Brookyn use tiles in their kitchens and bathrooms).

A lot of what knits Brooklyn residents together and gives them a sense of common identity are its iconic sights -- like the library, the bridges, Coney Island. (Just so you know.)