39 Best Shopping in Austin, Texas

This year-round, open-air market with roots stretching back to the early 1970s is the soul of the Drag. The unreconstructed hippie ambience is at least as much of a draw as the actual merchandise crafted and sold by various local artisans. The wares include jewelry, leatherwork, candles, photographs, paintings, sculpture, textiles, and the inevitable tie-dyed T-shirts. Note that the market is firmly regulated by the city, and all vendors must be licensed by a commission. Days and hours of operation have been changed and scaled down since COVID; current status updates can be found on their website and social media pages.

A South Congress landmark for decades, this place is impossible to miss—just look for the huge red boot above the door. Set amid trendy, touristy SoCo, Allens is anything but. More than a dozen brands of cowboy boots (including Frye, Justin, Lucchese, Liberty Black, and Tony Lama) are displayed on rows upon rows of shelves, along with other Western wear. If you're a newcomer to the boot world, study the store's website before your visit for some basics on proper fit. Staff members are exceptionally helpful.

South Congress is filled with shops that pack a nostalgia factor, from vintage goods to home cooking, but none is quite as sweet as this place, where bins upon bins of colorful sour candies, chocolates, and lollipops line the oh-so-colorful walls. There’s Shakespearean Insult Gum, Texas-made Chick-O-Sticks, and gobs of themed candy. And if you slide up to the bar, you can order milkshakes, shaved ice, or old-fashioned sodas.

Texas's largest independent bookstore is a homegrown alternative to monster chain stores. It was established in 1970 and has been voted Austin's best bookstore for more than 20 years, stocking bestsellers along with books on topics such as women's studies, personal growth, and alternative home building; there's also a good children's section. Browse magazines; shop for quirky, hard-to-find gifts; and catch readings and signings by local authors, literati luminaries, and even former presidents who make stops here while on book tours.

The buyers for this large, independently owned world-market store comb the planet for colorful and unusual examples of folk art from more than 40 countries. African trade beads and baskets, Nepalese jewelry, Turkish textiles, and lots of Mexican items (including milagros, postcards, and cheap souvenirs and gifts) are just a few of the goodies stashed away in this delightful place.

This fantastic place is so much the ultimate toy store of your childhood fantasies that it's too good to save for actual children—don't be embarrassed to come in even if you don't have little ones of your own. It's the place to get things like Edgar Allan Poe and Beethoven action figures, vinyl dinosaur figurines, reproductions of vintage toys you played with as a kid, and floor-to-ceiling diversions for all ages, including science toys, metal robots, stuffed animals, costumes, hard-to-find candy, baubles and bangles, and more.

This eclectic purveyor was a staple of South Congress Avenue for decades but has moved its treasure trove of antiques and collectibles to a different location off South Lamar. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary or want to browse the King of Austin vintage, this is the place. Stocked with antique items that have been procured from dozens of vendors, Uncommon Objects has an ever-changing stock that at varying times has included mourning jewelry made of human hair, tribal masks, anatomical charts from the turn of the 20th century, and plenty of taxidermy.

The beating burnt-orange heart of Longhorn Nation is on display at the ultimate showcase of UT sports paraphernalia, located right smack in the middle of the Drag on campus. You can find burnt-orange-and-Longhorn-logoed everything at this three-level emporium, from Crocs and dress shirts to bath mats, a full set of luggage, and even a $350 pair of Lucchese cowboy boots and a $600 acoustic guitar. An entire room is devoted to children's wear, from the nursery on up. Founded in 1896 and modeled after a similar co-op at Harvard, UT's Co-op (which offers discounts to faculty, students, and staff) claims to be the largest seller of used textbooks in the country. Even if you have no direct (or indirect) connection to UT, do stop in if you're in the neighborhood; it's gawk-inducing and unforgettable.

This large independent shop is an Austin institution that's been an integral part of the local music scene since 1982. With an outstanding selection, superb customer service, and free in-store concerts (including some pretty impressive names during SXSW), it may be the only Austin record store you'll ever need.

More than 45 vendors spread out over nearly 11,000 square feet here. Lose yourself in the vintage linens, lunchboxes, posters and postcards, and sparkling rhinestone jewelry scattered among the antique chests of drawers, cabinets, and tables.

In the self-proclaimed Live Music Capital of the World, nothing is as sweet as finding a record store like this one. With an emphasis on local Texas players and blues music, the shop opened as a hangout for showgoers back when Antone’s Nightclub was across the street. Over the years, performers like Memphis Slim, James Cotton, Pinetop Perkins, and Doug Sahm played the club and recorded for the Antone’s label. Today, you’ll find bins of vinyl as well as new releases and various posters and gifts. An expert staff can help serious music lovers with any and all inquiries.

Look no further than this ultra-modern shop when you're on the hunt for unique pieces like hand-carved onyx sculptures from Mexico. The large establishment also offers contemporary art, custom framing, and art restoration, but it's the extensive selection of knockout contemporary art glass of the highest quality (including huge pieces of Murano glass) that really sets this space apart. Founded in 1985, it also carries exceptional crafts from throughout the world, plus small bronzes and exquisite stemware.

The classiest hardware store in Austin doesn’t just stock a prism of paints and garden gadgets. It’s dedicated to home improvement in all regards. Browse the Waterford china, Simon Pearce dinnerware, and aisles upon aisles of kitchen tools. It’s the go-to place for popular local cookbooks from the Tipsy Texan, Uchi, and Fonda San Miguel and a variety of other locally made art and gifts, like sweetly scented soaps and candles and swoon-worthy leather goods.

This is not your average Austin clothing boutique. While you may find up-and-coming independent designers when perusing other store’s racks, ByGeorge’s inventory looks like a compilation of the season’s greatest high-fashion runway hits. At its two Austin locations, you’ll be smitten with extravagances like SUNO frocks, Givenchy dresses, and Helmut Lang and Derek Lam tailored trousers. Austin’s all about keeping things weird, but in this shop, chic wins every time.

This upscale, foodie-friendly offshoot of the giant Texas-based H-E-B supermarket chain is a few years older than its competitor, Whole Foods, down Lamar Boulevard but no less popular (expect big weekend crowds). It's equally serious about the cheeses, wine, beer, meat, and deli products it purveys, but compared to Whole Foods it seems more like a place real people go to shop (rather than gawk). It's a great spot to grab prepared foods on the run or join the weekday lunch crowds at the in-house café, where an outdoor patio pleases kids and where bands play on Friday and Saturday evening. The market is in a shopping center that also houses some chic boutiques and gift shops.

Top off your travels to the Capitol City with something to top off your outfit. You might expect to find cowboy hats with wide, folded brims (and you will), but the store also stocks an impressive collection of charming bowlers, caps, and fedoras. The standouts, however, are the floppy, adorned women’s hats that will instantly transport you to the Old South. The staff is super knowledgeable and will help you to get the perfect fit.

What started more than a decade ago as a small Austin jewelry outfit has grown to be one of the capital city’s most successful businesses, with stores nationwide. Though owner and designer Kendra Scott does design ready-to-wear pieces, the genius behind her work is a paint-by-numbers approach to jewelry making: she’s fixed the templates, and you get to be the designer. At the Color Bar, select from a rainbow of stones to make endless combinations of custom earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. The flagship store on SoCo is retail therapy and art therapy in one.

Perhaps Austin's top outlet for quality and unusual Mexican art and crafts, Mi Casa goes far beyond your usual Mexican-imports souvenir shop. You'll find contemporary paintings and sculptures, painted furniture, religious art, ceramics, and much more. It's a great place to go for gifts for folks back home.

Make yourself at home in this South Austin shop. Like many spots around town, design is central to this home goods store. There’s a heavy influence from independent artisans and designers who have created much of the stock, like one-of-a-kind furniture, wooden dolls, patterned trays, and inspired paper goods. The store holds special events with local makers, who teach classes on their respective crafts. Depending on the day, you could learn about anything from perfume blending to mastering the art of feng shui.

When most women fantasize about the wardrobe of their dreams, it looks something like the inside of this East Austin boutique. Brightly printed vintage finds complement cool-girl-approved staples, with more than a few standouts in stock. You’ll also find well-known designers like Anna Rifle Bond’s paper products to pen a letter home, chic Province Apothecary lip balm, and geometric necklaces and bracelets galore.

Calling all sports fans: this Austin lifestyle brand is reinventing workout gear. Somewhere between Nike's high-performing, sweat-wicking staples and your favorite broken-in cotton T-shirt or bottoms, the Outdoor Voices gear is wearable and fashionable without being overly sporty. You’ll find sweats, hoodies, and tanks that have movement and are perfect for a hike on the Greenbelt, an afternoon spent at Zilker Park, or an evening perched around a fire.

On South Congress Avenue, in the epicenter of Austin’s weird culture, this nondiscreet store offers tokens of the city from local designers. Yes, you'll find typical souvenirs like Texas-branded tees and tote bags, but then you’ll discover the rest of the store. Local artists design everything from the huge collection of screen-printed gig posters to the fabulous leather goods; the variety is incredible. Whatever the type of souvenir or handcrafted artisan creation you're looking to take from the capital city, this is the place to get it.

In the 2nd Street shopping district, Prize has branded itself as “an urban department store” where you’ll find women's clothing and menswear, ultra-modern furniture, and super-chic coffee table books. Although you likely wouldn’t trade a trip to Prize for one to, say, Texas-grown Neiman Marcus for basics, the store has boutique-like finds that, we'll say it, take the prize.

Austin runners frequent this shop as much for its selection of everything from Asics to Adidas shoes as for the expert advice on which pair to pick. Starting out as a training program back in 2004, Rogue opened a storefront after rousing success and today has two other Austin training centers and another in Cedar Park. Runners can join clubs to train for anything from a 5K to a full marathon, or just join a free community-run with other local runners. The store has a full fuel bar serving smoothies and even beer and wine, along with the hydration and energy snacks you’ll need to hit the happy trails.

Sharp dressers take note: some of the coolest guys’ clothes and grooming products around are on display within the industrial-chic walls of Service. The open space has been designed to fit racks of tailored blue blazers, graphic tees, selvedge denim, and designer footwear and cases of rock-star Ray-Ban and Super sunglasses. If you find yourself without the right thing to wear on your travels to Austin, this is the place to fix that.