16 Best Shopping in Anchorage, Alaska

On weekends from mid-May to mid-September, the Anchorage Market and Festival opens for business in the south parking lot of the Dimond Center mall. Dozens of vendors offer Alaskan-made crafts, international imports, and deliciously fattening food. Stock up on birch candy and salmon jerky to snack on while traveling or as perfect made-in-Alaska gifts for friends back home.

In a large Midtown store, Alaska Fur Exchange sells both furs and Alaska Native artwork.

This Alaskan-owned store is the go-to specialist for any gear having to do with, yep, mountaineering or hiking. Whether you're setting out on a series of day hikes or you're planning a serious climb, the knowledgeable staff can help you choose the right equipment for the task. Take the time to chat up the staff and you may hear some amazing Denali stories.

The secluded liberal arts campus at Alaska Pacific University features a gear room offering low-cost equipment rentals to the public. Pick up items for overnight getaways or in-town adventures, including paddleboards, tents, kayaks, camp stoves, and avalanche gear. Items are limited, so call in advance. 

Score eco-conscious dresses, weekend wear, and accessories at this forward-thinking women's clothing boutique.

Although furs may not be to everyone's taste or ethics, a number of Alaska fur companies have stores and factories in Anchorage. One of the city's largest and best-known furriers is David Green Master Furrier, whose family has been in the fur business in Alaska since 1922.

This laid-back gallery features individually screen-printed T-shirts, leather satchels, silver jewelry, and affordable wall art displayed along a sweeping three-story spiral staircase. Most items don't say "Alaska" on them, but everything here is handmade in the state by established and emerging artists.

Started in 1947 in Fairbanks by Laura Wright, this family business is now owned by Wright's granddaughter, Sheila Ezelle, who sells distinctive Alaskan Iñupiat "parkys" (parkas) for both summer and winter. Visitors can find her booth at Alaska Native craft markets in Anchorage or place an order over the phone.

If you're looking for brand names like Pendleton, Simms, and Filson, this locally owned store is your place. It is pretty much fly-fishing central in Anchorage, and you can find expert advice and guidance for your prospective fishing and hunting adventures. There's also an excellent book section that covers all sorts of outdoor activities in Alaska.

The Alaska Native–owned cooperative Oomingmak sells items made of qiviut, the ultra-soft and warm undercoat of musk ox, from inside one of the few small houses remaining in Downtown. Scarves, shawls, hats, and tunics are knitted in traditional patterns by women in villages across Alaska.

If you get to Alaska and discover you've left some critical camping or outdoor recreation gear behind, REI rents camping, skiing, and paddling equipment. It also gives regular seminars on season-specific outdoor topics. The salespeople are very knowledgeable about local conditions and activities and the gear required to get you out and back safely.

Find Alaska-made crafts for every budget—from glasswork to jewelry to notecards—at this bright, welcoming studio, owned by painter and printmaker Katie Sevigny. 

This shop and tearoom blends its own teas and spices, and also sells a range of Alaska-made groceries from spruce tip jelly to kelp-and-cayenne chocolate bars.

One of Alaska's most popular tea companies, the Kobuk serves up a variety of classic and unique teas, including their signature Samovar tea (a samovar is a traditional Russian container used to brew tea). Pastries, coffee, fine china, and other gifts are also for sale.

Alaska authors line the shelves at this cozy literary café, a neighborhood gathering place that's both a bookstore and coffee shop. The busy events calendar showcases local artists of all stripes, including spoken word performances, art openings, and book launches.

Easily the largest independent bookstore in Alaska, Title Wave Books fills a 25,000-square-foot space in the Northern Lights Center. The shelves are filled with nearly half a million used books, CDs, and DVDs across more than 1,600 categories, including a large section of Alaska-focused books. The staff is very knowledgeable, and the store hosts regular game nights and children's story times. Anyone can bring in used books and trade them for store credit.