99 Best Places to Shop in Boston, Massachusetts

Commemorate your time in Boston by bringing home a signature scent. At this new scent studios on Newbury Street, you can explore nine core fragrances and then work with a scent expert to customize your very own blend with added notes. Name your new fragrance creation, choose your bottle, and suddenly your time in the city makes more scents (pun intended).

If there is one constant in Beacon Hill, it's the number of dogs that live with residents of the neighborhood and are always walking along Charles Street or in the Common. This makes it only more fitting that there's a pet shop nearby, filled with dog food and treats, leashes, collars, and chew toys. Want to dress up the pooch? This place has you covered.

As a contemporary art gallery located in Boston, Pellas Gallery's primary goal is to discover the best new emerging artists with a focus on local talent. Challenge your concept of "art" by exploring the rotating NFT collections.

Using precious metals and a variety of gemstones, Persona's in-house designer Gary Shteyman creates and handcrafts gorgeous, unique pieces for Persona's own line of fine jewelry. Elsewhere in the store, necklaces, earrings, bangles, and bold cocktail rings by a few local designers fill the cases. Repair services available.

This home and boutique shop is the perfect stop along the Freedom Trail for gifts galore. Treat yourself to home accents like candles and vases, or channel a little New England with items such as lobster trays, oyster salad plates, and pizza peels decorated with Charlestown typography.

A skywalk connects Copley Place to the Prudential Center. The Pru, as it's often called, contains popular chain stores such as Vineyard Vines, Canada Goose, Kate Spade, and Sephora and is anchored by Saks 5th Avenue. Along with the Pru's food court, check out Eataly for plenty of Italy-centric food options, both to-go and dine-in. The Pru is also the meeting place for Boston Duck Tours and the home of the new View Boston, an observatory perched 52 floors in the air atop the center.

Come here to snag the perfect designer dress, a vintage Chanel bag, or some Manolo Blahnik heels to complete your outfit. The store receives designer booty every day, which they sell for about one-third of the retail price. Handbag hounds regularly stop in to peruse the store's generous selection.

The origins of this longtime Charles Street boutique sits with paper—custom stationery, elegant and whimsical greeting cards, and notebooks, all of the utmost quality. Today, patrons at this tiny Charles Street boutique can also browse pens and writing instruments, mugs, bags, and other gifty things.

A vision of local hair guru Marc Harris, Area Salon Studios are small escapes showcasing big talent. The newest of three Boston locales (Area 207 also on Newbury Street and Area 56 in the South End), these unique mini salons are perfect for refreshing your look. Of note is Studio Number 4, a pristine, white, four-set enclave where husband-and-wife team Joanna and Omar Giraud perform hair magic with a backdrop of a rooftops and brownstones.

In the heart of the South End, shoppers can step down into this small boutique celebrating the history of fashion in New England. Shoppers will find a selection of preppy staples mixed in with current trends for all genders. The boutique once partnered with Brooks Brothers to carry the latest collection of men's spring/summer styles designed by Michael Bastian.

Local businesses, including those owned by women and minorities, make up the vendors at this annual outdoor vendor market. Housewares and pottery, jewelry and clothing, artwork, cosmetics, and pet goods are among the unique wares to browse. Bring the kids because this market is quite family friendly with a DJ and games, Children's Museum programming, and lots of food.

Since 1796, Shreve has specialized in high-end treasures, including gems and handcrafted platinum rings, as well as men's and women's watches and high-quality antiques. But don't get the impression that you can't afford anything here: one of the store's best-selling items is a $99 ceramic pitcher called "The Gurgling Cod," in honor of the state fish.

This corner shop is the sister store to Martha's Vineyard's longtime fashion and lifestyle staple. The inventory supports local artisans, emerging designers, and ethical brands for clothing, jewelry, and home accessories, along with books, cheeky note cards, and clean beauty products.

From Victorian-era tourmaline cocktail rings to mint-condition pocket watches, vintage lovers should not miss the antique and estate jewelry that fills these cases. The staff is notably helpful and informed. The shop also offers jewelry and watch repair, restringing, and custom jewelry design.

This tiny, woman-owned, upscale fashion boutique is just a few steps down into a Newbury brownstone and right into a world of trendy women's clothing, from bandage tops to knits with bell sleeves, party dresses to kimono coats. They also have a second location in Beacon Hill on Charles Street.

From May through October, the excellent SoWa Open Market on Sunday (affectionately known as "SoWa Sundays") is a great excursion packed with artists, food trucks, and a farmers’ market. Held 11 am to 4 pm, it's jam-packed with outdoor tent vendors, along with 100-plus indoor artist studios, galleries, and retail shops; food trucks; and a thriving vintage market that's also held the first Friday of every month 5 to 9 pm.

Located in the heart of Chinatown, this cosmetics and lifestyle store focuses on skin-care brands from Korea, Japan, and more. The comprehensive selection includes sunscreen, moisturizers, makeup, and supplements. You'll also find popular Asian snacks and drinks, hair accessories, plushies, Sanrio character products, and lots more.

One of the remaining antiques stores along Charles Street (there used to be dozens!), Upstairs Downstairs is just that—antique, vintage, reproduction, and new products across two floors. Browse furniture, home decor, knickknacks, ceramics, and lamps in a variety of styles from Federal and Asian to art deco and mid-century modern. You'll also find handcrafted items by local artists.

Established in 1841, Vose specializes in 19th- and 20th-century American art, including the Hudson River School, Boston School, and American impressionists. Over the five floors of galleries, visitors will find New England's largest inventory of American realist paintings, all displayed in living- and dining-room settings furnished with antiques for a homelike scene for viewing.

This too-cute—and a bit bohemian—mom-and-kid clothing store features looks from fairly expensive, small brands, and there's no question as to its place in Beacon Hill society. This is where the neighborhood women come to buy frocks that aren't made to be worn to the office. There's also a nice selection of toys and kid gift items, including stuffed animals and sensory jars.

Located in the Sowa Art + Design District, this shop is the ultimate example of supporting small businesses. With wares such as small-batch clothing, jewelry, art, and gift items from more than 50 women-owned brands, many of the companies owner Alyssa Davis works with are tiny one- or two-person operations.

Inside the Prudential Center this large branch of the popular bookseller chain carries a diverse selection of hardcovers and paperbacks, American and international magazines, music, and small gifts, like soap and candles.

Tucked inside Copley Place, Boston's denizens scope the lofty, two-story space to load up on cutting-edge lines like Comme des Garçons and Nina Ricci. Men and kid needs are covered too, as well as your yen for beauty products and funky home goods.

Founded in 1818, Brooks still carries in its nationwide shops the classically modern styles that made it famous—old faithfuls for men such as navy blazers, summertime seersucker, and crisp oxford shirts and similar styles for women and kids (4–16 years). Its Newbury Street store offers the hipper Fleece collection with both a bright affordable line and a high-end designer line aimed to appeal to less conservative shoppers. There's another location at 75 State Street.

Sneaker collectors love having what other people can't find and this store features exclusives by Nike, New Balance, Vans, Adidas, and others. Fanatics line up around the block when a limited-edition shoe debuts.

Major discounts on high-quality (and big-name) shoes for men and women draw savvy Boston shoppers to this branch of the chain DSW, also known as Designer Shoe Warehouse. Everything from Nike to Prada can be found at varying discounts—sometimes up to 90% off.

Many male and female clubgoers have at least one pair of these oh-so-hip shoes in their closets, perhaps because of the company's claim that their Angel soles repel all kinds of nasty liquids "and Satan."

Founded in 1907, this national men's chain has crisp suits, dress shirts, and leather shoes for the conservatively well-dressed male everywhere. And gents, should you need a tuxedo at the last minute, rest assured: the store rents them.

Trendsetters go wild for Kate's colorful and classically whimsical dresses, as well as her handbags, shoes, PJs, accessories, and travel and cosmetics cases.