80 Best Places to Shop in Brooklyn, New York City

POWERHOUSE Arena

DUMBO

The showroom of this edgy art-book publisher is a vision in concrete and steel. The bright bookshop sells design and photography books, children's titles, Brooklyn-centric gifts, and the latest new fiction and nonfiction books. The space hosts publishing parties, book launches, readings, and discussion groups. There's also a bar and café.

Refinery

Carroll Gardens
Distinctive scarves and jewelry, durable, handmade fabric bags made by the owner, and mid-century furniture and vintage accessories beckon at this small boutique, but the real draw is the selection of traditional clogs, specifically Troentorp and Sven clogs in a variety of colorful and customizable styles.
248 Smith St., Brooklyn, New York, 11231, USA
718-643--7861
shopping Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.

Rough Trade Records

This cavernous, London-based store sells LPs, CDs, and books, and doubles as a 250-seat concert venue and art gallery. The shop's cool, of-the-moment design incorporates recycled shipping containers.

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Shops at the Loom

This renovated textile mill is Bushwick's take on a minimall, with more than 20 businesses including a yoga studio, a bike shop, and a tattoo parlor. You can pick up a coffee at Kave Espresso Bar, take a DIY craft class at Brooklyn Creative Studio, or pick up head-turning club wear at House of La Rue. If the weather's fine, sip your drink in the urban-landscaped courtyard and access the free Wi-Fi.

Spoonbill & Sugartown Booksellers

Top-notch art and design monographs as well as harder-to-find magazines like Edible Brooklyn, Bomb, and Monocle share shelf space with used and new best sellers, essay collections, and philosophy titles at this indie bookshop. The back of the shop has Brooklyn-made cards and notebooks.

Sterling Place

Boerum Hill
Painstakingly well stocked, this antiques store and gift shop prides itself on offering one-of-a-kind objects with heirloom potential. Danish-modern furniture is a specialty, but quirky finds such as a pinball-machine coffee table also pop up. Handcrafted inlay jewelry boxes are among the suitcase-friendly items for sale.

Stinky Brooklyn

Carroll Gardens
If the name doesn’t tip you off, Stinky is a mighty fine cheese shop (the case is typically stacked with a couple dozen selections) that also sells sandwiches, coffee, and a selection of charcuterie and specialty fine foods from both far away and around the block. Craft beer is available by the growler, including brews from throughout Kings County. The staff are always willing to give you a taste, sip, or sniff.

Swallow

Carroll Gardens
If you're looking for a gift or a special trinket for that hard-to-shop-for friend or family member who has exquisite taste and an appreciation for the fine designs of nature, head to Swallow. Anatomy- and nature-inspired jewelry, vases, painted gold-leaf mirrors, chimes made of obsidian shards and dried eucalyptus, and other objets d’art and curiosities are just some of the offerings. Browsing here is a bit like traveling down the rabbit hole into a grown-up’s housewares wonderland.
Souvenirs
361 Smith St., between Carroll and 2nd Sts., Brooklyn, New York, 11231, USA
718-222–8201
www.dearswallow.com
shopping Details
Rate Includes: Daily noon--7

The Brooklyn Kitchen

Recreational home cooks and advanced chefs adore this shop that stocks a dazzling array of kitchen tools and supplies, from cookbooks to hard-to-find ingredients. Informative and well-organized classes on everything from knife skills to home brewing to pasta making are held in the kitchen labs.

The Clay Pot

Park Slope
Family-owned since 1969, this Park Slope stalwart carries glassware, ceramics, jewelry, and wedding rings, nearly all made in the United States and in limited numbers. Ceramics include potbelly mugs, platters silk-screened with illustrations from nature, and etched vases. Other gift items include intricately carved refillable candles, wallets made from Cadillac leather, Davin & Kesler woodworked cuff links and business card holders, and jewelry by designers such as Christina Stankard (beadwork) and Adel Chefridi (metals).

The Modern Chemist

International beauty products from Asia, Scandinavia, and beyond (Korean face masks, SachaJuan hair care, Turkish perfumes) as well as hip little gift items fill shelves at this tiny branch of the independent pharmacy. The DUMBO location (62 Water Street) is three times the size, with more offerings.

The Primary Essentials

Boerum Hill

With minimalist product displays, this design-forward boutique in a renovated loft feels more like an elegant gallery than a home decor store. The carefully curated products are equally elegant, including textiles by artisans in Guinea, candles from Japan, and ceramics handcrafted right in Brooklyn. Founded by former stylist Lauren Snyder, it carries products from other designers found nowhere else in New York.

Trunk

DUMBO
Pieces at this chic indie clothing boutique may not be one-of-a-kind, but we doubt shoppers will see anyone else wearing the same thing. Founded by three Brooklyn-based fashion designers in 2007, Trunk sells women's apparel, accessories, and jewelry created by emerging local labels. The industrial space resembles an art gallery, with concrete floors and overhead lighting.

Twisted Lily

Boerum Hill
All-natural scents from around the world are this fragrance boutique's specialty. This is a good place to check out the latest offerings from Penhaligon's of London, Unum of Italy, Maison Francis Kurkdjian of France, and other perfumers. The shop also sells modern skin care, grooming, and beauty products.
360 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
347-529–4681
www.twistedlily.com
shopping Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.

Two for the Pot

Brooklyn Heights

The name of this narrow shop, in business since 1973, refers to the indulgent practice of adding two extra scoops of coffee grounds to every pot you brew, and if you're at all fond of indulging your coffee or tea tastes, you must stop in here. The wide selection of top-quality beans and leaves is complemented by brewing paraphernalia, artisanal honey, and hard-to-find brands of U.K. sweets and other comestibles.

Unnameable Books

Prospect Heights
This tiny, beloved bookstore is jam-packed with poetry, fiction, art books, comics, and all sorts of esoteric titles.
600 Vanderbilt Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11238, USA
718-789--1534

Whole Foods

This isn’t your average Whole Foods Market. Built to serve the grocery-starved, food-obsessed Brooklyn population and to display the borough’s exploding local food scene, the 55,000-square-foot store includes a restaurant, rooftop beer garden with trivia night, and, of course, aisles and aisles of artisanal foodstuffs. Hit the massive salad and prepared-food bar, and take your bounty to the spacious seating area upstairs.

Williams Candy

Coney Island

Selling homemade candy apples, marshmallow sticks, popcorn, nuts, and giant lollipops for more than 75 years, this old-school corner candy shop with the yellow awning is a Coney Island mainstay. Owner Peter Agrapides used to visit the store with his mother when he was a kid; he's been the proud owner for over 30 years.

Windsor Place Antiques

This delightful and unmusty antiques shop is stocked with old anatomical charts, vintage maps and globes, posters, and plenty of other intriguing relics and artifacts to get treasure hunters excited. It's the perfect place to find a unique gift. During July and August, the store is closed weekdays.

WORD

Greenpoint
What this pint-size bookshop lacks in space, it more than makes up for in community spirit and book enthusiasm. It's known for popular readings, meet-the-author events, and book-club discussions. The stock focuses on classic paperback fiction and cookbooks, as well as greeting cards and gift items, including Brooklyn-centric souvenirs.