3843 Best Places to Shop in USA

An Inman Park staple, Whitespace exhibits contemporary paintings and installations in its renovated carriage house and a smaller satellite gallery, Whitespec.

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.

Get yourself outfitted for your sun- and fun-filled Austin adventures, whether its paddleboarding on Lady Bird Lake or running the greenbelt trails, at this beloved local sporting goods, clothing, shoes, and overall outdoor preparedness store. The local branch of a Texas chain, it carries a lot of the same things you'd find at any REI—backpacks, sun hats, running shoes, rugged clothing—but it's much more entertaining. Jazz is on the speakers, the front space is filled with kids' toys (and a few for adults), and there's a good variety of books, gifts, and gadgets for all ages. The staff is laid-back, friendly, and ever-willing to help.

This busy supermarket carries local organic produce, and the seafood, bakery, beer and wine, and meat offerings are exceptional. The pricey prepared foods—including pizza, sushi, a salad bar, Asian bowls, and Mexican fare—attract crowds.

Wendilee Heath O’Brien's paintings in watercolor, oil, pastel, Asian ink, and kinpakku (Japanese traditional gold leaf) are sold at her studio gallery, where visitors often catch the artist at work and are welcome to listen in if she's teaching a class. Many works depict Down East landscapes, perhaps with people or children in the scene, but her repertoire includes abstract painting, still life, and portraiture. There are notecards featuring her work (buy 10 and get one free!) and pottery pieces by another artist. A whimsical garden path leads to the year-round gallery aside the painter's home on Winter Harbor’s Main Street.

Sweeten your visit to Freeport with a taste of Maine’s official state treat: the whoopie pie, consisting of two small cake rounds with a creamy filling. The selection here includes the classic chocolate cake with vanilla filling as well as some 20 enticing variations, including banana cream, mint, red velvet, and peanut butter. These discs of deliciousness come individually packaged, making them great for gifts as well as on-the-go snacks.

Outfit your aspiring sleuth with the necessary spy paraphernalia and secret agent supplies—such as mirror glasses, fake mustaches, and voice amplifiers—as well as stationery, books, and puzzles at this shop run by writer Dave Eggers's nonprofit group 826CHI. Proceeds help fund the group's after-school tutoring and writing programs for kids.

You can buy fresh fruit here, and from June through October you can pick your own, perhaps with a wagon ride to and from the orchards. The Wickham family has been growing apples, peaches, and vegetables on Long Island for more than 300 years. The stand is closed on Sunday.

Everything you need for your furry friend (leashes, collars, bedding, carriers, shampoo, and more), along with pet-themed artwork, is carefully arranged in this inviting pet boutique. Another branch is at  1137 West Madison Street, in the West Loop.

Attention, chocoholics! In a big house and barn at the lower end of Main Street, you'll find a wonderland of tempting treats, including chocolate-covered blueberries, turtles, almond butter crunch, truffles, fudge, and many more old-fashioned confections. They're all made by a dozen chocolatiers working in the adjacent barn; ask about taking a factory tour. Wilbur's has a second shop downtown on Bow Street.

In 6,000 square feet, Wilcox Gallery showcases wildlife and landscape paintings, sculpture, pottery, and other works by contemporary artists. Owner Jim Wilcox has won the highest honors at Prix de West several times for his breathtaking landscapes.

At Wild by Nature Gallery, most of the fine-art photographs are of local wildlife and landscapes captured by Henry W. Holdsworth; there's also a nice selection of books and greeting cards.

Presenting a more chic, yet still casual alternative to the beach attire available throughout the island, Wild Dove offers a selection of fashion-forward women's apparel appropriate for both work and play. Handbags and other accessories make for a complete outfit.

On the harbor in Sunapee, this old-fashioned general store carries teddy bears, penny candy, pottery, and other engaging odds and ends.

This store is filled with an eclectic collection of gift items and souvenirs and an outstanding collection of greeting cards.

Native American images, local landscapes, and wildlife adorn the walls of the Wild Horse Gallery. This shop across from the Steamboat Art Museum is the place to buy artwork, jewelry, and blown glass.

This charming gallery run by Haines's former mayor displays jewelry, original art, and prints created by artists from around the region, including Northwest Coast Native artists. The gallery is just up from the cruise-ship dock, and its summer gardens alone are worth the visit.

The “Locals Picks” shelf of this sliver of a store selling current-release fiction and nonfiction will clue you in to what its literate regulars find compelling.

Shop for limited-edition prints, photographs, and paintings of the West and Rocky Mountain National Park. Custom framing and shipping are also available.

Step inside this quaint little shop, filled floor-to-ceiling with vintage boots and Western accessories, and you'll come face-to-face with the Boot Whisperer, who has made a name for herself by not only guessing your boot size at first glance, but also finding you a pair you're sure to love.

Pop into Wilder for fresh and fun women's fashion sold at affordable prices. The selection runs the gamut from casual to date night, with an array of accessories to boot, as well as a selection of giftable trinkets and goodies to throw in with your new floral dress and beaded purse. Wilder also carries a "Nashville collection" of clothing and accessories, making it a great spot for souvenirs or gifts for friends back home.

The color palette is restricted to neutrals and the style is minimalist at this airy home goods shop, but the offerings are anything but dull. Come for modern sculptural vases, freckled hand-thrown pottery, dried florals, and understated work shirts. The prices are a little higher than some other area boutiques, but the quality is, too.   

Greensboro-based Jasper Hill Farm doesn't have its own retail shop, but this everything-but-the-kitchen-sink country store is the next best thing, with a huge selection of the artisan cheesemaker's award-winning raw-milk cheeses at prices even locals love. Family owned for five generations, the store stocks Vermont-made Darn Tough socks, picnic provisions, and Hill Farmstead beer, too.

Used and out-of-print books covering all fields—with an emphasis on nautical, regional history, and art titles—are arrayed from floor to ceiling in this jam-packed indie bookstore that also carries first editions and other rare finds.

Architect William Stout began selling books out of his apartment, then opened a Jackson Square store in the mid-1980s, where it remains the definitive source for professionals looking for tomes on architecture, urban planning, and design.

Well-worn wooden floors and old-time music provide an authentic feel that pairs well with the country-store staples for sale here: toys, maple goodies, jams, and an abundance of candy.

Don't confuse Williams and Sons with the sparse "general store" down the street.

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.

Behind a historical facade lies the massive mothership of the Sonoma-founded kitchen-store empire. La Cornue custom stoves beckon you in, and two grand staircases draw you up to the world of dinnerware, linens, and chefs' tools. Antique tart tins, eggbeaters, and pastry cutters from the personal collection of founder Chuck Williams line the walls. Double-check before visiting; Chanel is scheduled to take over the space in 2025.

An official store of Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg at Home features the full line of Williamsburg furniture, bedding, rugs, fixtures, and wallpapers.