140 Best Places to Shop in USA

You can browse, and buy, some of the nation's finest examples of both historic and contemporary Native American pottery at this gallery a couple of blocks east of the Plaza. It is especially renowned for its collection of pieces from San Ildefonso Pueblo legend Maria Martinez and her illustrious family.

Once an apple-packing shed, the Apple Shed has been restored and remodeled into a series of unusual gift shops and arts and crafts galleries. An attached tasting room features their own locally produced Williams Cellars wines and Snow Capped Ciders, while the deli serves breakfast Thursday through Sunday and Mexican fare and sandwiches and salads for lunch and dinner daily.

Run by the Island Institute, this inviting shop showcases an array of fine creations by Maine artists and artisans. On display are wooden goods, jewelry, soaps, books, housewares, clothing, fine art, and more.

This beloved community insitution creates custom-made kites you can fly or display. Appliqués are sewn onto the kites in the small workroom in the back, and designs range from Hawaiian flags to Hawaiian animals like pueo (owls)—with a little bit of mermaid fun in between. Also in stock are paper kites, mini kites, and wind socks. The adjacent gallery sells locally made crafts, Hawaiian books and CDs, jewelry, and other souvenirs.

This family-run gallery of nearly 6,000 square feet specializes in Native American art and jewelry, Pueblo pottery, Mata Ortiz pottery, Navajo rugs, and fine art. Located in the Ranchos de Taos Plaza next to the San Francisco de Asís Church, its historic architecture has the feel of an old trading post. Inside, you can browse through an astonishing collection of contemporary and traditional regional art that includes gorgeous jewelry, baskets, and Native American beadwork.

This family-run lifestyle gallery specializes in goods produced by local artists and craftspeople including pottery, clothing, art, furniture, and home goods. Of particular interest is the stunning jewelry created by local artist Gloria Olazabal as well as the beautiful wood cutting boards and serving trays featuring inlaid turquoise by Wild Edge Woodworks.

This is the studio where architect Paolo Soleri's famous bronze and ceramic wind chimes are made and sold. You can watch the craftspeople at work, then pick out your own—prices are surprisingly reasonable.

This yearly holiday outdoor market is located in Penn Quarter, transforming two city blocks on F Street into a one-stop shop, open-air winter wonderland. The market features local businesses and entrepreneurs across the region, finding unique, festive treasures in the heart of the District starting mid-November and usually going through a few days before Christmas. The outdoor shopping village’s expansive footprint allows for wide aisles for shopping, browsing, and also indulging in food stalls by local restaurants.

This acclaimed nonprofit cooperative formed in 1966 features creations by more than 300 of Northern New England's top pottery, painting, jewelry, textile, glassware, and other artisans.

What began in 1929 as a repair shop and a pen bar—a place to fill your fountain pen before setting out for work—is now a wonderland for anyone who loves a good writing instrument. You'll find pens in silver, gold, and lacquer by the world's leading manufacturers. If you want to improve your handwriting, the store offers classes in calligraphy and cursive. And yes, the store still offers repair services for all writing instruments—in this digital age Fahrneys' endures.

Half a mile north of Intercourse village in an unassuming house, this large store is filled to the rafters with hand-stitched quilts made by Amish and Mennonite women. These are authentic works of art hand-stitched in traditional designs such as Broken Star and Double Wedding Ring. Sizes from full to king are on offer, as well as wall hangings and quillows (quilted pillows). A large selection of fabric is also sold.

This nonprofit collective and gallery sells contemporary and traditional crafts, paintings, and photographs by more than 200 Vermont artists and artisans.

Since 1858, this picturesque sawmill on a tranquil pond has been a destination in rural Wilton. Since the 1960s, it's produced and sold classic Shaker-style maple-wood boxes, but the shop here also sells all sorts of beautiful folk art pieces, from hand-blown glass to finely forged ironware. The shop is officially only open Saturdays as well as Sundays by appointment.

Jon Gibson crafts and sells museum-quality pewter mugs, oil lamps, vases, pitchers, and other stunning works in a barn and workshop overlooking one of the state's prettiest Colonial town greens, in the pretty hilltop village of Washington. Try to come on a Saturday morning, when there's a small but fun farmers' market next door.

This shop carries a very special selection of fetishes, along with kachina dolls, baskets, and a small grouping of vintage and contemporary Native American jewelry and pottery, for the beginning and seasoned collector. The shop's owner, Yvonne Stokes, is well respected in this field, and presents work from all 19 pueblos as well as Hopi and Navajo pieces. Changing exhibits focus on one tradition—stone carvers, for example—and hone in on the work of one artist and perhaps that of the artist's family as well. Gorgeous hand-carved Ye’i figures by contemporary Navajo artist Sheldon Harvey are here, as are his wonderful abstraction paintings. Enter the Zuni Fetish Museum from within the gallery; an unusually fine range of historic Zuni-crafted fetishes awaits, along with those by other Native artisans. Transitions in style and theme are well-documented here, as are trends in materials and form. Visits to both the store and the museum are by advance appointment only.

Just before its opening in 1929, the Grove Arcade, which covers an entire city block, was trumpeted as "the most elegant building in America" by its builder, W. E. Grove, the man also responsible for the Grove Park Inn. He envisioned a new kind of retail, office, and residential complex. Grove died before completing the project, and a planned 14-story tower was never built. Still, the building is an architectural wonder, with gargoyles galore. Now it's a public market with about 40 locally owned shops and restaurants, along with apartments, office space, and an outdoor market. A self-guided architectural tour (download a map from the website) takes about 45 minutes.

Set in what was once a department store, this gallery sells fine art; contemporary fabric, metal, wood, glass, and ceramic decorative items and housewares; and jewelry and accessories. Everything is handcrafted by a diverse group of established and emerging Maine artists.

The shop at the Heard Museum is hands-down the best place in town for Southwestern, Native American, and other crafts, both traditional and modern. Prices tend to be high, but quality is assured, with many one-of-a-kind items among the collection of rugs, kachina dolls, pottery, and other crafts; there's also a wide selection of lower-priced gifts.

This is about as close you can get to Old Mexico without crossing the border. Market Square (El Mercado) has been a favorite of locals and visitors for generations for dining, drinking, shopping, and celebrating. The three-block space houses restaurants, shops, galleries, and working artisans crafting their wares in everything from silver to leather to woodwork. The Market Square outdoor plaza often has music and dance performances, especially during the holidays. Check the website calendar for upcoming programming. It's a fun, colorful outing, especially if you're dining at Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia or La Margarita Restaurant & Oyster Bar and are up for a lively afternoon or evening.

This two-level shop near El Tovar and Verkamp's Visitor Center has the widest selection of Native American art and handicrafts in the vicinity.

Located directly to the left of the church as you walk into the Pueblo's open plaza, this shop of the talented Bernal family frequently updates what is sold, but there is always a beautiful collection of handmade, original pieces of jewelry, turquoise inlay wood wall hangings, and other unique items. In addition, the Dawn Butterfly Cafe serves a full menu of specialty coffees and beverages. Proceeds from the shop's sales go to the Coral Dawn and Paul J. Bernal Center for Arts and Literature.

Located near Costco in the Kaloko Light Industrial complex, this one-of-a-kind shop features the bronze creations of artist Charles Moore. Inspired by the vintage hula-girl lamps of the 1930s, Moore creates art pieces (both dancing and nondancing) sought by visitors and residents alike. Mix and match with an array of hand-painted lampshades. Check out the specials online and in the shop.

Local artisans that include the two owners—one a painter, the other a jewelry maker—create many of the crafts, clothing, and other items, some vintage, sold at this smartly curated shop a block north of the plaza.

The gift shop at the Kauai Museum sells some fascinating books, as well as lovely authentic Niihau shell jewelry, handwoven lauhala hats and bags, local food items, historic postcards, hand-carved wooden bowls and boxes, Tahitian pearl jewelry, and a wide selection of unique aloha wear clothing. It's a wonderful place to find quality items not sold elsewhere.

Originally a general store built in 1914, this shop features handmade products crafted by local lauhala weavers, who use the leaves of the hala tree. Among the offerings are hats, baskets, containers, and mats, many of which are woven by the proprietors. Owner Alfreida Kimura-Fujita was born in the house behind the shop, and her daughter Renee is also an accomplished weaver.

This eclectic gallery offers wares by more than 250 artisans working in everything from stained glass and ceramics to wrought iron and mixed media. Prices are surprisingly reasonable for many items, and there are additional branches in Center Sandwich, Concord, Hookset, Littleton, Nashua, and North Conway.

Whimsical, one-of-a-kind wares of more than 450 artisans, many of them from the surrounding region, are displayed in this cool and colorful little shop and gallery.

The name is Italian for "by hand," and it lives up to this moniker, stocking colorful hand-painted ceramics, hand-dyed tablecloths, blown-glass stemware, hand-embroidered bed linens, and other home and garden accessories by American, English, Italian, and French artisans. Some of the jewelry pieces are simply stunning, and the kids' gifts are adorable. You can also get certain items monogrammed on-site.

Come to this shop for its selection of art and craft objects made by Iñupiat, St. Lawrence Island Yup'ik, and Siberian Yup'ik Alaska artists. The shop buys items from these local artists daily and has been doing so for over 40 years. Items include dolls, baskets, jewelry, and masks along with ivory, baleen, and jade sculptures.