609 Best Places to Shop in USA

This Charles Street town house lined with shelves across four levels is stuffed full of books of every genre, but you won't find a speck of dust in sight. Instead, the place has an art deco--library feel with brass lights, a spiral staircase, cushioned window seats, and a whole heck of a lot of customers. Yes, expect to deal with a crowd, but don't let that stop you from browsing the latest publications or grabbing a coffee and sitting awhile in the hidden rear courtyard.

Walking into this store is like entering a sanctum built floor to ceiling of everything chocolate. A front-facing display case is lined with hundreds of local and European artisanal chocolates and truffles that you can buy by the piece or the pound. There are also seasonal chocolate treats, specialty and gourmet bars, bagged candy, and unique gift boxes. This shop even carries a few select flavors of gelato.

This once-dilapidated warehouse houses an upstairs workshop for makers of artisanal goods and an inspiring downstairs retail space where you'll find a carefully curated selection of lifestyle goods for every room in the home, many of them produced locally—some as local as upstairs. Among the treasures, look for warm and soft camp blankets and Navajo rugs with vibrant prints, women's jewelry in a variety of simple-but-beautiful styles, bath salts and soaps, and quite a few larger pieces of distinctive furniture.

Famed Santa Fe resident George R. R. Martin owns this fantasy-and-science-fiction-focused bookstore as well as Jean Cocteau Cinema next-door. Named after Cocteau’s 1946 classic Beauty and the Beast (which was also a television show the Game of Thrones author worked on in the 1980s), the shop features books of all genres, each signed by its writer. This, of course, includes Martin’s many offerings, but also books by Diana Gabaldon, Leonard Maltin, Erica Jong, and Walter Jon Williams.

Just a 10-minute drive southeast of Ogden, this artisan creamery has become famous in recent years for its creamy yet nutty cheddars, including the signature lavender-coffee-rubbed Barely Buzzed variety, which appears on cheese platters at some of the country's top restaurants. Other flavored varieties of note include apple-walnut-smoked and Hatch chili. You can sample and buy them, along with other tasty products, at this friendly shop.

To find a well-stocked kitchen store in the middle of a small town like La Grande is a welcome surprise. BELLA carries such high-end brands as Oregon's own FINEX, maker of fine cast-iron cookware. Wine lovers will enjoy perusing the many bottles of wines for sale (the original BELLA's was started as a wine shop by owner Beverly Calder, who came from the wine industry); there's also a great selection of chocolates, candy, imported packaged foods, cheese, and other items perfect for the charcuterie board. Shelves are brimming with fine linens, cookbooks, kitchen gadgets and small appliances, housewares, decor, fun gifts, and all the other things one would expect to find in a good kitchen shop. The store also offers its own unique line of quinine water concentrates called Ruby D Tonics, which are naturally sugar-free and come in four flavors; the tonics are brewed at BELLA Main St. Market in Baker City, the original and larger BELLA store that makes a great stop while in that town, too. 

Both a farm market popular with kids and a craft distillery that's a hit with adults, this family-owned apple orchard on the main road between Lynden and Bellingham is a fun stop for stocking up on fresh produce and gourmet snacks and sampling house-made brandy, vodka, and gin. The on-site café is popular for breakfast and lunch, offers hard ciders and beers on tap, and—naturally—serves delicious apple pie.

Bright Santa Fe-esque colors and sleek geometric forms define the handmade earrings, bracelets, rings, cuffs, necklaces, and other stylish accessories at this beloved jewelry studio. On weekdays during production hours (between 10 am and 5 pm), complimentary artisan-led tours show you the magic happening in the production space, where you might glimpse anything from stone setting to metal soldering.

Catering to women of all ages and sizes in search of contemporary and trendy styles, this elegant shop offers one-of-a-kind accessories, clothes, shoes, and jewelry by American, Canadian, and European designers, including popular Montréal designers Marie Saint Pierre, Iris Setlakwe, and Judith & Charles.

San Francisco is one of the culinary centers of the world, and this universally adored grocery store is its beating heart. It's a farmers' market every day inside and well worth browsing around to see the bounty of Northern California, from peak summer tomatoes to local king salmon, plus all kinds of goodies from small producers. Bi-Rite also partners with craft brewers to create one-of-a-kind editions of favorite bubbles and brews. Buy a local peach or blood orange to snack on before strolling across the street for a scoop of salted caramel ice cream from Bi-Rite's equally beloved creamery.

At one of Wyoming's most respected galleries of Western and wildlife art, you'll find sculptures and paintings by more than 75 artists, including James Bama, Chris Navarro, and Vic Payne.

A local legend in the cookie- and chocolate-making business, Big Island Candies is a must-see for connoisseurs of fine chocolates. The packaging is first-rate, which makes these world-class confections the ideal gift or souvenir. Enjoy a free cookie sample and a cup of Kona coffee as you watch through a window as sweets are being made. The store has many interesting products, but it is best known for its chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies.

South Congress is filled with shops that pack a nostalgia factor, but none is quite as sweet as this place, where bins upon bins of colorful sour candies, chocolates, and lollipops line the oh-so-colorful walls. There’s Shakespearean Insult Gum, Texas-made Chick-O-Sticks, and gobs of themed candy. Beat the heat on a hot day here at the old-fashioned soda fountain counter, where you can order classic egg creams, homemade cherry limeades, ice cream sundaes, and an expanded menu of boozy milkshakes and handmade hard seltzers.

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.

Yes, you can find dance shoes here for a tango competition, pointe shoes for an aspiring ballerina, or tap shoes for your secret wannabe life as Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers. But this shop for men, women, and children in the shadow of Lincoln Center is also a great resource for super-comfy sneakers and walking shoes that provide TLC to your tootsies whether you are in rehearsal or just walking to or from errands or sightseeing, and at half the cost of the tip-of-the-tongue brand names. You can pick up leotards, tees, and other necessities for dancing or the gym as well.

"Why do parts of River North smell like freshly baked brownies?" is a question you hear fairly often. The oh-so-sweet reason: it's downwind from the Blommer Chocolate Factory, which has been making wholesale chocolates since 1939. More important, the retail outlet store is also here, so you can snap up your Blommer chocolates and candies at a discount—a handy tip to know when those aromas give you the munchies.

Only a few stores in New York occupy an entire city block, and the uptown flagship of this classic New York retail institution is one of them. The main floor is a buzzy, glittery maze of mirrored cosmetic counters and perfume-spraying salespeople. Navigate past this dizzying scene to find good buys on designer clothes, shoes, bedding, housewares, and more. In true upscale Bloomie's style, in-store personal shoppers will help you score styles for yourself (or gifts for others) like a VIP.

This former meeting space and concert hall, known as the Medinah Temple, was built for the Shriners in 1912. After it took over, Bloomie's kept the historically significant exterior intact but gutted the inside to create its first stand-alone furnishings store in Chicago. It's stocked to the rafters with everything you need to eat, sleep, and relax in high style.

Look for out-of-print and rare books, including hardcover classics and a large selection of Lowcountry fiction and nonfiction, at this locally adored bookstore offering everything from military history to cookbooks. It hosts frequent signings by local authors like Matt and Ted Lee.

In addition to having a well-rounded selection of books, magazines, and stationery, this fabulous independent bookstore cosponsors many literary events throughout the year. The staff is unusually adept at helping with selections and making thoughtful reading recommendations.

As much a community gathering spot as a specialty food and wine shop, the owners here hold regular tastings and events in their restored barn and Cape-style house. One of Blue Hill’s earliest residences, this shop carries more than 3,000 carefully selected wines, as well as cheeses, breads, groceries, local and imported beer, cider, cooking ingredients, and coffees and teas.

The biggest and arguably the best art gallery in town has changing exhibits of regional sculpture, paintings, fine crafts, and photographs.

A Nashville staple and frequently voted one of the best women's boutiques in town, Blush specializes in trendy colorful pieces that won't break the bank. Their focus is on "unique affordable fashion," and they definitely deliver on that promise. If you fall in love with their carefully curated selection during your trip, you can call to order your favorite pieces that pop up on their Instagram feed, even after you head back home.

Just off Central Avenue, this charming bookstore and wine bar is an excellent place to enjoy a glass of vino or to quietly work throughout the day. The bar also serves pastries, coffee, tea, and other beverages. If you’re looking for a good read or a memento from your visit, check out the latest book releases, as well as book- and wine-related accessories.