609 Best Places to Shop in USA

Are you searching for a William Howard Taft candy dish? How about a William McKinley 1896 campaign button? It's all here, whether you need it or not. Capitol Coin is a charming political memorabilia and coin shop (they don't sell stamps, despite the name), just a hop and skip from the White House. In the basement of a building next to the Secret Service, it's not easy to find, but for political junkies, it's worth the effort. It's been in operation at various locations for more than 40 years. The priciest political artifact is a medallion of George Washington's presidency that goes for about $2,000, but most offerings are relatively modest. For mementos, Capitol Coin beats the airport gift shops by a long shot.

One of the city's liveliest and most interesting farmers’ markets fills a plaza and spills onto a side street. There's fresh produce galore, various prepared foods, plus music, samples, and plenty of cut flowers. The market is open year-round on Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm, and also June through September on Tuesday from 3 to 7 pm.

New and out-of-print titles are sold here; the store hosts regular author appearances.

A must for stocking up on snacks and picnic goods before hiking, skiing, or just hanging out across the street in Pioneer Park, this culinary wonderland boasts a fantastic butcher shop, bean-to-bar chocolates, fine local and imported cheeses and charcuterie, Italian baked goods, and a deli that produces some of the tastiest to-go sandwiches in town. Caputo's has two other locations in the area.

This awesome little gourmet shop has been around for 75 years, and you'll be hard-pressed to keep your sweet tooth in check when you step inside. A major feature is the wall of international chocolate products, but there are also house-made foods, a deli counter, and specialty foodstuffs like teas, salami, jams, and crackers. It's a great place to shop for picnic supplies, hotel room snacks, or gifts to bring home.

This colorful marketplace set in a massive old warehouse building in the Central East Side brims with furniture, crafts, jewelry, men's and women's apparel, notebooks and journals, and apothecary goods from all over the world, but with an emphasis on Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Within the building, Cargo Emporium is a collection of local makers—Altar apparel, LGBTQ+- and feminist-focused Citizen Ruth art and jewelry, RX Letterpress, and many others.

Ceramicist Richard Carter fires up his minimalist line of dinnerware at his 85-acre Pope Valley ranch, where he also creates sculptures and other works on display at his downtown store. Thoughtfully curated kitchenware, home-design items, and hand-crafted clothing by other artisans are also for sale.

What was once a row of worn-down buildings is now a merry mix of gift shops and galleries. By day, these colorful stores glisten at their canal-front location; by nightfall, they're lit up like a lovely Christmas town.

Get ready to immerse yourself in this store whose shelves are brimming with nearly every type of quality kitchen tool imaginable. They've got world-class knives (and a superb service center for them), but also a huge stock of pottery (from handmade items to pieces by Le Creuset), kitchen-wizard tools of every stripe, and condiments from Maine and from far away.

A concept store by furniture giant Crate&Barrel, CB2 got its start right here in Chicago. Expect bold basics for trendy urban abodes, all sans big-ticket price tags.

You don't have to pay admission to enter this part of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the museum shop where you can buy ceramics, glasswork, decorative pieces, books, scarves, and jewelry by southern artists. The museum itself is filled with contemporary and folk paintings, mixed-media artworks, photography, and sculpture.  Live music and after-hours events are held on Thursday.

"Not a cult," signs around this Grand Avenue shop cheekily proclaim. But what it is, exactly, defies easy categorization: it's part coffee counter, part purveyor of fastidiously arranged Japanese stationery and fountain pens, and part home decor shop with a bent for utilitarian goods like metal storage boxes. It's part performance art (see, for instance, the staff's somber boilersuits). And all together, it's a wholly unique shopping experience.

The Trujillo family weaving tradition, which started in northern New Mexico more than seven generations ago, is carried out in this colorful, inviting gallery. Irvin Trujillo and his wife, Lisa, are both gifted, renowned master weavers, creating Rio Grande–style tapestry blankets and rugs, many of them with natural dyes that authentically replicate early weavings. Most designs are historically based, but the Trujillos are never shy about innovating and their original works are as breathtaking as the traditional ones.

This century-old store is a Loop institution. It's stacked to the rafters with cameras and darkroom equipment at competitive prices.

For many New Yorkers, this downtown fixture is the place to hunt for the mother lode of discount wares. Seven floors are crammed with everything from designer shoes to half-price cashmere sweaters to high-end housewares, though you have to sift through racks and fight crowds to dig out the gems. Devoted shoppers with ample time can uncover some dazzling finds, and early birds can beat the throngs. Don't miss the children's section either, or basement-level luggage bargains.

If you're on the Upper West Side or in Downtown Brooklyn, you can check out more discount shopping at the other two locations, at Broadway and 66th or at City Point, respectively.

Shops don't get more adorable than this downtown candy store with the bright pink awning, winning sweet-toothed fans since 1955 for their slow-cooked, small-batch confections. Their version of a clambake is a too-cute assortment of chocolate sea creatures on a bed of chocolate rocks. Sea salt caramels, made with local sea salt, are a favorite, and they stay open year-round.

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.

No matter what time of year you’re visiting Fredericksburg, don’t miss a chance to get into the holiday spirit at this huge shop that sells everything Christmas-themed you could possibly imagine. From holiday villages and Nativity scenes to ornaments and stockings, you’re guaranteed to find something to add to your decoration collection here.

A local beacon of publishing produces inventively designed fiction, cookbooks, art books, and other titles, as well as postcards, planners, and address books—all of which you can purchase at its home near Oracle Park.

A lovely stop as you begin a drive down scenic Chuckanut Drive, this sprawling space showcases works in all media by more than 400 artisans, including contemporary art glass and furniture and housewares crafted from local materials. Stroll through the lush sculpture garden to see the array of colorful works for yards and patios. 

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.

With an emphasis on interior design, this boutique stocks lovely French bed linens, artful personal jewelry, home-decor accents, and specialty soaps and toiletries. There's also a selection of simply irresistible kids' clothing.

You'll find a great selection of art and travel books here, including a generous selection of titles on Southwestern art, architecture, and general history, as well as the latest in contemporary literature. In a large, inviting space close to the Plaza, you can also enjoy organic lattes, snacks, and sandwiches from the superb Iconik Coffee Roasters. Peruse the local author sections, and don't miss the live readings and music performances. The proprietress and her staff are known for their knowledge and helpfulness.

The largest gift shop in Willliams, Colors of the West has more than 300 T-shirt designs, 100 different hot sauces, and 90 styles of coffee mugs, plus everything from decorative wind chimes to a whole row of Christmas ornaments.

Set aside at least a few hours to navigate this sprawling antiques mall, filled with furniture, dishware, jewelry, housewares, knickknacks, and innumerable other relics from the past, with a special focus on the '50s.

The designs in this swoopy, gold-adorned space consistently push the fashion envelope with brash patterns, unlikely juxtapositions (tulle and neoprene), and cuts that are meant to be thought-provoking, not flattering. Architecture students come just for the interior design.

You could spend an entire morning poring over the fascinating book selection here, but you'd probably get distracted by the shelves stocked with everything from gossamer sweaters and artistic gift wrap to leather-bound journals. This is also a magnet for local events, from regular author readings to community discussions. Don't miss the notably good coffee in the café or the fantastic locally-made pastries like flaky mushroom Gouda croissants, which pair well with the iced lavender tea.

With an array of upscale, seaside luxe-living essentials like soy candles (hand-poured on-site in small batches in scents like sailcloth, fog, moss, and water), this high-ceilinged, brick-walled home-design and gift boutique smells as good as it looks. Look for furniture fashioned from reclaimed wood, nautical-theme throw pillows, jewelry, seashells, and air plants in recycled-glass terrariums. There's a second location on Bainbridge Island.