Because I know New York so well, everyone asks me where I should drink coffee, eat and drink, but besides the culinary questions, I always get asked where’s the best shopping? In other words, beyond Macy’s, “where should I shop for something I can only find in NYC?” While I can’t exactly tell you that the below list of stores will stock stuff you won’t be able to get elsewhere (disclaimer: it won’t), I can promise you this: the below list are stores that are unique to NYC, and do not have chains outside of the city.
Photo Credit: http://www.bakeorbreak.com/
These are 10 of my favorites, for the reasons listed. Happy Shopping!
- If you’re looking for really fun and kitchsy kitchen + table decor, head to Fishs Eddy.
- If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind bookstore experience, complete with both affordable and rare books, head to The Strand.
- If you’re looking for the perfect gift, head to Michele Varian.
- If you’re looking to deck out your doll house, head to Tiny Doll House.
- If you’re looking for amazing scents, perfumes, and candles, head to Aedes de Venustas.
- If you’re looking for a designer anything, head to Bergdorf Goodman. (Insider’s tip: make an afternoon out of it and have tea upstairs at BG’s. The views of the park are splendid, and they actually offer you a black cloth napkin if you happen to be wearing black, so as not to tarnish your pantsuit with white fibers.)
- If you’re looking for the perfect NYC-inspired foodie gift, head to Chelsea Market Basket.
- If you’re looking for pencils and related accessories, head to CW Pencil Enterprise.
- If you’re looking for a store that changes concepts every 4 to 8 weeks and features over 200 small businesses and brands, head to Story.
- If you’re looking to satisfy your sweet tooth and load up on vintage candy favorites, head to Economy Candy.
Would love to know…do you have a favorite store, only found in NYC? Or maybe a mom-and-pop shop from wherever you live? Leave it in the comments!
Jessica Tiare Bowen lives in the juicy Big Apple with her adorable pink-nosed chihuahua, Gillman. He’s the inspiration for her first published children’s book, “Park Avenue Pound Puppy.” The book is the combined result of her two greatest passions: pooches and penning stories.
Her passions include art, urban hikes through Manhattan, drinking coffee with 3 creams and 6 sugars, making extremely detailed itineraries and traveling to far away places, singing along to Broadway shows, Netflix movie nights, discovering incredible treasures at Goodwill and thrift stores, and listening to stories from little people under 7 and big people over 70.
She started her career as New York City Teaching Fellow, teaching elementary school and theater arts at a special education school in the South Bronx for 6 years. She is now a Special Education School Improvement Specialist working in public schools throughout New York City. She is the Editor-In-Chief of the online New York City travel magazine, Used York City. The magazine focuses on finding the best of New York…as used by New Yorkers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and an ASPCA Ambassador.
