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Scottsdale Shopping 101
From Cowboy to Couture,
Southwestern Boutiques to Barney’s New York
The Scottsdale Waterfront is a collection
of upscale retail and dining establishments
nestled on the northern bank of the Arizona Canal. Photo
courtesy Scottsdale CVB
Golf courses, spas and resorts may
steal the headlines, and the Sonoran Desert is the
backdrop of the postcard, but Scottsdale is
unquestionably a shopper’s paradise. Looking for
sun-drenched outdoor promenades and upscale fashion
parks offering a mix of national and only-in-Arizona
retailers? Check and check. What about Western-themed
tchotchkes, fine art galleries and expert-led shopping
sprees through Scottsdale’s finest boutiques? Check,
check and check! Now let’s go shopping.
Welcoming, Walk-able Downtown
Scottsdale
It all starts in
pedestrian-friendly downtown Scottsdale, home to more
than 500 one-of-a-kind specialty shops and boutiques,
art galleries, restaurants, nightclubs, and museums.
Families and Wild West aficionados
make a beeline to Old Town Scottsdale’s historic
hitching posts, cowboy wares and authentic Native
American artifacts. Can’t-misses here include browsing
Arizona’s largest collection of handcrafted leather
boots and Western attire at the 80-year-old, family
owned Saba’s Western Store (www.sabaswesternwear.com)
and shopping for Southwestern décor at Shades of the
West (www.shadesofthewest.com),
located on the site of Scottsdale’s original general
store. Round up authentic Native American concha belts
and turquoise jewelry at Atkinson’s Indian Trading Post
and Gilbert Ortega Gallery of
Indian Art, or bring home boldly colored pottery
at River Trading Post and
Pueblo Arts (www.rivertradingpost.com).
In between purchases, get a taste of frontier living at
Cavalliere’s Blacksmith Shop, which has been pounding
out metal goods since 1910, and the Rusty Spur Saloon (www.rustyspursaloon.com),
where everyone from Pony Express riders to
John Wayne, Clint Eastwood
and Jennifer Aniston have whet their whistles.
The adventure continues at the
Scottsdale Arts District, a compact four-block stretch
in downtown featuring one of the most concentrated
collections of galleries in the nation. Discover
everything from traditional Native American artwork to
cutting-edge Western works, as well as a broad selection
of collectable and curio shops such as
.
Modern art lovers, meanwhile, meander over to the nearby
Marshall Way Arts District, a neighborhood-like setting
overflowing with restaurants, boutiques and contemporary
galleries, including “wearable art” at
Jewelry by Gauthier (www.jewelrybygauthier.com).
Centered upon sculptor Bob Park’s famed Horse Fountain
– one of the city’s most
photographed landmarks –
Scottsdale’s Fifth Avenue
Arts District tempts with more than 35 restaurants and
80 shops all located within a five-minute walking
distance. And if all of those shopping bags are slowing
you down, take a load off your feet and hop on and off
the free trolley that runs throughout the downtown area.
Waterside Wonders
Lining the banks of the historic
Arizona Canal, which has been delivering precious water
to the desert since before Scottsdale was even
incorporated in 1951, the Scottsdale Waterfront (www.scottsdalewaterfront.com)
is a 1.1 million-square-foot, $250 million project
located in the heart of downtown Scottsdale. Standing in
the shadows of dual 13-story condominium towers,
shoppers discover a variety of restaurants and retail
shops such as Urban Outfitters, Sur la Table, Estilo
Boutique and more.
Now jump across the Arizona Canal –
don’t worry there’s a pedestrian-only bridge – to the
newest addition to Scottsdale’s shopping bag, The Mix at
SouthBridge (www.themixshops.com).
This one-of-a-kind development offers trendsetting
fashion boutiques and eclectic shops that can only be
found in Scottsdale. Shoppers can peruse independent
retailers boasting everything from home furnishings,
garden and linens to designer clothing, “hot denim,” and
doggie clothes and accessories.
Shop Till You Drop
The Southwest's largest shopping
destination, Scottsdale Fashion Square (www.fashionsquare.com)
houses two million square feet of upscale shopping,
dining and entertainment spread across more than 225
stores. Already home to showcase shops such as kate
spade, Juicy Couture, Burberry, Tiffany & Co., Dana
Buchman, Hugo Boss, Salvatore Ferragamo and Louis
Vuitton – look for Barney’s New York to make its Arizona
debut inside an all-new wing in October 2009 as part of
a $130 million renovation.
Northern Lights
Heading north from downtown
Scottsdale, shop-aholics will delight at each and every
one of these alluring destinations.
Featuring a charming “Old World”
courtyard setting, The Borgata of Scottsdale (www.borgata.com)
is home to outdoor cafes and restaurants and 40
boutiques, including Two Plates Full, Twig and Twill
Boutique, and Pink Paradise – a Lily Pulitzer Signature
Store. Centrally located Hilton Village offers a winning
mix of retail and restaurants, including “must see”
stores such as the whimsical pet boutique, Mackie’s
Parlour, and Essentials and More, a pampering sanctuary
offering luxurious body products and gifts for men,
women and children.
One of Scottsdale’s premiere
shopping addresses, The Shops at Gainey Village (www.theshopsgaineyvillage.com)
offers one-of-a-kind stores like bed, bath and kitchen
boutique Bella Dimora and fashion forward Fleur’t – all
wrapped up in a pretty, palm tree-lined package.
Perfectly suited for Scottsdale’s sun-drenched
lifestyle, Kierland Commons (www.kierlandcommons.com)
is an outdoor shopping promenade that artfully blends
shopping, dining, entertainment and office space with
urban loft living. Among the 70 high-end specialty
retailers lining this Main Street development are
fashion favorites 42 Saint, Harari and Juicy Couture.
And el Pedregal Shops & Dining at The Boulders Resort &
Golden Door Spa (www.elpedregal.com)
is a Moroccan-influenced outdoor shopping plaza that
features 30 upscale stores and restaurants, a tranquil
courtyard, and live entertainment on an outdoor stage.
Shop Like a Pro
Purveyors of customized (individual or group) shopping
tours,www.azshoppingspree.com)
is a must for serious style lovers. Led by professional
fashionistas, attendees receive red carpet treatment as
store owners greet them with wine and cheese receptions
and provide access to special merchandise and store
services.
Three-day Fashion Fête
Hosted under a starry sky at the
Scottsdale Waterfront, Scottsdale Fashion Week (www.scottsdalefashionweek.com)
is an annual fall affair featuring models strutting down
an 85-foot New York-style tented runway and an outdoor
runway on the Marshall Way Bridge over the Arizona
Canal, complemented by musical entertainment and an
exciting luxury lifestyle pavilion. Scottsdale’s art
galleries kick off the events with a Milan-inspired
Wearable ArtWalk replete with models draped in
wearable art transforming Marshall Way into a
street-long outdoor catwalk.
For more info see
http://www.scottsdalecvb.com/shopping
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