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From
Vintage Finds to High Fashion, Austin Offers Eclectic
Shopping
Austin
satisfies all shoppers, from boutique fans and antique
hunters, to outlet lovers and mallgoers.
One of the many stores in
the 2nd Street District. Photo courtesy ACVB by AMLI
The Capital City’s unique boutiques and top-notch
vintage shops mix with the finest nationally-known
chains that carry tried-and-true brands. “Keep Austin
Weird” has become a slogan, created as a reminder to
support the small, local businesses that give Austin its
unique cultural identity.
The ultra hip South Congress district, or “SoCo,” is a
great place to soak up the city’s quirky attitude with a
large number of vintage and thrift shops, high-end
salons and chi-chi clothing and jewelry stores.
Favorites include: Parts and Labour, which showcases
more than 200 Texas designers of clothing, jewelry,
handmade soaps and more; Monkey See, Monkey Do,
purveyors of cool retro kitsch; and Maya*, a colorful
shop with jewelry and gifts made by local and
international artists. While in SoCo, treat your taste
buds to sweet treats at Big Top Candy Shop and your body
to a full salon package at Ann Kelso Salon and CitySpa.
In addition, Feathers features a unique variety of
hand-selected vintage clothing and boasts Austin’s
largest selection of vintage shoes. Uncommon Objects,
also in SoCo, is a treasure trove of unique finds:
Mexican religious folk art, vintage belt buckles, 1920s
cigarette cases, medical collectibles and much more.
These shops offer just a few of the signature finds that
rank Austin among America’s top five for vintage
shopping, according to Travel + Leisure magazine.
Besides SoCo, there are numerous other pockets of
independently-owned shops across town. The
boutique Love on South First is a favorite for its rock
star styles, while SoLa on South Lamar offers pretty
night-on-the-town fashions.
Sixth Street Entertainment District -
Photo courtesy ACVB
Naturally, the Live Music Capital of the World® has an
art and gift shop that carries nothing but music-themed
merchandise. Wild About Music, located downtown, plans
to grow into a national chain. Austin’s signature shop
licenses and markets several lines of art prints and
private-labeled apparel and gifts. Also downtown,
Anthony Nak sells exquisite jewelry designs that are
favorites of international celebrities such as Jessica
Alba, Naomi Watts, and Oprah Winfrey.
Other locally-owned favorites include Central Market and
Whole Foods Market, which was founded in Austin. The
flagship store boasts an 80,000-square-foot culinary
“amusement park” that foodies will love. BookPeople is
one of the nation’s foremost independent bookstores, and
Waterloo Records showcases local, national and
international artists in a funky, friendly and
independent shop.
Weekend visitors should plan to stop by Austin’s two
biggest farmers markets, which carry far more than
organic fruits and vegetables. Austin Farmers’ Market
and Sunset Valley Market both carry handcrafted jewelry,
pottery and homemade candles, are open Saturdays.
While running around town, visitors may notice many
locals dressed in a wardrobe that can only be defined as
Austin chic: cowboy boots, short dresses and big
jewelry. There are plenty of spots around town to find
those boots and Western hats. Cabela’s in nearby Buda is
a 230,000-square-foot wonderland of outdoor gear, while
the everpopular Allen’s Boots, an anchor of the SoCo
district, stocks cowboy boots by Lucchese, Tony Lama and
Old Gringo. Downtown, Heritage Boot makes fancy,
vintage-inspired custom boots with colorful cutouts and
elaborate designs.
For those wanting a shopping mall boasting all the
current fashions, the city has several conveniently
located across town. To the south, Barton Creek Square
Mall has more than 180 specialty retailers and is
anchored by Nordstrom, Dillard’s and Macy’s. In
northwest Austin, the Arboretum provides visitors with a
luxury outdoor experience with stores such as Saks Fifth
Avenue, Pottery Barn, Chico’s, and Jos.A.Bank. The
stores are neighbored by a lovely 95 acres of tree-laded
parkland, making it a lovely and relaxing place to spend
several hours. Austin’s newest high-end shopping area is
The Domain, a 700,000-square-foot space of high-end
fashion
boutiques including Neiman Marcus, Burberry, Tiffany &
Co., Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors and more.
Photo courtesy ACVB - Round Rock
Premium Outlets
Visitors looking for name brands at bargain prices
should plan a day at Austin-area outlet centers. In San
Marcos, just 30 minutes south of Austin, Tanger Outlets
and Prime Outlets conveniently sit side-by-side along
the highway. Tanger is home to stores such as Calvin
Klein, Disney Store and Banana Republic, while Prime
Outlets contains high-end brands like Cole Haan, Juicy
Couture and an enormous Pottery Barn. On the other side
of Austin, Round Rock Premium Outlets has 125 stores,
including Adidas, J. Crew, Tommy Hilfiger and Polo Ralph
Lauren.
Before visitors leave they should make a final stop to
pick up souvenirs for family, friends and dog sitters.
Mosey on over to the Austin Visitors Center,
conveniently located in the center of the city’s
best-known entertainment district, Sixth Street. The
Center offers Texas souvenirs in every style and price
range.
Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum - Photo courtesy
ACVB
For more lone-star items, visit Congress Avenue Card and
Gift Shop around the corner, or the museum store at The
Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, just one mile
north on historic Congress Avenue. Several Austin
museums boast gift shops worthy of a shopping spree. The
Austin Museum of Art was recently voted best place to
score a last-minute gift; the Austin Children’s Museum
is a great place to find toys that teach; and the Lady
Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has pretty garden
inspired items.
www.austintexas.org
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