11 Best Places to Shop in The South End, Boston

Stepping into this cozy secondhand boutique feels like you could be in the salon of a very wealthy couple, who just happen to be unloading their cache of designer clothes and housewares. Jade satin flats, beaded Armani tops, and vintage dresses and jewelry—all at a fraction of their original cost—are the sorts of treats you'll find sharing space with menswear, books, and silver-plated serving dishes. All proceeds go to the AIDS Action group. There are also branches in Cambridge and Jamaica Plain.

This gallery specializes in paintings, drawings, watercolors, and mixed media works from contemporary American and foreign artists. It also has a fine selection of master prints and works from 20th-century American masters. The gallery exhibits emerging, mid-career, and established artists, as well as special shows of master artists such as Pablo Picasso, Fairfield Porter, Max Beckmann, and others.

It's easy to be drawn into the rare and wonderful books on display here. The airy space is filled with tomes on photography and architecture, out-of-print art books, monographs, and exhibition catalogs. Since 1976, it has been a source for scholars, collectors, and artists. All periods and all fields of art history are covered here, from antiquity to the present.

Tucked among dozens of art studios in the artsy SoWa (South of Washington) area, this artist-run, members-only gallery mounts monthly shows featuring contemporary art in all forms, including printmaking, video, acrylic, ink drawing, and pastels.

When you want your tot to stand out sartorially, head to this globally sourced boutique packed with a thoughtfully curated selection of clothes; you'll also find toys and crafts, as well as a playroom in the back of the store. CouCou has also started carrying women's collections.

This boho-chic boutique brims with cotton T-shirts, floral dresses, and vintage-inspired jewelry, along with whimsical gift items, like handmade keepsake boxes filled with colorful images and antique baubles.

Enchanting homemade gifts from a rotating group of more than 60 artists (including the owner, Marie Corcoran) fill this dreamy boutique. Scoop up dainty charm and gemstone pendants, vegan handbags, men's handpainted ties, or a cute caterpillar wooden wall clock for that special little one in your life. This store has something for everyone, including you.

Jill Goldberg offers full-scale, in-home design services, but you can also pick up custom furniture and cool home goods, such as decorative throw pillows, marbleized pottery bowls, rugs, and luscious-smelling candles, at the store.

Dutch design with contemporary panache pervades the neighborhood's coolest furniture and home goods store. This is a great place to pick up a sleek dining set, the perfect accent table, some funky china, or a statement pendant light.

In the heart of the South End, shoppers can step down into this small boutique celebrating the history of fashion in New England. Shoppers will find a selection of preppy staples mixed in with current trends for all genders. The boutique recently partnered with Brooks Brothers to carry the latest collection of men's spring/summer styles designed by Michael Bastian.

From May through October, the excellent SoWa Open Market on Sunday (affectionately known as "SoWa Sundays") is a great excursion packed with artists, food trucks, and a farmers’ market. Held 11 am to 4 pm, it has 100-plus weekly outdoor tent vendors, along with 100-plus indoor artist studios, galleries, and retail shops; food trucks; a vintage flea market; Outdoor Oasis Café & Bar; and rotating DJs.