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The Big Apple is one of the best shopping destinations in the world, rivaled perhaps only by London, Paris, and Tokyo. Its compact size, convenient subway system, and plentiful cabs (or Uber or Lyft rides) make it easy to navigate with plenty of bags in tow. But what it really comes down to is the staggering number and variety of stores. If you can't find it in New York, it probably doesn't exist.
If you like elegant flagships and money is no object, head to Midtown, where you'll find international megabrands like Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, and Gucci, as well as famed department stores Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys. Nearby Madison Avenue has couture from Carolina Herrera and Vera Wang, and 5th Avenue is lined with famous jewelry stores such as Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Harry Winston. This is also the neighborhood to indulge in bespoke goods, such as handmade shoes from John Lobb. If you like designer pieces but can't afford them, don't despair—there are plenty of upscale consignment shops around the city where you can find last season's Chanel suit or a vintage YSL jacket.
The small, independent shops that once lined SoHo have largely been displaced by the likes of J.Crew and UNIQLO, but if you want to hit the chains, this is a great place to do it, because the neighborhood also provides high-quality people-watching and superb lunches. Poke around on the side streets and in nearby NoLIta for outposts of smaller local and foreign designers and, if you're craving some of old SoHo's artistic spirit, don't discount the street vendors' stalls, which sell handmade jewelry and simple cotton dresses.
The East Village and Lower East Side are hotbeds of creativity and quirky coolness, with little boutiques selling everything from retro furniture to industrial-inspired jewelry. They're tucked among bars and old tenement buildings. The Meatpacking District is another great shopping destination to find chic designer stores like Diane von Furstenberg and rag & bone along with independently owned boutiques. And if you jaunt over to Brooklyn, you'll discover that some of the city's hippest designers are hanging out at boutiques just across the East River.
Located on the museum's first floor off the main lobby, MoMA's in-house shop stocks uniquely creative housewares, jewelry, toys, an array of art reproductions, and impressive coffee-table books about painting, sculpture, film, and photography. Across the street is the MoMA Design Store ( 44 W. 53rd St.), where you can find Charles and Ray Eames furniture reproductions, vases designed by Alvar Aalto, and lots of clever toys. You won't find more ingenious, practical souvenirs anywhere in town. (There's also a location in SoHo.)
Located in Grand Central Terminal, the symbolic heart of New York City's transit system, this museum store and gallery features an eclectic array of merchandise all linked to the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority), from straphanger ties to earrings made from old subway tokens.
Owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Mark and Katrina Parris, NiLu specializes in locally made home goods and furnishings, apparel, books, and crafts. The Harlem residents affectionately named the kitschy gift shop after their two sons, Nigel and Luke. The couple emphasizes fair-trade products and is dedicated to showcasing the rich culture, artistry, and unique attributes of Harlem and other special places around the world. Expect to find a great assortment of gifts from women-owned brands, ranging from candles from Harlem Candle Co. to Adjourn Teahouse blends, coffee table books, art prints, and more.
Looking for that unique gift or souvenir you'll never find in a corporate chain shop? Then stop into this matchbox-sized charmer specializing in the wacky, whimsical, and charming. There are novelty greeting cards, funny coffee mugs, books for kids, and candles with unorthodox scents. There's a second location in the East Village on East 9th between 1st Avenue and Avenue A.
The perfectly giftable, Brooklyn-made products at this variety store include Apotheke candles and diffusers, Klei Beauty products, Claudia Pearson’s hand-drawn tea towels, and Bocce's Bakery birthday-cake treats for your favorite canine. Brooklyn-themed tchotchkes, funny socks, books, stationery, games and toys round out the selection.
The official store of NYC sells anything and everything having to do with the city, from books and pamphlets to fun gifts. Pick up subway-map socks, NYPD T-shirts, retired taxicab medallions, unique puzzles, toys galore, and home accent pieces you won't find anywhere else. The store shuts at 4 pm weekdays and is closed weekends.
If you're looking for a script, a lesser-known translation, obscure film, or Broadway hit, chances are you can find it here. The range of books spans cinema, music, dance, TV, and biographies. The shop also hosts events with leading playwrights.
Even if you thought you didn't need anything, you'll find something that catches your eye in Little Italy's oldest Italian gift shop—it opened in 1910. The jam-packed space is stocked—and stacked—with kitchen utensils, religious icons, party decorations, souvenirs, and so much, much more.
From the outside in, this shop is oh-so-charming, with an old-fashioned sign and sandwich board welcoming shoppers and passersby. It specializes in decoupage-adorned items like quirky trays and paperweights. Owner Carol Kaas, who uses antique prints, vintage postcards, historical maps, and ephemera in her work, also custom-decoupages trays using wedding invitations, photos, baby announcements, or other paper keepsakes.
This was the first store to sell Broadway merchandise outside of a theater. Today, souvenir posters, T-shirts, and knickknacks memorializing past and present Broadway hits still reign at this Theater District shop next to the Booth Theatre.
For NYC-theme souvenirs that are worlds away from the tacky tourist tchotchkes, the gift shop at the Tenement Museum has it all: books, cards, puzzles, tote bags, jewelry, and much more.
Theatrical posters both large and small are available here, and the selection is democratic, with everything from Marlene Dietrich's Blue Angel to recent Broadway shows like Hamilton represented.
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