4 Best Places to Shop in University City and West Philadelphia, Philadelphia

In late 2014 the Rittenhouse Square outposts of Hello World, which focused on gifts and accessories, and Hello Home, which focused on the home and struck a mid-century modern note with furniture and accessories, closed their Center City locations and joined forces in one large lifestyle store that offers a bit of everything from artisan children's toys to whimsical kitchen accessories to, yes, mid-century modern furniture, for the discerning shopper.

Despite its location in a brownstone flanked by University of Pennsylvania fraternity houses, there's nothing fratty about this erudite bookstore. Its two floors of rambling rooms with shelves reaching up to the soaring ceilings boast an enormous amount of literature mixed in with course books for Penn students and used books. Spend a frivolous hour perusing books in a place that makes you feel like you're back in college.

The 60,000-square-foot store, operated by Barnes & Noble, is one of the largest academic bookstores in the United States. Highlights include tomes from the University of Pennsylvania faculty, loads of Penn-insignia clothing and memorabilia, a multimedia section, and a children's reading room. You can also find a Starbucks and the requisite best sellers.

Local artists and designers consign their works—from ceramics to handmade hats—in this former millinery with the original built-in cabinetry and beveled-glass windowpanes. The owners, a couple, both have a background in retail and are artisans themselves—she makes jewelry and he's a graphic designer. That's typical of the creative entrepreneurs popping up in West Philadelphia.