New Yorkers - and NYC visitors - Shopping recommendations?

Marlene1

Will you please suggest stores, streets, neighborhoods for a great NYC fashion shopping experience? Looking for streets with locally-owned shops or stores that aren't common in other cities. And flea markets you recommend. Thank you!

15 years ago

Shopping

12 replies

Latest reply was from Marlene1

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Spend the day in Soho. Period.

15 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

When I was there a few years ago I had a wonderful experience doing a shopping tour with a company called Shop Gotham : http://shopgotham.com/. I did the Garment DIstrict tour and we got to go to various designer showrooms and buy samples at very low prices. They also have a Soho tour. Super fun, not very expensive.

15 years ago

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

I can't speak for the small local boutiques but the department stores in NY are outrageous and worth a visit.

Go to the soho bloomindale's. It is a NY store with a NY history. Don't miss the bergdorf goodman windows at the corner of 58th and 5th, right across from central park. Go up to the women's room on the 5th floor. There is a huge lounge area in there with a great view of central park.

15 years ago

Lisalou

Active Member

Soho and the Lower East Side for boutiques. Lower Broadway--from that Bloomie's on down (Uniqlo is in that area--fun to browse). And if you're going to do Bergdorf's, don't forget Bendel's on 5th betw 55/56. Saks is worth a walk-through too (5th betw 49/50. (There's a huge H&M a block up from Saks, if you're into that.) Oh, and the cosmetics floor of Bloomingdale's flagship--59th and Lex--was just redone and pretty awesome. That store has a good shoe department, too.

15 years ago

Maya

Veteran

If you're looking for small, local boutiques I would actually avoid Soho. It's mostly just chain stores now. There are a few boutiques but if that's your main goal, it's not my first pick.

However, if you go just a little further over to Nolita you'll find lots of little shops with pretty little things to peruse. They tend to be quite pricey though. Lower East Side works too but tends to be grungier.

IMO, you'll have the best luck if you get out of Manhattan. Get thee to Williamsburg in Brooklyn. It's just one stop in on the L train and you'll have no shortage of quirky shops and cute eateries. DUMBO is also a nice neighborhood.

Once Manhattan got eaten alive by chain stores and nosebleedingly high rent, all the cute and reasonably priced boutiques fled to the outer boroughs. I wouldn't live in Manhattan even if I could afford it.

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

So far (and I hope that changes!!!) I am disappointed with the local boutique shopping in NYC. For the most part, I have exactly the same impression: "nice from far, but far from nice" - and still expensive (if you are after keen price points).

15 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

I'm telling you, the shopping tour was fab. The guide was a young hipstery gal who was a ton of fun, and a lot of the things we saw in the show rooms two years ago are things that are just now showing up in the stores.

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

MaryK, that does sound fab! I should look into it

15 years ago

nancylee

Veteran

Marlene, I understand your desire to find unique streets of shopping in NYC (I have always yearned for this myself), but I tend to agree with Angie: Boutique shopping in NYC can be disappointing. I can't tell you how many times I've hunted down some shop I read rave reviews about only to be disappointed when I find it.

If you want to shop (and not just window shop) Soho will maximize your time since it has lots of great shops located very close together. True, there are a lot of chains, but they tend to be bigger or flagship-type shops with a much greater variety than you'd see in their locations anywhere else. And mixed in with the chain shops are a smattering of interesting boutiques.

There are a few streets (Bleecker comes to mind) worth walking down in the West Village. And I've heard that Brooklyn is really the hot place to shop now. The next time I go to NYC I'm headed there just to see what the story is.....

I always make a stop in ABC Carpet and Home on lower Broadway....an interesting amalgam of things for sale and much more than a home furnishings store. (great tapas place inside, too)

Have fun!

15 years ago

Diana

Veteran

While I do like Soho a lot and usually stop by while I'm in NYC, I do agree with Maya that it's pretty chain store heavy and not many boutiques.

I also do like window shopping along fifth avenue... all the jewelry stores and fancy designer shops are fun for fantasy shopping (although I do faint at the prices!).

15 years ago

nancylee

Veteran

I've consulted my NYC notes and you might want to check out:

* shopping along Columbus Ave. between West 74th and West 82nd

* Greenflea market (Columbus Ave. at West 77th) on Sundays yearround (10-5:45)

I wanted to check these out on my last trip to NYC, but ran out of time!

15 years ago

Marlene1

Active Member

You guys are great! Thank you so much for the great suggestions.

15 years ago

Category