French Quarter
New
Orleans's main draw for tourists as well as its most iconic neighborhood
unsurprisingly has a myriad of shops with avant-garde items of incredible
variety. Whether you're looking for a fun gift or novelty item or something
more practical, the French Quarter has a shop for everything. The trick, as
many know, is to avoid tourist traps or non-local chain establishments in the
area in favor of older, rustic, and more unique-in-inventory shops that you can
only find the likes of in the Quarter. Places such as Fleurty Girl,
Dirty Coast,
Sweet
Pea & Tulip, and Forever New Orleans
are good places to start.
Faubourg Marigny
The
Faubourg Marigny is but a brisk walk from the French Quarter, but with
considerably less bustle as well as less of a cluster of samey souvenir shops and more unique places to stop by.
Small, self-sustaining, colorful stores like Frenchmen
Art and Books can scratch your itch
to pick up vintage art prints or editions of your favorite books that are
missing from your collection. Of special note are the numerous vintage clothing
stores in this area, from Blue
Dream to Vintage Voyage. A visit to the
Marigny may end with you doing less window shopping than you would elsewhere,
considering how enticing some of the inventories are.
Vintage Voyage does not
have a website, but you can reach them at (214) 876-5779.
Bywater
A
neighborhood that is, in a word, eccentric, the Bywater will satisfy any
bohemian urges you may find yourself eager to fulfill. A non-conforming, chill-yet-vibrant
air permeates the Bywater neighborhood, filled with outside cafés (perfect for
right now!) and sightly Victorian architecture. While you enjoy the numerous
eclectic shops that line the streets, be sure to turn an eye to the famous
street murals that run throughout the neighborhood.
Uptown and Carrollton
The
quaint home of famous universities Loyola and Tulane, renowned restaurants such
as the Milk Bar and Camellia
Grill, and the gorgeous Audubon Park, the Uptown
and Carrollton areas offer a good selection of places where you can spend some
money. Rustic and rugged spots like Oak Street have charming mom-and-pop shops including
Blue Cypress Books
and a multitude of cafés for you to enjoy. More practical spots, like the aptly
named Bike Shop on Freret Street, can
give you a quick tune-up or repair in no time to have you back on any given
trek, or allow you to find gifts for the bike enthusiast in your life.
Central Business District
While
certainly not cheap, the Central Business District has its fair share of iconic
and attractive shops for you to stop in. As a business district, there will, of
course, be more chains or big names that are not necessarily in the spirit of
Small Business Saturday, but a bit of poking around will reveal to you the same
local charisma that every New Orleans neighborhood has in some nook or cranny. FREDA,
as an example, is an eccentric shop on Carondelet with all sorts of in-house
creations, from exotic art to specially tailored clothing you will struggle to
find elsewhere. There's also the eclectic range of Outlet Collection at Riverwalk shops, which offer ample stores and
items to choose from, for you or anyone on your list.