Then again, it isn't really my style to shop at the big box stores anyway. The vibrant independent retail scene here in Austin makes that easy to do. So go ahead and keep your Black Friday, and keep your Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Target. I'm gonna go shop at the places below. If you don't like it, well, watch some Steely Dan. That's about all the "Black Friday" I can stand this weekend.
Austin Independent Shopping - General Help
Austin is loaded with great small shops. If you want to wing it, just head to South Congress Ave., 2nd Street, or some of the smaller enclaves like North Loop, the UT campus area or spots on South 1st St. If you'd rather do some research first, take a look below. We're focusing on smaller places that are locally owned (sorry Half Price Books and Cheapo Discs). Since there are too many good stores and products for us to list, let's start off with a few good sites and posts that provide some good, general Austin shopping help.
- FromBostonToAustin's prior posts:
- Previously Owned But Still Wanted: Where to buy some good used stuff.
- Vintage Austin: Focusing on the North Loop area and nearby.
- "Old Austin" Feel: Focusing on the area around 29th and Guadalupe.
- IBuyAustin.com: Home of the Austin Independent Business Alliance.
- Keep Austin Weird: Did you know -- Austin's popular slogan goes back to an early local effort to support independent retailers.
- Do512: Blog post from Austin scenesters on indie retailers here in town.
Books
- Book People: One of my favorite indie bookstores in the world. Excellent selection -- not too big, not too small -- and lots of recommendations. Also good for greeting cards, magazines, cool little gifts.
- Recycled Reads: Small selection of books and even smaller selection of CDs and LPs, but prices are cheap and money goes to the Austin Public Library. Good stop on a lazy day to go hunting for a lucky find.
- South Congress Books: Cool, fairly new place with used books and lots of first and other special editions.
- Antone's Records: A small place near UT with some history. Focus is on blues, R&B, etc., but there's a bit of everything.
- End of an Ear: Another small shop but lots of vinyl, used and new. Fun place to stop in at on Record Store Day.
- Waterloo Records: Austin's most popular music store. Great selection of new and used CDs and LPs, plus DVDs, lots of t-shirts and other doodads. Also sells tickets to lots of shows around town for less of a fee than you'd pay on-line.
- Allens Boots: Not just a big selection of brand-name cowboy boots, but also some cool shirts and hats, plus killer belt buckles.
- Hatbox: Deeply stocked hat store with a helpful staff. Just took my father there and he walked away with a nice Kangol flat cap (as did I).
- Lovely Austin Boutique: Trendy duds for the ladies, near lots of other cool boutiques on South Congress.
- Parts + Labour: Great t-shirts, accessories, tchotchkes and the like. Also on South Congress.
- Service Menswear: Another of the aforementioned boutiques on South Congress, specializing in (yes) menswear.
Edibles/Drinkables
If you're local, here are a few ideas. Some of these will ship pretty well too.
- Antonelli's Cheese Shop: Austin's best cheese shop has a selection of the finest cheeses and cured meats from throughout the land. Big beer bottles too. Huzzah!
- Austin Cake Ball: Little balls of cake in a variety of delicious (and beautiful) flavors. Great to bring along to a party.
- The Austin Wine Merchant: My favorite wine shop, right downtown, specializing in wines from Burgundy but stocking a great selection of bottles from everywhere in a smallish space. You can find almost any spirit here too, from sotol to white port.
- Big Top Candy Shop: From Abba Zaba to Zagnut, this spot has you covered. Put together a cool, vintage candy basket for a sweet-toothed friend.
- Chameleon Cold-Brew: Local maker of smooth, cold-brewed bottled coffee ships all over.
- If you're looking for a hands-on experience and you're not too squeamish, both Dai Due and Kocurek Family Charcuterie offer classes on processing meat and using every last bit.
- Tears of Joy: Hot sauces galore, including some of their own, which are really good. The tequila lime hot sauce is a fave.
- Aviary: Small furniture and decor boutique that doubles as a wine bar/lounge as well. I've bought bags, wallets and place mats there in the past.
- The Khazana: Cool home furnishings with an Indian/Middle Eastern/North African bent. Also has a warehouse that has occasional sales with some great deals. Beautiful textiles available as well as some traditional Indian clothing.
- Miguel's Imports: Ceramics, mainly from south of the border, with lots of planters from small to huge.
Games/Toys
- Game Over Videogames: Nerd? Like Nintendo's "Duck Hunt" but don't know where to pick up a new lazer gun? Is your lucky number 2600? I think you get the point.
- Terra Toys: Not too many independent toy stores left. This is a good one. Not a huge selection, but the stuff they have is groovy. My go-to place for kids' gifts.
- Toy Joy: An even smaller joint, but a good alternative to Terra.
Miscellaneous Gifts
- Tesoros Trading Company: Mexican- and Latin-inspired gifts, with Day of the Dead, Frida Kahlo and lucha libre well represented.
- Uncommon Objects: Antique thingamabobs of every variety. Seriously, go in and you can spend an hour just looking around and laughing.
- Wanderland: Cute little gift shop not too far from the UT campus with a lot of items made from recycled material.
Other Gift Ideas
- Austin Homebrew Supply: Excellent shop for the homebrewer can hook up the beginner who wants to make his/her own beer, wine, soda or even cheese.
- Hill Country Weavers: If you know anyone who knits or crochets, this place is yarn heaven.
- Salt Lick BBQ: Send the gift a meateater will never forget. Brisket, sausage, ribs, or for the less adventurous, a tasty, mustard-based BBQ sauce.
- Yoga Yoga: One of the biggest yoga studios in the area and our favorite. Know a yogi? Give someone a gift card or send him/her to a workshop.
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