The New York City Shopping Map
The New York City Shopping Map
The greatest places to shop in the city, from those who know it best.
New York City is arguably the greatest city to shop in within the United States. And while Bergdorfs and Bloomingdales draw tourists in like flies to honey, the sweetest (and stickiest) recommendations come from those who have adopted the city as home. Together with a group of handpicked locals, I’ve compiled a thorough (and thoroughly vetted) map of every spot we think is worth your visit in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Pocket it for the next time you’re in town.
This is a map of the indie clothing brands, the hyper-edited home shops, and the off-the-beaten-path vintage spots, replete with the little grocers, galleries, and drugstores that make New York a distinct shopping destination. Chi chi cannabis shops! Deeply hip record stores! Witchy woo woo astrology HQs! A place that sells only dirty romance novels! And yes, lots of fashion retail. This is where you get the stuff that begs the question, “Where’d you get that?” (And, of course, Bergdorfs is on there, too.)
In short, this map is a shopper’s gold mine.
Here are the greatest shops in the greatest city, straight from those who know it best — the people who live here (and a few frequent fliers).
New and noteworthy, September 2024:
The comeback of Barney’s, albiet briefly, hosted by Hourglass on Prince Street
Italian retailer Luisaviaroma
Swedish brand Axel Arigato
Ermenegildo Zegna’s Villa Zegna
Nili Lotan’s expansion into a new men’s store in Tribeca
GU (a Uniqlo brand)’s new flagship post-successful pop-up run
Nagnata Australia pop-up in Sommwhere
LeSet’s new West Village outpost, a taste of what’s to come with a more permanent flagship next year
Cecilie Bahnsen’s first NYC pop-up
Coming soon:
Toteme UES, Madison Avenue at 69th Street
“There's something very thrilling and satisfying about perusing a high-end consignment shop and scoring something special that you likely won't find anywhere else -- one of my favorites is INA in Soho. They have a nicely curated selection - and I have them to thank for one of my favorite pairs of Prada boots. I'm also very into herbalism and the healing power of plants. Sacred Vibes Apothecary in Brooklyn is one of my favorite places to procure herbs, roots, and teas. Through her Instagram, I've also learned a lot about plant medicine and ancestral healing practices from the founder, Karen Rose. - Jasmine L. Pierce, Writer and Founder of JLP Consulting
“I always make time to visit Roman and Williams Guild when I'm in town. I love a place where I can simultaneously get inspiration for the home and a great drink!” - Ariel Kaye, Founder of Parachute Home
“Fredricks and Mae is a favorite! All of their little l'objets are fun and tactile, I always leave inspired to enjoy sipping coffee or lighting a candle a little bit more. I’m still lusting after one of their extremely oversized matchbooks.” -
Hurst, Content Creator and Stylist
“Whether I’m looking for trendy decor accents or timeless statement pieces, Beverly's in the Lower East Side shop has it all. From a humble bamboo steamer basket to splurge-worthy items like my favorite, the Christofle “Mood” Silver-Plated 24- 24-piece flatware set, she caters to every shopper's taste and budget. I love her eye for design and commitment to quality.” - Woldy Reyes, Chef and Founder of the boutique catering company Woldy Kusina
CLOSED August 2024 “My favorite store in NYC is called Peress. It's a super duper old school lingerie and pajama store on Madison. The owner is an octogenarian (or maybe even older?!) who inherited it from his parents. It's a time warp, and I truly feel great about spending money there. I have nightgowns from Switzerland. I have their own private-label socks that were an eye-gouging $50, but to be honest, they really have stood up! Don't even get me started on the little house shoes. I took my son there when he was born so the amazing shop lady could meet him. It's my happy place.” - Becky Malinsky, Writer and Founder of
“Immerse yourself in the Mahnaz Collection in New York City, a vintage and contemporary jewelry treasure trove. Marvel at pieces born from the hands of visionary goldsmiths and architects, each design a timeless testimony to history. You’ll have an unforgettable experience as you traverse through layers of meaning and significance, led by a knowledgeable guide who will illuminate even the most subtle details. Despite needing to make an appointment beforehand, the atmosphere is cozy, inviting, and wildly inspiring. This isn’t just a gallery; it’s an experience.” - Ashley Harris, Founder and Designer of Don’t Let Disco
“I love the Spanish conservas shop on Kenmare and Broome. I have like five food shops I rotate between to get all my goods for when I’m hosting snack nights, but the big bulk often comes from here — they have great almond-stuffed Gordal olives, every kind of tinned fish you can imagine, and lots of flatbread options. It is also the only place in NYC that seeks Vichy Catalan, my favorite kind of sparkling water (it’s borderline salty). I will usually stop at Isle of Us on my way home (uptown on 84th street) to pick up sweet nut mixes and different jars of actually useful seasoning spices (like salty herbes de Provence, a fennel/sesame pumpkin seed mix or this one Jerusalem mix with dried fig and onion flakes) and the olive oils from this one Greek brand called Yiayia and Friends. The EVOO and seasoning spices come oddly in handy when I’m just serving sliced fruit like pear, fig or persimmon. They really give them a surprising kick.” - Leandra Medine, Writer and Founder of Cafe Leandra and
“My go-to store in NYC is Laina Jane on Christopher Street. It’s right down the street from me, but there is one also on the UWS, which has been there since I was a kid. They have the best baby clothes and gifts on one side and, on the other, a really special offering of lingerie and loungewear that makes dressing for home actually chic. It's a dream since I spend most of my money buying baby or bachelorette gifts and hate leaving my neighborhood for anything. I only sleep in nightgowns, and I've gotten some of my all-time favorites from here. Having things you can’t get anywhere else or online is refreshing.” - Gabrielle Katz, Publicist and Founder of Accent PR_ojects
“I absolutely love the shoe section at Bergdorf Goodman. You probably know all about it, but if you’ve never been…you must go. Give yourself a couple of hours there. Bring a coffee. It’s not a quick browse!” - Meg Strachan, Founder of Dorsey and Editor of
“I always enjoy coming into the Colbo NYC space on the Lower East Side - they carry some really special apparel brands, including their own, and they have an incredible curation of vintage in the back room. I always discover great local artists, books, and music when I come through. They also make a great cappuccino.” - Joyce Lee, New-York based Creative and Former Creative Director of Madewell
“I feel like we sometimes forget that the best places to buy gifts in the city are literally... gift shops. It’s right there!!! This is my favorite time of year to go to museums, anyway, so you can kill two birds with one stone. The Met and MoMA are obvious choices, but I also really like the gift shop at the Cooper Hewitt Museum uptown, where the Dorothy Liebes exhibit is on through February 4. The Museum of the City of New York also has a holiday market, and for New York-themed gifts, you can check out places like The Transit Museum, the Tenement Museum, the Queens Museum, and the Brooklyn Museum.” - Emilia Petrarca, Fashion Journalist and Founder of
“The Ralph Lauren flagship store, to me, is quintessential New York. In the midst of sheer Upper East Side craziness, the second you walk in, you are transported into someone’s idea of true beauty, and you feel it every time you walk in. There’s no better feeling to me than being ushered into the quiet, calm store from the outside noisy streets, brushing my hand up five flights of staircase railing, and walking each floor.” - Julia Rabinowitsch, Founder, The Millennial Decorator
“Thuy Diep, her husband, and her mother make up the adorable children’s store Little Moony on Mulberry Street. Thuy designs children’s clothing, and her mother makes them. Her husband is often helping customers buy the perfect outfit, toy, or gift. I can barely walk out of this store without buying every kid I know a present (I know a LOT of kids). Truly, this store carries all the best brands for littles — such as Mini Rodini, Maileg, and Bobo Choses, and of course, their amazing in-house brand — Little Moony. I also love to pop into the MoMA Store for gifts for people I love but don’t know well. There are always amazing gifts, lots of great books, and loads of other interesting items. Recently, I went in and saw the cutest Georgia O’Keefe paper doll kit. It was something precocious children would enjoy, but truthfully, I think even my grown art-loving / fashion friends would enjoy receiving one. La Garconne carries so many of my favorite brands: womenswear, menswear, accessories, and a smattering of beauty. The Row, Auralee, Emme Parsons, Maria McManus, Lemaire— to name a few brands that are staples here — and they always have a couple of smaller brands that are quite the discovery; I recently bought a linen shirt that was from a small French brand, and it was hard to find any information about the brand online whatsoever — such a novelty! Finally, Veronica de Piante on Madison is such a special store. However, it is luxury quality and price point, not a place I pop into for impulse purchases. The pieces I’ve here are ones I repeatedly grab out of my closet — ones I see myself still grabbing in a decade. I also appreciate how much the brand gives back to meaningful organizations — for example, they recently took 20% of the store’s sales and donated to The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.” - Chantal Hughes, Fashion Stylist
“I never visit New York without picking up a few things from The Vintage Twin. Favorite purchases include all my favorite vintage Levi’s, a signed Garth Brooks sweatshirt, and a vintage oil painting for my dining room.” - Courtney Grow, Content Creator
“Any gift from Shibui Spa at the Greenwich Hotel is the ultimate. This spa's serenity, subtle scents, and quiet nature make it my ultimate favorite place in New York to spend the afternoon. I highly recommend the deep tissue massage by any of the specialists. My other go-to’s are to pop by Dashwood Books to discover something new, something printed, and Comme Si to stock up on their most delectable socks." - Danielle Sherman, Designer and Founder of Sherman-Field
“Thank You Have a Good Day is a very cool shop in Red Hook. I'm a huge fan of all things Alicia Yates, the owner — her edit of one-of-a-kind coats, vintage jeans, cool ceramics, and beautiful jewelry is unlike anyone else. Great for gifts, especially the kind you get for yourself.” - Somsack Sikhounmuong, Creative Director of Alex Mill New York
“I love Outline in Brooklyn. The light-filled space on Atlantic immediately filled the Barneys void I've felt for years.” - Erin Jennie Pollard, Head of Fashion Partnerships at Vogue and Founder of Underwater Weaving
“I'm a big fan of Outline on Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn. It's right by my gym, which makes shopping there a truly humbling experience (trying on Lemaire while procrastinating hitting the weights room). Their buy is basically everything interesting you've thought about wearing lately, but hadn't imagined all hanging next to each other on the same rack—The Row by Super Yaya, Molly Goddard by Gabriele Skukas, etc. They have a really peaceful courtyard at the rear of the store for drinking wine, breathing fresh fashion air, and hanging with other local clothes nerds. It's kind of perfect.” - Laura Reilly, Writer and Founder of
How did I miss this?! This is amazing! Thank you 😊 ❤️
This is a treasure map! I can’t wait to explore all. Now I want to know which restaurants and snacks I should grab while I explore each