United States » Shopping in New York

Shopping is one of the main attractions of New York City, and one of the major focuses for the tourists. There are thousands of shops in NYC, for everything from furniture to clothing to jewellery to electronics. Shopping in NYC can be awesome.

Some of the best shopping stores in New York are Saks Fifth Avenue, Barney's, Coliseum Books, Tower Records, Soho, NoHo, and NoLita.

Saks Fifth Avenue is not as awesome as other department stores, Saks is consistently good. And don't miss those window displays at Christmas. Saks Fifth Avenue is the top-end department store is filled with major American designers and plenty of Europeans, plus a complete collection of diffusion lines.

Best Music Store: Tower Records. A huge selection and frequent sales make this my personal favorite.

Best Shopping Zone: Soho, NoHo and NoLita. All three neighborhoods are within easy walking distance of one another and feature the newest, stylish boutiques.

The famed Nike swoosh is everywhere you look in this much-ballyhooed store. Stop in for the full line of Nike products shoes, clothes, gizmos and the tremendous people-watching.

If you're looking for cutting edge fashion, head elsewhere. Macy's is the spot for essentials from all the big brands everyone from Guess and Esprit to Ralph, Donna and Calvin, and at all prices in between. 

Top 10 Shopping Hotspots

Macys, Herald Square, 34th Street

One of NYCs most famous shopping icons. It is the worlds largest department store, Over 500,000 different items are spread over ten floors including a few half floors in between! Its one of those places where you can get hopelessly and blissfully lost. One day sales are popular on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Bloomingdales, 3rd Avenue and 59th Street

Bloomies, as its known to New Yorkers, is another giant department store stocking just about anything you could want. Weekdays before lunch are the least crowded times but if there happens to be a sale on, be prepared for things to get a little chaotic. Take home your purchases in a famous Big Brown Bag a souvenir in itself!

Saks Fifth Avenue, 50th Street and 5th Avenue

Stocks the finest in both womens and mens designer collections, including sportswear, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, fragrances and jewellery. There are branches of Saks all over the US, but this is the flagship one, and theres something for everyone here, from clothing departments to cosmetics and fragrance departments.

Loehmann's, 7th Avenue between 16th and 17th Streets

It is considered by many locals as the mother of all discount stores for designer fashions. It is the place to come for designer merchandise and familiar names at exceptionally large discounts. Their designated Back Room area is the place to find the best offers (often up to 65% cheaper than some of the main department stores) on some of the most sought after labels.

FAO Schwarz, 5th Avenue at 58th Street

The famed toy store is one of those places for kids of all ages out there, focusing on unique and exclusive toys. Its worth exploring, if only to see some of those exclusive and hard-to-find products, and also the giant piano keys made famous in the film Big. The prices here probably mean you are unlikely to part with your cash unless its something you cant really buy elsewhere.

Coliseum Books, 42nd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues

An independent retailing bookstore for the dyed-in-the wool booklover. If you are looking to while away a few hours in relative peace, then the adjoining cafe is the place to head, offering readings, art exhibits and book signings.

Tiffany & Co, 5th Avenue at 57th Street

The most famous jewellery store in the world. This multilevel store and its breathtaking selection of jewellery, watches, tableware and other gift items should satisfy your needs for all things sparkly! The store is usually busy and full of tourists.

Nolita, between Little Italy and the Lower East Side

One of the hottest shopping strips which has only emerged in recent years. The area known as is not clearly defined, but it is characterised by sophisticated boutiques to rival any other location in NYC. Many of the stores have an eastern feel, and there are a number of quality second-hand stores although be warned, the prices are not exactly second hand. The main streets to explore include Elizabeth, Mott and Mulberry, and there are also an increasing number of shops between Houston Street and the Bowery.

The Crystal District, 58th to 63rd Street

Not so much a store than a five-block stretch of Madison Avenue between 58th and 63rd Streets. The Crystal District is home to the richest concentration of luxury crystal in the world, including decorative objects and unique jewellery. Retailers to look out for here include Baccarat, Daum, Lalique, Steuben, and Swarovski, each showcasing eye-catching collections of anything from exquisite crystal décor to hand-crafted furniture.

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