Great Shopping Experiences

A Surprising Shop in Boonville

Boonville, a tiny town in the middle of California's Anderson Valley, is proudly anti-establishment and idiosyncratic. The area has its own language, and a radical newspaper that isn't afraid to print controversial stories. The last time I passed...

A Great Shopping Stop Off-the-Beaten-Path in Sausalito

Heath Ceramics was founded in 1948 by Edith Heath. Today it is one of the most lasting examples of midcentury American design. Heath is famous for its tableware collections, as well as its tile. The colors are amazing, and their bud vases make for...

Jewelry Inspired by Nature

One of our all-time favorite designers is Ted Muehling. He makes wonderful jewelry and sculptures and then curates pieces from other ceramic artists and jewelers in his shop. He has a very loyal clientele. He posts pictures online and will make...

Mollusk Surf Shop, San Francisco

Mollusk is a neighborhood surf shop that sells clothing and great boards. They carry my surfboards and handplanes [for body surfing]. They occasionally host art shows and live music. The shop is sort of like the cornerstone of the Sunset. 4500...

General Store, San Francisco

An artist and an architect curate a cool mix of practical things here. You’ll find books on furniture and design, and interesting items like wooden radios and pencil sets. Lots of it is handmade. The store also sells chairs and tables that Luke...

L.A.'s Best Shop

This is our favorite shop in Los Angeles. The owners stock amazing vintage clothing, and they have their own house fashion line and cute, mostly antique jewelry. (323) 461-1530. For the September, 2012 issue, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim of Opening...

Where the Well-Shod Shop in Silver Lake

I love and collect sneakers, and the guys who own Undefeated create and sell limited-edition collaborations with such brands as Puma, New Balance, and Vans. They also carry all the retro Air Jordans as soon as they are released. 3827 W. Sunset...

The L.A. Source for Vintage Vinyl

If you’re looking for that rare, first-pressing Beatles record, there’s a good chance of finding it here. The selection of vinyl is awesome. 2395 Glendale Blvd., (323) 664-3232. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared...

Where the Chefs Get Their Spices

Our neighbors Peter Bahlawanian and his wife, Bronwen Tawse, import exotic ingredients and the freshest spices I’ve ever tasted: paprika, flavored salts, and black limes. They have an amazing store, and I see top chefs shopping here. We get the...

The Hidden Cheese Mecca

You wouldn’t know there was a store there unless you lived in the neighborhood, but the owner, Chris, has an amazing list of cheeses. I love his shop because he sells what he likes, not what people tell him is good. He’s also got an incredible...

The Last of the Neapolitan Umbrella Makers

In Pignasecca, I found another of Naples’ artisans of elegance: Mario Talarico. Talarico sat at a 200-year-old worktable, fashioning a gnarled piece of wood into a shaft over which an umbrella mechanism would smoothly slide. “I grew up in this...

Notions of Paris

While wandering the back streets of the fabric district in Monmartre, I came across a delightful notions shops full of every kind of button imaginable. The neighborhood around the base of the Sacré Coeur has many more interesting vintage, sewing...

Fulton Market's Modern Butcher

A primo sourcing grounds for picnic provisions or a casual cafe meal, Publican Quality Meats is the latest food enterprise by the never-miss restaurant team behind Avec, Publican, and Big Star. Billed as a contemporary American butcher shop, its...

The Ultimate French Cheese Shop

The historic Androuet fromagerie has been sourcing and maturing exceptional cheeses since 1909. Their shop on rue Mouffetard is staffed by friendly English-speakers who will be happy to explain and vacuum-seal your selections, including the...

Hiç Contemporary Crafts, Istanbul

by Sylvia Kouvali

A few blocks from Rodeo, Hiç is a shop where you can find beautiful ceramic tableware, Afghan and Turkish carpets, and contemporary crafts at reasonable prices. Lüleci Hendek Cd. No. 35, 90/(0) 212-251-9973, hiccrafts.com

As told...