My 12 Favorite Shoppy Shops in New York City
Looking for a souvenir? Or a bday present for your bestie? These cutie little shops have something sweet for everyone.
I am an expert on shoppy shops and souvenirs. Any time I am in the process of planning a trip, my first order of business is researching the best little shops to pick up something sweet. But what makes a shoppy shop? That is the question. According to experts (me), it must have a mix of items for sale, rather than specialize in one niche category. Ideally, it sells a combination of the following: bars of soap, pretty journals and stationary, ceramics, locally-made blankets and baskets, art, olive oils, etc.
In my (almost) five years of living in New York, I’ve found a handful of shoppy shops throughout the city that perfectly fit this mold. They’re filled with perfect souvenirs for your next stopover in the Big Apple. Enjoy a list of my 12 favorite small businesses.
*Note that while it pained me to do so, this list does not include any book stores or vintage stores. Those are lists for another time.
Fishs Eddy
Where: Union Square, Manhattan
What You’ll Find: Deadstock restaurant dishware, aprons, and artwork (to name a few). Be sure to ask Julie, the owner, for a tour of the secret museum on the 2nd floor.
Il Buco Vita
Where: NoHo, Manhattan
What You’ll Find: Italian artisan-made ceramics, antique chopping boards, and salvaged tile trivets.
Jao Social Club
Where: Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
What You’ll Find: French soaps, gorgeous combs, and lovely reusable shopping totes
Collier West
Neighborhood: Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
What You’ll Find: Antique rugs and pillows, handblown glassware, and whimsical chandeliers
The Painted Swan
Where: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
What You’ll Find: Antique cutting boards, porcelain ceramics, and taper candles
Salter House
Where: Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn & NoHo, Manhattan
What You’ll Find: Gorgeous cotton night gowns, imported hand creams, and French gardening clogs
John Derian
Where: NoHo, Manhattan
What You’ll Find: Heirloom-worthy serveware, gorgeous quilts, and an assortment of whimsical little tchotchkes
Archestratus Books
Where: Greenpoint, Brooklyn
What You’ll Find: Shelves upon shelves of cookbooks, precious oven mitts, and vintage cookie cutters
Open Invite
Where: Red Hook, Brooklyn
What You’ll Find: Vintage and modern dinnerware, gorgeous textiles, and colorful office supplies
The Six Bells
Where: Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
What You’ll Find: Ruffly pillows, Irish pottery, and a collection of cottage-core antiques
Big Night
Where: Greenpoint, Brooklyn & West Village, Manhattan
What You’ll Find: Anything you would ever need to throw the perfect dinner party
The Locavore Variety Store
Where: West Village, Manhattan
What You’ll Find: An assortment of pantry staples, candy, and more , all made within 100 miles of NYC.
I loooove Shoppy Shops !!! I've never called them this, but as soon as I read your title I knew instantly what kind of shops you meant haha! thank you for this guide! I've never been to The Six Bells in person, but I loooove their stuff!
"Shoppy shops" is such a good description! I've been here 15 years and had only heard of about half of these. I'll need to check them out!