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The areas with the highest concentrations of shops are Polanco, for upscale boutiques, luxury chains, modern furniture stores, and fine-art galleries; and the Zona Rosa, chock-full of clothing stores, adult shops, leather goods, and antiques.
La Condesa and La Roma, though better known for restaurants and cafés, are sprouting designer boutiques, primarily for a younger crowd and artsy types. Jewelers, shoe shops, vintage clothes, and hip housewares stores are squeezing in as well. Most cluster along avenidas Michoacán, Vicente Suárez, Amsterdam, and Tamaulipas, in Condesa, and Alvaro Obregón and thereabouts, in Roma.
Hundreds of shops with more modest trappings and better prices are spread along the length of Avenida Insurgentes and Avenida Juárez.
Named for the late novelist and screenwriter Elena Garro, this huge bookstore occupies an early-20th-century mansion that's been enclosed within a stunning contemporary glass-walled, two-story addition. You'll find a terrific selection of literary and artistic titles as well as concerts, lectures, children's events (from puppet shows to storytelling), and other cultural programming. There's also a café with an enchanting garden seating area.
With volumes in multiple languages, Jorge Cuesta Librería de Paso is a great spot to find academic writing on any number of subjects in Mexico, as well as out-of-print copies of international and Mexican literature. The bookstore, named after a Mexican poet and scientist, is packed to the gills with antiques, too (some of which are for sale), on which nary an inch is spared for all the books within its walls.
Set in fashionable building with a small cluster of art- and design-related spaces, this small, beautiful bookstore specializes in titles related to art, architecture, fashion, and photography. You'll also find a selection of handmade stationary and paper goods as well as interesting locally made gifts, including artisan chocolates. Casa Bosques often hosts signings and readings as well.
Small but with a well-chosen selection of books, this fun and free-spirited bookstore puts an emphasis on art and architectural titles. It also has benches where you can enjoy a cup of coffee while you peruse any books you're thinking about purchasing. There's a nice assortment of decorative gifts and knickknacks for sale, too.
This inclusive store prides itself on being a bookshop, cultural space, and café geared toward LGBTQ+ customers. Colorful and stocked with magazines, games, gifts, and a variety of books on sexuality, it gives way to a quiet coffee shop with excellent pastries. The space is ideal for working or meeting in small groups. Open mike nights, book club meetings, and drag shows make up the regular event listings.
