10 Best Places to Shop in Austin, Texas

This year-round, open-air market with roots stretching back to the early 1970s is the soul of the Drag. The unreconstructed hippie ambience is at least as much of a draw as the actual merchandise crafted and sold by various local artisans. The wares include jewelry, leatherwork, candles, photographs, paintings, sculpture, textiles, and the inevitable tie-dyed T-shirts. Note that the market is firmly regulated by the city, and all vendors must be licensed by a commission. Days and hours of operation have been changed and scaled down since COVID; current status updates can be found on their website and social media pages.

A South Congress landmark for decades, this place is impossible to miss—just look for the huge red cowboy boot above the door. Set amid trendy, touristy SoCo, Allens is anything but. More than a dozen brands of cowboy boots (including Frye, Justin, Lucchese, Liberty Black, and Tony Lama) are displayed on rows upon rows of shelves, along with hats, belt buckles, and other classic Western wear. If you're a newcomer to the boot world, study the store's website before your visit for some basics on proper fit, but staff members are exceptionally helpful once you walk through the door.

South Congress is filled with shops that pack a nostalgia factor, but none is quite as sweet as this place, where bins upon bins of colorful sour candies, chocolates, and lollipops line the oh-so-colorful walls. There’s Shakespearean Insult Gum, Texas-made Chick-O-Sticks, and gobs of themed candy. Beat the heat on a hot day here at the old-fashioned soda fountain counter, where you can order classic egg creams, homemade cherry limeades, ice cream sundaes, and an expanded menu of boozy milkshakes and handmade hard seltzers.

Established in 1970, Texas's largest independent bookstore is a homegrown alternative to Amazon and corporate chains. The quirky bookshop, staffed with a passionate team of dedicated booksellers, has been voted Austin's best bookstore for more than 20 years, stocking bestsellers along with books on topics from celebrity memoirs to alternative home-building texts; there's also an incredible children's section. Browse magazines; shop for literary-inspired tchotchkes and Austin- and Texas-centric gifts; and catch readings and signings by local and touring authors. Heavy-hitting literati luminaries, including former presidents, make stops here while on book tours.

Austin's premier shopping and entertainment district, the Domain is just a short drive north of downtown, situated along North MoPac (Loop 1) at the beginning of North Austin's IBM campus and surrounding tech corridor.

The sprawling, open-air center is home to more than 100 aspirational and name-brand shops, like Gucci, Neiman Marcus, Tiffany & Co., and Tesla, that cater to the platinum-card set. Those on more modest budgets have plenty to appreciate, though, with familiar favorites like Bath & Body Works, Levi's, and Zara found amid dozens of excellent eateries and other noteworthy offerings, including luxury movie theaters, pop-up museum installations, salons, and dance studios.

Some complain there's very little Austin-specific about the North Austin locale, but more local flavor continues to arrive in the ever-expanding shopping district, including a lovely Kendra Scott jewelry location and homegrown eateries such as Juiceland. It's also home to the new flagship location of Cap City Comedy Club.

It's a pleasant place to spend a few hours, if only to window shop after a nice meal—or enjoy a full-blown retail-oriented weekend with a bevy of delicious fine-dining options to choose from and plenty of luxury and business-friendly hotels in the immediate vicinity.

The buyers for this large, independently owned world-market store comb the planet for colorful and unusual examples of folk art from more than 40 countries. African trade beads and baskets, Nepalese jewelry, Turkish textiles, and lots of Mexican items (including milagros, postcards, and cheap souvenirs and gifts) are just a few of the goodies stashed away in this delightful place.

Pop into this beloved neighborhood grocery store in the heart of South Congress and browse thousands of hand-selected food and specialty items, from fresh produce and gourmet grab-and-go snacks to artisanal made-in-Austin gifts and travel-size essentials of luxury bath and body goods. It's a perfect place to refuel on a hot, sunny day thanks to an on-site deli with delicious, hot, made-to-order offerings. Don't ignore the ice-cold alcoholic beverages, such as their signature frosé, in which you can slip a straw and take right outside to keep SoCo shopping. A second location debuted in Hyde Park, just north of downtown, and boasts an on-site French bistro, Bureau de Poste, that is open for daily dinner service.

This eclectic Austin purveyor moved its famed treasure trove of antiques and collectibles from its longtime home on South Congress Avenue to a different location off South Lamar in recent years. It might not catch as much foot traffic as its former storefront, but if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, don't miss a trip to this kaleidoscopic collection of cool finds, especially during the last Sunday of every month (10 am–3 pm) when the backyard transforms into the massive outdoor Uncommon Flea market. Dozens of unique, keen-eyed vendors keep the ever-changing stock of varying gems, from mourning jewelry made of human hair and tribal masks to 20th-century anatomical charts and plenty of Texan taxidermy.

This large independent records shop has been an integral part of the local music scene since 1982. With an outstanding selection of vinyl, CD, DVD, and cassette offerings, superb customer service, funky Austin-inspired gifts, and a packed calendar of free in-store concerts (including some pretty impressive names during SXSW), it may be the only Austin record store you'll ever need to visit.

Right at the cusp of downtown, the 80,000-square-foot flagship store for the natural/organic supermarket chain's world headquarters is both a showcase for the company's philosophy and one of the most entertaining supermarkets you'll ever visit. It's been a major tourist attraction (seriously) since it opened in 2005. You can enjoy a casual sit-down lunch at several places inside the massive store, and the options for a hot, grab-and-go selection are abundant, whether you're craving sushi, pizza, or seafood. The store also has one of Austin's largest wine selections and a walk-in beer cooler, plus several café and bar operations. Ample free underground garage parking is provided.