| Shopping is popular with many visitors, | | | | Manhattan’s affluent and label |
| with Fifth Avenue being a famous | | | | conscious shoppers are drawn to Fifth |
| shopping corridor for luxury items. | | | | Avenue. The shopping area that stretches |
| Macy's, the nation's largest department | | | | along Fifth Avenue has recently been |
| store, and the surrounding area of | | | | overrun by mainstream retailers such as |
| Herald Square are a major destination | | | | Banana Republic, Niketown, and the NBA. |
| for more moderately-priced goods. In | | | | But shoppers will still find a number of |
| recent years 23rd Street has become a | | | | big-name, big-ticket designers, |
| major location for "big-box" retailers. | | | | including Versace, Chanel, Dior, and |
| In southern Manhattan, Greenwich Village | | | | Cartier, as well as high end department |
| is home to hundreds of independent music | | | | stores like Bergdorf Goodman, Henri |
| and book stores, while the East Village | | | | Bendel, and Saks Fifth Avenue. These |
| continues to prevail as purveyors of all | | | | retailers help Fifth Avenue maintain its |
| things "strange" and unusual which you | | | | classy image. |
| can't find anywhere else. The diamond | | | | Columbus Circle: The new multi-level |
| district around 47th Street, between | | | | mall, “The Shops at Columbus Circle” |
| Fifth and Sixth Avenue is one of the | | | | (located in the Time Warner Center) |
| three primary centers of the global | | | | offers many upscale shopping choices |
| diamond industry (along with Antwerp, | | | | including Hugo Boss, Armani, Coach, Cole |
| Belgium and South Africa), as well as | | | | Hahn and Bose. The mall is two city |
| the city's main location for jewelry | | | | blocks long and four stories high and |
| shopping. SoHo, formerly the center of | | | | has great views of the southwest corner |
| the New York art scene, is now famous | | | | of Central Park. It houses a giant Whole |
| for high-priced clothing boutiques, and | | | | Foods Supermarket in the lower level and |
| the art galleries are now concentrated | | | | Tavern on the Green restaurant on the |
| in Chelsea. There are also large | | | | top floor. |
| shopping districts found in Downtown | | | | Downtown |
| Brooklyn and along Queens Boulevard in | | | | Lower Manhattan & The Financial |
| Queens. Many of the city's ethnic | | | | District: Fulton Street (the South |
| enclaves, such as Jackson Heights, | | | | Seaports main cobbled drag) carries the |
| Flushing, and Brighton Beach are major | | | | familiar names like Abercrombie & Fitch, |
| shopping destinations for first and | | | | Ann Taylor, and the Sunglass Hut. Pier |
| second generation Americans up and down | | | | 17 is a waterfront barge that has been |
| the East Coast. | | | | transformed into a shopping mall. But |
| New York City is a playground for | | | | other than Century 21 (right across the |
| shoppers. Consumers can find anything | | | | street from the World Trade Center |
| for every style and budget in the | | | | site), there is not much that shoppers |
| hundreds of stores throughout the city. | | | | can't find elsewhere in Manhattan. |
| It has branches of almost all of the big | | | | Chinatown: Sidewalk vendors selling |
| chain stores, and for every chain store | | | | hundreds of knock-off products line the |
| there is a local boutique nearby. NYC is | | | | streets of Chinatown. Shoppers can find |
| home to some of America’s finest and | | | | cheap sunglasses and watches, discount |
| oldest department stores including | | | | leather goods, and exotic souvenirs, but |
| Barneys New York, Henri Bendel, Bergdorf | | | | they should be warned not to expect |
| Goodman, Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor, | | | | quality. |
| Saks Fifth Avenue, Takashimaya, and | | | | The Lower East Side: This area offers |
| Macy's. Macy's houses 10 floors of | | | | low prices on leather bags, shoes, |
| merchandise, and it is quite possibly | | | | luggage, linens, and fabrics on the |
| the most famous department store in NYC | | | | bolt. Shoppers are encouraged to shop |
| thanks to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day | | | | during the week, rather than the |
| Parade. | | | | weekends. Many stores are Jewish-owned, |
| New York City also offers many choices | | | | so they close Friday afternoon and all |
| for discount shoppers. Stores like | | | | day Saturday. The artists and other |
| Gabay’s Outlet, Find Outlet, | | | | trendsetters have been migrating to this |
| Loehmann’s, LoftWorks, Syms, DSW, and | | | | neighborhood, and the shops that |
| Century 21 sell designer brands at a | | | | specialize in up-to-the-minute fashions |
| discount every day. Furthermore, | | | | and edgy party clothes for 20-somethings |
| shoppers can find great deals at sample | | | | have followed. |
| sales (of designers) around the city. | | | | Soho: Some people argue that SoHo has |
| Open hours can vary significantly from | | | | become overpopulated and commercialized, |
| store to store, but stores generally | | | | however others shoppers argue that it is |
| open at 10am on Monday through Saturday. | | | | still one of the best shopping |
| The most common closing hour is 7. Both | | | | neighborhoods in the city. With elegant |
| opening and closing hours tend to get | | | | cast-iron architecture, cobblestone |
| later as you move downtown. For example, | | | | streets, and a European vibe, SoHo has a |
| many stores in the East Village are open | | | | unique look and feel. Small boutiques |
| from 1:00pm to 8:00pm or later. | | | | like Jussara, and Catherine are on the |
| All of the big department stores are | | | | same streets as major designers’ |
| open seven days a week. The department | | | | boutiques like D&G, Tocca, Missoni, |
| stores, and many Fifth Avenue shops, are | | | | Diesel, and Louis Vuitton. Broadway is |
| usually open later on Thursdays. Sunday | | | | the most commercial strip of SoHo, and |
| hours are usually noon to 5 or 6pm. | | | | houses recognizable names like Pottery |
| Smaller boutiques may close one day a | | | | Barn, Sephora, Banana Republic, Prada, A |
| week. Interestingly, some neighborhoods | | | | X Armani Exchange, H&M, and |
| virtually shut down on a particular day. | | | | Bloomingdale’s. Shoppers can also find |
| Examples are the East Village on Monday, | | | | one of a kind boutiques and many, many |
| the Lower East Side on Saturday, and the | | | | shoe stores. |
| Financial District for the weekend. | | | | Nolita: Small boutiques have recently |
| During the holidays, Macy's often stays | | | | appeared all over Mulberry, Mott and |
| open until midnight for the final weeks | | | | Elizabeth Streets. The narrow streets of |
| before Christmas. | | | | Nolita specialize in fashion-forward |
| New York City sales tax is 8.65%, but it | | | | clothing that are often expensive. |
| is not added to clothing and footwear | | | | Indomix carries South African designs, |
| items under $110. | | | | and Sol sell Brazilian bikinis and flip |
| New York's most interesting shopping | | | | flops. |
| areas: | | | | Greenwich Village: Greenwich Village is |
| Uptown | | | | a popular gift shopping area because of |
| Madison Avenue: The “smartest” shops | | | | the abundance of crafts shops, |
| are located on Madison Avenue, where | | | | bookstores, and record stores. But on |
| most top designers have flagship stores. | | | | 8th Street near New York University |
| Madison Avenue from 57th to 79th streets | | | | shoppers can find affordable and trendy |
| has surpassed Fifth Avenue as the most | | | | fashions. Bleeker Street is home to |
| expensive shopping street in the city. | | | | boutiques such as Intermix, Olive & |
| The real estate alone is some of the | | | | Bette, Ralph Lauren, Lulu Guinness, and |
| most expensive in the world. This strip | | | | Marc Jacobs |
| of shopping is home to the most | | | | Chelsea/Meat-Packing District: Almost |
| luxurious designer boutiques and | | | | overnight, Chelsea and the Meat Packing |
| department stores including Barney’s | | | | District have been transformed into to a |
| New York. The more affordable part of | | | | “hot and trendy” district. It |
| Madison Avenue houses stores like the | | | | unofficially stretches from 14th to 29th |
| Crate & Barrel and the Ann Taylor | | | | streets and the West Side Highway and |
| flagships. | | | | Seventh Avenue. Big-name designers as |
| Upper West Side: The Upper West Side's | | | | Stella McCartney, Christian Louboutin, |
| busiest shopping street is Columbus | | | | and Alexander McQueen have recently |
| Avenue from 66th Street to about 86th | | | | popped up in the Meat-Packing District. |
| Street. A few boutiques also dot | | | | Union Square: The hottest shopping, |
| Amsterdam Avenue. Small shops are | | | | eating, hanging-out neighborhood in the |
| attract shoppers who are looking for a | | | | New York City may be Union Square. The |
| neighborhood feel rather than “big | | | | south side of the square houses Whole |
| city” feel. Shops here include New | | | | Foods, Filene's Basement, DSW, and a |
| York Look, Intermix, and Barney’s | | | | Virgin Megastore. On the north side of |
| Coop. | | | | the park, Barnes & Noble resides in a |
| Midtown | | | | beautifully restored 1880 cast-iron |
| Herald Square & The Garment District: | | | | building. The real attraction to Union |
| Herald Square (where 34th Street, Sixth | | | | Square is the Greenmarket, the biggest |
| Avenue, and Broadway converge) is | | | | farmer's market in the city held four |
| dominated by Macy's. At Sixth Avenue and | | | | days a week. |
| 33rd Street is the Manhattan Mall, home | | | | The World Trade Center was an important |
| to mall standards like LensCrafters and | | | | tourist destination before the September |
| Radio Shack. The Garment District is | | | | 11, 2001 attacks, which devastated the |
| where shoppers can find sample sales. | | | | city and its tourist industry. The city |
| Times Square & The Theater District: | | | | was nearly devoid of tourists for |
| There is not much to entice the | | | | months, and it took two years for the |
| seriously fashionable shopper here. But | | | | numbers to fully rebound with fewer |
| tourists will surely be found shopping | | | | international, but more domestic |
| in Richard Branson's Virgin Megastore, | | | | visitors. Now the World Trade Center |
| and the giant Toys "R" Us flagship. | | | | site has itself become an important |
| Fifth Avenue & 57th Street: | | | | place for visitors to see. |