Listed are some of the coolest independent shops in Boston.
To begin, select a neighborhood and/or tag from below.
The stores associated with your selection will appear right here and on the map.
Abodeon
Emphasizing the marvelous in the mundane, Abodeon presents a collection of well-designed home furniture and accessories spanning continents and...
Alan Bilzerian
You may be intimidated by the "ring the bell to enter" policy, but don't let that stop you from stopping by Alan Bilzerian. For...
Alan Bilzerian
You may be intimidated by the "ring the bell to enter" policy, but don't let that stop you from stopping by Alan Bilzerian. For...
Black Ink
Black Ink does a wonderful job of selling nothing in particular. Hello Kitty lunchboxes, rubber peanuts, squiggly sushi plates, banana-shaped...
Black Ink
Black Ink does a wonderful job of selling nothing in particular. Hello Kitty lunchboxes, rubber peanuts, squiggly sushi plates, banana-shaped...
Bodega
Reader Suggested: Secret entrance in the back of a bodega... Beautiful store! Vintage nike, great sneakers, 10 Deep, Dr. Romanelli, Undrcrwn, Recon, etc....
Brattle Book Shop
What would one of the oldest cities in America be without a nice used bookshop? Brattle Book Shop is not merely a nice shop, it is the oldest in...
Dress
Reader Suggested: A rare example of laid-back charm in a minimalist yet feminine Back Bay boutique. The owners, Jane and Martha, are friendly without hovering or...
Eye Q Optical
One million architects can't be wrong: fashionable glasses are the most important accessory you can own. Eye Q has nothing but fashionable...
Eye Q Optical
One million architects can't be wrong: fashionable glasses are the most important accessory you can own. Eye Q has nothing but fashionable...
Eye Q Optical
One million architects can't be wrong: fashionable glasses are the most important accessory you can own. Eye Q has nothing but fashionable...
Gargoyles, Grotesques and Chimeras
A few steps away from the hustle bustle of Newbury Street lies a gothic, multi-denominational church's dusty storeroom. Gargoyles,...
Good
Name your store "Good" and you're just asking for endless sarcastic comments. (Just off the top of our heads: It's not that...
Harvard Book Store
When you open a book store across the street from the most heralded institution in American academics, it better be one damn fine shop....
History
Reader Suggested: Great independent affordable vintage couture clothing and accessories from owner and former high school history teacher Rachel Hirsch.
Holiday
Somewhere in the midst of the feminist movement we forgot the joy of the swish. No, no we don't mean the infamous athletic swish. We mean an...
J. Press
J. Press has been dressing Ivy League men since 1902 and from the look of things they haven't changed much in the past century or so. The...
Kitchen Arts
How does a small kitchen store compete with the gargantuan chains that are now entrenched in every city center? Well, Kitchen Arts does it by...
Koo de Kir
Let's face it, not everyone has good taste. Luckily, we live in a society where what you don't have you can buy. Above all, Koo de Kir...
Louis Boston
Louis Boston is what department stores look like in heaven. The decades old high-end clothing retailer is one of the most innovative and...
Luna Boston
Ever heard the saying "it's all in the accessories"? The owner of Luna Boston has. The store is a love letter to the accessory,...
Machine Age
Reader Suggested: Machine Age is a true destination store, with amazing original, mid-twentieth designer furniture you won't find anywhere else in New England....
Motley
Motley is right. This small outpost is a random collection of clothing, personal accessories and home accessories. A dozen or two graphic...
Motley Home
Reader Suggested: The houseware selection outgrew the original Motley @ 623 Tremont St, so owner Doug Palardy teamed up with his friend Jimmy Ward to create Motley...
Museum of Useful Things
Imagine a world without coat hangers, dustpans, and bottle openers. Now, we're not sure what hell looks like but this would be a good place...
Nomad
Imagine 10,000 quaint villages mashed into one and you might have an idea of Nomad's interior. The outpost collects folk art and crafts from...
Proletariat
It's pretty safe to say that when The Revolution comes it will not come from Harvard Square, but don't let that discourage you from...
Stel's
Reader Suggested: Very friendly and relaxing shopping atmosphere. Located at the heart of Boston's fanciest street. Carries the most interesting and stylish...
Stereo Jacks
Jazz is one type of music that everyone insists they like but that hardly anyone knows a damn thing about. The guys at Stereo Jacks know jazz. The...
The Globe Corner Bookstore
The travel bookshop is a thing of fantasy in America. You'll see them in England, or in movies set in England, but in America we prefer our...
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