Listed are some of the coolest independent shops in New York.
To begin, select a neighborhood and/or tag from below.
The stores associated with your selection will appear right here and on the map.
3R Living
We've come a long way from when eco-living meant wearing a hemp shirt and having a compost bin out back. These days eco-living is as stylish as it is responsible, and 3R Living is a perfect...
5 in 1
5 in 1 is simply that, a collective store of several local clothing and accessories designers. But what could have turned into a confused, muddled space aesthetically is instead an inspired display...
About Glamour
It's safe to say About Glamour is about a lot more than glamour. The sprawling shop puts a Japanese bend to shopping for (mostly) vintage and (sometimes) new clothing, accessories and...
Academy Annex
New York City rents don't really allow for those everything-under-the-sun record shops with hundred of thousands of records stacked every which way--and thank God for that. Instead there are...
Academy LPs
New York City rents don't really allow for those everything-under-the-sun record shops with hundred of thousands of records stacked every which way--and thank God for that. Instead there are...
Academy Records & CDs
New York City rents don't really allow for those everything-under-the-sun record shops with hundred of thousands of records stacked every which way--and thank God for that. Instead there are...
A Cook's Companion
The kitchen rivals the workshop in the amount of tools, equipment and gadgets available to consumers. Nowhere is this more apparent than at A Cook's Companion, or as we like to call it A...
Aedes de Venustas
There just may be as many different smells to experience in Aedes de Venustas as in all of Manhattan. The enchanted, forest-themed space is host to dozens of fragrances for women, men and the...
A&G Merch
We love the high-concept furnishings at The Future Perfect, but don't always like the high-concept prices. Enter A&G Merch. The adjacent space by the same owner collects modern, stylish...
Albertine
Whoever equates feminine women's clothing and accessories with seven shades of pink and oh-so-precious details ought to visit Albertine and Claudine. The sister stores, only steps away from...
Alife
In Alife, the full breadth and depth of the Alife brand come to life. While their shoe line is widely available in hip boutiques across the country, their other products are not. The spacious,...
Alife Rivington Club
The non-descript storefront, the ring-the-doorbell policy, and the large members-only insignia on floor as you walk does a good job of making you feel that you are actually in an exclusive club as...
Alter
Reader Suggested: Alter is a modern and unique shop that has embraced a funky shop design and mixing it with the original clothing designs of its house label, This Old Thing along with Cheap Monday denim and...
Amarcord
If it's true that European fashions are a step or three ahead of their American counterparts, then wouldn't European vintage be superior to the American variety as well? Amarcord proves...
Amarcord
If it's true that European fashions are a step or three ahead of their American counterparts, then wouldn't European vintage be superior to the American variety as well? Amarcord proves...
Amaridian
It's a fair bet that most of wont get to visit Africa in our lifetime, but that doesn't mean we can't get a taste of immense cultural richness of the continent. Enter Amaridian,...
An Earnest Cut & Sew
Now this is what we call a flagship. Popular high-end denim manufacturer Earnest Sewn opened An Earnest Cut and Sew as a demonstration of their dedication to high-quality denim. Besides the full...
Annie O
As hotels increasingly market a lifestyle more than just a place to sleep, it makes perfect sense to sell elements on said lifestyle right there on the premises. Enter Annie 0., a cubby hole of a...
Apartment 48
Imagine going into your friend's cozy apartment and him saying to you, "See anything you like? It's yours". Other than the formality of monetary exchange, this is essentially...
A.P.C.
With charming, wide-plank flooring underneath and a hip soundtrack in the air A.P.C.'s SoHo shop--the first in the US--is a pleasant introduction to hip basics, French style. A.P.C. takes some...
A.P.C. Surplus
Reader Suggested: Ultimate city guy/girl's bargain shopping. A.P.C. is already the city dweller's classic; this outlet store is just an extension of the wardrobe staple.
Apt
When we see modern furnishings through a New York's shop window, we're immediately thinking we'll have to make a choice between a couch and a new car. Not so at Apt. The friendly...
Area ID
Area ID is the vintage furniture store to visit if you think "mid-century modern" furniture is code for "Danish teak" or "designed by Ray and Charles Eames." The shop...
Argosy
Pseudo-vintage shirts (and perhaps the people who wear them) need to go the way of the wooly mammoth. If you are going to wear a vintage shirt, THEN FOR GOD SAKES WEAR A REAL VINTAGE SHIRT. And in...
Atelier
For men who'd like to make a statement with their clothing without resorting to sequins or bright prints, Atelier provides a refreshing alternative. The dramatic space is lined with clothing...
Atomic Passion
The storefront of Atomic Passion kind of looks a super funky post nuclear winter garden. So if you expect to find some funky vintage clothing inside than you won't be disappointed. The place...
Auto
Auto focuses on home accessories mostly conceived by designers local to New York. That these designs would stand up in any major city, in any country are what make the store special. For textiles,...
Auto. Jewelry + Accessories
Auto. Jewlery + Accessories takes the modern, unique aesthetic of Auto the home good store and extends it to personal accessories. Necklaces are made from chunky stones or large glass chains....
Azaleas
There was a time when if you wanted anything more intricate than cotton briefs you'd have to look across the Big Pond. Azalea is testament to how times have changed. High-brow (and...
Bark
Imagine you went to every housewares shop and bazaar around the world and announced "Give me the finest item in your collection!" Your final collection of goods would look a lot like the...
Barker Black
What do you get when you cross a traditional, centuries old British men's footwear company with punk rock styling. Barker Black is what. For its line of leather loafers, wingtips and oxfords,...
Barometer
Reader Suggested: This boutique has awesome vintage things and one-of-a-kind jewelry designed from the vintage stuff. The interior is really beautiful and quirky and unexpected with lots of ponies, pink ribbon and...
Baxter & Liebchen
If you step inside Baxter & Liebchen, have a look around and don't find something you like, you haven't been looking hard enough. The vintage furniture retailer that specializes in...
Bblessing
Bblessing is that rare so-called lifestyle store that has us looking at the living it promotes and shouting "one large Kool-Aid on the rocks please." First off we'd briskly ditch our...
BDDW
While most companies use SoHo to build massive self-aggrandizing temples, BDDW, a small furniture company out of Brooklyn, built out a space that's more organic than ego-centric. It is none...
Beacon's Closet
We're not sure who this Beacon character is, so perhaps Beacon's Closet should be renamed Every-Hipster-In-Brooklyn's Closet. The large, oft crowded, dependably lively store is a...
Beacon's Closet
We're not sure who this Beacon character is, so perhaps Beacon's Closet should be renamed Every-Hipster-In-Brooklyn's Closet. The large, oft crowded, dependably lively store is a...
Bird
You're not in Manhattan anymore. Brooklyn based Bird, presents that other borough's idea of style. Instead of meticulously put together fashionista stylings are more laid back pieces....
Bird
You're not in Manhattan anymore. Brooklyn based Bird, presents that other borough's idea of style. Instead of meticulously put together fashionista stylings are more laid back pieces....
Blue Bag
A country cottage overcome with handbags, purses and carry-alls, Blue Bags looks like a scene from the cult classic "When Handbags Attack!". Hanging and resting all over the store's...
Blue in Green
The typical Blue in Green customer will not only care a particular pair of jeans are blue but also what sort of indigo dye was used, what type of loom the fabric was woven on and what weight fabric...
Bond 07 by Selima
The clothes are the accessories at Bond 07 by Selima. An extension of the Selima Optique mini-empire of eyewear shops, Bond 07 starts with a selection of Selima's downtown-cool frames and...
BookCourt
For all its eat-or-get-eaten sensibility, New York is home to several neighborhood bookstores that are thriving despite the odds. BookCourt is one such establishment. The bench out front, the...
Broadway Panhandler
There may not be many real panhandlers left in New York City (thanks Rudy), but the Broadway Panhandler is still around to fulfill all your kitchen equipment needs. The large, tightly packed space...
Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co.
Simply incredible is the only words we have to describe the marvel of merchandising that is the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. The toy/costume store takes the superhero theme to new heights....
Butter
On our visit, Butter was doing its very best to stay low key. The storefront is small and the only adornments were two opaque screens blocking a view of the clothes inside. It wasn't working....
Capitol Furnishings
If "antique furnishings" recall images of your grandmother's dresser, you'll want to visit Capitol Furnishings for a new perspective. The shop collects antique and vintage...
Catbird
While expensive, PR firm wielding retail ventures have already come and gone in Williamsburg, Catbird has managed to build a quiet following for its beautiful, artful wares in its humble spaces....
Catbird
While expensive, PR firm wielding retail ventures have already come and gone in Williamsburg, Catbird has managed to build a quiet following for its beautiful, artful wares in its humble spaces....
Catriona MacKechnie
Catriona Mackechnie--finally a lingerie store not trying to look like a girly boudoir. The striking space with wood flooring, dark fixtures and spare displays further distinguishes itself with its...
CB I Hate Perfume
At CB I Hate Perfume expect to find several score vials of perfumes proprietor and perfumer Christopher Brosius certainly does not hate, but first let's consider scents that would draw his...
Cherry
It's easy to see where all the cool T-shirts and jeans, funky dresses and jackets go when their original owners are done with them. But where do the designer suits and heels go? A good...
Cherry Men
It's easy to see where all the cool T-shirts and jeans, funky dresses and jackets go when their original owners are done with them. But where do the designer suits and heels go? A good...
City Foundry
City Foundry doesn't actually manufacture metal goods, but the store sure is partial to them. The vintage and antique furniture and accessories stores focuses on products with an industrial...
Classickicks
Somewhere between the ultra-exclusive, line-down-the-block sneaker shops and your generic mall/department store selection, lies Classickicks. The selection of cool, colorful sneakers from...
Claudine
Whoever equates feminine women's clothing and accessories with seven shades of pink and oh-so-precious details ought to visit Albertine and Claudine. The sister stores, only steps away from...
Clientele
The sanitary white backdrop of Clientele is appropriate surrounding for the oh-so-not-white sneakers on display. Gawk at the latest hard-to-find releases from Nike and associates.
Clio
Too many people spend considerable time, effort and money buying nice, stylish shoes and clothing and then completely forget what style means when it comes to outfitting their homes. Clio serves...
Coclico
Stylish women's shoes aren't all dangerously high heels, and wispy, strappy sandals. Coclico, with shoes under its own label and that of a handful of like-minded brands, presents and a...
Cog & Pearl
Cog & Pearl's mantra is "handmade stuff to give and keep" and it's really that simple. In little groupings all around the spacious store are handmade home and personal...
Comme des Garçons
Frankly, we'd be disappointed if the New York Comme des Garcons shop wasn't tucked into a nondescript building, with a futuristic cave for an entryway. All of the requisite pieces of the...
Cosmo Modern
The key to finding that perfect mid-century modern piece for your home is to constantly be on the look out. That's why a place like Cosmo Modern is particularly useful--what with its large...
Crawford Doyle
Crawford Doyle is the type of general-purpose bookstore that you might expect to have been put of out business by the national mega chains. But the feisty store has persevered by preserving a calm,...
Daily 235
"We can go inside, but you have to promise not to touch anything!" we heard a mother warn her young son before she led him inside Daily 235. We're not sure how the poor kid faired...
Darling
From the stylized font on the window, to the swishy dresses in the window, to the enchanted ambiance inside, Darling serves as an infusion of "girly" for anyone that needs it. The racks...
Darr
"What is it?" and "I want it.", in that order, must be the two most common utterances at Darr. The vintage and antique home accessories and furniture store travels to multiple...
Dashwood Books
Dashwood Books covers the world of photography books in unparalleled depth. Young Japanese photographers, classic American photo-journalism, avant-garde German artists, if it's not at Dashwood...
Dave's Quality Meat
If Dave's Quality Meat was actually a butcher, it'd be one that only sold filet mignon and rack of lamb. The store is stocked fresh weekly with the finest examples of sneakers money can...
Dear:55
Remember the avant-garde clothing of the 1980s? The loose silhouettes, the dark hues, the flowing tailoring. Dear:55 honors these constructions in a completely refreshing and exciting way. The...
Dear Fieldbinder
We equate Dear Fieldbinder to the large closet of a fashionable New York woman, one that can expertly mix expensive and cheap, new and vintage. Running the length of the store is a row of...
De La Espada
De La Espada's process is a simple one really. They take brilliant black walnut and white oak from sustainable forests in the US and turn them into modern furniture pieces using traditional...
Depression Modern
Depression Modern is exactly what it says it is--furniture from the '30s and '40s that will fit in seamlessly in modern interiors. The sofas and club chairs, pendant lights and case goods...
Dernier Cri
Stocking plum basic black pumps by a brand everyone has heard of next to a wacky T-shirt dress from an Icelandic label no one has heard of, if Dernier Cri can teach us anything about style it is to...
Desiron
There's modern furniture of plastic-cast, ply-curved, oddly-shaped, color-splashed variety, and then there's the stuff of heavy woods, neutral tones, and grand scale. If a fan of the...
De Vera
Gawking at De Vera's amazing collection seems oddly like browsing artifacts at a museum. The dramatic store, a narrow space with massive paned windows, holds a collection of De Vera's...
Diana Kane
Jewelry with pretty lingerie, clothing, shoes and accessories to match are what you'll find at the eponymous boutique of designer Diana Kane. The pretty handmade beaded and gemstone jewelry...
Diana Kane
Jewelry with pretty lingerie, clothing, shoes and accessories to match are what you'll find at the eponymous boutique of designer Diana Kane. The pretty handmade beaded and gemstone jewelry...
Disrespectacles
In you're looking for simple, basic (read: boring, ugly) wire frame glasses, the type you'll find in scores at any average optometry store, then you probably want to avoid...
Disrespectacles
In you're looking for simple, basic (read: boring, ugly) wire frame glasses, the type you'll find in scores at any average optometry store, then you probably want to avoid...
Doyle & Doyle
It's a little known fact that the jewelry collection (see also: ice, bling) of grandmothers ranks second only to that of rappers. Doyle & Doyle however, knows this too well. The store...
Duncan Quinn
Combine fine European suitings and shirtings with some hints of funky, fun American style and we get Duncan Quinn. The shop offers the hallmark service of any European tailor--bespoke suits...
Dune
Dune creates furniture with an ultra-modern aesthetic that's unassuming and even playful. Witness the imposing, intimidating furnishings that often come out of the top Italian manufacturers...
Earwax
Earwax is a wake-up song for the record shops that can't manage to recognize that indie rock has been around in one form or another for several score years. Sure they carry the latest...
Economy Candy
Is there a candy in the world that Economy Candy doesn't stock? We certainly couldn't stump them. The old school emporium of all things sweets stocks everything from penny candies to...
Elizabeth Charles
Paris, Milan, New York and . . . Sydney? The country better known for its marsupials and pristine beaches is an emerging fashion center as well and Elizabeth Charles is a perfect showcase for the...
Environment337
If your home is your sanctuary, then you don't want to be stuck in your sanctuary with faux-brass light fixtures, cheesy plastic plates and MDF coffee tables. Those looking to create a home...
Erica Tanov
Carrying clothing from her own brand and others of a similar vein, Erica Tanov sees the modern woman as a Zen fairy who still manages to run her own business, raise three healthy kids and pair...
Etherea
In Etherea music is mostly independent, electronic and often both. The smallish record shop keeps its allegiances clear with its deep, focused selection. New and used CDs along with some vinyl...
EVA
When we think of EVA the first word that comes to mind is well-balanced. The mix of clothing and accessories is half well-established, avant-garde designers and half emerging upstarts. The...
Evolution
New Yorkers are used to rapid change like neighborhood property values, but Evolution catalogs change of a more gradual nature. The one-of-a-kind shop collects (animal and human) bones, bugs,...
Eye Candy
Even if you're not comfortable wearing a vintage dress or a vintage suit, don't ignore the wealth of vintage accessories out there. Eye Candy knows vintage accessories like none other....
Fabulous Fanny's
With sunglass and eyeglass frame prices reaching new heights every year, Fabulous Fanny's is an invaluable resource of unique, hip glasses at reasonable prices. Packed in endless drawers,...
Famous Friends
Start with the denim. For Famous Friends, a hip casual wardrobe starts with a fine pair of jeans. And they have several examples of such: raw selvedge denim from Scandinavia, high-end denim from...
Fishs Eddy
You know what's as American as apple pie: the dishes that most diners serve their pie on. Fishs Eddy calls the stuff "American sturdyware". The heavy, homey, sometimes quirky...
Fishs Eddy
You know what's as American as apple pie: the dishes that most diners serve their pie on. Fishs Eddy calls the stuff "American sturdyware". The heavy, homey, sometimes quirky...
Flight 001
These days where every train station and airport have become bastions of legalized assault, it's nearly impossible to be a fashionable traveler. So, you have two options, you could travel in...
Flight 001
These days where every train station and airport have become bastions of legalized assault, it's nearly impossible to be a fashionable traveler. So, you have two options, you could travel in...
Flight 001
These days where every train station and airport have become bastions of legalized assault, it's nearly impossible to be a fashionable traveler. So, you have two options, you could travel in...
Flight Club New York
Reader Suggested: The best sneaker store in the united states, period. This store is a consignment store and stock changes daily. Over 1000 styles for purchase.
Flying A
Looking to mix and match new and vintage clothing in your wardrobe? Flying A does most the hard work for you. The clothing store stocks a large collection of reasonably priced clothing for the...
Foley + Corinna
Even half of Foley + Corinna is better than the whole of most stores. You could be looking at the stylish knits dresses, and tops designed by Dana Foley. Or you may be foraging through the funky...
Freemans Sporting Club
Freemans Sporting Club has all the Old World style that its name might suggest, but dated it is not. Fashioned like a gentleman's clothier of yore, the shop alternates between the classic and...
Fresh Kills
The goods at Fresh Kills are at least 30 years fresher than most vintage furniture outposts. Instead of going the mid-century modern route like so many other shops, Fresh Kills draws a lot of its...
Gargyle
Gargyle takes inspiration in the country club of yore, where having fun—while stylishly dressed of course—was paramount. Indeed, all the clothes at Gargyle are clothes one can have fun in:...
Giant Robot
If Giant Robot the magazine began as an ode to Asian pop culture, then Giant Robot the store is now a mecca for the same. Alongside copies of the latest issue of GR you'll find all sorts of...
Girls Love Shoes
Girls Love Shoes. What else needs to be said? Maybe that girls have loved shoes ever since they realized walking barefoot through the jungle gave them blisters. Girls Love Shoes is a like a...
Global Table
We think Global Table should become the "Official Tableware Supplier of the Olympics". What other store carries rustic American plates, elegant Japanese sushi dishes, sexy Italian...
Golden Calf
When shops attempt to mix Western and Eastern aesthetics, the result it sooner confusion than fusion. Golden Calf manages an effortless mixture of new and old, foreign and hyper-local. A large...
Good Records
Good Records pretty well sums its up. There seem two be to approaches to vinyl shops: the records, records everywhere approach that requires patient digging or the filtered, hand-picked approach....
GRDN
GRDN helps concrete pounding urbanites introduce a small slice of nature into their lives. The shop knows the indignities an urban gardener must suffer and so organizes its plants around the amount...
Greenwich Letterpress
Greenwich Letterpress combines the classic craft of letterpress with modern city sensibilities. While custom work is the bread and butter of the business, the spacious retail location is notable...
Groupe 16 Sur 20
Want to attract men to your shop? A classic sportscar near the window will help (either a Lotus or Ferrari will do). Want to keep their attention? Put in a long rack of hip, high-quality dress...
Hable Construction
At Hable Construction, it all begins with fabric. The stylish outfit prints cheery, bright designs on canvas, linen and cotton fabrics and uses them to make innumerable accessories. If it can be...
Hasker
Hasker is the type of store that has nothing we absolutely need but lots of stuff we'll want. Whether talking about a candlestick shaped liked antlers or a light shaped like a ghost, they have...
Henrybuilt
Henry probably didn't make your new table, but Scott or another craftsman probably did. Name after founder Scott Hudson's grandfather, Hernybuilt hand builds furniture and kitchen...
Hollander & Lexer
Being a stylish male doesn't mean looking like the squared-jawed models walking down the runways of Milan. Hollander & Lexer presents an American, almost Old West take on men's...
Honey In The Rough
Honey in the Rough is in fact a perfect description. Amid the urban landscape that's rapidly reinventing itself but still a bit rough around the edges, Honey in the Rough is a spoon full on...
Housing Works Used Books Cafe
A used book store where all the books are donated and the proceeds go to charity, Housing Works Used Books Café is more posh than most for-profit book stores we've seen. Beautifully paneled...
Hus
We've seen many a Scandinavian home store and clothing stores with lots of Scandinavian clothes. But Hus is the whole Scandinavian experience. From Sweden come clothing, shoes and accessories...
IF
There's something delightfully old-school about IF. The SoHo stalwart carries an unparalleled collection of avant-garde clothing for men and women, from our favorite Japanese and Belgium...
I Heart
With labels like these, who wouldn't heart New York? I Heart is what good New York shopping is all about, namely a collection of cutting-edge designers that you're just not going to see...
In God We Trust
A good way to inspire creativity is to surround yourself with creative objects. In God We Trust owner and designer Shana Tabor does just that by bringing in handmade, undeniably creative clothing...
In God We Trust
A good way to inspire creativity is to surround yourself with creative objects. In God We Trust owner and designer Shana Tabor does just that by bringing in handmade, undeniably creative clothing...
JB Prince
It is common for every high-end kitchen store to claim that they are the professional's choice for kitchen equipment. But really, if they wanted to be honest, they should really say they are...
Jean Shop
There's something to be said for going to the source. With designers coming out of the woodworks to present their interpretation of distressed jeans to sell to consumers for an ungodly sum,...
Jean Shop
There's something to be said for going to the source. With designers coming out of the woodworks to present their interpretation of distressed jeans to sell to consumers for an ungodly sum,...
Jeffrey
For the pedigree of clothing and accessories offered, Jeffrey is remarkably, almost unbelievably laid-back. Such is the case of a store conceived by a Southerner. Listen to music and browse the...
Jil Sander
As a brand we've always seen Jil Sander to be above the fray, letting those other moody European labels scrum for the "More Avant-garde Than Thou" awards. As a store, Jil...
John Derian
Decoupage and stylish are two words you're not likely to see together very often. The craft of using paper cutouts and varnish to decorate is more often featured in Midwestern farms than New...
Johnson
There are certain women that understand red lipstick--not as a fashion statement but as a life statement. Designer Kim Johnson is such a woman, her boutique Johnson a boon to confident, stylish...
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 clothing (mostly consisting of the store's own...
Jumelle
When paying over a hundred dollars for a top or several hundred dollars for a dress or a pair of shoes, we look for elements that make these pieces special, that distinguish them from similar items...
Junk
In this case Junk is most certainly a misnomer. The hipster hangout holds piles and racks and teaming shelves of used and antiques housewares, clothing, accessories and music. But very few of the...
Just Scandinavian
Even among shops that focus on Scandinavian design, Just Scandinavian is unique. Instead of stuffing the shop with sleek, modern home accessories, Just Scandinavian focuses on older work. Most...
Karkula
There's a certain optimism with design school product that doesn't manifest itself anywhere else. Short of lifting objects from design school exhibitions, Karkula is about close as...
Kidrobot
To call Kidrobot just a toy store would be like calling Barneys just a department store. The cool, quirky store was a pioneer in selling designer toys. These vinyl, plush and plastic toys are...
Kiki de Montparnasse
Imagine that, someone actually managed to create a sex shop that's actually sexy (and not gross or creepy). Kiki de Montparnasse does have some rather sleek "instruments of...
Kiosk
In the age of container mega-ships and overnight cargo that any interesting product from one corner of the world is not available everywhere else is surprising. But that's just the case for...
Kirna Zabete
Finally, a store that completely looks the part of a big city boutique. A massive loft space, super-modern furnishings, a Lucite roof, candy red stair rails--Kirna Zabete is a epitome of a hip...
Kitchen Arts & Letters
Avid cooks know that you can never have enough cookbooks. Luckily, that's all Kitchen Arts and Letters carries. All the standards are there, from restaurant cookbooks like The French Laundry...
</