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Livraria Imperial
Bossa nova plays overhead at this charming bookstore-music shop. In addition to new books (including a selection of foreign-language titles), Livraria Imperial sells CDs covering bossa, samba and many other styles.
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Livraria Prefácio
This charming bookshop stocks a small selection of foreign titles as well as music. And perusers need not go hungry or thirsty while they browse for titles: a slender bar in front delivers refreshing glasses of chope (draft beer), while seating upstairs and in the café out the back offers heartier fare. The bookshop hosts an occasional poetry reading or record-release party.
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Loja Novo Desenho
This 'Store of New Design' sells pure eye candy - and lives up to its name. Some of Rio's best modern designs are here (created by some of the country's best industrial designers no less). And you'll find whimsical two-dimensional vases, surreal clock faces, sleek coiled lamps and other clever works.
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Luko
This charming boutique has an eclectic collection of youthful women's couture. Slim, beaded necklaces and bracelets, silk scarves, form-fitting tops and skirts, and slinky lingerie are among the pieces you'll find here. Rumor has it that Luko is a great favorite among TV production companies looking for pieces for their actors.
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Maracatu Brasil
You can't miss the lime-green building that houses this small percussion store and workshop. Inside, you can buy an afoxê (a gourd shaker with beads strung around it), conga and bongo drums, tambourines and other Brazilian percussion instruments. Upstairs is a drum clinic, where you can study a number of styles with local musician-teachers; see for more details.
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Maria de Barro
This tiny shop sells a small selection of handcrafted pieces from the northeast of Brazil. Wooden geometric vases with animals such as capybaras carved in the side, tiny clay pots and sculptures in stone are among the simple, art-naïf pieces.
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Maria Oiticica
Using native materials found in the Amazon, Maria Oiticica has created some lovely handcrafted jewelry inspired by indigenous art. Seeds, plant fibers and tree bark are just some of the ingredients of bracelets, necklaces and earrings, and her work helps support struggling local communities with craft-making traditions.
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Mixed
One of Rio's premier boutiques, Mixed actually originated in São Paolo. Ipanemans, however, love it as their own. The shoes and platforms, blouses and pants sold here aim to capture the essence of Carioca (resident of Rio) sensuality. And they do it quite well.
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Modern Sound
One of Brazil's largest music stores, Modern Sound makes a fine setting for browsing through the many shelves of samba, electronica, hip-hop, imports, classical and dozens of other well-represented categories. The café in the store features live concerts daily.
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Mundo Verde
Brazil's largest health-food retailer, Mundo Verde sells organic products, including salgados (bar-type snacks), and other snacks besides; jams made from Amazonian fruits; and other assorted goods. The sun-care products are usually cheaper here than in pharmacies - and much better for your skin.
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Museu Amsterdam Sauer
Well known for its impressive collection of precious stones, Amsterdam Sauer also sells finely crafted jewelry. Watches, pens, wallets and other accessories are available too. Visitors can also check out the museum while they are here.
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Musicale
Musicale has a small but decent selection of used and new CDs. In keeping with the neighborhood that surrounds the store, a diverse bunch shops here - club kids, old samba softies, expats trapped in the '80s - which is reflected in the range of albums for sale. Musicale also buys and trades CDs. There is another branch, that also has a cafe on site, in Ipanema (2540 5237; Rua Visconde de Pirajá 483, Ipanema).
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No Meio do Caminho
Showcasing the work of talented Brazilian artisans, No Meio do Caminho has two floors full of pottery, vases, ceramics and woodwork. Decorative items here are more akin to art pieces - and are priced accordingly. It will ship anywhere.
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Nova Livraria Leonardo da Vinci
With one of Rio's best foreign-language book collections, da Vinci also has a wide range of art and photography books, as well as coffee-table books about Rio's history and architecture. It's one floor down - follow the spiral ramp. There's a decent coffee shop nearby.
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O Sol
O Sol is run by Leste-Um, a nonprofit social-welfare organization. This delightful store displays the works of regional artists and sells Brazilian folk art in clay, wood and porcelain. It also sells baskets and woven rugs.
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Osklen
One of Brazil's hottest labels in recent years. The fashions here are light and playful with subdued colors. The company was started in 1988 by outdoor enthusiast Oskar Metsavaht, the first Brazilian to scale Mont Blanc.
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Oz
Complete with ruby-red heels and a yellow-brick road of sorts, Oz is a playful send-up of the old Dorothy story. T-shirts are the specialty here and, not surprisingly, come in whimsical designs that work for both the club and the beach.
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Parceria Carioca
This sweet little store sells clever T-shirts, colorful handbags and accessories, and an assortment of shoes, jewelry and decorative pieces, all of which combine elements of craftwork with contemporary fashion. As a bonus, Parceria Carioca works with NGOs and co-ops that provide jobs for artisans from poor communities. They also have stores in Forum Ipanema (Rua Visconde de Pirajá 351, Ipanema) and Shopping da Gávea.
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Pé de Boi
Although everything is for sale here, Pé de Boi feels more like an art gallery than a handicrafts shop, owing to the high quality of the wood and ceramic works, and the tapestries, sculptures and weavings. This is perhaps Rio's best place to see one-of-a-kind pieces by artists from Bahia, Amazônia, Minas Gerais and other parts of Brazil.
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Plano B
Only in Lapa will you encounter a place where you can pick through bins of old jazz records and new electronic mixes before stepping into the back room to get a tattoo down your arm, inspired perhaps by that old Elza Soares song playing overhead. Plano B also has a decent selection of CDs, and the young staff can advise - if samba-funk eludes you.
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Praça do Mercado Feira de Antiguidades
This antique market, next to the Niterói ferry terminal, is a browser's paradise with a vast array of antiques - silverware, carpets, pocket watches, jewellery, typewriters, records, art-deco and art-nouveau items.
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Redley
In the heart of Ipanema, this new multi-level fashion store is a fine place to browse for couture beach duds and streetwear. Unlike most other Ipanema boutiques, this one's aimed at the men, with an excellent assortment of T-shirts, shorts and swim suits.
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Renovar
This bookshop has a charming old-world aesthetic and carries some 20,000 titles (a small portion of which are in English). The cozy café in back is a choice meeting spot for Ipanema's literary minded.
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Rio Design Center
This architecturally rich center features a number of excellent home-furnishing stores selling designer lamps, vases, decorative pieces and furniture. It also has some very good restaurants and a few art galleries.
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Rio Off-Price Shopping
Near Rio Sul Shopping, Rio Off-Price Shopping is something of a factory outlet center. It has many of the same stores as other malls - domestic and international designers - but prices are about 20% lower. It also has two cinemas and meal options (mostly fast food).
