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2nd Cross St
Immediately inland from Fort, the bustling bazaar of Pettah is one of the oldest districts in Colombo and one of the most ethnically mixed places in the country. You name it, and a boutique (street stall) will be selling it in Pettah. Each thoroughfare has its own speciality; 2nd Cross St specialises in jewellery stores.
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5th Cross St
Immediately inland from Fort, the bustling bazaar of Pettah is one of the oldest districts in Colombo and one of the most ethnically mixed places in the country. You name it, and a boutique (street stall) will be selling it in Pettah. Each thoroughfare has its own speciality; 5th Cross St (and Gabo's Lane) specialise in Ayurvedic medicines.
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Barefoot
Designer Barbara Sansoni's beautifully laid-out shop, located in an old villa, is justly popular for its bright hand-loomed textiles, which are fashioned into bedspreads, cushions, serviettes and other household items (or sold by the metre). You'll also find textile-covered notebooks, lamp shades and albums, and a large selection of stylish, simple clothing.
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Beema
Self-caterers can head to the 2nd floor of the big market building near Liberty Plaza. It's an indoor place with fruit, vegetables and a good range of imported foods at very competitive prices.
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Bibliomania
Jam-packed with a random selection of second-hand fiction and a mixed bag of magazines, educational books and more. Most are in English. Prices are often the best in the city.
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Bookland
Offers the usual range of books about Sri Lanka, plus English titles and magazines.
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Buddhist Book Centre
Filled with books on Buddhism; about a third of the stock is in English.
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Elephant Walk
Similar in scope to Paradise Road also in Cinnamon Gardens, this well-decorated shop housed in a Bawa-designed bungalow carries hand-crafted houseware, furniture, lamps and stationery, and gourmet food items.
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Gabo's Lane
Immediately inland from Fort, the bustling bazaar of Pettah is one of the oldest districts in Colombo and one of the most ethnically mixed places in the country. You name it, and a boutique (street stall) will be selling it in Pettah. Each thoroughfare has its own speciality; Gabo's Lane (and 5th Cross St) specialise in Ayurvedic medicines.
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House of Fashion
This three-storey surplus outlet for the nation's garment industry is the place to go for serious clothes shopping. Many items are hugely discounted.
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Kandyan Antiques
Some of the antiques here are genuine, while others are skilful copies; the staff can tell you which is which if the price tags don't make it obvious. There's also a good selection of Buddhist and Hindu religious art.
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Keells
A supermarket popular with expats. There is another branch at 89 Galle Rd in Kollupitiya, Col 3.
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Lake House Bookshop
Colombo's oldest bookshop has an extensive range of books on Sri Lanka and other subjects, along with foreign and local magazines and newspapers.
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Lakpahana
As with Laksala and Lanka Hands, this Cinnamon Gardens showroom carries traditionally crafted items, including lacework, jewellery, batik and masks, as well as tea.
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Laksala
Run by the Sri Lankan Handicraft Board (a government institute promoting traditional craft skills), Laksala has two floors showcasing all manner of traditional Sri Lankan crafts, including leather goods, silverwork, furniture, brass, batik and woodcarvings. The prices are decent and clearly marked, so there's no need to bargain.
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Lanka Hands
Here you'll find a good variety of local crafts including jewellery, Sinhalese masks, brightly painted wooden toys and puzzles, cane furniture and basketry, drums and more. The prices are reasonable.
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MD Gunasena Bookshop
Gunasena's ambitious-looking outlet is opposite Majestic City; it carries a decent selection of titles.
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Millers Photographic Supplies & Repairs
For print and slide film. There are also branches on Galle Rd in Bambalapitiya, Col 4;
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Mlesna Tea Centre
Ceylon tea is sold in just about every place that sells foodstuffs, from minimarts to supermarkets. For the best quality and selection head to a Mlesna Tea Centre. There are also branches at 89 Galle Rd, Col 3; Liberty Plaza RA de Mel Mawatha, Col 3; and Majestic City Galle Rd, Col 4.
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Oasis Company
You'll find similar textile goods to those of Barefoot here, but some of the textiles are block-printed; there are carpets, too.
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Odel Unlimited
Head here to shop with the glamorous. You'll find everything from homewares, designer-label clothing and sportswear to banana soap. There are also branches at Galle Rd, Col 4; Trans Asia Hotel and 115 Sir Chittampalam Gardiner A Mawatha, Col 2. In these outlets you'll find a variety of teas packed in airtight canisters, ceramic containers and wooden or cardboard boxes, along with strainers, china and other tea-making paraphernalia.
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Paradise Road
In addition to a variety of colonial and Sri Lankan antiques you'll find a good selection of original-design houseware here. Paradise Road's Gallery Cafe carries a similar array of collectables. Both are excellent places to look for small gifts to take home.
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