Shopping in Seattle
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A
Magus Books
Magus is a great used-book store, the kind of place where you can literally spend hours getting lost in the crooked, narrow aisles on the hunt for that obscure title you’re not sure you can even remember anymore.
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B
Velo Bike Shop
Velo has a good selection of road and mountain bikes, along with helpful staff. They do last-second repairs, and there’s an air-compressor hose out front for use free of charge if you just need a quick refill.
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C
Sway And Cake
This cute little upscale boutique has cute little designer dresses and jeans from hot names like Rag & Bone, Diane von Furstenberg and Helmut Lang. Sales staff are friendly, even if you’re dressed down.
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D
Glasshouse Studio
The Seattle area is known for its Pilchuck School of glassblowing art, and this is the city’s oldest glassblowing studio. Stop by to watch the artists in action and pick up a memento right at the source.
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E
Singles Going Steady
Singles Going Steady specializes in punk, hip-hop and ska, mostly in the form of 7-inch vinyl singles, as well as posters, patches and other accessories. There’s a good little magazine selection, too.
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F
Brooks Brothers
This is the undisputed destination for classy men’s clothing in the area. The salespeople are total pros – they greet you at the door, take your measurements and avoid all signs of being pushy.
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G
Comics Dungeon
Nestled right between the U District and Wallingford, Comics Dungeon stocks a good selection of comics and graphic novels plus the usual accompaniments of gothy dolls, toys and action figures.
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H
Bulldog News & Espresso
The newsstand of choice at the university, this place has pretty much every magazine or newspaper you might want, from imports and big glossies to stapled-together zines. Good coffee, too.
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I
Golden Age Collectables
A haven for geeks, kids and, especially, geeky kids, this shop has comics and comic-book-inspired toys, novelty items (hopping nuns etc), costumes and loads of goth-friendly knickknacks.
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J
Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters in the Broadway Market sells clothing geared toward young folks looking to score points on the hip scale without having to think too hard about putting together a look.
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Crypt
Now in a bigger space after moving from its cavernlike original location, the Crypt sells clubwear and leather clothing (mostly but not entirely for guys), DVDs, sex toys and novelties.
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Beecher's Handmade Cheese
Artisan beer, artisan coffee…next up, Seattle brings you artisan cheese and it's made as you watch in this always-crowded Pike Pl nook, where you can buy all kinds of cheese-related paraphernalia. Don't leave without tasting the wonderful homemade mac 'n' cheese.
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M
Foster/White Gallery
The famed Foster/White Gallery, which opened in 1968, features glassworks, paintings and sculpture by mainstream Northwest artists in a beautifully renovated 7,000-square-foot space.
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Fremont Place Book Co
This is a friendly little place with a relatively small but interesting collection of new fiction and nonfiction. Ask about in-store author readings and monthly discussion groups.
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O
Cameras West
The foremost selection of film and photographic supplies (including cameras, batteries, storage cards, tripods and so on) in Seattle is Cameras West, right in downtown.
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Flora & Fauna Books
Seattle has some great theme bookstores. Flora & Fauna, a longstanding underground favorite for nature-lovers, has books on natural history and local field guides.
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Q
Seattle Cellars
A good source for regional wines, Seattle Cellars can help you find gifts to take back home. Ask about open tastings on Thursday nights and some Saturday afternoons.
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R
Metropolis
In the same building as Rising Stars is this hodgepodge of a novelty shop, selling small gifts, cards, wacky stickers, magnets and various objets d’kitsch.
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S
Channel 9 Store
In the lobby of KCTS TV, this cool shop is filled with educational videos and games that educate as much as they entertain. It also benefits public broadcasting.
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Feathered Friends
Near REI, Feathered Friends stocks high-end climbing equipment, made-to-order sleeping bags and backcountry ski gear. Products made with down are the specialty.
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Continental Store
By ‘the continent, ’ they mean Germany; here’s where to pick up imported foods, books and knickknacks. There’s also a great deli.
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V
Patrick’s Fly Shop
Located near Lake Union, this shop has been around as long as anyone can remember. It offers workshops on fly-fishing, sells equipment and gives advice.
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Evo
Skateboards, skis and snowboards, funky gear and a tuning service are all to be found at this huge new space, which also includes a small art gallery.
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X
Secret Garden Bookshop
The children’s collection, especially the fiction selection, is excellent at this bookstore, and the staff will order you anything they don’t have.
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Y
Traditions & Beyond
Affordable and authentic Native American crafts are available from this store. Part of the proceeds goes to Native American programs and education.
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