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From world-class art to locally designed jewelry, we’ve tracked down the best shopping in the world’s coolest cities. Find that last-minute holiday gift, or take home something memorable for yourself.
Best Neighborhood Shops in....
Best Neighborhood Shops
Miami
La Casa de las Guayaberas
5840 SW Eighth St., Little Havana, 305-266-9683
The Draw: For tropical style and comfort, natives love the guayabera, the classic pleated linen shirt with four pockets that, according to legend, originated in Cuba a few hundred years ago. You’ll see young and old men wearing them en la calle or out on the town. The Scene: Ramon Puig, the king of guayaberas, has been making and selling these loose-fitting button-down shirts for more than 30 years. On display in his shop are hundreds of shirts, long-sleeve and short, in myriad colors and styles. While guayaberas are available in a range of fabrics, linen is the choice of many because it keeps you cool and fresh; they’re perfectly appropriate for many outdoor and beachfront parties in South Florida. Hot Tip: Choose your favorite fabric and style, and Puig will custom-make one just for you.
The Maya Hatcha
3058 Grand Ave., Coconut Grove, 305-443-9040 mayahatcha.com
The Draw: Flashback to the 1960s: Patchouli, incense, peppermints, peace, and pot. In Coconut Grove, The Maya Hatcha, now celebrating its 40th year, is perhaps the last remnant of the hippie heyday in a stagnant sea of chain stores. The Scene: Step inside this boutique, packed with colorful ethnic garb, one-of-a-kind accessories, and fragrant incense, and you’ll be transported to a happy place and time, when merchants trekked to villages in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America in search of unique handcrafted finds. Here, owner Vivian Jordan has packed the store with all kinds of fun treasures: gaudy decorative masks; embroidered silk and cotton Indian kurtas and other flowing attire; cotton bedspreads and tablecloths from Indonesia; bangles, beads, bracelets, and bags; and Kama Sutra erotic massage products. Hot Tip: Remember those water-buffalo thongs with the toe rings from the ’60s and ’70s? They’re here! And they’re only 16 bucks.
Seybold Building
36 NE First St., Downtown, 305-374-7922 seyboldbldg.com
The Draw: Zillions of dollars in silver, gold, diamonds, and luxury watches in the second largest jewelry building in the United States. The Scene: Located in the heart of downtown, this 1920s building once housed a bakery and offices for lawyers and doctors. Now it’s the headquarters for everything jewelry-related, including diamond cutting and setting, findings, necklace stringing, watch repairs, metals, semi-precious and precious stones, and custom designs. The selection is impressive, with retail names including Barclay’s Jewelers, Buchwald’s Jewelers, and B.O.S. Jewelers. There are armed guards, video surveillance, valet parking, and shipping services onsite. Hot Tip: To get the best deal, first do your homework—don’t assume you’re getting a wholesale price—then check out as many stores as you can. Finally, go ahead and haggle over prices; there’s plenty of competition here.
