|
Shopping in Old Town Alexandria
Old Town has hundreds of boutiques, antiques stores, art galleries, and gift shops selling everything from souvenir T-shirts to 18th-century reproductions. Plan to spend a fair amount of time browsing between visits to historic sites. A guide to the city's 50-plus antiques and collectibles stores is available at the visitor center.
One essential stop is The Torpedo Factory, 105 N. Union St., between King and Cameron streets on the Potomac River (tel. 703/838-4565; www.torpedofactory.org). This block-long, three-story waterfront structure was built by the U.S. Navy in 1918 and operated as a torpedo shell-case factory until the early 1950s, then used as storage for artifacts from the Smithsonian Institution. Today, it houses more than 150 artists and craftspeople, who create and sell their works on the premises. You can see potters, painters, printmakers, photographers, sculptors, and jewelers at work. The shops and galleries are open daily 10am to 5pm. Closed New Years Day, Easter, July 4, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Most of the best stores are interspersed among the multitude of restaurants and offices on King Street all the way from the waterfront to the Metrorail station.
One highlight here is the Winterthur Museum Store, 207 King St., between Lee and Fairfax streets (tel. 703/684-6092), an off-site venture of the renowned museum of decorative arts on the country estate of horticulturist Henry Francis du Pont, in Delaware's Brandywine Valley. It's a delightful browse, including the back garden, which features all sorts of garden plants and ornaments. You'll come across fine reproductions from the Winterthur collection, including lamps, prints, ceramics, brassware, jewelry, garden furniture, and statuary. Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 11am to 5pm.
There's also a branch of the interesting Ten Thousand Villages, 824 King St. (tel. 703/684-1435), at Alfred Street, where you will find handcrafts and other items from more than 30 countries.
The Christmas Attic
Featuring Christmas gifts and other holiday items, The Christmas Attic is a quaint store in Alexandria, with other locations around Virginia.
Address: 125 South Union St Alexandria VA USA 22314
The Lily Pad
The Lily Pad is a Lily Pulitzer Signature Shop, specializing in brightly colored fashionable women's and children's clothes, evening wear, and sleep wear.
Address: 103 South Saint Asaph Street Alexandria VA USA 22314
Farinelli's
Farinelli's is a trendy women's fashion outlet, specializing in hip New York flavored styles. For something different, try this highly acclaimed boutique.
Address: 1017 King Street Alexandria VA USA 22314
Magruders of Alexandria
Serving the Maryland, D.C., and Virginia areas with quality and value. Magruders of Alexandria the finest cuts of quality beef, a large selection of fresh seafood, meats and produce, and a bakery.
Address: 4641 Duke Street Alexandria VA USA 22311
Rugs to Riches
Rugs to Riches offers unique home furnishings and accessories, hand-selected to provide customers with a one-of-a-kind experience. Rugs To Riches provides a variety of design services from in-store color and fabric consultations and furniture selection to complete in-home design consultations.
Address: 116 King Street Alexandria VA USA 22314
Studio Antiques and Fine Art Incorporated
This shop carries an extensive selection of fine art, antiques and home furnishings. The majority of the furniture dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries.
Address: 524 North Washington St Alexandria VA USA 22314
Romance for the Senses
Appealing to touch, taste, sight, smell and sound, Romance for the Senses carries a wide selection of fine lingerie and lounge wear pulled from recent pages of Vogue, InStyle, Lucky and Marie Claire, along with gourmet chocolates, home décor, books, jewelry, music and distinctive gifts. There's also a section for men as well as fashionable accessories for expectant and nursing mothers.
Address: 1102 King St Alexandria VA USA 22314
Bavarian Alps
Authentic German gifts handcrafted in Alexandria, Bavarian Alps features such gift items as handcrafted German beer steins, handsome Black Forest cuckoo clocks, hand-painted wooden folk plates and more.
Address: . Alexandria VA USA 22313
Landmark Mall
Landmark Mall features over 120 stores from food to footware, banks to beauty centers and jewelry to electronics. The Mall is open 7 days a week.
Address: 5801 Duke Street Alexandria VA USA 22304
Ten Thousand Villages
A non-profit, job-creation organization that sells handmade merchandise from artists and craftspeople in developing countries around the world. Providing vital and fair income for the people of developing nations, by selling their crafts and telling their stories.
Address: 915 King Street Alexandria VA USA 22314
Greetings and Salutations
Personalized service and care are the specialties at Greetings and Salutations. Invitations for every occasion, mood, and budget.
Address: 320 King Street Alexandria VA USA 22314
John Crouch Tobacconist
A store specializing in tobacco and tobacco products, John Crouch Tobacconist features lighters, cigar cutters, pipes and the finest blended pipe tobacco.
Address: 215 King Street Alexandria VA USA 22314
|
|
