Planning a special trip to the city to search for the perfect outfit for your sister's wedding? Doing some plumbing repairs and running out of swaged fittings? Just moved into a new house and need to decorate it all from scratch? Whatever your reason for going shopping in Raleigh, North Carolina, this guide can help you find the best place to go to get what you want.
Malls
Often when you're looking for multiple items or trying to use up some free time, the best place to go is a mall, which has lots of stores and services. You can find everything from a fish tank filter to a fall jacket in these Raleigh malls. Briar Creek Commons, an open air shopping center, Cameron Village, an eclectic shopping district, City Market, which has 19th century architecture and specialty shops, Crabtree Valley Mall, which is your typical 200+ store extravaganza of shopping, North Hills, which has a spa, and Triangle Town Center, another large mall.
Gifts
If the reason for your shopping trip is that someone's birthday or anniversary is coming up, you might consider shopping for their present somewhere other than the same old franchise stores you see everywhere. Buy a baby shower gift at Beanie + Cecil or the Itsy Bitsy Baby Spa. Get a specialty toy for your child at Tookie's Toys or the Little Toy Shop. Buy one of a kind jewelry for a friend at Knockabout or pick up a gift certificate for an online printing service downtown.
Clothes
Clothing and shoes are usually the number one items on a woman's shopping list and even men need to go out and buy clothes sometimes too. Whether you're looking for a plain old pair of socks or a very special Morilee wedding gown, you'll have good luck at these Raleigh stores: Catch 22, Cool Sweats, Epona & Oak, Get Dressed, Martin & Mary's, Palm Avenue, Revolver Consignment, Raleigh Denim, the Runway Boutique, and Uniquities Mix.
Art and Decorative Items
Art makes a great gift item or a unique addition to your decorating scheme. Check out the local art scene at places like ArtSource, Gallery C, Purple Armchair, Ripple City Artworks, Seaboard Station, and the Little Art Gallery and Craft Collection or sign up for a faux painting instruction class and make your own. Then finish it off with furniture from Dilly Dally, Hipsteria, Shonells, or Golden Frog Antiques.
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