NYC Boutiques You Need To Know About

Where to shop for cool clothes, skincare, books, vinyl, flowers and home goods!

Hi friends,

In these pre-move NYC sends, I’ve been talking a lot about where to eat and drink in New York. But another big piece of OT is where to shop! So, I figured I should share a (non-exhaustive) list of a few of my favorite spots in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Whether it’s window shopping, online ordering or in-person purchases, I hope this gives you some good inspo or encourages you to buy something cute! I’m nothing if not an advocate for everyone to treat themselves!!

— Cait

1. Outline

To me, this is the best boutique in NYC. An easygoing in-person shopping experience with the coolest assortment. I profiled the owner, Margaret, for FOUND, who has the best taste and more importantly is SO NICE! Their flower program is also great and I love that they forego e-commerce to instead budget for a physical catalog — very analog, very chic.

2. Primary Essentials

When we first moved to Brooklyn and saw the “Shop Atlantic!” posters that line Atlantic Ave, the idea of doing a ton of shopping on such a busy thoroughfare seemed laughable. Joke’s on us, though, because we ended up furnishing a large part of our apartment with things bought on Atlantic and continue to regularly grab stuff from those boutiques to this day! Primary Essentials is one such staple for special, high-quality home goods. I’ve bought everything from linen couch pillows to French hand soaps to indie travel magazines there — it’s all great.

3. VEN.Space

A super warm team who stock luxury designers and specialty home stuff. It’s technically menswear-focused but I find things I like there all the time! Their in-house line of button downs are impeccably tailored and they sell one of my favorite candles (Perfumer H Orange Blossom). I also profiled them for FOUND (my first ever by-line!) — learning the story behind the space made me appreciate it that much more. Similar to Outline, they filled a gap for guys (and girls!) who didn’t have a place to try/buy elevated, independent brands in person in BK.

4. BOMI

Owned by another WHS alum, BOMI carries all the cool jewelry, apparel and home brands we love here at OT. I bought my Pien Studios coasters there, tried on the KYE Intimates lounge pants, leafed through the Cafe Cecilia cookbook and debated whether I need the larger size of the Porto pouch I already own — classiqué! The shop golden doodle, Ilo, is the sweetest (cover your ears, Rosie!!) and runs to greet every customer at the door. That alone is worth the visit!

5. Michele Varian

Another Atlantic Ave heavy-hitter for all things home! Especially great for unique lighting and artisan glassware. We got soooo many amazing things here — our dining table, cutlery, a really cute floor lamp…the list goes on!

6. Desert Vintage

Less for buying, more for browsing but hey — that’s worthwhile too! I love checking the racks at DV to see what gorgeous designer vintage they have in stock. They also have a nice selection of vintage Levi’s, comparable to Duo. The in-store bathtub is best appreciated after a glass of wine around the corner at Casetta or a rocky’s matcha next door at Awake NYC.

7. PORTA

Italian homewares at their finest. From the ceiling mural to their colorful ceramic tableware, there’s inspiration everywhere here. I’m always drawn to something I don’t need but now want, like these tortoise salad tongs.

8. Colbo

I’ve lost count of how many vintage trenches I’ve bought at Colbo! They have a cute seating area and contemporary clothes in the front of the shop but the back is where the good stuff (vintage) is. Browse their vinyl, get an espresso in a blue Greek cup and don’t miss their pastry pop-ups from Takeout Delivery!

9. Fantasy Explosion

The best vintage tees and retro NYC merch! I regret 100% of the purchases I didn’t make here, including their branded tote and this Keens hat. Brave the line at Chrissy’s around the corner for a takeaway pie when you’re done shopping — ideal afternoon!

10. Greenlight/Books Are Magic

Can’t make a shopping guide and not include the place where I spend money most often — bookstores! These two are my neighborhood shops, so I *feel the most* about them (an Easter egg for Sentimental in the City-heads). Greenlight, to me, is a perfect bookstore in terms of what they offer and the flow of the space. My brother famously was reading a coffee table book about Spike Lee movies there and Spike himself peeped over his shoulder and said “I liked making that one!” — that’s the magic of Greenlight. Honorable mention goes to Kitchen Arts & Letters, Archestratus and Bonnie Slotnick for true treasure troves of vintage cookbooks + food writing.

11. Ebreo

A new-ish spot in Williamsburg for Italian designer vintage. It definitely is a “thrill of the hunt” space but you can source some real gems from their stock, which they hand-deliver straight from Italy! Pop by the new Sorbara’s (previously Chickee’s, which I LOVED) after, if you’re looking for a tighter assortment.

12. Cardinal + Head Sounds

Cardinal is the cutest, tiny card and gift shop that opened a block away from our old Ft Greene apartment. Dash across the street afterwards to vinyl shop at Head Sounds (which maybe rebranded to Buzzed Monkey Records?) for the full S Oxford St experience. Many records in our collection came from the stacks here!

13. Stem/Saffron

Another frequent buy for me is fresh flowers. I used to go to Stem loosely once a week. They have the best selection and always (kindly) made fun of me for picking “the weird ones” to take home. Saffron is definitely more $$$ (they import some of their flowers from Japan!) but they also have ceramics, vases and things like dried sage bundles at a more reasonable price point.

14. Carrie Lindsey

Saving the best for last! My friends are probably sick of me saying “I heard about ____ from Carrie, who waxes my eyebrows” but she really is that influential in my life! I’ve purchased jewelry, candles, makeup, perfume and skincare all per her recs. She even connected us with our wedding florist! I love stopping by her studio for, of course, a wax and a chat but also just to get a sense of which small-scale brands I should be keeping tabs on. It is a hub of kind, cool, creative women and excellent products. Give her senior dog and LOML, Angus, a pet for me if you go!

That’s all for Cait’s NYC boutique round-up! To see more of what she linked to, follow our Instagram @opentabsletter or you can always shop all of our issues here.