Owned and run by the operators of the Calhoun Square Bay Street Shoes, this outlet occupies a brightly-lit corner of Edina 5-0 Building. This location also offers clothing and accessories from brands like Isda & Co, Three Dots, Shu Shu, HOBO International, and One Girl Who. The clothing...
Visiting Belle Reve is like poking through the closet of your super-stylish best friend. With dark wood floors, lilac-and-brown flocked wallpaper, a flatscreen behind the counter playing kitsch movies, and a slightly ornery Pomeranian who guards it all, the shop feels less like a shop, and more...
Bibelot is a gift shop, it’s true. You can find everything from novelty magnets, stained glass nightlights, gourmet chocolate sauce and photo albums to Christmas ornaments, bath salts, birthday cards, and stationery at this old standby. But the clothing and accessory selection is not to be...
Bibelot is a gift shop, it’s true. You can find everything from novelty magnets, stained glass nightlights, gourmet chocolate sauce and photo albums to Christmas ornaments, bath salts, birthday cards, and stationery at this old standby. But the clothing and accessory selection is not to be...
An airy and spare but welcoming shop, Bluebird has become a shopping mecca for Twin Cities trendsetters. Low-hung racks line the walls, populated by gauzy knits, long-length tanks and tees, smart cotton jackets, and loads of desirable denim. The shop’s co-owners are vivacious and helpful...
Working on the buy-sell-trade model, the Uptown outlet of Buffalo Exchange provides the local hipster contingent with yet another venue for bargain hunting. The space is surprisingly airy, with grass-green walls and brushed metal fixtures creating a bright, energetic shopping atmosphere. ...
Gray granite floors, white walls, and thoroughly modern hanging lamps conspire to make Bumbershute feel entirely chic from floor to ceiling. Oh, and the racks of incredibly desirable duds help just a smidge.
This shop is not for the demure of taste, nor the scant of savings...
Cliché is dark as a den. Perhaps it’s the deep red walls, or the jam-packed floor, or the fact that the store is so deep and narrow that many garments never feel the warm sun that streams through its front windows. Or perhaps it’s all three. But brave the gloom, my...
Don’t let the cheerfully bright exterior or junky window displays fool you: This place is a slightly intimidating vintage snob’s treasure trove of painstakingly selected finds. The dark interior reads a bit like a rec room from days of yore, with low lighting, brown walls, and a...
Considerably larger and airier than the Dinkytown location, this newer Covered storefront is all glass and metal and modernism. Unmoored racks hang from wires attached to the high ceilings, granting the gorgeous garments ample space and motion, while bright white walls let clothing colors pop...
The next time you are in the market for a bicycle print bustier romper or a pair of high-waisted gaucho pants, I suggest you stop at Design Collective first. This teensy shop is barely visible to passersby, but well worth hunting down since it contains clothing that will delight customers with...
Here is a shop with a thoroughly modern feel. Dark floors and towering white are illuminated by trendy track lighting. Fixtures are set at eye-catching angles and racks are invitingly high-set. You’re greeted at the entrance by a set of cubbies stuffed with vibrant recycled silk scarves,...
A long, narrow, high-ceilinged store packed with relatively neat racks, the Uptown Everyday People offers an appealing middle ground between Via’s and Ragstock. All outlets offer cash up front for used duds, so buyers can be selective. Having learned the predilections of the...
Boasting a breathtaking bounty of brands – from Gucci and Missoni down to Red Engine and Michael Stars – this consignment boutique is a bargain hunter’s heaven. Most items are at least 60 percent off retail, sometimes more, and all are in good condition for pre-owned...
On my first visit to Grethen House, I made a beeline for a gauzy, diaphanous light peach tunic fluttering with layers of scalloped silk. It was magnificent, it was Stella McCartney, and it was so expensive I nearly fainted. And although the mind-blowingly high-end pieces are abundant...
Heartbreaker is a teenage girl’s dream come true. Most items are $30 or less – including shoes and several styles of jeans – and every piece sold there is trend-tastic. In fact, Heartbreaker is an ideal place to shop for coveted of-the-moment items because its wares are...
Not pregnant? Not a problem. Although other Hot Mama stores devote one-third of their inventory to maternity wear, this outlet caters exclusively to the bunless-oven. With buttery hardwood floors, open cube shelving, and the majority of the gorgeous goods hung against perimeter...
Although one-third of this store’s inventory is devoted to maternity wear, the remainder of this extremely popular shop caters to the bunless-oven. With buttery hardwood floors, open cube shelving, and the majority of the gorgeous goods hung against perimeter walls, the shop has an...
People bandy about the term “unique” without giving much thought to its true meaning. Unique doesn’t mean “unusual” or “different” … it means one-of-a-kind, distinct, unequalled. And I can say without hesitation that I Like You is a unique shop...
When you stroll into this shop, you’ll be greeted by a forest of busy prints, lively textures, and shimmering silks. It’s a relatively narrow, dimly-lit space, and it’s simply packed with standing racks brimming with flowy, feminine dresses. You won’t be able to...
Pink and gold wallpaper, storefront window curtains crafted from strings of laser-cut felt birds, and a sweeping pink paisley motif that crawls across the wall behind the cash register. All of these elements conspire to make Karma feel contemporary, luxe, stylish … and a bit overwhelming...
Key North’s new, larger space is absolutely radiant with color. The shop’s concrete floor is adorned with a glossy orange circle near the entryway, and the rear walls are painted a vibrant lime green. Track lighting illuminates a multihued collection of clothing and accessories that...
Blink and you’ll miss this miniscule boutique, tucked into a tiny space near the Grandview Theater. Owned by a mother-daughter team, Lizzé may appear at first to cater to stylish older moms, but this shop truly does have something to offer women of all ages.
The little,...
Don’t bother setting foot in Local Motion if you’ve only got 20 minutes to spare: This tightly-packed little boutique is brimming with goodies that deserve your full attention. The rails are literally bursting with garments, and it can be a bit of a struggle to wrestle an item of...
A relative newcomer to the Franklin and Hennepin shopping district, this deceptively small storefront opens onto an airy, spacious-seeming shop. Hardwood floors adorned with Asian rugs, bright white walls, blonde wood fixtures, and high ceilings all contribute to a serene, open shopping...
If you’re sick to death of Target t-shirts that fray at the seams after a single season, or are looking to upgrade your casualwear from “college co-ed” to “chic sophisticate,” you’ve come to the right place. Illuminated by a cheeky chandelier, double-stacked...
Picky Girl’s name refers both to its discriminating customer and to its carefully selected inventory. The long, rectangular space is furnished sparsely to allow the merchandise to take center stage, and its pale wood floors and matte gray walls allow for a serene browsing experience....
In a space behind Café Latte that boasts an open ceiling, bright orange walls, and a disco ball, Quince is loud and proud and overcrowded. Merchandise spills out the front entrance on racks and shelves, and presses in on the unsuspecting browser. And although the ruffle-butt panties and...
With a pink, purple, and olive green stucco exterior and starkly contrasting black and white awnings, Shop in the City grabs your attention from first glance. The interior of the store is quite large, with the front area dedicated to a large wrap desk brimming with fun and funky costume jewelry...
A subsidiary of Patina, Shoppe Local does carry many of the same vendors, but as its name suggests there’s a local bent to every product. Twin Cities artisans contribute to the store’s wares, and Minnesota-themed goods abound as well.
The space is clean and bright, with...
If your weekend wear is verging on stodgy, the girls at Spirit can help you punk it up. Ed Hardy’s tattoo-themed tees and sweats hog nearly half the real estate of this spare store, with chunky black boots, cargo pants, studded belts and gauzy burnout tees rounding out the decidedly...
Offering enough sets of windchimes and sticks incense to hippie-fy the entire Macalaster campus, Stella Blu’s target demographic will become abundantly clear as soon as you set foot into this spacious shop. But don’t let the bamboo floors and multicolored plastic chandeliers turn you...
The Edina outpost of this St. Paul-bred boutique nestles in a long, narrow space, lit by an ornate crystal chandelier. Pink walls and wood floors add to the atmosphere of welcoming warmth, and wall-racks of gorgeous garments in every imaginable shade beckon quietly from both sides of the shop....
Color and texture abound in this unusual shop, spread across the entire first floor of a house on Grand Avenue. Formerly C’est Fou, Susan Metzger offers handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces, all of which are custom fit to the buyer free of charge.
Definitely for the older set, these...
Glaring fluorescent lights, racks of knockoff jewelry and sunglasses, and surly-faced swing-era-garbed youths languishing behind the enormous square checkout area greet all Tatters patrons upon entry. The large, square space showcases a mixture of cheapish new duds and relatively affordable used...
A shop whose main suppliers are fair trade organizations staffed by women in developing countries, Trade Winds International caters mainly to the classy older broad who has long tired of stilettos, but still wants to look pulled-together in her comfy clothes. Elastic-waist pants and skirts, boxy...
V State occupies a small corner of a Calhoun Square space shared with hipster dudewear purveyor Atmosfere and discount suit retailer Suit Up. Upon entering, the neat rows of suits on your left provide stark contrast to the silky mini dresses, fitted jackets, and stacks of denim that you’re...