Itinerary for Shop ‘til You Drop

Day 1   /   Day 2  /  

Summary:
If a shopping excursion tops your vacation to-do list, you’ll love what you’ll discover in Pittsburgh neighborhoods. Visit antique stores, art galleries, and specialty shops that feature gifts, jewelry, arts, fashion, and home furnishings that you’ll find only in Pittsburgh. Other independently owned businesses in our shopping districts deliver your favorite national brands with friendly and personalized service. (And don’t forget, there’s no sales tax on clothing in Pennsylvania!)

Day 1: Morning

Get started in the Strip District. This neighborhood is best known as the city’s specialty food marketplace, with dozens of grocers offering produce, full-service butchers, seafood, and ethnic specialties. But the food is just part of the Strip District shopping story.

 

Jumpstart your day with a Strip District breakfast. Pamela’s P&G Diner (1) and Deluca’s Restaurant (2) feature classic big breakfast favorites. For lighter fare, stop into LaPrima Espresso Company (3), which serves up their specialty roasts in a traditional Italian atmosphere (you can buy a bag to take with you), as well as fresh-baked pastries.

 

Planning a party? Don’t miss the one-two combo of Mike Feinberg Company (4) and Schorin Company (5). Located side-by-side on Penn Avenue, these two shops offer everything you need to host a crowd. At Feinberg’s you’ll find a floor-to-ceiling mix of celebratory goods that you’ve gotta see to believe. Scoop up Mardi Gras beads, “Happy Birthday” banners, inexpensive toys, balloons, gift bags, seasonally themed goods, whimsical party hats, and Pittsburgh souvenirs. Next door at Schorin, stock up on table and serving ware—you’ll find great prices on bulk buys of disposable plates and utensils, as well as other hostess essentials such as tablecloths and chafing dishes.

 

Your keys to preparing a perfect meal await you at another Penn Avenue pairing. At Wholey’s Balcony Cookware (6), you’ll find every item you need to take on your latest culinary creation, with big names such as Lodge® cast iron and Le Creuset®, to small specialty items such as turkey lacers and garnishing tools. Next door, Penzey’s Spices (7) serves up suggestions on how to give every dish a little kick with fine seasonings from around the world.

 

Outdoor vendors (8) give “The Strip” its bustle. As you make your way down Penn Avenue, check out the treats from the street. Trendy sunglasses, Guatamalan sweaters, imported jewelry, pies and pastries, Steelers and Pirates t-shirts, and homemade dog treats—you’ll find it all at hard-to-beat prices.

 

The Strip District is also the start of the 16:62 Design Zone (9), a 46-block design district that stretches into neighboring Lawrenceville with nearly 100 arts and interior design businesses, including many retail operations. In The Strip’s section of the Design Zone, you’ll find great antiques, as well as shops featuring imported home accessories such as Murano glass lamps and tabletop accessories; pottery from local artists; artful dried flower arrangements; sophisticated jewelry; and contemporary leather furniture.

 

Located at the head of the former Wholesale Produce Terminal on Smallman Street the Society for Contemporary Craft (10) offers art for sale in both its gallery and store. Here you’ll find modern interpretations of traditional craft processes such as papermaking, metalsmithing, and woodworking. The Store features a selection of handmade home furnishings, tabletop and glassware, one-of-a-kind jewelry, journals from regional and national artists, as well as a selection of art books.

 

Equally impressive is the gift selection at the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center and Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum (11). Housed in the century-old Chautauqua Lake Ice Company building, the History Center shop features a large selection of books about the region’s history and ethnic traditions, retro toys, historic art prints, and historic sports memorabilia. 

 

Day 1: Afternoon

 

Continue your search for stylish and one-of-a-kind home furnishings by venturing to Lawrenceville, the neighborhood adjacent to the Strip District. The 16:62 Design Zone district continues here on Butler Street and Liberty Avenue, with art galleries, antique shops, and artist studios housed in restored Victorian buildings. Grab a healthful lunch in an artful setting at COCA Café (12). Their menu features daily soups, salads, wraps, and panini, including vegetarian selections. If a piece of art glass on the shelves catches your eye, ask about taking it home. The café owners are avid glassmakers and sell their works here.

 

Near COCA, you’ll find Design Zone businesses showcasing antiques, shabby chic furniture, and modern home décor and giftware from local artisans and internationally known designers.

 

Score some new favorites for your wardrobe at Sugar Boutique (13). Strictly for the ladies, Sugar is a heaping spoonful of style for Pittsburgh’s fashion-forward set. You’ll get personalized service in choosing from flirty tops, skirts, jewelry, and accessories from a national collection emerging designers. And don’t forget to treat your feet:, finish off your new outfit with hip footwear from nearby Pavement (14). 

 

As you continue up Butler Street, make a sidestep onto 43rd Street for two don’t-miss shops. Gallery on 43rd Street (15) is packed with art and craft from southwestern PA artisans, including woven textiles, pottery, photography, paintings, and jewelry. And a few doors away at The Griffin Gallery (16), you’ll find Chinese antiques, tabletop décor, and a wide selection of finishing touches for every room in your home.

 

In the Design Zone, business owners don’t just sell art – they make it, too. At some of your shopping stops, you might catch an artist at work. Jay Design Soaps & Gifts (17) pours their deliciously scented bars in-house. Watch the sparks fly at Gerald’s Forge (18) and Iron Eden (19), where ornamental iron work for the home and garden is shaped on-site. See the art of glassmaking in action at Gallery G Glass (20) and take home a sculpture from their shop. And at ASHgalleries (21) or Slaughterhouse Gallery & Studios (22), you might choose to take the painting straight from the artist’s easel.

 

Disciples of modern design won’t want to miss the mid-century stylings of  Who New? Retro-Mod Décor (23), a double-wide showroom filled with furniture, lighting, art, pottery, and other collectibles from the Atomic Age.

Day 2: Morning

 

Oakland is Pittsburgh’s academic district, with the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and Carlow University situated within a brief distance from one another. In the heart of Oakland, the shopping mix satisfies both the college crowd on a budget and the style-savvy professionals from the neighborhood’s medical centers and research institutions.

 

Jay’s Bookstall (24) is Oakland’s literary luminary, celebrating its 50-year anniversary in 2006. This independent bookseller offers more than a great selection of classic and contemporary literature—it’s a gathering place for those who love to read, where staff and customers exchange ideas and passions about their favorite finds. Authors are also known to drop in for readings or to shop. Footnote: Pulitzer Prize winning author Michael Chabon worked here during his student days at the University of Pittsburgh.

 

Maggie and Stella’s (25) is filled with sophisticated gifts and stationary at prices that both students and university staff appreciate. The shop, which is owned by the University of Pittsburgh, owes its name to Margaret and Stella Stein, the first women to receive undergraduate degrees at Pitt in 1898 (With identical grades, they tied for first in the class!).

 

In the same building, Touch of Gold & Silver (26) delivers on its name, with one-of-a-kind adornments in men’s and women’s jewelry that makes for great gifts for someone special…or yourself. Also on Forbes Avenue, Selection Boutique (27) makes it easy for women to score a new look in one visit, with everything from chic clothing to hip handbags under one roof.

 

Nearby Avalon Exchange (28) is a perennial citywide favorite for style at a savings. This curated collection of gently used clothing includes regular retro features such as vintage Levis and leather jackets to racks of recent castoffs from Pittsburgh wardrobes.

 

Equidistant between the campuses of the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon Universite, the charming Craig Street shopping district reflects the neighborhood’s ethnic diversity and intellectual pursuits.

 

If you need a jolt of joe and a pastry, Craig Street has options. Yes, the Seattle-based coffee chain sits at the corner of Craig and Forbes, but the locally roasted favorite is across the street at Kiva Han (29).

 

Next door, Caliban Book Shop (30) specializes in literary first editions, fine arts books, poetry books, and other fine press and leatherbound editions. Their collection of antique prints offers a fresh look for your walls. Across the street, Kohli’s Indian Imports (31) is a feast for the senses. Here you’ll find an array of Indian spices to give a little vigor to your vindaloo, as well as other Indian goods.

 

Work your way down Craig Street towards Fifth Avenue, and you’ll find a clutch of businesses featuring stylish gifts to take home. Watermelon Blues (32) is a favorite local choice for stationery, cards, and seasonal gifts with a lot of charm. A few doors down, the Irish Design Center (33) and Made by Hand (34) share both a building and an appreciation for handcrafted goods, such as lushly handwoven throws, Irish knit clothing, and handcrafted decorative and functional objects such as glassware, ceramics, woodcraft, and jewelry.

 

A duo of booksellers round out the end of the Craig Street corridor: at Phantom of the Attic Comics (35) serves Pittsburgh comics fans, and Townsend Booksellers (36), just off Craig on Henry Street has a 30,000-volume selection of used books, including rare and out-of-print finds. Scholarly books are their specialty; they also have a selection of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania history books.

 

Day 2: Afternoon

 

Cross the Monongahela River to the South Side for one of the city’s most eclectic and trendy shopping districts. At either end of the district, you’ll find Station Square (37) and South Side Works (38), two large shopping and entertainment complexes featuring national brands like R.E.I, Sur la Table, and Z Gallerie--with a dash of locally owned businesses.

 

But it’s within the 20 blocks of Victorian architecture in between these two destinations on Carson Street where you’ll find the one-of-a-kind, with locally owned shops serving up hip fashions, chic antiques, and locally produced art.

 

For fashionistas, the South Side offers styles straight from the magazine pages—as well as locally designed looks and vintage scores.

 

At the end of the Birmingham Bridge, the Pittsburgh Jeans Company (39) offers modern women’s denim amidst remnants of old-time Americana. Their 40+ brand selection of jeans is notable, but their “fit specialists” are really worth a brag. They have a knack for finding the perfect style and fit before you set foot in the dressing room.

 

Original Cin (40) brings contemporary and feminine celebrity looks to the South Side, with tops, pants, skirts, and intimates from national designers. Down the street at Apartment (41), pick up designs from Zeto, a local design team whose cut-and-sew tops and sharply tailored jackets are earning style points for men and women around town. At Luxx (42), the mood is mod, with UK streetwear from Ben Sherman, merc, and Kitchen Orange. Jupe Boutique (43) serves up fresh and casual young style with lines like Canada-based Kenzie, BCBG’s To The Max, and handcrafted accessories from local designers.

 

For luxe leathers, Pittsburghers turn to Roberta Weissburg (44), who has outfitted women and men in custom and designer styles in leather, shearling, fur, and suede for more than 25 years. Eco-friendly shoppers might prefer the casual clothing in organic cottons and hemp weaves at E-House (45), where you can also discover inventive home accessories rendered from recycled or renewable resources.

 

The South Side also has plenty of opportunities to take home a piece of local history or art. Very Cherry Art & Antiques (46) and South Bank Galleries (47) offer both art and antiquarian artifacts, and Now & Then (48) includes traditional treasures from Pittsburgh’s attics. A visit to Zenith Antiques (49) will prompt a remembrance of things past with their selection of vintage clothing, antiques, and a large selection of art pottery and vintage barware. They’ll also serve you a vegetarian lunch or dinner from their sunny café.

 

If you prefer something new to balance out your antique finds, check out the contemporary furniture and home accessories at Perlora (50), whose staff can provide savvy interior design tips.