All Shopping - Critics Picks

Most Cherry Spot for Secondhand Finds

Very Cherry Vintage

Once only rummageable via pop-ups and their booth at Potluck Vintage on South Lamar, whichever goddess rules over pink, red, and purple blessed Very Cherry Vintage with the cutest li’l storefront on South First. But honestly, the divine had little to do with how adorbs the sitting room setup of owner Ashley’s retro shop is. All that magic is probably conjured from the Betty Boop memorabilia alone – not to mention the kitty cat pillows, lipstick lamps, and various loose cigarette ceramics strewn around in antique ashtrays. Maybe some people can live on coquette aesthetic Instagram reels or survive by flipping through Pinterest boards titled “girlhood vibez,” but if you’re serious about getting cute, might we suggest you get over to Very Cherry already.

Best Way to Invoke the Outdoors Without Stepping Outside

TAWA Threads’ National Park Tapestries

TAWA Threads founder Tabria Williford has funneled her love of nature into canvases both big (public art installations) and small (printed bucket hats and bandanas), but perhaps nowhere more explicitly than in the National Park Tapestries series. These stunning textiles gesture at the essence of 15 national parks via vibrant color choices and considered geometric shapes – rings recalling the world’s tallest trees at the Redwood National Parks, red and black circles signifying the lava and ash at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Whether hung on the wall or displayed as a runner, these tapestries transform national treasures into showpieces for your home.

tawathreads.com/collections/national-park-tapestries

Best Newsstand Keeping Independent Presses Printing

TOMO Mags

Bold and ostentatious in signature royal blue, TOMO Mags arrived on the scene in Downtown Austin in January 2026 with a fanbase already following close behind. Founder Vico Tadeo Puentes paved the trail to his West Fifth brick-and-mortar driving around a mobile version of the high-end newsstand to markets and meetups. The stylish shop owner enchanted Austinites with his curiosity-based approach to slowing down through print media. Curated rags centered on style, design, sport, and cultural exchange fill the shelves of this already-bustling newcomer, with a keen eye toward exploring niche interests and supporting independent presses.

Best New Store for Your Inner Otaku

Akiba Texas

Toy Joy’s Second Street presence expands under City Hall with the addition of Akiba. Joining the fun of their Downtown location and the candy kingdom of Yummy Joy, it’s immediately become a destination for otaku – lovers of Japanese pop culture, that is. Taking its name from the nickname for Tokyo’s famous Akihabara shopping district, there’s more than just kaiju and Pokémon on offer here. The shelves are stacked with figures from the latest anime hits, VTuber statuettes, blind boxes, and endless adorable Kewpie and Smiski collectibles, plus the wildest gachapon you could crave. Just look for the sign of the possum between the cherry blossoms.

Daintiest Durable Jewelry

Loveweld

Tired of losing your jewelry? Looking for quality basics? Itching to shop local? Loveweld was welding bracelets, necklaces, anklets, and rings to Austin limbs before it was cool. Their pieces are crafted in 14-karat gold and sterling silver, and with a charm bar full of pendants for customization, the business offers a choose-your-own-adventure approach to permanent ornamentation. Their collection ranges from $40 rings to multi-thousand-dollar tennis necklaces. There’s something for everyone here, but no matter what you get, you know it’ll hold up forever.

loveweld.com

Most Bookish Beating Heart of a Neighborhood

First Light Books

In just under two years’ time, First Light Books has become a bustling hub of Hyde Park. Part of the reimagined former U.S. Post Office space on Speedway, the tidy shop & cafe boasts a good selection of books, bolstered by their staff’s thoughtful recommendations, and regular readings with local and touring authors. But this is also a spot for lingering – in the welcoming kids’ section, perfect for the family-friendly ’hood, or at a table out front, enjoying a cortado with the newest Tayari Jones novel and, naturally, the company of your fellow book lovers.

Best Carnivorous Plant Shop

Carnivero

Borneo’s pitcher plants are large enough to drown a rat. Drew Martinez witnessed threats on these iconic plants and took his longtime fascination and expertise somewhere most wouldn't: a full-scale conservation mission operating as a plant nursery. Now Carnivero’s custom-engineered Austin greenhouses exist to take pressure off wild populations nearing extinction, and they serve up fun facts and how-tos for beginners (some plants under $20) and provide serious collectors rare auction finds. Their vibrant Instagram showcases the lush world of exotic “meat-eating” plants and tropicals. Stop in for a ferocious new houseplant and a whole new outlook.

Best Trash-to-Treasure Stop

Heartening

You can’t get anything for a dollar anymore – dollar stores started edging past their price limits ages ago, and even a vending machine candy bar will have you coughing up some extra coinage. But you can get lots of things for $3 at local thrift shop Heartening, where that’s the price of every item! Founder Kelley Rytlewski was dismayed seeing loads of quality garments being tossed in dumpsters and decided to do something about it. Now thanks to her mission “to put clothing back into the community as cheaply and efficiently as possible,” including the shop and its free clothing stand, you can leave with an armload for $20 – about the cost of three candy bars – and feeling like a 100 Grand.