Shops at El Mercado
El Mercado, the largest Mexican marketplace north of the border, offers goods typically found in the bigger Mexican border towns. The vivid merchandise ranges from traditional toys and clothing, to authentic crafts, such as ornate leather goods and dazzling jewelry (For further details see Market Square).
Rivercenter Mall
Visitors may find everything they need in the 70 popular stores here. Macy’s is the big department store, and the Dallas Cowboys ProShop carries branded shirts and souvenirs.
This charming area near the River Walk is filled with art galleries, craft shops, and restaurants housed in pretty historic buildings in a village setting. Buy goods such as hand-woven tapestries from working artists at Village Weavers, and original designs in glass at Villita Stained Glass.
The historic town of Gruene (motto: “Resisting change since 1872”) is home to many eclectic shops. The General Store offers nostalgic items and an old-time ice-cream bar. Buck Pottery, in an 1870s barn, makes traditional handmade wares.
Main Street and its side streets are a shopper’s mecca, with art galleries, antique shops, home furnishing stores, and shops selling local crafts. For authentic contemporary cowboy clothes visit Texas Jack’s; sample hand-made delicacies at Chocolat.
Sometimes referred to as the Antique Capital of Texas, this charming town offers great shops in historic buildings. Black Swan Antiques offers unusual, one-of-a-kind antiques, while Red Rooster Antiques offers a range of new and old items. Naegelin’s, the longest operating bakery in Texas, has excellent strudel.
This Hill Country town is full of Southern charm and cute shops. On South Main Street, Calamity Jane’s Trading Company offers artistic, earth-toned furnishings for home, office, or ranch. For Western-themed art, check out the J. Hester Gallery.
The most upscale shopping malls are located near Loop 410, to the north and northwest of downtown. The Rim and La Cantera offer sophisticated shopping in landscaped surroundings. A large selection of stores makes North Star Mall a favorite, while Alamo Quarry Market has boutiques, specialty shops and brand-name stores (For further details see Places to Shop).
Two huge outlet malls sit side-by-side, offering a stunning variety of stores. Tanger Outlets is a bargain hunter’s delight, with 100 brand-name stores. San Marcos Premium Outlets has 140 stores, with Polo Ralph Lauren and Nieman Marcus factory outlets.
The Flea Mart is a weekend family affair, offering live music, homemade food, clothing, produce, and crafts. Eisenhauer Road Flea Market is the largest indoor market, with furniture, jewelry, antiques, and much more. Bussey’s offers weekend shopping for almost anything imaginable.