You in all probability already know this historic district as a enjoyable vacation spot for day journeys and culturally immersive experiences. Still, should you haven’t but explored the eclectic assortment Old Town San Diego retailers, you’re in for a deal with.
Unique presents with model. Food objects to fulfill any palate. Children’s toys, house decor, blown glass, and colourful, one-of-a-kind presents to convey somebody cheer. Books that convey historical past alive. Apparel that’s as elegant as it’s snug. You’ll discover these things and extra if you spend time sightseeing and purchasing in what’s thought to be California’s birthplace.
Most of the Old Town San Diego shops listed beneath have concession agreements with the state-run Old Town State Historic Park. This means you would possibly see workers members wearing interval clothes and making concerted efforts to offer consumers a glimpse of life within the Mexican and early American intervals of 1821 – 1872.
This is why purchasing in Old Town San Diego could be a enjoyable a journey—a visit throughout cultures and time—and a chance to seek out the right treasures you’ll cherish nicely into the long run.
1. Honest Thrift Studio
- 2609 Congress St, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 485-4674
- Wednesday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m
- Closed Sunday by way of Tuesday
- honestthrift.com
The store’s tagline, “Boutique finds at thrift shop prices,” describes this place completely. Honest Thrift Studio brings you lovely antiques and different nice finds inside a beautiful little nook that’s alive with an abundance of indoor vegetation, making a welcoming house.
To maximize the searching expertise, only some prospects can are available in at one time. Inside, you’ll discover plant equipment (most of the vibrant vegetation surrounding you might be additionally on the market), furnishings, décor, and extra. You’ll by no means know precisely what you’ll discover, however that’s simply a part of the enjoyable of this store.
Honest Thrift Studio will be the coziest, cutest, and most eclectic thrift store ever. Stop in for a novel, intimate purchasing expertise and chat with house owners who love what they do. When you’re finished purchasing, go across the nook to the store house owners’ sister enterprise, Garden Coffee, which is simply as vibrant.
2. Cousin’s Candy Shop
- 2711 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 297-2000
- Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Friday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- cousinscandyshop.com
Housed inside considered one of Old Town’s many historic buildings, Cousin’s Candy Shop is a paradise for each candy tooth in your loved ones. Inside you’ll discover candies of all shapes and flavors piled excessive in barrels, baskets, jars, bins, and circumstances. Walking in, it feels such as you’ve stepped again in time to the 1800s, with workers wearing clothes typical of that period.
If you’re keen on mushy, creamy fudge, you’ll discover scrumptious varieties right here. Craving jelly beans? A self-serve station allows you to bask in 49 completely different flavors.
Other tasty delights embrace saltwater taffy, licorice, candies, rock sweet, and nostalgic specialty candies you possibly can’t discover in common shops. Sugar-free candies are additionally bought, and the store focuses on huckleberry merchandise, together with jams, syrups, fudge, and taffy.
The treats at Cousin’s Candy Shop are high-quality, with recent batches made day by day. Baskets can be found for gift-giving, or you possibly can create your personal.
3. Toby’s Candles
- 2645 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 297-5426
- Monday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- tobyscandles.com
More than a candle store, Toby’s Candles is a sensory expertise providing fragrant candles and scented soaps. This family-owned and operated store sells high quality candles handmade with love. The unique enterprise co-owner, Toby, was a college professor when she started practising the artwork of candle carving. This new ardour grew right into a full-time enterprise for her, with the remainder of the household becoming a member of in.
As one of many Old Town San Diego shops since 1992, Toby’s Candles immerses you in a peaceable, inventive environment as quickly as you enter. The workers is welcoming and useful whereas letting you browse freely at your personal tempo.
The store focuses on kaleidoscope candle kits you possibly can take house to make your self and handcrafted specialty candles that make great presents. Their bathe steamers are widespread alternate options to tub bombs, offering an at-home spa expertise everytime you take a bathe.
4. El Centro Artesano
As Old Town’s largest pottery store, El Centro Artesano brings you nice concepts for including vibrant colours to your yard areas. With nice indoor and outside areas to browse, this store consists of a big outside courtyard with rows upon rows of Mexican pots of various sizes.
These objects have distinctive, eye-catching designs painted by hand. To personalize your yard, you’ll additionally discover terracotta pots and numerous décor, together with solar faces, wind chimes, and eccentric sculptures.
Inside, the massive reward store is brimming with worldwide merchandise for all ages. You’ll discover Día de los Muertos collectible figurines, wall décor, colourful gems, hanging chimes and suncatchers, jewellery, magnets, and extra. It’s a fantastic place to seek out distinctive, themed presents for buddies and kinfolk.
El Centro Artesano offers a novel purchasing expertise for the entire household. Just maintain little ones from working by way of the courtyard and reward store to keep away from breaking any fragile objects.
5. Rust General Store
- 2720 Calhoun St, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 295-7878
- Monday and Thursday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Friday – Sunday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Closed Tuesday and Wednesday
- fb.com/RustGeneral
Rust General Store is a quaint, one-of-a-kind store with an old school really feel. Selling connoisseur meals and specialty objects, it serves as a basic retailer and a espresso store with an 1860s ambiance. I like this retailer for presents.
In addition to buying distinctive merchandise, you possibly can seize a cup of espresso or tea plus a chew to eat whereas taking a break within the enclosed outside seating space below giant shade timber.
It’s a enjoyable place to buy should you get pleasure from discovering hard-to-locate meals stuff you ate if you have been a child, plus belongings you’ve by no means heard of however are recreation to attempt no less than as soon as—all the things from lavender sweet to pickled quail eggs.
From the bistro part of Rust General Store, you possibly can order a beverage of your alternative—scorching, iced, or bottled—together with a snack or a candy deal with. Menu objects embrace café mocha, chai latte, iced tea, Bavarian pretzel, mini panini sandwich, fresh-baked pastries, and ice cream.
6. Miner’s Gems and Minerals
- State Historic Park, 2616 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 688-1178
- Monday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- minersgemsandminerals.com
Whether you’re visiting this historic district only for enjoyable otherwise you’re right here to do some bona fide Old Town, San Diego purchasing, Miner’s Gems and Minerals is a must-see. This geological treasure home comes with a extremely skilled workers that is aware of its stuff in gemology and mineralogy. It’s a museum and a store multi function.
If you’re prepared to purchase a gem, you’ll discover top-quality specimens on the market right here. The retailer sells polished gems, together with items that may be fitted into jewellery, together with crystals, tough stones, and even fossils.
A visit to Miner’s Gems and Minerals could be instructional for the entire household. While the children take a look at wooly mammoth hair and fragments of raptor eggs, the adults can admire lovely bicolor tourmaline extracted from San Diego’s personal Himalaya Mine—do you know our county has a number of lively gem mines? You’ll study much more if you go to this store.
7. Kosay Kumeyaay Market
- 85472 Calhoun St, San Diego, CA 92110
- (442) 899-8051
- Friday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Closed Monday – Thursday
- kumeyaaymarket.com
Long earlier than the Spaniards got here to the area, the Kumeyaay lived right here. They have been the primary individuals to settle in what’s now San Diego, overlaying a large space from Ensenada to Oceanside.
Kosay Kumeyaay Market pays tribute to the unique individuals of this space by that includes conventional paintings created by expert artists. Kosay Village was the title of what’s now referred to as Old Town, San Diego.
Shopping right here, you’ll discover genuine arts and crafts made by members of the Yuman teams of Native American origin, together with numerous communities of the Kumeyaay, Cucapah, Kiliwa, Pai Pai, and Cochimi Nations.
Purchasing from this market helps help artisans in Mexico and the U.S. and teaches you one thing in regards to the cultures that lived right here way back—and proceed to stay within the area at present.
Bring house an genuine, handmade masterpiece from Kosay Kumeyaay Market—it can add a lot to your residing areas whereas serving as a reminder of the cultures which were right here since lengthy earlier than San Diego was integrated.
8. Fiesta de Reyes
- 2754 Calhoun St, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 297-3100
- Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- Friday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- fiestadereyes.com
Old Town, San Diego additionally has a number of bigger purchasing zones, every with its personal assortment of outlets price visiting. With 19 regionally owned retailers, Fiesta de Reyes is considered one of these marketplaces. While perusing right here, make sure to cease in these nice shops.
Geppetto’s Toys
Find traditional toys that encourage creativity: puppets, puzzles, video games, building units, arts and crafts, books, and far more. Geppetto’s is a top quality toy retailer that’s been in San Diego for over 40 years.
Tienda de Reyes
Featuring Mexican people artwork and Day of the Dead merchandise, this thrilling reward store provides a big collection of enjoyable souvenirs, festive housewares, and colourful clothes.
The Crazy Pepper
Whether you want your salsa scorching or gentle, step into this store for among the most flavorful condiments round. Browse the huge collection of salsas, scorching sauces, BBQ sauces, and extra.
9. Old Town Market
With over 40 retailers and eating places in a single place, Old Town Market is a historic indoor and outside market that may draw you in with its colourful choices and vibrant environment. Check out these retailers.
Best of Old Town
You’ll discover superbly crafted wares and clothes from Ecuador, Peru, and Guatemala, together with ponchos, blankets, sandals, and purses.
D&O Imports
See the genuine Vietnamese souvenirs bought right here, together with lovely steel artwork designs, different handmade items, and all kinds of Asian imports.
Mi Casa Es Mi Casa
It’s a veritable fiesta with all of the colourful, genuine Mexican objects on show, from maracas and piñatas to festive margarita glasses. Grab a scrumptious Mexican soda when you’re right here.
10. Bazaar del Mundo
- 4133 Taylor St, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 296-3161
- Monday – Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- bazaardelmundoshops.com
No Old Town, San Diego purchasing expertise is full with out a go to to the Bazaar del Mundo. Here’s the place you’ll discover among the greatest one-of-a-kind presents for your self and others. Enjoy the intense, cheerful setting and nice locations to buy, like these.
Artes de Mexico
Carefully chosen objects make this retailer a pleasure to buy in. You’ll discover Oaxacan hand-carved wood animals, Huichol beaded artwork, hand-painted Talavera ceramics, and far more.
Guatemala Shop
Discover treasures and exquisite textiles from Guatemala. This store brings you conventional Latin American crafts, together with ceramic figures, rain sticks, Peruvian artwork, Guatemalan materials, and distinctive toys.
Kitchen Shop
If you’re prepared to show your kitchen into the colourful coronary heart of your private home, cease by the Kitchen Shop for lovely dishware and kitchen décor. You’ll additionally discover a fantastic collection of cookbooks and mouthwatering Mexican spices, soup mixes, and preserves.
Where do you prefer to buy groceries in Old Town San Diego?