Houston

Shopping

With a wide variety of malls and specialty stores, shopping in Houston can be an overwhelming experience. A little planning is necessary to determine which shopping area is best suited for any given shopping spree.

The center of the city's downtown shopping district is Foley's, the oldest department store in Houston. A well-noted shopping area, the Post Oak Galleria is for the posh shopper. The Highland Village Shopping Center is also distinguished in nature, though it is still expanding.

A well-rounded retail area is Rice Village, which offers over 325 stores, ranging from national chains to more quaint local businesses. Houston's oldest shopping district is River Oaks Shopping Center, which has more than 65 shops.

A particularly strong market is antiques and collectibles. Designer showrooms and antique stores characterize the Upper Kirby District, noted for its Gallery Row, which is a focal point for many local Houston artists. Another area for antique dealers is Houston Heights Antiques Co-op, though the Antique Center of Texas is much larger. For more of an open-air experience in shopping, there is the Old Town Spring and Galveston's Strand that offer not only antiques but art galleries and smaller shops.

In addition to these shopping centers, the Houston area has over 30 different malls. The Bayou City definitely offers one of the largest concentrations of shopping areas in the country.