Shopping Delight in the Once Unruly Oil Boom Town

The SoNo District was created through the efforts of five local downtown Anchorage businesses who wanted to contribute ideas in an effort to market their individual businesses. The principal goal of the SoNo District was to establish a recognizable, downtown shopping destination incorporating a wide assortment of products and services. The result of this endeavor is Anchorage Alaska's premier shopping and entertainment destination. In December, 2005 SoNo created its new logo and the District was established as Anchorage's first official downtown District. Since that time the G Street Arts District and the Convention Center District have been established to add to the downtown renewal project. The district is made up of a number store and shops including About Face, Blush, Second Run, Bernie's Bungalow, and Chez Ritz to name a few. The city has set up blue way finding signs on street signs that incorporate the SoNo logo. In this once unruly oil boom town where fashion sense has always played a distant second to staying warm, a collection of boutiques in the up-and-coming SoNo district, south of Alaska's only Nordstrom department store, does a surprisingly brisk business. Metered Parking along D Street and 7th and 8th Avenues is plentiful, and several parking garages are located within easy walking distance.