Where to Shop Small Houston

Shopping small local businesses is a great option for the holidays.  Not only do you support the local community by keeping your commerce in town but you are more likely to find unique gifts that aren’t going to be at the big box stores. But, Houston is huge so where should you go? Farmers Markets and Holiday Markets are great starts but sometimes you just need a brick and mortar experience!

Our list is your best bet for shopping local.

You will find awesome places that are 100% Houston:

What are you Shopping for Today?

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Books, Comics, Games, Gifts & Eclectic

Basket Books & Art (Fourth Ward/ Midtown) – A bookstore and art gallery specializing in poetry, literature and theory. 

Becker’s Books (Spring Branch)- Cozy family shop in a 3,500-sq.-ft. renovated house offers diverse used, rare & out-of-print books.

Blue Willow Bookshop (Memorial) – Opened in 1996, an indie bookstore with kid-specific activities.

Books Abound (Cypress/ Willowbrook) – Compact independent bookstore offering a selection of used hardcovers & paperbacks. Cash or checks only.

Book Attic (Tomball) – New and Used Books, a large variety of all types of books, new releases – at 1/2 the cover price, hard to find and rare books too! Also, stock assigned reading for local schools.

Brazos Bookstore (West U/ Rice) – Established in 1974 to encourage the growth and development of the Houston literary scene.

Buy The Book (The Woodlands) – a comfortable location that provides a community atmosphere – where everyone is welcome! They also support local artists and craftspeople giving them a venue to showcase their creations and share their artistry with the community.

Coral Sword (East Downtown) – Your friendly neighborhood games cafe.

Copperfield’s Books (Spring/Klein) –  Neighborhood bookstore and gifts. Offers trade-in credit on gently pre-read books.

Dragon’s Lair  (Cypress/Klein) –  Offers a diverse range of comic book, game and related products in a friendly, professional, and fun atmosphere.

Elite Antiques and Books (Tomball) – Is it a bookstore or an antique shop? I don’t know but there are enough of each to keep you busy for a really long time!

Good Books In The Woods (Spring) – Quaint used bookshop stocking many titles, including fiction, paperback mysteries, rarities & more.

Glow Worm (Old Town Spring) – New and used books and book-related gifts.

Houston BookWarehouse (Cypress) – New and used books, graphic novels, and bookishgifts. Buy & Sell books, music, movies, games, and collectibles.

Kaboom Books (Heights) – Homey shop featuring pre-owned books, including hard-to-find titles, also hosts events on its patio.

Katy Budget Books (Katy) – Established bookseller stocks 75,000+ new & used titles & offers a trade-in credit for used books.

Kinokuniya (Katy) – Japanese-based retailer known for its collection of Asian books & magazines, plus DVDs & stationery.

Kindred Stories (South Houston) – A space & community for exploring Black authors – where all who share the desire to connect, explore, and discover are welcome.

Long Lost Friends (Katy) – New and used neighborhood bookstore.

Magick Cauldron (Montrose) – Gifts, candles, Incense, and over 3000 titles in books focusing on Wicca, Renaissance, etc.

Murder By the Book (West U/ Rice) – Mystery bookstore

Nan’s Games & Comics Too (West U/ Rice) – Comics, classic games, toys, action figures, card games, etc.

Quarter Price Books (Montrose) – A bookstore for bibliophiles or book enthusiast. They are focused on books and books alone.

The Book Readers Venue (Humble) – An independent bookstorewhose niche is romance and romantic suspense with focus on independently published books.

Third Planet Sci-Fi Superstore (Upper Kirby) – 8,000-sq.-ft. shop with a vast array of comics, fantasy & sci-fi books, toys & collectibles.

Village Books (The Woodlands) – Offers new books, distinctive gift items, gift certificates, and a full schedule of events and activities, including multilingual children’s story hours, author readings, classes and workshops, and special events.

Winseng Books & Gifts (Chinatown/ Sharpstown) – Their book collection has a great deal of Chinese literature, you can also find the latest media entertainment from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Additionally, you will find a small store with gifts and handcrafted items, and traditional Chinese medicine.

Music

Cactus Music (Midtown) – Houston’s oldest independent music store with over 30 years service

Screwed Up Records & Tapes (SW Houston) – A retail store, opened in early 1998, is the first and only establishment that DJ Screw opened for business.

Serious Sounds, Etc. Record Store (South Houston) –  An independently owned record store located on Martin Luther King Blvd.

Sig’s Lagoon Record Shop (Midtown)- New & used vinyl, art prints, gifts, collectibles, Houston-centric items, and more!

Vinal Edge Records (Heights) – Independently owned Record & CD shop serving the masses since 1985

Clothing & Jewelry

A Bientot (River Oaks)- Women’s clothing, jewelry, accessories and gifts.

Amber’s Designs Fine Jewelry (Katy) – Est. 2001, all work is done on premises.

Cheeky Vintage (Richmond) – Hand selected pristine, wearable vintage pieces (dresses, handbags, accessories, etc.).

Emerson Rose (Heights) – Clothing store with fun seasonal and city-centric vibes!

Fly High Little Bunny (Heights) – Snug & funky boutique stocking unique jewelry & accessories from handcrafted to designer pieces.

Forth and Nomad (Heights) – Forth & Nomad is a lifestyle brand that elevates the art of thoughtful living.

French Cuff Boutique (Bellair/ Memorial) – A style destination where fashion lovers can enjoy access to a multi-brand collection of timeless classics and of-the-moment looks, a chic and inviting ambiance, expert personal service, and a shopping experience truly worth repeating.

Jubilee (Heights) – Funky boutique offering unique women’s clothing, fashion accessories, gifts & home decor items.

Kick Pleat (River Oaks)- Women’s clothing, jewelry, accessories and gifts, with a modern vibe.

Magpies & Peacocks (East Downtown) – Non-profit design house (501c3) dedicated to the collection, curation, and sustainable reuse of post consumer textiles, to disrupt the cycle of waste in the fashion industry.

Marlo Miller Boutique (Memorial) – Women’s boutique with frequently revolving stock of trendy items.

MELODRAMA Boutique (Museum District) – High fashion women’s clothing and accessories boutique. Established in 2002.

My Flaming Heart (Midtown) – Eclectic mix of custom fitted vintage-inspired clothing, unique handmade jewelry, and vintage cowboy boots.

Oak & Sparrow Boutique (Heights) – A shop showcasing a wide assortment of women’s ethical clothing, accessories, and home goods…[including] sustainable, eco-friendly, fair trade, and slow fashion products.  

Ollie Shop (Midtown) – Independent clothing store for timeless clothes that make your style look effortless.

Pomp and Circumstance Boutique (Rice Village) Fun whimsical clothes for every style and size.

Rebecca Lankford Designs (Heights) – Handcrafted ethically-sourced jewelry

The Ultimate Dressing Room (610 & 90, south) – Where grownups get to play dress up, clothes for all sizes

Whole Earth Provision Co. (West Houston)- Retailer stocking outdoor apparel, gear & accessories, books, shoes & nature-oriented gifts.

Hardware & Men’s Gifts

Berings Hardware (Galleria/ West U) – Mom-&-pop shop for tools, hardware, high-end cookware, home accents & gifts, plus a registry.

C&D Hardware & Gifts (Heights) – Long-running shop for home improvement materials, plus services like key cutting & knife sharpening.

Dromgoole’s (Rice Village) – Fine writing instruments, custom stationery, and wedding invitations.

Manready Mercantile (Heights) – Taxidermy & hides line this rustic-chic menswear store with quirky gifts, denim, magazines & jerky.

Southland Hardware (Montrose) – Classic shop selling tools, gardening goods, bird & pet supplies, hardware, lumber, wire & homeware.

Home & Gifts

All the Feels (Midtown) – Specializes in new and vintage handmade goods for the home and human. 

Blue Leaf (West U) A Houston institution since 1998. Carrying the best of the best in gifts, jewelry, baby/kids, bed & bath, clothing, accessories, tabletop & kitchen, lighting, and furniture.

British Isles (Rice Village) – Well-stocked shop for British & Irish merchandise, from food & gifts to toiletries or collectibles.

Danish Inspirations (Near Westchase) – modern and contemporary furniture store showcasing high quality and innovative designs.

Foxfire Candleworks (NW Houston/ Cypress) – Local candle boutique and fragrance bar. 100% local. 100% fun. Custom blend your favorite scents in hand poured soy candles, diffusers, mists, scrubs, lotions, hand soap and more.

The French Farm (Heights) – Fine imported gourmet foods and kitchen accessories – products are carefully crafted by small, family owned businesses and are made using traditional recipes and techniques.

Genara (Heights) – Handpicked goods with the purpose of bringing serenity, ritual, and intention to your surroundings and routines. 

King Ranch Saddle Shop (River Oaks) – Leather goods for the home, office, luggage, saddles. As well as, clothes and gifts for the family.

Kuhl-Linscomb (River Oaks) – 5-building emporium of upscale goods from furniture & cosmetics to kitchenware & gift items.

La Taste (Rice Village) – Artisan French bath products, Provençal pottery, and gifts from France in Houston’s Rice Village

Mid in Mod (River Oaks, Katy, Sugar Land) – Stylish and affordable Mid-centure modern furniture and dining sets.

Moshi Moshi Gifts & Stationery Co. (Chinatown) – Stationary, anime gifts, stickers, plushies.

Toys & Children’s Gifts

Big Blue Whale (Heights) – Focus on quality toys, vintage toys, board games, cheeky items, as well as local and national artists who handcraft whimsical pieces.

Fundamentally Toys (Rice Village) – A full-service, specialty toy store offering a selection of unique and classic toys, games, gifts, and playthings. We focus on creative, developmental play.

Houston Toy Museum (Heights) – Unique toy musuem with a curated collection of vintage and modern toys and shop.

Misfit Toys (Heights) – specialize in horror and vintage toys, but we always carry new stuff too.  Toys to buy, sell, and/ or trade.

Papa Ben’s Train Place (West U) – Houston’s oldest and only dedicated train store!

Tomfoolery Toys & Books (Meyerland) – Independent, neighborhood toy store. As well as, books that range from classics to more recent quality offerings. Also hosts a weekly toddler storytime!

Art

Aerosol Warfare (East Downtown) – GONZO247 is an award-winning, internationally recognized multidisciplinary artist, ambassador of the visual and cultural arts, and pioneer in the graffiti and street art movement in Houston.

Casa Ramirez (Heights) – Offers a selection of folk art, Mexican dresses, local artist work, books on culture and cooking and bilingual books for children, greeting cards and decorations.

Insomnia Gallery (Near Downtown) – Fresh ideas from the pop art and low brow art world as well as the most awesome toys and media to fill your home!

Mala Market (Fourth Ward) – A non-profit collective space for Houston’s most passionate makers, crafters, and doers

Sawyer Yards (Fourth Ward) – A large creative community with frequent art exhibitions, events, and markets.

The Whimsy Artisan Boutique (Heights) – The majority of their items are one of a kind or made in very small quantities from our 150+ local artists makers, movers, and shakers.