Top Rated Shopping in Austin

For over 20 years, Waterloo Records has been one of Austin's favorite record stores. Why? The selection of music is unbeatable. Shoppers will find every genre of music here, including current popular favorites and many Texas artists. Waterloo has supported the local music community for years, allowing bands a place to sell their handmade tapes, vinyl and CDs. The store is also famous for its large selection of imports and world music. If you are looking for music that is a little off the beaten path, this is a good place to start. If you are not sure what you are looking for, grab a set of headphones at one of the listening stations and sample anything your heart desires. The shop also carries a great selection of music-related books, magazines, posters and T-shirts. You will also find an excellent blank tape and CDR selection with pro-recording tapes available.

Stag has captured the eye of men's magazines (GQ, etc.), and for good reason: it's about more than just the apparel and accessories for sale. The store caters to a specific demographic of men--those that are transitioning from undergraduate education to the professional realm, and those that are wanting to stay young and hip, but stylish. Among other things, vintage books (such as a collection of Dennis Hopper photographs from the 1960s), retro posters (like Farrah Fawcett's famous red bathing suit photo), and home decor (rum scented candles, for example) are up for grabs.

The premise behind this upscale store is simple: sophisticated fashion that allows the wearer to express their individual style. Looks are classic, yet hip and contemporary. Designer lines of shoes, clothing and accessories include Diesel, BCBG, Jill Stuart, Vivienne Tam, Theory and Kate Spade. By George, what a lovely place to shop!

Allens Boots has been in the South Congress shopping district for years. The tan stucco exterior is pretty nondescript, but the boot-emblazoned sign by the door leaves no doubt as to what might be sold here. This is a serious shop for serious Western wear, from the Wranglers to Justin boots and more. This is where you can grab a classic Resistol hat and a pair of ropers, or a fancier set of lizard or snake skin boots. Fancy duds are available, but so are serious work clothes. While urban cowboys are welcome to shop here, the store caters to the real thing, too.

Walk in and breathe deeply. You're within range of 300,000 titles, all arranged on three floors, along with a coffeehouse and complete music department. This is one of the bookstore-as-community places, where shoppers are encouraged to put their feet up and read, or to sit at a convenient desk and copy a recipe from the latest cookbook. Children gather for story time every week, and a community room is available for book clubs and other meetings. Of course, they have a huge selection in every conceivable category, from anthropology to zoology. Notable are the shelves of small-press and foreign-press titles, as well as spiritual and religious books.

This is by far Austin's most notorious vintage shop, and its most flamboyant. This fabulous store is largely a costume shop packed with thousands of choices ranging from gorilla suits to bullfighters to princesses; and the store carries all the necessary accessories to boot. If your personal style is unconventional (to say the least), there is a huge selection of retro clothing suitable for everyday wear as well.