Catering to folks on their way to and from the nightclubs on Beale Street, the crowded, eclectic little shop, Strange Cargo, carries gifts and souvenirs with an adult slant. This is a good place to buy humorous cards to send to friends at home. You can also find gag gift items here, as well as T-shirts with messages that might make some people blush. If you bring the kids, you might have some explaining to do.

This funky shop on Beale Street has all the CDs and cassettes by the great blues and jazz artists who made the Memphis music scene great, such as B.B King and Rufus Thomas. Memphis Music is also a good place to buy blues-related souvenirs, posters, T-shirts and more. Be sure to go all the way to the back of the store, where some great, unusual items can be found. So if you are looking for a quirky gift for a friend, this is the place to shop.

Remaining much the same as it was when it opened in 1876, A. Schwab's is the kind of store where farmers would have gone every six months to stock up on supplies. The sacks of flour and seed have been replaced with Elvis souvenirs and voodoo accessories, but the wooden floors still squeak under your feet, while the dusty tables hold overalls and an eclectic assortment of merchandise. Not always open in the evening when Beale Street is crowded, this store alone is worth a daytime visit.