With an exciting mix of over 200 locally-owned businesses, including top-tier cafés and restaurants, Downtown Asheville offers a super fun shopping experience. The diversity is impressive. You’ll find gems and fossils, quirky vintage items, yummy candy, unique art, handmade jewelry, and your quintessential hippy necessities (because… it’s Asheville!) – no doubt your stroll will end with your hands full of bags.
In addition to an outstanding food scene and original shopping experiences, Downtown Asheville is home to fun events and festivals, murals, parks, and historical landmarks, many of which are highlighted on the Asheville Urban Trail you can follow while you shop. The center of Asheville is entirely walkable, and you’ll enjoy stopping at cafés, tea houses, ice cream shops, breweries, or award-winning restaurants.
Here is a list of some of the best places to shop in Downtown Asheville. Have a fun shopping spree!
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1. Moonlight Makers
Moonlight Makers is a female-founded business started in 2015 with two moms screen-printing on their kitchen counters. They would spend the weekends selling their joyful t-shirts at festivals and events. After a couple of years, they transitioned into a Downtown brick-and-mortar shop and have been rocking it ever since, offering 20 different product lines.
At Moonlight Makers, you’ll find something for everyone. From t-shirts with over 300 fun designs (think ‘Now and then I fall apart’ with a taco or ‘I am here for the hotdogs’) to accessories and houseware, the variety is almost endless. I love the high quality of the cotton they use. The friendly vibe and diverse range of original items will make it hard to leave with just one thing!
2. Mast General Store
Mast General Store was established in 1999 and is one of my favorite places to shop. I love the smell of the store; it smells like the holiday season year-round! Located within a historical 1846 building, with huge windows and wooden floors, it has an irresistible old-timey Southern charm.
You can buy anything there, from high-end outdoor gear to candles, toys, household items, clothing, candy, and classic games. You’ll love Asheville-opoly, a local rendition of Monopoly. And prepare to be lured by the remarkable candy selection! It’s a temptation you can’t resist. Your little ones will enjoy grabbing a green basket and filling it with sweet treats!
Mast General Store has become my go-to place for gifts year-round, especially Christmas stockings. You’ll love the amazing gift baskets and sets filled with local goodies.
3. Graymarket Design
Graymarket Design opened only recently, offering 100% cotton items (among other goodies) that are eco-friendly, ethically produced, easy to take care of, and so beautiful! I stopped there the other day and loved everything. They offer a variety of creative classes for both adults and kids!
The prints at Graymarket Design are so joyful. Each item is meticulously hand drawn, hand carved, hand dyed, and hand printed in India. The best part? They are also affordable. You’ll love the hangers and tables of fun, colorful dresses, robes, tops, handmade home goods, and jewelry.
4. Sugar Britches
Sugar Britches is known for being the “most Asheville shop in Asheville”. It’s undoubtedly one of the most fun spots to spend a couple of hours hunting for vintage and upcycled treasures. They are the largest fashion-oriented consignment store in town and cover all your fashion needs, from spectacular party outfits to quirky Halloween costumes and an incredible array of accessories.
“Every unique piece we carry has that “it” factor – just the right touch of rock ‘n roll flair to ensure that no one else will be wearing what YOU’RE wearing!” If you like to stand out, this is the place for you!
5. Malaprop’s Bookstore
There are so many great things about Malaprop’s Bookstore / Café, the mountain town independent bookstore that opened in 1982 and has made it to the national news. I’m glad I can stop by it daily! You’ll love getting coffee or tea at the café and then exploring the isles of books, including an impressive collection of local and regional authors.
The children’s section, with books, toys, and games, is an excellent plan for a rainy afternoon. Participating in an event or book presentation here is one of the best things you can do in Asheville (and it’s free!). Finally, Malaprop’s is one of the most welcoming places for doggies and even has an Instagram page for dog visitors!
6. Minx Boutique
Opened in 2002, Minx Boutique has fantastic clothing and accessories. It’s one of the few places my daughter and I can find clothes we both love. The boutique has been voted the Best Women’s Clothing Store in WNC by the Mountain Xpress readers for 21 years in a row!
They have staple and statement pieces that will make you shine extra! I love their selection of spring and summer dresses. Everything here is lovely, and the quality is excellent. They sell cute ornaments during the holidays and the windows display creative paper dresses – it’s a Downtown Asheville winter tradition.
7. Instant Karma
Instant Karma is your “Asheville’s one-stop hippie shop” for a reason! You can get anything and everything here – candles, incense, musical instruments, books, journals, clothing, tarot decks, Asheville souvenirs, and even CBD products. I got a couple of Grateful Dead dancing bears ornaments last Christmas!
Its first location opened in 1995 in Downtown Asheville, and it has now added a second one in West Asheville. This is a favorite shop for locals and visitors because it embodies Asheville’s original hippie vibe so well, not only for what it sells but also because of the personalized attention you get here. Make sure you follow their Instagram profile for updates on events and sales.
8. Tops for Shoes
Established in 1952, Tops for Shoes remains a local family-run business, offering a great selection of women’s and men’s casual and comfort footwear, including a Clearance Center with sale and markdown items that are a great deal. You’ll find the best brands here!
Spanning over 30,000 square feet, Tops for Shoes is a treasure trove of footwear. Run by the third generation of owners, they also have a well-stocked kids section, including clothing and accessories. And if you visit Asheville in December, don’t miss out on the exciting Clearance Center Penny Sale, where you can buy one discounted shoe or accessory and get the second for a penny!
9. Spiritex
Spiritex opened in Asheville in 2005, offering clothing made with organic cotton and eco-friendly practices. The quality is amazing! I bought my first pair of leggings 10 years ago, washed them millions of times, and they are still in great shape.
You’ll love how soft, comfortable, and skin-friendly everything is. They are specially known for their butterfly collection of dresses and tunics for women and girls, which you can see on display in the windows of their shop across the street from Pritchard Park.
10. Madame Clutterbucket’s Neurodiverse Universe
Madame Cluttterbucket’s Neurodiverse Universe has the most incredible collection of items. I love shopping for gifts there because I know I’ll always find something unique and original that will make the recipient smile. Plus, they employ adults with disabilities to run the shop, which promotes inclusivity and diversity in the workplace and increases visibility (bravo!).
They showcase the work of neurodivergent artists, have vintage toys and home goods, and offer a wide selection of sensory fidgets and toys. I love their “Keep Asheville Weird” t-shirt collection in every color and their tarot and divination decks are the best. You can even buy yummy ice cream cookies from Annie B’s Homemade Ice Cream, another local business creating jobs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
11. Grove Arcade, Asheville’s Original Mall
The Grove Arcade is Asheville’s original mall and one of its most renowned historical landmarks. Built in 1929 by E. W. Grove (the visionary behind the Omni Grove Park Inn), this was the bustling hub of commerce in Western North Carolina until WWII. It reopened in 2002 and now houses many top-notch eateries and boutiques, making it one of the best places to shop in Downtown Asheville.
Featuring 17 stores from Western North Carolina, you can find everything here. There is even an outdoor market during the weekends and holidays. My favorite store is Adoratherapy, where you can buy customized perfumes based on your aura and energy reading. Enter the Earth has an impressive selection of gems and rocks displayed spectacularly. You’ll love the decorations, displays, and events during the holidays!
12. Horse + Hero
I must admit that it wasn’t until recently that I found Horse + Hero. My coworker asked me to go with her to pick up some thank you cards, and boy, I was impressed! They have the biggest, most diverse, and most beautiful collection of cards for every occasion. They also display the work of dozens of local and regional artists working with diverse mediums.
I loved their prints and original paintings – they are whimsical and embody the Asheville spirit. If you want to add stickers to your collection, this is the place.
13. L.O.F.T.
Lost Objects, Found Treasures (L.O.F.T.) is the most fun and irreverent Asheville shop. Their display of windchimes, garden accessories, and other outdoor decoration items makes them easy to spot. Yes, they put it out every morning and take it in every evening (I asked, and the process can take up to an hour!).
They have a little of everything, from candles and books to socks and jewelry. But everything is extra witty and unique. I recently got the cutest jelly bean-pooping unicorn for a boss who retired. They have the best holiday decor, and their Pride Month merchandise includes pride tarot, queer and drag queer activity books, and pride festive garden gnomes.
Even if you are only window-shopping, you can’t leave Asheville without visiting L.O.F.T!
14. Fox and Beaux
Fox and Beaux opened seven years ago and was voted Asheville’s best Jewelry Designer in WNC by the Mountain Xpress Readers from 2020 to 2023. Their designs are stunning. They specialize in engagement rings, permanent jewelry, and wedding bands, and their diamonds and gemstones are ethically sourced.
Here, you’ll find one-of-a-kind pieces that are perfect for gifts. The shop honors Asheville’s authentic, down-to-earth vibe by offering a relaxing shopping experience – “It’s like being at a friend’s house, not stuffy and uptight like at typical big-box jewelry stores. Our sales associates are never paid on commission, and we are here exclusively to help you find or design the jewelry and accessories that will make you look and feel the most beautiful.”
