World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Minneapolis-St Paul  - Shopping
Shopping

The Twin Cities are a shopper's paradise. They are home to America's first shopping mall (Southdale) and to its largest mall (Mall of America) as well. Best of all, there is no sales tax on apparel. Tax on other goods is 7%. Some shops that cater for tourists will not charge tax if goods are shipped out of state. Shop opening hours are generally 0800-2100 or 0900-2200 Monday to Friday, 0930-1800 Saturday and 1200-1700 Sunday.
Nicollet Mall
is a pedestrian thoroughfare covering a 12-block stretch of Nicollet Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. There are more than 400 retail outlets in this area, including the flagship Dayton's department store, many of which are connected by the city's famous skyways. Also located here is Gaviidae Common, an upmarket shopping complex with department stores Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue and designer boutiques, and other complexes such as the IDS Center Crystal Court. From May to September there are farmers' markets on Thursdays and Saturdays on the mall, with fruit and vegetables, flowers, clothing and crafts. There is also a farmer's market in St Paul (290 East Fifth Street) on Saturdays and Sundays April to November. The Uptown area south of downtown around Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street contains more than 200 stores, primarily trendy, one-off shops such as those at Calhoun Square selling import and gift items, fashions, arts and crafts and jewellery. Town Square and the World Trade Center are two shopping centres in downtown St Paul. Grand Avenue between Fairview Avenue and Dale Street also contains attractive one-of-a-kind shops.
Shopping malls abound. Southdale Mall in Edina opened in 1956 as the world's first enclosed shopping mall. Adjacent is the more upmarket Galleria shopping centre. The 'Dales' also include Ridgedale in the west, Brookdale in the northwest and Rosedale in the north. The mother of them all, however, is the Mall of America, the nation's largest shopping and entertainment complex, with more than 400 stores, theatres, cinemas and an indoor theme park with rides.



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