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City Guide - Washington, DC - Shopping | ||
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Shopping Washington, DC is not a manufacturing area so it is not known for its locally produced items. However, it is a very affluent area and subsequently there are numerous shopping malls and districts. The neighbourhood of Georgetown is a popular place for shopping, despite parking problems and the lack of a convenient Metro station, because of its charming streets. There is a mall in the form of the nineteenth-century The Shops at Georgetown Park, M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, NW, which was built to house buses and streetcars. Later, it became the location for the Situation Room for the White House in the 1960s and housed the first hotline to Moscow. The elegant Victorian interior with its chandeliers and wrought iron, under a huge skylight, houses around 100 shops and cafés with prices definitely not aimed at the bargain hunter. Downtown is Union Station on Massachusetts Avenue, which has shopping on three levels with over 100 outlets, including familiar names such as Benetton and Victoria's Secret. More upmarket shopping can be found at the Mazza Gallerie on Wisconsin Avenue (Metro station Friendship Heights), along the border with Maryland, which is a multi-level shopping centre, housing trendy Neiman Marcus. The Adams Morgan neighbourhood is an interesting area for shopping as the selection is international with clothing, jewellery, CDs and books. In particular, the shops along 18th Street, NW, between Florida Avenue and Columbia Road, are good for browsing. The shops in the various Smithsonian Institution Museums are definitely worth a visit as they stock a fascinating collection of gifts, crafts, books, jewellery and toys. Shops linked to the museums are open daily 1000-1700. Car drivers keen to find bargains should make their way 40km (25 miles) south of the city to the Potomac Mills Outlet Mall in Prince William, Virginia, which has over 200 discount stores with brand names such as Royal Doulton, Laura Ashley and Calvin Klein. Washington, DC has a sales tax of 5.75%, which is added to the purchase price at the point of sale. There is no system for visitors to claim the tax back. Many shops are open 0900-1800 Monday-Saturday (with some malls open later into the evening) and 1200-1800 on Sunday. |