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City Guide - New York - Shopping | ||
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Shopping A city famous for its sartorial elegance and Bohemian chic, New York is a shopper's paradise, boasting everything from the very latest designer fashions to flea market bargains, in addition to foods and goods from every corner of the globe. The scope for retail therapy in Manhattan has never been greater from chic department stores including the world famous Macy's on Herald Square to tiny boutiques and exclusive home furnishing stores. The smartest shops are located on Madison Avenue, where most top designers have flagship stores. Nearby, Fifth Avenue is a mecca for the label-conscious and well-heeled, and standing at one of the most famous corners in Manhattan, Tiffany & Co, 727 Fifth Avenue, is an icon to the American Dream. Famous department stores include Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Herald Square, Bloomingdales, 1000 Third Avenue, at 59th Street, and Barney's New York, 660 Madison Avenue, at 61st Street, which is the trendiest. The famous Ladies' Mile, which one hundred years ago was the epicentre of uptown fashion with department stores stretching from 14th Street for a mile along Sixth Avenue, became the discount centre of New York in the 1990s. However, the spectacular Victorian buildings have been restored and stores such as Bed Bath and Beyond, the Old Navy Clothing Co, Barnes & Noble and Filene's Basement have spearheaded a revival of the historic shopping strip, and the ornate, floodlit buildings glow with commerce late into the evening. SoHo is the most European of New York's neighbourhoods and offers an Aladdin's cave of original clothing, knick naks, antiques and collectibles, while East Village is the home of street fashion and cutting-edge young designers, with antique shops, designer boutiques and eclectic stores intermingling. Discount stores selling authentic American goods such as Levi's are located throughout the city and there are numerous markets to appeal to bargain hunters. The Annex Flea Market, known as the 26th St Flea Market on Sixth Avenue, made famous by Andy Warhol, is open on Saturdays and Sundays and the best bargains are vintage clothing and fine linens. In New York, everything but life's most basic necessities is taxable and the sales tax of 8% on all consumer goods is one of the highest in the country. Store opening hours depend on the neighbourhood. Business areas like Wall Street open early at about 8am while stores in areas such as SoHo and East Village open late at 11am and many stay open until at least 7pm. Department stores are open 1000-1800 and 1200-1700 Sunday. |