The Best Boutiques And Design Shops In Tucson, Arizona

| © Yasmeen/Flickr
Catrina Pang

Boasting 350 days of sunshine a year, Arizona’s Sonoran Desert city of Tucson is both a popular vacation spot and a historic residential area with its restored 19th-century mansions and adobe row of houses. Home to the University of Arizona, Tucson has many cool vintage shops, nightclubs, and restaurants near the campus that cater to the abundant student population. Whether you’re a student or just passing through, you definitely won’t want to miss the opportunity to explore these amazing Tucson boutiques and design shops.

1. ZOË Boutique

ZOË Boutique

Established in 1994, ZOË Boutique brings together a unique mix of local designers and artists with the latest must-have items on everyone’s list. ZOË is both a boutique and a gallery, located in close proximity to the University of Arizona and Downtown Tucson, making the space a unique arena in which to experience the excitement of the community. Anyone who has ever attended a ZOË art event, a Limo Club outing, or a seasonal fashion show knows that ZOË is an amazing place to learn more about up-and-coming artists, meet friends, and enjoy the swanky side of Tucson, all while looking adorable in that new dress and those one-of-a-kind earrings. Offering both one-of-a-kind items and on-trend must-have pieces for every fashionista’s wardrobe, ZOË Boutique is devoted to finding looks that compliment everyone’s personal style and body type. New merchandise arrives weekly at the shop, and they are always stocked with unique jewelry from local designers. The walls are always adorned with amazing pieces of art from local artists, which are also available for purchase. The warm and friendly owner, Lissa, is always around to chat and offer help, and the shop’s prices are super affordable for a boutique.
ZOË Boutique, 735 N 4th Ave, Tucson, AZ, USA, +1 520 740 1201

© The Factionist – ethical apparel/Flickr

2. Fed By Threads

Fed By Threads

America’s first humanitarian sustainable US-made clothing line and store, feeding 12 emergency meals to hungry Americans for each item sold, Fed By Threads has set out to inspire change, to encourage people to see that their choices matter, and to make them realize that their wardrobe choices can change lives. Started by Alok Appadurai and Jade Beall, the business began when the pair wanted to share inspiring designs within the community by creating a shirt for their dance/photography studio called The Movement Shala in Tucson, and since then, the endeavor has grown into the incredible project that is now Fed By Threads. Partnering with the Southern Arizona Food Bank and a nationwide hunger relief organization, Fed By Threads turns its sales into a way of feeding emergency meals to Americans in need. The Tucson boutique provides a unique retail experience that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the country, with every rack sign telling visitors the state in America where the garment was produced, all garments made using sustainable materials, and zero-commission personal shoppers available to help customers pick garments for their size and body type.
Fed By Threads, 345 E Congress St, Tucson, AZ, USA, +1 520 396 4304

© Amanda Segur/Flickr

3. Ooo! Outside Of Ordinary

Ooo! Outside Of Ordinary

Catering to University of Arizona students, local Tucsonans, and travelers alike, Ooo! Outside Of Ordinary is a boutique that stands out from the boring chains in the area, specializing in unique well priced quality classic items including clothing, jewelry, wall art, and home goods. Whether you’re looking for a cool gift for a friend or simply want to browse the shop for that thing you never knew you needed, Ooo! will keep you occupied for hours exploring everything from the tables displaying handmade jewelry to the stacks of notebooks and organizers to the collections of wine stoppers, picture frames, cosmetics, wall decorations, pillows, clothing, pet accessories, and much more. The shop is owned by a husband and wife team that runs the place in an old school fashion, writing all of the receipts by hand and providing excellent helpful, friendly service. The owners are very knowledgeable about the items in the store, having traveled all around the world to carefully select each item that will go for sale. The shop’s wide selection of quirky trinkets at every price point make it the perfect place to go when looking for gifts that will please all personalities.
Ooo! Outside Of Ordinary, 905 E University Blvd, Tucson, AZ, USA, +1 520 624 2241

© Yasmeen/Flickr

5. Picánte Designs

Picánte Designs

Everything you love about Mexico can be found in the vibrant and colorful boutique that is Picánte Designs. Jewelry lovers fawn over the beautiful selection of unique items that includes everything from silver to beads to one-of-a-kind handmade pieces. The store is filled with patterns and textures in every direction, and the walls are lined with bright beautiful clothing, aprons, purses, and pillows, along with numerous Day of the Dead and wedding figurines. In addition, the boutique is one of the only places in Tucson where you can buy authentic Mexican oil cloth by the yard, perfect for the sewing and crafting fanatics. Even if you don’t craft or sew, the store has plenty of already-made items created with the same materials. Visitors to Picánte will also find dozens of Guatemalan and mixed masks, contemporary and traditional nichos and frames, Virgin of Guadalupe figurines, Peruvian retablos, decorative crosses, silver and pewter milagros from around the world, Mexican jewelry, paper flowers, tableware, shawls and scarves, and so much more. The boutique has easily become known as the place to go when you you’re looking for unique, handmade, and artsy-but-useful gifts with a distinctly Tucson feel.
Picánte Designs, 2932 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ, USA, +1 520 320 5699
By Catrina Pang

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