There are plenty of ways to empty your wallet in Las Vegas – and unlike the craps tables, the city’s many shops let you spend your money on something tangible. From multi-level malls to tucked-away boutiques, discover the endless shopping options in Sin City.
Shopping used to be an afterthought in Las Vegas, as all casinos really needed were a spot to pick up toiletries and souvenirs and a jewelry store for the high rollers to leave a little cash behind. However, as the city branched out and resorts sprawled out, shopping became an attraction. Uncover Sin City’s shopping alternatives with this Culture Trip guide.
Caesars Palace carries its over-the-top aesthetic into The Forum Shops, where the storefronts stretch their Doric columns toward cloud-painted ceilings. The retail options are as vast as the square footage – from Bath & Body Works to Balenciaga, Leica to La Perla, Tommy Bahama to Tiffany & Co. The Forum Shops is also heavy on restaurants, with highlights including Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab and TREVI.
Situated on Main Street in the Arts District, Retro Vegas was the first vintage store, and remains the largest, in an area that is home to a number of shops specializing in antique furniture, housewares and other oddities. Step into the first floor of the hot-pink building, and you will find shiny mid-century cocktail sets, curvy ’40s armchairs and Danish modern coffee tables. In an upstairs loft is The Red Kat vintage clothing store, where you can score the perfect finishing touch for your Vegas look, be it ’60s lamé pumps or an ’80s bomber jacket.
The quirky shop that is The Writer’s Block stands in defiance of the idea that no one in Las Vegas reads, offering a bookstore, coffee shop and events space. The charming business invites you to linger over a latte or spend a chunk of your afternoon perusing volumes – the collections of children’s books, graphic novels and new fiction are especially strong. Visitors can also stop by to attend events that include author readings, book clubs, poetry performances and a publishing workshop for kids.
Located in a humble strip mall near UNLV, Fruition carries some of the most stylish streetwear to be found in any city. The sleek, white-glossed space is stocked with a mix of new gear from blowing-up brands and well-curated vintage pieces. The store’s helpful staff are on hand to help you find the clothing item of your dreams, whether it’s a custom-dyed Carhartt jacket, faux-leopard coat or vintage concert tee.
A trip to the Las Vegas North Premium Outlets will definitely have you taking home more than you brought with you. Located near Downtown Las Vegas, the outlet has 175 stores, including high-end designers Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo and Dolce & Gabbana, as well as more affordable brands such as Converse, Levi’s and Steve Madden.
Whether you’re on the hunt for underwear or a dining room set, chances are you can probably find it at the Fashion Show. With over 200 stores and a few dozen restaurants, as well as art displays, giant LED screens and a full-size runway that hosts regular fashion shows, this mall has plenty to peruse. You can shop until you drop at Neiman Marcus, splurge at Hot Topic or get a spa treatment at this diverse shopping mall.
The eccentric residents and transient nature of Las Vegas mean that some real treasures can be found in its thrift shops – particularly in the half-dozen Savers locations around the valley. If you love kitsch, there are ornately framed clown portraits and sequinned bustiers. If you seek vintage finds, there are Cal-Neva ashtrays and alpaca cardigans. If you’re just out for a bargain and willing to browse the racks, there’s usually a selection of high-end apparel and designer shoes for less than $10.
One of Las Vegas’s most popular souvenirs shops is at the city’s hippest museum. The gift shop at The Neon Museum is stocked with items celebrating Sin City’s glitzy history, including glossy coffee-table books about Vegas past, Christmas ornaments in the shape of the Silver Slipper sign and purple coffee mugs adorned with Stardust showgirls. The T-shirts with graphics adapted from old motel signage, such as the Dunes or El Rancho, are especially stylish, while the neon alphabet magnets make cheap yet chic gifts for the folks back home.
It makes sense that a city with so many restaurants should also have some special places to shop for groceries. As the name might indicate, the International Marketplace is an enormous, warehouse-like space abundantly stocked with foodstuffs from around the world, such as Irish bacon, Chinese winter melon, Brazilian honey and Swedish cookies. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a large fish and meat market. To top it off, the supermarket stocks a wide range of pots, pans and utensils, so you’ve got no excuse to cook.
There are many shops along the Grand Canal in The Venetian, ranging from places that sell diamond bracelets to stores that offer refrigerator magnets, but the Vegas outpost of Barneys New York is the most dazzling. It’s a spacious, three-story department store full of artful displays that will make the most jaded fashionista salivate; pieces by Balmain, Gucci, Helmut Lang and Stella McCartney are all here on meticulously polished racks.
