You most likely already know this historic district as a enjoyable vacation spot for day journeys and culturally immersive experiences. Still, when you haven’t but explored the eclectic assortment Old Town San Diego outlets, you’re in for a deal with.
Unique items with type. Food objects to fulfill any palate. Children’s toys, dwelling decor, blown glass, and colourful, one-of-a-kind presents to carry somebody cheer. Books that carry historical past alive. Apparel that’s as elegant as it’s comfy. You’ll discover these things and extra while you spend time sightseeing and buying in what’s thought to be California’s birthplace.
Most of the Old Town San Diego shops listed under have concession agreements with the state-run Old Town State Historic Park. This means you would possibly see workers members wearing interval clothes and making concerted efforts to present customers a glimpse of life within the Mexican and early American durations of 1821 – 1872.
This is why buying in Old Town San Diego is usually a enjoyable a journey—a visit throughout cultures and time—and a chance to seek out the proper treasures you’ll cherish effectively into the longer term.
1. Honest Thrift Studio
- 2609 Congress St, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 485-4674
- Wednesday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m
- Closed Sunday via Tuesday
- honestthrift.com
The store’s tagline, “Boutique finds at thrift shop prices,” describes this place completely. Honest Thrift Studio brings you stunning antiques and different nice finds inside a stunning little nook that’s alive with an abundance of indoor crops, making a welcoming house.
To maximize the searching expertise, only some prospects can are available at one time. Inside, you’ll discover plant equipment (lots of the vibrant crops surrounding you might be additionally on the market), furnishings, décor, and extra. You’ll by no means know precisely what you’ll discover, however that’s simply a part of the enjoyable of this store.
Honest Thrift Studio stands out as the coziest, cutest, and most eclectic thrift store ever. Stop in for a novel, intimate buying expertise and chat with homeowners who love what they do. When you’re accomplished buying, go across the nook to the store homeowners’ sister enterprise, Garden Coffee, which is simply as vibrant.
2. Cousin’s Candy Shop
- 2711 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 297-2000
- Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Friday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- cousinscandyshop.com
Housed inside one in every of Old Town’s many historic buildings, Cousin’s Candy Shop is a paradise for each candy tooth in your loved ones. Inside you’ll discover candies of all shapes and flavors piled excessive in barrels, baskets, jars, bins, and instances. Walking in, it feels such as you’ve stepped again in time to the 1800s, with staff wearing clothes typical of that period.
If you’re keen on delicate, creamy fudge, you’ll discover scrumptious varieties right here. Craving jelly beans? A self-serve station allows you to bask in 49 completely different flavors.
Other tasty delights embody saltwater taffy, licorice, sweets, rock sweet, and nostalgic specialty candies you possibly can’t discover in common shops. Sugar-free candies are additionally bought, and the store makes a speciality of huckleberry merchandise, together with jams, syrups, fudge, and taffy.
The treats at Cousin’s Candy Shop are high-quality, with contemporary batches made every day. Baskets can be found for gift-giving, or you possibly can create your individual.
3. Toby’s Candles
- 2645 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 297-5426
- Monday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- tobyscandles.com
More than a candle store, Toby’s Candles is a sensory expertise providing fragrant candles and scented soaps. This family-owned and operated store sells high quality candles handmade with love. The authentic enterprise co-owner, Toby, was a college professor when she started training the artwork of candle carving. This new ardour grew right into a full-time enterprise for her, with the remainder of the household becoming a member of in.
As one of many Old Town, San Diego shops since 1992, Toby’s Candles immerses you in a peaceable, inventive ambiance as quickly as you enter. The workers is welcoming and useful whereas letting you browse freely at your individual tempo.
The store makes a speciality of kaleidoscope candle kits you possibly can take dwelling to make your self and handcrafted specialty candles that make fantastic items. Their bathe steamers are well-liked alternate options to bathtub bombs, offering an at-home spa expertise everytime you take a bathe.
4. El Centro Artesano
As Old Town’s largest pottery store, El Centro Artesano brings you nice concepts for including vibrant colours to your yard areas. With nice indoor and out of doors areas to browse, this store contains a big out of doors courtyard with rows upon rows of Mexican pots of various sizes.
These objects have distinctive, eye-catching designs painted by hand. To personalize your yard, you’ll additionally discover terracotta pots and varied décor, together with solar faces, wind chimes, and eccentric sculptures.
Inside, the massive reward store is brimming with worldwide merchandise for all ages. You’ll discover Día de los Muertos collectible figurines, wall décor, colourful gems, hanging chimes and suncatchers, jewellery, magnets, and extra. It’s an important place to seek out distinctive, themed items for mates and kin.
El Centro Artesano gives a novel buying expertise for the entire household. Just preserve little ones from working via the courtyard and reward store to keep away from breaking any fragile objects.
5. Rust General Store
- 2720 Calhoun St, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 295-7878
- Monday and Thursday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Friday – Sunday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Closed Tuesday and Wednesday
- fb.com/RustGeneral
Rust General Store is a quaint, one-of-a-kind store with an old style really feel. Selling connoisseur meals and specialty objects, it serves as a common retailer and a espresso store with an 1860s ambiance. I like this retailer for items.
In addition to buying distinctive merchandise, you possibly can seize a cup of espresso or tea plus a chew to eat whereas taking a break within the enclosed out of doors seating space below giant shade timber.
It’s a enjoyable place to buy when you get pleasure from discovering hard-to-locate meals stuff you ate while you had been a child, plus stuff you’ve by no means heard of however are sport to attempt no less than as soon as—every thing from lavender sweet to pickled quail eggs.
From the bistro part of Rust General Store, you possibly can order a beverage of your selection—scorching, iced, or bottled—together with a snack or a candy deal with. Menu objects embody café mocha, chai latte, iced tea, Bavarian pretzel, mini panini sandwich, fresh-baked pastries, and ice cream.
6. Miner’s Gems and Minerals
- State Historic Park, 2616 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 688-1178
- Monday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- minersgemsandminerals.com
Whether you’re visiting this historic district only for enjoyable otherwise you’re right here to do some bona fide Old Town, San Diego buying, Miner’s Gems and Minerals is a must-see. This geological treasure home comes with a extremely educated workers that is aware of its stuff in gemology and mineralogy. It’s a museum and a store multi functional.
If you’re prepared to purchase a gem, you’ll discover top-quality specimens on the market right here. The retailer sells polished gems, together with items that may be fitted into jewellery, together with crystals, tough stones, and even fossils.
A visit to Miner’s Gems and Minerals will be instructional for the entire household. While the children try wooly mammoth hair and fragments of raptor eggs, the adults can admire stunning bicolor tourmaline extracted from San Diego’s personal Himalaya Mine—do you know our county has a number of lively gem mines? You’ll be taught much more while you go to this store.
7. Kosay Kumeyaay Market
- 85472 Calhoun St, San Diego, CA 92110
- (442) 899-8051
- Friday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Closed Monday – Thursday
- kumeyaaymarket.com
Long earlier than the Spaniards got here to the area, the Kumeyaay lived right here. They had been the primary individuals to settle in what’s now San Diego, overlaying a large space from Ensenada to Oceanside.
Kosay Kumeyaay Market pays tribute to the unique individuals of this space by that includes conventional art work created by expert artists. Kosay Village was the identify of what’s now often known as Old Town, San Diego.
Shopping right here, you’ll discover genuine arts and crafts made by members of the Yuman teams of Native American origin, together with varied communities of the Kumeyaay, Cucapah, Kiliwa, Pai Pai, and Cochimi Nations.
Purchasing from this market helps help artisans in Mexico and the U.S. and teaches you one thing concerning the cultures that lived right here way back—and proceed to dwell within the area in the present day.
Bring dwelling an genuine, handmade masterpiece from Kosay Kumeyaay Market—it’ll add a lot to your dwelling areas whereas serving as a reminder of the cultures which have been right here since lengthy earlier than San Diego was included.
8. Fiesta de Reyes
- 2754 Calhoun St, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 297-3100
- Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- Friday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- fiestadereyes.com
Old Town, San Diego additionally has a number of bigger buying zones, every with its personal assortment of outlets price visiting. With 19 regionally owned outlets, Fiesta de Reyes is one in every of these marketplaces. While perusing right here, you should definitely cease in these nice shops.
Geppetto’s Toys
Find traditional toys that encourage creativity: puppets, puzzles, video games, development units, arts and crafts, books, and far more. Geppetto’s is a high quality toy retailer that’s been in San Diego for over 40 years.
Tienda de Reyes
Featuring Mexican folks artwork and Day of the Dead merchandise, this thrilling reward store provides a big choice of enjoyable souvenirs, festive housewares, and colourful clothes.
The Crazy Pepper
Whether you want your salsa scorching or gentle, step into this store for a few of the most flavorful condiments round. Browse the broad choice of salsas, scorching sauces, BBQ sauces, and extra.
9. Old Town Market
With over 40 outlets and eating places in a single place, Old Town Market is a historic indoor and out of doors market that can draw you in with its colourful choices and vibrant ambiance. Check out these outlets.
Best of Old Town
You’ll discover superbly crafted wares and clothes from Ecuador, Peru, and Guatemala, together with ponchos, blankets, sandals, and purses.
D&O Imports
See the genuine Vietnamese souvenirs bought right here, together with stunning metallic artwork designs, different handmade items, and all kinds of Asian imports.
Mi Casa Es Mi Casa
It’s a veritable fiesta with all of the colourful, genuine Mexican objects on show, from maracas and piñatas to festive margarita glasses. Grab a scrumptious Mexican soda whilst you’re right here.
10. Bazaar del Mundo
- 4133 Taylor St, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 296-3161
- Monday – Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- bazaardelmundoshops.com
No Old Town, San Diego buying expertise is full and not using a go to to the Bazaar del Mundo. Here’s the place you’ll discover a few of the finest one-of-a-kind items for your self and others. Enjoy the brilliant, cheerful setting and nice locations to buy, like these.
Artes de Mexico
Carefully chosen objects make this retailer a pleasure to buy in. You’ll discover Oaxacan hand-carved wood animals, Huichol beaded artwork, hand-painted Talavera ceramics, and far more.
Guatemala Shop
Discover treasures and delightful textiles from Guatemala. This store brings you conventional Latin American crafts, together with ceramic figures, rain sticks, Peruvian artwork, Guatemalan materials, and distinctive toys.
Kitchen Shop
If you’re prepared to show your kitchen into the colourful coronary heart of your own home, cease by the Kitchen Shop for stunning dishware and kitchen décor. You’ll additionally discover an important choice of cookbooks and mouthwatering Mexican spices, soup mixes, and preserves.
Where do you prefer to buy groceries in Old Town San Diego?