Melrose is one of the best destinations for shopping in the Borders. Most shops are open Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 5pm and Sunday noon to around 4pm.
The Country Kitchen, Market Square (tel. 01896/822-586), displays a comprehensive choice of English, French, and Scottish cheeses, along with pâtés and meat products. You can buy them prepackaged or order up gourmet sandwiches and picnic fixings. Abbey Wines, Abbey Street (tel. 01896/823-224), stocks the town's largest wine selection, plus at least 150 malt whiskies, some from the most obscure distilleries in Scotland.
The town's most complete collection of books is for sale at Talisman Books, 9 Market Square (tel. 01896/822-196), in an old-fashioned Edwardian shop. Gifts, especially impractical-but-charming items in porcelain and china, are available at Butterfly, High Street (tel. 01896/822-045).
Feeling chilly in the Scottish fog? A meticulously crafted wool or cashmere sweater from Anne Oliver Knitwear, 1 Scott's Place (tel. 01896/822-975), might provide the extra warmth you need. Lochcarron of Scotland, 5 Market Sq. (tel. 01896/823-823), is larger, but stocks only its own goods. Designers like Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Jean-Paul Gaultier have ordered bulk amounts here for relabeling and distribution. For tartan and other fabrics, visit The Fabric Shop, High Street (tel. 01896/823-475), which both high-class couturiers and homegrown dressmakers find appealing.
