In the last few years, downtown has come a long way in attracting new retail tenants. Gradually, the number of vacant, boarded-up buildings is diminishing. With the recent opening of new shopping/entertainment complexes such as Pembroke Square and Peabody Place, there are now dozens of options for strolling and/or spending. In addition, there are still a few tourist-friendly Beale Street stalwarts that are great for sniffing out the perfect Memphis souvenir. Out in the trendy neighborhoods in midtown Memphis, you still find a few other stores that merit visiting. For the most part, however, Memphis shopping means shopping malls -- and most of those are out in East Memphis and beyond, a region of sprawling, new, and mostly quite affluent suburbs.
As in Nashville and other cities of the New South, the shopping scene in Memphis is spread out. If you want to go shopping in this city, you'll need to arm yourself with a good map, get in the car, and start driving. Most people head to the shopping malls and plazas (there are dozens) in East Memphis to find quality merchandise. However, in recent years some interesting and trendy shops have started to pop up in Peabody Place and in the South Main Historic District of downtown.
Shopping malls and department stores are generally open Monday to Saturday 10am to 9pm and Sunday noon to 6pm. Many smaller mom-and-pop stores located outside malls and shopping centers are closed on Sundays. Call ahead to check store hours.
Antiques -- Memphis's main antiques district is at the intersection of Central Avenue and South Cooper Street. High-quality shops offering furniture and decorative arts, both rare and budget-priced antiques, as well as jewelry and gifts abound. Most businesses are open Monday to Saturday. For more information, visit www.memphisantiquedistrict.com.
Shoes & Boots -- You'll find an excellent selection of shoes at the Dillard's department store in the Mall of Memphis shopping mall.
