John's Pass Village and Boardwalk, on John's Pass in Madeira Beach, has an unremarkable collection of beach souvenir shops, but the atmosphere makes it worth a stroll. The pick of the lot is the Bronze Lady (tel. 727/398-5994; www.bronzelady2000.com), featuring a collection of works by the late comedian/artist Red Skelton, best known for his numerous clown paintings. The shops are open daily from 9am to 6pm or later.
If you're in the market for one-of-a-kind jewelry, try Evander Preston Contemporary Jewelry, 106 8th Ave., Pass-a-Grille (tel. 727/367-7894), a gallery/workshop housed in a 75-year-old building in Pass-a-Grille's block-long 8th Avenue business district. Open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5:30pm. There's a branch at TradeWinds Island Grand Resort, too.
Among the shops in St. Pete Beach's Corey Landings area, the town's original business strip along 75th Street, east of Gulf Boulevard, the Shell Store (tel. 727/360-0586) specializes in corals and shells, with an on-premises mini-museum illustrating how they live and grow. There's a good selection of shell home decorations, hobbyist supplies, art, planters, and jewelry. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30am to 5pm.
