Savannah in 5 Shops: local books, unique jewelry and chocolate treats

19.06.2024 - 20:21 / lonelyplanet.com / Dolly Parton

Jun 19, 2024 • 4 min read

The shopping scene in Savannah, Georgia, is as eclectic as the city itself, with equal doses of vintage charm, pops of color, and the recognized national brands you’d expect from any major city.

Savannah's history influences its stores, as seen by the range of fine antiques on offer, but there's also a dose of new creativity that comes from the local art college’s students. You could spend a whole weekend shopping your way through the city. There are items for sale here that you won’t find back home and are especially significant to the locale.

Make plenty of space in your suitcase to bring home treasures from these five beloved Savannah stores. 

Starland Strange & Bazaar is one of Savannah’s funkiest shops, located in, of course, the Starland District. Identifiable by the multicolored mural that snakes up the sidewalk and attracts the bachelorette crowd, the shop is as diverse as the name implies, with monthly live music on the porch. Opened by Marguerite Seckman and Emily Bargeron, this is the place to pick up Savannah-inspired clothing (shirts from $35), stickers of Saint Dolly Parton and dancing disco balls ($3–10), and even ice cream, topped in the company’s signature sprinkles. It’s the best way to cool off and may be a temporary souvenir, but if you want to take the flavors of the city home, bottles of sprinkles run for $9. I love picking up stickers for my car here.

Check out the work of the next generation of creatives at shopSCAD, an outpost of the famed Savannah College of Art and Design, which carries the work exclusively by students, faculty and alumni of the school. This brick Romanesque-style shop and gallery on Bull St has a wide range of pieces, including ceramics, art, jewelry and bags from up-and-coming artists and makers. Each piece of fine art is unique and varies by price ($100 and up). A pair of palm tree earrings from Jen Cervelli ($125) or a box of stationery decorated with Savannah’s iconic oak trees ($17) are the perfect gifts.

The Paris Market is like stumbling into a shop in the French capital, with European antiques and a cafe with pastries and coffee. The circa 1874 former grocery store on Broughton St opened in 2001 and is stocked to the rafters with carefully selected items like coffee table books, fine antiques, jewelry and home decor, including one-of-a-kind pieces. The signature candle series ($29), including the Savannah scent, will transport you back to the city long after you’ve returned home. Grab yourself a croissant ($5) and coffee ($3+) to shop with, and if you like it, you can take a bag of beans with you ($13.75).

Broughton St is the hub of shopping in Savannah, and one of the best places to go for a sweet treat is the chandelier-lit