Best Shopping on Mill Avenue 2013 | Meat Market Vintage | Shopping & Services | Phoenix
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Best Shopping on Mill Avenue

Meat Market Vintage

In its second year as a brick-and-mortar shop on Mill Avenue, Ben Funke and Cory Martinez's Meat Market has further solidified itself as a go-to for hipster-approved vintage finds. That means Garfield engineer caps, teensy men's running shorts, plenty of cheeky T-shirts, and buttons emblazoned with phrases like "God, World's Greatest Father." Of course, it's not all jokery. The shop consistently brings in highly sought-after items like immaculate tooled leather bags, gorgeous dresses, killer cowboy boots, statement jewelry, and fur coats (you'll find faux and real when the weather's cool). And don't let the hipster designation deter you. The owners are mega-friendly and love chatting about their quirky finds.

Best Place to Buy Antiques on a Budget

Historic District Resale Mall

Looking for something unique but don't have much to spend? Head to downtown Peoria, to an antiques mall with an endless variety of goods at reasonable prices. These stores are packed with dolls, old-fashioned baby cribs, curio cabinets, bronze and Asian art, end tables, antique dishes, rustic furniture, and endless tchotchkes. Home to Home Furniture just opened its door between the two Resale Mall stores and also offers an eclectic mix of wares — a picture frame turned into a serving tray perfect for breakfast in bed, a four-fold Japanese room divider, vintage candy containers. The trio of shops increases your odds of finding exactly what you wanted, even if you didn't know you needed it until you saw it. It's worth a drive from just about anywhere.

Best New Boutique

Cleo & Clementine

Cleo and Clementine are the alter egos of designers Monique Martinez-Sandoval and Jennifer Wood. The two assembled the alliterative monikers as the name of their boutique, where shoppers will discover indie bridal wares and assorted fashionable finds. After having run Etsy storefronts Ouma and Mignonne Handmade, respectively, and gaining popularity in the online realm, the pair combined forces to launch the shop. The brick-and-mortar Melrose outpost hosts wedding dresses, party frocks, bridesmaids' get-ups, retro-style rompers, dainty and daring accessories, and handmade headpieces. It's a must-see for ladies readying to walk down the aisle and gals on the hunt for unique pieces.

Best Boutique

Frances

For some, good fashion sense comes naturally. For others, it all boils down to knowing where to shop. For both, in Phoenix, the destination is almost always Frances. The local boutique with a flagship location off Central, and now a satellite store in Biltmore Fashion Park's Union, is the go-to spot for creative gift-givers and trendy shoppers, offering an ever-changing selection of local, handmade, and bigger brand-name fashions. Whether you're shopping for your girlfriend, best man, baby, or the home, you can see all around that Frances owner Georganne Bryant prides herself on carefully selected whimsical styles and subtle standout pieces. From delicate statement accessories and hand-printed greeting cards to vintage-inspired fashions and Anthropologie-esque home accents, Frances' collection of highly coveted indie retail is as enviable as its pre-Pinterest displays. Lucky for you, Frances is not stingy with its style and offers seasonal DIY workshops throughout the year to help you re-create the stores' handcrafted cuteness at home.

Best Men's Boutique

Bonafide Goods

From Greg Eveloff, the dapper gent behind super-sophisticated gentleman's apparel shop The Clotherie, comes Bonafide Goods. The city's self-proclaimed first-ever micro-haberdashery is less intimidating than it sounds. It's small and carries covetable men's clothing that beautifully blends dandyism with ruggedness. (And, yeah, you'll find a few bow ties.) With an eye toward upscale Americana casual, the shop specializes in such well-made, timeless pieces as shirts, jackets, and ties by Billy Reid, large-face Tsovet Watches, and San Francisco-made Tellason Jeans. Whether your wardrobe needs an Esquire-approved makeover or you want to invest in a few quality pieces, Bonafide has your back.

Best Used Clothes for Kids

Love Child Style Exchange

We may never go to the mall again — at least, not till our kids outgrow Love Child. How about a GapKids dress for $4? Or Abercrombie & Fitch jeans for under $10? On our last visit, a pair of hot pink Vans had an "as is" tag, so we asked the clerk what was wrong with them. It took her minutes to locate the tiny pinprick of ink on the side of the shoe. "That's cool," we said. "We'll take 'em!" We love everything about this store — the location (between Changing Hands Bookstore and a Trader Joe's), the easy-to-browse setup, the selection, and most of all, let's be honest, the price.

Best Discount Store

Last Chance

Phoenix, we are the only city in the world with a Last Chance location. Yeah, you won't find Nordstrom's final-clearance store anywhere else in the world. And precisely for that reason, it's best to go in there with a plan, whether it involves finding that fits-like-a-glove LBD or a pair of deeply discounted Jeffrey Campbells. Pro tip: Always browse sections that aren't your size. We've heard from, er, friends that Last Chance shoppers often stash stuff they want to come back for in the wrong spot, so they can find it later. (Of course, we would never dream of doing anything like that.) Just goes to show you that your fellow shoppers aren't messing around. Last Chance is serious business.

Best Denim

Hub Clothing

Tucked on the top floor of Scottsdale Fashion Square is Hub Clothing, a boutique that prides itself on carrying the most cutting-edge denim brands the world has to offer. You'll find Diesel, Nudie, and Acme jeans, desirable baubles by Alexis Bittar and Chan Luu, and Toms shoes. Other brands Hub handles (that just so happen to be celeb faves, too) include Nation LTD and Shakuhachi. There you have it: high-end jeans, hip casual clothes, and one more (really good) reason to hang out at the mall.

Best Leather Goods

Bison Made

Premium leather accessories that Ron Swanson could get behind are the specialty of Phoenix-based brand Bison Made. And before you ask: No, their stuff isn't made of bison. (The razor strops are made of horsehide, though.) The company's wallets, phone cases, and sleeves are handcrafted at its studio inside monOrchid, which you can visit on First Fridays for a behind-the-scenes look at how and where the beautifully designed items are made. The brand's motto is "designed for life," and the folks behind it say that if proper care is taken of a Bison Made piece, there's no reason it shouldn't last a lifetime — or longer. Beyond that, all the materials are sourced in the United States, and no rubber, glue, plastics, or linings are used in Bison Made products. That rules out any "I'm rubber, you're glue" jokes, but we're pretty sure you'll stick with your Bison Made wallet once you make the investment.

Best Home Goods

Handmade Riot

Nicole Whittington and James Waldron work in wood. The couple crafts home accessories, postcards, and toys with a playful, colorful bent under the banner Handmade Riot. Most notable (and popular) are their floating honeycomb shelves — though they've expanded their shelving to offer a modular, trapezoidal piece called the Half Nelson. On the sweet side are wooden popsicle-stick coasters in a rainbow of brights and elephant pull toys that are too adorable. Find their homey vendables at MADE, Frances, and GROWop.

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