18 Best Shopping in Downtown, San Diego

This new upscale shopping and dining center is in the city's former police headquarters, a beautiful and historic Mission-style building featuring an open courtyard with fountains. Restaurants and shops, many locally owned, occupy former jail facilities and offices. Pop into Urban Beach House for coastal-inspired fashion from popular surf brands for men and women, including accessories and home decor. Perfume Gallery offers more than 1,000 different scents in its extensive collection. Madison San Diego offers a great selection of leather goods and accessories, from apparel and handbags to belts and travel accessories.

If you have any interest in home design and renovation, this shop that specializes in reusing old materials should be top of your list. The warehouse space is filled with unusual building and decorative materials, as well as items that come from various time periods throughout the 1900s. Products range from stained-glass windows and light fixtures to cabinets and doors in styles ranging from Victorian to Craftsman.

Minimalist decor provides a perfect backdrop for the wild colors and patterns featured on original sneakers from Adidas, Nike, Vans, and other in-demand brands. Prices are steep, but many of the urban styles are unique.

Besides supplying local artists with their tools, Blick also carries art books, fine stationery and pens, ornate gift wrap, and beautiful leather-bound journals.

This boutique beer shop and tasting room stocks the best craft beer from San Diego and around the world, from double IPAs and pale ales to saisons and wheat beers. Owner Brian Jensen offers a wealth of knowledge on the local craft beer scene. Bottlecraft now has additional locations in North Park and Liberty Station.

This colorful shop specializing in Mexican gifts and art started as a booth at a farmers' market by a father-daughter team, but has since evolved into a large retail space with its own art gallery and event space. Products—handpicked and imported from different parts of Mexico—include hand-blown glassware, Sacred Heart wall hangings, books and paintings depicting Frida Kahlo, and Dia de Los Muertos-themed items. Casa Artelexia also offers weekly art classes, and has a second store located in North Park.

One of the highlights of San Diego's new nine-story Central Library in the East Village neighborhood is the well-curated gift shop, which carries gourmet cookbooks, jewelry, home accessories, and children's items. Mementos like shirts, totes, magnets, and note cards make great souvenirs. The shop, which is open daily, supports San Diego- or California-based vendors whenever possible.

With everything from flirty dresses to casual daytime outfits and a full-service hair salon on-site, this Gaslamp Quarter boutique is a one-stop shop for getting ready for a night on the town. The lofty space with exposed brick walls is owned by style-savvy sisters, and also carries accessories, jewelry, menswear, and children's clothing.

Crammed floor to ceiling with merchandise and decorated to look like a 1950s auto repair shop, the city's largest souvenir shop is the place to head for Padre's gear and San Diego mementos. The store also stocks a wide variety of sportswear and sandals from brands like Reef, Roxy, and Volcom, and the Kidz Garage has toys, electronics, and apparel from infant to size 12.

Established in Pittsburgh in 1895, this company has helped make hats hip again with its stylish takes on fedoras, bowlers, and Panama hats. The San Diego location occupies the first floor of the historic Yuma building, a former brothel in the red light district.

Before taking a brisk dip into the Pacific Ocean, swing by this local swimwear boutique where all the suits are designed in-house. A wide variety of styles are available from one-piece wonders to string bikinis for every body type. And in case of occasional clouds, peruse their selection of sweatshirts and shorts as well. The shop is open every weekend, but they also do shopping by appointment throughout the week as well.

If you're looking for trinkets and souvenirs, this is the place. This complex of kitschy shops and waterfront restaurants has upped its hip factor with boutiques like San Pasqual wine bar and bamboo clothing–maker Cariloha. While there, keep an eye out for Urban Girl Accessories to find an eclectic mix of clothing and gifts from name brands and local artisans, and stop by Village Hat Shop to browse their collection of 50,000 fedoras, bowlers, cowboy, and custom-embroidered hats. In addition to shopping, the village has views of the bay, fresh breezes, and great strolling paths. A hand-carved historic carousel and frequent public entertainment are among the attractions. Seaport Village is within walking distance of hotels, the San Diego Convention Center, and the San Diego Trolley.

Simón Limón doesn't have a large footprint, but what it lacks in square footage it more than makes up for with unique, colorful wares, showcasing independent, local Latinx artists from both San Diego and Tijuana. Humorous cards, stylish jewelry and t-shirts, skincare products and scented candles featuring printed affirmations are just some of the items on its shelves. 

This spacious warehouse bears the James Coffee logo on the front and the intoxicating scent of its pour-over brews inside, but the building houses considerably more than just the local coffee roaster. Its tenants include Home Ec, which sells kitchen goods and cookbooks; Specs Optometry; games-and-puzzles boutique Art of Play; and jewelry and housewares at Often Wander.

The Japanese artist Takao owns this gallery-like shop that sells beautifully handcrafted home-decor items—tableware, glass vases, tea sets, and decorative gifts.