Archie McPhee
WALLINGFORD
A Seattle staple since 1983, Archie McPhee is the local joke shop that keeps our city weird. It started out as a little hole in the wall in Fremont that sold vintage (unused) medical supplies, rubber snakes, and Whoopee Cushions. It has since become a world of its own. The store, now in a large, slick storefront in Wallingford, is world-renowned for its own line of toys, candy, and knick-knacks. Think squirrel-sized underpants, wind-up sloth racers, clam-flavored candy canes, and finger puppets in every imaginable shape and size (glow-in-the-dark tentacles, anyone?). While you’re there, take a stroll through the Rubber Chicken Museum, which proudly displays both the world’s largest and world’s smallest rubber chickens.
Ballard Avenue
BALLARD
Downtown Ballard is so sweet and quaint it will make you feel like you just stepped into an episode of Gilmore Girls. The historic streets are lined with trees and brick buildings that house bars and restaurants, independently owned stores and boutiques, and art galleries. Lucca Great Finds has a dizzying array of gifts and home accessories as well as a selection of stationary, pens, and pencils that will inspire you to take up letter writing. Sweet Mickey’s is a can’t-miss if you’re traveling with little ones—the old-fashioned candy store carries bulk candy, seasonal sweets, and fudge by the pound. Stroll a little further to Market Avenue and you’ll find one of Seattle’s most iconic record stores, Sonic Boom, and don’t miss nearby Monster, which carries locally made crafts and gifts. The farmers market is also worth a visit. It’s one of the biggest in the city, and it pops up every Sunday 9 am-2 pm.
Pike Place Market
DOWNTOWN
There is plenty to see here that doesn’t involve people throwing fish—although, to be fair, that is totally worth seeing. Fresh flowers, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, fresh doughnuts—the market has it all. Pro tip: At the bottom of the stairs, behind the market proper, there’s a great little place called JarrBar. (SEAN NELSON)
Scarecrow Video
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT
Scarecrow Video is not a mere video-rental place. It could be more accurately labeled a wacky museum that reflects the eclectic tastes of its employees. You could lose an entire day in the store’s documentary section alone, which houses a number of reality TV and cable access shows from the early aughts. The last time I visited, I discovered documentaries about garlic, Russian-Jewish bathhouses, and Missouri folk art that I never would have found otherwise. (SYDNEY BROWNSTONE)
Uwajimaya
CHINATOWN-INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT
Located in the center of Chinatown-International District is Uwajimaya, one of North America’s largest Asian retailers. (They also have locations in Bellevue, Renton, and Beaverton, Oregon.) Seattle’s store is more than 35,000 square feet, filled with all the usual grocery store delights, yes, but there’s also a full-service service seafood counter, a deli section filled with countless, mouthwatering grab-and-go options, and every imported KitKat flavor you could ever imagine. There’s also a food court with sweet and savory options—Hawaiian sandwich counter Los Costeños, Beard Papa’s Cream Puffs, Dochi Japanese Mochi Donuts, and taiyaki counter Bean Fish—and Kinokuniya Bookstore.
West Seattle’s Alaska Junction
WEST SEATTLE
A lot of people joke about West Seattle being impossible to get to, but the trip across the Duwamish Waterway really isn’t so bad, especially if you hop on the West Seattle Water Taxi. From there you can explore Alki Beach or grab a shuttle that takes you straight up to the Alaska Junction, a bustling neighborhood core of indie stores, art spaces, and restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. Easy Street Records is one of the best record stores in the city, and they are always hosting free live performances (they have a great cafe, too), and Husky Ice Cream & Deli has great sandwiches, dozens of flavors of housemade ice cream, and an old-school candy counter that sells confections by the pound. There are several bookstores (Paper Boat Booksellers, Pegasus Book Exchange) and gift and home accessory shops (Northwest Art & Frame, Capers), and even an antique mall if you feel like digging for treasures. West Seattle Farmers Market is every Sunday from 10 am-2 pm, and the art walk is the second Thursday of every month.
