One-of-a-Kind Stores Worth Traveling For

There are cities where you can create itineraries entirely focused on shopping—like Istanbul, Marrakech and Tokyo—and there are flagships so iconic that they’ve become more like city monuments than retailers (see: Breakfast at Tiffany’s). It’s a fashion maven’s great pilgrimage to visit 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré for a Birkin or a Kelly and a designer’s dream to scour the showrooms of Milan or Stockholm for treasures both vintage and modern.

But then there are the smaller stores: the ones that catch your eye, and then your heart—the concepts that sell a story and invite unique entry into a country, a culture, a community. Below, discover nine singular boutiques recommended by the Indagare team that are entirely one-of-a-kind—and worth planning a trip around.

It's impossible not to become enamored with Svenskt Tenn Design furniture, the female-founded Swedish design institution that doesn’t shy away from color or pattern. It’s the ultimate place to find a souvenir or gift—or embark on your next home project. Founded in 1924, the flagship store is centrally located on the waterfront, just steps from the Grand Hôtel Stockholm, at the edge of the stylish Östermalm district. Travelers can spend hours wandering the showrooms, where bulbous glass vases, feather-light trays, bolts of printed textiles, velvet sofas and wooden cabinets are arranged in enviable, magazine-worthy displays. According to locals, every stylish Swede has at least one piece from Svenskt Tenn in their home—and you will certainly find their creations throughout all of Indagare's favorite Stockholm hotels. (I am collecting the glass carafes by Frida Fjellman, who is known for her bold, organic approach to form—and other members of the Indagare team have bedecked their halls with Josef Frank's wallpaper.) In the store, there are also alcoves dedicated to the brand's rich history and its most influential designers, as well as a lovely (and sophisticated) café. Here, shopping sprees are guilt-free: not only is Svenskt Tenn the only retailer in the world to sell the legendary studio’s products, but its profits also fund scientific research and projects to protect Swedish cultural heritage.

Explore the Indagare guide to shopping in Stockholm here.

In 2020, celebrated artist and illustrator Marin Montagut founded this whimsical, travel-inspired treasure trove near the the Jardin du Luxembourg in the 6th arrondissement. Nearly everything in the store is handmade following traditional artisanal processes, and the hand-painted porcelain and glassware collections are a highlight. (The 19th-century-inspired “talking plates” are on my wish list, and two of the tarot-themed trays, one for Amour and one for Chance, keep a proud place on my coffee table.) Other delights here include Marin’s illustrated stationery and postcards, coloring kits, scarves, hand towels and candles. The secret is out on this small but oh-so-beautiful shop, so it's best to time your visit to an off-hour.

Explore the Indagare guide to shopping in Paris here.

Founded in 1990 by Wendy Lane Henry, Back at the Ranch sells boots made for more than just walking—they're also built for trailblazing. A disruptor in a traditionally male-dominated industry, this high-end cowboy (and cowgirl) bootmaker continues to be women-owned and operated. Each pair is handmade by three generations of artisans at the brand's factory in El Paso, Texas, but the Santa Fe store is where travelers come to peruse the vast selection of styles, ranging from classic to contemporary (says Indagare founder Melissa Biggs Bradley, who visited this summer, “Displays include such styles as the Pee Wee boot, which dates back a century, when women wanted shorter boots to wear with their skirts, and The Wendy, named after the owner, with a zip for easy wear with skinny jeans.”). The real prize here, though, is the chance to create your own custom pair; intricate designs and sentimental symbols are Back at the Ranch’s specialty. There’s also a dedicated line for weddings (the Tuxedo Boot is surprisingly chic for the right groom). Expect average pricing to range from $1,000 to $5,000 per pair; this is standard for luxury cowboy boots—but here you can be sure that yours will last a lifetime.

Explore the Indagare guide to shopping in Santa Fe here.

For a shopper, wandering Kyoto’s quiet alleys is like falling down the rabbit hole into Wonderland—especially if you are into textiles (I still regret not buying more swatches of vintage kimonos at Konjaku Nishimura...until next time). Among many curiosities, Hosoo is exquisite. This textiles and kimono atelier dates back to 1688, but today it produces contemporary silk clothing, accessories and home décor, as well as traditional garments, which can be rented for a special occasion like a dinner with a maiko (and travelers should know that the experience of trying the kimonos on in the studio is a special occasion itself). The showroom sits approximately halfway between Hotel The Mitsui and the Nishiki Market, and it is worth a visit if only to admire its immaculate design and abundance of rich textures that beg to be touched (though the pouches and clutches do make for highly packable souvenirs). Plus—keep your eyes peeled: while traveling through Japan, you may spot Hosoo fabrics around town. They've partnered with several hotels, including the Bulgari, Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons in Tokyo, for interior accents, as well as brands like Gucci, Leica and Shiseido for special-edition products.

Explore the Indagare guide to shopping in Kyoto here.

Says Indagare ambassador and style maven Kristin Peterson Edwards, “I WILL travel for Hanout. When we were scouting in Marrakech, I immediately fell in love with every piece hanging in the boutique. The designs and fabrics—creations of owner Meriem Nour and her team of artisans—are truly exquisite and special. And they will custom make almost anything for you within 24 hours. I wanted one of their dresses on the rack in a shorter length and different size, and so they made me a new one. They also altered the last of a beautiful yellow poplin skirt for me. And I’ve worn the shirt I bought many times since I returned home.” Here you can find a range of styles blending western, eastern and North African influences—in the house's words, “a dialogue between Moroccan artisanship and contemporary design.” Hanout has two boutiques, both in the medina (one is steps from Dar El Bacha, and the other, from Bahia Palace—an easy stop to add on to an afternoon of touring).

Explore the Indagare guide to shopping in Marrakech here.

Anna Trzebinski is a German-born and Kenyan-raised fashion and accessories designer, whose one-of-a-kind heirlooms are inspired by Maasai and Samburu traditions and handmade by women artisans from these and other cultural backgrounds. This collective of women is essential to Anna’s brand, which is also involved in community-building in Nairobi and beyond. In the city's elegant Karen neighborhood (named for Karen Blixen), by appointment only, travelers can discover Anna’s workshop and showroom, which is filled with fringed suede safari jackets and bags, silk robes, leather sandals, sisal baskets, delicate jewelry and homewares; next door, Anna's daughter Lana has a ceramics showroom (also by appointment only). Plus, in the boho-chic Kenyan beach town Lamu, Lana also keeps a wonderful clothing and accessories boutique featuring her nature-inspired beading and embroidery—the perfect pieces to pack for safari, coastal escapes and sunny adventures, with a kiss from Africa.

Listen to Anna Trzebinski in conversation with Indagare founder Melissa Biggs Bradley on our Global Conversations Podcast here.

A Mexico City obsession among the Indagare team is Xinú Perfumes, a studio in Polanco that handcrafts one-of-a-kind scents inspired by the flora and environs of the Americas, with a focus on the highest-quality raw materials. The perfume bottles, made with blown glass and wooden lids, are artworks in their own right, while the candles, incense and body products are sublime gifts to bring home for friends. Xinú also beckons to design aficionados: the space was created by Hector Esrawe and Ignacio Cadena, and it sits adjacent to the Esrawe Gallery at Alejandro Dumas 161.

Explore the Indagare guide to shopping in Mexico City here.

In Mallorca’s Tramuntana Mountains, Son Moragues is a 500-year-old estate filled with oak and pine forests, orchards and olive groves. In the last two decades, the land has been revived through regenerative farming, giving birth to the SONMO project, helmed by Joe Holles, Clara Vignal and Daniel Harris. With a well-appointed boutique in the nearby town of Valldemossa, SONMO educates on slow living practices through its selection of artisanal products, all sustainably made on the estate, including organic jams, gins, soaps, ceramics, cotton blankets, wool jackets and stone homewares. But most worth the visit of all is undoubtedly the “liquid gold”—SONMO's small-batch olive oil.

Explore the Indagare guide to shopping in Mallorca here.

At the nexus of Greenwich Village, Union Square and the East Village, The Strand is hardly a hidden gem—it’s an icon of New York City. But as independent bookstores—and quality publishing, in general—become increasingly threatened, the stature of this otherwise small shop is all the more impressive and unique. At the age of 25, literary-loving upstart Ben Bass founded The Strand in 1927 at a location on Fourth Avenue that was then known as “Book Row.” This six-block stretch of downtown Manhattan, a stone’s throw from The Strand’s current address, contained 48 bookstores. By 1957, when The Strand moved around the corner to 12th Street and Broadway, it was the only one left. Today, The Strand is managed by Bass’ daughter, Nancy, and it draws tourists and locals in equal measure to pilfer through rainbow piles of carefully selected and often cutting-edge volumes. Here, emerging voices sit side-by-side on shelves with the greats. Bass’ original vision for The Strand—that it would be a haven for book lovers to explore and discuss—remains strong; a robust calendar of events, an extremely passionate and friendly staff, and, of course, the famed second-hand bookselling program keep visits to The Strand communal and collaborative—a luxury without a price tag in this anonymous, automated, algorithmic age.