One-of-a-kind Shopping

A passion for fashion

Be warned: You may experience a desire to move to Sarasota and Her Islands after your first visit. It's only natural once confronted with the tropical beauty, idyllic weather and breezy lifestyle. In fact, it's a tradition. One benefit of the influx of people who couldn't get enough Sarasota vacation is the incredibly diverse and interesting shopping. After all, if you're going to move to paradise you'll want a job that's just as ideal.

That's resulted in a town driven by independent businesses, each filling a niche that not only provides a service to locals and visitors, but also fulfills the passions of the owners. Walk into a shop on St. Armands Circle or in downtown Sarasota and you'll see hand-picked, one-of-a-kind treasures on display, and get the personal service only shop owners provide. These are people selling things they care about, and it shows.

Whether it's comfortable resort wear out on the islands or exclusive labels from the world's best designers on the mainland, Sarasota's clothing boutiques have you covered (or will, after you pick your favorites). It doesn't matter whether you're seeking a gauzy cotton pullover or splurging on a pair of sleek pumps, you'll enjoy shopping for just the perfect thing in stylish boutiques that cater to you. Along the way you'll find the finishing touch to your dining room, a selection of rare cigars to fill your humidor and the special sea salts that you used to have to order online.

Although these shops are scattered across Sarasota and Her Islands, you’ll find a dense collection in a few areas, like the luxurious St. Armands Circle just steps away from the beaches of Lido Key, the very walkable downtown Sarasota, and downtown Venice’s quaint and casual shopping district.

Besides the incredible array of independent shops, Sarasota is also home to a giant outlet mall featuring acres of discounted goods to fill your closets or outfit your home. There you can browse through racks of department store standards like BCBG, DKNY or Nautica or indulge yourself in fashions from big names like Giorgio Armani, Michael Kors or Kate Spade. Think of it as Project Runway for less.

Sarasota and her Islands also has malls conveniently located in some of the area’s best neighborhoods, including the giant Westfield Sarasota Square Mall in the south – convenient to Venice and Englewood; Gulf Gate Mall near the southern bridge to Siesta Key; and Westfield Southgate Mall near Siesta’s northern bridge.

Of course, if you need something from the big-box stores, Sarasota County has that as well. But you probably won't have time to seek those out after spending your days amazed by the artistic creations available from Sarasota and Her Island's passionate retailers.