Alvin's was a tourist shop that I stopped at on Saint Armand's key. They had quite an array of things to choose from. If you can't find something here then I don't think you'd be able to find something anywhere else! The customer service was acceptable. I wouldn't say outstanding, but they had lots of people in the store , so they had their hands full , so I can understand why. All in all my experience, here was good. read more

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It's a nice novelty store but the print on the clothes starts to peel off after just a couple washes. I have a tank top I bought a couple years ago and now it just a blank tank top. read more

Alvin's Island #758 - The print comes off after 3 to 4 washes. - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

They have everything you can imagine from a gift shop. Huge selections and lots of higher quality items as well.

I purchased the below items 1/30/25, wrote to Alvin's customer service 2/10/25 after returning from vacation. Will not refund because of the 7 day return policy, no exceptions. Will not consider return time from vacation read more

Alvin's Island #758 - This shot glass looks s so thin, one washing and it broke - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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I went to one of the stores in Sarasota. I bought a beach umbrella and a reclining beach chair. While trying to set up the beach chair (before even sitting in it), it flopped back and forth before collapsing. it was not stable at all. I had paid over $50 for it and they would not let me return it per store policy. I think my umbrella might be broken as well, but we also had bad winds so I can understand that somewhat. the chair, not so much. What they sold me and refused to refund was a cheap piece of crap! read more

Nice selection of clothing, extremely rude employees!! Don't ask the employees questions, they will give you snarky replies.

Horrible service by young kids. They wouldn't help us reach an item on the top shelf. They told us they didn't know where anything was. Then they failed to take off the security tags for the clothing we purchased, which I didn't notice until it's too late. Horrible. read more

This place is HUGE!! They have beach attire, beach needs (volleyballs, goggles, boogie boards, etc), souvenirs, clothing. You could spend a good hour in here just browsing and the prices are also great. I got a pair of capris sweats that say Sarasota on them for $12.99! Staff is friendly and fitting rooms are open. No mask mandate for guests and staff is not wearing. Checkout area was a bit confusing on where to enter versus exit but it all worked out. read more

workers do not speak english and have no idea how to do their job..... leave security tags on etc... employees are extremely rude and make comments about you in spanish!! do not go here!!! read more

BEWARE! Visited Alvins Island on St Armand's Circle yesterday and had my Ray Ban sunglasses stolen. Put them down for literally two minutes, while trying some shoes on and they were gone. Immediately tried to find a staff member, which proved difficult as so few in there, and asked if we could look at CCTV (as posters everywhere saying you are under surveillance). There is no CCTV and the staff could not have been less helpful, rude or disinterested. The brief visit has cost me over $300, as they were prescription sunglasses and very expensive. The irony is they will be of no use to the thief for that very reason. It is a horrible store, totally overstocked and feels like a jumble sale, and have never come across such bad customer service. read more

There were 2 Larges left in the sweatshirt I wanted. However, both sweatshirts had black markings on them. Instead of giving me a discount, the worker grabbed them from me & said they would both be damaged..Are you kidding me?! I was shocked to say the least.. read more

This store seems enticing because it looks like a discount souvenir shop compared to the rest of the store on the same area. Well the prices are not cheap, the merchandise is cheap and people are rude, discriminatory to be more specific. There were 2 check out girls on separate cashiers and one was not helping anyone. We stood by her check out counter because my 7 year old daughter was still picking her toy. She waited for us to put down all the merchandise we were checking out and then tells us she cannot help us because we were "not in the right line". We were confused because she called another customer that was literally about to get helped by the other Cashier and there was no one else behind her imaginary line but us. It made sense to help us but she would not do it. So we still obliged and went to the other girl. The people who work here make their customers feel like they are better than the non-white customers that come in their store. I guess they believe they are not minorities when their primarily language is obviously not English. What got me upset is after paying at the other cashier, we looked up there were a line of 7 people who were in line by the rude clerk. She didn't make an attempt to correct any of them that they are in the wrong line like we were. She happily assisted all of them. I was fuming mad to say the least. But at the end of the day, i know I'm a better person than this cashier. Check out her photos and stay far far away of this place. I hope this place goes out of business because the owner of this place don't care that he/she hires rude people. read more

Alvin's Island #758 - Rude agent. Racist and prefer to only help white customers. - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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I don't think it's a grand surprise when you set eyes on this place that it's geared toward tourists and all their kitschy needs. In addition to a HUGE array of shirts, swimsuits and other beach accoutrements, there is also lots of souvenir stuff, most of it pretty goofy. The check-out counter situation was weird: two registers pull from one waiting line. But some people decided to go all Marquess of Queensberry and line up at one register, which screwed up the flow. I finally just seized the opportunity and created a line at the other register since none of the staff were doing anything about it. The guy running that register was either new or nervous or something, because it took him about ten minutes to ring up one person's purchase. I got some postcards and a magnet. Don't think I'll actively seek out this store on a future visit to town, but it's obviously got broad appeal to visitors. read more

I got a new bathing suit from here since I forgot mine at home. It was $15, totally what I expected for a $15 bathing suit. This place serves its purpose. It's a souvenir shop minutes from the beach in a rather expensive part of town. You're not going to have $2 trinkets in a store next to a restaurant that is $80 per meal. Sunglasses for $10 and up. Shot glasses for a couple dollars, coffee mugs, beach towels. All your typical vacation stuff... no more expensive and not any less quality that Walmart. read more

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As we waited for an overpriced product it was apparent that the gal behind the counter was more interested in speaking her patois verbiage and jokes to her coworker. I was expecting leave $100 at the counter but this really ruined it. The quality of sales people is terrible read more

I like it but most Alvin's Island have the store half full of clothes and half of random stuff this one is now just full of shirts but they where very nice one thing that is wrong with most Alvin's Island is that they didn't have the right size marked most where one size too small but I liked the hat I got read more

Alvin's Island #758 - I got a Good hat - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Eh. Full of mostly overpriced junky souvie type items. Even the t-shirts are only okay. They have a large selection, but not if you wear above an XL. And even then, sizes run small. I thought the employees were less than friendly too. Wouldn't come back but I guess it's a large draw to tourists. Meh. read more

We only visited Alvin's Island because we wanted a t-shirt with the store logo or name. My brother-in-law is named Alvin and thought it would be a fun souvenir. This is a mega store for cheap beach wear and accessories and a clear tourist trap. While I did buy a post card and a t-shirt on clearance, I spent less than $3 total. Unfortunately, they do not have any products that say Alvin's Island, even though they are a t-shirt shop. Odd. read more

I'm not sure why this place has such bad reviews. I'm on spring break and I was looking for a shirt that said something like "Sarasota" or "Lido key". I think I went into every store in St. Armand's circle looking for something like this. Every store had terrible items and if I did find what I was liking for, it was over 60 dollars. Finally I stopped at Alvin's and I finally found what I was looking for, and for cheap! I got 4 shirts and the TOTAL was 60 dollars. I was thoroughly impressed with this store and what they had to offer. I recommend this place if you are looking for nice and cheap souvenirs. read more

Horrible customer service. Was just trying to pay for my goods and the attitude of not only the cashier but the manager was truly atrocious. I hope their "remodel" sale is a going out of business sale because I'm not sure they can rebound from the negative experiences people are having! read more

The best place for souvenirs! Huge selection for all ages and styles. The girls running the front counter were so helpful and pleasant! We had fun at this shop, finding gifts for everyone! Highly recommend a visit. read more

All I can say is OVERPRICED, NOT GOOD service. We waited in line for over 15 minutes just for someone to show up to check us out. Their clothes cost an arm and a leg but we were in a hurry and had to suck it up and pay...not again... read more

I came to this store solely for souvenir tshirts, so that is what my rating is based on. they had the best prices and best designs, multiple styles and color options for adults and kids. $12 for an adult 100% cotton tee vs 29.99 for the same tshirt at another shop in siesta key village. Can't beat the savings. read more

Avoid this store as they are the rudest you will encounter! Their "manager" David was extremely unprofessional, belligerent, rude and insulted my family and I twice! He was simply a rude, punky JERK! The owner should be embarrassed to have David in their payroll! A polite sales clerk (American young woman) spent ~10 minutes assisting my 8 yr old daughter in finding a specific style cover-up that she has been looking for. She was extremely helpful and knew exactly what we were looking for. The cover-up was the last of its kind in the store and happened to be on the clearance rack (which is where the associate recalled the last of them were). When we went to check out, we were charged full price. The cashier asked the manager if it could be reduced to that price per the associate and he would not honor the associates word that it was (and had been) a clearance item for several weeks. David the manager was dismissive, condescending, and boorish. He insulted my family and I as potential paying customers. I asked the clerk for the owners number to convey this horrid treatment and she said she had no idea who the owner was. I asked David and he said "I'm the boss". The owner should be ashamed to employ such an ignorant person. With so many other professional, pleasant and welcoming retailers nearby - skip this impolite, boorish, curt and unappreciative one!!!! read more

I love these tourist -centric beach stores. Went today because someone (Anthony) did not bring a jacket. Bought BOGO sweatshirts for $19. Good selection of supplies like sunscreen, towels, umbrelas, cameras and clothes at a reasonable price. read more

If I could give it a zero, I would. I spent a great deal of money there and when my daughter asked to use the restroom, she was told by the female clerk there weren't any. The next day we stopped back by for another purchase and a gentleman asked to use the restroom and was directed to guest bathrooms at the back of the store. Discrimination and just plain rude. There are many other places to shop on the circle read more

A bunch of junk with employees who could care less whether you're there or not. But honestly, that's every AI I've ever been to. Check your receipt closely at this location. They overcharged me for an item. They had a barcode and a price listed but when they scanned the code, it came up more than what was on the tag. And you can't see the totals as they ring you up. Really fishy to me. Anyhow, I went back to the register I paid at and was sent to another register where I waited forever to make my return. Again, fishy. I'm sure they hoped I'd just let it go after being made to wait for so long. There were other people in line to get refunds as well and I saw an employee literally keep a bag after a woman paid. Soon thereafter, the lady came running back in asking about the sunglasses she just bought. The employee took the bag from behind the counter and gave it to her. And the employees act like they're non-English speaking when you have questions. I really believe they understand and speak English just fine. Just not a good vibe. The store was a disaster. Items all over the floor. Nobody cared. read more

I guess I'm the highest rating yelper to date for Alvin's Island. I'm totally not surprised. I truly do have a love/hate with Alvin's myself and here's why... I Love: How huge the store is, it's enormous and I can spend forever there. There's something for everyone, especially if you want to bring home fun area detailed clothing and accessories for gifting. If you forget to pack a bathing suit for your trip, lose a towel, need a hat or even a cheap pair of sunglasses to get you by, you can find it all at Alvins. There are dressing rooms here; I've been to tourist gift shops at other destinations where there's no place to try on clothes at all. Lots of their stuff is really fun and we end up getting pieces that we wouldn't expect to find. One of the times we went in, they had a promotion that if you spent over a certain amount, you got a free market tote. Who doesn't love and use recycleable bags nowadays? Lastly, I own a pair of the most comfy shorts that I purchased from Alvin's Island in 2009 and still, they are my favorite ever. I always kick myself for not getting more in different colors. I Hate: The lack of customer service, or ANY employee presence at all, for that matter. You can never find assistance, whether it's to get a fitting room, for help finding another size, or even just a body to ring you out. And when you do, 90% of the time, they're unenthused and aggravated that they're even speaking to you. The dreaded return policy, just know it's horrible, so think before you buy. Bathing suits & clearance items cannot be returned OR exchanged. There's a 7 day return policy for most everything else and I believe 30 days for an exchange. read more

Manager is a jerk. I bought a $60 swimsuit and the first time I wore it the under wire came out of both cups! When I tried to exchange it the next day he would not take it because it had already been worn. Do you know how hard it is to find a decent bathing suit for someone busty with under wire and no padding?! If I hadn't worn it how would I know that it was defective merchandise? Do not shop here. read more

The first time I was here, they had a great selection of long sleeve tees at decent prices. This time, there wasn't as much to choose from even though the place is huge. The prices were also a little higher (it seemed). My favorite shirts came from here last time, but I was disappointed not to get more! They also aren't really customer oriented, which I think hindered the experience. read more

The WORST customer experience ever! This store in Longboat Key needs to find some new employees!!! We went to the store 2 nights in a row and the sign said Open, they locked the door 45 min prior to close time right as we walked up. Called and complained, got in and then was told we couldn't buy our merchandise since register's were off when we were ready to buy. They made us all leave and stared at us and gave dirty looks. Wow....what a way to treat a customer. Don't waste your time or money on horrible service!!! Horrible employees!!!!!! Hope your manager gets the word and finds all new staff!!! read more

I made a purchase of $100 for (3) snorkel and mask sets for my kids to use at the beach. (2) of them worked fine, (1) had a defective snorkel valve which allowed water into the mouthpiece rendering it useless. I tried to exchange the defective item the same day with receipt and was directed to read the sign hidden behind all the chotskies at the register- no returns, refunds or exchanges. They should hang that sign on the doors before you enter to give you fair warning that their return policy is awful. Buyer Beware. My advice is take your business and hard earned money to another vendor where it will be appreciated and purchases with reasonable returns or exchanges will be honored. I saw other reviews stating that customers of this establishment were overcharged for items. For the very short amount of time I was in the store, I saw several customers make complaints that they were overcharged for items. All I have to say is- Karma is a beach...... read more

Huge selection of shirts, bathing suits, cheesy airbrush shirts. Some name brands like Reef, mostly off brands. You can find shirts for $2 or $30. Decent selection if you need a souvenir with Sarasota, Lido Key, Longboat Key printed. read more

THEY BREAK FEDERAL LAW HERE. Bought flip flop here that broke that night. Tried to exchange them but they wouldn't let me. Said merch must be in original condition to return. It's federal law that faulty merchandise must be allowed to be returned. Manager refused to an exchange or to call her boss to get an ok. read more

Alvin's Island #758 - Souvenir Shops Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

not the best customer service, but definitely one of the best places to get t-shirts for tourists, sell swim as well which was okay

A GREAT BIG 0!!! We had to take time out of our day to go back and return 3 shirts...garbage! The shirt was melted together by the lettering! read more

This place is a joke. I was on vacation and I purchased a long sleeved crew neck from their with a local place's name on the back. It was the only shirt I purchased from my vacation but I tried it on and it seemed so comfortable and soft. However,when I got back to my hotel I noticed the printed letters were already cracked and peeling off;not only that but there were two holes in the side of it. Probably my fault for not noticing this before I purchased it but I don't think any shop should be allowed to sell poor quality-not to mention-ripped merchandise. Definitely will not be back. If you are around the Sarasota, Fl area I recommend checking out The Green Turtle. I remember seeing a lot of high quality clothing for cheap pricing! read more

Can we say rude employees?! The behavior is as though they could care less if they get your business or not. I purchased several swimsuits today, some of which had 50% stickers on them and the cashier felt the need to double, triple, and quadruple check those items as if I put the prices on there. Blatant discrimination! My family and I will never spend another dime there. read more

Will never go back. My wife purchased a coverup and when we got back to our hotel we realized there was a tear in it. Went back the next day and they would not exchange. Their return/exchange policy by the cash register was covered by more junk that "was just put there today so we should have seen it". Manager told us we might be able to sew the tear. Will never go back!!! read more

Terrible service. All of their hoodies are hanging high and when asked to get 2 mediums down we received an attitude. They have them in order large to small . After the 3rd hoodie he took down was a large the employee said do you want to keep looking or no. I had told him twice there was a small and medium towards the back I saw. He had dropped a hoodie and I went to pick it up and gave me an attitude and said just leave it and mumbled how this was ridiculous. Honestly I went to 3 other stores before this one because I wasn't impressed with the hoodies and didn't want to hassle the employees if I didn't even like them ,but was in a rush to leave so I came back. I have worked in retail and understand that it must be annoying to get down ,but you shouldn't take it out on a customer that's saying sorry to bother and try to help them as well. If it's such a problem maybe they should talk to their manager or owner about a better solution to their items being up so high. Not upset with them ,but considering the whole town is retired older people I wouldn't want families going in there being treated poorly when asked for help. Also saw another employee/manager yelling at a customer. read more