There's not a lot of options around Austin when it comes to sustainable, climate-friendly products…read morefor your home, surprisingly. I was excited to find Parker and Scott during our transition to trying to make our home plastic-free with refillable soaps/detergents/etc and Earth-friendly cosmetics. I hope to never buy another plastic bottle again! The prices are not super marked up from the online prices of these items. They have a really nice set up for a local small business and have opened several similar stores in the area which is a great additional to the Austin community.

This has been a go-to spot for thoughtful and intentional gifts when I want to highlight a gift…read morefrom a local Texan artist or unique cards to accompany anything I'm handing out. I've also had the chance to use this location to pickup some items from Burlap & Twine which has made it super convenient. What I like most is the ample parking!

Fun store with all sorts of cute items from stuffed animals to wide variety of snacks (candy,…read morecrackers) to household items as well as face make-up. Customers service here is top notch and we had the best first impression visiting the store today. Plenty of parking in Chinatown complex. Surrounded by great Vietnamese eatery and coffee/boba shops.

So many cute Disney, Sanrio items and so much more! Novelties for all ages and for all genders!…read moreThey even have scents and skincare and make up! Not to compare but much better quality items than Daiso.

Alright, so it took me about six years to return to this place because I had some major PTSD from…read morean employee (who still happens to work here unfortunately). However, this time was a lot different and I was able to find the perfect gifts for my friend's birthday as well as fun items for myself. It seems like the selection has remained the same although Atown is keeping up with current and modern trends. For example, there were a lot of ICE based items tucked away as well as current celebrity crushes who are on everybody's minds. The coolest thing I found was a James Talarico candle but other than that, a lot of the items that were for sale were pretty kitschy and I believe they are the same wholesale items I have seen before. I must shoutout the incredibly helpful service from Audrey who went above and beyond to help me find items for my friend's birthday. She was super sweet, and I would've been wandering around the store aimlessly if it wasn't for her direction. Additionally, she even came up with combination gift ideas which was pretty sick. Atown is lucky to have her! I think my PTSD is no longer because of her assistance. Great store, unfortunately high prices. However, no one does it like Atown!

Shopping local for stocking stuffers for the wife and the former teen. Shana was with me so we…read moreseparated, this place has so much stuff, almost too much, it can be overwhelming and you know you missed things. There are 3 or 4 separate areas you can visit and they have things from locally made earrings and art to coasters, desk plates, rubber ducks of famous people, religious candles with random famous people, funny socks, clothes, and so much more. The staff is friendly and outgoing, they even had a woman at the door greeting you and offering you a hand basket if you wanted or needed one. There were 3 or 4 cashiers and at least one lady walking around greeting you and seeing if they could help. It is pricier then your chain store but the products are cooler, unique, and many times locally made. Things you can't get at other stores or amazon. Like so many places, it's one downside is parking. It is a small lot, if you part in front you basically have to back in to spot blocking traffic or back out into traffic. There is a small side lot that is better but you basically have to 3 point turn out of that spot. Always willing to pay a bit more to support local. We don't get out of our area/comfort zone much but we do love this place. #Supportlocal

A few years later and I am still a big fan of Slow North and their candle arrangement and…read moreapothecary needs. I've been coming for a few years now and can't rave enough about their candle scents and store layout. The aromas that touch your nose will tingle your senses and have you ready to find that signature scent for whichever room you're looking to scent. From linen sprays to candles and oils, Slow North has you covered. Don't let the pricing be a deterrant as they are definitely well worth the investment. The burning time on their candles is really good and more of a slow burn. Take an opportunity to do a candle making class or participate in their other workshops!

The Hubs and I came for a midday date and we enjoyed every second of candle making. We learned so…read moremuch and were both wowed by the scents we created.

Sugarboo & Co is a cool, unique and eclectic store with everything imaginable. When I was walking…read moreby I saw that they were selling Dubai chocolates. When I inquired more specifically, I learned that those were not "the Dubai chocolates." I appreciate the sales associate's honesty. They have a plethora of wall hangings. It is quite impressive the sayings they have on some of their wall hangings. If you are looking for some unique hearts for Valentine's day, Sugarboo is your go to place. The staff is southern hospitality friendly. They welcome any questions and if you are looking for something specifically, they will let you know exactly where it is in the store. This store is very affordable. Importantly, it has unique items that you will not find in every store you frequent.

Sugarboo & Co is the cutest store in Austin, Texas! They sell clever and fun items to enhance your…read morehome's vibe. From pillows to placemats to notepads to candles to sweaters and shirts and comforters and pet items. Oh my! This store has so many fun products that are great gift giving ideas at reasonable prices. I visited from California on a work trip and super bummed I didn't bring a bigger suitcase because I would've bought so many gifts to give. I believe this store is female owned, and have store locations throughout the south. Their staff is sweet and accommodating, and every gift comes with a beautiful gift wrapping that's complementary. They have plenty of parking as they are part of a mall and there is tons of parking stalls. Can't wait to come back and visit this store on my next work trip. It will definitely be on my list of things to do when I visit Austin, Texas and in the mood for shopping.

Excuse the pun, but this place is literally a "hidden gem". It is located along the I35 feeder…read more before you get to Braker Lane hidden behind the Wood Spring Suites. There's about 20,000 ft.² of rock, gem and prehistoric related items here. This is the ultimate place to get your mineral fix with thousands of fossils and gemstones to choose from. But that's not the only thing they sell here. You'll also find singing bowls, gongs, T-shirts, wind chimes, insence and literature on spiritualism. There's an additional area called the rock Depot where you could buy raw unfinished minerals by the ounce. If you have a fossil, rock or gem fetish, this place is second and none to get your metaphysical fix. The photos included should get you through the door.

I was limited on time, but I will most definitely be back for a deeper look. I just scratched the…read moresurface.

They are located in the domain, near the park area. It's a cute gift shop type place. Greeting…read morecards, mugs, candles, other small gift items. Staff is so nice and helpful. I just needed a birthday card. But since I was there I had a little walk around. So many items to look at. Bath bombs, candies, wrapping paper, all sorts of different gifts.

My first time going into a paper source store and they did not disappoint with their high quality…read morenotebooks and their variety of cute things that would make fantastic gifts for people you care about. I ended up snagging a witty birthday card and a cute notebook! Perfect place to pick up some goodies like that.

Such a helpful staff!!!! Whether in person or over the phone they are SUPER helpful, there's one…read moregentleman in particular (I wish I had gotten his name) very friendly and polite. Despite the fact that they have products up to the brim- everything is very organized. The only problem is trying to decide what to get without breaking the bank!!!

Very expensive. Very crowded…read more But the worst is the smell - it reeks of some kind of air freshener. Yuck. The woman staff member was nice.

Been following this owner for about a decade, she has always made really cool jewelry but this was…read moremy first time IN her store. Walking in I was drawn to everything she had, it was so hard to process what I wanted most. She carries the cutest Pfluggerville team gear including purse straps, headbands, boot bows, tshirts and more. She has stickers, candles, soap, magnesium rub, car fresheners, little plants, clothes, Jean jackets, sets, sweaters, tanks, shorts and even a mens's section. Price points were good, it's not cheap but it's not overly priced either, I thought everything was right on par with what I thought it would be for a Pfluggerville boutique. I got a pair of UT earrings for game days and will be back for a few of the clothing pieces I was swooning over.

The Merc is a super cute boutique that opened in the old Wink boutique space…read more It's filled with items from a variety of artisans and you're sure to find unique gifts at a variety of price points. The service was quick, helpful and friendly. There's plenty of parking in the front lot or along the side street. Shop local, y'all!

The breads are so soft and airy and there are so many options. I couldn't decide what I wanted but…read moreI settled on a hot dog bread and some egg tarts and curry puff. I loved the hot dog bread you can't go wrong with that. I didn't like the egg tarts that much though. It's on the corner and the breads are just wrapped and put out. So you can just grab what you want and pay at the counter.

Chinese/Taiwanese bakery. A little hard to find because their signage is small and it didn't even…read morelook open from the street. Located in the corner of the plaza (next to the grocery store). Cute little bakery with a sweet older lady who speaks zero English but was nonetheless extremely welcoming and kind. She even gave my toddler a complimentary macaron. Sweet. I am usually pretty adventurous with trying new pastries/snacks and it generally works out well. Unfortunately, I did not like most of the things we took home that day (my husband agreed). A taro egg ball thing -- not fans. A gelatinous rice blob inside a bamboo leaf (believe it's called Zongzi) -- also didn't work for us. Finally, the beef puff (which seemed like a safe bet) fell short of expectations. It's my fault -- I ignored that part that said "beef floss." It had a stringy/processed texture that I just didn't like. I just wasn't a fan of the flavors/textures -- but obviously that's subjective. I did enjoy the garlic bread we also thankfully bought -- it was soft and flavorful. If you're not familiar with the foods, I'd recommend making sure you get a few "safe" items like the cream bread or garlic bread. Ultimately, even though I wasn't crazy about most of what I tried, it was a cute little shop with a nice lady running it.