3 Best Places to Shop in West Seattle, Seattle

Whether you need to bring home an ironic "West Seattle Island" shirt or vintage-style Pacific Northwest hoodie, this cute neighborhood gift shop and boutique has one-of-a-kind clothes to help you remember your visit to Seattle. The rest of the shop is filled with stylish gifts for kids and adults, plenty of cards, and fun locally made products such as bath salts, candles, mugs, and more.

Alki Beach gives off SoCal vibes, but the one thing it lacks is surfable waves. Still, that doesn't stop this surf shop from selling everything else you might need for a day on the beaches of L.A. or West Seattle. Beach gear, swimsuits, and sunglasses will keep everyone ready for hanging out in the sand, while the Island-style clothes, accessories, and gifts will make you feel like you might be somewhere warmer or with bigger waves. The merchandise makes a good souvenir (and conversation starter), especially the fleecy sweatshirts for when the sun inevitably goes down and the breeze blows in off the cool water.

Opened in 1988 and still thriving, this record store will make you feel cool enough to wander the aisles and browse the new and used vinyl, even if you've never dropped a needle in your life. A staple of Seattle's music scene, it hosts free in-store performances by bands you've probably heard of (Pearl Jam has played here), along with selling records, CDs, cassettes, and DVDs. Listening stations let you preview albums before purchasing, and the attached café offers the kind of breakfast you'd want after a night of rocking out.