This leading local gift shop may have more quirk per square foot than anywhere else in the city. Their tagline ("unexplained necessities") may offer cold comfort as you stagger home laden with art papers, hilarious hipster stationery, a Beehouse teapot, seven reusable bags, a log-shaped book on contemporary Japanese forest culture and a vegetable peeler in the shape of the Kraken.
While there are excellent clothing stores scattered all over the city—from legendary designer emporium Louis in the Waterfront district to mix-and-match boutique Mint Julep in Harvard Square, they’re most concentrated in the South End and Back Bay. While you’re in the area, don’t overlook the upscaleCopley Place mall for luxe designer boutiques and some of the city’s best department stores, including outposts of Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus.
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