Shopping in Greenwich Village: The best stores and boutiques

This stationery store—with exposed brick, cheerful floral wallpaper and a pink overhanging lamp—exudes West Village charm. It’s owned by sisters Amy Swanson and Beth Salvini, whose family has been in the printing biz for three generations, and nearly everything is designed in-house and produced on an old Gutenberg-style press. Aside from note cards and stationery, GLP also offers notebooks, rubber stamps, labels, gift tags and striking wrapping paper ($3–$5 a sheet).

In operation since 1965, this friendly West Village institution sells all manner of fetish attire, as well as books, sex toys, magazines and plenty more.

The PPB's main focus is on couples looking to invigorate their sex lives with props, potions or costumes. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the store carries a huge number of toys, starting with cheap bullet vibes and topping out with $100-plus extreme dildos. The company's been in business since 1972, which makes Pink Pussycat a trusted name for dommes and submissives alike.

You’ll be transported to Paris once you step inside this opulent bath-and-body shop. Rich burgundy carpets, gilded wallpaper, a gloriously huge chandelier and a mahogany desk that serves as the checkout area set the stage for the luxurious fragrances ($50–$300), candles ($20–$400), lotions, and soaps from brands like Diptyque and Annick Goutal. Curiosity cabinets house many of the store’s exclusives—the West Village outpost is the only location in the country to sell several items, including candles by Les Secrets Ladurée Paris.  

In an area populated by posh boutiques, this highly regarded dry cleaner gets referrals from its fashionable neighbors. But the prices are still down to earth: from $4.50 for a top; from $7 for a jacket or trousers.

Nylon messenger bags sporting the skyline label and zippered sweatshirt hoodies are just the tip of the iceberg at this New York-born chainlet. You'll find reasonably-priced items for the entire for the family, including Brooklyn-emblazoned onesies, casual pants for men and graphically printed dresses.

Guilt-free shopping surfaces in the West Village with this nonprofit thrift shop’s second store (the original is in Gramercy). Both donate all proceeds to the United Jewish Council of the East Side (ujces.org), which works to preserve the Lower East Side community. Sift through men’s and women’s clothing ($30–$600) hanging from reclaimed pipe racks, and browse accessories ($15–$400) displayed in an original Tiffany jewelry case. We spotted accessories such as Versace ($60) and Pucci ($80) neckties, Fendi leather handbags ($95) and Givenchy platforms ($100). The threads pack the same designer punch, with 1990s Betsey Johnson grunge dresses ($120) and a ’70s Yves Saint Laurent patterned blouse ($175). An Etro military jacket ($165) and vintage Nick Cave concert tee ($65) are highlights for guys.

This vintage mecca has been peddling men’s and women’s clothing and accessories since 1978, serving clientele as diverse as Alexa Chung, Marc Jacobs and Cyndi Lauper. Owner Laura Wills travels the world, scouting eclectic finds that span the 1950s to the 1990s, and organizes clothing racks by decade. Do you need sunglasses from the ’70s? How about a royal-wedding T-shirt from the 1980s? Head upstairs to check out higher-end specialty garments like men’s Moschino printed suit jackets ($595) and Hattie Carnegie satin cap-sleeve dresses with beading ($895). The boutique is transformed into a Halloween showcase for the month of October, and since the staff is made up almost entirely of stylists, it's a great place to put together a complete period look, including the era-appropriate wigs and accessories.

Any New Yorker will recognize EZ Pawn’s Roy Lichtenstein–inspired subway ads, and the fact that it’s a massive chain is, well, kind of creepy. But we came around when we learned that the store’s West Village location stocks überhip LES restaurant Beauty & Essex’s speakeasy-style (but faux) pawn shop entryway. The eatery’s storefront is elegantly tricked out to look like an operational pawn shop—complete with a cashier—but it’s all a ruse. So if you’re coveting one of the shiny Stratocasters, vintage cigar humidors or sets of Russian nesting dolls, head straight to source, conveniently located on 14th Street.

The 875-square-foot flagship of the European loungewear brand's first store is decorated with local artisans' goods, such as modern chandeliers designed by Lindsey Adelman (lindseyadelman.com) and a custom bench from Face Design (facedesign.com). Among the label’s signature sleepwear basics ($98–$285), ladies will find cotton chemises ($145), tulle-and-lace bras ($75), and silk-and-wool teddies ($275) and jumpsuits ($375). Dudes who prioritize comfort over flash will love basic silk-and-cashmere long-sleeved tees ($280) with matching pants ($265).