Founder of the mega mall, America isn’t shy when it comes to its shopping habits. And nor should it be. They have more retail space than any other country, with some of the largest retail centres and most sought-after shopping streets in the world (here’s looking at you Rodeo Drive and Fifth Avenue). But the USA is more than just malls and mile-long avenues – its quaint main streets and markets are made for thrifting. If there’s any takeaway from shopping in the USA, it's that bigger is better; you only need glance at its 520-store 5,600,000 sq ft Mall of America to see. So pack light and shop big.
Types of shops:
More malls than you can count
Malls may as well be added to the USA’s constitutional amendments. Woven into the fabric of American life, they have everything from flagship retailers (here’s looking at you Macy’s, Sears and Saks) and big-box stores like Target and Walmart, to high-end luxury department stores and boutiques. They even come with their own bowling alleys, cinemas, escape rooms and food courts. So, after a day of shopping until you drop, the only logical thing to do is to have a seat at the food court and take your pick between Korean BBQ, burgers and burritos.
It’s nifty to be thrifty
Picture this. You’re walking through the backstreets of Brooklyn or along the boardwalk in Wilmington, North Carolina, and you come across a market. Under piles of t-shirts, hats and jeans, you find a leather jacket – the perfect leather jacket – for a fraction of the price it would be in a shop. Welcome to thrift shopping. Apart from being a spot to score some serious steals, thrift shopping (or charity shopping as we’d call it in the UK) gives you the chance to see parts of cities you otherwise wouldn’t and come back with some really unique pieces.
Walk the walk down the avenues
If you’re visiting either of the States’ style capitals, namely Los Angeles or New York, a wander down their famous shopping streets is a must. Unleash your inner Vivan Ward as you strut down Rodeo Drive Pretty Woman style and your Carrie Bradshaw as you amble up Fifth Avenue. But there’s more to shopping in the USA than these landmark streets. Take a detour down a few blocks to Venice Beach and you’ll soon be enveloped by the bohemia of Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Start at the upscale grocery store Erewhon and finish at Santa Monica’s Main Street. Home to some of the city’s trendiest coffee shops, restaurants, yoga studios and boutiques, all you need to do is throw on your best athleisure wear and you’ll feel like a local in no time.
Sales tax
It’s important to remember that, unlike the UK, tax is applied when you checkout/pay. You should expect a 5-7% increase from what you see on the price tag.
