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The 14 Best Shops on Grand Avenue

best shops on grand ave

Is there anything more quintessential St. Paul than shopping on Grand Avenue?

Roaming down the lively street and popping into all the quaint and cute shops is one of our favorite ways to spend a nice Minnesota afternoon.

So join us on a trip down Grand Avenue. This post will travel from East to West on the famous three mile stretch, and along the way we’ll highlight our picks for the best shops on Grand Avenue.

Map of the Best Shops on Grand Avenue

The Grand Hand Gallery

Located at the far eastern end of Grand Avenue, Grand Hand Gallery is the perfect start to a day of shopping the street. This absolutely beautiful shop is a curated art gallery divided into two rooms. The first room showcases a stunning collection of some of the most beautiful hand-crafted ceramics and wooden goods you will ever see. The second room almost feels like you’ve stepped into a museum, with many paintings and artwork. Either way, Grand Hand Gallery is one of the coolest stops on the famous street.

Penzeys Spices

There’s nothing quite like walking into Penzeys Spices and smelling the aroma of one of the biggest spice selections in the Twin Cities. More than anything, the shop is surprisingly large. I mean, there’s a whole wall dedicated to just cinnamon. Enough said? Mixed with the rustic decor, you’ll find yourself wanting to spend all day sniffing samples.

Golden Fig Fine Foods

You might recognize this name from the St. Paul Farmers’ market, but don’t forget that The Golden Fig also has one of the best shops on Grand Ave. And they recently expanded! Their storefront is now packed with all sorts of locally sourced goodies from Minnesota suppliers, including lots of sauces, snacks, drink mixers, and their famous spice & dip packets. We especially love their super eco-friendly choices, including fill your own laundry and dish soap, which help reduce plastic waste.

All this is put together by some of the friendliest staff around, including owner Lauri McCann Crowell, who from her humble and friendly demeanor you’d never guess has worked alongside foodie stars like Barefoot Contessa’s Ina Garten!

If you’re looking to support local, Golden Fig is a must shop.

Gold’n Treasures

Just catty-corner from Golden Fig sits Gold’N Treasures. You wouldn’t be able to tell from its unassuming basement location, but according to the online reviews, this jewelry store is one of the highest rated jewelers in the entire Twin Cities! Based on our visits, it’s easy to see why. They carry a large selection, reasonable prices, and some of the most honest and friendly owners you’ll find in the business.

Mischief Toy Store

At this point, the giant, colorful “Mischief” sign in front of Mischief Toy Store has almost become a Grand Avenue landmark.

An old house that’s been converted into a toy store is the perfect setting for this place; you’ll feel like you walked into some sort of fairy tale. The selection inside features a huge variety of toys, books, and games. Perfect for the young and young at heart.

Evereve

This women’s clothing store has a few locations scattered around the Twin Cities, but their spot on the Victoria/Grand Ave intersection (which just might be the most bustling section of Grand Avenue) is probably their most popular. Thanks to helpful staff and reasonable prices, this big store still maintains the feel of a local shop. If you’re doing a little Grand Avenue shopping, it’s definitely worth a visit.

  • Address: 867 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
  • Website: Evereve

Cooks of Crocus Hill

For the home foodies out there, Cooks of Crocus Hill is a dream come true. The Grand Ave showroom glistens with the shine of cookware stacked floor to ceiling, not to mention the endless amount of kitchen gadgets sold here.

And if you’re feeling extra adventurous, Cooks of Crocus Hill also doubles as a cooking school. On the second level is a stunning, state of the art kitchen, which hosts tons of awesome cooking classes catered to everyone from first time cooks to aspiring professional chefs.

J.W. Hulme

J.W. Hulme just opened a new gallery on Grand Ave, and it’s filled with their famous leather purses, handbags, and luggage. The new shop coincides with a recent rise in popularity; these bags are so popular they’ve recently been spotted on The Bachelor!

  • Address: 867 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
  • Website: J.W. Hulme

Red Balloon Bookshop

In our article about the best independent bookshops in St. Paul, we awarded Red Balloon Book Shop the city’s “Best Children’s Bookstore.” Housed in an adorable home, it’s the perfect whimsical location for what’s sold inside.

Antropologie

If you’re shopping on Grand Avenue, it’s hard to miss Antropologie. The big green storefront takes up almost a whole block near the heart of Grand Ave, and inside it’s filled with a huge variety of womenswear and home decor. Best of all, the staff always seems extra helpful.

  • Address: 917 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
  • Website: Anthropologie

Atelier957

Atelier957 is a fantastic shopping choice for anyone looking for sleek, elegant women’s clothing. Aside from the impressive selection and helpful staff, the location inside a two story Victorian home makes it classically Grand Avenue.

  • Address: 957 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
  • Website: Atelier957

GoodThings

GoodThings is a massive and hugely popular gift shop located near the intersection of Grand Ave and Lexington. Despite the size, it somehow still feels quaint, probably because you can tell the large selection has been carefully curated. If you’re shopping for something but don’t quite know what that something is yet, GoodThings is the perfect place to visit.

  • Address: 1082 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
  • Website: GoodThings

Irish on Grand

Who knew Grand Avenue could transport you to another country?

Irish on Grand is a two story house dedicated to all things Irish. Everything here is 100% Irish made. Irish arts, Irish crafts, Irish clothing, and even Irish furniture… you name it and this store either has it or knows where to get it for you. Definitely one of the most unique shops on the block.

Wet Paint

Located on the far western portion of Grand Avenue near Macalester College sits Wet Paint, one of the best specialty stores on Grand.

This art supply shop looks exactly like you’d expect an art supply shop to look. When you walk in, you’re bombarded with a rainbow of color in every direction, with every single shade of paint, markers, and colored pencils perfectly fading from one end of the color wheel to the other. It’s a sight to see, and the meticulous organization is truly impressive. Even the non-artistic among us will have a hard time not wanting to grab a canvas and get to painting!

  • Address: 1684 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
  • Website: Wet Paint
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About the Author
Discover The Cities

Discover The Cities

DiscoverTheCities exists for one simple goal: to help you discover everything that’s awesome about Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Twin Cities area. Here’s the ugly truth. Most of Minnesota’s “travel guides” are written by people with East Coast accents sitting New York City cubicles. They wouldn’t know a Jucy Lucy if it shot its molten hot-lava -cheese in their face. The DTC team is different. We're passionate Twin Cities locals writing from personal experience. We actually visit the sights, taste the food, and share the real local’s inside scoop.
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