Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:51 am Post subject: SHOPPING IN MIAMI / MIAMI SHOPPING GUIDE
SHOPPING IN MIAMI
Miami is one of the world's premier shopping cities; more than 10 million visitors came here last year and they spent in excess of $13 billion. People come to Miami from all over -- from Latin America to Hong Kong -- in search of some products that are all-American (in other words, Levi's, Nike, and so on).
So if you're not into sunbathing and outdoor activities, or you just can't take the heat, you'll be in good company in one of Miami's many malls -- and you are not likely to emerge empty-handed. In addition to the strip malls, Miami offers a choice of megamalls, from the upscale Village of Merrick Park and the mammoth Aventura Mall to the ritzy Bal Harbour Shops and touristy, yet scenic, Bayside Marketplace (just to name a few).
Miami also offers more unique shopping spots, such as the up-and-coming area near downtown known as the Biscayne Corridor, where funky boutiques dare to defy the Gap, and Little Havana, where you can buy hand-rolled cigars and guayabera shirts (loose-fitting cotton or gauzy shirts).
You may want to order the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau's "Shop Miami: A Guide to a Tropical Shopping Adventure." Although it is limited to details on the bureau's paying members, it provides some good advice and otherwise unpublished discount offers. The glossy little pamphlet is printed in English, Spanish, and Portuguese and provides information about transportation from hotels, translation services, and shipping. Call tel. 800/283-2707 or 305/539-3000 for more information.
The Shopping Scene
As a general rule, shop hours are Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm and Sunday from noon to 5pm. Many stores stay open late (until 9pm or so) one night of the week (usually Thurs). Shops in Coconut Grove are open until 9pm Sunday through Thursday and even later on Friday and Saturday nights. South Beach's stores also stay open later -- as late as midnight. Department stores and shopping malls also keep longer hours, with most staying open from 10am to 9 or 10pm Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6pm on Sunday. With all these variations, call ahead to specific stores to find out what their hours are.
The 6.5% state and local sales tax is added to the price of all nonfood purchases. Food and beverage in hotels and restaurants are taxed via the resort tax, which is 3% in Miami/South Beach and Bal Harbour, 4% in Surfside, and 2% in the rest of Miami-Dade County.
Most Miami stores can wrap your purchase and ship it anywhere in the world via United Parcel Service (UPS). If they can't, you can send it yourself, either through FedEx (tel. 800/463-3339), UPS (tel. 800/742-5877), or through the U.S. Mail.
Shopping Areas
Most of Miami's shopping happens at the many megamalls scattered from one end of the county to the other; however, there is also some excellent boutique shopping and browsing to be done in the following areas:
Aventura
On Biscayne Boulevard between Miami Gardens Drive and the county line at Hallandale Beach Boulevard is a 2-mile stretch of major retail stores including Best Buy, Borders, Circuit City, Linens N' Things, Marshall's, Sports Authority and more. Also here is the mammoth Aventura Mall, housing a fabulous collection of shops and restaurants.
Calle Ocho
For a taste of Little Havana, take a walk down 8th Street between SW 27th Avenue and SW 12th Avenue, where you'll find some lively street life and many shops selling cigars, baked goods, shoes, furniture and record stores specialising in Latin music. For help, take your Spanish dictionary.
Coconut Grove
Downtown Coconut Grove, centered on Main Highway and Grand Avenue and branching onto the adjoining streets, is one of Miami's most pedestrian-friendly zones. The Grove's wide sidewalks, lined with cafes and boutiques, can provide hours of browsing pleasure. Coconut Grove is best known for its chain stores (Gap, Banana Republic and so on) and some funky holdovers from the days when the Grove was a bit more bohemian, plus excellent sidewalk cafes centred on CocoWalk and the Streets of Mayfair.
Miracle Mile (Coral Gables)
Actually only a half-mile long, this central shopping street was an integral part of George Merrick's original city plan. Today, the strip still enjoys popularity, especially for its bridal stores, ladies' shops, haberdasheries and gift shops. Recently, newer chain stores, such as Barnes & Noble, Old Navy and Starbucks, have been appearing on the Mile. The hyper upscale Village of Merrick Park, a mammoth, 850,000-square-foot upscale outdoor shopping complex between Ponce de León Boulevard and Le Jeune Road, just off the Mile, opened in the Fall of 2002 with Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Armani, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, and Yves St. Laurent on board, to name a few.
Downtown Miami
If you're looking for discounts on all types of goods -- especially watches, fabric, buttons, lace, shoes, luggage and leather -- Flagler Street, just west of Biscayne Boulevard, is the best place to start. It's dodgy to buy expensive items here, as many stores seem to be on the shady side and do not understand the word warranty. However, you can still have fun here as long as you are a savvy shopper and don't mind haggling with people who may not have the firmest grasp on the English language. Most signs are printed in English, Spanish, and Portuguese; however, many shopkeepers may not be entirely fluent in English. Most recently, the developers responsible for Coconut Grove's CocoWalk shopping and entertainment complex broke ground on Mary Brickell Village, a 192,000 square-foot urban entertainment centre west of Brickell Avenue and straddling South Miami Avenue between 9th and 10th streets downtown. The $80 million complex (slated to open in late 2006) will consist of a slew of trendy restaurants, boutiques and, of course, the requisite Starbucks -- a sure sign that a neighbourhood has been revitalised.
Biscayne Corridor
Amidst the ramshackle old motels of yesteryear exist several funky, kitschy and arty boutiques along the stretch of Biscayne Boulevard from 50th Street to about 79th Street known as the Biscayne Corridor. Everything from hand-painted wife-beaters to expensive Juicy Couture sweat suits can be found here, but it's not just about fashion: Several furniture stores selling antiques and modern pieces exist along here as well, so look carefully as you may find something here that would cause the appraisers on Antiques Road Show to lose their wigs.
South Beach
Slowly but surely South Beach has come into its own as far as shopping is concerned. While the requisite stores -- Gap, Banana Republic, et al. -- have anchored here, several higher-end stores have also opened on the southern blocks of Collins Avenue, which has become the Madison Avenue of Miami. For the hippest clothing boutiques (including Armani Exchange, Ralph Lauren, Versace, Benetton, Levi's, Barneys Co-Op, Diesel, Guess?, Club Monaco, Kenneth Cole, and Nicole Miller, among others), stroll along this pretty strip of the Art Deco District.
For those who are interested in a little more fun with their shopping, consider South Beach's legendary Lincoln Road. This pedestrian mall, originally designed in 1957 by Morris Lapidus, recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation, restoring it to its former glory. Here, shoppers find an array of clothing, books, tchotchkes and art as well as a menagerie of sidewalk cafes flanked on one end by a multiplex movie theatre and at the other, the Atlantic Ocean.
Gender: Age: 24 Zodiac: Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 10
Home Country: china
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:55 am Post subject: Re: SHOPPING IN MIAMI / MIAMI SHOPPING GUIDE
Hi,I am the exporter of the outdoor furniture,I want to market our products in USA,and I have not idea where to begin,
can you discuss with me how is the outdoor furniture market there in USA,which kind of outdoor furniture is welcomed...
Thanks..
Oliver.
Miami Info wrote:
SHOPPING IN MIAMI
Miami is one of the world's premier shopping cities; more than 10 million visitors came here last year and they spent in excess of $13 billion. People come to Miami from all over -- from Latin America to Hong Kong -- in search of some products that are all-American (in other words, Levi's, Nike, and so on).
So if you're not into sunbathing and outdoor activities, or you just can't take the heat, you'll be in good company in one of Miami's many malls -- and you are not likely to emerge empty-handed. In addition to the strip malls, Miami offers a choice of megamalls, from the upscale Village of Merrick Park and the mammoth Aventura Mall to the ritzy Bal Harbour Shops and touristy, yet scenic, Bayside Marketplace (just to name a few).
Miami also offers more unique shopping spots, such as the up-and-coming area near downtown known as the Biscayne Corridor, where funky boutiques dare to defy the Gap, and Little Havana, where you can buy hand-rolled cigars and guayabera shirts (loose-fitting cotton or gauzy shirts).
You may want to order the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau's "Shop Miami: A Guide to a Tropical Shopping Adventure." Although it is limited to details on the bureau's paying members, it provides some good advice and otherwise unpublished discount offers. The glossy little pamphlet is printed in English, Spanish, and Portuguese and provides information about transportation from hotels, translation services, and shipping. Call tel. 800/283-2707 or 305/539-3000 for more information.
The Shopping Scene
As a general rule, shop hours are Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm and Sunday from noon to 5pm. Many stores stay open late (until 9pm or so) one night of the week (usually Thurs). Shops in Coconut Grove are open until 9pm Sunday through Thursday and even later on Friday and Saturday nights. South Beach's stores also stay open later -- as late as midnight. Department stores and shopping malls also keep longer hours, with most staying open from 10am to 9 or 10pm Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6pm on Sunday. With all these variations, call ahead to specific stores to find out what their hours are.
The 6.5% state and local sales tax is added to the price of all nonfood purchases. Food and beverage in hotels and restaurants are taxed via the resort tax, which is 3% in Miami/South Beach and Bal Harbour, 4% in Surfside, and 2% in the rest of Miami-Dade County.
Most Miami stores can wrap your purchase and ship it anywhere in the world via United Parcel Service (UPS). If they can't, you can send it yourself, either through FedEx (tel. 800/463-3339), UPS (tel. 800/742-5877), or through the U.S. Mail.
Shopping Areas
Most of Miami's shopping happens at the many megamalls scattered from one end of the county to the other; however, there is also some excellent boutique shopping and browsing to be done in the following areas:
Aventura
On Biscayne Boulevard between Miami Gardens Drive and the county line at Hallandale Beach Boulevard is a 2-mile stretch of major retail stores including Best Buy, Borders, Circuit City, Linens N' Things, Marshall's, Sports Authority and more. Also here is the mammoth Aventura Mall, housing a fabulous collection of shops and restaurants.
Calle Ocho
For a taste of Little Havana, take a walk down 8th Street between SW 27th Avenue and SW 12th Avenue, where you'll find some lively street life and many shops selling cigars, baked goods, shoes, furniture and record stores specialising in Latin music. For help, take your Spanish dictionary.
Coconut Grove
Downtown Coconut Grove, centered on Main Highway and Grand Avenue and branching onto the adjoining streets, is one of Miami's most pedestrian-friendly zones. The Grove's wide sidewalks, lined with cafes and boutiques, can provide hours of browsing pleasure. Coconut Grove is best known for its chain stores (Gap, Banana Republic and so on) and some funky holdovers from the days when the Grove was a bit more bohemian, plus excellent sidewalk cafes centred on CocoWalk and the Streets of Mayfair.
Miracle Mile (Coral Gables)
Actually only a half-mile long, this central shopping street was an integral part of George Merrick's original city plan. Today, the strip still enjoys popularity, especially for its bridal stores, ladies' shops, haberdasheries and gift shops. Recently, newer chain stores, such as Barnes & Noble, Old Navy and Starbucks, have been appearing on the Mile. The hyper upscale Village of Merrick Park, a mammoth, 850,000-square-foot upscale outdoor shopping complex between Ponce de León Boulevard and Le Jeune Road, just off the Mile, opened in the Fall of 2002 with Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Armani, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, and Yves St. Laurent on board, to name a few.
Downtown Miami
If you're looking for discounts on all types of goods -- especially watches, fabric, buttons, lace, shoes, luggage and leather -- Flagler Street, just west of Biscayne Boulevard, is the best place to start. It's dodgy to buy expensive items here, as many stores seem to be on the shady side and do not understand the word warranty. However, you can still have fun here as long as you are a savvy shopper and don't mind haggling with people who may not have the firmest grasp on the English language. Most signs are printed in English, Spanish, and Portuguese; however, many shopkeepers may not be entirely fluent in English. Most recently, the developers responsible for Coconut Grove's CocoWalk shopping and entertainment complex broke ground on Mary Brickell Village, a 192,000 square-foot urban entertainment centre west of Brickell Avenue and straddling South Miami Avenue between 9th and 10th streets downtown. The $80 million complex (slated to open in late 2006) will consist of a slew of trendy restaurants, boutiques and, of course, the requisite Starbucks -- a sure sign that a neighbourhood has been revitalised.
Biscayne Corridor
Amidst the ramshackle old motels of yesteryear exist several funky, kitschy and arty boutiques along the stretch of Biscayne Boulevard from 50th Street to about 79th Street known as the Biscayne Corridor. Everything from hand-painted wife-beaters to expensive Juicy Couture sweat suits can be found here, but it's not just about fashion: Several furniture stores selling antiques and modern pieces exist along here as well, so look carefully as you may find something here that would cause the appraisers on Antiques Road Show to lose their wigs.
South Beach
Slowly but surely South Beach has come into its own as far as shopping is concerned. While the requisite stores -- Gap, Banana Republic, et al. -- have anchored here, several higher-end stores have also opened on the southern blocks of Collins Avenue, which has become the Madison Avenue of Miami. For the hippest clothing boutiques (including Armani Exchange, Ralph Lauren, Versace, Benetton, Levi's, Barneys Co-Op, Diesel, Guess?, Club Monaco, Kenneth Cole, and Nicole Miller, among others), stroll along this pretty strip of the Art Deco District.
For those who are interested in a little more fun with their shopping, consider South Beach's legendary Lincoln Road. This pedestrian mall, originally designed in 1957 by Morris Lapidus, recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation, restoring it to its former glory. Here, shoppers find an array of clothing, books, tchotchkes and art as well as a menagerie of sidewalk cafes flanked on one end by a multiplex movie theatre and at the other, the Atlantic Ocean.
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