During the two times a year that the media tries to crack the Austin code, the massive South by Southwest tech-film-music-kitchen sink conference and the two-weekend Austin City Limits takeover, national outlets often fall victim to one of the most confounding (and, yes, charming) things about the city: Everything feels like a hidden gem, but it likely isn't. It's the same reason that, in following this advice, you'll end up with sub-par tacos and swamped among hundreds of other tourists seeking Austin's essence of cool.
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To commemorate your time spent in the Live Music Capital of the World, they'll direct you to stalwarts such as Waterloo Records, where University of Texas freshmen shore up their vinyl collection, or across the street at the giant, lovely, and shockingly thorough Book People, an independent bookstore where you'll pay entirely too much money for Tao Lin's garbage. To nail down your Southwestern swag, you could end up at South Congress's Allen's Boots to stomp off in your very own pair of shit kickers, or maybe grab a luchador mask along with other oddities and curios at folk art peddler Tesoros Trading Company.
And fellas, you can take your soon-to-be-blistered feet (boots take time to break in, y'all) farther up SoCo to Stag for all masculine provisions. Complete your ranchero look with a pearl snap shirt, or, alternatively, tap into Austin's hipster ethos. But keep on the boots. Ironic sartorial choices aren't just encouraged, but celebrated.
Yes, these things are cool, but the locals know that they have counterparts outside of the downtown and South Congress clusterfuck that are equally deserving of your attention. For an afternoon-consuming selection of vinyl, head east to Encore Records. Or if you're really looking to capture the music spirit (and also came with a fat bank account), you could grab your very own noisemaker at Austin Vintage Guitar in Hyde Park.
Just because you're in Austin city limits doesn't mean you need to be, er, limited to the same shit everyone else already knows about. Here are the places where Austin really keeps it weird.
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Photo by Ben Sklar
Monkies
Some of Austin's best shopping centers around vintage clothing, and Monkies is the best of the best. This store thankfully avoids one of the pitfalls of buying other people's hand-me-downs in its affordability: Monkies falls more in the Macklemore price range, but without subjecting you to Goodwill volume. But despite its close proximity to the University of Texas, it never seems picked over or barebones. It's not carefully curated by any means, but there are some real gems if you take the time to look through the racks of prints, where there seem to be an inordinate number of pearl snap shirts. Yeehaw, y'all. Hatbox
Have you ever said to yourself, "This outfit would look way better with a leather driving hat?" If so, have we got a store for you! Hatbox is your one-stop shop for all the hats that you can't find at Lids. So you might be out of luck if you're in search of a Spurs flat bill—but an upscale fedora and accompanying felt hat brush? These guys got you. Sure, there's something kitschy about the idea of having a modern haberdashery, but the sheer specificity of an entire store dedicated to things you can put on your head is reassuring if for no other reason than you know these people mean business. Toy Joy
We realized that Toy Joy had reached peak cultural saturation when two middle age women stopped us to ask for directions, but still, the whimsical toy store needs to be included. And, yes, we realize using descriptors like whimsical really isn't helping the store's selling point, but when it fits, it fits. You'll need a good hour to browse through the collection of games, novelty items (cat lady bandages?), and — you guessed it — toys (Hello Kitty fans will be in heaven). But even without actually buying anything, Toy Joy is just as much about the experience of waking up your inner child. End of an Ear
You know you're in a killer record store when the "Bill Callahan" section also redirects to "Smog." And that's the kind of music knowledge you should expect from this tiny shop on South First (some call it SoFi, but don't be that asshole). End of an Ear strikes the perfect balance between new and used vinyl, organized into oddly specific categories that will melt the heart of any music nerd. Visit the back room for your audio equipment needs, if you haven't spent all of your money on (very reasonably priced) records.
Some of Austin's best shopping centers around vintage clothing, and Monkies is the best of the best. This store thankfully avoids one of the pitfalls of buying other people's hand-me-downs in its affordability: Monkies falls more in the Macklemore price range, but without subjecting you to Goodwill volume. But despite its close proximity to the University of Texas, it never seems picked over or barebones. It's not carefully curated by any means, but there are some real gems if you take the time to look through the racks of prints, where there seem to be an inordinate number of pearl snap shirts. Yeehaw, y'all. Hatbox
Have you ever said to yourself, "This outfit would look way better with a leather driving hat?" If so, have we got a store for you! Hatbox is your one-stop shop for all the hats that you can't find at Lids. So you might be out of luck if you're in search of a Spurs flat bill—but an upscale fedora and accompanying felt hat brush? These guys got you. Sure, there's something kitschy about the idea of having a modern haberdashery, but the sheer specificity of an entire store dedicated to things you can put on your head is reassuring if for no other reason than you know these people mean business. Toy Joy
We realized that Toy Joy had reached peak cultural saturation when two middle age women stopped us to ask for directions, but still, the whimsical toy store needs to be included. And, yes, we realize using descriptors like whimsical really isn't helping the store's selling point, but when it fits, it fits. You'll need a good hour to browse through the collection of games, novelty items (cat lady bandages?), and — you guessed it — toys (Hello Kitty fans will be in heaven). But even without actually buying anything, Toy Joy is just as much about the experience of waking up your inner child. End of an Ear
You know you're in a killer record store when the "Bill Callahan" section also redirects to "Smog." And that's the kind of music knowledge you should expect from this tiny shop on South First (some call it SoFi, but don't be that asshole). End of an Ear strikes the perfect balance between new and used vinyl, organized into oddly specific categories that will melt the heart of any music nerd. Visit the back room for your audio equipment needs, if you haven't spent all of your money on (very reasonably priced) records.
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Photo by Ben Sklar
Monkeywrench Books
If you're looking for best sellers or anything that has been even close to being stocked in Barnes and Nobles, keep on walking. Monkeywrench is a radical bookshop—and not the 90s "whoa, dude, radical" sense of the word. Think anarchist politics, feminist writing, and deep dives into race and class issues. The selection, though small, can be a bit daunting at first, but the friendly all-volunteer staff members are there to guide you through the books and zines they have available. The shop doubles as a community space, so you could drop in on a meeting or a film screening for various social justice issues. Stick around. You might learn something.Feathers
Do you remember the aforementioned expensive and highly curated vintage shops that Monkies is decidedly not? That's Feathers, but it's still worth a visit if you have the cash. The boutique is a mix between high-end vintage items, new designer items, and refurbished clothes under the store's own Feathers Original label. The owners look far and wide to find some of the most unique vintage finds in the city. The price tag reflects it, but at least you can drool of the full-length fox fur coat that you absolutely don't need in the Texas heat.Gardens of the Ancients
Come for the kratom, stay for the smokeable wormwood. Actually, don't, because that shit is disgusting—but there are plenty of other things to hold your attention at Gardens of the Ancients, the "gift shop" of the Flower of Life Healing Ministries. While at this "church" "gift shop," you can browse through super typical holy items such as braided sweetgrass and orgonite, along with a staggering selection of oils, crystals, and herbs. Praise be! It's a wee bit of a trek (its address is technically in Manor), but if you're looking for where all Austin's hippies went, look no further.
If you're looking for best sellers or anything that has been even close to being stocked in Barnes and Nobles, keep on walking. Monkeywrench is a radical bookshop—and not the 90s "whoa, dude, radical" sense of the word. Think anarchist politics, feminist writing, and deep dives into race and class issues. The selection, though small, can be a bit daunting at first, but the friendly all-volunteer staff members are there to guide you through the books and zines they have available. The shop doubles as a community space, so you could drop in on a meeting or a film screening for various social justice issues. Stick around. You might learn something.Feathers
Do you remember the aforementioned expensive and highly curated vintage shops that Monkies is decidedly not? That's Feathers, but it's still worth a visit if you have the cash. The boutique is a mix between high-end vintage items, new designer items, and refurbished clothes under the store's own Feathers Original label. The owners look far and wide to find some of the most unique vintage finds in the city. The price tag reflects it, but at least you can drool of the full-length fox fur coat that you absolutely don't need in the Texas heat.Gardens of the Ancients
Come for the kratom, stay for the smokeable wormwood. Actually, don't, because that shit is disgusting—but there are plenty of other things to hold your attention at Gardens of the Ancients, the "gift shop" of the Flower of Life Healing Ministries. While at this "church" "gift shop," you can browse through super typical holy items such as braided sweetgrass and orgonite, along with a staggering selection of oils, crystals, and herbs. Praise be! It's a wee bit of a trek (its address is technically in Manor), but if you're looking for where all Austin's hippies went, look no further.
East Austin Succulents. Photo by Ben Sklar
East Austin Succulents
Nothing says "Texas" and "I'm a really shitty plant owner" quite as fluently as a collection of cacti, and East Austin Succulents has got you covered. There's a ton of these spiny and smooth succulents for sale, either individually or arranged in terrariums by the staff, plus a lot of actually reasonably priced pots to nestle your new Instagram-able additions in. Plus, the two cats that roam around the grounds are just about as sweet and twee as the tiny pink-topped cactus you're going to end up buying. Flag Store (Hyde Park Market)
Why the fuck would you want to visit a convenient store during your stay in Austin? Is there seriously that little for you to do here? Listen, at some point you're going to need to go to store for either A) cigarettes B) gas C) beer or D) all of the above, and Hyde Park Market (known to locals as the Flag Store) has all of that and much, much more. Even if you don't need any of that stuff, a visit to the Flag Store reveals all sorts of wonderful weirdness (kombucha on tap, vegan brownies, a shocking selection of salami). But the real joy of the Flag Store is browsing the maze-like selection of beers you've never heard of (plus single tallboys of the cheap stuff for $2) while listening to classical music.
Nothing says "Texas" and "I'm a really shitty plant owner" quite as fluently as a collection of cacti, and East Austin Succulents has got you covered. There's a ton of these spiny and smooth succulents for sale, either individually or arranged in terrariums by the staff, plus a lot of actually reasonably priced pots to nestle your new Instagram-able additions in. Plus, the two cats that roam around the grounds are just about as sweet and twee as the tiny pink-topped cactus you're going to end up buying. Flag Store (Hyde Park Market)
Why the fuck would you want to visit a convenient store during your stay in Austin? Is there seriously that little for you to do here? Listen, at some point you're going to need to go to store for either A) cigarettes B) gas C) beer or D) all of the above, and Hyde Park Market (known to locals as the Flag Store) has all of that and much, much more. Even if you don't need any of that stuff, a visit to the Flag Store reveals all sorts of wonderful weirdness (kombucha on tap, vegan brownies, a shocking selection of salami). But the real joy of the Flag Store is browsing the maze-like selection of beers you've never heard of (plus single tallboys of the cheap stuff for $2) while listening to classical music.