Columbia has a lot of interesting and eclectic locally owned shops, and they deserve your attention — and your cash. Plus, we’re attracting new national retailers all the time. We’ve prioritized the former here. Here are some highlights to get you started.

Gifts & Galleries

Be Beep a Toy Shop

Forest Acres: 4525 Forest Dr., 803-787-5772, bebeeptoys.com. Legos, action figures, arts and crafts, puppets and stuffed animals: Be Beep has it all, including stylish school supplies and of-the-moment toys on your child’s wish list.

Bella Vista Art & Framing

West Columbia: 324 State St., 803-791-6060, bellavistaartgallery.com. Custom framing with an emphasis on artistic design. And reasonable prices.

Blush Boutique and Home

Lexington: 5175 Sunset Blvd., 803-520-0643. Jewelry, gifts, home goods, custom gift boxes and more. Also offers wedding director services.

Carol Saunders Gallery

Vista: 922 Gervais St., 803-256-3046. From fine jewelry to holiday ornaments and unique glassware, Carol Saunders is an excellent spot for gifts and art viewing. In the gallery space there’s always an interesting artist’s work hanging.

City Art

Vista: 1224 Lincoln St., 803-252-3613, cityartonline.com. With two floors full of art hung in a beautiful open space, the inspirational City Art sets itself apart from other Vista galleries not only with its size but also with its wide selection of art supplies.

Classy Cruet Olive Oils and Vinegars

Lexington: 5175 Sunset Blvd. Ste. 10, 803-785-7887, theclassycruet.com. Carries more than 50 varieties of premium olive oils and balsamic vinegars, as well as pastas, sauces, gourmet chocolates and more. Also has a Chapin location.

CMA Shop

Downtown: 1515 Main St., 803-343-2159, columbiamuseum.org. From coffee-table-worthy tomes to jewelry, stationery, toys and puzzles, the shop at the Columbia Museum of Art has some of the most unique gifts in the city. Curated with a stylish eye.

Cotton Mill Exchange at the S.C. State Museum

Vista: 301 Gervais St., 803-898-4967, scmuseum.org/shop. Features a huge selection of South Carolina-themed items in a 4,000-square-foot space. From ties to holiday ornaments to gourmet food and jewelry, it’s one of the best places in town to find South Carolina-themed gifts.

The Crescent Olive

Devine Street: 2901-C Devine St., 803-771-7774, thecrescentolive.com. Who knew olive oil could be so interesting? The Crescent Olive, obviously. Offers premium olive oils and aged vinegars, as well as honey, premium pastas and more.

Elite Framing

Five Points: 2119 College St., 803-951-4600, columbiaframeshop.com. Need a painting or print framed? Leave it to the experts.

Gibson’s on Forest

Forest Acres: 3137 Forest Dr., 803-771-4520. Gibson’s is the perfect place to pick up a gift for any occasion and also Columbia’s go-to for customized stationery, from casual cards to personalized, made to order engraved stationery.

Havens Framemakers and Gallery

Downtown: 1616 Gervais St., 803-256-1616, havensframemakers.com. Havens has offered quality custom framing for more than 50 years. They also sell original art and offer painting classes.

HoFP Gallery

Devine Street: 2828 Devine St., 803-799-7405, hofpgallery.com. This gallery, owned by certified professional framer Alice Perritt, offers a unique collection of artists from all over the world as well as custom framing.

if ART Gallery

Vista: 1223 Lincoln St., 803-238-2351, ifartgallery.blogspot.com. If ART has its finger on the pulse of contemporary art, showing work by artists from South Carolina and beyond.

Lewis + Clark

Vista: 1001 Huger St., 803-765-2405, lewisandclarklamps.com. A true Columbia original, Lewis + Clark makes postmodern art lamps made of paper, steel, glass and wood. If you want a truly unique lamp, this is the place to go.

Local Yocal

Downtown: 1712 Main St., 803-722-7633. Across from the courthouse, this store is also a good place for a quick lunch, and offers a selection of small gifts and food products if you need to pick up something on the go.

Luna Lola

Shandon/Rosewood: 3000 Rosewood Dr. Suite C, 803-500-0485, lunalola.com. Fine yarns, needles, books, kits and other supplies for knitting and other fiber arts — plus a diverse selection of gifts, notes and teas. Hosts knitting classes, too.

Mad Platter

Shandon/Rosewood: 3101 Millwood Ave., 803-771-8080, mymadplatter.com. Creative arts studio offers pottery glazing, glass fusing and wood-plaque painting projects. Hang out and make art at themed weekly events, including College and Date Night and Military Night.

The Market Tea Room and Country Store

West Columbia: 322 Little Brooke Ln., 803-212-9248. This State Farmers Market shop-inside-a-restaurant offers South Carolina foods — honey, barbecue sauce, etc. You’ll also find books, handmade soaps, jewelry and more. Plus, a tea shop!

One-Eared Cow Glass

Vista: 1001 Huger St., 803-254-2444, oneearedcow.com. Since 1991, One-Eared Cow has been Columbia’s hand-blown glass studio and gallery. Offers colorful vases, bowls, birdfeeders, chandeliers and even sinks — all made by the artists who own the shop.

Over the Mantel Gallery

Shandon/Rosewood: 3142 Carlisle St., 803-719-1713, overthemantelcom. Just off Millwood Avenue, this gallery offers paintings, jewelry and other art.

Something Special

Downtown: 1546 Main St., 803-407-7123, floristonmain.com. It’s a florist, yes, but Something Special also offers a slew of seasonally rotating little gifts, from quirky ornaments to trinkets to candles to silk arrangements. An unusual place.

Southern Pottery

Devine Street: 3105 Devine St., 803-251-3001, southern-pottery.com. Southern Pottery displays pottery from artists throughout the region in a quirky Devine Street house, where owner Donna Green is always willing to give you a piece’s backstory. Also offers classes inside a converted carriage house.

Sunrise Artisan Bath and Body

Five Points: 730 Santee Ave., 803-828-4755. Specializes in handmade artisan soaps, bath bombs, bubble bath and more.

Uptown on Main

Downtown: 1204 Main St., 803-661-7651, uptownsc.com. Whether you’re looking for a custom gift basket, embroidered clothing, locally themed books, greeting cards, baby gifts or something for that hard-to-shop-for man, Uptown on Main has it covered.

Clothing & Accessories

2G’s Clothing

Five Points: 723 Saluda Ave., 803-254-2016, facebook.com/2GsClothing. Carries quality women’s vintage and overstock clothes and accessories. If you want to make over your tired wardrobe, the price is right.

APB

Vista: 1003 Gervais St., 803-569-6613, apbstore.com. Apparel and sneakers for men and women who are fashion-forward and love a rare sneaker.

BP Skinner Clothiers

Vista: 1003 Gervais St., Suite A, 803-661-7665, bpskinnerclothiers.com. Custom menswear shop offers clothing and accessories from brands like Oxxford, Castangia and H. Freeman. Also offers wardrobe consulting and wedding services.

Brittons

Devine Street: 2818 Devine St., 803-771-2700, brittonsofcolumbia.com. A fine clothing store for men and women, Brittons gets to know its customers. Shop there enough, and they’ll do the shopping for you. Really: You’ll get a call when something is perfect for you.

Cho on Main Salon & Boutique

Lexington: 127 E. Main St., 803-356-1111, choonmain.com. Style tips extend beyond hair and nail color. With a small boutique offering trendy clothing and shoes, Cho on Main stocks brands like Velvet, Wildfox, Chaser and Michael Stars.

Cola Kicks

Five Points: 902 Harden St., 803-849-5894, colakicks.com. Owned by two USC students, this is the place to go to buy, sell and trade all your coolest kicks. Authenticity guaranteed.

Coplon’s

Forest Acres: 4825 Forest Dr., 803-790-0015, coplons.com. From the stunning dresses of Jason Wu, Oscar de la Renta and Miu Miu to the coveted shoes of Christian Louboutin and Jimmy Choo, Coplon’s is Columbia’s high-end women’s clothing shop that also sells handbags, jewelry and cosmetics.

Copper Penny

Devine Street: 2702 Devine St., 803-376-4411, shopcopperpenny.com. This stylish southern boutique recently moved from Five Points to Devine Street. Perhaps best known for its shoes, it also carries a variety of designer women’s wear, jewelry and accessories.

Craig Reagin Clothiers

Lexington: 103 E. Main St., 803-785-7848, craigreaginclothiers.com. Men’s and women’s boutique features clothing and accessories, with Southern brands from Vineyard Vines to Brackish Bowties. Also sells Yeti gear and tuxedos.

Dems Fine Jewelers

Harbison/Irmo: 1068 Lake Murray Blvd., 803-407-5290, demsjewelers.com. Founded in 1969, Dems Fine Jewelers relocated to the Irmo area in 2004. Prides itself on having a casual, friendly atmosphere and offering quality, fashionable jewelry, watches and gifts.

Duck Duck Goose

Devine Street: 2816 Devine St., 803-451-0014, shopduckduckgoose.com. This boutique is a great place for shower gifts and other clothing, books, toys, and keepsakes for the younger set. Also offers gift registries.

Ever Row

Five Points: 619 Harden St., 803-939-6876, everrow.com. Sorority gear, gameday gear and more women’s clothing and accessories.

Fab’rik

Trenholm Plaza: 4840 Forest Dr., 803-764-1750. Looking for stylish clothes, shoes, and accessories at a price you’ll like? Fab’rik won’t disappoint. Mix, match, and have fun.

Frame of Mind

West Columbia: 140 State St., 803-988-1065, artofeyewear.com. Stocks unique, high-end glasses and sunglasses. Known for his role in the arts scene, owner Mark Plessinger created the First Thursday on Main Street art-crawl series and continues to organize arts events in his West Columbia location.

Gentleman’s Closet

Five Points: 717 Saluda Ave., 803-256-3868. Need a vintage suit, a cool shirt or some dress shoes, but you don’t have a fortune to spend on it? Dig around in this place; you’ll likely leave happy.

Good for the Sole

Five Points: 728 Saluda Ave., 803-254-9488, facebook.com/GoodForTheSoleShoes. You need shoes, but you don’t want to drive to a mall. So don’t. Just go here and step into a pair of shoes from top contemporary designers.

Granger Owings

Downtown: 1333 Main St., 803-252-6714, grangerowings.com. Caters to the Main Street business crowd with fine clothing and top-notch customer service. With brands like Agave, Barbour, Cole Haan and Southern Proper, Granger Owings offers both business attire and casual clothing for men and women. And on-site tailoring.

HandPicked

Devine Street: 2822 Devine St., 803-251-2946, behandpicked.com. Need something for a graduate, family member or significant other? Or yourself? With four locations in the Midlands — including the Northeast, Irmo and Lexington — HandPicked sells jewelry, handbags, wallets and scarves, plus a great selection of sterling silver (which can be engraved). Additional locations in Irmo, Lexington and the Village at Sandhill.

Heathcliff’s Jewelers

Vista: 1000 Gervais St., 803-256-8362. No website, no advertising. It’s simple: “We just sell jewelry.” But they also do repairs and impressive custom work.

Just the Thing

Devine Street: 2732 Devine St., 803-771-9969, shopjustthething.com. Add drama and flair to your outfit. From jewelry and handbags to accessories and clothing, Just the Thing has plenty of fashion-savvy pieces to complete outfits at several price points.

London and Lace

Devine Street: 2921 Devine St., 803-764-7345, londonandlacebridal.com. Call for an appointment and prepare to be amazed. Columbia’s most upscale bridal boutique is ready to help you find the perfect dress for your big day.

Loose Lucy’s

Five Points: 709 Saluda Ave., 803-252-1390, facebook.com/looselucyscolumbia. Loose Lucy’s got its start in 1990 selling tie-dye shirts in the parking lot at Grateful Dead shows. Almost a quarter-century later, it’s Columbia’s established venue for hippie and bohemian clothing and merchandise of all kinds.  

M Boutique

Cross Hill Market: 702 Cross Hill Rd., Suite 400A, 803-765-2243, mboutiquestyle.com. M Boutique sells contemporary women’s clothing from brands like Joe’s Jeans, Charlie Jade, French Connection and BCBG Generation. The personalized customer service makes it easy to work on individual style.

Marigold Modern

Devine Street: 2732-D Devine St., 803-931-3995, marigoldmodern.com. The latest addition for hip parents offers modern styles for tots with style.

Mainstream Boutique

Devine Street: 3217 Devine St., 803-834-7330, columbia.mainstreamboutique.com. Owned by a mother and daughter team, this boutique offers stylish choices for women of all ages.

Men’s Wearhouse

Five Points: 701 Harden St., 803-799-6254, menswearhouse.com. It’s a one-stop shop for suits, dress shirts, ties, shoes and tuxedos — but offers plenty of casual clothing, too. If you need to look presentable for a wedding, this place will hook you up.

Miss Cocky

Downtown: 1450 Main St., 803-748-4771, misscocky.com. Gamecock fashion and accessories mostly for her — but you can find something for him, too.

Monkee’s of Columbia

Devine Street: 3211 Devine St., 803-764-2890, monkeesofcolumbia.com. Mother-daughter-owned boutique carries vintage designer duds and modern brands (Shoshanna, Badgley Mischka, Kate Spade and more), with a hip selection of shoes.  

The OOPS! Co.

Five Points: 601 Harden St., 803-252-8734, theoopsco.com. You don’t have to drive to outlet malls for reduced-price, name-brand clothing.

Pelliclaude

Downtown: 1332 Main St., Suite 105, 803-447-3966. Quirky boutique inside the Arcade Mall sells locally made clothing, handmade jewelry, art and home goods and more. Named for an adorable rabbit whom you might meet as well.

Pout

Devine Street: 2738 Devine St., 803-254-5051, shoppout.com. Located in the upscale Devine Street area, Pout stocks the latest luxury beauty products and offers a wide array of skin services.

Revente

Five Points: 737 Saluda Ave., 803-256-3076, shoprevente.com. Revente is Columbia’s designer consignment shop for the knockout look. And with labels like Chanel, Christian Dior, Tory Burch, Louis Vuitton, Prada and much more, regulars know that visiting frequently is key to scoring big at Revente.

Savoy Menswear

Vista: 721-C Lady St., 803-765-0313. Are you a man with contemporary and discerning tastes — or do you shop for one? Start here.

Scout and Molly’s

Trenholm Plaza, 4840 Forest Dr., 803-724-2722, columbia.scoutandmollys.com. Specialty women’s boutique with designer clothing, bags, and accessories. Also offers one-of-a-kind jewelry. All the cool girls shop here.

Sid & Nancy

Five Points: 733 Saluda Ave., 803-779-6454, facebook.com/shopsidnancy. A buy-trade-sell store, Sid & Nancy carries affordable clothes, jewelry, accessories and more. Recycle vintage clothing for cash, and buy something to make it new again. Also your source for Columbi-YEAH! gear.

Southern Children

Forest Acres, 4711 Forest Dr., 803-736-2753, southernchildrenonline.com. Offers traditional infant and children’s clothing as more as more modern (and equally adorable) choices.

Sylvan’s

Downtown: 1500 Main St., 803-779-2250, sylvans.com. Sylvan’s is a Columbia institution for special-occasion jewelry gifts, diamonds, estate pieces, watches and more. Sells the likes of Rolex, John Hardy, Mikimoto, Sweet Charleston Designs and more. Though it carries all the high-end brands, Sylvan’s offers some more accessible options, too.

Unforgettable Jewelry

Devine Street: 2511 Devine St., 803-779-3636, unforgettable-jewelry.com. From diamonds and pearls to semi-precious jewelry, Unforgettable Jewelry is a young, hip jewelry store that offers classes each month on selecting diamonds.

Urban Outfitters

Vista: 912 Gervais St., 803-254-5381, urbanoutfitters.com. Known for its hip, on-trend clothing for women and men, Urban Outfitters also keeps it fresh with music and tech products and accessories.

Vestique

Five Points: 631 Harden St., 803-764-0654, vestique.com. With stores in Charleston and Greenville, as well as North Carolina locations, this women’s clothing and accessory boutique knows how to dress a fashionable Southern woman.

Wildflower Boutique

Five Points: 721 Saluda Ave., 803-799-1616, facebook.com/fivepointswildflowerboutique. Women’s clothing with an emphasis on boho chic.

Home & Garden

Birdhouse Rooms & Garden

Shandon/Rosewood: 3019 Millwood Ave., 803-351-6075, facebook.com/birdhouse.columbia. Sells an eclectic array of furniture, lighting fixtures, gardening supplies, antiques and various home-related consignment items.

Bohemian Home

Devine Street: 2720 Devine St., 803-779-4966, bohemianhome.com. If you want your couch to look like Homer Simpson’s, don’t shop here. But if you have taste, Bohemian Home carries an impressive selection of contemporary home furnishings and accessories, including stylish contemporary lines. Also carries gifts and jewelry.

Bricker and Beam

West Columbia: 130-B Sunset Blvd., 803-369-3570, brickerandbeam.com. Custom furniture maker combining contemporary, clean-lined design with traditional craftsmanship.

Capital Kitchen and Bath

Downtown: 1801 Gervais St., 803-254-5889, capitalkb.com. Offers design and installation services on cabinets, countertops, hardware, tile, wood trim, flooring and more. Also offers interior design, construction management and general contracting services.

Carl Thomas Lamps

Vista: 724 Lady St., 803-256-3713. This gallery of lighting also sells custom lamps and chandeliers and does lamp repairs.

Carolina Imports

North Columbia: 2965 N. Main St., 803-748-9889, carolinaimportsfurniture.com. From traditional heavy wood tables and accent pieces to on-trend chairs and bedroom furniture, Carolina Imports is known for both its selection and its good prices.

Columbia Flag & Sign Company

West Columbia: 633 Meeting St., 803-748-8524, columbiaflag.com. No matter where your loyalties lie — among sports teams, businesses or countries — Columbia Flag can help you out.

Ellen Taylor Interiors + Design

Vista: 807 Gervais St., Ste. 100, 803-758-1007, ellentaylorinteriors.com. Interior designer Ellen Taylor’s Gervais Street retail shop and gallery has fine original art, a selection of furniture and accessories.

Gardener’s Outpost

Shandon/Rosewood: 709 Woodrow St., 803-252-0041, gardenersoutpost.com. Sustainable, organic and local gardening products and plants, along with landscape design and more.

Gourmet Shop

Five Points: 724 Saluda Ave., 803-799-3705, thegourmetshop.net. If it has to do with food, wine or your kitchen, it’s at Gourmet Shop. Stocks a variety of cookware, fine linens, cigars, kitchen accessories, prepared foods and wine. Also a popular café; eat outside if you can find an open table.

Hay Hill Garden Market

Southeast: 1625 Bluff Rd., 803-834-6652, hayhillgardenmarket.com. Offers an extensive and thoughtful variety of plants, ranging from native flowering plants and shrubs to the odd and unusual. Also carries English-forged garden tools, outdoor furniture, top-of-the-line grills and accessories and select gifts.

MACK Home

Forest Acres: 2917-A Millwood Ave., 803-790-9911, mackhomecolumbia.com. Handcrafted furniture, lighting, art and home accessories are all available at MACK. The new smaller space is intimate and full of fresh finds. Also offers home design services.

Nadeau Furniture

Cross Hill Market: 702 Cross Hill Rd., 803-790-2400, furniturewithasoul.com. Nadeau offers handcrafted, well-designed contemporary furniture at reasonable prices whether you’re shopping for something indoors or outdoors.

Non(e)such

Devine Street: 2754 Devine St., 803-254-0772, nonesuchltd.com. A favorite of brides forming their gift registries, Non(e)such also stocks antiques, jewelry, home accessories, linens and baby gifts.

Re-Invintage

Five Points: 912 Harden St., 803-851-3162, myreinvintage.com. Offering upcyled vintage pieces for your home: painted furniture, home decor, fun workshops, furniture paint, and accessories. Also does custom work.

Southern Vistas

Shandon/Rosewood: 2825 Commerce Dr., 803-256-0559, southernvistasinc.com. Southern Vistas has done landscape architecture for Riverbanks Zoo and Asheville’s Grove Park Inn. Offers a full range of flourishing plants, shrubbery, perennials and ground cover.

Strobler

Forest Acres: 4721 Forest Dr., 803-790-6300, strobler.com. From furniture to lighting and drapery, Strobler has a 15,000-square-foot showroom in Forest Acres showcasing an excellent selection of well-priced home furnishings.

The Urban Garden Hydroponics

Northeast: 9557 Two Notch Rd., Ste. E, 803-788-9313, growurbanstyle.com. Sells everything you need to get started with hydroponics, a method of growing plants without using soil.

Westend

West Columbia: 830 Meeting St., 803-794-5010, westendluxury.com. Specializes in timeless, classic and tasteful interiors for your home or business.

Whit-Ash Furnishings

Vista: 919 Gervais St., 803-779-5123, whitash.com. A mecca for affordable furniture in Columbia. The huge Vista warehouse also offers oriental rugs, mattresses and accessories.

Outdoors & Sports

Adventure Carolina

Cayce: 1107 State St., 803-796-4505. Specializing in canoeing and kayaking gear, Adventure Carolina also carries equipment and clothing for backpacking, rock climbing, camping and bicycling. Also schedules regular trips down the Congaree and more.

Barron’s Outfitters

Downtown: 1725 Harden St., 803-254-5537. barronsoutfitters.com. Locally owned shop offers gear for fishing, hunting and other outdoor activities.

Bluetile Skateshop

Five Points: 621 Harden St., 803-376-1880, bluetilesc.com. Need some gear for skateboarding? Bluetile has it. Four wheels, and all the gear.

Cycle Center

Five Points: 1001 Harden St., 803-256-0557, cyclecenter.com. Maybe you know brand names like Specialized, Cannondale, Pinarello, Fuji, Haro and Masi. Maybe you don’t. Either way, Cycle Center can help you out.

Half-Moon Outfitters

Devine Street: 2912 Devine St., 803-929-0771, halfmoonoutfitters.com. This may not have been the first Half-Moon, but the founder is from Columbia and the selection of outdoor gear here is unparalleled.

Mast General

Downtown: 1601 Main St., 803-771-2300, mastgeneralstore.com. A key player in Columbia’s ongoing Main Street revitalization, Mast General stocks everything from outdoor gear to candy by the pound, clothing, kitchen tools and vintage children’s toys.

Outspokin’ Bicycles

Devine Street: 3223 Devine St., 803-254-9797. Irmo: 7601 St. Andrews Rd., 803-254-9797, outspokinbicycles.com. Ever seem like your bike just doesn’t feel right? This place prides itself on its fittings, and has done them for thousands of riders. Wide selection of bicycles and accessories.

Palmetto Outdoor Center

West Columbia: 131 Alexander Rd., 803-404-8254, palmettooutdoor.com. Sells used kayaks, canoes, tubes, life jackets and paddles. Also rents full line of gear.

River Runner

Vista: 905 Gervais St., 803-771-0353, shopriverrunner.com. With three rivers in the Midlands, River Runner has everything you need to tackle them, from kayaks and canoes to gear and car-top racks. River Runner also rents canoes and kayaks daily.

Salty’s Board Shop

Devine Street: 2712 Devine Street, 803-748-9946, saltysboardshop.com. Find gear, clothing, accessories and more for people who surf, skate, snow and wake (board). Even if you don’t, you can look for sunglasses, footwear, and cool clothing and accessories.

Summit Cycles

Northeast: 10171 Two Notch Rd., 803-462-0380, summitcyclesbikeshop.com. Whether you’re a hardcore cyclist or just someone looking to have a lot of fun, Summit Cycles has you covered. Website features a bike-finder tool to help you narrow down what you need.

Todd & Moore Sporting Goods

Vista: 620 Huger St., 803-765-0150, toddandmoore.com. Founded in 1944, the locally owned Todd & Moore is conveniently located downtown and offers a full range of athletic wear and equipment for baseball, football, soccer, tennis, lacrosse and more. Here at Free Times, we appreciate Todd & Moore’s selection of ping pong equipment.

Party Time

Bet-Mar Liquid Hobby Shop

St. Andrews: 736-F St. Andrews Rd., 803-798-2033, liquidhobby.com. Do you have what it takes to try your hand at making your own beer or wine? Bet-Mar can get you started.

Bottles

Shandon/Rosewood: 4410 Fort Jackson Blvd., 803-728-0737, shopbottles.com. Did someone say “15,000 square feet of wine, beer and spirits”? Why yes, they did.

Craft and Draft

Devine Street: 2706 Devine St., 803-764-2575, craftanddraftbeer.com. Offers craft beer and growlers. Drink in or take it home to enjoy.

Cromer’s

Vista: 1700 Huger St., 803-779-2290, cromers.com. Popcorn! Boiled peanuts! Cotton candy! Caramel apples! Yes, it’s like having the fair in town every day. Also sells a variety of tailgating party supplies and has an in-house coffee shop. Serving Columbia since 1935.

Green’s Beverages

Downtown: 400 Assembly St., 803-799-9499. St. Andrews: 4012 Fernandina Rd., 803-744-0570. greensbeverages.com. Whether you’re frantically scurrying for the right wine to serve with dinner or heading to a tailgate, Green’s is one of the city’s go-to sources for all types of alcoholic beverages. Also hosts tastings and has a growler station.

If It’s Paper

Downtown: 1810 Gervais St., 803-252-3636, ifitspaperonline.com. Need wrapping paper, cake-decorating supplies or an envelope of a particular shade? This place is chock-full of difficult-to-find paper supplies.

Morganelli’s Party Store

Forest Acres: 3155 Forest Dr., 803-738-2337. Ice, mixers, kegs, liquor, wine, beer — everything you need for a party. Morganelli’s has a staff that’s particularly knowledgeable and helpful with wine selections. Well-stocked growler station, too.

The Peanut Man

Vista: 1215 Lincoln St., 803-799-9988, thepeanutman.com. It’s called The Peanut Man, and sure, it sells boiled, raw, roasted and gourmet peanuts. But you’ll also find candy apples, cotton candy, fudge, popcorn and more here. Also has locations in the Village at Sandhill, in Ballentine and at Lake Murray.

Rocket Fizz

Vista: 929 Gervais St., 803-851-7466, rocketfizz.com. From nostalgic favorites like candy cigarettes to all the treats that are new and exciting (like soda in any flavor you can imagine), Rocket Fizz has it all. Prepare to spend some time looking through their vast selection.

Total Wine

Harbison/Irmo: 275 Harbison Blvd., 803-407-3737, totalwine.com. There’s a reason why Total Wine calls itself America’s Wine Superstore: Each location carries approximately 8,000 different types of wine, 3,000 types of spirits and 2,500 different beers.  

Alternative

8 Sins Tattoo

St. Andrews: 2301 Bush River Rd., 803-750-2485, 8sinstattoo.com. Strives to provide an excellent experience for each customer and make each tattoo a work of art. Past winner of several Free Times Best of Columbia awards.

Animated Canvas

Vista: 1209 Park St., 758-6002. Lexington: 4325 Augusta Rd., 359-3241, animatedcanvas.com. What do you want — a butterfly? Flower? Skull? Celtic cross? Dragon? Marilyn Monroe? The artists here have just about seen — and done — it all.

Devine Street Tattoo

Devine Street: 4451 Devine St., 803-782-0753. The experienced ink artists at Devine Street Tattoo can create just about anything you want, with attention paid to detail, color and shading.

The Glo Room

Lexington: 4325 Augusta Rd., 803-996-9353. Vaporizers, glass and other smoking accessories — plus costumes, lingerie and novelties.

Gypsy Moon Tattoo

6145 Saint Andrews Rd., 803-851-3307. A popular spot with a diverse range of styles.

High Life Smoke Shop

Five Points: 631-A Harden St., 803-255-3485, highlifesmokes.com. E-liquid, e-cigarettes and vaporizers are pretty popular these days, and High Life is on top of it. Also carries a wide variety of hand pipes, water pipes, hookah supplies, T-shirts and jewelry.

Hip Wa Zee

Five Points: 940 Harden St., 803-376-1500. hipwazee.net. Founded in 1999 — and closing up shop in February after 20 years — this eclectic shop rents costumes of all kinds, and offers vintage clothing, jewelry and accessories.

Immaculate Body Piercing

Five Points: 2009 Greene St., 803-799-2877, immaculatepiercing.com. Immaculate Body Piercing’s employees are trained to exceed South Carolina requirements, and after your piercing has healed, Immaculate also offers a wide variety of jewelry, including custom settings and jeweler-quality pieces.

Indigo Rose Tattoo

Five Points: 2009 Greene St., Ste. 112, 803-799-2844, facebook.com/indigorosetattoostudio. Owner Shannon Purvis-Barron and her shop are perennial Free Times Best of Columbia winners, and Indigo Rose does top-quality, beautiful work.

Knotty Headz

Dentsville: 1608 Decker Blvd., 803-603-0641. St. Andrews: 1221 Broad River Rd., 803-603-9030, knottyheadz.com. Tattoo and body piercing studios owned by a husband-and-wife team with years of experience and a dedication to reasonable prices.

KURE Vaporium & Lounge

Vista: 620-B Gervais St., 803-845-1099. Upscale vape lounge offers custom-blended liquids and more.

Lucky 7’s Tattoo

West Columbia: 3937 Platt Springs Rd., 877-756-7868, luckysevens.net. Custom tattoo studio and art gallery.

Madvapes

Five Points: 701 Santee Ave., Ste. B, 803-708-5611. Harbison: 285 Columbiana Dr., 803-888-6028, madvapes.com. Sells e-cigarettes, e-liquid and all the vaping accessories you could need.

Nancy’s Nook

St. Andrews: 3311 Broad River Rd., 803-798-1010, thestoreforcouples.com. From lotions, lubes, leather and lingerie to all the “toys” you could possibly want, Nancy’s Nook is not called “the store for couples” for nothing. Open 24 hours.

Natural Vibrations

Five Points: 719 Harden St., 803-771-4144. Founded in 1997, Natural Vibrations is a classic college-town alternative shop. Carries hand-blown glass pipes, vapes, fair-trade clothing, incense and more. And if you’re looking for all things Rasta, this is your place.

Planet Vapor

Vista: 300 Huger St., 803-851-1418, planet-vapor.com. Specializes in electronic cigarettes and high-quality e-juice. Also has locations on Two Notch and Garners Ferry roads, and in Lexington.

Sickle and Moon Tattoo

Five Points: 2009 Greene St., 803-931-0007. Award-winning tattoo artists and quality ink.

Taboo

Devine Street: 4716 Devine St., 803-738-8307. Despite the City of Columbia’s neverending efforts to close it — and despite its frequent Going Out of Business sales — this adult store is still open.

Tattoo Trillionaires

7352 Two Notch Rd., 803-699-0114. tattootrillionaires.com. High-quality tattoos for all.

Vision Quest Body Art & Gallery

Downtown: 2620 Main St., 803-542-7115, phippstattoo.com. Founded by Steve Phipps, Vision Quest was the first tattoo parlor on Main Street.

Whit E. Octopus Vapors

Vista: 404 Pendleton St., 803-800-2094, columbiascvapeshop.com. Locally made vape juice, hardware and a chill atmosphere.

Music, Books, Comics & ‘Zines

2nd & Charles

Harbison: 275 Harbison Blvd., 803-749-9378, 2ndandcharles.com. Large store stuffed with used books, Blu-Ray and DVD movies, albums on CD and vinyl, toys, and comic books.

Addams University Bookstore

Downtown: 152 Assembly St., 803-256-6666, usc.bkstr.com. Student-textbook store also offers computer and smartphone accessories and Gamecock apparel.

Barnes & Noble

USC campus: 1400 Greene St. (Russell House University Union), 803-777-4160. Forest Acres: 3400 Forest Dr., 803-787-5600, barnesandnoble.com. Aisles and aisles of books, plus a Starbucks on site.

Bill’s Music Shop & Pickin’ Parlor

West Columbia: 710 Meeting St., 803-796-6477, billsmusicshop.com. The place to go in Columbia if you’re looking for a dobro, banjo, mandolin, acoustic guitar or any other old-timey instrument. Offers lessons and books, and presents concerts.

The Book Dispensary

St. Andrews/Broad River: 710-C Gracern Rd., 798-4739, mybookdispensary.com. Maybe you want to browse aisle upon aisle of used romance novels. Maybe you want to dig through books on South Carolina history. Maybe you have a hankering for a gardening book or a classic novel. Have at it: It’s all here. Also offers book repair and rebinding.

Cosmic Rays

Devine Street: 4427 Devine St., 803-661-8504, cosmicrays-online.com. Carries comics, games, collectibles and DVDs.

Drip Coffee

Five Points: 729 Saluda Ave., 803-661-9545, dripcolumbia.com. Come for the coffee — which is amazing — and stay for the vinyl. Great selection of classic indie and punk.

Ed’s Editions

West Columbia: 406 Meeting St., 803-791-8002, edseditions.com. If you’re the kind of person who can’t resist browsing the shelves of a used bookstore, then this is your place. Don’t miss the Rare Book room, which houses books ranging in value from $100 to $1,000.

Heroes and Dragons

St. Andrews/Broad River: 1621 Broad River Road, 803-731-4376. Comics, graphic novels, games and toys — including lots of collectibles.  

Papa Jazz Record Shoppe

Five Points: 2014 Greene St., 803-256-0095, papajazz.com. It might be small, but its racks are full not only with jazz, but also plenty of new and used R&B, hip-hop, indie rock, progressive rock, classic rock, reggae and more. A rite of passage for any self-respecting local music fan.

Pecknel Music Company

Five Points: 732 Saluda Ave., 803-799-6860, pecknelmusic.com. From guitars to keyboards to DJ and club gear, Pecknel has it. Also carries sheet music and rents band and orchestra instruments.

Scratch N Spin

West Columbia: 513 12th St., 803-794-8888. facebook.com/scratchnspinofficial. This Triangle City shop carries music, movies, comic books, video games and more — in just about every format past and present, too.

Sims Music

St. Andrews: 1110 St Andrews Rd., 803-772-1185, simsmusic.com. It’s worth the trek to St. Andrews to get to Sims — it’s a huge store full of guitars, amps, keyboards, sheet music, accessories and more. Also offers repairs and lessons.

South Carolina Bookstore

Downtown: 801 Main St., 803-799-7406. Textbooks, supplies and much more.  

Star Music

Downtown: 1322 Assembly St., 803-252-8133. Northeast: 9810 Two Notch Rd., 803-699-5200. Irmo: 6169 St. Andrews Rd., 803-750-0990. starmusicsc.com. Carries guitars, band and orchestra instruments, sheet music and accessories. String players take note: This is the place to get the old violin set up.

Turntable City

Lexington: 202 West Main St. Suite A, 803-546-2319. Vinyl from a variety of genres, including some rare finds.

Natural Foods and Farmers Markets

14 Carrot

5300 Sunset Blvd., Lexington, 803-359-2920, 14carrot.net. A locally run, comprehensive natural foods store in Lexington with aisles of organic food from meats to vegetables. Lots of focus on raw foods, including raw milk and a nicely stocked deli. And they got beauty and health products and cleaning products. The store runs on solar power, too.

City Roots

1005 Airport Blvd., 803-254-2302, cityroots.org. In lower Rosewood, City Roots is a working urban farm growing items such as fresh herbs, flowers and mushrooms as well as much more produce. They also host events and provide education opportunities.

Cottle Farms

2533 Trotter Rd., Hopkins, 803-695-1714, cottlestrawberryfarm.com. During the spring months — April, May and part of June — Cottle lets you pick your own strawberries by the quart or gallon. The berries are also available at roadside stands throughout the region. To find other pick-your-own operations, visit pickyourown.org.

Doko Farm

2101 Cedar Creek Rd., Blythewood, 803-873-7739, dokofarm.org. Humanely raised chickens, pigs, and lamb that are pasture fed without any antibiotics or growth hormones. You can meet them on their farm or arrange a pick-up location for your meat order.

Earth Fare

3312-B Devine St., 803-799-0048, earthfare.com. This natural grocery sources organic foods from all over the world. A stellar meat and seafood counter, tons of produce, wines and cheeses, deli, books, vitamins and supplements and beauty products.

Garner’s Natural Life

4840 Forest Dr. 803-454-7700, garnersnaturallife.com. Known for its experienced staff, the store specializes in natural food supplements, pet products and cosmetics.

The Fresh Market

4840 Forest Dr., 803-782-9100, thefreshmarket.com. The Fresh Market offers top-notch produce, meats and seafood. They also sell beer and wine and a range of cheeses as well as an array of candy when you’re ready to get away from the healthy choices.

Old McCaskill’s Farm

377 Cantey Lane (Rembert), 803-432-9537, oldmccaskillfarm.com. They offer lamb, pork, beef, goat, chicken, eggs, canned items and wool products, all antibiotic and medication free.

Rosewood Market

2803 Rosewood Dr., 803-765-1083, rosewoodmarket.com. This neighborhood market is old-school, local and sustainable. They offer fresh, local foods; natural beauty products; vitamins and herbs; a deli, and catering and takeout options.

Soda City Market

1400-1500 block of Main St., sodacitysc.com. Offering flowers to bakery items to local produce, the items are carefully curated and always fresh. Lots of breakfast and lunch choices. Open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

State Farmers Market

3483 Charleston Hwy., West Columbia, 803-737-4664, agriculture.sc.gov. Buy your food direct from South Carolina farmers. There’s also a restaurant, a tea store and a market pavilion. Open daily, though vendor hours vary.

Whole Foods

702 Cross Hill Rd., 803-509-6700, wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/columbia. With its purchase by Amazon, the store now offers some lower prices. They have everything from food to health and hygiene products. It’s like a regular supermarket but nicer.