Get a paper and pen, make a list of what goes into an ideal Christmas shopping foray and it’s all here in Indianapolis. Slip on some comfy shoes and get ready to find what your heart desires for you or someone on your gift list. Regardless of what you end up buying, memories of those special shopping jaunts are truly priceless.
Downtown Indianapolis is a great shopping destination — Photo courtesy of Visit Indy
A city of tradition, the capital of Indiana is a holiday wonderland. For many folks, the official start of the season is the day after Thanksgiving, when folks gather for the traditional Circle of Lights at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in downtown Indianapolis.
At the center of the Circle is the 284-foot-tall Soldiers and Sailors Monument, strung with lights to make one of the world’s largest Christmas trees.
Stroll the decorated tree-lined Indianapolis streets, and stop in the many specialty shops. For fun and funky shopping, head to the Mass Ave Arts District and its wealth of independent boutiques.
The nation’s oldest shoe store, Stout’s Shoes on Mass Ave is filled with nostalgic mementos and great shoes. Or go to Fountain Square Cultural District or Broad Ripple, with numerous vintage shops and one-of-a kind stores to fit all your shopping needs.
Mass Ave is a fun shopping destination — Photo courtesy of Visit Indy
If you prefer large indoor malls, "Indy" has those, too. With its mix of high-end anchors like Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue, the Fashion Mall at Keystone is a plush place to browse and stay busy.
Located in the heart of the city, Circle Centre mall features more than 125 specialty stores, plus a wide array of delicious dining options. As the largest mall in Indiana, Castleton Square Mall offers more than 130 shops, many dining options and four major department stores.
Indy's many attractions also offer great gift shops, where you can often find unusual and inexpensive gift items. Plenty of treasures await all across the city.
Shopping in downtown Indianapolis is a holiday tradition — Photo courtesy of Visit Indy
What sets this city apart? Maybe it's the friendly Hoosier nature of the folks you meet. Shop owners, many of them artists and craftspeople themselves, display a straightforward hospitality that sometimes seems to missing in today's fast-paced world. And they welcome the chance to talk about their business.
Or maybe it's the fine historic buildings that have been given new life as shops in neighborhoods throughout the city.
Either way, it feels good to buy from friendly people in an interesting old place that you remember as much for its character as for what you bought.
It's no wonder that shoppers find Indianapolis a major shopping mecca, no matter what their heart desires.