Where to Shop in Raleigh: Best Shopping Malls and Streets

Over the years, I’ve watched Raleigh evolve from a quietly confident Southern capital into one of the Southeast’s most enticing retail destinations. Raleigh is a city with a dual identity; one part is innovative, tucked into the corner of the Research Triangle, and another that’s deeply rooted in traditions: woodworking, textiles, pottery, and agriculture have all shaped the city for generations. 

The result? A shopping scene that’s both forward-thinking and fiercely local. You’ll find polished national brands and high-end designers in shopping malls, yes, but you’ll also find neighborhood districts that are walkable and brimming with independent, family-owned stores, boutiques, vintage markets, antique shops, and old-school record stores. 

Each corner of Raleigh has its own personality, and that can make finding a place to shop in Raleigh a challenge for those who don’t know the city well.

So, for those visiting Raleigh for a shopping spree, this guide is for you. Whether you’re looking for contemporary art, vintage denim, bean-to-bar chocolates, or hand-thrown ceramics, here is where to do some retail therapy in Raleigh, NC:

Shopping Malls

North Hills

• Address: 4321 Lassiter at North Hills Ave
• Website: https://www.visitnorthhills.com/ 
• Most well-known stores: ABC Store, Alo Yoga, Anthropologie, Chanel, Fleur Boutique, Harris Teeter, J.Crew, Ky’s Kandles, La Maison, LensCrafters, Lululemon, Paper Source, Quail Ridge Books, REI, Sephora, Sunglass Hut, Target, Voda Boutique, Walgreens

North Hills is the premier shopping district in Raleigh. Since opening in 1960 it has expanded to include 130+ local shops, mostly made of high-end boutiques, as well as restaurants, bars, salons, cinemas, a bowling alley, and a Farmers’ Market.

We’re fans of all four districts within North Hills: Main District, Lassiter District, Park District, and the new North Hills Innovation District (NHID). Each of the districts are pedestrian-friendly outdoor shopping promenades with excellent restaurants. Park your car and everything is within walking distance, you can even walk within districts.

If you’re looking for some new clothes, North Hills is a good fit (get it?). It’s one of the best places to go for unique fashion, as well as home decor and gift items. Check out our gift guide. Some of our favorite stores in North Hills are:

Uniquities

Uniquities is a locally owned and operated women’s boutique clothing store, originating in Chapel Hill, and now has stores in Raleigh (two locations), Huntersville, and Charlotte. The designs are fashion-forward, offering some of the latest trends and unique contemporary styles. Everything is handpicked. 

Voda Boutique

Voda is a women’s boutique store local to Raleigh. It showcases laid-back, bohemian fashion and modern, on-trend designs. Voda has a unique collection of hand-picked designs from emerging local designers, as well as some well-recognized global brands such as Billabong, Daydreamer LA, and HEIR.

Gene Chandler

Gena Chandler is owned by two sisters from Raleigh and offers a curated mix of clothing and accessories in a variety of styles and price points. They also specialize in denim, though on a more high-caliber designer, as well as handbags, and shoes. 

Quail Ridge Books 

We love an independent bookstore, so we can’t miss Quail Ridge Books off this list. This local independent bookshop was founded in 1984 and has a carefully selected collection of books, as well as hosts events, discussion groups, and town hall meetings. 

Lamb’s Ear Children’s Clothing and Shoes

If the little tikes are growing too fast, head to Lamb’s Ear Children’s Clothing & Shoes for children’s clothing, baby gifts, and timeless classics. They have a huge collection of Noodle & Boo products, Jellycat soft toys, Little Giraffe blankets, and much more!

La Maison

If you’re on the hunt for some homewares, La Maison is a boutique home store where you can get unique furnishings, homely accessories, gifts, and interior design services. 

Learning Express Toys & Gifts

Another great place for kids’ toys and learning aids, is Learning Express Toys & Gifts. This independently owned store has a wide collection of unique and classic toys that have passed the test of time. 

Maker’s Alley

 Makers Alley, a hub and alley way for hyperlocal businesses owners and creators to show off their products and services on a walkable ground level. In Makers Alley you can shop from the following local stores:

• Green Rabbit – house plants and planters designed for home living. 
• Hellbent – curated boutique clothing, accessories and lifestyle collections.
• Ky’s Kandles – luxury, refillable candles hand poured in NC.
• Bofémme – quality and unique jewelry.
• Unlikely Professionals – quirky gifts and clothes for men
• A Lil’ R & R – studio + shop – curated gifts for you and your pets and fun events!

Village District

• Address: 2068 Clark Ave, Raleigh
• Website: https://www.shopvillagedistrict.com/ 
• Most well-known stores: Harris Teeter, Sephora, Barnes & Noble, Walgreens, SuperCuts, Fleet Feet, Kannon’s, fab’rik, Copper Penny

Another great shopping district close to downtown Raleigh is the Village District (formerly Cameron Village). When it first opened in 1949, it was the first shopping district between Washington D.C. and Atlanta.

Its location is ideal, being just 2 miles from NC State University, within walking distance of Hillsborough Street, and less than a 10-minute drive from downtown. This means it’s one of the busiest shopping areas outside of downtown.

This open-air shopping mall has 65 stores, as well as entertainment offerings such as a movie theater and comedy club. You can also get free-parking for up to 2 hours.

The Village District is where to go for internationally recognized and national brands, though it has a few boutiques in the mix too. A few of our favorite stores in the Village District include:

Fab’rik

Fab’rik is a national boutique store that offers affordable and stylish clothing for women. They pride themselves in serving fashion that’s beautiful but costs less than $100 per item.

Onward Reserve

For any guys out there looking for a cool place to shop, Onward Reserve is the men’s apparel store dreams are made of. High-quality fashion for men, plus a bar inside with a comfy couch and a screen playing the latest game.

Great Outdoor Provision Co.

Great Outdoor Provision Co offers a huge range of outdoor supplies for any kind of adventure. When you shop here, you’re supporting an NC owned business – a percentage of every purchase made at their stores goes toward local conservation efforts.

Crabtree Valley Mall

• Address: 4325 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh
• Website: https://www.shopcrabtree.com/ 
• Most well-known stores: Abercrombie & Fitch, Aldo, Apple, Banana Republic, Barnes and Noble, Bath & Body Works, Best Buy, Claire’s, Crocs, Fabletics, Foot Locker, GameStop, H&M, Hollister, Lego, Levi’s, lululemon, Lush, Miniso, The North Face, Oakley, Old Navy, Sephora, Toys “R” Us, Vans, Victoria’s Secret, Yankee Candle

Crabtree Valley Mall is a huge shopping mall with 200 stores, including three large department stores (Belk, Belk Men’s Store, and Macy’s). It’s the place to go when you’re stuck for options.

Sitting on the bustling Glenwood Avenue just off the I-440 loop, this mammoth shopping mall has been a beacon for Triangle shoppers since it first opened its doors in 1972, a time when downtown Raleigh was just beginning to sprawl. 

From its humble beginnings, Crabtree has grown into a super hub, boasting more than 1.3 million square feet of retail space, making it officially the largest enclosed mall in the Raleigh-Durham area and one of the biggest in the Southeast.

It mostly offers international and national brands, such as the Apple Store, Banana Republic, Build-A-Bear, H&M, Lego, and Michael Kors to name a few, but also has a few locally-owned stores too!

Whether you’re looking for home furnishings, toys, apparel, shoes, electronics, and technology, or somewhere to window shop with an iced latte in hand, Crabtree Valley Mall has it all.

And when it comes to fueling up, there are dozens of restaurants and eateries and a food court that beckon you with tantalizing smells when your feet grow tired – The Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Chang’s sit next to classic mall food-court staples like Chick-fil-A.

Parking at Crabtree, however…well, to be honest, it’s part of the experience. The mall is wrapped in multilevel parking decks, which are free for two hours, but it can be confusing to navigate for the first time. During busy weekend periods, I recommend you plan a few extra minutes to navigate the decks.

Lafayette Village 

• Address: 8450 Honeycutt Rd, Raleigh
• Website: http://lafayettevillageraleigh.com/ 
• Most well-known stores: Ella Collective, Koket Boutique, Miretta, Stuf N’ Such, TLC for Bikes, Woofinwaggle

Located in North Raleigh, Lafayette Village is a shopping village with a cute European vibe. It’s small and has a handful of boutique shops, but the main draw here is the architecture and laid-back European vibe.

It feels like walking through a village in the hills of Tuscany, with shuttered windows, squares with water features, and there’s even a miniature Eiffel Tower.

There are 14 stores and a handful of restaurants and cafes. Some notable stores here are The Chocolate Boutique, for artisan chocolates, The Olive Wagon, for fresh olive oil products, and Koket Boutique, for women’s clothing, accessories, and gifts.

Triangle Town Center

• Address: 5959 Triangle Town Blvd, Raleigh
• Website: http://www.triangletowncenter.com/ 
• Most well-known stores: American Eagle, Barnes & Noble, Bath & Body Works, Belk, Champs, Claire’s, Foot Locker, Hollister, Macy’s, Miniso, Victoria’s Secret

Over in Northeast Raleigh, Triangle Town Center is a shopping mall known for its brand-name fashion retailers and department stores. It has over 100 stores and restaurants, as well as a large food court with lots of dining options. 

Spread across two levels, the mall has traditionally been anchored by familiar department-store names like Macy’s, Dillard’s, Belk, and North Carolina’s only Saks Fifth Avenue, and houses more than 140–165 specialty shops, from globally recognised brands to local hidden gems.

Triangle Town Center has a large food court that forms the nucleus of its space, and has several sit-down restaurants offering everything from barbecue and pizza to pub classics.

I would describe Triangle Town Center as a more family-oriented mall, and it has lots of shops for parents and children. Whether you’re looking for back-to-school shopping or just having a weekend chilling with the family, there are plenty of shops and a children’s play area to keep little ones entertained.

When it comes to parking, there’s an expansive surface lot that wraps around the mall on all sides, with clearly marked rows and easy access from the surrounding road network.

Raleigh State Farmers’ Market

• Address: 1201 Agriculture St, Raleigh
• Website: https://www.ncagr.gov/

We love the Raleigh State Farmers Market, which is the biggest farmer’s market in North Carolina. Open seven days a week, all year round, this huge 75-acre farmers market is the place to go for fresh produce, plants, and seasonal goods.

Most produce is from Durham County, though there are products from further afield inside the Market Shoppes, a climate-controlled room to ensure produce stays fresh.

We get our pasture-raised meats from Rainbow Meadow Farms, who have a store here on Saturday and Sunday, 9:00am-3:00pm. Read more: Top Farmers Markets in Raleigh.

The Raleigh Market

• Address: 4285 Trinity Rd, Raleigh
• Website: http://www.theraleighmarket.com/ 
• Most well-known stores: Angelica Wellness Shop, Isabel’s Boutique, Off Grid Outfitters, Gemthropology, Karnsteins Emporium, Skye & Fern, Twice Played Toys, The Vintage Box  

The Raleigh Market is a weekly flea market that only opens on the weekend, but it’s a great place to go to get second-hand items and vintage stuff. It began in the 70s and quickly grew as the place to go to find antiques and collectible items, such as comic books, games, and jewelry. 

Today, it has more than 500 vendors selling their wares each weekend. It’s a real community-oriented shopping experience and a great place to find a bargain! Many of the vendors are local artists and artisans who are happy to talk about their handmade products.

Fenton, Cary

• Address: 201 Fenton Gtwy Dr, Cary
• Website: https://fentonnc.com/
• Most well-known stores: Altar’d State, Arhaus, Athelta, Aveda, Bailey’s fine Jewelry, Free People, Kendra Scott, lululemon, Nike, Sephora, Vestique  

Another place to shop in Cary is Fenton, a 92-acre mixed-use area known for its boutique shops and restaurants. It’s similar to the North Hills district in Raleigh, in that it’s a neighborhood on the rise.

Fenton has a “village vibe” and more traditional architecture. There are around 20 retail stores, most of them boutiques. Some recognizable names here include Athleta, Arula, Nike, Lulumon, and Sephora, to name a few, but if you want to shop boutique, some of our favorites are:

Vestique 

Vestique was founded by two NC State grad students who founded a trendy fashion store that started out as trunk shows and now has 12 locations across the Southeast. They sell the latest trends at affordable prices.

Alter’d State

Alter’d State is another women’s fashion brand that has some of the newest trends in fashion, as well as offers accessories, home decor, and gifts.

Crossroads Plaza (Cary)

Another shopping center we have visited a lot (we used to live close by) is over in Cary, only a 20-minute drive from downtown. Crossroads Plaza is a great place to find recognizable retail chains, such as Dick’s Sporting Goods, Skechers, Old Navy, J. Crew, Best Buy, and more.

It’s quite an old-fashioned strip mall but it has something for everyone, lots of parking spaces, and some decent food options too!

Beaver Creek Crossings & Commons, Apex

• Address: 1581 Beaver Creek Commons Dr, Apex
• Website: https://www.beavercreekcrossings.com/
• Most well-known stores: TJ Maxx,Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bath & Body Works, Old Navy,

Beaver Creek Crossings is a 20-minute drive from downtown Raleigh, and just off US-64 W, making it really accessible. It’s where to go in Apex if you want to shop at Old Navy, Bath & Bodyworks, Dick’s Sporting Goods, TJ Maxx, Kirkland’s, Ross, Five Below, Uptown Cheapskate, and Family Dollar/Dollar Tree. The stores here are big and have lots of options, and there’s plenty of parking.

While you’re in Apex, head to downtown to visit one of our favorite stores in the town. Rose & Lee is a boutique store that has beautiful women’s clothing and is where Caz often shops for her dresses. It has tons of vibrant clothing and elegant jewelry in its range, as well as some fun gifts.

Mission Valley Shopping Center

• Address: 2233 Avent Ferry Rd, Raleigh
• Website: http://www.missionvalleysc.com/ 
• Most well-known stores: Schoolkids Records, Jerusalem Bakery & Grocery, Jerusalem Meat Market 

Mission Valley Shopping Center isn’t the largest shopping center, but its location near NC State University makes it a worthwhile place to shop when you’re visiting the campus. This modest strip retail opened in the late 1970s, and honestly, it doesn’t look like it has changed much, but that’s all part of its charm.

With about a dozen shops and eateries, it’s alright for picking up everyday essentials. When you’re done browsing, why not head for a stroll in Pullen Park next door? Or catch a movie at the independent movie theatre, Mission Valley Cinemas. 

Shopping Streets

Downtown Raleigh

The best thing about downtown Raleigh is that it’s packed full of locally owned stores. From Moore Square up to Glenwood and Mordecai, there is no shortage of independent stores in downtown Raleigh that offer unique and innovative items. Some of our favorite stores are:

DECO

DECO is the place to go for gifts. They offer locally made, handmade gifts, housewares, books, and cards by more than 75 local artisans and makers. The collection here is unique and creative.

Unorthodox Vintage

Unorthodox Vintage is a thrift store that started out as a Pop-Up shop on Martin St and is now in a brick-and-mortar building downtown on Wilmington Street. This black-owned, independent business offers vintage and secondhand clothing.

Raleigh Iron Works

Raleigh Iron Works is a newer development in Raleigh that is starting to develop as a cool, albeit small, shopping district both for its markets and retail stores. It’s home to one of our favorites, The Flourish Market, which used to be downtown.

The Flourish Market 

One of our favorite local stores in Raleigh is The Flourish Market, a woman-owned boutique gift store. This market has a fun collection of women’s clothing plus over 400 gift options, most of which are under $20, making it the perfect place to go looking for stocking fillers while Christmas shopping or to pick up a unique item for a birthday or anniversary.

Fall Back Vintage

Fall Back Vintage draws in the crowds with its healthy curated mix of timeless fashion, rare finds, and one-of-a-kind pieces. Shop vintage clothing and accessories that celebrate style, individuality, and sustainability.

Hunky Dory

Hunky Dory is the perfect place for shopping in Raleigh Iron Works. Flip through curated new and vintage records, sip local brews, and soak up the laid-back vibe. More than a shop, it’s a community hangout for good music, good beer, and good people. With locations in Durham, Cary, and previously Seaboard, we’ve had hunky dory feelings about one of our favorite vinyl stores in Raleigh for a long time.

Urban Pathos

You’re going to feel a dose of welcome Zen the minute you walk into this green filled space teeming with oxygen. Urban Pathos is a queer and minority-owned houseplant shop offering a wide variety of plants, whimsical pots, and in-store potting services. See more LGBTQA+ businesses in Raleigh.

Beatniks

Keeping the on-trend vibe of Raleigh Iron Works, Beatniks combines street, surf, skate, and outdoor brands and styles to provide shoppers with curated, quality, everyday clothes with an edge.

North Person Street

The main spine of Raleigh’s shopping streets is, in our opinion, North Person Street, which stretches northwest through downtown from the State Capitol Building and ends just before Mordecai Historic Park. Along its edge, some of Raleigh’s best boutiques, thrift stores and vintage shops. It also has laid-back coffee shops and casual eateries between stores, making it a wonderful street to simply stroll along and look through shop windows.

With dozens of independent shops and specialty retailers, you can find everything from vintage fashion to e-bike retailers. Some of our favorite stores on this road are Edge of Urge and So & So Books. You can read more about exploring N. Pearson St here.

Edge of Urge 

The Edge of Urge boutique store specializes in handmade and independent designer clothing, accessories, shoes, and jewelry. We love this store for its collection of uncommon items and artful pieces. They also have clothing for babies and kids, as well as homeware and gift items.

Hillsborough Street

Hillsborough Street is more associated with bars and coffee shops, but since it’s a student hub and where you’ll find the NCSU campus, you can find the odd quirky shop or art gallery between student haunts.

Originally laid out as a country road, it is now a 2½-mile commercial and cultural corridor linking downtown with North Carolina State University and beyond. Hillsborough Street doesn’t have huge malls, but small shops, quirky boutiques, and convenience spots framed by cafés and eateries. 

The vibe here is distinctly local and approachable, shaped by the steady flow of students. Some of my favorite shops on this road are Reader’s Corner Book Shop and Nice Price Books & Music with their eclectic collection of vinyl and second-hand books.

Read more: Ultimate Guide to Hillsborough Street (Eat, Drink, Shop, Play) and Holiday Shopping on Hillsborough Street: Your Guide

Streets at Southpoint, Durham

A 30-minute drive away is the city of Durham, which is another great place to go shopping if you’ve exhausted your options in Raleigh. The Streets at Southpoint is a state-of-the-art shopping mall with an award-winning design and more than 150 globally recognized retailers. 

From Barnes & Noble to Forever 21, this is a popular place to go for your typical high-street brands and chains. It also has department stores, a food court, and a lifestyle area where you can relax between shops. My daughters love shopping here – so if you’re looking for things to do with teens in Raleigh, this is one idea they’ll love!