Why shop locally?
By choosing to shop at locally-owned, independent stores rather than chain stores and large national corporations, we are directly helping to grow our local economy and enrich our community.
More great reasons to shop locally can be found in this article: “Why I Try Really Hard to Shop Locally”. You can also read up on the local independent shopping movement in Durham at Sustainabull.
How to shop locally in Durham, North Carolina
Durhamites can consider these local shopping alternatives, listed by category:
Clothing
- Host a clothing swap for your friends. It’s free, and everyone gets great stuff!
- Shop at local thrift stores whenever possible. Proceeds usually benefit the local community, and thrift shopping does not encourage production of more new products. Pennies for Change is one of my favorites!
- Fifi’s Fine Resale — a consignment store on Main St. — is amazing and delightful.
- Check out Durham’s lovely clothing boutique culture – particularly those on 9th St., Main St and in the Brightleaf Shopping Center (Some of Crystal’s favorites are Magpie, Vert & Vogue and Vaguely Reminiscent.)
Gifts
- Parker & Otis (S. Duke St. near Brightleaf Square)
- Vaguely Reminiscent on 9th St.
- Morgan Imports at Brightleaf Square
- Dolly’s Vintage on Main St.
- Ox & Rabbit on 9th St. (they do amazing gift wrapping)
- For gift ideas, see also Crystal’s Guide to Clutter-Free Gift Giving.
Shoes
- Before you buy new, consider repairing your old ones at a shoe repair store like 1-2 Shoe Renew.
- Vaguely Reminiscent on 9th St.
- Morgan Imports at Brightleaf Square (They have Tom’s.)
- Cozy on 9th St.
Sporting Goods
- Bull City Running (Hwy 54/I-40 in South Durham)
- 9th St. Active Feet (Iredell St.)
- Omega Sports (15/501 location or Renaissance Pkwy location) A North Carolina-wide chain.
Wine/Beer
- Sam’s Quick Stop (Erwin Rd.)
- Wine Authorities (University Dr.)
- FullSteam Brewery (Rigsbee St.)
- Parker & Otis (S. Duke St. near Brightleaf Square)
Shipping and mailing
- A-1 Stop Mail Shoppe (9th St.) Very quirky but super friendly little place. I support these guys 100% because I get personal service and lots of friendly conversation whenever I go.
Photocopies and printing services
- Spee Dee Que Instant Printing (E. Chapel Hill St./Foster St.) This is a very “Durham” sort of place (i.e., messy, homegrown, old school..) but they care deeply about the work they do, and there’s a Chihuahua. Also it is a thousand times better than going to Kinko’s.
Auto supplies
- United Auto Parts (Broad St.)
Groceries
- Durham Farmers’ Market Open all year!
- TROSA Grocery Store (Angier Ave)
- Coming soon —> Durham Central Market! (N. Mangum St)
- Coming soon —> Bull City Urban Market (Taylor St near Goldenbelt)
Books
- Durham County Library system and their amazing annual book sales!
- The Regulator Bookshop (9th St.) New and used books.
- Nice Price Books (Broad St.) Used books
- Books Do Furnish a Room (Markham/Broad) Used books, comics and CDs
- Northgate Books (Northgate Mall) Used and rare books.
Music
- Offbeat Music (Brightleaf Square)
Hardware and building materials
Skip Lowe’s and Home Depot! Opt instead for:
- Public Hardware (N. Mangum St) Durham’s oldest hardware store!
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore (15/501)
Furniture
- Thrift stores, yard sales and flea markets!
- Craigslist
- TROSA Furniture (Foster St.) We consistently find great stuff at TROSA Furniture. They deliver too!
- Morgan Imports (Gregson St. near Brightleaf Square)
Pharmacy/medicine
- Main St. Pharmacy on Main St.
- Gurley’s Pharmacy on Main St.
Pet supplies
- Barnes Supply Co. on 9th St.
Office supplies
- Not Just Paper on Main St. This is another one of those very “Durham” sorts of place (i.e., messy, homegrown, old school…) but they care deeply about what they do, and it’s super fun to shop here. I discover new things every time.
Games
- Sci-Fi Genre (Old Chapel Hill Rd) Board games, role playing games, comic books and much more. They will special order you anything you can’t find in their store.
Garden supplies
- Stone Bros. on corner of Geer/Washington St. These are the friendliest people who are incredibly helpful with gardening tips! They have full service customer service, including the standard practice of carrying/wheeling all your purchases out to your car for you.
- Barnes Supply Co. on 9th St.
Coffee
Rather than Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts, you might choose one of these favorite local coffee shops:
- Bean Traders (9th St. and Hwy 54/I-40)
- Scratch (Orange St.) They carry lovely Counter Culture coffee, roasted locally — not to mention the best pastries in the Triangle.
- Rue Cler (Chapel Hill Blvd)
- Blue Coffee Cafe (Corcoran St.)
- Joe Van Gogh (Broad St.) Certified organic coffee roaster.
- Beyu Caffe (Main St.)
If you know of any other great local business alternatives you think Durham should know about, please drop Crystal a line!!
Thanks for this awesome local list, Crystal!
This is really cool, Crystal. The Habitat Re-Store is a great place to get furniture, too.
Great list, Crystal!
Do you have any thoughts about buying foreign-made goods at a locally-owned store vs. buying US-made goods at a (responsible) chain store — in terms of environmental factors, labor practices, etc. Obviously, buying locally-produced goods from a locally-owned business would be ideal, but that’s not always totally realistic. Do you know whether stores like Morgan Imports (which I love!) check the origins of the various products they sell?
My similar conundrum during the holidays is the gifts I buy for local charities such as homeless shelters. If I have a set amount of money to spend, is it better to help two local people by purchasing “responsible” (but more expensive) gifts or to help four local people by buying less expensive, foreign-made gifts at a chain store?
Clearly not all-or-nothing situations, but something I struggle with…