The great, great House of Guitars (the basement, at least)
Shopping around Rochester is dominated by the major suburban commercial strips: Route 104 (Ridge Road) in Greece, and Route 252 (Jefferson Road) in Henrietta. You'll also find major big-box retailers along Route 104 in Irondequoit and Webster, Route 31 (Monroe Ave) in Brighton and Pittsford, and Route 96 in Victor. The three area indoor shopping malls are The Mall at Greece Ridge in Greece, The Marketplace in Henrietta, and Eastview Mall in Victor. Pittsford Plaza is an upscale and very large strip mall on Monroe Avenue in Pittsford.
Within the city proper, you won't find many large chains, but rather a wide array of independent shops and boutiques. Park Avenue is a particularly rich location for such shops, as well as great dining options. You'll also find quaint shopping districts in Charlotte near the harbor, along Exchange Boulevard on the east side of Corn Hill, and all along Monroe Avenue.
One unique space you won't want to miss is Village Gate Square on North Goodman Street between University Avenue and East Main Street, part of the "Neighborhood of the Arts". It doesn't look like much from the outside, but on the inside it's an old industrial space filled with small independent retail shops and eclectic restaurants. The upper floor also houses space for artists' workshops, so it's almost like a free art gallery up there. Among the many shops on the lower floor:
The Bop Shop, 274 N Goodman St (northwest corner of Village Gate), ☎ +1 585 271-3354 (), . Tu-Sa 11AM-8PM, Su noon-5PM. The legendary Bop Shop is a tiny space crammed to overflowing with vinyl records, cassette tapes, and compact discs covering every era and every style. True music-lovers can spend hours pawing through the racks and uncovering treasure after treasure?albums they either never knew existed, or haven't seen in decades. The staff are all highly knowledgeable collectors and they love to talk music with customers. Often hosts jazz concerts; see web site for schedule.$0.50-$20 and up. �
Comics Etc., 274 N Goodman St (Village Gate), ☎ +1 585 473-7150, . M noon-6PM, Tu Sa 11AM-6PM, W F 11AM-6:30PM, Th 11AM-7:30PM, Su noon-5PM. There are a few good comic shops in Rochester, but Comics Etc. has long been one of the best. �
OUTlandish Videos and Gifts, 274 N Goodman St (Village Gate), ☎ +1 585 760-8383 (), . M-Sa 11AM-9PM, Su noon-5PM. GLBT items of every sort from T-shirts and greeting cards to leather and fetish wear. They sell GLBT-themed videos, too, both mainstream films and more "adult" fare. �
Yankee Peddler Book Shop, 274 N Goodman St (Village Gate), ☎ +1 585 271-5080. M-Sa 11AM-6PM, Su noon-5PM. Over 25,000 antique and other used books. Stacks upon stacks of paper-based reading material. You never know what you'll find. �
Some other places of note for shoppers:
Rochester Public Market, 280 N Union St, ☎ +1 585 428-6907, . Tu Th 6AM-1PM, Sa 5AM-3PM. Established in 1905, the public market features over 300 stalls where independent sellers ply their wares, from cheap locally grown produce to handmade crafts and other curiosities. Great fun to just walk around, but good luck getting out without buying anything. Open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturdays. �
Archimage, 668 Monroe Ave, ☎ +1 585 271-2789. 11AM-7PM. Great gift shop with a very unique selection. They sell children's toys, cards, jewelry, incense, stones, chimes, housewares, unconventional clothing items, and more... �
Craft Company No. 6, 785 University Ave, . Housed in a converted firehouse, this is probably one of the most unique stores you will ever go to. Everything is handmade and for sale. Very artsy and not mass marketed. �
Greenwood Books, 123 East Ave (near the Little Theatre). A nice selection of new and used books, with some older items that one simply can't find in large chain bookstores. Of particular interest is the selection of books covering both historical and modern Rochester. �
House of Guitars, 645 Titus Ave, Irondequoit, ☎ +1 585 544-3500, . M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 1PM-5PM. The "Great, Great House of Guitars" has a huge selection of new and used records, CD's, and cassettes, most of which you won't be able to find anywhere else. The store is also a shrine to music and musicians, with an extensive collection of instruments for sale. Some of the biggest music groups in the world (Metallica, Ozzy, "Weird Al", etc.) go out of their way to come to this store, because of the selection and the knowledgeable, well-connected staff. �
Lori's Natural Foods, 900 Jefferson Rd, Henrietta (in the Genesee Valley Regional Marketplace), ☎ +1 585 424-2323, . M-Sa 8AM-9PM, Su 10AM-6PM. An organic and natural-food superstore; incredible selection and very good service. �
Parkleigh, 215 Park Ave, ☎ +1-800-333-0627 (, fax: +1 585 244-7773), . M-F 10AM-8PM, Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 10AM-5PM. The most typically Park Avenue of all the Park Avenue stores, Parkleigh is a gift shop par excellence. One of the oldest retailers of MacKenzie-Childs ceramics, they also specialize in gourmet coffee and tea. �
Record Archive, 33 1/3 Rockwood St, ☎ +1 585 244-1210, . M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 12PM-5PM. A Rochester icon with probably the biggest selection of used vinyl records in the city. Doesn't have a great selection of newer records but will wow you with its extensive collection of used records The Record Archive also hosts many concerts on a stage located in the middle of its spacious warehouse. �
Simply New York, 4364 Culver Rd, Irondequoit (Sea Breeze Dr to Durand Blvd, W to Culver, turn right), ☎ +1 585 413-0895, . Tu-Sa 10AM-7PM. This new boutique sells nothing that was not manufactured or assembled in the state of New York. You'll find foodstuffs of all kinds, of course, but also fine silverware, musical instruments, backpacks, and licensed puzzles and games from Buffalo Games. A great place to go to get gifts and souvenirs, or even just for your regular shopping. �
Thread, 654 South Ave, ☎ +1 585 232-7110 (), . M-Sa 11AM-7PM, Su noon-4PM. Hip clothing and gift boutique in the South Wedge. �
While the usual generic liquor stores abound, there are specialty shops that are worth a second look:
Beers of the World, 3450 Winton Pl, Brighton, ☎ +1 585 427-2852 (, fax: +1 585 427-0524), . M-W 10AM-7PM, Th-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 11AM-4PM. A huge selection of both macro and micro brews from all over the world, plus home-brewing supplies. Also has a large display filled with good cigars. Word to the wise: the owners are quite stand-offish, especially to first time customers and some of the beers are not that fresh. Watch out for dust! �
Century Liquor and Wines, 3349 Monroe Ave, Pittsford (Pittsford Plaza), ☎ +1 585 248-0931, . M-Sa 9AM-9PM, Su noon-6PM. In the highly regarded Pittsford Plaza, Century Liquor has a very large selection of wine and liquor, including vintage. Was recently honored in NYC by Market Watch Magazine. Receives tour buses from the nearby vineyard- and winery-laden Finger Lakes, which is the second largest wine producing area in the U.S. �
East Ave Liquor and Wine, 1667 East Ave (Across the street from Wegmans), ☎ +1 585 271-5119. M-Sa 8:30AM-9PM, Su noon-6PM. Wide selection of imported, domestic and New York wines and very helpful staff. Off-street parking.(43.1467,-77.5599)�
Wine Sense, 749 Park Ave, ☎ +1 585 271-0590. Located near numerous other small shops and cafes, this wine dealer has a very friendly staff and carries many quality wines from the Finger Lakes region. �
There are several bookstores on Monroe Ave and East Ave which sell new, used, and rare books.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Rochester (New York)
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Rochester (New York) - updated Apr 2024
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