Shop Local in Uptown Charlotte

Find special gifts and local goods at Uptown Charlotte’s shops, boutiques and specialty stores.

The early 1900s was a prosperous time in Charlotte: textile mills were booming and banks were expanding. The economic growth in the area was drawing investors and merchants to Uptown. Tryon Street was the region’s most prestigious retail location and was home to Ivey’s Department Store (1900-1990), Belk Bros. (1909-1988) and Efird’s Department Store (1923-1956). As Charlotte evolved, large department stores moved to suburban malls, and Uptown’s retail footprint shrunk, but, today, the bustling business district is still home to local shops and boutiques waiting to be explored—including amazing gift shops in Uptown’s museums.

Before you get started, you’ll need a primer on Uptown’s shopping landscape, including two retail rows: Overstreet Mall and Latta Arcade/Brevard Court. Uptown’s Overstreet Mall is a hidden network of connected pathways featuring retail and food and beverage spots that run through the public interior spaces of Charlotte’s skyscrapers. In Uptown’s Third Ward, Latta Arcade and Brevard Court feature a two-level interior retail corridor and light-covered courtyard that runs from Tryon Street to Church Street and Romare Bearden Park. 

Note: Each shop may have adjusted hours due to COVID-19. Please contact each location to check hours before you go and practice social distancing while out.

GIFT SHOPS
CLTFind
Toni South and Christy Pope, two friends with a shared passion for Charlotte and small business, came together to launch CLT Find, a boutique gift shop that supports more than 80 local artists and purveyors. With multiple locations in Uptown, including the 7th Street Public Market and the One Wells Fargo building just off of the Overstreet Mall corridor, CLT Find offers unique and high-quality Charlotte souvenirs, gifts, treats, accessories, decor and more. 

Sarah’s Gift Shop
Located in the lobby of the Hilton Charlotte Center City in Second Ward, this cozy retail space is gift shop meets convenience store. With all the basic necessities plus unique Charlotte- and North Carolina-themed gifts and souvenirs, you’re sure to find just what you need. 

The Beehive Gifts
For more than 30 years, sisters Betsy Almond and Teresa Farson have been operating this trendy gift shop in Overstreet Mall (Bank of America Plaza section). Drawing guests in with cute decor and an enticing “beehive” entrance, the shop carries Charlotte-centric gifts and souvenirs, trendy accessories and jewelry, decor, baby gear and more. The Beehive also has an in-house floral designer, so you can grab a premade bouquet or design a custom arrangement.

WelcomeCLT & Charlotte Visitor Info Centers
Part welcome center, part gift shop, WelcomeCLT is the perfect place to stop when visiting Charlotte, looking for a Charlotte-centric gift, or looking for things to do and see in the area. Partnering with local artists and makers throughout the region, WelcomeCLT carries a carefully curated selection of locally made products, snacks, jewelry, apparel and more. In addition to the WelcomeCLT shop on the Wells Fargo Plaza in Second Ward, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) also operates a small info center/gift shop in the Charlotte Convention Center and a satellite info center at the Levine Museum of the New South.

BOUTIQUES
Ivy & Leo
Situated in the Founders Hall portion of Overstreet Mall, this fashion-forward, chic boutique was founded in 2009 and named for the owner’s beloved rescue dogs: Ivy and Leo. A locally and family-owned boutique, Ivy & Leo features the trendiest women’s clothes and accessories from across the country. The Uptown location is temporarily closed, but you can check out their selection online or at the SouthPark and Waverly locations.

Paul Andre Boutique
Located on McNinch Street in Third Ward, Paul Andre Boutique specializes in men’s and women’s African and European attire and accessories.

MENSWEAR
Abbeydale
Founded by David Watkins in 2009, Abbeydale specializes in versatile and elegant custom clothing for men. This high-end, custom tailor shop and showroom offers private appointments to help men discover the best quality clothing with the perfect fit. 

Nyoni Couture
Founded by designer Nyoni Sioh, Nyoni Couture is a luxury menswear boutique nestled in a retail shop on Graham Street in Uptown’s Fourth Ward. The shop features globally inspired high-end men’s fashion, including suits, blazers, dress shirts, dress pants, shoes, sneakers and accessories.

JEWELRY STORES
Brownlee Jewelers
This third-generation, family-owned, full-service jewelry store has been serving the Charlotte area for more than 80 years. With a location in Overstreet Mall, Brownlee Jewelers offers an impressive selection of jewelry brands as well as repair, custom design and engravings. While the Uptown location is temporarily closed, you can still explore their amazing selection online or at one of the other seven locations in the Charlotte region.

MUSEUM SHOPS
Bechtler Museum Store
Carrying both museum- and exhibit-inspired souvenirs as well as high-quality gifts and momentos, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art’s museum store, located right inside the main entrance, is open to the public during regular museum hours. All purchases support the exhibition programs at the museum.

Shop Science at Discovery Place Science
Featuring science-, nature- and technology-focused gifts, gadgets and gizmos, Discovery Place Science’s museum shop is the perfect place to pop in for a fun gift for your future scientists and inventors, although the store carries items for all ages. No admission is necessary for entry into the shop. In-store purchases support educational programs at Discovery Place Science.

Levine Museum of the New South Museum Store
The Levine Museum of the New South is one of the only museums of its kind: building community through history, it curates powerful exhibits about the New South from the end of the Civil War to today. The public museum store just inside the main entrance features books and souvenirs that celebrate the history of Charlotte and the South.

Gantt Center Museum Store
The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, named in honor of Charlotte’s first African American mayor, celebrates the contributions of Africans and African Americans to American culture. The museum is located in Charlotte’s Second Ward atop land that was formerly part of Brooklyn, a vibrant black community that was razed in the 1960s. Open to the public during museum hours, the museum store features gifts and mementos that celebrate the museum and the African American culture.

Mint Museum Shop
The Mint Museum Uptown features an inspiring in-store shopping experience with an eclectic selection of high-quality gifts and treats from local and international artisans, such as pottery, glassware, jewelry, books, toys and more.

TEAM/SPORTS STORES
Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC Team Store 
Operated by Fanatics, the Panthers and Charlotte FC Team Store at Bank of America Stadium features officially licensed jerseys, shirts, hats, apparel and other team-centric gifts for fans.

Charlotte Hornets Fan Shop
Located inside the Spectrum Center, the Hornets Fan Shop offers official Hornets gear, apparel and merchandise, a co-branded line of Jordan brand jerseys (NBA legend Michael Jordan is the majority owner of the team), and other top brands like New Era, Fanatics, Mitchell & Ness and more.

The Armor Shoppe
The AAA Charlotte Knights’ official team store, The Armor Shoppe, is located on the main concourse of Truist Field behind section 103. Featuring the most popular Charlotte Knights gear and merchandise, the store is open during games and regular hours during the week.

NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop
Celebrating the history and heritage of NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a must-see interactive entertainment attraction in Uptown’s Second Ward. The Hall of Fame’s 5,800-square-foot Gear Shop features an expansive selection of gifts perfect for the gearhead in the family. With hundreds of items, the Gear Shop carries NASCAR Hall of Fame, NASCAR, NASCAR driver and team-specific souvenirs, gifts and apparel. A special section called Champ’s Corner features kid-specific items themed around the Hall of Fame’s mascot, Champ the Cheetah. The Gear Shop is open to the public during regular hours, and each purchase supports the Hall of Fame’s mission to preserve the history of the sport.

SPECIALTY GROCERY
Harris Teeter Neighborhood Food Market
In 1949, W.T. Harris opened a grocery store in Charlotte with just a $500 loan. In the early 1960s, the store merged with Teeters Food Mart to become Harris Teeter, which has since expanded to other states in the South and is the largest chain in North Carolina. The quaint Uptown location at Sixth Street features a wide variety of grocery staples. 

Reid’s Fine Foods
The oldest grocery store in Charlotte, Reid’s Fine Foods is a specialty food store featuring local and regional provisions, produce, meat, beverages, gift baskets and more. The Uptown locations at Levine Avenue of the Arts and the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets have a limited-service cafe offering breakfast and lunch.

Whole Foods
The popular grocery chain focusing on natural and organic grocery items has an Uptown location with a coffee and beer bar, salad bar, and cafe featuring burgers, ramen, poke, sandwiches, tacos and burritos.