Astoria – Shopping

Astoria provides scores of reasons to shop local. Whether you want the latest Magic: The Gathering release or need a last-minute gift, are searching for a new dress or are on the hunt for a fabulous vintage find, you need not leave the neighborhood to find it.

 

 

Lockwood

Since opening as a decor and gifts shop in 2013, Lockwood has expanded to six stores in Queens and Brooklyn, including a stationery shop around the corner from the original Astoria store and a women’s apparel boutique around the corner. The main store is chock full of finds ranging from bottle stoppers that look like koalas and tumblers that when stacked form a dog to scented candles inspired by national parks and a globe-trotting array of sauces, spices, and cookbooks. The staff will also help you curate the ideal gift box for even your most difficult-to-shop-for family member or friend.

 

 

 

Hellenica Aesthetic

Given how many thousands of Greeks have made Astoria their home since the 1960s, it’s not surprising that the neighborhood has a shop dedicated to apparel, jewelry, and decor from Greece. (What is surprising is that the boutique didn’t open until 2021.) Don’t come in here expecting to find long skirts, embroidered aprons, and headscarves, however. The breezy dresses by Devotion Twins, for instance, are inspired by Greek embroidery motifs but fresh and flirty in design; Milkwhite’s apparel offers an innovative take on body-con design. The shop is also a great place to stop by for infused olive oil from Yiayia and Friends that comes in fun bottles you’ll definitely keep long after you’ve used up the contents.

 

 

 

Earth & Me

Like Hellenica Aesthetic, Earth & Me was founded after the Covid lockdown. It specializes in eco-friendly essentials, from locally made pure-beeswax candles to reef-friendly sunscreen in recycled packaging. Both of its Astoria stores, as well as its Brooklyn shop, also offer “refilleries”: Bring your own containers (or buy reusable ones there) to stock up on soaps, lotions, and other commodities.

 

Newtown HQ

The cure for a case of the blahs, this petite shop is awash in toys and gifts that range from cute to quirky, including stationery and candles from local artists and figurines from Mexico you won’t find anywhere else. When you need a Tokidoki, Sonny Angel, Smiski, or Miffy fix, Newtown HQ will see you right.

 

 

 

Astoria Bookshop

If your ideal bookstore is an airy yet well-stocked space that offers not only best-sellers but also a thoughtful curation of LGBTQ+, children’s, and YA titles, you’ll love Astoria Bookshop. The store has a robust calendar of book signings and readings as well. And if you’re a dog-lover, you’ll want to stop in to visit the official shop dog, Quincy the Cavalier King Charles spaniel.