It’s an accepted aim of gift giving to present your friend, partner, family member, mail carrier or whoever with something that is unique, right? Instead of grabbing an item from a the shelf of an impersonal big box store, where hundreds of replicas wait in their identical boxes maybe this year you should stop in somewhere like North Valley Emporium. Inside the expansive store on Second Street is all sorts of strange things you’ve been lowkey looking for—vintage cowboy boots? Check. Retro furniture? Obviously. Bakelite? Rugs? Costume jewelry? Of course! This gem of an antique store has all that stuff and a whole lot more that you never knew you always wanted. Beyond offering up a wealth of items that are one-of-a-kind and staunchly of the “they just don’t make ’em like this anymore” variety, overall, your shopping experience is going to be so much more pleasant than trying to park at the mall and then having to navigate through screaming children and Santa Claus impersonators. At the North Valley Emporium, friendly staff is decidedly hands-off, unless you need help moving a heavy piece of furniture to your car. Then, they’ve got you. Always worth the drive, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for in booth after booth at the North Valley Emporium, there’s tons more antique stores in this corridor ready for your perusal.
Nomades
“At home in the world” is the catch phrase at Nomades, a near-Corrales treasure stocked to the brim with fair trade treasures from the world over. In the unassuming strip mall on the corner of Alameda and Corrales Road is this shop, which magically offers entrée to the globe. Within its walls are treasures from artists working in many mediums—from weavings to ceramics to you know, your run-of-the-mill prayer flags. You know the drill. Specializing in homewares, you would be hard pressed to find a more expertly curated selection of bits and bobs—from candles to tableware to placemats—in this part of the city. What’s great about stopping in at Nomades, however, is that their stock is most certainly not limited to these things, and they in fact, have a nice selection of jewelry and even clothing. Not to mention a very cute wire card rack featuring seasonal greetings handmade by artists both local and abroad. Point being—no matter your budget or vague ideas about what you’re in the market for, Nomades has you covered.
