People may come to Asheville with a list of restaurants to try or a list of breweries to visit, but you really shouldn’t miss out on the shopping in Asheville either. The downtown area is home to a thriving network of local boutiques and cool shops, all bringing a unique Asheville vibe but with clothing and gifts that fit a variety of styles and price points. 

A nice thing about frequenting the best boutiques in Asheville is that you’re likely to find a lot of items sourced with an ethical, sustainable effort made to provide both high quality and a supply chain that supports textile workers. 

And you don’t have to restrict yourself to clothing boutiques. The shops in Asheville include a variety of gift shops and local goods shops that will help even the person least interested in clothes shopping to find something they love as a souvenir or gift. 

That being said, we do recommend that anyone who loves shopping for clothes, shoes, and accessories set aside a budget to enjoy the many, many clothing boutiques in Asheville since you’ll find both uniquely Asheville looks – this town has a bit of a hippie streak – and lots of classy options for day or night! 

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The 20 Best Boutiques in Asheville Where You Can Shop Like a Local

1. Look as Good as You Feel at AdLib Boutique

When it comes to shops in Asheville, a great place to start is AdLib boutique, which bills itself as offering “creative clothing for inspired living.” They’ve been sharing their flair for fashion for over 25 years in downtown Asheville. 

Take a look around, and you’ll find a variety of beautiful fabrics, well-made bags, and excellent accessories. Anna, the owner, has been all over the world and knows what looks great on so many women that she can curate an incredible selection for her customers. Anna has built a friendly and responsive customer service team that focuses on finding just the right pieces for each customer who walks through the door. 

2. Become a Fashion Icon at Honeypot Vintage

While new clothes can be fun, I have a soft spot for the clothing boutiques in Asheville that specialize in vintage. For over 20 years, Ashevillians have been turning to Honeypot Vintage for everything from 1920s fashion to 1980s clothing for all genders. 

They can tell when an item may have been neglected but can be cleaned, repaired, or otherwise improved to be ready for a new owner to treasure. Honeypot offers everything from vintage, bridal, and classic men’s leather jackets to jewelry, hats, and handbags.

Their website and Etsy store help you get a glimpse and whet your appetite for their selection, but the best way to find something that has the perfect fit for you is to stop by their shop and see it all for yourself. 

3. Tell a Story With Clothes From Minx Boutique

For more than 20 years, Minx has been offering clothing that “adorns, empowers, and provides” for both Asheville residents and visitors alike. They’ve worked to make their space open and vibrant and pride themselves on excellent customer service. 

You’ll find everything from bright, colorful florals to demure neutrals, all ready for your next show-stopper evening out or a breezy business casual look for the office. If you’re trying to find the perfect thing to style with another item you have, don’t be afraid to ask for fashion suggestions. The friendly customer service representatives can showcase all that this Asheville boutique has to offer. 

4. Find Your Personal Slogan at Moonlight Makers

If you’re looking for cool shops in Asheville, Moonlight Makers is a must-visit. This unique shop began as a T-shirt screening company, printing fun and punny slogans on T-shirts, totes, dishtowels, and more. However, they’ve really grown over the years, offering a wide variety of mugs, window decals, wax melts, candles, and magnets. 

Their designs are adorable and distinctive, all while emphasizing a fun and funny attitude about life. It’s a great place to pick up Asheville-themed merch, but it’s also just a good place for gifts since nearly everyone can enjoy a goofy dish towel with a pickle on it that says, “I’m kind of a big dill” or a mug that says, “Alexa, turn off Mondays.” 

Their cleverness has allowed them to build an online following in addition to their brick-and-mortar store, so you can keep supporting Asheville’s locals even from afar using their online store. 

5. Find the Real Deal at Posies for Lulu Vintage

The passionate owner and operator of Posies for Lulu Vintage is the genuine article… of vintage clothing, that is! She does the international hunting for wonderful, high-quality vintage pieces, and you get to benefit from all the exciting styles, cuts, and colors of yesteryear. 

She started as an Etsy shop but realized that she had the inventory and the eye for a brick-and-mortar store right here in Western NC. One of the many cool shops in Asheville, you’ll find something unexpected here. From hippie flair to perfect shoes or the bag that completes a look – it’s all at your fingertips here.

6. Get an Expert’s Eye at Nest Boutique

Nest Boutique has two Asheville locations and covers a wide variety of women’s clothing, getting you ready to look like you just stepped off a runway, even if you’re just heading to work or school. 

One of the coolest services they offer is a personal style session, where you pay an upfront fee ($75 at the time of writing, but that could change), but that fee goes to the clothing chosen during your styling session with one of Nest’s expert fashionistas. They help you evaluate what tanks, pants, scarves, hats, swimwear, jackets, dresses, and more will look amazing on you. 

This could be an even more fun way to go shopping with girlfriends and help each other find the perfect next look. You can also shop online, either to get ideas ahead of time or to get a piece that sticks with you shipped if you just can’t live without it after you leave Asheville.

7. Find Something For Everyone at Hazel Twenty and Lex Twenty Boutiques

Hazel Twenty is the women’s boutique, and Lex Twenty is the men’s boutique at the same storefront, and it’s not a bad way to shop: go in with a co-ed group, and everyone can split up to find the styles that work for them. 

On the men’s Lex Twenty side, you’ll find great briefcases and all-purpose bags, sweaters, ball caps, flannels, coats, and corduroys, all from high-quality brands designed to last so that your new favorite shirt can also be the one you keep in your closet for ages. 

On the Hazel Twenty side, you’ll find lots of casual shirts and pants but also great jewelry items, dresses, blouses, and going-out outfits. You’ll also find shoes and pajamas, and even a kids’ section with many cute prints and comfy play clothes. Hazel Twenty began as a mobile boutique that went to festivals and evolved into one of the coolest downtown Asheville shops for all kinds of fashion, making it a great place to stop as you explore Patton Avenue. 

8. Find Affordable and Fun Fashion at Charmed Asheville

Who says shopping at local boutiques in Asheville has to cost an arm and a leg? You’ll be pleased with the quality, variety, and prices at Charmed Asheville. They focus on clothing, jewelry, hats, scarves, and gifts that are inspired by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, recognizing that the variety of women in Western North Carolina is wide and wild, but they all love to express themselves. 

You can feel good as you shop knowing that Charmed Asheville picks a charity every month that receives 1% of total sales, and often that charity is a good cause right here in the Asheville area, and customers get to help choose. If you try on the perfect cozy sweater or breezy sundress and don’t make a purchase day-of, they offer online shopping with free shipping on purchases over $50. 

Still, if you do make a purchase that doesn’t end up fitting quite like it did in the store, they have hassle-free 30-day returns as well. There’s just very little reason to turn down a little bit of fun fashion from Charmed when you’re shopping in Asheville.

9. Celebrate The Block’s History and Present at Noir Collective AVL

Noir Collective AVL is “a Black-owned business located in the historic Black business district referred to as The Block.” This boutique features Black artists and entrepreneurs who are making Asheville their home. 

The shop features paintings, jewelry, homemade soaps, stunning photography prints, tea, and more, and makes for a wonderful way to support the Black community in town, with many of the artists also working in community organizing or activism in the Asheville and wider community. Find your next striking art piece here to form the focal point of a room in your home or business!

10. Find Timeless Beauty at EDGE Boutique

One look at the EDGE Boutique Instagram will show you that their styles fit a wide variety of aesthetics, forming the base of a great wardrobe and adding elegance to anyone’s outfit game. With a lot of flirty but sweet favorites and excellent bags and accessories to customize every look, EDGE offers you what you need to make the most of your time in Asheville by looking like a million bucks (without spending a million!). 

11. Shop the One-of-a-Kind Finds at Traveling Chic Boutique

Right next to delicious Chocolate Fetish, feed your inner fashionista with a visit to find trendy tops, dazzling dresses, perfect-fit jeans, and glittery jewelry. Traveling Chic Boutique has many locations, but part of why they are such a fun place to shop is that their inventory turns over fast, and their items are often one-of-a-kind, rather than just a few racks of the same items. 

Knowing that you’re finding not only the perfect scarf but the perfect scarf that no one else in town will have is a fun feeling of fashion conquest. If you see one of their trunk shows at a local Asheville festival or out and about around the South, stop in for more unique finds that might just be perfect for your look and personal style. 

12. Walk Out With a New Favorite From Union His and Hers Boutique

Like Hazel Twenty/Lex Twenty, Union His and Hers Boutique makes sure that both men and women can find a new outfit that they’re going to love, and they focus on sourcing from brands and lines that they like and that they know to be of lasting quality. 

Men can find a trendy slim wallet, a classy button-down shirt, and great jeans, as well as fun hats, T-shirts, sweaters, and lots more. Women can choose anything from blouses and dresses to jumpsuits and rompers and can find beautiful prints and solids that are very likely to become new favorites in their wardrobe. 

They offer an online store so that if you walk out without that outfit you had your eye on, you can jump online and order it shipped to your home after your trip to Asheville is over.

13. Find Gifts and Glitz at Street Fair

One of downtown’s established clothing and accessory shops, you’ll find all kinds of fun jewelry, silly socks, locally-made candles, air plants, and of course, brightly colored skirts and tops. 

Their style tends toward the flower-child look, but one or two pieces from Street Fair can also fit into any outfit, adding a little hippie sweetness to a casual pool party or a day at the office. As a long-time shop in town, they are big promoters of Asheville, and many of the products they carry are in some way local – find a great gift here!

14. Support Local Artists and Companies at Asheville Emporium

Maybe what you really need is the perfect Asheville-themed gift rather than a clothing shopping spree. While enjoying a stroll down Wall Street, you cannot miss a stop at Asheville Emporium, which is easily one of the best boutiques in Asheville. 

While you can definitely pick up hats and shirts with Asheville-themed designs on them, the store is also home to products from more than 100 local artists, artisans, and makers, making it possible to make a mountain-themed gift basket here easily. It’s also just a good spot to pick up something for literally anyone. 

Start with the variety of beautifully designed jewelry, fun magnets, and cool stationary, and then definitely don’t miss the kids’ section. When I was last there, there was a display of some of the coolest temporary tattoos I’ve ever seen! Given the popularity of actual tattoos in the Asheville area, kiddos of all ages would get a kick out of these artistic designs. 

This is also a good place to stop in if the weather is cooler than you expected since they typically carry a variety of gloves and hats during the winter that will keep you well-insulated from the mountain air. 

15. Find Comfort and Happiness at Frock Boutique

The Frock Boutique philosophy is that truly happy and confident women are wearing clothes that fit them well and feel comfortable, all while looking great. Frock is located in the heart of downtown, near Battery Park and Wall Street (you’ll be close if you see the giant iron statue!). 

From classy jumpsuits and draping sweaters to oh-so-cool blazers and the perfect dress for a summer wedding, you’ll find a wide variety of fashions here, but always fit to flatter the natural beauty of every woman. Items can be styled fancy or dressed down for a casual day in the mountains, making it a good place to find options for your everyday wardrobe in addition to a great spot to find that special-occasion outfit. 

16. Explore Fair Trade Goods at Ten Thousand Villages in Asheville

Ten Thousand Villages isn’t unique to Asheville shopping, but it’s such a cool concept that it’s well worth your time if you haven’t visited one before. This non-profit company has focused their mission on connecting the makers of artisanal goods all over the world with markets for gifts in the United States and beyond. 

They work to make sure that the actual artisans live a life where they are paid living wages and able to work in stable, non-exploitative conditions, meaning that Ten Thousand Villages takes fair trade really seriously. 

Whether you just want something truly unique and well-made or you know your friend or family member is passionate about fair trade and ethical sourcing, you’ll find all kinds of gift items here, from garden fountains and handcrafted soaps to kitchen items and accessories to lots of home decor. 

The great thing is that by creating a non-profit where volunteers can help keep store costs down, Ten Thousand Villages can sell items at a price point that helps the artisan make a living wage without a big markup. The prices are similar to other high-quality gifts, which makes it even nicer to be able to shop ethically.

17. Take a Tie-Dye Adventure at INDO Apparel & Gifts

INDO truly predates the Asheville downtown renaissance, and its variety of typical hippie-shop options will remind you of Asheville’s history as a fun and funky place for counter-culture movements to thrive. From tie-dyed clothes of all kinds to cool geometrically designed shirts and skirts, you’ll find plenty of pops of color here for your next music festival or beach trip. 

You’ll find lots of other fun treasures, too. From bumper stickers and jewelry to crystals and shoes, you never quite know what INDO has in store, and definitely check out their wide variety of incense. Even people who have no hippie bones in their bodies will enjoy browsing and finding something fun for someone in their life here!

18. Stock Up on Contemporary Essentials at Boutique LP

Boutique LP focuses on “classics with a modern edge,” offering a variety of clothing that works well for both at-home casual, in-office professional, and going-out eveningwear. You’ll find a minimalist edge to the looks at Boutique LP, but that doesn’t mean you can’t customize them, from adding jewelry sparkle or adding a bold print to your wardrobe. The knowledgeable customer service staff can help you find a complete look that will be both high quality and the perfect look whether you’re headed for the bar or the board room. 

19. Accent it With an Accessory From Lou Lou Boutique

One of a group of stores, Lou Lou offers a variety of fun jewelry and other products that will make you smile in downtown Asheville. The shop’s thoughtfully selected bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and more will delight, and can be a great source for gifts for anyone in your life. 

One of the best boutiques in Asheville, Lou Lou makes a point of supporting brands that donate portions of their profits to good causes or who create employment for women around the world, so you’re likely to find brands like ABLE, Scout Jewelry, and Pura Vida at this gem.

20. Find What You’ve Been Looking For at Lost and Found

With locations in New Orleans as well as downtown Asheville, Lost and Found is a quintessential vintage and retro shop, where many items you find are likely to be the only one, making it a truly unique addition to your wardrobe. 

Come to Lost and Found for wild printed dresses, tie-dye hoodies, adorable crop tops, and even some really cute kids’ stuff. Digging through the options will help you find a print or pattern that fits your loves and interests best, and you can also shop online to get an idea of the aesthetic of the shop before you head to the store. 

There you have it! The 20 best boutiques in Asheville, NC. What are your favorite boutique shops in Asheville? Let us know so we can check them out!