Houston is a fantastic place to explore for a shopping spree, with cute farmer’s markets and festivals happening all the time. It adds to the amazement of the places where you can browse for souvenirs.
With Houston having the benefits of a wonderful city center, alongside being so close to the water edge of the Gulf of Mexico, there is an incredible variety of gift shops showcasing some truly individual items.
The Best Gift Shops in Houston For Souvenirs
I have highlighted some of my favorite gift shops in and around Houston as a guide to help you get a feel for the best places to go. I have also included any days of the week, or annual dates, where something special might be going on in that area.
I have made a note of why I think these specific shops are so charming and what they offer that sets them apart from the rest. This may include stocking primarily handmade items, using only locally sourced materials, or just fantastic service, which should be supported.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the best gift shops for souvenirs in Houston!
1. Confetti Riot
| Address | 2220 Commerce St Suite E, Houston, TX 77002 |
| Website | https://confetti-riot.com |
| Opening Hours | Monday & Tuesday closed, Wednesday - Friday 12 pm - 7 pm, Saturday 11 am - 6 pm, Sunday 12 pm - 4 pm. |
Confetti Riot is a beautifully modern gift shop with a stunning assortment of gifts, each as mesmerizingly artistic and eye-catching as the next. This is a superb place to shop if you are seeking multiple gifts.
They stock everything from jewelry and self-care products to books and food items such as maple syrup.
The store is reasonably priced and has staff that attends to the customers making it a delightful and pleasant place to return to time and again.
This lovely shop is located a short walk away from the East End Farmers Market on Navigation Blvd. The market is a hub of activity every Sunday between 10 am and 2 pm.
You will find tasty local delicacies and artisan treats alongside stalls offering hand-crafted wares and creative craft pieces here.
Street parking is available at Confetti Riot; additionally, there are multiple off-road parking options on Navigation Blvd.
Bonus Read: The Best Farmers Markets in Houston
2. My Flaming Heart
| Address | 3622 Main St, Houston, TX 77002 |
| Website | https://www.myflamingheart.com |
| Opening Hours | Monday - Thursday 10 am - 6 pm, Friday & Saturday 10 am - 10 pm, Sunday 10 am - 7 pm |
If you are looking for something quirky, individual, or vintage souvenir, you absolutely have to go to My Flaming Heart! This wonderland of color explosions, art, and wacky delights will leave you feeling happy and excited that you’ve experienced such madness.
The store has an eclectic selection of eccentric goods, from gorgeous handmade jewelry, glistening crystals, sublime folk art, and wacky vintage clothing. The choice of exciting trinkets is impressive in such a compact space, and best of all, the staff has an excellent knowledge of all the items they stock and are happy to guide you on things, including the powers of each crystal.
The Flaming heart sees a considerable increase in visitors during Gay Pride. The Houston Gay Pride Festival is held every June, with much of the festivities gathering along Branard street, a mere nine-minute walk away. The festival is known for its music, exhibits, and diverse market stalls.
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3. Space Montrose
| Address | 1706 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098 |
| Website | https://www.spacemontrose.com |
| Opening Hours | Sunday - Friday 11 am - 7 pm, Saturday 10 am - 7 pm |
If you have been inspired by Houston’s incredible space history and maybe even taken a trip to the Space Center but didn’t quite make it to the gift shop, Space Montrose might just be the place for you. Located in the trendy area of Montrose, there is limitless culture and places to visit around the shop to fill your day, including The Menil Collection Museum and Archway Gallery.
The store has been created by a husband and wife team with a passion for locally sourced, hand-crafted goods, many of which are space or zodiac-themed. This quaint gift shop boasts that 70% of its merchandise was created in Texas by independent entrepreneurs.
Some of Space Montrose’s more interesting items include their soy candle range from a small family-run business in Austin called The Burlap Bag, whose product names are thought up by their two young children, names which include Unicorn Puke, King of Farts, and You’re a Wizard. They also have some funky handmade baby items from Mi Cielo, all of which are made from recycled material.
Related: Fun Things & activities to do in Houston
4. British Isles
| Address | 2366 Rice Boulevard, Houston, TX 77005 |
| Website | https://www.britishislesonline.com/service/about |
| Opening Hours | Monday - Saturday 10 am - 6 pm, Sunday 12 pm - 5 pm |
Whether you have traveled to Houston from the UK and are feeling a little homesick or have a fondness for all things British, this pleasingly quaint gift shop has been well established as a Houston favorite since the early nineties. The store is held so fondly that it won Houston’s Best of the Best Award in 2021.
At the British Isles, you will find a range of entertainingly whimsical souvenirs featuring Union Jacks, red London buses, and adorable corgis – Did you know the Queen got her first corgi in 1933? The shop also has more practical gifts such as decadent tea sets, home accessories, and fragrances to suit everyone.
One of the best ranges within the shop is their British food aisle, more specifically, British chocolate. British chocolate is much richer and creamier than its American counterpart due to the higher fat content and hence, a more indulgent treat.
You can pick up anything from the light, bubbly Aero or deliciously classic Cadburys Dairy Milk to the luxurious Butler’s Irish Cream Truffle made in Dublin.
If you are craving more of a taste of Britain while in Houston, why not check out some of the St. Patricks Festivals? In March, the Houston bars welcome you for a St Paddy’s Weekend pub crawl, with plenty of live entertainment and traditional Irish food. An event is also held each August at Shamrocks Pub and Grill, entitled The Midway to St Patty’s Day.
See Also: The Best Sports Bars in Houston
5. Lizzy G’s Fine Gifts
| Address | 126-L, 126-L Vintage Park Blvd, Houston, TX 77070 |
| Website | https://lizzygsfinegifts.com |
| Opening Hours | Monday - Saturday 10 am - 6 pm, Sunday closed |
Lizzy G’s Fine Gifts is a large gift store located within the Vintage Park shopping center in Northwest Houston. The family-owned store has an amazing range of gifts, with many items available here being good quality, unique, handmade treasures.
This is a great place to try if you are shopping for a more masculine souvenir. Their men’s range is more extensive than most gift shops and more interesting than your average after-shave, socks, and novelty screwdriver selection. Just a few of the quirky male gifts they have include granite drinks dispensers, pizza cutters, BBQ scrapers, and campfire game tins.
The best part about Lizzy’s, is they offer a gift wrapping service on all of their items, no matter the price of the trinket! If you are shopping here around the festive season, allow yourself enough time to enjoy the shop as the gift wrap area understandably gets really busy.
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6. Mulan
| Address | 9895 Harwin Dr., Houston, TX 77036 |
| Website | http://mulanasianmarket.com |
| Opening Hours | Monday - Saturday 10:30 am - 5:30 pm, Sunday closed |
Houston’s Chinatown has so much to offer, from incredible food to bustling nightlife, but it’s also a great place to shop if you are hunting for some traditional, authentic Asian souvenirs. Mulan’s is a beautiful hidden gem waiting to be explored and is brimming with imported treasures like Buddhist merchandise, jade jewelry, and Chinese new year decorations.
Mulan’s are all about the discounts; they offer reduced prices for Buddhists and are willing to negotiate prices for tourists. The prices are already very reasonable here, but haggling can be fun for both parties. I would recommend a trip here if you are in the area, even if you have no intention to buy, purely because it’s such an interesting shop.
See Also: The Best Bars & Pubs in Houston’s Chinatown
7. Big Blue Whale
| Address | 237 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008 |
| Website | https://shoplocaltoys.com |
| Opening Hours | Sunday - Monday 12 pm - 5 pm, Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 6 pm |
Big Blue Whale is the absolute best place to go if you are looking for kid’s souvenirs. This independent toy store has some fantastic gifts, from novelty items and vintage toys to cool animal puppets and cute plushies.
Alongside your standard Lego and Playmobil items, you will also stumble upon delightful homemade toys that are just as pleasing for adults as they are for kids. The store was voted ‘The Best Toy Store in Houston’ earlier this year.
They now have two locations: Big Blue Whale, established in 2014, and a fresher store the team took over in 2019, called On The Park, located on Kingswood Drive.
Related: Fun Places to Go With Kids in Houston
8. Super Happy Incredible Toys
| Address | 740 W 20th St, Houston, TX 77008 |
| Website | https://linktr.ee/SuperHappyToys |
| Opening Hours | Monday closed, Tuesday - Saturday 11 am - 6 pm, Sunday 10 am - 6 pm |
Super Happy Incredible Toys is a haven for any big kids that never truly grew up. This cozy little cottage in the Shady Acres neighborhood could easily be overlooked if it wasn’t for the ‘rustic’ handmade sign hanging over the porch.
There is very little street parking around this residential area; however, there are a few restaurants nearby with parking available for customers. I recommend parking at Crust Pizza Co and grabbing a slice before strolling around to Super Happy.
The cottage is filled with retro toys, memorabilia, and collectibles that genuinely would be hard to find anywhere else, making it the perfect spot to search for truly rare and fascinating souvenirs. Super Happy Incredible Toys’ owner is a collector, so you are welcome to bring retro items here to sell or swap.
See Also: The Best Pizza Restaurants in Houston
9. The Wilde Collection
| Address | 1446 Yale St, Houston, TX 77008, United States |
| Website | https://the-wilde-collection.myshopify.com |
| Opening Hours | Currently Closed |
The Wilde Collection was one of the best and most exciting curiosity gift shops if you were looking for something downright odd, wild, and unusual. Unfortunately, due to an arson attack in 2019, many of the one-of-a-kind items were sadly destroyed, including a 100-year-old elephant skull along with taxidermy insects and snakes.
The family is working hard to gather new collections from around the world and rebuild the shop from the floor up. And to make the place more beguiling to the customers, there are plans for a spooky gothic-style chapel to stand in the ashes of the previous store. The reopening is quite soon for the physical presence of customers; however, in the meantime, you can purchase a handful of items via their website.
Bonus Read: Scary Haunted Places to Visit in Houston
To Sum Up
So, where will you head for your next souvenir shopping experience?
I hope this guide will help you create a shortlist of the best gift shops to consider in Houston.
If you want to see where else in Houston is great to shop, you might want to check out our guides to The Best Vintage Thrift Stores in Houston and The Best Indian Jewelry Stores in Houston for inspiration.