Shopping

Rather hit the sales than the trails? Get ready to pack your bags. Shopping in the middle of the mountains…who’d have thought?

From antique to boutique, and quirkily cosmopolitan (minus the line-ups and long walks), the Nelson Kootenay Lake retailing scene is all about variety.

Surprising, funky, fun and very functional variety.

Nelson’s historic Baker Street and its laneways are defined by its rows of independent retailers, crafting custom clothes, cookware, household goods, furniture and vintage keepsakes.

There are stores well known for their hipster gifts, jewellery, gourmet food, toys, books, fashion accessories, music supplies and an abundance of eco-friendly wares and keepsakes.

Besides the city’s remarkable array of locally-made one-offs, there’s a great collection of outdoor shops selling all the best names in mountain gear for any season and any sport.

Nelson’s major mall—smack dab on the waterfront, and right beside Lakeside Park–offers all the big names, a food court and a great place to wait out any weather, or while away a few easy hours.

In Kaslo, Main Street is a browse back in time, to shopping the way it used to be. Brightly coloured store fronts and merchants welcome folks in search of everything from the basics to the unique, with galleries, bakeries and bistros nestled amongst grocers, garages and gear providers.

Surrounded by peaks and pine forests, from upscale shops to deals on the down-low, this is retail therapy with a breath of fresh air.