Boston Shopping Tips by sarahandgareth

Name of Shop: Filene's Basement

Filene's Basement has more than one location, but until you vist the Filene's Basement in Boston, you ain't seen nothing yet! No longer related to the regular Filene's stores (which is a relief as they are all closing since being bought by Macy's), the basement is quite an experience. As you step literally into the basement, you will be surrounded by discount merchandise. You will see everything from shoes to dishes, lingerie to men's suits, clothing to handbags, wedding dresses to active wear, and much more.

Just a warning, the yard sale type feel isn't for everyone and the wide open changing rooms aren't much fun for the modest.

What To Buy: It is important to go into Filene's Basement with an open mind. You never know what will be be especially cheap from visit to visit.

What To Pay: Not much, especially if you keep an eye on the date posted on the back of the price tag. The longer an item has been in the store, the greater the discount. Big signs throughout the store will tell you exactly what you will save.

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Theme: Women's Clothes
Phone: 617-357-2100
Address: 426 Washington Street
Directions: Downtown Crossing, directly above the T station if arriving on the subway.

Name of Shop: Haymarket

This is no swanky store, but Boston's extremely raucous outdoor market. Although formerly in the shadow of the I-93, the Big Dig has finally put that undergournd and the area is finally getting some sunshine!

Haymarket only operates on Fridays and Saturdays, but on both days it's a mob scene. The fact that everyone seems to specialise in produce that is just a little bit on the old side, doesn't slow down business...probably because everything is so cheap. The thing is that you'll spend virtually nothing, so even if you have to throw some produce out, it's still a lot cheaper than the supermarket. And plus, this is way more fun than your average Shaw's!

The place has a culture all of its own. The vendors yell and scream at you, at everyone else and at each other to get you to part with your dollars. The atmosphere of barely controlled chaos, and the constant yelling, make Haymarket more like a market in Africa: you come around the corner and the elegance of Quincy Market is behind you in every sense! Things are made worse by the ridiculously narrow passage along which you have to squeeze: just persist, and don't let the elderly women with shopping carts intimidate you!

What To Buy: Fruit and vegetables, single or by the box!

What To Pay: For most things, a buck or two will seal the deal: the sellers here want you to buy fast, since the produce is on the way out and they want to clear their tables.

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Theme: Food and Drink
Address: Right around the corner from Quincy Market.
Directions: On the subway, get off at the Haymarket stop on the Green and Orange lines or the Government Center stop on the Blue and Green lines and walk past Quincy Market to Haymarket.
Website: http://www.boston-online.com/cityviews/haymarket.html

Name of Shop: Best Cellars

Our first trip to Best Cellars was prompted by a "free wine and food tasting" sign on the sidewalk. We were hungry, so we headed in.

What a find! Best Cellars in a wine store devoted to finding the best wine your $15 bucks can buy. They don't have a huge selection, but it it is in the store, you know it is good. All of the wines are organized according to taste, from fizzy to luscious to big, so you know exactly what you are getting.

We bought a bottle of one of the wines we tasted. Later we bought a gift of six bottles with a little tasting guide. Ever since then, we have been hooked.

What To Buy: Wine...obviously!

What To Pay: Most of the wine is under $15, with a few more expensive knocking around.

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Theme: Food and Drink
Phone: 617-266-2900
Address: 745 Boylston Street
Directions: Right accross the street from the Prudential Shopping Center

Name of Shop: Charles Street Liquors

As liquor stores go, Charles Street Liquors is one of our favorites. It is a good sized store, especially given its downtown location, with an extension wine and liquor, particularly whiskey, selection.

But what sets Charles Street apart, at least as far as we are concerned, is the beer section! According to their website, they offer 1000 beers in the store. In our experience, this number seems about right. And, the stock everything from local microbrews to Belgian beers to uncommon other options.



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Theme: Food and Drink
Address: 143 Charles Street, Boston, MA
Directions: On Charles Street in Beacon Hill, within a block of the Charles/MGH red-line T station.
Website: http://www.csliquors.com/