With the tremendous growth of online and “big box” commerce in recent years, Main Streets across America have struggled to retain a broad selection of shopping opportunities. Many formerly diverse central business districts – if they have not dissipated altogether – have now found themselves dominated by one or very few retail sectors. While the retail mix in downtown Ithaca, New York has shifted and evolved over time, the Ithaca Commons pedestrian mall and the rest of the small city’s walkable urban core continues to support a large number of desirable commercial niches. Indeed, nowhere else in the region can one find such a vibrant assortment of well-represented retail clusters.

Downtown Ithaca is especially well-known for its wealth of art and craft stores, making it a favorite locale among locals and tourists alike for shopping for holidays and special occasions. Locally handmade items can be found at stores like Handwork, 15 Steps, and The Potter’s Room, while Diaspora, Ten Thousand Villages, and Titus Gallery specialize in unusual crafts from all around the world. Fine art galleries like Sola Gallery and State of the Art enhance the scene tremendously, as do antique stores like Pastimes and The Vintage Industry.

One of the Ithaca Commons’s best-loved gift stores is American Crafts by Robbie Dein, which has showcased work of the country’s finest artisans in pottery, art, glass, wood, jewelry, and fiber since 1972. Says Dein, “Downtown Ithaca has always been supportive of ‘Handmade in America’ as well as the effort, commitment, and creativity that are part and parcel of living the life of the artist and following one’s heartfelt passions. Handmade American crafts represent the very fabric of our lives and our culture, and we are thankful to be a part of the fabric of life in Ithaca.”

Bibliophiles will also find downtown Ithaca to be an excellent place to browse and shop. The shopping district plays host to the area’s only community-owned cooperative bookstore, Buffalo Street Books, as well as several other purveyors of new and used books, including The Bookery, Colophon Books, and Autumn Leaves, which boasts 60,000 volumes, 40,000 records, and a pirate-themed café all under one roof. Downtown Ithaca IS also home to a Christian Science Reading Room, which sells the Christian Science Monitor and a selection of religious texts.

Comics for Collectors is downtown Ithaca’s pop-culture destination, offering new and limited edition comics, graphic novels, and memorabilia to an ever-growing fan base. Says owner Tim Gray, “Comics are often thought of as kid’s stuff but in recent decades they have found a huge following, including many professors and other highly-educated people. They are drawn here because Comics for Collectors provides more than just comics – we also have a deep commitment to the community. We have always been at the forefront of the pop-culture scene in Ithaca, ever since the founding of our local comic club and convention over 35 years ago.”

A smaller but reemerging retail sector in downtown Ithaca is clothing, jewelry, and accessories. While this category faces fierce competition from national retailers, the recent Downtown Ithaca Fashion Show proved that there is apparel here to fit every taste, style, and budget. The Art and Found, Petrune, and Fibers Boutique represent the work of local designers, while Loose Threads, Avanti, and Evolution 102 offer up eclectic contemporary fashion. Trader K’s buys and sells gently used clothing for all ages, and Sheldon Hill offers affordable and elegant vintage jewelry from 1880 to 1980.

Benjamin Peters on the Commons is downtown’s source for fine menswear and shoes for both sexes. Says owner Peter Parkes, “We have recently seen a significant trend towards ‘dressing up’. Men today value their personal style, and women appreciate the fact that styles have changed, as well. Trends towards slim-fit suits and coats, flat-front pants, and tailored shirts have made men’s fashion relevant again. The Downtown Ithaca Fashion Show also opened shoppers’ eyes to layered looks with colored vests, sweaters, and scarves.”

Local gourmands can stop in at F. Oliver’s and pick up some amazing olive oil and balsamic vinegar and add some wines and ciders from the Cellar D’Or or Sam’s Wines and Spirits. What’s a gift basket without chocolate? You can pick some up from Life’s So Sweet, Sarah’s Patisserie, or 15 Steps. And where’s the cheese? Ithaca Coffee Company or Collegetown Bagels can get you what you need. You can also get growlers from Ithaca Coffee or Bandwagon, and then head to Now You’re Cooking for cooking accessories to put it all together.

For children of all ages, Alphabet Soup in Center Ithaca has imaginative toys, puzzles, games and books. The Cat’s Pajamas in the Dewitt Mall has great toys, puzzles, clothing, and fun things that make everyone happy. Jillian’s Drawers at Center Ithaca has toys, baby carriers, shoes, and many wonderful accessories for parents. Bloom has sustainable clothing for children and parents and toys to boot. Going to Life’s So Sweet Chocolates at 116 West Green Street is like going to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, with nostalgic candies, truffles, jellies, and every other type of confection plus an old-fashioned soda fountain.

Among downtown Ithaca’s over 50 independent retailers are also a number of home décor stores; fine jewelers; new and vintage musical instrument shops; and outdoor recreation and sporting goods stores. Downtown Ithaca additionally boasts a full-service pharmacy; a fine florist that has been in business since 1894; an art supply store that also serves as an exhibition and education space; and two stores that sell fine fabrics, knitting yarns, and sewing machines.

Explains Gary Ferguson, Executive Director of the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, “The retail niches of downtown are a treasure for our community. Nowhere else in the area will people find this assortment of boutique shops in the downtown setting. These niches – art and craft stores, books, clothing, jewelry and accessories, children’s clothing and toys, and gourmet specialty foods – they differentiate downtown Ithaca from area strip malls and shopping centers.”

http://www.ithaca.com/opinion/enjoy-the-vibrant-holiday-downtown-vibe/article_89eb6e36-6299-11e3-a09d-0019bb2963f4.html

In a fast-changing retail economy, downtown Ithaca is leading the way.

A number of years ago, in their provocative book The Experience Economy, business strategists Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore heralded the arrival of a new economic era. They argued that “businesses that relegate themselves to the diminishing world of goods and services will be rendered irrelevant. To avoid this fate, you must learn to stage a rich, compelling experience.”

Today, business leaders agree that the experience economy has indeed arrived. With the continued rapid rise of e-commerce — $262 billion of goods were purchased via the internet last year, up from $231 billion the year before – enterprising bricks-and-mortar retailers grasp the need to provide customers with a memorable, personalized shopping experience that you can’t get online.

With over 70 one-of-a-kind, independent shops – many of them located in charming historic buildings along the soon-to-be-renovated Ithaca Commons pedestrian mall – downtown Ithaca is one of Upstate New York’s most dynamic commercial hubs. Says Gary Ferguson, Executive Director of the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, “It’s a great place to explore and engage in what I call experiential shopping.”

Ferguson reports that visitors from more populous urban areas in the region, like greater Rochester and Binghamton, are the fastest-growing segment of patrons for the downtown Ithaca retail marketplace. “It’s not because they seek basic goods from national retailers. They have plenty of those. Rather, they seek the unique, multi-sensorial quality that our walkable shopping district has to offer.”

F. Oliver’s Oils and Vinegars, a new boutique on the Ithaca Commons, is a prime example of experiential shopping. Says manager Sara Wagner, “Fresh, well-made olive oils and vinegars are impossible to describe; they must be tasted. At F. Oliver’s you can stop by for a guided tasting tour to experience an abundance of enticing flavors and smells – or just some advice from an experienced home cook or a smile and a chat.”

Ian Golden, owner of Finger Lakes Running and Triathlon Company, says that while online running shoe sales have risen steadily, many avid runners continue to shop in-store. “Here, you can get a full expert assessment of your running mechanics, foot anatomy, and possible injuries, and you can actually feel how the different shoe models fit. A slightly better deal online wouldn’t be worth the hassle.”

Ithaca Guitar Works also has much to offer that online instrument warehouses cannot. “Playing and inspecting is essential. A huge selection of stringed instruments can be auditioned in our private trial booth, and every one of them is carefully adjusted before being displayed. They also come with 90 days of free adjustments after the sale – right here, quickly, in-house. And besides, prices here are very competitive.”

Concludes Kris Lewis, a veteran downtown apparel merchant and the current Director of Retail at the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, “Interacting with a knowledgeable human being who can give you a taste of smoky chipotle-infused olive oil, or fit you with the correct running shoe for your high arches, or help you try out ten different banjos for your new bluegrass band – you just can’t do that on your iPhone. As downtown Ithaca builds for its future, experiential retailing will be an essential element.”

Bon Appetit Magazine named Ithaca one of the foodiest towns in America for a reason. Downtown Ithaca boasts over 50 restaurants and bars with great dining diversity that would normally only be seen in much larger urban markets. Perhaps lesser known in the downtown area are the Gourmet Food establishments, dedicated to providing Ithacans access to oils and vinegars, ciders, wine and beer tastings, homemade chocolates, and more! To top it all off, many of these superb Gourmet Food establishments have opened within the past two years!

Arriving to the Ithaca Commons in the Spring of 2012, F. Oliver’s and Penelope Pankow offer hand crafted olive oils and balsamic vinegars from around the world. Having initially opened in Canandaigua in 2010, F. Oliver’s has enjoyed remarkable success, expanding to Rochester in 2011, Ithaca in 2012, and Pittsford in the near future! Customers are encouraged to stop by for samples of F. Oliver’s delicious oils and vinegars.

Opening in May of 2013, the Cellar d’Or offers small yet big in taste, production estate-bottled wines and ciders from New York and around the world. Cellar d’Or possesses the most extensive cider selection in New York. The Cellar d’Or hopes to demystify your experience into the wine world. Offering free wine tastings every Friday from 5-8 pm, the Cellar d’Or welcomes novice wine drinkers, wine enthusiasts, and anyone in between.

Having initially opened in the Community Corners Plaza in 2004, Sarah’s Patisserie expanded in the Spring of 2013 with a 2^nd location at 130 E Seneca St. in downtown Ithaca. Chef Tammy Travis and her invaluable staff create their French-inspired pastries and chocolates in-house, affording Ithacans the option to consistently enjoy fresh and local sweets. Whether it’s a wedding cake, chocolate cake, or a yummy pastry on the way home from work, Sarah’s Patisserie has the sweets to leave you wanting more.

After winning the 2012 Race for the Space competition, Life’s So Sweet Chocolates opened its 2^nd location (its first location is in Trumansburg) at 116 W Green St. in the Fall of 2012. Since the age of eight, Darlynne Overbaugh has continued to handcraft candy confections and fine chocolates for friends and family. Life’s So Sweet’s downtown location offers customers assorted chocolate boxes, a restored 1949 Bastion and Blessing soda fountain, and a multitude of delectable samples.

Ithaca Coffee Company located in Gateway Commons at 311 East Green Street, exceeds the limits of coffee hype! With an eclectic assortment of craft beer, delectable chocolates, kitchenware, and gourmet cheeses, the Ithaca Coffee Company will leave the sweet aroma of coffee lingering in the air. Hosting beer tastings every Thursday from 4 to 6pm, and also selling home brewing supplies, it’s not just for coffee lovers.

Green St. Pharmacy, located next to Urban Outfitters at Cayuga Green includes an old fashioned soda fountain serving up hand-mixed and cream sodas, sundaes, and floats. What could be called the best medicine, Green St. soda fountain will surely satisfy your sweet tooth! 

With so many gourmet food locations, it’s hard to name them all. If you’re in the mood for gourmet cheeses, stop by Collegetown Bagels at 203 N Aurora Street or Greenstar Oasis at 215 N Cayuga Street. But, don’t forget to pair it with a housebrewed beer from Bandwagon Brew Pub! You can grab a great selection of local wines at Sam’s Wine & Spirits. If you’d prefer to try your hand at crafting your own gourmet foods, be sure to stop by Autumn Leaves Used Books and browse their assortment of cookbooks. Need a cookie cutter? Peruse the aisles of Now You’re Cooking for an array of cooking utensils and other baking supplies.