Fort Worth Shopping and Districts

(Fort Worth, Texas - TX, USA)

Although the opportunities for shopping in Fort Worth don't exactly rival that of nearby Dallas, there are certainly plenty of places where you can spend your hard-earned holiday cash in this busy Texan city.

Fort Worth began its life as a sleepy outpost and quickly grew in size and stature, becoming an important stop-off on the historic Chisholm Trail, where literally millions of cattle were led to market. This strategic situation helped to establish the city as an important center for trading, and today, it is still often affectionately referred to as 'Cowtown'.

The former livestock market is now part of a historic district named the Fort Worth Stockyards, which has helped to breathe new life into the shopping scene in the city. A mixture of shops, restaurants, attractions and entertainment venues reside within the Stockyards, often capitalizing on the district's rich cowboy heritage.

Located in the Stockyards part of the city and on North Main Street is M. L. Leddy's, where saddles and boots have been made and sold since 1922. Just a short stroll away is the Maverick Fine Western Wear, which stands on East Exchange Avenue and sells stylish boots for cowboys and cowgirls, along with hats, bags and Western-themed gifts.

Where to Shop

Covering an area of roughly 20 blocks, Sundance Square is an especially appealing part of the city for shopping, with its block-paved sidewalks and plentiful history, which is clearly apparent in the architecture. Many tourists choose to spend time wandering around the streets of Sundance Square, particularly during the summer, when various outdoor events and concerts are staged here.

Those shopping at Sundance Square will find that a broad spectrum of different tastes is covered at the stores. Barnes and Noble is a sound choice for the avid bookworm, while the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop and Texas Rangers Team Shop both sell lots of merchandise relating to these famous professional sports teams (American football and baseball respectively). For souvenirs of your time in Fort Worth, consider checking out the treasures for sale at the Barse Jewelry, Earth Bones and Retro Cowboy stores.

Lining Commerce Street, Main Street and Houston Street, close to the Fort Worth Convention Center, are a number of independent stores, such as Peters Brothers Hats and the Kimbell Museum Store. For mall shopping, consider visiting the Hulen Mall on South Hulen Street, which opened in 1977 and comes with almost 140 stores, such as Dillard's, Macy's and Sears. There are in the region of 100 stores and services at the Ridgmar Mall on Green Oaks Road, as well as a multi-screen cinema complex. And on the South Freeway, directly south of downtown Fort Worth, is La Gran Plaza, another huge mall with some 200 stores in total.

For those who love to shop for antiques, a visit to the Montgomery Street Antique Mall is a real must, with this giant facility being packed with dealers selling all kinds of collectibles, ranging from books, china and glassware, to cowboy gear, furniture, jewelry, pottery and vintage designer clothing.