Shopping in Indiana is somewhat of a mixed bag. You won’t find much in the way of high fashion or luxury retailers in this folksy haven, but it’s a place where hometown crafts, delicious food and wine products, and antiques are hot buys. Nearly every town in Indiana, big or small, has a Main Street strip lined with an eclectic mix of local shops. It’s always hit or miss, but you may just find that special something if you park the car, get out and stroll around.

Indianapolis is naturally the city that offers the most diversity and broadest range of shopping areas. In the downtown core, the popular Circle Center is the cornerstone of Indy shopping with over 100 specialty stores, restaurants, nightclubs, and movie theaters around its big anchor department stores. Fashion Mall at Keystone is the city’s other big shopping center. On a more local level, Broad Ripple Village is a great neighborhood for one-of-a-kind boutiques, galleries and other interesting places to browse.

Antiques

One of the best things to shop for in Indiana are antiques and other pieces of Americana memorabilia. Most historic towns have at least one or two shops in their downtown that sell old items. Some of it is kitschy junk, but there are also a lot of quality antiques in the state thanks to the Amish community and the overall craftsmanship of the local communities. Indiana’s oldest shop is Brown’s on Fifth in Zionsville.

Flea Markets

There are also many flea markets spread around Indiana that serve as alternatives to the more serious antique shops in town. Often the treasures in these casual weekend markets are just as valuable and eclectic, and usually at a much better price than in the stores. The Shipshewana Flea Market and Auction is the largest outdoor market of its kind in the Midwest, and runs from May through October in the heart of Amish country. The flea market is every Tuesday and Wednesday, while the auctions happen three times a week and feature more expensive and valuable items.