Strolling downtown Venice - Part 2

This is Part 2 of my stroll down Venice Avenue where there are many charming stores and, as I said yesterday, tons of free and close parking.  Yesterday we visited restaurants and today we'll visit a fewof the stores.  Some stores are very touristy, but still cute (after all this IS a beach town), and some are very elegant, befitting our gulf coast lifestyle.  I especially like to walk along downtown at Christmas time and see all the unique offerings. 

There are lots of stores I didn't get photos of, especially clothing stores.  I am so specific about what I wear, that I don't shop for clothes here, but there are several nice, casual women's stores along Venice Avenue, including Patchington and St. Marco Boutique. 

Along Miami Avenue, just south of Venice Avenue are scads of second hand/antique stores that are fun to browse through. 

Here's a little taste of what you will find on Venice Avenue, and by the way, it really is a nice broad avenue!  (I apologize in advance for my photo taking capabilities.  I didn't realize how close to 5 PM we were and some of the stores were closed by the time we got to them, so I didn't get many indoor shots.  I know it is a little hard to see through the glare on the store windows, but I hope you can get an idea.)

This is one of the windows of Venice Stationers.  I love this store!  I can't tell you how much I have bought from this store over the last 30 years.  Yes, it is a stationery store and you can get some office and art supplies there, but it is so much more.  They have the most beautiful sounding wind chimes,very high quality.  It is also a place to find all sorts of hostess gifts and entertaining accouterments.  As you can see in the photo above, there are aprons, floor mats, dishes, flags, a little bit of everything!  It is a fabulous place to go from Christmas gift wrap and gift tags.  I bought the most adorable English Christmas gift tags there.  I also bought some lilac soap there that I have never been able to find anywhere else.  I put it in the bathroom and you would swear there was a bouquet of lilacs in there!  They have a nice supply of children's wooden toys, too.   

The very unassuming storefront of Venice Stationers.  You can also see a bench in the photo.  There are benches all along the avenue, which are especially nice for husbands to sit on while their wives are shopping or to take a shopping break and eat an ice cream cone from one of the several ice cream/gelato stores.

More fun stuff in the large Venice Stationers windows.

The Venice Olive Oil Co.  This store in right on the corner of Business 41 and Venice Ave.  I just discovered it recently.

The inside of the Venice Olive Oil Co.  See all the different and unique olive oils ready for your selection?

The Island Gourmet right on the next corner.

Lots of pretty entertaining items at the Island Gourmet.

The Tabletop.  It is a fairly contemporary store of, what else, tabletop items!  I have bought things in here for my daughter for Christmas.  Lots of very clean and crisp type dishes and also lots of other little fun things.

A quick peek inside The Tabletop.

Seaside Chic storefront

Lots of pretty things for your home at Seaside Chic.  I love that chest in the window!

Nana's - A Children's Shop

Nana's is a delightful store full of all things kids - clothes, toys, books, you name it.  I have bought lots of grandkid things here at Christmas.  Once I bought a complete fireman's outfit for my grandson.  It was so cute!

Adorable things from Nana's

Sirene Coastal Interiors.  This is in the old Martha's Candy and Clutter store.  Oh, how I miss that store!  It had really delish homemade candy.  As my girls got older, I would buy their Easter candy there and bag it up individually for them.  It was beyond good. 

Sirene' s window.  You can't really tell in this photo, but the picture frames and the LOVE hanging are all done in shells - very pretty.

Captain's Landing - a very nice men's store



Inside of Captain's Landing, an upscale casual feeling 



Starfish Lane Interiors

How cute is this turquoise chest?  I think I might have to go back and explore that further!

More delights at Starfish Lane.  I love the Flip Flops pail!  Pink and green - what's not to love?!

The Paper Pad - an upscale stationery store.  This is where I order my Crane stationery and also order unique invitations.  They have lots of other fun things, too!

The window at the Paper Pad.  You can see they have a variety of items.

There is my little stroll down three blocks of Venice Avenue.  Venice is such a terrific small town.  I have loved living in this area for 30 years.  I remember when we first moved here, the stores would actually close for the month of September!  This area has grown much along with the rest of the gulf coast, but has kept its charm and history.  Tomorrow's blog will be just a small little bit about the history of the area.  I hope you'll stop back by!