Best Places to Shop in Anchorage

Talk about one-stop shopping: At 14,000 square feet, this 20-year-old Anchorage store is Alaska's biggest gift shop. Run by the Green family—a local family that has been active in Anchorage retail for about as long as Anchorage has existed—Polar Bear makes legitimate claims for having the biggest selection and lowest prices of all the gift shops in the state.

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One of the most original gifts you can find in Alaska is a piece of clothing made from the undercoat of the musk ox, called “Qivuit.” What’s so special about this fabric? It’s finer than cashmere, eight times warmer than wool (and not scratchy like wool), and extremely light. Pick up some items made from this rare, lustrous fiber when you’re downtown at the co-op; you’ll have a rare treasure that can be found nowhere else in the world.

Discover something truly unique to bring home at this one-of-a-kind gallery that carries only work by Alaskan artists. Shop for high-quality glass, metal, and wood art; jewelry; mittens; handbags; scarves; handmade soap; journals and notebooks; photography; watercolor prints; cards; stickers and more.

Whatever your clothing and gear needs are, you can find top-quality products—along with advice from Alaskan experts—in this long-running family-owned store with locations in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Kodiak.

Variety of dining choices, movie theaters with recliners, a bowling alley, and an ice rink, it provides enjoyment for the whole family.

Talk about one-stop shopping: At 14,000 square feet, this 20-year-old Anchorage store is Alaska's biggest gift shop. Run by the Green family—a local family that has been active in Anchorage retail for about as long as Anchorage has existed—Polar Bear makes legitimate claims for having the biggest selection and lowest prices of all the gift shops in the state.

How big  More...

Bringing the right gear for a vacation in Alaska can seem daunting. This independent store, in the Spenard area of Anchorage, offers both an affordable way to buy anything from rain pants to a mountain bike once you get here—as well as an efficient way to sell that same gear when it’s time to go home. Essentially a consignment store, Hoarding Marmot lets folks buy and sell gently used gear—the ultimate in good recycling.

Longtime Alaskans Doug and Heather Robuck make modern gold prospecting easy: Their collections of handmade gold-in-quartz jewelry—a rare combination—are crafted into rings, necklaces, and bracelets. Also, check out their extensive collection of natural, unaltered gold nuggets.

Every Saturday and Sunday in summer, more than 300 vendors take over seven acres of downtown Anchorage, selling a wide variety of Alaskan-made goods and food from all over the world. Whether you’re in the market for a valuable keepsake or a last-minute souvenir, you’ll likely find what you want here. You’ll find souvenir T-shirts, furs, painters and photographers selling their work, handmade jewelry, and more. Music and dance performances keep the market lively.

This Anchorage institution has a great slogan: “If you don’t know furs, know your furrier.” The furs themselves come from Alaska and other parts of the world—such as Scandinavia and Russia—and come from mink, beaver, lynx, and fox, to name a few. Go upstairs to see how they make everything from coats to slippers, mostly by hand. 

When your Alaska travel plans include outdoor activities (and they should!), gear up with affordable, high-quality equipment rentals from local experts. Alaska Outdoor Gear Outfitter & Rentals will pull together what you need for everything from a summer campout to a winter snowshoe or aurora viewing expedition. So get out there!

Discover a unique selection of teas and spices in this locally owned store that’s a delight for the senses. Make sure to open the jars and smell! Stock up for your journey or to savor when you return home, or come simply to enjoy a cup of delicious tea.

This downtown shop and café is a little glimpse into old Anchorage—a city that wasn't completely about logging, fishing and tough guys. Built in 1915, the Kimball building, on Town Square Park at the corner of 5th and E, is a stop on the historic walking tour and still has antique fixtures and flooring. It’s eclectic, “quaint-meets-cool” gift and  More...

Eskimos invented this ancient curved blade which rocks back and forth, filleting salmon and trout. Old-fashioned ones were made of slate or bone, but today's are stainless steel with hardwood handles.

Finishing that final checklist before a big fishing or hunting trip is daunting. Fortunately, you don’t have to run all over town. With 12,000 square feet, Mountain View Sports Center has all the gear you'll need. Not just guns and rods and reels, but spotting scopes, rain gear, boots, tents. In the business for 50 years, they only carry top quality. And they have expert  More...

Alaska Wild Berry Products has two convenient locations. One, inside the 5th Avenue Mall in the heart of downtown Anchorage. The other is just a brief 10-minute drive from downtown. The shop itself features great Alaskan gifts like Alaskan jelly, salmon, meats, and chocolate.