Calgary Shopping Guide
from WorldWeb.com Travel Guide

Posing Mannequins in Chinook Centre 1

By fusing an abundance of trendy retail districts and high-end downtown department stores, this modern cosmopolitan city has given shopping a fresh urban face with a pinch of excitement. From the alfresco shopping villages to the corridors of each enthralling shopping mall, Calgary has something for everyone's tastes.

MALL MANIA

With at least one primary shopping mall in each city quadrant, planning a shopping day around convenience is simple. In the South, located on Macleod Trail and Glenmore, is Calgary's largest shopping mall, Chinook Centre. Anchored by The Bay, Sears and Zellers this mall boasts more than 200 retail shops, several full service restaurants, a food court and a 16 screen movie theater complete with arcade and IMAX. Other stores making up the buzz of Chinook are, Chapters, The Body Shop, Zara, MAC Cosmetics, Williams Sonoma and the Gap. Accessibility is another of this mall's features, since it's located only three blocks from the C-Train and fully equipped with both indoor and outdoor parking.

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Another mall in the south is SouthCentre, which is located on Macleod Trail and Anderson Road. Southcentre features most of the same retail shops as Chinook, but creates less of a spectacle.

In the northeast is western Canada's only enclosed outlet mall. Complete with the basics, Deerfoot Outlet Mall offers a great selection of quality brand-name retailers, such as Peoples Jewellers and Liz Claiborne, as well as the largest Sears Outlet department store in Canada. The mall is easily accessible to both urban and rural markets and conveniently located next to Deer Foot, Calgary's busiest traffic artery.

The two largest adjacent outdoor shopping complexes, WestHills Towne Center and Signal Hill Centre, located in the southwest, feature dozens of retail outlets. Some of the bigger names include, La Senza, Pier 1 Imports, Urban Barn, Indigo, Winners and HMV. Several restaurants and entertainment venues are also located in the area.

Market Mall is another one of Calgary's popular shopping facilities, located in the northwest in Varsity, a suburban neighborhood on Shaganappi Trail. With an interesting figure-eight layout and over 175 retail stores including, the United Colors of Benetton, Banana Republic, Guess, ALDO, The Bay, Toys 'R' Us and Sport Chek, shoppers will be busy all afternoon.

Northeast Calgary is home to Sunridge Mall, the largest shopping centre in this area. Recently renovated extensivly, Sunridge offers more than 160 retail stores, various specialty shops, full-service restaurants like the SUMO Japanese Restaurant, and the convenience of two large departments stores, The Bay and Zellers.

Upward View from Stephen Avenue 3

In downtown Calgary, located in Chinatown, is the distinct Dragon City Mall. With an array of Chinese and Japanese eateries, herbal stores and clothing shops, this unique shopping center is as culturally diverse as it is captivating.

DOWNTOWN

This primary retail area is chockfull of trendy urban shopping centers, historical buildings, voguish eateries and sparkling martini lounges. The heart of the city, and most of the action, downtown showcases Calgary as a first-class city that uses its diversity of choice and exciting atmosphere to bring patrons back again and again.

Located in the middle of downtown, Stephen Avenue spans from 1st Street SE to 4th Street SW (on Eighth Avenue SW), and has become one of Calgary's major pedestrian thoroughfares. Open to vehicles only after 6:00 pm and before 6:00 am, this street is pedestrian-friendly all day. Named after the first Canadian Pacific Railway president, Lord George Mount Stephen, Stephen Avenue Walk was officially declared a Canadian Historic site in 2002. Interesting street-level boutiques developed out of modernized late 19th century and early 20th century buildings line the walk with trendy cafés, art houses and local pubs filling in the gaps. Businesses like McNally Robinson Booksellers, Bang & Olufsen and Aveda Academy Salon maintain Stephen Avenue's sui generis while an abundance of kiosks, live performances, buskers, music and festivals provide the entertainment.

Calgary's largest shopping sphere also encircles Bankers Hall which is connected via +15 walkways to The Hudson's Bay, the Sears/Eaton Centre, TD Square, and the Scotia Centre. The Calgary Eaton Centre, located on Stephen Avenue, offers four levels of luxurious, upscale shopping. Anchoring shops like The Bay, Sears and Holt Renfrew make up the foundation of this notorious shopping centre. Holt Renfrew, Canada's showcase for international fashion, features items from Tiffany & Co, Chanel, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Links of London. Despite 130 years of business, every Eaton Centre across Canada was bought out by Sears Canada. Since the Eaton's chain was forced to fold in 1999. All corporate assets, including the Eaton's name, trademarks, brands and Website were acquired by Sears Canada. Although the Eaton's department store disappeared when Sears took over in the late 1990's, the downtown shopping Centre still retained the name for historical purposes.

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Connected both inside and outside of the Eaton Centre is TD Square, a classy shopping facility of equal caliber, spanning three floors and offering 110 retail stores. The shopping centre puts emphasis on higher-end office attire are top-quality establishments like Grafton & Co and Harry Rosen, both sporting two levels of men's fashions with collections by Hugo Boss, Ermenegildo Zegna and Giorgio Armani's Le Collezioni, Rosen's own JP Tilford and Sedgewick labels. Also present is Alberta's flagship Club Monaco and the only downtown Gap and Banana Republic, as well as Birks Jewellers and Tristan & America. TD is the busiest artery of the +15 Skywalk system, the world's most extensive pedestrian walk way, and home to the indoor tropical Devonian Gardens.

Located along Centre Street and fourth Avenue in the northeast of Downtown is Calgary's Chinatown, the third largest in Canada. This flourishing Asian-influenced community contrasts with the rest of the downtown core and features traditional Asian architecture and colors. Vibrant culture lines the streets through Chinese style streetlamps, phone booths and brightly painted two-storey buildings and shopping facilities. Also located in the vicinity is the Chinese Cultural Centre and an overabundance of shops and restaurants.

Located immediately north of Downtown's 3rd Avenue South is the timeless, Eau Claire Market. The pathways that wind through Prince's Island Park and along the Bow River have grown to revolve around this focus of activity. The hub of Downtown, Eau Claire is a wonderful place for all ages to explore, shop or browse. Lively dining establishments like Joey Tomatoes offer patrons a location for refuelling, catcing up with friends or simply enjoying a cocktail before and after happy hour. The Barclay Parade and Eau Claire Festival Market's children's play area offer a friendly touch to this urban-based neighborhood while the array of festivals and annual events keep things fresh and interesting. Eau Claire Market Shopping Centre is the focal point of the neighborhood and is home to several unique shops like the Calgary Flames Fanattic store, numerous galleries, the Eau Claire Market Theatre complete with arcade and billiard room, a food court and several restaurants. Eau Claire is located directly on the city's large network of pedestrian pathways and trails, making accessibility another of its features.

OUTDOOR SHOPPING AREAS

	Click to View the Shopping Districts in Calgary

Calgary is home to an abundance of rich outdoor shopping villages, each with its own colourful personality and charm. Offering everything from chic eateries to plush boutiques, these modernized classics provide hours of leisurely and enjoyable browsing.

Being the oldest neighborhood in Calgary, established in 1875, and the only location that permits independly-owned shops and refuses large chain stores, the Inglewood district on 9th Avenue SE, is quite popular for antique shopping and relaxing afternoons. Also an array of delightful gift shops, art galleries and fashion boutiques line the street. Maintaining the unique and pleasant atmosphere are the presence of specialty shops and boutiques exclusive to Inglewood. The Inglewood Antiques & Floral, Circa Vintage Art Glass and Eye on Design are just a few of these rarities. Fine dining takes on new extremes with Capo Restaurant, winner of Enroute Magazine's Best Restaurant in Canada 2006, and the #2 New Restaurant in Canada, making it one of Inglewood's best kept gems and an excellent choice for refuelling from a laborious shopping day. Guests can marvel at this historic piece of Calgary's past, while indulging in an afternoon of retail therapy.

Shoe Display in Westhills 5

Kensington, a village within a city, was voted the #1 Shopping District in Calgary six years in a row. This pleasant neighborhood offers a collection of over 100 specialty stores and gift-giving retail shops like Bernard Callebaut, and Urban Barn to keep shoppers busy. Flavorful retreats like Crave Cookies & Cupcakes can also be found in Kensington, an excellent location for collecting thoughts while satisfying a sweet tooth. The Sunnyside LRT station and many bus stops help to keep Kensington conveniently accessible from any where in the city. Take the day to soak up the scenery or relax on one of the many courtyard benches.

Marda Loop, a unique shopping district that is at the core of inner city Calgary living and is one of the most popular outdoor shopping venues. Located on 33rd and 34th Avenue SW, Marda Loop is a business revitalization zone, boasting trendy, small-scale retailers, popular restaurants and bistros, gourmet food shops and other specialty stores. Exclusive to Marda Loop, Elaments Salon & Day Spa provides superior esthetics and repose while Star Interiors offers tasteful and creative fashions. Marda Loop also hosts an annual street dance, the Marda Gras Festival, in early August. In addition to this, Marda Loop is home to many clubs and organizations, like the Yoga & Meditation Community Center, and the emergence of such events and activities is showing evidence of Calgary's shift towards a more vibrant population.

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Located just south of downtown are the Fourth Street Mission Shops. This area was once the homestead property for the Our Lady of Peace Mission, the first in southern Alberta. In modern days it has become more of a cultural mixing pot; with every walk of life present, this diverse neighborhood has a little bit of something for everyone. One of Mission’s big attractions is its day spas; one, the Institut de Santé, is Canada’s only medically based-spa and being the only Calgary location, helps add to the caliber of the establishment. Mission also offers more than 30 restaurants including Aida's Mediterranean Bistro, dozens of unique outdoor and indoor art galleries like the very popular Art Mode Gallery, specialty shops and plenty of spacious parkland to stroll. Fourth Street is perfect for a leisurely day of browsing, or simply sipping tea and people watching.

Uptown 17th Avenue, another one of Calgary's popular shopping districts, offers a dense collection of restaurants featuring tastes from around the world, boutiques, galleries, specialty shops, and numerous professional services. Smyth & Kang, a trendy clothing and home accessory shop brings top fashions with far eastern themes to the Avenue while Rubaiyat, a purveyor of beautiful handcrafted items, showcases local talents. This pedestrian-friendly street is filled with an array of sights and sounds, dynamic people and plenty of resting spots. 17th Ave is a vibrant piece of Calgary's shopping scene and with more than 400 merchants comprising the vicinity, shoppers are rarely sent home empty-handed.

PHOTO COURTESY c/o Jaime Getz; Posing Mannequins; Calgary, AB, Canada c/o Jaime Getz; Shoe Shopping; Calgary, AB, Canada c/o Jaime Getz; Looking Upward; Calgary, AB, Canada c/o Jaime Getz; The Bay Downtown; Calgary, AB, Canada c/o Jaime Getz; Shoe Display; Calgary, AB, Canada c/o Jaime Getz; Going Home Happy; Calgary, AB, Canada