Tuscaloosa has no shortage of shopping venues. Everywhere you look there’s a store trying to stand out and show you how unique it is. While that is not always the case, Tuscaloosa is home to some incredibly unique stores! We’ve compiled a list of some unique stores that you can only find in the One and Only Tuscaloosa! Here are the top five One and Only stores downtown.
1. Cravings
Cravings is Tuscaloosa’s favorite specialty food and drink store. It is owned by a New Orleans native and therefore offers a lot of Cajun inspired cuisine that is made fresh daily. The store offers specialty groceries like candy, bagels, homemade marinades, etc. You can purchase items to take home or you can enjoy the items from the dining area inside. Cravings is the only store in downtown Tuscaloosa where you can go and find an entire wall dedicated to selling craft beer from all across the country. You can go in and create your own six-pack, or choose from over two-hundred wines made to fit any budget. Cravings also sells unique specialty items such as wine ice cream and fresh made-from-scratch quiche, tuna salad, crawfish tail rolls, pasta and more! Cravings has a reputation of rotating stock and accepting customer requests joyfully. This is the best place to go if you’re looking to pick up drinks and a quick dinner that are little different from the norm!
Located in a historic building in downtown Tuscaloosa is West Alabama’s largest craft mall, the makers market. The store is locally owned and operated and is the perfect place to go if you’re in search of homemade goods and décor. It offers all sorts of craft goods from jewelry, furniture, home décor, clothing and so much more. The best part about this store is that everything in it is handmade by people in the community. Decorated with its antique hardwood floors and original brick walls the venue alone will have you in the mood to shop from the moment you walk in. This store embodies the phrase, “shop local” and that’s exactly what you’ll be doing when you visit the makers market!
The owners of Black Warrior Brewing realized they needed more space for their storage. Because of the lack of convenience stores in downtown Tuscaloosa, they turned the front of their new establishment into an incredible one stop shop! They realized there was no place in the area where people could go to get their quick necessity items such as snacks, drinks, sunscreen, toiletries, etc. So Black Warrior Brewing decided to help the public out and open T-Town Market. Thanks to this market you can now skip a few Walmart trips and find all of your day-to-day necessities such as toothpaste, deodorant, snacks, coffee and so much more right in downtown Tuscaloosa. The market also offers grilling supplies like charcoal and locally farmed meats and veggies from time to time. In this case, you can avoid the dreadfully long lines of the supermarket and just make a quick trip to T-Town Market and they will set you up with everything you need for your summer party.
Lou and Company is the perfect little gift shop for any occasion. Started by a University of Alabama alumni, the store features gifts, party favors, sorority items and home décor pieces for every occasion. The local One and Only shop is named after the owner’s goldendoodle, Lou, who often greets shoppers at the door upon arrival. The store is home to elegant, high-end gift and décor items that are otherwise hard to find in the area. Most of the items in the store can only be found online. Luckily for us, Lou and Company has hooked us up, and given us a place to find these specialty gifts right in the heart of downtown. Whether you’re looking for baby gifts, wedding gifts, housewarming gifts or just looking to treat yourself, this shop is the best place to go for any celebration.
The Shirt Shop is a staple and one of the most familiar shops in Tuscaloosa. The historic building is packed full of name brand apparel such as Vineyard Vines, Fish Hippie, Elan and Peter Millar making it one of Tuscaloosa’s best shopping venues. The one and only shop even started its own clothing line called “Elephant Wear” that features products branded with a distinctive game day elephant. The Elephant Wear line is one of the most popular staples among University of Alabama students on game day. This store is always trending in Tuscaloosa and is the perfect place to go if you’re looking to stock your wardrobe with special occasion attire and UA apparel.
Written By: Bailee Kennamer