Markets and independent shops in Rochester

Markets and independent shops in Rochester

1. Buy

   Abundance Cooperative Market

   Owned by two thousand locals who've invested in this cooperative, the market is open to anyone who wants to buy their groceries from a community oriented and democratically controlled business. They moved to the new location on South Ave in 2017.

   Daily 8AM-8PM

2. Buy

   Andy's Candies

   One of three very good local chocolatiers, Andy's Candies has been distributing sweets since 1917. The original Hudson Avenue location is only a factory now; to buy chocolates, head to this retail location in Greece (or the second location at Eastview Mall in Victor).

   Mon-Sat 11AM-5PM

3. Buy

   Archimage

   Great gift shop with an eclectic selection. They sell children's toys, cards, jewelry, incense, stones, musical instruments, chimes, housewares, unconventional clothing items, and more. All at a variety of price points; it's not all cheap kitsch and it's not all pricey luxury. Well worth a stop in to browse, if nothing else.

   Mon-Fri 11AM-7PM, Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun noon-5PM; closed holidays

4. Buy

   Beers of the World

   A huge selection of both macro and micro brews from all over the world, plus home-brewing supplies. Also has a large display filled with good cigars. Word to the wise: the owners are quite stand-offish, especially to first time customers and some of the beers are not that fresh. Watch out for dust! Another store is in Batavia.

   Mon-Sat 10AM-7PM, Sun 11AM-4PM

5. Buy

   Century Liquor and Wines

   In the highly regarded Pittsford Plaza, Century Liquor has a very large selection of wine and liquor, including vintage. Receives tour buses from the nearby vineyard- and winery-laden Finger Lakes, which is the second largest wine producing area in the U.S.

   Mon-Sat 9AM-9PM, Sun 10AM-6PM

6. Buy

   Cheesy Eddie's

   Quite simply, Cheesy Eddie's makes great cheesecakes in a variety of flavors. In addition, their carrot cakes are widely considered the best in the area by a wide margin—deliciously moist with a perfectly balanced cream cheese frosting. Or try the Delights: two cookies sandwiching a dollop of cream cheese frosting.

   Tue-Fri 9AM-5PM, Sat 9AM-2PM (earlier close in winter)

7. Buy

   Cheesy Eddie's (Henrietta)

   This outlet location near Palmer's Market and Lori's Natural Foods is more convenient for south-siders.

   Tue-Fri 10AM-6PM, Sat 10AM-3PM (earlier close in winter)

8. Buy

   Comics Etc.

   There are a few good comic shops in Rochester, but Comics Etc. has long been one of the best. Booted from the Village Gate, the shop still has legions of loyal customers who tout the extensive back-issue selection and dedicated service.

   Mon noon-3PM, Tue Fri noon-6PM, Wed 11AM-6:30PM, Thu 11AM-7PM, Sat 11AM-5PM, Sun noon-5PM

9. Buy

   Craft Company No. 6

   Housed in a converted firehouse, this store is unique and probably one of the most unusual stores you will ever go to. Everything is handmade and for sale. Very artsy and not mass marketed.

   Mon-Thu 11AM-6PM, Fri Sat 11AM-7PM, Sun noon-5PM

10. Buy

    Dan's Crafts & Things

    A comprehensive craft and hobby shop, founded in 1974. They specialize in radio-control vehicles and model trains, but they carry much more than just those. Great place to find hard-to-find parts and accessories for all fine-detail hobbies.

    Mon Wed Fri 10AM-6PM, Tue Thu 10AM-8PM, Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun noon-5PM

11. Buy

    East Ave Liquor and Wine

    Wide selection of imported, domestic and New York wines and very helpful staff. Off-street parking.

    Mon-Sat 9AM-9PM, Sun 10AM-7PM

12. Buy

    Fleet Feet Sports

    In 2014, Fleet Feet Rochester was named one of the top 50 running stores in the country. Probably the best place in the region to get running shoes, precisely fitted to your feet and gait. The owners also run YellowJacket Racing, so they really know their stuff, and they tirelessly promote running (and walking) for fun and fitness. There's another store in Victor and one in Buffalo (Fleet Feet Syracuse has different owners).

    Mon-Fri 10AM-7PM, Sat 9AM-5PM, Sun 11AM-4PM

13. Buy

    Greenwood Books

    A nice selection of new and used books, with some older items that one simply can't find in large chain bookstores. Of particular interest is the selection of books covering both historical and modern Rochester.

    Tue-Sat 11AM-6PM

14. Buy

    Hedonist Artisan Chocolates

    Right next door to their sister ice cream shop, Hedonist has a variety of creative chocolate confections, changing seasonally. The raved-about specialty is their salted caramels.

    Daily 10AM-9PM

15. Buy

    House of Guitars

    The "Great, Great House of Guitars" has a huge selection of new and used records, CD's, and cassettes, most of which you won't be able to find anywhere else. The store is also a shrine to music and musicians, with an extensive collection of instruments for sale. Some of the biggest rock and pop musicians in the world go out of their way to come to this store, because of the selection and the knowledgeable, well-connected staff. The proof is on the walls, which are *covered* with photos and memorabilia from those visits.

    Mon-Sat 10AM-9PM, Sun 1-5PM

16. Buy

    Krudco

    Open since 1994, Krudco is the oldest skateboarding shop in the state. Aaron Costa's little shop has been the center of the Rochester skateboarding scene from the start, so it's a great place to meet fellow skaters as well as buy equipment and apparel. Conveniently, the store is just steps from the ROC City Skatepark.

    Mon Thu Fri 1PM-6PM, Tue Wed 3PM-6PM, Sat 11AM-5PM, Sun 11AM-3PM

17. Buy

    Lori's Natural Foods

    An organic and natural-food superstore; incredible selection and very good service.

    Mon-Sat 8AM-9PM, Sun 9AM-7PM

18. Buy

    Millennium Games

    In 2023, this long-standing game store moved to a new 28,000-sq-ft (2600-sq-m) location, making it (as far as anyone can tell) the largest game store in the country. (Maybe even the world; it's hard to find reliable data.) Inside is an enormous game room ($10 per person, which comes back to you as store credit) but also shelves upon shelves of board games, card games, roleplaying games and accessories, LEGO sets, puzzles, and disc golf supplies. Regular board gaming, RPG, and CCG events attract scores of players.

    Mon-Sat 10AM–10PM, Sun 10AM–5PM

19. Buy

    Parkleigh

    Epitomizing the Park Avenue vibe, Parkleigh is a gift shop par excellence and a local institution. One of the oldest retailers of MacKenzie-Childs ceramics, they also specialize in gourmet coffee and tea. You'll also find toys, games, books, jewelry, apparel, stationery, and all kinds of sweets and treats. (Note: the MacKenzie-Childs store is across Goodman Street at 235 Park Ave; its hours are the same except it's closed on Sundays.)

    Tue-Sat 10AM-5:30PM, Sun 11AM-3PM

20. Buy

    Record Archive

    A Rochester icon with probably the biggest selection of used vinyl records in the city. It doesn't have a great selection of newer records, but it will wow you with its extensive collection of used records. The Record Archive also hosts many concerts on a stage located in the middle of its spacious warehouse. Famous among locals for the dancing-record-guy commercials.

    Mon Tue Thu-Sat 10AM-7PM, Wed 10AM-9PM, Sun noon-5PM

21. Buy

    Rochester Public Market

    Established in 1905, the public market features over 300 stalls where independent sellers ply their wares, from cheap locally grown produce to handmade crafts and other curiosities. Many vendors even sell prepared foods, with regulars lining up early to place their orders. Great fun to just walk around, but good luck getting out without buying anything. Often overlooked by locals, yet always super-crowded; get there early for the best selection, or late for the best prices. Outside of normal market hours, the Market regularly hosts community garage sales, food truck rodeos, and free concerts.

    Tue Thu 6AM-1PM, Sat 6AM-3PM

22. Buy

    Stever's Candies

    The candy and chocolate at Stever's is made fresh daily, in small batches, so you know you're getting the freshest goodies possible. Their specialty is sponge candy, a Western New York favorite.

    Mon-Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun 10AM-5PM; extended hours Dec, Feb, Easter; closed in July

23. Buy

    The Bop Shop

    The legendary Bop Shop made its name at the Village Gate but has been at this larger location on Monroe Avenue since 2012. The shop is still crammed to overflowing with vinyl records, cassette tapes, and compact discs covering every era and every style. True music-lovers can spend hours pawing through the racks and uncovering treasure after treasure—albums they either never knew existed, or haven't seen in decades. The staff are all highly knowledgeable collectors and they love to talk music with customers. Often hosts jazz concerts; see web site for schedule.

    Wed Sun noon-5PM, Thu-Sat 11AM-6PM, Mon Tue closed·$0.50-20 and up

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Rochester (CC BY-SA 4.0).