Need a gift of a gem or two? The downtown area is famous for the Jewelry Centers. It is not just St. Vincent’s, though you will soon develop your favorite stalls there. Most of the office buildings are beehives of wholesale jewelry vendors and designers. Take the stairs to make it a bit of a work out and you will certainly reach your 10,000 steps for fitness that day.
Also downtown are the floral and produce markets, which require a very early morning start but are a sight to behold. Seventy percent of the fashion downtown is wholesale as well. Fabric houses abound. Noteworthy is B. Black and Sons that sells fabulous imported wool to the finest tailors in the south land. The legendary Michael Levine stores are adjacent. Nearby Mood, made more famous by Project Runway, and International Silks & Woolens are filled with amazing fabric for custom designs for both celebrities and the fashion forward crowd. You could be shopping beside a costume designer or a theater wardrobe manager at these locales.