Shopping in Estelle

Since 1964, Maple Street Book Shops have fueled local imaginations with novels and nonfiction works by classic, contemporary, and local writers. Originally "five rooms of paperbacks," the store now has four locations, including two charming, side-by-side establishments on the shop’s titular residential street. Here, a purple and green cottage houses a collection of 9,000 used tomes, and next door, the pink house sells the sweet perfume wrung from glossy new paperbacks. In addition to browsing the crowded shelves and chatting with the knowledgeable staff of one-time teachers, writers, and printmakers, visitors can chat with authors at sociable events.

At Dirty Coast, visitors can acquire a bevy of fetching T-shirts, apparel, and merchandise that showcase a proud New Orleans swagger. Featuring designs illustrated by local and international artists, Dirty Coast’s products aim to spark conversation and the occasional thumb-wrestling match with city-wise graphics and topical opinion-expressers. Peruse a variety of shirts with a head-turning graphic reminder of all the things you'll need for NOLA's never-ending festival season ($15), or a charming hot-sauce-doused Dirty Coast design ($20). Cruise sidewalks and spaceship command decks in style with merchandise such as the environmentally friendly shopping bag ($20), or surf the web and lava rivers with a water meter mouse pad ($9). Customers can purchase multiple Groupons as gifts, allowing them to help update Uncle Bob’s dated wardrobe, which consists of steel chain mail and cargo shorts.

Catherine and Scott McKearn leave no corner of the world unsearched in their quest to discover artisan furniture builders. The couple frequents faraway destinations in India, Indonesia, China, and Morocco to unearth beautiful solid-wood furniture to import directly to their three shops. In order to save their customers money, they buy pieces wholesale and ship them in 40-foot containers, bypassing both middlemen and price-gun-wielding pirates. Their furniture ranges in style from industrial to French country, and the eclectic selection rotates every few weeks to accommodate new shipments.

In 1910, Harry Offner opened his first hardware shop on South Rampart Street in downtown New Orleans, setting the foundation for a local network of three retail stores with more than 27,000 items in stock and 90,000 more available through catalogs or the Ace Hardware website. Like a treasured heirloom or the gene for double-jointed elbows, the business has passed through three generations as Harry's grandkids currently mind the store to help homeowners and handy folks find cleaning and painting supplies, lawn-care implements, housewares, and tools from well-known brands. The knowledgeable staff also assists shoppers with a variety of services, from cutting keys and threading pipes to minor household repair jobs performed by licensed and insured handymen.

French children’s books. Rare, local cookbooks. Novels set in the muggy air of Louisiana. All of these tomes line the blonde wood shelves at Blue Cypress Books, home to a trove of more than 12,000 new and high-quality secondhand books. Gathered by the owner and chief bookkeeper, the store’s selection runs the gamut from New York Times bestselling paperbacks to antiquarian sets kept in slipcase in order to guard against spilling coffee or liquid nitrogen on their leather covers. The resident gray-and-white tabby cat, Kitty Meow, lounges amid browsers as they peek at the affordable prices penciled on the inside pages of an extensive youth collection.

Something always seems to be happening at Blue Cypress, too. Children's book readings captivate little ones, and author signings let guests hobnob with professional wordsmiths. The shop also hosts performances of local music as well as monthly book-club meetings, during which locals share favorite recipes for broiling mystery novels.

Headed by two former LSU runners, Louisiana Running Company is both a source of high-quality running gear and a social hub in the running community. Patrons can peruse sweat-wicking apparel, watches designed to be worn in motion, and shoes by brands such as Brooks and Mizuno. A shoe-sizing process with video gait analysis ensures a supportive fit. In addition to supplying gear, the shop's staff organizes free running groups and updates customers with news on races throughout the state.