The Best Shops in Walla Walla
If you want to understand Walla Walla, know this: the town doesn’t have a Costco. Instead, the storefronts of historic Main Street feature clothes, accessories, books, and gifts curated or made by local business owners. From a women-founded art collective to a wine shop that runs like an indie bookstore, you’ll find plenty to browse and, possibly, take home.
Shady Lawn Creamery Antique Mall Exterior. Courtesy of Patrick Record
Antiquing in Walla Walla
Best for: Vintage hunting
Location: Varies
Price: $-$$$
North Stars:
Walla Walla’s antiquing yields unusual finds for the determined hunter. The best places to look include the Antique Mall, with 55 dealers spread across 5,000 square feet, and Shady Lawn Antiques, set in an 1897 former creamery with displays grouped by theme, from industrial and western to mid-century and dairy memorabilia.
Antique Furniture Showroom at Shady Lawn Creamery Antique Mall. Courtesy of Patrick Record
The Thief: Fine Wine & Beer
Best for: Indie labels
Location: Downtown Walla Walla
Price: $-$$$
North Stars:
Founded by a group of wine professionals, The Thief wine shop and bar stocks around 500 labels in a lofty corner space inside a restored 1911 building. Hunting for hard-to-find local wines like Cayuse or needing a break from Walla Walla reds to sip something European, head here. The shop also carries the valley’s largest selection of Washington wine. If you happen to be in town on a Thursday, stop in for themed tastings.
Imported & Local Wine Selection. Courtesy of Steph Forrer.
Combine Art Collective
Best for: Local art
Location: Downtown Walla Walla
Price: $-$$$
North Stars:
Before Combine Art Collective opened, few opportunities existed for Walla Walla artisans to show their work beyond winery tasting room walls. Six women, fed up with the lack of venues, launched the space in 2019 as a response. The co-op now represents around 18 local and regional artists who share gallery duties and rotate a featured exhibit each month. Expect a mix of mediums, from oil and wax to woodblock and glass.
Showroom on Colville, Art Collective gallery. Courtesy of Jason Hummel
Forward
Best for: One-of-a-kind hand-worked leather pieces
Location: Downtown Walla Walla
Price: $$–$$$
North Stars:
In her workshop and retail store Forward, owner Dana Rubenser handworks leather into bags and accessories. She sews colorful fabrics and patterns into her pieces, like a tote featuring a swatch of Pendleton wool blanket or leather cuffs studded with metal for the wrist. Alongside leather accessories, she stocks apparel, boots, and denim. Sign up for one of Dana’s leather workshops to make your own piece.
Western-Inspired Boutique Clothing Display Interior. Courtesy of Forward Boutique.
Marguerite
Best for: Provisions and local wine
Location: Downtown Walla Walla
Price: $$–$$$
North Stars:
Peggy Frasse opened Marguerite in 2023 with an eye for the well-made over the mass-produced. The shelves hold small-batch goods, from pastas and conservas to French linens and ceramics from around the world. She also stocks local wine alongside her own small-production label and often invites regional artisans to present their craft in-store through events and workshops. A considered stop for a gift, a bottle, or something for your own table.
Interior of Máximo Bistrot. Courtesy of Lauren Mowery.
Studio Opal
Best for: Handmade jewelry and vintage finds
Location: Downtown Walla Walla
Price: $-$$$
North Stars:
Kathy Nelson opened Studio Opal in 2000 and has grown it into a boutique spanning clothing, shoes, jewelry, and home goods. Alongside conventional labels, she stocks smaller makers and natural-fiber lines like linen, at fair prices. Look for the pieces made by hand: Aurora shoes from upstate New York, local ceramic mugs, and her own textured raw-diamond jewelry set in molten silver. A French vintage collection hand-picked in Paris and consignment racks keep the selection varied.
