Fashion a Gift in Fredericksburg

From its earliest beginnings, the Fredericksburg area was a center of trade and commerce.   The tradition continues as visitors and residents ply the region’s streets and highways to a dizzying assortment of shopping venues.

 

More than 350 original 18th and early 19th century buildings line the brick streets of the city’s historic district and many of those buildings today hold original, unusual, or regional merchandise for an appealing day of shopping and browsing.    

 

Downtown
In downtown, find a shop that sells only items made in Virginia, handmade copper lamps, an original work of art, a Christmas ornament, or estate jewelry. Friendly, personalized service is the custom in the shopping district where most shops and restaurants are owner-operated.

 

Antiques
Antique dealers number more than 100 in the downtown shopping district offering a full range of furniture, artwork, silver, porcelain, vintage clothing, Civil War memorabilia, collectibles, and more.  Shoppers find scores of dealers displaying a wide spectrum of antiques and collectibles.

 

Artists
A vibrant community of artists and artisans populate the downtown area. Some galleries focus on individual and local artistry, while others represent artists from the entire country. In several studios and workshops, artists create while shoppers browse. Many galleries participate in monthly show openings called First Fridays, where new artists and offerings keep the arts fresh and dynamic. 

 

Parking
Downtown Fredericksburg is pedestrian-friendly. Stop in the Fredericksburg Visitor Center at 706 Caroline Street for a free parking pass to put on the dashboard of your car. Then leave your car for your entire shopping trip, either in one of the public lots, or in the zones usually limited to two-hour parking.

 

You can also pick up brochures for arts and artisans, antiques, and dining and helpful guides to the array of offerings in the downtown shopping district.  

 

Around Town
Back on the streets and headed away from downtown, straddling Rt. 3 west of I-95, are the two largest shopping venues in the entire Fredericksburg area, Spotsylvania Towne Center and Central Park.

 

Spotsylvania Towne Center
Spotsylvania Towne Center offers a major shopping venue under one roof, with more than 125 retailers, including large Department Stores such as Belk’s, J.C. Penney, Costco, and Sears. Dick’s Sporting Goods, American Eagle, Express, Casual Corner, Bath and Body Works, and the Disney Store help round out the retail mix at Spotsylvania Towne Center.

 

Central Park
Central Park is a mixed-use center with more than 2.3 million square feet of commercial space, including major national retailers: Target, Kohl’s, Sports Authority, Borders Books, Circuit City, and a Wal-Mart SuperCenter, as well as smaller independent retailers unique to Fredericksburg and 60 restaurants. 

 

Stafford Marketplace
In Stafford County to the north of Fredericksburg, retail powers activity centers at Exit 143 off I-95. To the west, the new Stafford Marketplace is host to dozens of retail stores, including Target, Kohl’s, Michael’s Arts & Crafts, TJ Maxx, and Borders Books. 

 

Aquia Towne Center
Aquia Towne Center, to the east, has a 10-screen cinema, more than a dozen restaurants and cafes, and a diverse range of retailers from the upscale Archara Florist and Gifts to mass retailers such as Big Lots, GNC, and Radio Shack. Nearby there is a modern bowling alley and roller rink.   

 

Massaponax
South, at Exit 126, in Massaponax, you can find a nine-cinema theater, a bowling alley, and a collection of restaurants. A huge new shopping complex, Southpoint II is bringing a myriad of new retailers and dining options to the area.    

 

Other Shopping Centers…
Doc Stone Commons, Brafferton Center, North Stafford Shopping Center, and various smaller shopping areas host an array of retailers and restaurants that could fulfill virtually any need, including Peebles Department Store, and Olde Virginia Gourmet and Gifts for Stafford and Virginia specialty souvenirs. 

 

Specialty gift shops, jewelers, and antique shops dot the county. A host of large retailers include Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Petco,  Staples, Kohls, and Target.

 

Dotting the region are other smaller shopping venues and some unique stand alone retailers like a favorite at Spotsylvania Courthouse, the Pear Tree, a gift shop and restaurant.

 

Unique shops in Stafford include Bluebird Stained Glass Studio, Anita’s Petit Fleur Flowers and Gifts, Forget-Me-Not-ShoppeVintage Treasures Antiques and Collectibles, and Akasha Art & Framing with domestic art, framing, international art and cultural items, candles, and moreSunnyside Nursery Garden Center and Gifts.  Other specialty gift shops can be found inside many of the local museums. 

 

The Fredericksburg area is host to a myriad of retail offerings for virtually every shopping taste and need.