A Summer Stroll Down 19th Street

Summer shopping; it has a nice ring to it. In the historic Houston Heights there are few locations better suited for a walking and shopping trip than 19th Street, although at this time of year it’s best to go in the morning before the afternoon heat kicks in. The collection of cozy shops, boutiques, and restaurants that line the road include quite a few classic hits as well as a number of locally owned businesses seeking to provide for the community that we all love. While long-time 19th Street icon Circa Real Estate has recently moved to their new office on 11th Street, there still remains a wealth of great businesses to visit on your next heights shopping trip. If you’re looking to take a nice morning stroll to do some window shopping, these notable 19th Street finds are worth checking out.

Jubilee

This quirky, local boutique with over 25 years in business has quite the eclectic mix of mostly women’s clothing, small gifts, trinkets, accessories, and home goods with an emphasis on bright colors and unique finds. Many of the clothing and shoes that they stock have a Texas flair to them which includes things like cowboy boots, hats and even Astros merch that can be further accessorized with their cute jewelry options. It’s also a great store to find small gifts such as artisan soaps, fragrances, bath bombs, and candles. If you know somebody that appreciates a bit of silly humor, definitely take a look at their tote bags, baby clothes, cards, and towels marked with outrageous slogans that are sure to make you laugh.

Vinal Edge Records

If collecting music is your thing, try stopping by Vinal Edge Records. In the era of streaming services, we tend to have access to a wide variety of songs at any given time. Even then, there is still something to be said for the more physical mediums of music listening. Sifting through the shelves of used CDs may be the way that you discover a new favorite that otherwise you wouldn’t think twice about scrolling past on your way to your everyday Spotify playlist. While CDs and LPs have largely become a thing of the past, a trip to your local record store is still a fun experience that enables you to expand your musical horizons, sometimes even for as low as $1. Vinyl Edge has been independently owned and operated since 1985, and I am glad to see that after all these years they still have a characteristic human touch.

Bliss on 19th

This little shop is home to a classy collection of home décor, wall art, and small gifts. They market themselves as a gift shop with stylish options where you can find something for any occasion. Aside from the classic candles, artisan soaps, and bath products, they also carry a mix of wall art, cards, tabletop décor, and a variety of unique lamps that fit well within the stylish atmosphere that they have cultivated.

Emerson Rose

This local Houston boutique focuses on women’s clothing with a more modern flair. Currently you can find new items from their recent Miss Americana, and Feels Like Summer collections as well as Houston related clothing and apparel. Their stock is stylistically more geared towards the younger generation, including their hats, shoes, sunglasses and handbags in addition to a smaller selection of home goods, and small gifts.

AG Antiques

Anybody with a passion for antiquing shouldn’t hesitate to visit AG Antiques as a part of their stroll down historic 19th Street. Founded by two cousins, this treasure trove is located in the same spot today as their grandfather’s dry goods store was in the early 1930s. Today they enjoy carrying on their family tradition, offering a unique variety of vintage to mid-century modern furniture, collectibles, and hand painted trinkets. Their constantly rotating inventory supplied by over 30 vendors is like a portal into the past where you never know exactly what will catch your eye.

Blessings Plants & Music

An easy to miss shop with an emphasis on personal wellbeing is The Blessings Gallery. Their colorful storefront is lined with houseplants for sale in addition to a variety of decorative plant pots, a selection of teas, herbs and vinyl records for an interesting mix of inventory. The store’s wellness oriented business model focuses on providing goods that are intended to foster a healthy, positive atmosphere and lifestyle. A good number of their stocked plant species are also variegated with unique white or pink patterning that makes for more unique and rare plants that could be enticing for collectors.

Penzey’s Spices

Are you looking to spice up your cooking? A trip over to Penzey’s on 19th Street is a sure fire way to add some new flavors to your spice cabinet collection. They stock a large assortment of spices and seasoning blends to choose from, and with the option to take in the aroma of each through their fragrance jars, you may get wrapped up in sampling everything in the store! Dip into their selection of dried herbs, or their supremely smoky paprika, and don’t miss the chance to try a few of their salted seasoning blends that provide a solid base of flavor for many dishes. Besides just having a quality selection that includes harder to find ingredients like saffron or vanilla beans, they offer some great options to try out new flavors such as their gift boxes and trial bags. With these options, you can walk away with a little bit of everything for a nice bargain price. Weekly deals from their newsletter also make it worthwhile to stop by from time to time and check out the latest offer.