Bombay Electric.
The Daily Pao is on Shouut, a newly-launched app that offers recommendations on restaurants, bars, shops, hotels and places to visit across the country. Since this is the season to shop, here’s a selection of 22 stores in Mumbai we’ve recommended on Shouut. For more on where to eat, drink and make merry in the city, follow The Daily Pao on Shouut, which Android users can download for free here.
Ahilaya
This three-outlet store specialises in traditional and modern ensembles embellished with intricate and elegant Lucknowi Chikankari work. Shop for tops, dresses and kurtas in a beautiful range of colours including sorbet pink and lavender.
Shops No.2 and 3, Ramnimi Building, Ground Floor, Mandlik Road, Colaba. Tel: 022 2202 4053. Also at Shops No.2 and 3, Reshma Building, Second Hasnabad lane, Santa Cruz (West). Tel: 022 2649 0447. And Shop No.2, Nav Pooja Apartment, Perry Cross Road, Bandra (West). Tel: 022 2645 9391.
Amrapali
The jewellery store, which has outposts at the Oberoi hotel in Nariman Point and Juhu, as well as counters in Good Earth, stocks contemporary and traditional silver trinkets and costume pieces.
Juhu Church Road, Juhu. Tel: 022 2612 5001. Also at Shops No.28 and 29, Oberoi Shopping Centre, The Oberoi hotel, Nariman Point. Tel: 022 2284 3687.
Arife Lamoulde
Home bakers have Arife on speed dial thanks to its comprehensive inventory of baking tools. Here, you can shop for cake moulds, cookie cutters, sprinkles, bread moulds, tart pans and measuring cups.
229, New Commonwealth Co-housing Society, near Shoppers Stop, Linking Road, Bandra (West). Tel: 022 2642 5990. Also at Shop No.556, Crawford Market, opposite Sadanand Hotel, Lokmanya Tilak Marg, Fort. Tel: 98191 71407.
Bombay Electric
The place to go when you want to splurge on stylish (and pricey) clothes, bags and accessories by hip Indian designers.
1, Reay House, BEST Marg, Colaba, next to the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Tel: 022 2287 6276.
Bombay Shirt Company
Pick from an impressive range of material, styles and accessories at this store that sells made-to-order shirts for men and women, which you can also order online.
No.3, Ground Floor, Sassoon Building, opposite The Pantry, Kala Ghoda, Fort. Tel: 022 4004 3455.
Chimanlals
This iconic stationery store, which has been retailing handmade paper products with beautiful Indian motifs since the 1950s, is among our favourite place to go gift shopping for friends and relatives living abroad.
A-2, Taj Building, D.N. Road, Wallace Street, Fort. Tel: 022 2207 4764.
Cottons
The ethnic wear store from Jaipur specialises in sustainable fashion. They retail print-heavy cotton tops, skirts, kurtis and salwar suits that are ideal for Mumbai where summer is eternal.
St. Sebastian Road, near Salt Water Cafe, Bandra (West). Tel: 022 2651 8408.
Curio Cottage
The place to go to for tasteful, dressy costume jewellery and contemporary accessories. They also have a collection of silver jewellery.
Crystal Blue Building, 16th Road, Khar. Tel: 022 2648 3307. Also at 19, Mahakavi Bhushan Marg, behind Regal Cinema, Colaba. Tel: 022 2202 2607.
Dhoop
This is one of our favourite spots for hand-crafted Indian products such as home and fashion accessories, furniture and gift items.
Shop No.2, Mangal Kunj Building, B Wing, junction of 32nd Road and 36th Road, National College lane, opposite SBI Bank, off Linking Road, Bandra (West). Tel: 022 2640 3917.
Fabindia
The Kala Ghoda branch of Fabindia is one of the largest in the city. It stocks clothes, jewellery, home furnishing, furniture, cosmetics and organic food products.
137, Jeroo Building, M.G. Road, Kala Ghoda, Colaba. Tel: 022 2262 6539.
Freedom Tree
Prettily patterned and pop-coloured wares are peddled at this popular home store. It’s a one-stop shop for all your decorative needs including lights, furniture, fabrics and cutlery.
Bandra Breeze, Plot No.57/A, on the junction of 23rd and 28th Road, Bandra (West). Tel: 022 2641 2999.
Fuss Pot
A tiny store housed in a garage, Fuss Pot sells funky export surplus clothes and accessories for men, women and kids. We’ve often found gems in their selection of tops, leggings and dresses.
18th Road, near Fabindia, Khar. Tel: 96191 94023.
Good Earth
The contents of our fantasy home are retailed across this lifestyle store chain with branches in Delhi and Mumbai. Good Earth’s tastefully curated but somewhat expensive collections of tableware and homeware inspire lust.
Raghuvanshi Mansion, Raghuvanshi Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel. Tel: 022 2495 1954. Also at Juhu Tara Road, opposite J. W. Marriott Hotel, Juhu. Tel: 022 2611 2481. And 2, Reay House, adjacent to the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Colaba. Tel: 022 2202 1030.
Kitab Khana
This lovely, standalone book store offers a wide range of fiction and non-fiction and frequently serves as a venue for book launches, talks and events for kids.
Mahatma Gandhi Road, next to Davar’s College, Flora Fountain, Fort. Tel: 022 6170 2276.
Kulture Shop
A platform for Indian graphic artists from across the world, Kulture Shop showcases limited edition T-shirts and prints by the likes of co-founders Jas Charanjiva and Kunal Anand and such well-known illustrators as Sameer Kulavoor and Lokesh Karekar.
Hill View 2, Second Floor, No.201, 241 Hill Road, opposite Mehboob Studio, above DCB Bank, Bandra (West). Tel: 022 2655 0982.
Melange
This cosy Altamont Road store run by Sangita Singh Kathiwada stocks a carefully selected range of clothes by Indian designers as well as its own label.
33 Altamount Road. Tel: 022 2353 4492.
Mora Taara
Perched on Pedder Road, this home decor store always surprises us with its tasteful selection of products ranging from tableware and home linen to pop art and stationery.
6, Mani Mansion, opposite Villa Theresa school, Pedder Road. Tel: 022 2352 3116.
Parvati Villa
This clothes and accessories shop has funky baubles in silver and brass, clutches in ethnic patterns, shoes and a selection of clothing by new designers. We’re fond of their delicate pendants and colourful chappals.
Cusrow Baug, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Colaba Causeway, Colaba. Tel: 022 2285 6523.
The Museum Shop
The CSMVS’s shop is a great place to pick up gifts for family or friends (or yourself). They’ve got a range of coffee tables about the country, traditional Indian games and toys and plenty of Mumbai memorabilia.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort. Tel: 022 2284 4484.
Sancha Tea Boutique
At the Delhi-based chain’s tasteful Kala Ghoda store you will find a vast range of teas including whites, greens, oolongs, black teas, blooming teas and masala chai from across India. But even if you’re not a tea connoisseur, you’ll find much to drink in among their range of vibrant tea accessories.
Shop No.2A, Machinery House, opposite Trishna, Kala Ghoda, Fort. Tel: 022 4002 0854.
Silver Streak
The two-store chain retails dainty and statement silver jewellery. We regularly rely on their ethnic designs, which they update every few months, to dress up a day or nighttime ensemble.
321, Trilok Building, Chitrakar Dhurandhar Marg, Behind Citi Bank, Khar. Tel: 022 2648 4503. Also at Shop No.4, Joanna Apartment, next to St. Joseph’s Convent, Manuel Gonsalves Road, Bandra (West). Tel: 022 2642 3438.
Strand Book Stall
A city institution, Strand Book Stall packs a formidable number of titles in a compact space. They have a great collection of classics and most books are discounted.
15-C, Dhannur Building, Sir P. M. Road, Borabazar Precinct, Fort. Tel: 022 2266 1994.