No One Hearts New York as Much as These Iconic Souvenir Shops
Yankees jerseys, YERRR snapbacks, and I Love NY tees are the epitome of NYC souvenirs.
What screams New York City louder than an ‘I Love NY’ t-shirt purchased near Times Square? It’s truly a forever slay. It’s also usually the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the most popular physical memory a traveler can take home from the Big Apple. But, it isn’t the only NYC souvenir around.
Across the boroughs, you’ll find a crew of small businesses whose passion is to provide patrons with unique mementos that speak to the city’s diverse tapestry of community and culture. From OKURRR-embroidered beanies from a community hub in The Bronx to signed Broadway playbills from a longstanding Manhattan institution, these shops stock your suitcase full of one-of-a-kind memories. Here are the most iconic NYC souvenir shops.
Mott Haven
Amaurys Grullon’s Bronx Native shop is a love letter to his home turf. Since 2015, the gift store has uplifted and empowered the people of the borough through positive branding on everything from I Love BX t-shirts and El Bronx hoodies to New YERRR Yankees snapbacks and OKURRR beanies. Patrons are hit with a kaleidoscope of color and culture upon entry thanks to street-art–covered walls, signed memorabilia, a fridge full of fruity drinks, and even a customized dominoes table (topped with Amaurys’ face). Bronx Native continues to be a community pillar through regular events like open mic nights, community food distribution, and pop-up markets for local businesses and creators.
Flatiron District
Memories is a mecca for all things delightfully kitschy. For more than 30 years, this iconic souvenir shop has been a reliable purveyor of I Love NY shirts, Statue of Liberty snowglobes, taxi cab keychains, skyscraper-covered postcards, and more. At the helm is Istanbul-native and owner Alper Tutus, who considers himself one of the only OG souvenir shop founders in the city. Although there is a website for the shop, Tutus purposely keeps things old-school: Only in-store purchases are available.
Little Italy
E. Rossi & Co. is a celebration of what the Rossi family calls “the four religions of Italian lifestyle: church, football, food, and music.” Located in the heart of Little Italy, the family-run store was first opened by Ernesto Rossi in 1910 and is now in the hands of his grandson, Ernie Rossi. Every nook and cranny of the shop is filled to the brim with tchotchkes, from religious statuary and cornicello necklaces to soccer memorabilia and moka pots. Customers often relay to Ernie that the shop evokes a sense of nostalgia akin to stepping into their nonna’s house.
Coney Island
Time well spent on Coney Island involves walking the boardwalk, hopping on rides at Luna Park, and catching sunsets on the beach. To commemorate these sun-kissed hours, Coney Island USA Gift Shop should be the last stop of the day. More of a venue for curated oddities than an average gift shop, the wares often fall under a slightly freaky retro-carnival theme. Customers will find t-shirts and mugs adorned with Tillie’s face—a grinning clown, which is a nod to George C. Tilyou (the owner of Steeplechase Park in Coney Island) and has been the unofficial mascot of the neighborhood since the ’50s—as well as Coney Island postcards and prints. A rotating selection of local art is also for sale.
Concourse
For more than 30 years, the family-owned Ballpark Sports Shop has provided fans with all things New York Yankees. Only a five-minute walk from Yankee Stadium, the store is ideally situated for last-minute gameday apparel or post-win merch buying. Now that this year’s MLB season has kicked off, there’s no better time to pick up a pinstripe jersey with Judge or Soto’s names and numbers embroidered on the back, World Series Champions-themed varsity jackets (we’re hopeful), or a Yankees cap in your favorite color.
Theatre District
Although classic NYC souvenirs like I Love NY t-shirts and mugs are sold here, the main draw for Manhattan’s Theatre Circle shop is its treasure trove of theater memorabilia. For more than three decades, the purveyors of this store have been beloved by theater aficionados for stocking sheet music, scripts, playbills, and posters from shows like Jersey Boys, Wicked, West Side Story, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and more. There’s also a large selection of vinyls, merch from newer shows like Hadestown and Kimberly Akimbo, and gag gifts like piano-themed bow ties to peruse.