This place is an absolute treasure trove of exceptionally well-curated items that all work together to tell a story, with a deep inventory of items like exotic taxidermy and furniture made out of steer horns and cowhide; replica Rococo gilt bronze clocks and 16th century burgonets; mid-century modern furniture and vintage cigars; signed sports memorabilia and vintage gaming tables; 1980s Vegas casino bomber jackets and classic neon beer signs; old-school boomboxes and autographed records; generations of American militaria; Stetson cowboy hats; and vintage porn. There’s even a full-scale “Golden Knight” (as in, the Vegas Golden Knights) suit of armor and a giant Slimer statue from Ghostbusters. This place is wild and always has killer window displays.

Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to make a day out of it: no matter how big you think Antique Alley looks on the outside, it’s even bigger inside. Once you step through the front door, get ready for room after room after room after room of more vintage and antique items than your imagination could ever fathom, sprawling out across 12,000-square-feet of retail space and with over 65 vendors featured inside. While this place easily overwhelms, its best to take your time exploring it to really take in everything it has to offer. It would be impossible to accurately describe everything there is to find here, so here’s just a few things: a life-sized bronze ballerina sculpture; a full window-sized stained-glass panel of Ariel and Flounder from The Little Mermaid; a Beatles Yellow Submarine art guitar; a vintage Flintstones Dino the Dinosaur children’s ride (like the kind you used to see outside of grocery stores and Kmart as a kid in the ‘80s and ‘90s). And innumerable different kinds of sterling silver, gold, precious gemstone, and costume jewelry; porcelain figurines; records; Pokémon plush toys; tiki mugs; vintage ties; concert posters; 1950s dresses…If you can’t find a suitable gift here, just give cash.

If the person(s) you have to shop for is just so incredibly difficult and/or you just don’t know them that well and/or you’re short on time and/or the mental energy required for shopping and/or you are observing proper holiday party etiquette and bringing a host gift, the answer is wine. Pay a visit to the fine folks at Garagiste, a wine bar and retailer that specializes in the kind of juice you can’t just go grab at Target or Smith’s. (Or even Lee’s Liquor or Total Wine, tbh.) Their inventory is stuffed with interesting wines from lesser-known, smaller producers from all over the world, and they roll deep with low-intervention labels. But you don’t have to be super into wine to find something fun. The staff here is incredibly approachable and accommodating; let them help you find something special for a gift or for yourself (maybe have a glass or two with some cheese and charcuterie while you’re there). The best part: every bottle on their list is for sale to-go at half off the list price.

Most of this list leans towards vintage/antique stores and art galleries, simply because of the abundance of such stores in the DTLV Arts District. But new stores are opening damn near daily, and there’s a whole crop of recently opened boutiques that feature a mix of lifestyle and home goods along with new, and maybe a small smattering of vintage clothing. The Good Wolf is one those stores, albeit two years old now (pandemic time counts differently). Inside, the store is full of men’s and women’s clothing and accessories—mostly new, some vintage, some stuff for babies. There is unique furniture and clever throw pillows, high-end soaps and shaving kits, cocktail kits, cozy candles, statement sunglasses, vintage Stetsons, and all manner of unique home goods and gift items for sale. The design of the space is also impeccable: every clothing rack, tabletop, cabinet, and corner is carefully and thoughtfully laid out, with each display offering its own Instagrammable moment.