Mall of America's Best Stores

Alpaca Connection Imports

This spacious boutique carries socks, scarves, sweaters, mittens, beanies, and more made from premium alpaca wool. The goods are naturally soft, hypoallergenic, and fuzzy as can be. More importantly, they’re ethically and sustainably sourced from Peruvian artisans. Clothing and accessories aside, the shop sells cozy blankets and adorable alpaca plushies in every color of the rainbow — a thoughtful present for any camelid-loving kiddo.

Beef Jerky Experience 

This locally owned and operated franchise sells every meat imaginable: classic beef jerky, Korean-style smoked pork, wild game, and exotics like shark, kangaroo, and snapping turtle. The house jerky is made in a factory in Tennessee, and its producers get creative with the flavors; must-tries include Bloody Mary Traditional Beef Jerky and Mango Habanero Classic Brisket Beef Jerky. (There’s a sample bar near the register, so you can try before you buy.) 

Chocolate-covered jerky makes for an especially fun stocking stuffer, along with other novelty gifts like Chili Lime Gator Toes (fried garlic cloves).

Arwa and Arwa Men's

If you follow TikTok trends, you know that Arabian Oud, one of the biggest fragrance brands in the Middle East, is opening a shop at the Mall of America. For clothes to complement those earthy-rich scents, there is this duo of women’s and men’s clothing shops from Arwa, purveyor of contemporary Islamic-style fashions such as abayas, hijabs, tunics, and long-sleeve tops. 

The elegant, wearable styles err on the conservative side, making them popular with Minnesota’s sizable Somali community. However, you may be surprised by some of the fun prints on the high-quality fabrics.

RideMakerz 

Like a Build-A-Bear Workshop for car fanatics, this retailer specializes in made-to-order push and RC toy cars. Customizers choose every last detail of their 1:18 scale Ridez, including the body style, color, chassis, rims, tires, lights, sounds, accessories, and decals. (Factoring in mufflers, spoilers, and other add-ons, there are more than 649 million ways to trick out a custom car.) 

The in-store experience also involves hands-on building with custom drills, which is as much fun for car-obsessed adults as kids.

Lotus Beads and Jewelry 

You know you’re in a New Age-y boutique when you see signs that read “Good Vibes Only” and “Stealing Is Bad Karma.” Hopefully, stealing is the last thing on your mind when you’re perusing this small, local, woman-owned business’ incredible selection of beads, charms, evil eye amulets, incense, brass singing bowls, and Buddhist figurines. 

Shoppers are welcome to string up their own jewelry right on-site; classes and kits are also available. Keep an eye out for one-of-a-kind giftable objects, too — like necklaces made from millennia-old Roman glass.

Hammer Made 

Mall of America has its fair share of menswear retailers, including True Classic, Carhartt, and UNTUCKit. But this specialty men’s shop — known for its polished button-down shirts with structured collars, colorful ties, and snazzy pocket squares — is headquartered in Eden Prairie. 

Hammer Made works directly with high-end mills in Italy and Portugal to source its wrinkle-resistant fabrics and eliminate middle-man waste. Some materials offer a little stretch, too, so they’re never starchy-feeling. Best of all, the eye-catching designs are produced in small batches and don’t stick around forever: When they’re gone, they’re gone, meaning you can still stand out even in a sea of cubicles.

The LEGO Store

If you can dream it, they can build it — and probably have. (To wit: the 34-foot-tall, 2.8-million-brick robot that lords over the shop.) The LEGO Store is one of those Mall of America staples — like Crayola Experience or Nickelodeon Shop — that specializes in highly specific merch. But unlike those stores, this appeals to kids of all ages. From Peppa Pig-themed chunky Duplo blocks for toddlers to a 1:200 scale model of the Titanic with a whopping 9,090 pieces, there’s a LEGO kit for every aspirant. 

Your kid's into Harry Potter, Fortnite, or Star Wars? They’ve got those covered. More of a Wednesday Addams or Wicked fan? They’ve got that too. Bonsai trees, modular space stations, tutti-frutti roller skates, framed Mona Lisas — the LEGO wizards leave no stone unturned. 

There is a photo machine on-site that produces custom mosaics, an interactive play area at the front of the store where children can experiment with different sets, and build-your-own-box kits, whereby shoppers customize their haul by selecting bricks and other shapes from a wall full of colors.

Gorjana

Founded in Laguna Beach, California, this fashion-forward brand is known for its barely-there jewelry: thin, delicate, and easily layered to create a subtly chic, effortlessly cool look. Its letter charms, zodiac symbols, and necklaces and bracelets featuring birthstones and words of affirmation are particularly popular with women (especially Insta-hip young moms). 

The materials range from gold-plated pieces to fine jewelry in 14- and 18-karat gold accented with lab-grown diamonds, opals, and pearls. Also noteworthy for teens and tweens: Little Words Project, an adorable MOA jewelry shop where guests can customize affirmational charm bracelets with phrases like “You Got This” and “Keep Going” at the D.I.Y. Bead Bar.

Lululemon 

Athleisure brands are a dime a dozen nowadays, and you can find every moisture-wicking label (Athleta, Vuori, Fabletics, Under Armour, etc.) under the sun at Mall of America. But this Lulu flagship is more than just a place to buy sports bras — it’s an experiential “lifestyle” store with a full cafe serving green apple matcha lemonade alongside giant jugs of whey protein isolate and buttery-soft yoga pants backlit like a Broadway theater. 

The store is swarmed with see-and-be-seen tweens hunting for three-figure hoodies and their svelte, mat-toting moms. Shelves of trucker-sized sport thermoses and a large men’s selection round out the something-for-everyone offerings.

Games By James 

Six-pack aside, this locally owned, family-run chain sells everything you need for an epic game night. Family-friendly board games and timeless classics like Monopoly, high-strategy card games, and party games of all stripes are the focus, but you’ll also find backgammon sets, dominoes, darts, yo-yos, D.I.Y. crafting kits, and jigsaw puzzles. 

Whatever kind of get-together you’re planning — a low-key date night, D&D sleepover, or bachelorette party — the game-obsessed staffers will help you find the perfect source of entertainment. There are even lava lamps for sale to help you channel those old-school, wood-paneled basement vibes.

Boot Barn 

One of the country’s premiere retailers for Western wear and ranching-adjacent home goods pulled out all of the stops for its Mall of America location: We’re talking a sea of Wranglers and Stetsons, racks of yoke and pearl snap shirts, display cases weighted down with turquoise jewelry and half-ton buckles, and aisles upon aisles of boots (Ariat, Durango, Dan Post, Laredo, Hawx). 

Whether you’re looking for serious workwear, something sparkly to kick up at line dancing, or head-turning heel scooters made of exotic leathers like python and stingray, Boot Barn lives to please. Throw in an upbeat honkytonk soundtrack and the friendliest workers this side of the Mississippi, and we can guarantee you’re not leaving till you’re dressed like John Wayne.

Ebisu 

Anime Fix is Mall of America’s go-to otaku shop for collectible figurines and trading cards. But Ebisu, a lifestyle retailer with roots in Osaka, Japan, covers far more breadth, importing everything from kawaii dishware and stationery to cult snacks and beauty supplies. You know you’ve found the right place when you see life-sized anime statues grinning in the windows and a wall of ¥300 token-operated capsule machines. 

Many of Ebisu’s products are hard to find in the Midwest, and browsing them is half the fun. Of course, you need milk tea-flavored Kit Kats, horse oil cream, and Hello Kitty toilet paper — who doesn’t?

L.L.Bean 

Eddie Bauer, Columbia, Canada Goose, Arc’Teryx, Fjällräven: There is no shortage of outdoor rec retailers at Mall of America. But the ultimate playground for you backcountry types is this massive L.L.Bean — a 29,000-square-foot flagship and the brand’s largest shop outside Maine. 

Whether you’re actually bound for the Boundary Waters or just want to look like you are, the store peddles kayaks and canoes, coolers and grills, waders and fly fishing gear, hiking poles and hydration packs, down comforters and dog beds, and enough Northwoods-ready apparel to clothe every Paul Bunyan look-alike in the Upper Midwest. 

Even better: Free monogramming is available on all personalizable products, including the brand's beloved Boat and Tote bag.

Heritage Estate Jewelry 

Mall of America isn’t known for luxury shopping (Burberry and Coach are as richie-rich as it gets), but status chasers will meet their match at this nearly decade-old, Bloomington-born consignment shop. It’s the only place in the mall to buy and sell designer brands — as evidenced by the battalion of guaranteed-authentic, pre-owned Chanel purses and Louis Vuitton bags that greet you when you walk in. 

As the name suggests, the boutique also specializes in fine jewelry and luxury watches, including estate, vintage, and antique pieces spanning the last 120 years. It even offers jewelry repair and restoration and a diamond concierge service, brokering both loose and mounted rocks.

Third Degree Heat 

You know the kicks are fly when they’re shrink-wrapped in plastic. Athletes, rappers, and more flock to Mall of America’s top sneaker boutique for its rare and collectible shoes, streetwise hoodies and tees (also in plastic covers), limited-edition 1000% BearBricks, and timeless jewelry pieces like silver monogram bracelets from Louis Vuitton. 

Don’t sleep on the baby and toddler section, whose retro Jordans and Dunks will make you scream from their cuteness (and price tag), and bring a fiver for the claw machine, where the spoils are — what else? — fresh kicks.

The Laundry Evangelist at Mona Williams 

The phone here rings all day long, and callers usually want to discuss the same thing: the right and wrong ways to do their laundry. That’s the reputation of Patric Richardson, a.k.a. The Laundry Evangelist, who built his brand hosting “The Laundry Guy” on HGTV and Discovery+ and writing a book ("Laundry Love") about his favorite subject. 

At his core, Richardson believes anyone can launder anything (cashmere, tuxedos, you name it) at home with the right tools and guidance — and his store offers both. He regularly sells out his instructional Laundry Camps and is often spotted behind the counter, answering questions about his line of soap flakes, stain bars, and oxygen bleach. 

The shop is also well-stocked with dryer balls, deodorizing sprays, all-purpose cleaners, and a delightful selection of high-end candles.

I Love Minnesota 

Fallen in love with Minnesota and need the whole world to know it? Mall of America has a slew of Minnesota-themed souvenir shops, including UBetcha, Minnesot-ah!, and Love From Minnesota. (There’s even an all-things-Mall of America souvenir shop, should you desire hydration mug proof of having checked it off your bucket list.) 

What we love about I Love Minnesota, in particular, is its eye toward locally made merch, not just Purple Rain onesies and moose magnets made in China. Among our favorite souvenirs: gourmet chocolates from fifth-generation, family-owned Abdallah Candies in Apple Valley, handcrafted soaps with scents redolent of crackling birch and Lady Slippers from Sweetwater Soaps in Shakopee, and chokecherry syrup and jelly from Gunflint Trail Jam.

Find out more about Mall of America, including closer looks at kid-friendly activities, food and drink finds, and the one-and-only Nickelodeon Universe.