Shop Talk: Shopping Day Trip: Princeton

Stop by some of Princeton’s locally owned indpendent stores for some hidden treasure

Tomorrow’s Heirlooms If you’re looking to bejewel yourself with pieces that no one else has, come see John Miller. He left the corporate world to turn his hobby into a career as a lapidary, setting exotic stones in rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces and more. 2 Chambers Street, 609-921-9440; tomorrows-heirloomsnj.com.

Glen Echo Books No Ivy town would be complete without cute little bookstores to feed those germinating minds. This cozy basement shop houses new books for cheap, used books for cheaper, and an adorable kids’ selection. 14 Nassau Street; 609-921-2268.

Princeton University Store Like a Princeton student’s brain, this college store is massive and outperforms all others. But no worries, you don’t need a perfect SAT score to pick from the scads of logo-­emblazoned tees, hoodies, hats and more. 36 University Place, 609-921-8500; pustore.com.

Princeton Record Exchange The complete Bjork? Yup. The Golden Girls — second season? Got it. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra? That too. A Princeton legend since 1980, this sprawling space holds more than 160,000 new and used CDs, DVDs and LPs, making it one of the largest — and most diverse — independent music stores in the U.S. 20 South Tulane Street, 609-921-0881; prex.com.

Pawtisserie Princeton Fido and Mittens shop here for clothes, beds, “dinnerware,” natural holistic food, and a buffet bar of freshly baked treats — even biscuits in the shape of New Jersey. 53 Palmer Square West, 609-921-7387; pawtisserie.com.

Rouge Rouge’s James jeans, Vivienne Tam dresses and Frye boots and sandals, along with bras, undies, PJs and more, keep Princeton girls from having to trek to N.Y. 51 Witherspoon Plaza, 609-921-0280; rougeprinceton.com.

Honey West A tiny Palmer Square boutique that packs a high-end punch — on the right, there’s a wallful of jeans from Blue Cult, William Rast and People’s Liberation. And on the floor is a collection of designer gear (LaROK, Dallen Chase, Karina), most of it from the West Coast. 63 Palmer Square West, 609-688-1914; shophoneywest.com.

Landau of Princeton After 52 years in town, family-run Landau’s deservedly calls itself “Princeton’s Other Institution,” stocking quality imported woolens from 15 different countries. 102 Nassau Street, 609-924-3494; landauprinceton.com.

One Last Trip Tip
Indulge your Princeton-U envy with an “Orange Key” tour, and see scenery from A Beautiful Mind, Einstein’s first lecture hall, and the campus’s famous black squirrels. Call 609-258-1766 for times.