Shopping bags

There are some things in Goa that are worth taking back. Be it cashews, feni, art, handicrafts, port wine, or some  affordable resort wear; Goa does call for a shopping spree to frame your memories within your shopping bags or to pass them on to your loved ones. However, the above mentioned articles are for given so we at Planet Goa decided to take your  shopping spirits to the next level by acquainting you to some of Goa’s classiest stores to buy souvenirs, apparels, furniture, and art from.

1. Very
   You don’t really need an excuse to look beautiful, do you? Well, even if you do, the exclusive VERY stores in Panjim and Calangute are excuses enough to pick out best of designer apparel and bring out the diva in you. An eclectic range of clothing and accessories is what you will find at VERY, a trendy boutique featuring collections ranging from evening wear, western wear, accessories and chic party dresses. Once you hop into the store, be sure to rifle your way through an assortment of clothing styles that cater to the whims of every fashionista. Take your pick from the myriad accessories on display or you could also pick one of the Goan designer style ensembles that are showcased in the store.
2. Rust
   Rust is a designer lifestyle store located in the petite village of Sangolda on Chogm Road. Enter Rust and you’ll be astonished by the collection of art and furniture that the store is replete with. These avant-garde antiques, artefacts, furniture, and home accessories are all exclusive to Rust and should definitely be taken back from Goa. Established in 2002, the prime drivers of this store featuring a signature line of furniture and accessories include the timeless cornerstone of design and the power of simplicity. They have also launched and displayed a line of linen garments which are topnotch in quality and are surprisingly affordable. Do drop in for an eccentric shopping experience.
3. Freedom Tree
   Freedom Tree home store in Sangolda is a subsidiary of the Freedom Tree Design Store and Free Tree Studio Showcase from Mumbai. Run and owned by Latika Khosla, board member of the Colors Marketing Group USA and founder- organizer of Colors India; the Freedom Tree Home Store is loaded with furniture, fabrics, linens, cushions, candles, dinner ware, kitchenware, lamps, rugs and oh so much more! The vibrant yet perfectly harmonized colour combinations of the constituents of this store and the store itself emits a distinctly astonishing vibe that’ll make you want to paint your life in the colours of Freedom Tree.
4. Tuk Tuk
   A quaint little gift shop in Margao, Tuk Tuk is one of the best places to grab witty, cute, and inspiring souvenirs from. Dealing mostly with products that are culturally inspired, Tuk Tuk makes for an immaculate destination to shop from in Goa and is a shopping bag you must take back home. From laptop cases to wallets; from coffee mugs to card holders; from designer lamps to wall hangings; it’s all available at Tuk Tuk and yet there is so much more to take back.
5. Mandi
   Mandi, an out-of-the-box gift store in Benaulim and online store at indologie.in, has an amazing collection of artsy stuff that’ll definitely grab your attention. With the sole purpose of restoring Indian art forms and handicrafts, Mandi proudly endorses handmade accessories from all across the country. Having empowered 500+ Indian artisans from diverse Indian cultures and several women entrepreneurs, Mandi does more than just sell stuff. With their e-commerce portal tied up with DHL, Mandi (indologie.in) is equipped to ship their products all throughout the country. However, entering a store and   checking out stuff with your own eyes and hands has its own charm to it. So even if you can buy all of this stuff online, do visit the store and check out their apparels, accessories, festive collection (diyas, puja items et cetera), fabrics, buttons, borders, linens, body care products, ayurvedic products, party games, pop art and a lot more!

Text: Shubham Gupta

Pics courtesy: Rust, Freedom Tree