The
capital city of Kingstown is located in
the southwestern part of the island, hugging
a mile-wide swath of land on Kingstown
Bay backed up by a ring of green hills
and ridges. Nicknamed the “City
of Arches”, Kingstown is full of
old world charm, with Cobblestone sidewalks,
old brick buildings and like many Caribbean
capitals, much of the colour and bustle
of the island can be found in the market
square at the corner of Bay and Bedford
Streets.
The city consists ot twelve small blocks
that are easy to walk and perfect for
browsing. Shops and stores range from
simple to sophisticated, selling local
crafts, books, cameras, binoculars, watches,
crystal and bone china, gold and silver
jewellery, Sea Island cotton and batik.
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Shopping
Edwin
D. Layne & Sons Ltd. is a sizeable department
store on Bay and Middle Street where you will
find everything from clothing and fabric, to
building materials and electrical supplies.
The Voyager (on Halifax Street) is one of only
a few duty-free shops in town and Gonsalves
Liquors has a duty-free liquor store at the
E.T. Joshua Airport and a downtown location
offering a wide selection of imported wines,
spirits and liqueurs, stored in their temperature
controlled cellars.
If you are in need of provisions, C.K Greaves
Supermarket (Upper Bay Street) is convenient
and has probably the widest selection of products
in town, they also operate Sunrise Supermarket
(opposite the airport). Check with them about
their delivery service to the docks.
For the convenience of yachtsmen, the new Cruise
Ship Complex has docking facilities for yachts
as well as large passenger ships. Here you will
find a number of boutiques and shops, including
the newly opened Cheroots who carry a surprisingly
wide range of imported premium cigars and accessories,
all at duty-free prices.
In Calliaqua, check out Gourmet Food, they carry
an excellent selection of imported cheeses,
exotic meats an seafood, along with a good range
other deli items. In the area you’ll also
find Howards’ Marine who will handle your
mechanical problems (they are the agents for
OMC) and KP Marine, a general chandlery with
an internet cafe, they are the sales and service
agent for Yamaha engines and Apex inflatables.
Out
of Town
On
the other side of town, just across from Young
Island, is an area known as Villa. This is where
you’ll find many of the island’s
hotels, restaurants and bars along with a few
nice boutiques. When in the area be sure to
check out At Basil’s, a unique antique
and furniture store, housed in an old colonial
style building. They carry a wonderful selection
of collectibles, home accessories and furnishings
collected from around the world.
Hours
of Business
While hours of business vary from store to store,
they generally open from 8 am until noon, and
1 pm to 4 pm on weekdays and half day on Saturdays.
Banks normally open Monday to Thursday from
8 am to noon, and 1 pm to 3 pm and on Fridays
8 am to noon and 3 pm to 5 pm.
Dress
Code
Casual resort wear is the general rule for both
men and women during the day. Out of respect
for local customs, swimwear should not be worn
on the street, or in shops and restaurants.
Links
& Sources:
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