By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor
You might not be a black-belt shopper like me but I bet you buy at least one souvenir when you visit the Caribbean. So make it count! Whether you’re looking for rum or a piece of art, a T-shirt or a handmade trinket, here are my recommendations for where to drop some serious dollars in the Caribbean (including a non-island, too).
St Croix
On my first visit to the USVI last spring I was pleasantly surprised at the wealth of shopportunities in St. Croix, particularly on the capital’s Company Street. Start your retail safari at Sonya’s for the classic Crucian hook bracelet; cross the road and climb the stairs to Asha for boho-chic resort wear and jewelry; then walk a few storefronts up to IB Designs, where they sell their own take on hook bracelets and other silver jewelry (plus super-cool IB T-shirts). A few streets over on Strand Street, Crucian Gold is a go-to for custom jewelry made with chaney (pieces of pottery left over from the Danish era) as well as their signature Crucian knot bracelet. In Frederiksted, don’t miss the King Street apothecary Itiba, where Yoki Hanley sells her handmade line of all-natural lotions, soaps, oils and body butters.
