Where to shop in downtown Detroit this holiday season

When H&M opens on Woodward on Nov. 21, it will join other popular retailers like Nike, Shinola and John Varvatos. From women's and men's clothing, sneakers to cosmetics and comic books, downtown retailers have much to offer. 

Here's a guide to stores to check out in downtown Detroit: 

Shinola, 1424 Woodward 

Founded in 2011, the watch and leather goods store has a flagship location in Midtown, but opened a space downtown last year to coincide with the grand opening of the Shinola Hotel. The store also offers bicycles, record players, Bluetooth speakers, jewelry and bags. 

Exclusive to the Woodward location is the Shinola Hotel Runwell Timepiece gift set, which features the Shinola Hotel address. 

Bird Bee, 1228 Griswold

The women's boutique offers a mix of modern bohemian, vintage-inspired and contemporary clothing as well as jewelry, shoes and accessories. Bird Bee was founded by Taylor Bolleber in 2015 and started as an online store and pop-up shop. In 2017, she opened a brick-and-mortar store in Capitol Park. 

"It started very, very small, basically out of my bedroom," Bolleber told the Free Press in 2017. "I started going to different events and vendor shows and getting the word out. I would do a lot of events around Detroit."

Detroit is the New Black, 1430 Woodward

The store was opened in 2016 by owner Roslyn Karamoko. A former buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, the Seattle native moved to Detroit in 2013 with her then-husband. She founded her brand — Detroit is the New Black or DITNB  — the following year. 

Working with a black, gray and white color scheme, the store offers women's, men's, unisex and kids' apparel, such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans and dresses. In addition, DITNB has hats, pins, journals and even yoga mats for those who enjoy that popular  workout. 

Somerset Collection:Rotation of high-end retailers coming to downtown Detroit

Rochester Hills:Former Carson's to become Von Maur

Madewell, 1426 Woodward

The J. Crew spinoff opened its Detroit location last October next to the Shinola Hotel. With an emphasis on denim, the women's and men's retailer also sells tees, sweaters, dresses, jumpsuits, jackets, activewear and bathing suits. While Madewell is a national company, the store features local products from Ypsilanti’s Worthwhile Paper, and Detroit’s Tait Design Co. and Salt Textile Studio. 

Madewell has two other stores in Michigan, Somerset Collection in Troy and the Arbor Hills shopping center in Ann Arbor. 

City Bark, 1222 Griswold

Located in Capitol Park, the pet boutique offers natural dog and cat foods as well as treats, toys and accessories. Founded in 2014, the store has convenient options for customers, such as same-day pet food delivery, service curbside pickup and a mobile groomer. 

Good Neighbor, 1435 Farmer 

Opening last November in Parker's Alley behind the Shinola Hotel, Good Neighbor was founded by Monroe native Carli Goltowski. Offering women's clothing and accessory brands such as Levi’s, Free People and metro Detroit jeweler Elaine B., the owner told Seen magazine that she wanted to bring "quality clothing and reasonable prices to Detroit shoppers." Living up to its name, the store is big on philanthropy. When customers make a purchase, a percentage of the sale goes to a nonprofit or charitable organization. In addition, Good Neighbor carries socially conscious brands such as Rebel Nell, York Project and GoodMan Brand.

The Lip Bar, 1435 Farmer

The cosmetics line was founded by Detroit native Melissa Butler in 2012, which features vegan and cruelty-free lipsticks and lip glosses. She received national attention when she appeared on an episode of "Shark Tank" in 2015, but her proposal was rejected by the judges.  Three years later, Butler partnered with Target and her lipsticks were sold in stores across the country. In 2017, she launched a retail store in Detroit's West Village and in February, Butler opened the flagship store in Parker's Alley. 

"When I started the Lip Bar, I was taking a more holistic approach to my own lifestyle," Butler told the Free Press last year. "So I wanted to use products that not only looked good on me but were good for me."

NoJo Kicks, 1220 Library 

The sneaker store opened in 2014 downtown, offering retro Air Jordans, Nike, Adidas and Yeezy shoes. More than 250 styles of various high-end sneakers are available to choose from, ranging from $150 to $8,500 for a rare pair of Air Jordans made in collaboration with rapper Drake. In addition, NoJo Kicks sells jerseys, shirts and hats. 

Bonobos,1417 Woodward 

The national upscale menswear company opened its Detroit location in 2017, which also happened to be their first location in Michigan. While customers can browse outfits in Bonobos, they cannot automatically take them home. To shop, men make an appointment to visit the guide shop — walk-ins are OK, but an appointment is best. They meet one-on-one with a sales representative who shows them the Bonobos collection. The shopper decides what to buy, then the rep places the order. Lastly, the selected clothes are shipped to the shopper.

John Varvatos, 1500 Woodward Avenue 

The eponymous national menswear line was founded by the Detroit native in 2000, with Varvatos opening his Detroit store in 2015. In addition to clothes, the store offers books,  vinyl records, shoes, sunglasses, watches and jewelry. 

The designer grew up in Allen Park and graduated from Eastern Michigan University. 

"It's a very different thing, when you have your roots and your family and your friends here — and part of something that's happening here in the city," Varvatos told the Free Press in 2015. "There's something very special going on. I've been following it. I see the energy and sense the energy."

Vault of Midnight, 1226 Library Street, Detroit

The comic book shop opened its downtown location in 2016 as part of Bedrock's Z Garage retail space. In addition to comics, superhero and sci-fi lovers can buy toys, games and branded merchandise. 

"As soon as we saw the Z and the Belt, with their bold artwork and graphics, we knew we’d found the perfect home for our Detroit location,” co-owner Curtis Sullivan told the Free Press. “Vault of Midnight exists in real, brick-and-mortar buildings in real, vibrant communities and there is no place more exciting right now than downtown Detroit. We are thrilled to bring something new and completely different to the mix and become part of the city’s historic resurgence.”

More stores 

Moosejaw, 1275 Woodward 

An outdoor supplies chain offering apparel and gear for camping, hiking, skiing and more. 

Nike Community Store, 1261 Woodward

The sneaker chain sells men's, women's and children's shoes as well as athletic gear. However, what sets this location apart is that it aims to give back to nonprofits and 80% of its staff live within a 5-mile radius. 

Lululemon, 1459 Woodward

The activewear chain offers men's and women's clothing for the gym and post-workout. 

Under Armour, 1201 Woodward

The brand is known for its men's and women's sneakers, as well as its activewear. 

Warby Parker, 1449 Woodward

The chain and online store offers upscale prescription glasses and sunglasses.