Shopping in Shreveport/Bossier City Has Never Been Better!!

If you are new to Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana or if you are either a first time visitor, or re-visiting the area after ten or more years of being gone, then you will want to pay attention to this new and improved guide to the best shopping in Shreveport!

Ten years ago, the best shopping was at Mall St. Vincent, with Southpark Mall coming in a distant second. Today, Southpark Mall is no longer a functioning mall. St. Vincent has really gone downhill as well. St. Vincent does still have Dillard's and Sears as its anchor department stores, but the mall itself is not doing well. The movie theatre is no longer there, and Talbot's is gone as well.

It appears that Shreveport is following what is proving to be a nationwide fad of outdoor malls. Near Youree Drive and 70^th is the new shopping area known as the Shoppes at Bellemead. The Shoppes at Bellemead consist of several outdoor shops that are upscale. These are attracting much of the crowd that used to frequent Mall St. Vincent. Stores that can be found in this area include Ann Taylor Loft, Talbot's, Chico's, White House/Black Market, Coldwater Creek, J. Jill, Merle Norman, James Avery, Bath Junkie, Jos A. Banks, to name a few. Very near to these shops, off of 70^th near where the old K-Mart used to be, is a new Belk. For those of you that have not yet experienced a Belk, let me just say that the one in Shreveport is a great one. Belk carries name brand (as well as some of their own brands) at a fraction of the cost. They also continually have great sales. In the same shopping center as Belk is also located a Stage and a Rack Room Shoes.

The other area in Shreveport/Bossier is actually in Bossier City right in the middle of the casinos on the Red River. It is known as the Louisiana Boardwalk. Some of the new stores at the Boardwalk include a Nike Factory Store, Dressbarn, Build a Bear, Chico's outlet, Lane Bryant, Borders, Bass Pro Shop, Gap Outlet, Carters, Guess, Hagar, Nine West, Rue 21, Reebok, Yankee Candle Company, Wilson's Leather, etc.

In addition to these new stores, there is also a Regal movie cinema and several places to eat. Eateries include restaurant such as the Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro, Hooters, Gumbo Daddy's, Salt Grass Steakhouse, and Joe's Crabshack.

Other places to check out in Shreveport are Lewis Gifts (on Youree Drive) and the Glenwood Tearoom (on Line Ave.). Both of these small shops have excellent gift ideas - from perfumes to house wares to accessories. Both Lewis Gifts and the Glenwood tearoom also serve lunch, so they are great places to hit with girlfriends at lunch.

Whether you are gearing up for a trip to visit Shreveport, or preparing to head to college there in the fall, know that there shopping has come a long way in the last ten years. For a city that had little to no decent shopping, there is now a plethora of places for the eager shopper to visit!