How to Spend a Day in Carytown

Richmond's West Cary St. from Powhite Parkway to Boulevard, bordered by the residential “Fan” neighborhood, is affectionately dubbed as Carytown and home to over 300 shops, restaurants, cafes and services. In addition to a place to shop and eat, Carytown hosts several festivals each year, including the annual French Film Festival in April, luring visitors from around the world and the Watermelon Festival every summer, among others. What began in the 1930’s as a small shopping center has blossomed into a great place to spend a day or afternoon and return for repeated visits.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Money

1. Check the Carytown website ahead of time for a list of upcoming events. You may be able to coincide your upcoming shopping trip with one.
2. Find street parking, which is metered and hard to come by, or in two free decks, one on Crenshaw Ave. and Dooley Ave., the other on Sheppard St. and Colonial Ave. There are also a few small hidden lots behind shops.
3. Be sure to catch a movie at the Byrd Theatre, a National Historic Marker, whose old world interior and $2 films are an experience you should not miss. During the week, movies are only shown in the evenings, but weekends also feature matinees. Saturday nights, the Mighty Wulitzer organ is brought out for a mini performance before the movie begins.
4. Book an appointment at Legend’s Salon & Spa for celebrity treatment. Choose from cuts, styling, facials and massages among many other services.
5. Stop in a number of eclectic shops such as Bygones, which offers vintage clothing from the early 1900’s to the 1970’s, the World of Mirth with its interesting toys for both adults and children.
6. Looking for a party dress? Head to Lex’s of Carytown. Find designer clothing at Pink and urban styles at Need Supply Co.
7. Be fitted for running shoes tailored to your gait and running style at Roadrunner Running Store. Browse new and used CDs at Plan 9 and find funky bath supplies at Soak! Peruse through offbeat home accessories, journals and a great selection of cards at Mongrel.
8. Have a quality sit down meal at fine dining Italian restaurant Acacia, French brasserie Can Can or something a little more casual at local Mexican favorite Nacho Mama’s.
9. Grab a cone of homemade ice cream at Bev’s Ice Cream or get a chocolate fix at World of Chocolate for dessert.

Tips & Warnings

• Some of the shops are closed on Sundays.