Afraid that coming to school means you won't have time to update your wardrobe or shop for the latest electronic accessory? At Penn, that should be the least of your concerns.
While Penn is home to over a dozen shops with more scheduled to open this fall, Philadelphia is also filled with a variety of retail options.
For convenience and everyday needs, staying on campus is usually a good choice.
To fill a particular dorm room or study need, your first stop should be the Penn Bookstore. Selling just about anything a student could need, including snacks, furniture and toiletries, the Bookstore is centrally located and fully stocked with student essentials. You'll need to buy your textbooks at the Bookstore anyway, so you might as well pick up anything else you might need while you're there.
In the rare event that the Bookstore fails, there are specialty shops across campus as well.
You can purchase electronics at Radio Shack, located on 40th Street between Walnut and Spruce.
If you are looking for clothing or accessories, there are shops to suit every taste and every style.
For a trendier shopper with perhaps a fuller wallet, Smith Bros, on the 3600 block of Walnut Street, offers stylish but expensive clothing for both men and women.
Urban Outfitters, on 36th Street between Walnut and Chestnut streets, offers some more alternative styles, and just next door, Eastern Mountain Sports sells camping needs, the ever-necessary Nalgene bottle, comfortable fleeces and other outdoorsy items.
Gift shopping at Penn can be easy, too. The Bookstore sells a variety of Penn souvenirs, and Messages, a shop along Walnut Street located between 36th and 37th streets, sells cards and other gift items. Nearby is Douglas, a cosmetics shop, which is a good place to check out if you are shopping for a lady friend.
Even if you do not need anything in particular, window shopping can be an enjoyable pastime for Penn students. For knick-knacks and fun accessories, the Black Cat -- associated with the restaurant White Dog Cafe -- has everything from handmade wallets to flowered shower caps to humorous magnets.
Since selection can be limited and prices can be somewhat high on campus, some students prefer to venture downtown for their shopping needs.
There is an array of stores below 18th Street around the Rittenhouse Square area. Several children's shops and chain stores like Burberry's and Lucky, along with Dahlias, a jewelry boutique, are all located along Walnut Street and are a 20-minute walk from Penn.
Farther away, South Street is the place to go for anything zany or risque. Few Penn students graduate without having made at least one trip to Condom Kingdom.
One of the best and, ironically, most wholesome stores in Philadelphia is also located on South Street. American Pie sells unique housewares, delicate jewelry and dazzling accessories. If you are looking for the perfect item to spice up your dorm or apartment, American Pie is definitely the place to go.
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