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Surpassing the selection of eateries; the fashion, musical, and literary options in Manhattan for the Goth scene are so abundant that most locals can never be sure that they know them all. Listing them all is impossible, detailing our favorites would try your patience; here we provide a small slice of our favorites. There is no Gothic shopping in North America which even approaches the abundance to be found here. The stores detailed below, and their
respective prices, range from the cheapest thrift to the pinnacles of sensuous luxury. Almost all of these shops (and countless more) are within walking distance of each other. Several are actually on the same block. Saint Marks Place has been described by some as "Bourbon Street with baubles". Here are some of our favorite shops and boutiques, in no particular order.
Religious Sex
7 saint marks place
religioussex.com Religious Sex is the best known Gothic fashion boutique, at least to people outside of the area. This is easy to see why; it is a large store carrying all kinds of clothes which make Goths drool. You can go into this store and lose an hour or so while browsing, and much more while trying things on. Religious Sex pretty much has everything you could want. It is staffed by Goths and Punks who are generally very helpful, and the quality of everything sold is phenomenal. 
Purple Passion
242 west 16th street
purplepassion.com Purple Passion is a secret little place found out of the way from the standard darkly-tinted boutiques in Greenwich Village. It is a boutique staffed primarily by members of NYC's lesbian fetish scene, with a mind-blowing array of merchandise on display for a small store. The space is filled with the most delirious array of vinyl dresses, leather pants, rubber catsuits, chains, armor, handmade whips of every conceivable kind, prosthetics, and an entire wall of corsets. Best of all, the prices are inarguably the best for similar merchandise on the entire island. The staff is helpful and thoroughly friendly to everyone, and are very welcoming to Goths. It is frequently worth the trip slightly off the beaten path (pun not intended). Generation Records
210 thompson street With little doubt, Generation is the best comprehensive alternative record store in Manhattan. It is a no-frills establishment in appearance, but you can find a huge quantity of rarities and imports, and that aspect is the jewel in its crown. Prices are reasonable,
but most domestic Gothic and Industrial can be found at Tower Downtown for a slightly lower price. The staff are usually overly busy, but sometimes they can be persuaded to play a bit off of a CD you're considering buying. It is situated in an area filled with inexpensive leather shops, numerous exotic restaurants, and more really cool stuff. The Strand
828 broadway
Citysearch Review Arguably the best bookstore in Manhattan is the long-enduring Strand Bookstore. There's no way to dance around it; The Strand is overwhelming. This somewhat ugly and haggard-looking bookstore remains one of the largest in the world. The details are even more impressive, if a little hard to visualize: 8 miles of bookshelves and over 2,000,000 books. Best yet, most of the books are 50% off their cover price. People frequently walk out of The Strand carrying brown shopping bags filled with musty old treasures. It is a truly remarkable experience. Needless to say, they don't have any particular specialties topicwise. Trash & Vaudeville
4 saint marks place
Citysearch Review Two stores in one, this boutique has multiple personality disorder; twisted and dark. Upstairs you'll find slick and colorful gear adaptable to many Perkigoth styles, but downstairs is where you'll find the real wonders. There you will find rows of spiky dresses, punk t-shirts, latex teddies, jewelry, hair dyes, and a whole room filled with the most breathtaking vista of boots that can be believed. Every shape, size and style seem to be represented. They just go on forever. It defies the imagination. 
See
Hear
59 east 7th street
zinemart.com See Hear is a specialty shop that you could only find in New York City... it focuses almost exclusively in underground fanzines. It covers every subculture that you never knew existed, ranging from the most peculiar smut, to European Gothic zines which can't otherwise be found without special ordering them direct. A section is dedicated to subversive books, and they sell truly inspiring Jack Chick pamphlets at the register. Body Worship
102 east 7th street
bodyworship.com Even though the racks are a little bare at times, it is impossible to forget a visit to New York City's Body Worship, just off St. Marks. The doorhandle is a cast-metal erection, and the interior looks like a silver-painted cave. Dramatically costumed mannequins (seemingly trying to outdo Pinhead) and rather fetishy sculptures decorate the space. The clothing is high quality, and primarily latex and vinyl. Patricia Field
10 east 8th street
patriciafield.com Patricia Field is a boutique which covers the gamut of nightlife in NYC. It is staffed largely by trannies, and there is a vast selection of wigs and cosmetics as a result. Some of the clothes are a bit too colorful for most Goths (on the second floor especially), but there are often great treasures to be found in black at Patty Field's. The quality of all garments is very high. Funhouse
61 west 8th street Funhouse is the default Gothic clothing store in Manhattan. Originally intended to clothe rock musicians of all kinds, its increasingly gothic focus now completely dominates the imagery of both floors. Funhouse essentially is the Manhattan Hot Topic years
before Hot Topic came into existence. Prices tend to be average, but the second floor has lots of bargains that are worth checking out. C'est Magnifique
120 macdougal street If you are looking for a darkly-suggestive ring, necklace or earring that seems totally unique, this is the place to go. The space is cramped, but it is amazing to see the breathtaking diversity of silver jewelry you cannot find anywhere else in the world. Prices are fair. They have a friendly resident cat on duty, whom it is considered very good luck to pet. Other Music
15 east 4th street
othermusic.com Other Music is situated right next to Tower Records Downtown, and it almost seems like a metaphor. Other Music specializes in pocket genres which you aren't likely to see much of at Tower Records, which require some eccentric and abstract tastes. Though conventional Gothic and Industrial aren't to be found here, there are very large selections of Noise, Dark Ambient, and Apocalyptic Folk— and lots more which Goths like but don't fall into obvious genre categories. Other Music also is involved in some local music events. Enchantments
341 east 9th street The largest and best magick/pagan shop in Greenwich Village, Enchantments features friendly Wiccan staff (including a few Goths) and a remarkably comprehensive selection of herbs, incenses, books, candles, and oils. The array of religious jewelry and tarot decks is also notably excellent. In the backyard, the staff hold seasonal rituals and teach courses. Arkivestry
66 allen street
arkivestry.com Arkivestry is run out of a sprawling apartment by Robbie and Karen, who create among the best antique-styled clothing and wedding dresses in the world (many for
Hollywood stars). Nearly everything is made-to-order and requires a fitting— appointments only. Arkivestry is only for those who must have the very best, because it is the definitive top shelf in gothwear... and is priced accordingly. Cusraque's famed hat is an Arkivestry design. Saint Marks Books
31 3rd avenue
Citysearch Review Saint Marks Bookshop is the trendiest, prettiest, and most pretentiously stocked bookshop in Manhattan. And one of the best rated as well. It is decidedly alternative in focus, and has particularly strong sections on visual art, poetry, erotica, and science fiction. Shakespeare & Co.
716 broadway
Citysearch Review Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, this lively college bookstore serves NYU students and progressive-minded folk from all walks of life. Its unconventional offerings delight the eye in the form of glorious coffee table books on topics ranging from body art to sacred trees around the world, and in the form of niche magazines found on few other newsstands. Dark periodicals such as Carpe Noctem and Propaganda are staples. Shakespeare & Co.'s most prominently displayed publications are clearly geared towards those who embrace art in all its manifestations, and who seek variety, fresh perspective, and adventure in their day-to-day living. Ian's
5 saint mark's place
ians.com Ian's is a tiny little boutique nestled in between Religious Sex and a Japanese restaurant. It mostly focuses on vinyl and fetishy looks, supplemented with piercing jewelry and some makeup, and caters to a variety of underground scenes. Some of the staff are Goth; all are friendly and
helpful. Ian's has been around for over 25 years. Prices are reasonable. Bleecker Bob's Golden Oldies
118 west 3rd street
bleeckerbobs.com Bob is the grumpiest record store owner in New York City and he's proud of it. Just the same, Bleecker Bob's is an underground music institution stretching back to long before anybody can remember. Bob's was the first record shop to carry Gothic and Industrial in Manhattan; Bob's had section titles which helped define the genres for locals. The prices are higher than average, but one can find jaw-dropping rarities very quickly. The staff will play you music from the albums you're considering if you ask nicely and the store isn't crowded. Halloween Adventure
104 4th avenue What if Halloween really was every day? The year-round Halloween Adventures superstore is ready for that possibility: a virtual warehouse of costumes, masks, wigs, stage makeup, wounds, and props. Magic and pyrotechnic accessories complement the show, and most any other creepy knick-knack you can think of is the icing on the cake. Fifth Wheel
36 saint marks place Fifth Wheel is one of the many little Goth-friendly boutiques on St. Marks between 2nd and 3rd Avenue, but one of the strongest in emphasis on PIB. They have sinister lunchboxes, stickers, vinyl garments, spiky leather bracers, collars, sunglasses, belt buckles, hair dyes, and a lot more. Prices range from average to slightly more, but the one-stop Gothic shopping is what makes this store stand out the most. Some More
As we said, that is really only scratching the surface. Here are a few more shops of gothly interest that you might want to consider checking out:
Anarchist Bookshop
Andromeda (Body Arts)
Andy's Chee-Pees
Anime Crash
Anna Sui
Antique Addiction
Antique Boutique
Astor Liquor
Avalon Salon
B. Dalton
Back from Guatemala
Boca Grande
Cassioppia (Body Arts)
Chelsea Guitars
Cicada (Body Arts)
Compleat Strategist
Electric Circus
Enz
Evolution
Forbidden Planet
Jerry Ohlinger's
Khazana
Leather Man
Lilit Antiques
London
Matt Umanov
Maxilla & Mandible
Mind Boggler Leather
Mojo Guitars
Morgane Le Fay
Mysterious Bookshop
Otherworldly Waxes
Pearl Paint
Pearl River Market
Rebel Rebel Records
Rizzoli Books
Scarlet & Sage
Second Coming Records
St. Marks Comics
Steve Madden Shoes
Strange Cargo
The Sock Man
Tim McKoy Gallery
Todd Oldham
Toho Shoji
Tower Records
Venus Body Modification
Village Comics
Wandering Dragon Trading Post
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