Everything You Need To Know About Shopping In Calgary
Calgary is a diverse Canadian city and the largest metropolitan area in the province of Alberta. It rises 1,048 meters above sea level, making it a high-mountain city with scenic prairie landscapes and an energetic urban locale. People often refer to it as the gateway to the Rocky Mountains, which provide Calgary with a dramatic backdrop. As the country’s sunniest major city, it offers locals and visitors plenty of opportunities to soak in beautiful nature.
Besides outdoor fun, shopping in Calgary is one of the activities you don’t want to miss. From vintage and discount fashion to luxury goods and antique finds, the city’s vibrant shopping scene has got you covered. It has numerous walkable shopping streets and districts with quaint shops, boutiques, luxury stores, and hidden gems waiting to be discovered. There are also big shopping centres and luxury department stores in downtown Calgary and beyond to satisfy your shopping needs.
If you arrive early and can’t wait to discover its major department stores and local markets, leave your bags at a reliable luggage service in Calgary. That way, you can shop all day without worry and burden.
Best Calgary Shopping Centres
CORE Shopping Centre
If you are looking for a major shopping complex in downtown Calgary, check out The CORE Shopping Centre. The property is massive, spanning over three blocks, and has four floors. It boasts about 120 shops covering more than 600,000 square feet of floor space. It has three primary anchor tenants: Harry Roses, La Maison Simons, and Holt Renfrew.
Some favorite high-fashion brands and accessories at the CORE Shopping Centre include Chanel, Gucci, Banana Republic, Club Monaco, H&M, Rolex, Pandora, Tiffany & Co., and many more. While shopping, notice the open roof at this welcoming shopping centre, featuring a glass skylight.
With numerous shops and services, it’s not surprising that the CORE Shopping Centre is one of the busiest shopping centres in the city. If you need to refresh and relax, head to the Devonian Gardens, accessible from the level floor through the food court. It offers one hectare of stunning botanical gardens, including more than 500 trees, fifty plant varieties, a children’s playground, and a living wall.
Location: 324 8 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 2Z2, Canada
CF Market Mall
CF Market Mall is your one-stop shopping destination in north Calgary. It houses more than 200 new lifestyle and fashion stores and restaurants. It also features a fast food area, a supervised kids’ playground, and nursing lounges, making it a family-friendly Calgary shopping centre.
This upmarket shopping mall is home to many famous retailers, like lululemon, Zara, Sephora, Apple, Hillberg & Berk, and Aritzia. But if you want to stop by to dine or for a quick bite, you can go to Keg Steakhouse & Bar or Milestone’s Grill & Bar. For dessert, get a cone of creamy ice cream at Dairy Queen or a cup of hot drinks from Deville Coffee. Watch out for some events and activities at the mall, especially during a holiday, to make the most of your visit.
Location: 3625 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB T3A 0E2, Canada
Eau Claire Market
A centrally located shopping centre, Eau Claire Market is a fun shopping spot with unique shops and trendy foodie restaurants. It’s a lovely place to stroll and shop, allowing you to remain up-to-date in fashion, electronics, and jewelry.
Whether you need to update your wardrobe, improve your style, buy unique gifts for a loved one, or get new arts and crafts, Eau Claire Market has got you covered. After wandering around the mall, you can watch a movie at the cinema, eat at one of the restaurants, or play with your little ones at the indoor playground. It also features equipment rentals, art galleries, and a grocery market. If you’re lucky, you might witness an event or exciting summer activity in the plaza in front of the mall.
Location: 200 Barclay Walk SW #202, Calgary, AB T2P 4R5, Canada
CF Chinook Centre
If you're looking for a place to shop that everyone can easily access, it would be CF Chinook Centre in Calgary, Alberta. The shopping mall is the largest in Calgary and has become one of North America's most productive shopping locales. Thanks to its location near the geographic center, nearly half of the Calgarian population can arrive within 15 minutes of driving.
With over 250 stylish shops and restaurants to choose from, shoppers would always have a premiere shopping experience at Chinook Centre. This place is also where you can embrace your inner fashionista with countless stylish shops available. Major department stores you can find at this modern shopping complex include Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Hudson’s Bay. Visitors are also welcome to watch their favorite film at Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, screening the latest Hollywood movies and new independent releases.
Location: 6455 Macleod Trail, Calgary, AB T2H 0K8, Canada
CrossIron Mills
Just outside the northern city limits of Calgary lies a fully enclosed shopping oasis, the CrossIron Mills. Opened in 2009, this stylish shopping complex has become Alberta's largest single-level shopping destination with a retail space of approximately 1.4 million square feet, encompassing 672 acres. In its first five days of opening, an estimated large crowd of 250,000 visited its Grand Opening Celebration.
Over 200 premium brand outlets and specialty stores offer incredible options inside the mall. It also houses most of Alberta's prominent shops and international labels, such as the Hilfiger Outlet, Calvin Klein Outlet, Coach Factory, Hugo Boss, and so much more. It also has lots of parking space and a variety of places to eat.
Location: Crossiron Blvd, Rocky View County, Canada
Southcentre Mall
One of the premier shopping malls every shopaholic should explore in south Calgary is Southcentre Mall. It’s a regional shopping spot boasting a 1.1 million square feet area, nestled among the city’s most affluent neighborhoods. It houses an impressive mix of lifestyle, food, and fashion retailers, including Michael Kors, Pandora, Aritzia, lululemon, Sephora, and Calgary’s only Restoration Hardware and Crate & Barrel.
Southcentre Mall is pleased to receive about six million shoppers each year who enjoy discovering its 143 stores. Don’t worry about shopping in Calgary on an empty stomach, as the mall has plenty of offerings for dining. There’s a Bar Burrito for quick and tasty Mexican food and Edo Japan for delicious noodle bowls, salads, sushi, rice meals, and more.
Location: 100 Anderson Rd SE, Calgary, AB T2J 3V1, Canada
Marlborough Mall
If you’re staying around East Calgary and need to shop for your daily necessities, go to the community-focused shopping centre, the Marlborough Mall. It has more than 150 stores, including a nice gift shop, Walmart, Shopper’s Drug Mart, Dollarama, Michael Hill, and Urban Planet. Restaurants include a Japanese restaurant, Dogwood Bar, Tim Hortons, and a Vietnamese noodle house.
Opened in 1972, Marlborough Mall has been a pillar in the community for more than fifty years. It is close to the city’s CTrain and transit hubs, offering convenient access for visitors anywhere in East Calgary.
Location: 3800 Memorial Dr, Calgary, AB T2A 2K2, Canada
Deerfoot City
Deerfoot City is ideal for people who want to do outdoor shopping instead of indoors in malls. Deerfoot City is an outdoor shopping centre that opened in 1981 and is located in northeast Calgary, Alberta.
This destination was initially called "Deerfoot Outlet Mall" and even billed itself as Western Canada's only enclosed outlet mall. It was only in 2013 when renovation to the area happened, and the then-enclosed mall became an open-air regional attraction. It was also in the same year when its name was changed to the current Deerfoot City. Operation hours are 10 AM to 8 PM every day except on Sundays when it opens from 11 AM to 6 PM.
Location: 901 64 Ave NE, Calgary, AB T2E 7P4, Canada
Deerfoot Meadows
There are plenty of available shopping malls to visit in Calgary, and one of the largest open-air metropolitan shopping places you can find in the area is the Deerfoot Meadows. The property stretches over 3.5 million square feet and attracts around 40 million visitors annually.
Deerfoot Meadows is open for shoppers every day from 10 AM to 9 PM. On Sundays, however, the mall closes earlier, at 6 PM. Here you can find the only IKEA location in all of Southern Alberta, with more than fifty shops and retailers, including the Banana Republic Factory Store, Michaels, Nordstrom Rack, Moores Clothing, Gap Factory Store, and Five Guy's Burgers.
Location: 277-8180 11 Street SE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Calgary Shopping Streets and Areas
Stephen Avenue Walk
For those who enjoy walking, shopping, or eating, you’ll want to head over to Stephen Avenue Walk. This sweet spot is located on 8th Avenue Southwest between 4th and 2nd Street Southwest. It is home to many restaurants, pubs, and bars to mingle at, as well as cafés to relax and chill with friends.
This pedestrian-only street mall provides convenient access to some of Calgary’s other key attractions and shopping spots, such as the CORE Shopping Centre, Glenbow Museum (check out other museums here), and Olympic Plaza.
As a tourist, the outdoor mall experience at Stephen Avenue Walk is indeed a unique souvenir of Calgary you’d want to take home. Even the locals can’t get enough of the photogenic and cultural atmosphere this location provides, especially during the warming months. It’s when the shops are filled with hanging flower baskets, buskers and live performers providing entertainment, and restaurants offering outdoor patios.
Kensington
If you’re in Calgary and haven’t heard of Kensington, you’re missing out on a major tourist destination. Kensington is known as a village in the city and one of the most vibrant communities in Calgary. So much so that it has been dubbed “Calgary’s Urban Village.”
In Kensington, hundreds of unique businesses provide a wide variety of services for tourists and locals to enjoy. Some of the retail spaces at Kensington include Brooklyn Clothing Company, Hot Wax Records, Kismet Clothing, and other local Canadian favorites. Whether you wish to shop, bike along the river, attend local live music events, or just sip away at your coffee from a gorgeous boutique hotel, Kensington has a lot to offer.
Besides the many businesses that make their home here, thousands of residents also reside in Kensington. And what’s great about this lively yet relaxing community is that many of the streets are pedestrian-friendly. So, if you love going for walks and shopping, Kensington will no doubt provide this spice of life while in Calgary.
17th Avenue Southwest
Anyone who wants to skip the large shopping destinations and discover special shops, vintage stores, wine, spirits, and beer, spend a day at 17th Avenue Southwest. Dubbed Calgary’s ultimate Retail and Entertainment District, 17th Ave SW, is a bustling area with an array of impressive services, restaurants, and shops.
Start your morning at the Good Life Fitness gym so you have the strength and energy for a full day of discovery and adventure. Then pick from one of the coffee shops like Butter Block & Co or Analog Coffee to get ready for the busy day.
One afternoon may not be enough to explore all the shopping treasures at the Avenue filled with independent shops. It includes SylvStyle Boutique for those looking for designer clothes and shoes, Steeling Home for one-of-a-kind gifts and homeware, and Sloth Records for music lovers who want to find an excellent selection of vinyl.
Great shopping opportunities await you at 17th Avenue Southwest. You’ll also meet local artists and vendors who will welcome you to their store with happy faces!
Make the Most of Your Shopping in Calgary
There’s no denying that Calgary is a shopper’s paradise. From fashion and jewelry to home décor, ornaments, and accessories, there are multiple options for satisfying retail therapy. Just pick one of the shopping centres or stroll through the retail districts and pedestrian-friendly shopping streets. They also offer dining spots and restaurants to allow you to replenish your energy as you find Calgary’s hidden treasures.