Georgia, one city in.
Ten shops, all of them in Savannah — three on a single block of Whitaker Street, a studio in Starland, a furniture maker out on Wilmington Island, and the Saturday market at Forsyth Park.
One city so far, and it's the right one to start with — Savannah rewards walking.
Georgia starts here with ten shops and one city. Savannah earned the first pass because it is the rare American place where the shops still sit at street level, on corners, in buildings older than the state next door — and because you can do most of a day of it on foot. Whitaker Street alone holds three of the ten.
The ten sort into four kinds. Home and general goods is the biggest group: One Fish Two Fish on the corner of Whitaker and Jones, Asher + Rye in the Downtown Design District, PW Short Mercantile calling itself Savannah's modern day general store, and The Paris Market & Brocante at Broughton and Bull. Then two makers — Knack Studio in the Starland District, and Haigh Wood Shop on Wilmington Island, turning trees into lumber and lumber into one-of-a-kind furniture.
The last four take you out of the Historic District. Cast & Grey Botanical in Baldwin Park and Savannah's Secret Gardens handle the plant and garden side; Picker Joes Antique Mall & Vintage Market is out on the Southside; and the Forsyth Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings at the south end of the park. Seven neighborhoods in all — three of them need a car.
We haven't stood inside every door on this list yet, and where we haven't, the shop's page says so plainly. More Georgia towns come the way we add anything: slowly, and only when they're worth the drive.
A few we'd send you to first
The Paris Market & Brocante
A home and antiques emporium on the corner of Broughton and Bull.
Knack Studio
A creative studio in Savannah's Starland District.
Haigh Wood Shop
Turning trees into lumber and lumber into beautiful one of a kind custom furniture.
By town
Savannah
More towns
The slow route: Savannah on foot
The market, one block of Whitaker, the length of Broughton, and a short hop out to Starland. Take it in order or don't.
Saturday at Forsyth Park
Start at the south end of the park with the Forsyth Farmers Market, nine to one. Eat first, then walk north into the squares while the day is still cool.
One block of Whitaker Street
Three of the ten sit within a few doors of each other — One Fish Two Fish at the Jones Street corner among them. This is the densest stretch in the whole state so far.
Broughton, corner to corner
Cut over to Broughton and work it east. The Paris Market & Brocante sits at Bull — the emporium end of the day, easy to lose an hour in.
Out to Starland, then the drive
Starland is the short hop for Knack Studio. What's left needs a car: plants in Baldwin Park, the antique mall on the Southside, and the wood shop out on Wilmington Island. Save those for a second day.
Georgia, in short
The short answers
Where are the best independent home shops in Georgia?
Savannah holds all ten so far. The Paris Market & Brocante at Broughton and Bull, One Fish Two Fish at Whitaker and Jones, Asher + Rye in the Design District, and PW Short Mercantile — Savannah's modern day general store.
How many shops are in the Georgia directory?
Ten, all in Savannah across seven neighborhoods — four home and general goods shops, two makers' studios, two garden and plant shops, an antique mall, and the Saturday farmers market.
Can you shop Savannah on foot?
Most of it. The Historic District, the Design District and Broughton are walkable, and one block of Whitaker Street holds three of the shops. Starland is a short ride; Wilmington Island, Baldwin Park and the Southside need a car.
When is the Forsyth Farmers Market?
Saturdays, 9 to 1, at the south end of Forsyth Park — the market listing in this directory and the easiest way to start a Savannah weekend.
How does a shop get listed here?
Listings are free and researched from public sources. Shopkeepers can claim theirs to fix it or write it themselves; in exchange we ask for a link back or a small affiliate.