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Town
The capital city of Kingstown is located in the southwestern part of the island, hugging a mile-wide swath of land on Kingstown Bay backed up by a ring of green hills and ridges. Nicknamed the “City of Arches”, Kingstown is full of old world charm, with Cobblestone sidewalks, old brick buildings and like many Caribbean capitals, much of the colour and bustle of the island can be found in the market square at the corner of Bay and Bedford Streets.
The city consists ot twelve small blocks that are easy to walk and perfect for browsing. Shops and stores range from simple to sophisticated, selling local crafts, books, cameras, binoculars, watches, crystal and bone china, gold and silver jewellery, Sea Island cotton and batik. Edwin D. Layne & Sons Ltd. is a sizeable department store on Bay and Middle Street where you will find everything from clothing and fabric, to building materials and electrical supplies. The Voyager (on Halifax Street) is one of only a few duty-free shops in town and Gonsalves Liquors has a duty-free liquor store at the E.T. Joshua Airport and a downtown location offering a wide selection of imported wines, spirits and liqueurs, stored in their temperature controlled cellars.
If you are in need of provisions, C.K Greaves Supermarket (Upper Bay Street) is convenient and has probably the widest selection of products in town, they also operate Sunrise Supermarket (opposite the airport). Check with them about their delivery service to the docks.
For the convenience of yachtsmen, the new Cruise Ship Complex has docking facilities for yachts as well as large passenger ships. Here you will find a number of boutiques and shops, including the newly opened Cheroots who carry a surprisingly wide range of imported premium cigars and accessories, all at duty-free prices.In Calliaqua, check out Gourmet Food, they carry an excellent selection of imported cheeses, exotic meats an seafood, along with a good range other deli items. In the area you’ll also find Howards’ Marine who will handle your mechanical problems (they are the agents for OMC) and KP Marine, a general chandlery with an internet cafe, they are the sales and service agent for Yamaha engines and Apex inflatables.
Out of Town
On the other side of town, just across from Young Island, is an area known as Villa. This is where you'll find many of the island's hotels, restaurants and bars along with a few nice boutiques. When in the area be sure to check out At Basil's, a unique antique and furniture store, housed in an old colonial style building. They carry a wonderful selection of collectibles, home accessories and furnishings collected from around the world.
Hours of Business
While hours of business vary from store to store, they generally open from 8 am until noon, and 1 pm to 4 pm on weekdays and half day on Saturdays. Banks normally open Monday to Thursday from 8 am to noon, and 1 pm to 3 pm and on Fridays 8 am to noon and 3 pm to 5 pm. Dress Code
Casual resort wear is the general rule for both men and women during the day. Out of respect for local customs, swimwear should not be worn on the street, or in shops and restaurants.
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