El Corazon

Each little shop may not be perfect, but the sum of the shops is damn, near perfect. El Corazon is a little cluster of shops on South 1^st, just north of Oltorf. What’s nice is that you can park your car and visit 8 different shops without leaving the little compound — you don’t have to cross the street, or even walk up and down the street (well, maybe just a tiny bit — but only a tiny bit).
You can buy locally made art at The Stash, get your record player fixed at Phonograffix, but a CD or LP at End of an Ear, accessorize your garden at Happiness, and then go shopping for vintage/​consignment/​handmade clothing, accessories, and a myriad of treasures at The Opera House, Vanilla Girl, Bella Blue, and Rose Originals.
If you dig a little deeper behind the shops, you will discover a small village-​like artist residency complete with a bottle house. But don’t get too curious — people actually live there.
El Corazon says, «Eat your heart out, SoCo.» Just kidding. But truly, SoFi is the new South Austin independent shopping scene.