Bargains of New Orleans Riverwalk

The new Riverwalk shopping center is across the street from the Convention Center and adjacent to the New Orleans Hilton Hotel.

In addition to 136 new shops (expected to grow to 170 by Christmas), the complex has a long outdoor promenade along the scenic Mississippi River. Riverwalk, which opened Aug. 28, cost about $58 million to build, and is on the site of the 1984 World’s Fair.

The air-conditioned building contains glass-fronted shops along both sides of a long brick walkway that is punctuated by wooden benches and potted plants. Overhead, support beams and ceiling are painted a uniform black. Architecturally, the best things about Riverwalk are its boardwalk and river view.

Antique Furniture

Stan Levy Imports is a showroom for this antique dealer’s two larger stores on Louisiana Avenue. Its display of expensive 18th-Century French and English furniture is made all the more gracious by the view of the Mississippi, and the paddle boats and large commercial freighters steaming by.

The DeVille Bookshop has wisely picked up the scenic Louisiana theme, with a great collection of books about the history and culture of the state. There are some great coffee-table books with photographs of the bayous and harbor, and the stately old mansions and charming French Quarters, all of which exemplify the character and personality of old New Orleans.

In addition, DeVille has some fine Louisiana cookbooks, and all the best sellers in hard-cover and paperback editions.

About half of the Riverwalk shops are those that you would find in any mall. These include the Gap, Footlocker, Banana Republic and Casual Corner. Some shops are first chain outlets in New Orleans, including Brookstone, the Sharper Image, Alain Manoukian and Abercrombie & Fitch. Tourists will probably be more interested in locally owned shops that offer merchandise not widely available at home.

The Resortwork offers rather touristy but nicely designed New Orleans T-shirts, sweat shirts and rugby shirts that range from $14 to $30.

Butterfield’s Etc. has cookery of all sorts, including pots for cooking crawfish and Louisiana-made platters on which to serve them. The platters are decorated with bright-red crawfish decals, and there are bowls and mugs to match. Platters cost $20, mugs $5.50. Butterfield’s also has canned gumbo and packaged ingredients and spices for Louisiana cooking.

The Cafe du Monde also has a small Riverwalk shop that offers its famous coffee and chicory blend, along with prepared mix for home beignets , special New Orleans flat doughnuts that are served warm with sprinkled powdered sugar. Freshly brewed coffee and fresh beignets are also served.

Pies and Breads

There is also a shop for Omar’s special New Orleans sweet potato, pecan or apple pies. Small, individually wrapped pies cost $1.50; loaves of pound cake and banana nut bread are $5.50. These are all wrapped to travel.

One of Riverwalk’s most interesting shops is Upstream, a shop of handmade jewelry and clothing that was formerly in the French Quarter as the Loom Room. Owner/manager Glenna Geisert’s sense of style and fun is expressed in the things she sells. Susan Neal’s jackets of hand-woven fabrics in patches of blue, gray and green are constructed with interior pockets that don’t interfere with the fine lines of the garment. They sell at about $200.

There are hand-loomed woolen ties ($27) and hand-painted silk scarfs ($42 to $60). The fine jewelry collection includes earrings of spiraling or dangling silver, and silver and colored glass shaped into delicate flowers.

You’ll find bracelets to match, and others of stain-resistant, hand-painted silk wrapped around light-weight wooden cores. One of the most unusual items is a fish pin ($15), made by coating a real two-inch fish with acrylic. This is the creation of designer Ken Loeber, who has other items in the shop.

Geisert also has skeins of fine wool dyed to match the clothes she carries, so you can knit your own accessories to Upstream’s outfits. To go with the hand-dyed wool, handcrafted knitting needles, of course.

Two interesting stores have clothing for children. Nannie’s, on the upper level near the food stalls, sells handmade and imported French dresses and suits for $24 to $130. Hand-crocheted shoes in pink, blue and white cost $5.50; umbrellas with frilly edges cost $8, and you paint your name on for free.

Westfalenstoffe imports its clothes for children from Germany. It has flowered dresses and smocks for $30 to $70 and wool-lined snowsuits for $80 to $100. Pajama bags in the shape of ducks cost $19, and are a charming way to remind children to put sleep things away and make their beds.

Flower Power

Designer Yvonne La Fleur, whose main store is on Hampson Street, is also represented in Riverwalk. Although she sells only in New Orleans, La Fleur’s designs have a national reputation. Her clothes have a broad range of styles, from loosely fitting knit slacks to semi-formal gowns of linen and lace. There are also broad-shouldered suits that have cinched waists and skinny skirts with high slits in the back.

The clothes are very feminine and have handmade buttons and other interesting details that distinguish them from other garments. The knit pants sell for about $40; suits are about $250 and dresses range from moderate to expensive. Alterations are free.

La Fleur also makes hats with small felt crowns and semi-wide or wide brims. These are adorned with silk flowers that give an old-fashioned and somewhat coquettish quality. The floral theme is carried out throughout the shop. Walls have purple-flowered paper, and so do shopping bags and hat boxes. And La Fleur has a lightly floral fragrance that comes gift-wrapped in similar paper with nosegay of silk flowers ($27).

Outside La Fleur is a metal stairway leading up to Kabby’s restaurant in the Hilton. This is a good alternative to the fast-food stalls at the other end of Riverwalk. You can get excellent gumbo and other New Orleans dishes while seated at a table overlooking the river.

If you prefer fast snacks, the food stalls offer salads and sandwiches, desserts and coffee. These are served in take-out containers, and you can sit outdoors along the promenade to eat.

You will need refreshment if you decide to make a day of it at Riverwalk, which is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and from noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday.