The Boutique Coast: Old Town Bluffton, Bay Street, and Broughton

The southern half of the Lowcountry keeps its best shopping on three short streets, each in a different town, each shaped by the water it sits beside. Old Town Bluffton hugs the May River. Bay Street looks out over Beaufort’s harbor. Broughton Street cuts across the middle of Savannah’s historic grid. None of them takes more than a morning to walk.

Old Town Bluffton: art galleries and a candle shop

Bluffton’s few blocks around Calhoun and Church streets hold an unusual density of art. Maye River Gallery and Four Corners Fine Art and Framing represent local painters and handle custom framing, and Ben Ham Images shows large-format black-and-white photography of the surrounding marsh. The retail balances the art. Bluffton Candles has become the town’s most-reviewed shop on the strength of hand-poured candles and gifts, Old Town Liquors stocks specialty spirits, and Currents carries the Lilly Pulitzer line that Bluffton visitors come looking for. Maggie and Me rounds out the apparel with resort-leaning women’s clothing.

Bay Street: Beaufort’s working waterfront row

Beaufort concentrates its shops along Bay Street and the lanes that drop toward the water. The galleries lead again. Kayla DeVito Fine Art draws the largest following on the street, with Thibault Gallery and the long-running Rhett Gallery close behind, the latter known for Lowcountry wildlife prints and old maps. For clothing, Beverly’s Off Bay and Southern Tide Beaufort cover coastal casual wear, and Modern Jewelers has served the town for decades. Olive The Above pours tastings of olive oil and vinegar, and Sassafras on Carteret keeps a gift selection worth a detour off the main block.

Broughton Street: Savannah’s main line

Broughton Street runs the width of Savannah’s historic district and carries the widest mix of the three. Morgan Rae Boutique leads the apparel shops by a wide margin in reviews, with mid march clothing co. and The Happy Peach filling in the women’s racks. The specialty stores are the reason to slow down. The Spice & Tea Exchange of Savannah sells loose tea and blended spice by weight, V & J Duncan Antique Maps deals in original maps and prints, and The Stacks Bookstore keeps the independent bookshop tradition alive. Asher + Rye handles home goods and design, Glory Days Vintage sells vintage clothing and resale, and Mystic Apothecary rounds out the block with bath and body goods.

Each street fits in a single morning, and together they make a fine two-day drive down the coast. Browse each one in full on its district guide: Old Town Bluffton, Bay Street, Beaufort, and Broughton Street, Savannah, or see every shop from Savannah to Mount Pleasant in the Lowcountry shopping directory.