Highlands gems you need to check out

When you truly look, Louisville, Kentucky, has some of the best areas for shopping and experiencing the culture. My personal favorite area will always be the Highlands, a popular tourism spot in Louisville, where people go for shopping, eating, nightlife and even looking at the historic Victorian homes. It has some of my go-to places for making my bank account very angry. 

Barret Avenue has to be the best street for Highlands shopping. The variety of stores always makes for a great shopping day, where way too much money is spent.

Fat Rabbit 

Fat Rabbit, a thrift and vintage store, sits at the beginning of Barret Avenue and is always my first stop during my Highlands trips. It’s the kind of store you feel will never end as you keep walking, and it carries a variety of clothing, including some for men and women, as well as accessories, vinyl, books, posters, home knick-knacks and my favorite, pins and stickers. With the rabbit as its logo, which is now plastered on my devices and purses, Fat Rabbit is the perfect store for anyone. The clothes they have are sometimes funky but also simple, and some shirts even have pop culture references on them. The poster selection is great too, I always find ones of my favorite music artists. Fat Rabbit is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Barret Babes 

Fitting with the street name, Barret Babes is another one of my top Highlands stores. It offers the cutest handmade jewelry, plants, glassware, stickers, art and colorful vintage clothing. I simply cannot go to the Highlands without stopping at Barret Babes, and my loyalty card appreciates that, getting stickers every time I go. Barret Babes is a queer owned store, and much of the art and jewelry is locally made. They also hold events frequently that often include tarot readings and cocktails, as well as galleries for local artists' work. These events usually relate to astrology, a common theme seen in Barret Babes. When I visit, they also always have mystery bags catered for each zodiac sign, which could include jewelry, clothes or other things they sell. They are open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 7 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Butcher Cabin Books

Another favorite of mine on Barret Avenue is Butcher Cabin Books, a horror bookstore. Butcher Cabin Books is a year-round store, so even if it is not the Halloween season, it is still fun to make a trip there. They have horror books for a wide range of people, including queer based ones, mysteries, thrillers, young adult and even some for children. They also sometimes carry vinyl from horror movies, such as “Edward Scissorhands.” Horror-themed holiday ornaments are also coming into stock now. They are open Thursday and Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Ultra Pop 

As a girl who is slightly too addicted to blind boxes, I have to mention Ultra Pop, located toward the end of Barret Avenue. Ultra Pop is the only store in Kentucky to carry Sonny Angels nearly year-round, including the popular Hippers that stick onto people’s phones. They also sell a variety of other blind boxes that I have bought too many of, including Hello Kitty and Friends, Smiskis and Miffy. Although the blind boxes are the specialty, they also have pins and local art that I love to search through. Ultra Pop is a must-see in the Highlands. They are open Tuesday through Sunday with slightly varying hours each day. More information on hours and what they sell can be found on their Instagram, @ultrapopshop. 

Unorthodox 

Unorthodox might be the most interesting store on Barret Avenue—and maybe even in the entire Highlands. They offer a variety of antiques, stickers, art and oddities. Although not for everyone, I do recommend checking it out. They have anything weird you could think of, including animal bones, dolls and framed art that may make you look twice. Despite those things, they also have fun stickers and rings that almost anyone might enjoy. It is always a pleasure to go there, especially with the shop cat that prances around. They are open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Groovy Aura

A short drive away from Barret Avenue is Bardstown Road, which holds a couple of other Highlands stores I love to visit. The Groovy Aura is a huge standout for me. It is a vintage store that holds jewelry, herbal products and clothing. The store is decorated top to bottom and even if I don’t buy anything, I love to browse here. Clothing wise, they have a collection of hats and beanies, jeans and sweaters. Aside from that, they have stickers like a variety of other Highlands stores have. They are open every day, starting at noon, and closing at different times depending on the day. More information can be found on their Instagram @thegroovyaura. 

Guestroom Records 

As a music lover, Guestroom Records is a must-go when I visit the Highlands. They have a location on Frankfort Avenue which is a short drive from the Highlands area, but recently opened one on Bardstown Road, closer to all of the other Highlands shops. Guestroom Records is my favorite record store in Louisville because of their wide variety. They have such a huge selection of vinyl and it is another store that feels like it will never end while you are browsing. They have older music on vinyl and CD as well as newer albums and artists. I have collected most of my vinyl from Guestroom Records so I cannot recommend it enough. Another highlight of the store for me is the front section where they have new vinyl highlighted with which workers like each album. It offers a fun way to connect the community and get music recommendations. I also have purchased many of their music related pins at the cashier station. Guestroom Records frequently has listening parties at the Frankfort Avenue location and I am sure these events will boil over to the new location as well. They are open Monday through Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. 

Overall, the Highlands in Louisville is a great place for everyone to visit, whether you live in the city or are making a trip. Louisville would not be what it is without the Highlands.