Standing across from the harbor in downtown Charlotte Amalie, watching throngs of people weave in and out of the dozens of stores, I start to feel the buzz -- and I'm not even an avid shopper. Just being on St. Thomas -- an island where you can buy anything and everything within a few square blocks -- renders even the most reluctant consumer powerless against the lure of duty-free shops, art galleries and boutiques. I'm more the get-in-get-out kind of buyer, but in this historic city I find myself happy to wander the huge name-brand stores and unique shops, taking my time among the quaint Dutch Colonial architecture and colossal range of products in the picturesque downtown area.
Charlotte Amalie wraps around its harbor of the same name. Once an important tax-free shipping port for the Danes, the city is now known for the megaliner cruise ships that dock here. Thousands of duty-free hungry passengers take to the gangways each day to seek out deals and to look for local products that aren't available back home. Havensight Mall fronts the cruise ship dock, but the best shopping is just a few blocks away in the historic district, where the stores beckon from the waterfront to Back Street, with Main Street in between.
The 300-year-old former warehouses, built from bricks carried as ballast in the ships from Europe, now house modern stores. The alleys that connect them are filled with strolling shoppers carrying bags instead of stevedores humping cargo. Downtown is a twist in time, offering the best products of the modern world amid a historic ambience. And with no sales tax and $1,200 of duty-free purchases allowed each U.S. resident -- double the amount of other destinations in the region -- it's easy to see how St. Thomas has become the shopping capital of the Caribbean.
The streets are full of bargain hunters, so I pop into the nearest store, Little Switzerland, across from Emancipation Garden. This is just one of the store's two locations here -- many of the major retailers, including Colombian Emeralds and Diamonds International, have multiple stores in Charlotte Amalie. Cases and cases of fine goods tempt me from every angle. Walking among a fine selection of Tag Heuer watches, Waterford and Baccarat crystal and Lladró figurines, the well-dressed salespeople monitor customers' needs just right -- they're attentive, but not pushy.
Making my way to Main Street, I pass by Cardow and make a beeline for Diamonds International, a girl's best friend. It has the largest collection of loose diamonds available and certified gemologists to help you choose among them. An endless selection of stones is displayed in various cuts, sizes and colors, including pink and yellow. Always wanted a bigger rock? The artists here will upgrade a piece you already have or let you design something completely new and then custom craft it the same day. Because so much of the business comes from people off cruise ships, most of the stores are very time conscious and deliver orders in a matter of hours.
Colombian Emeralds is another essential stop on the jewelry tour. Specializing in the gems of the same name, the store is a glittering mine of the green stone. Everything from simple earrings and pendants to elaborate bracelets and necklaces looks appealing here. But with a good selection of other jewels, watches and crystals, you might leave with much more than you budgeted for. To make it even easier, the store offers a 90-day no-interest and no-payment plan. It's just not fair.
I'm still trying to make the switch from hunting to gathering mode. The A.H. Riise Mall carries a little bit of everything: a great place for one-stop shopping. Housed in a series of former warehouses, the mall extends from Main Street all the way to the waterfront. The front of the store is lined with wood shelves stocked with every kind of liquor imaginable. A clerk appears to help me with selections, handing me an order sheet to mark down my spirits of choice, while another employee pours samples of a new liqueur. Visitors are allowed to bring five bottles of booze out of the USVI, six if one of them is locally made. I mark down a bottle of Orange Cruzan rum, along with several other premium brands.
I pass displays of local rum cakes, hot sauces, jams and rum balls as I head toward the back of the store. The perfume and cosmetics department teases my senses, but I want to browse the jewelry. David Yurman, Tiffany & Co., Rolex, Omni and Patek Philippe are all found here. There are also sunglasses and gifts. It's enough to make a gal dizzy.
A few blocks down I'm drawn in by a window filled with elaborate black coral. I've found the gallery of Bernard K. Passman, an artist who sculpts with this rare species so overcollected that now, outside of protected areas, it's found only below 200 feet. Inside, Ella Fitzgerald croons from the sound system. Sting-ray pendants, starting at $600 for one that's 1/2 inch, twirl in a display case. Every piece -- even the smallest ones -- is inscribed with Passman's initials.
"We don't have customers," Ashu Bhandari, Passman's assistant, tells me. "We have collectors."
Indeed, Passman's collectors include Pope John Paul II. Numerous sports and film stars treasure his works as well, commissioning everything from necklaces to candelabras. A trio of Charlie Chaplins is one of his most famous works, but I'm taken in by small sculptures of dalmatians made of alabaster inlaid with black coral and 18K gold. Although at $7,000, I'm content to be just an admirer for now.
Many artists call St. Thomas home. Near the Royal Dane Mall, the Jonna White Gallery houses the works of this 30-year island resident. The wide, open space is perfect for her colorful etchings, which are tropically themed and yet still highly original. Her works are encased in elaborate frames and can be found in various businesses throughout the island.
Heading back to Emancipation Garden, I pop into Tanzanite International. Tanzanite has become so popular over the past few years that it now has its own store. A variety of jewels in a rainbow of colors make up pendants, earrings and rings. A selection of loose stones in different cuts stands alone, ready to be transformed into my ideal selection.
"You can just pick out your mount, pick your stone and then pick up your ring in three hours," says sales associate Brenda Richardson.
You gotta love that.
Back where I started, I stroll the vendor's plaza. Dozens of stands sell everything from T-shirts and shot glasses to tie-dye dresses and magnets. I buy a large bottle of water and sit down across from the harbor. Taxis are buzzing around, and people are hurrying for the docks or toward the stores on a last-minute whim. Just when my head should be +spinning again, I feel content. Maybe I am an avid shopper after all -- St. Thomas will have that effect on you.
Posted online 04/02/04.
