Houston is a great city to prepare for the holidays. You can find surprising deals nestled in the high-end boutiques, a dazzling array of Texas glitz in the midst of upscale department stores, and if you know where to go, you’ll find a bargain any day of the week. Check out these stores while you are staying at our Houston corporate housing!

Harwin Drive – Southwest Houston

Harwin Central Market

At Harwin Central Market, customers will find a huge selection of shops known for making imitation designer goods – essential to the Houston aesthetic. Suzi’s has a lot to offer the drag queens in your life, and visit the Accessory House for an eccentric collection of hats and belts.  You’ll also find lots of Asian and Indian clothing stores selling pashminas and saris, and vendors in this mall don’t mind haggling. Beware of fakes, though – if you want the real thing, don’t be fooled by the deals here.

If you don’t find enough here, you still have lots to see on Harwin Drive. This is a mecca for adventurous shoppers.

Texas Junk Company – 215 Welch Street

If you’re looking for a little Texas kitsch to stuff some stockings, put aside some time to wander the hectic aisles of Texas Junk Company. This store is best known for its impressive collection of cowboy boots. These boots range from $50 to upwards of $200.

Sloan-Hall – 2630 Westheimer Road

This small store features a beautiful collection of clothes, jewelry, and other knickknacks. The playful decorations invite visitors to feel comfortable browsing, even if they don’t think the merchandise is quite in their price range.

Dao Chloe Dao – 6127 Kirby Drive

Chloe Dao, the designer behind the boutique shop Dao Chloe Dao, won season 2 of Project Runway. If you know a Project Runway fan (and you almost certainly do), you can find them a statement piece they’ll love at Dao Chloe Dao. This boutique is known for relatively affordable designer clothing, at $100 to $300 for most dresses.

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Asher Gallery – 4848 Main Street

From September 26th through December 24th, check out the Main Gallery for a look at CraftTexas 2014, a juried exhibition of some of the cream of the Texas crafting crop. Take your awe and inspiration to the Asher Gallery, where you’ll find textiles, glass, ceramics, jewelry, and mixed media pieces for sale. These are one-of-a-kind pieces that make compelling gifts.

Spec’s Wine, Spirits, and Finer Foods – 2410 Smith Street

You can’t go wrong with a bottle of wine and a hunk of gourmet cheese. If you’re not sure what to bring to all the holiday parties on your list, check out the gourmet inventory at Spec’s. You’ll find aisle after aisle of tasty crowd pleasers.

Houston Premium Outlets – 29300 Hampstead Road (Cypress)

For bargain hunting, check out the 145 shops at the Houston Premium Outlets, located just outside of Houston. You’ll see stores like J. Crew, Kate Spade New York, Nike, and Burberry. Visiting an outlet is a great way to tie up any loose ends on your shopping list–all at a reasonable price.