About
Just about a block up from the Christiansted Boardwalk on St Croix is the Purple Papaya, the best souvenir shop on the island, hands down. You can’t miss this massive store, with its deep purple painted facade and giant, colorful lettering. They claim to be St. Croix’s finest gift shop and no one is arguing with them, including me. Prepare to spend a lot of time in here, wandering through the wide aisles. As I walked through the front door, I was immediately struck by the sheer magnitude of the store. I can’t imagine there is any kind of souvenir that they don’t sell here. I knew I wasn’t going to be leaving empty-handed. The staff were extremely helpful without trying to “push” merchandise. They just let me know that they were available to answer any questions I might have.
Location & Environment
Purple Papaya is open from 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Saturday and from 10 AM to 4 PM on Sunday. They’re located at the end of Queen Cross Street in downtown Christiansted. The nearest cross street is Strand Street. There’s ample parking out front, but if you’re coming from your St. Croix vacation rental you may just want to walk. Just above Purple Papaya is a bar and restaurant called Parrot’s Cove, which is very popular. If you see Parrot’s Cove, you know you’re in the right spot.
The store itself isn't extra fancy; it’s not like a boutique. It’s got a modest suspended ceiling, fluorescent lighting and adobe-colored Spanish tile flooring. It has the feel of a bargain shop, and the prices are pretty reasonable, too. For example, it’s around $15 for a pair of UV-rated sunglasses and $25 for a long-sleeved St. Croix cotton tee. They have lower price points for other items, too. There is lots of space in the store; the displays are nicely distanced from one another. All in all, I really enjoyed the relaxed shopping experience. I never felt rushed or hampered in any way.
Custom Souvenirs
I was surprised to discover that Purple Papaya offers custom t-shirts in addition to their standard stockpile of souvenir tees. You just go up to the counter and the lady will help you design your custom t-shirt. They also have lots of personalized souvenirs, such as island-themed key rings with names on them.
Clothing, Gifts, & More
To be fair, this isn’t a high-end boutique souvenir shop. This is a one-top souvenir shop where you can get all your souvenir shopping done for everyone you know. I saw Polo shirts, t-shirts, mugs, shells, jewelry, toys, games, plush animals, shot glasses and so much more. As Karl Pilkington once said when traveling to India, my eyes were so busy, I didn’t know where to look.
There was tons of women’s apparel too, and don’t think I forgot to pick up some items for myself! They have maxi dresses, beach coverups, sun dresses, chic sun hats, and even some more dressy attire for an evening out on the island. There is also a wide selection of beach wear, including trunks for the guys and suits for the gals. I saw flip-flops, leather sandals and beautiful beach towels. Whether you need a baseball cap, a golf hat or a sun visor, you’ll find it here. They also have a lot of accessories like disposable underwater cameras for capturing shots of coral and fish while you’re snorkeling. I picked up a couple of those, plus some spare batteries for my electronic devices. Now, for the most amazing part of my little foray; they have free rum samples! Granted, they’re hoping to sell a bottle of rum, but hey, I was up for that. At the end of the big long counter, they sell bottles of rum and you can sample several kinds of Cruzan rum. It’s not a bar, of course, but the rum certainly put me in the mood, so after I finished my shopping I decided to see what was nearby.
What's Nearby
As I mentioned, upstairs is Parrot’s Cove, where you can get drinks and snacky-poos. I wanted a little something more substantial, so I walked around the corner to a place called 40 Eats and Drinks. On the way, I passed a cool little art gallery called Peachcan. After I had eaten I double-traced my steps and hit up the Pan Am Pavillion, a kind of island-y version of a shopping mall. However, I was kind of all shopped out and in the mood for some kind of activity to work off my meal. Right across the street from the Purple Papaya is Big Beard’s Adventure Tours, where I decided to up my game and go on an official snorkeling tour! Honestly, everything you’d want to do in one day is on that block by Purple Papaya!