Sarasota

Welcome. This "Driving Tour" of Sarasota Florida's resale and consignment shops was originally posted on TGtbT for attendees of a NARTS meeting which was held here in my town. The directions assume you're starting at St. Armand's Circle, a world-renowned area of upscale shops, many of which are individually owned and full of creative retailing ideas even for those of us with less than upscale budgets. I always recommend that all visitors who are interested in retail visit The Circle.
I selected the following consignment and resale shops because they're the easiest for out-of-towners to find. There's many more shops in the area, so be sure to pick up the local shop brochure at any one of these stores.

Resale shops to visit:

Traveling from St. Armand's Circle
Head towards the mainland. Turn north (left) on Tamiami Trail, which is US 41. Go 1.3 miles to Designing Women, which is located in an office-looking building on your right. 1226 N Tamiami Trl # 101. Full of society gowns, and yes, they do sell them at those prices!
Now go south again, and turn left (east) on Fruitville Road. On your right in just a couple of blocks are a few shops: SPARCC's Treasure Chest at 1426 Fruitville Rd. Next door's a modest thrift shop, and next to that is a great fun funky furniture/ garden place. Twice's Nice is mostly furniture, at 1480 Fruitville.
Keep going east to the next traffic light (a matter of yards) and turn south (right) on Orange Avenue. Keep going 'til you hit a picturesque area (that's being eaten alive by giant condos, but we won't go into THAT) to 539 S. Orange Avenue, which is Woman's Exchange, where I volunteer (find the volunteer photo banner and look for me with the infamous open mouth). It'll be on your right, a one-story pink building. 12,000 sq. ft. of everything from furniture and decorative items, jewelry, chandeliers, to a modest selection of clothing. (August 2008: road construction, but directions still good...just ignore the cranes and bulldozers. Ask, once you're done shopping, how to get back on Tamiami Trail, since you have to go a different way for a block or two with the construction.)
Continue south on US 41, Tamiami Trail. Stay on this main road for a goodly length of time (5 miles? I never clocked it) until you cross Stickney Point Road (note: turn on Stickney Pt towards the water, right, and you end up on Siesta Key. Turn right again when the road dead-ends, keep left at any fork, and you end up at world-famous Crescent Beach...and just ahead will be downtown Siesta if you need a quick beach-bar fix.) Sarasota Pavilion shopping center will be on your left. Make the first left onto Gulf Gate Drive and you have arrived in an area called, oddly enough, Gulf Gate. Lots of interesting small businesses here, including (turn left onto Gateway Avenue) Consignment Connection, which is the largest privately-owned consignment shop in town and The Pink Orchid, an erstwhile NARTS member. Running parallel to Gateway is Superior Avenue, both just one long block long, and on Superior you'll find The Snappy Turtle, the best children's shop in town, and a small church thrift shop.
Once more heading south on Tamiami/Rt. 41: Fashion Exchange is on your right, in Coral Cove Mall (actually a one-story strip center) at 7280 S. Trail.

Haven't had enough? Get back on Tamiami, US 41, and head north again. Turn right onto Bee Ridge Road. You'll find, tucked into the elbow of a shopping center, Elite Repeat at 2300 Bee Ridge. Continuing east, in a shopping center at the corner of BR and Tuttle (look for Office Max and TJMaxx) is Laura Jean's. You'll love the decor. A small children's shop is across Tuttle from there, Pitter Patter at 3815 S. Tuttle.

Here's some non-resale things that are fun to do in Sarasota:
St. Armands Circle Excellent "living laboratory" of independent, small shops. Take a look for some great decor, stock-arranging, and selection ideas. Don't miss the shoe store with the found-object mosaic floor! Don't miss Cha Cha Coconuts, a sidewalk cafe with terrific cocoanut shrimp. Nearby, two world-class attractions: Mote Marine (sharks, touch tanks, cool stuff) (and a great boat ride to explore the bay, if you're there at the right time) and Selby Gardens, fill of orchids and other incredible plants. If you're toting kids, G.Wiz is a great hands-on museum on the Bay.
Ringling Museum of Art Skip the art museum part of this complex, go straight to Ringling's bayside mansion, Ca d'Zan. If you have time, check out the Circus Museum too. The Banyan Cafe, on the grounds, is a nice if pricey place to grab a bite.
Kind of off the beaten path, Crowley Museum & Nature Center at the "end" of Fruitville Road (about 14 miles from the bay) and about 10 miles south on US 41 (Tamiami Trail), my other volunteer interest, Historic Spanish Point, a 30-acre outdoor museum with Indian shell mounds, Homestead Act-era pioneer buildings, and turn-of-the-20th-century gardens of Mrs. Potter Palmer, the Chicago socialite and incredible land developer. 

And general info:
What's going on in Sarasota
Downtown Sarasota (oops, I forgot... there's Encore and More on Main Street, an NFP consignment shop. That's the one that fired me as a volunteer.)

Enjoy your visit to my home town,
Kate