The Franklin Shops

No rations needed, but pure treasure! The Franklin Shops feel like a marketplace straight out of Baldur’s Gate—minus the shouting and pickpockets. There’s no food, true, but who needs it when each corner reveals handmade wonders, artsy relics, and delightful oddities you didn’t know you were missing? The staff? Kind and helpful like a well-trained cleric—present when needed, never in your way. A must-visit for curious adventurers craving charm over chain stores. No dungeon crawling required, just a good pair of boots.

During our short travel break into Ft Myers, wife saw the shop and wanted to see what's inside. I must say the shop was fun to browse. Mostly stuff that girls like or find useful but there were many creative items like pop up cards, wooden signs, and lots of artsy stuff. Wife ended up buying postcards that looked vintage art pieces and my daughter purchased an interesting purse we wonder if it was handmade. The style looked original and not mass produced. The store is worth stopping by just to browse or pick up an interesting gift for someone, especially for a female someone. My son and I didn't buy anything.

Absolutely amazing spot. I will drive there to just walk away and admire the new pieces even once a week all the way from Venice. It is a full few hours of relaxation and truly if you need a gift or you would like to gift yourself there in NO OTGER SPOT LIKE IT in the area. This place is a collaboration of small store fronts of various local artists. It is very tastefully laid out inside, everything from the shelving in the store to the stairways and the very high ceilings makes this space simply awesome. It feels fresh, modern, upbeat but of course the absolutely most important thing is the merchandise and the atmosphere of the site/ gallery. The artists who showcase their products here are super talented and the one thing that links it all together is affordability ❤️. You can walk down St Armand’s circle and be like - well I cannot afford a thing here; you can do that downtown Sarasota or St Pets or even Venice… I have been to hundreds of those little stores and galleries through the South West FL and I never buy anything simply because a pair of silly earrings may be listed at $300.00 but here it is different. You can buy very affordable but amazing pieces it is just heaven for Artsy souls. I highly highly recommend this array of stores / galleries under one roof called the Franklin Shops in Firt Myers.

Very cool store hosting a wide, crazy and eclectic array of clothes, prints, statues, decor, soaps, bathbombs, & toiletries, shoes, and a whole lot more. "90 Shops under one roof" Two floors full of fun and funkiness. Even if you do not make a purchase, walking around the store is a lot of fun. Located on First Street in historic downtown Fort Myers, an incredible neighborhood of local shops and restaurants. Great place to spend a day. Very friendly and helpful staff. Some of the vendors may be there tending to their merchandise, this is a rare treat to get some interaction with local craftsmen and artists. Definitely a fun time, and a new regular stop when we are in Fort Myers.

This is a fun place seamlessly broken into multiple sections of offerings from a wide variety of artists. It is a celebration of art the varies from clothing and jewelry to wall hangings, sculptures, lawn art and many, many more things. It tastes good some time to explore all the nooks and crannies of the place.

This fun shop has alot of unique vendors. There's really something here for everyone. Staff is very friendly. The store is always clean. I visit often.

A great shop, run with a lot of love and featuring local, unique art. It's always worth a visit. I especially love the art of Jeff and Dale Ocasio. They have great sculptures for sale in the shop. They also offer art classes. Thank you, Jeff, for your great class on April 13, 2025! Thomas

I love to visit The Franklin Shops when I visit Ft. Myers. I have been coming for years and I always look forward to the new pieces of jewelry, clothing, and artwork on display. This is a great place to buy a unique gift or something special for yourself. Plan on spending a few hours just looking around. There are so many things to see - make sure you go upstairs as well!

Very eclectic boutique store with amazing customer service. Many hand made items and things you don't see everywhere. Bohemian, brights, croquet. subdued, every type of gorgeous clothing and glass and ceramic art, it's lovely. I actually found a fantastic dress, shirt and other items with the help of an unbelievably wonderful lady , didn't get her name but she was from Scotland . She helped me find things that fit perfectly since I'm not tall . Definitely recommend if you are looking for a "special " item that doesn't look off the rack.

A security guard followed my Latina friend up and down the isles. When my sister asked the security guard if they needed anything, the man forced my friend to turn out her pockets. They also charged my sister a $9 card fee after she paid with cash and didn't offer a receipt until prompted.

I love the concept of the Franklin Shops- various small stores displaying creations by lots of local artists under one roof! This store is huge! It has a huge variety of merchandise, a bit of everything: accesories, home decor, clothes, souvenirs, art, etc. The quality differs, so do the prices. Anyone can find something here, either you get something for yourself or need to buy a present. The store has an extra floor, so allow time to explore! They even have nice, clean restrooms on the ground level! The gals working here are super nice and welcoming! Such a fun place to shop at!

I love this place. So cute and fun. The workers are so kind and they keep it fresh inside

Lot of the same thing over and over- not very interesting except for the top floor. Very bougie

lots of items to look at. like to spend my free time coming here when i'm in downtown. most things can be very pricey (like jewelry and clothing). got cute stickers for about $3 cashiers are usually really nice

Hidden little jem of a shop. With very interesting items. It is located downtown Ft Myers, Fl. From the outside, the shop looks smaller, but it is not small. It actually has two floors. Inside the store, different vendors have stations all around this store. Items like soap, jewelry, art work, crystal, and clothing are what you will find here. What makes the store interesting is the artistic twist some of these items have. This is a good place to get a taste of the local talent. I was surprised by the number of crystals this place has. A big section, just for it. They had some pretty large quarts. I like rose quarts and was happy to see them here. On the second floor, they had art work and some were funny. I liked the metal sculptures. The second floor was my favorite section here. I enjoyed the interesting, artistic shops here in Ft Myers. I think this shop was one cool stop.

The Franklin Shops is located in a historic building that was built in 1937 for the Franklin Hardware Store. It is one of the few art deco buildings on First Street in the historic district. The front façade of the building is vitrolite, Carrara Glass which makes for the elegant store front. The hardware store stayed until the 1960's and then it became the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. Today the Franklin Shops is a two story shopping emporium offering a mix of jewelry, clothing,, art, furnishings, accessories, beauty, and gifts. There is so much to look at here and I wanted a lot of it. It is great for the shoppers because they can find a wide range of items in one place but it also benefits the retailers who can lease a space in here for less money than opening their own store. I had a wonderful time shopping here and stayed for much longer than I planned on. I actually came back later on in the evening to buy even more gifts. I was able to find two beautiful necklaces for a friend and an aunt's upcoming birthday and then I purchased an initial necklace as an early birthday present for myself. I can't stop thinking of the pearl rings that looked they were in a mermaids treasure box. The salesgirls were helpful but not hovering. When you select your items you take them to a central register to purchase. They packaged everything so nicely for me, wrapping the soap in tissue paper and putting the jewelry in gossamer green string bags so I don't even have to wrap them. Love, love, love this store.

Franklin Shop are superior to any stores in our area!! You basically find anything from home warming gifts to clothing and swimwear. This store is AMAZING!!! If you're looking for an everything store... stop by. They also do tours about the history of the town. ITS A MUST VISIT WHEN YOUR IN SW FLORIDA!!!

I went with my daughter to visit The Franklin Shops in downtown Fort Myers and we had a wonderful time. I liked the layout of the store and their swirling staircase to get to their second level. We both absolutely loved all of their amazing crystals, cool clothing, and neat creations and gifts. Their prices were reasonable and the staff was nice and helpful. I bought a few crystals and a cute necklace from there. My daughter ended up buying some awesome colorful pants as well as a couple of crystals also. Wonderful experience! Can't wait to go back and see what else I can find to buy.

This is a neat little shop. All sorts of cute, clever, interesting and arty tchotchke things. It's more treasure store than department store. Really cool! Mom really enjoyed her shop here and of course, bought a pair of earrings. Lots of other gifty gifts. Don't miss the art gallery area on the second floor. [Review 10793 overall, 561 of 2019.]

The Franklin Shops is housed in a beautiful building in the historical district up downtown Fort Myers. The art deco-inspired building pulls you in and once you step through those doors the wonder continues. This shop offers two stories of unique and some one of a kind items There is a great mix of retail including clothes, jewelry, furniture, art, beauty, and, accessories. They even had local honey! Vendors lease space to set up and price their merchandise and Franklin Shops provide the employees/cashiers to provide customer service and ring up the items. The store displays are beautifully arranged and I love the decor especially the doors of the dressing room!. I bought a few gifts and I bought myself some cute little earrings. The next time I'm in downtown Fort Myers, I'll be definitely making a stop here! I barely got out of there without spending my last paycheck :-)

So glad to stumble into this shop while waiting to pick up family from Regional Southwest Airport . Awesome one location, in The River District, featuring gifts from one hundred shops. We were delighted to be treated to wine tastings as well. If you are looking for unique souvenirs or gift ideas, you will find it here !

A unique and creative co-op space/gallery in downtown fort myers. A great place to explore with a Boba tea in hand! (There's a cafe upstairs!) a wide mix of touristy stuff, art, and fine jewelry. There's always something new every time I stop in and always something I leave without knowing I ever knew I needed!

So many talented artists and unique shops in one place! There is definitely something for everyone! By far the most fun & versatile shopping experience in Fort Myers!

The Franklin Shops is a cute gift shop in historical downtown Ft. Myers. We initially went in the store because an adorable onesie caught my husband's eye. After walking through the store I came across an amazing selection of children's books. After I selected one too many books and toys my husband dragged me to the cash register before anything else caught my eye! The shop contains other items besides children's clothes and toys, but I hardly had the chance to explore the jewelry, perfume and other trinkets in the store.

I have been to this shop a few times. And after reading a few comments, I'm glad I'm not the only one that had someone following them around the entire store. Made me feel so uncomfortable. The last visit, we came in 20 minutes before closing and literally every 3 minutes we were reminded of them closing... I get it-don't need to be told 7 times. But this visit last night takes the cake! My 14 year old daughter and I like the artistic feel of the store but don't act like I'm a criminal!!! So many other shops in this area... not coming here again...

Got accused of stealing within 5 mins of being there. Followed around constantly, asked if they "could make a little pile at the register for me". Associates were trying to peek in my TINY BAG and hands more than once. Like don't all stare at me at once and whisper and point. It's obvious. I had a candle. Old lady at register didn't believe me that the products I had were 25% off until I had to point to the huge sign stating so. They also charge a 3% card fee, however, on my receipt that turned into a 9% fee! But at that point I didn't care anymore because I was was STILL being followed around cause I was trying to gather my family. I've worked in retail for 16 years. I know all the LP tricks. maybe if they de cluttered a bit if all of their broken, expired or low quality items, they could manage loss prevention better. For the store itself, about 10-15% is about what I would consider handmade artisan goods. I'm an artist and maker so I know how a consignment gallery works. Candles and decorations, some clothing and the art is a safe bet. If it has a business card and the artist is legit, go for it. The rest is cheaply made Amazon drop ships, and wish.com bulk buys. Found a watch being sold on Amazon within seconds of googling marked up 300% in store. Hard to walk around without bumping a display. NOT ADA COMPLIANT. Cannot enter or access with a wheelchair. Going out on a limb and assume that service dogs wouldn't be welcome either. They might steal something lol.

We moved into town from Sanibel a couple of years ago, looking forward to being so close to downtown. As a permanent year round resident of the McGregor/ Edison Park area, Franklin Shops is a favorite place for me to bring my visiting family and friends. I have my preferred booth spaces and usually go right to them, my favorite being a lapidary just up the stairs. They have really great prices on jewelry! I've purchased from this vendor on multiple occasions, and refer people who compliment me on the pieces I wear. I had a troubling experience recently and was very pleasantly surprised with how it was handled by the shop owner! Thank you Mr. Miville!

Absolutely loved this store! The clothes were adorable and had to stop myself from buying everything! Would definitely recommend and return here!

been there several times the artistry is wonderful, with very beautiful pieces, great staff, and a large variety of different things from the very elegant to the fun!! special shout out to "Just Dawn " !!!!

What a fun, unique and eclectic shop. The Franklin Shops houses a ton of smaller shops similar to the set up of a Farmer's Market or Craft Fair. The items are fantastic quality, and very creative. The pricing all looked great too. We came in here to Christmas shop for some unique gifts, and we did not leave empty handed. Head here for a unique shopping experience while supporting artisans.

Absolutely beautiful and varied selection of clothing, jewelry and gifts. Very unique items and reasonably priced. The store offers collections from a wide variety of vendors, beautifully arranged and displayed which contributes to the boutique vibe. Highly recommend

I have had multiple bad experiences at this store, but this last one set me over the edge. Previously, I had been accused of stealing and an employee reached into my bag and pulled out a plastic bag of trail mix, saying it was crystals. After further inspection, she realized her mistake and made no attempt to apologize for her obnoxious overstep of boundaries. This time though, I had stopped in for boba before work. I asked for my usual, but they started putting tea in it when I had never seen them do it before, I mentioned that, and they started to remake it, but the whole time arguing with me that it doesn't exist and they've never made that before, even though I tried to explain that I've come in a few times and got it. Mind you, I'm paying 7.50 for this drink, Id like it to be right. She kept saying that it wasn't here, but a different store and I assured her it was this one because the only tapioca pearls I like are from there. She then begrudgingly remade my drink, but handed it to me, only half full. If I am paying almost 8$ for a drink, I'd like it to be how I want. I would not recommend this place as they have terrible service.

Love this fun find store!! Lots to see and the different artisans are amazing! I found myself buying 6 items in the 2 for $30 boutique!! Must see in Ft. Myers

Local treasures, lots of different items, and artwork, something for everyone! They've got local candles that we are seriously considering as gifts for the Midwest family, they love Florida-inspired treasures! There is even a 2nd floor! Loads of good gift ideas and they also offer info on Historical Walking Tours here and the lady was very friendly Gorgeous jewellery, lots of unique pieces, by many different artists, spices and sauces, clothing, accessories, lots of cool stuff. We were short on time so only a quick browse through, but we will definitely be back and bring the family when they visit!

I am so relieved after reading recent reviews that we were not the only customers being accused of stealing. My husband and I were browsing separately and when we left we both immediately felt like we were being followed and being stared at during our entire experience. We couldn't shake the feeling for the rest of the day but after seeing the reviews we are more at ease. The three workers following us were over 70-80 years old for reference.

As I was killing time waiting for my best friend to arrive into town, I decided to explore around downtown Fort Meyers. As I walked in, I was distracted by all the shiny things to look at. I must have spent a good hour or so looking around, looking for a neat thing to get my mother-in-law for mother's day. There are a lot of little shops within this one large shop. From soaps, to outfits, jewelry, art, shoes, knickknacks etc... you can find something that will catch your fancy. I ended up with a cute sign for my mother in law, and I bought myself a nice bright orange head band. It's a nice store to kill time in or to look for a gift for someone.

Amazing finds whether you like art, boutique clothing, Whimsey jewelry, unique home goods and much more. Fantastic prices! My friend and I both found manyy treasures to brinng home to our cold winter states. When I'm in town with limited time, this place is a must stop. Very friendly service. Thanx Brach for making our shopping xtra fun! Michigan

Bought a necklace here the other day for my sister. As soon as I brought it home, it broke. I drove 45 minutes back to the shop, to try to exchange it, and the store owner would not let me exchange it due to her accusations that I may have stolen it, or purchased it elsewhere. Considering that this was a unique piece of jewelry from a local artist, I don't see how that could have happened. VERY disappointed with the customer service here. Will have to look elsewhere for my little sister.

One of the employees followed us around and stared at us the entire time as if we were going to steal. The same employee was also outwardly rude to customers and whispered rude things under their breath about customers. This employee ruined the experience of the shop. We will not be taking our business back there if that employee remains. The employees name was Molly.

This is a store with a collection of smaller, independent vendors. We were drawn in by a Leoma Lovegrove painting and found some great art and natural beauty products. I could have spent a long time going through all of the different stalls.

Went in to browse, found three items i wanted to purchase. The staff decide they were not for sale. The items had price tags on them, and were on display. I found a gift fot my granddaughter and for what ever reason i was rejected. 6/28/2020. I am a local i. Fort myers i will never step foot in this business again.

This is a shop, full of small shops. There are many homemade items, vintage, artwork, clothing, you name it, it's probably there! Take an hour and have a look around. One can only assume the inventory changes often.

employees are the worst just know that going in. not kind and also condescending for no reason? like relax please. anyways store itself is fine that's always subjective so to each their own! just needed to write it out here because it took me by such surprise.

Inside The Franklin Shops is a bookstore called "Storybook Village." The books are awesome! Great for kids of all ages. The puppets are wonderful, they look like real animals! Lots of dress up clothes made from real silk! You can even order online at www.astorybookvillage.com. Besides the bookstore, The Franklin Shops, has all kinds of wonderful stores! You can shop jewerly, clothes, books and food! It's an awesome store that you can spend hours in just looking around.

Very nice place. I could wander around for about an hour. They have pretty neat stuff. The items are a bit pricey but worth it.

So many fun things to look at and buy. We were overwhelmed by all the beautiful knickknacks and clothing and jewelry. We could have easily stayed in there for hours but we needed to get to dinner. We bought some beautiful pieces of art work and some jewelry. Even the music was our style.

A variety of merchants sell their wares at the Franklin Shops and it is fun to browse shelves and racks teeming with jewelry, clothing, books, knick-knacks, toiletries, and works of art. The staff is friendly and helpful.

I feel the merchandise is for tourists-- the locals stay away because of the low quality and high price. The displays keep trying to look fabulous...still better quality is elsewhere. My husband will try to get me to go in but I won't go in the shops its a big waste of time. I really hope some day another business will move in so I can start shopping there once again.

This is such a fun place to shop. Many unique businesses and items to buy. Prices are reasonable. Clothing, home furnishings, art, jewelry and more! Great display of Vespas welcoming you as you enter...you can't miss it!

This is a very unique store, great merchandise, very creatively displayed. The store clerks were NOT friendly and had ZERO customer service abilities. They made me feel as if I was an intruder instead of a customer. Due to this attitude I did not purchase. I do plan to visit again , just to see if that behavior is the norm.

Don't waste your time here- I was so looking forward to checking out the shops again---There seems to be no reasoning behind the merchandise chosen for the individual shops. I walked out after I was overwhelmed with too much mediocre, overpriced, cheap jewelry. But I do know the shops change frequently so this time next year many of the shops will be out of business and all new merchandise in their place. thanks