Capitol Hill Books
Housed in a small, old rowhouse next to Eastern Market, this bookstore is a local favorite, jam-packed with used books on every imaginable subject. For a delightful surprise, be sure to open the cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms.
Groovy D.C.
This is a very eclectic gift shop with unique gift cards, gags, and other arts & crafts. It's a little on the expensive side.
Union Station and Eastern Market are big shopping destinations in the city. Union Station houses a big shopping mall inside with plenty of high end and mid-range stores, while Eastern Market is much more offbeat, and geared to a lazy day of browsing. Outside these two heavyweights, Capitol Hill is an unorthodox shopping destination, but it does have a relatively small collection of unique and offbeat shops dispersed throughout the neighborhood, especially on Pennsylvania Ave near the Library of Congress and by Barracks Row.
Eastern Market
D.C.'s biggest public market has been housed since 1873 in a nineteenth century brick building, just a few blocks from the Capitol. The market itself is open every day, but weekends bring an additional influx of vendors ranging from local farmers to antique furniture. The market burned down in 2007 and was for a while housed in a temporary structure, but it reopened in June 2009.
Homebody
Selling mostly home furnishings, this store is better suited to locals than travelers, but its selection is unique and stylish enough to merit a visit if only to browse. And there are original works of art and accessories, which are easier to take home.