Ancaster
Located up the mountain, at the westmost section of the city, ancaster has several specialty boutiques. while not much is available in the historic village, ancaster's shopping is now focused on big box retailers called the meadowlands power centre. there you will find typical stores found in any ontario suburb, conveniently located in one giant collection. ancaster is one of the "rich" districts of hamilton, with many doctors, lawyers and other high-paid professionals choosing to settle in the area.
The Hamilton Farmers Market
(http://www.myhamilton.ca/...) , originally founded in 1837 and since moved indoors, is located at 55 york blvd downtown inside of jackson square mall. it features the usual mix of local farm produce and ethnic specialties, and is older than the city and is one of the best farmers markets in ontario.
King Street
The city's main urban destination for restaurants, cafes, and of course, shops.
Dundas
As west as ancaster, but down the mountain, dundas is a small heritage town with a european feel that offers most of the good shopping opportunities in hamilton. dundas has a great drive-in park that is popular amongst locals for summer picnics. dundas is home to numerous festivals throughout the year.
Upper James Street
Upper James is a lengthy street that was at one time known locally as "Oilcan Alley" due to a prevalence of autobody shops and car dealerships. Most of the major dealerships in Hamilton are still located on Upper James around the Ryckmans Corners area between Stone Church and 20 Road. A huge number of stores and family restaurants now exist to service the needs of most shoppers, including a brand-new Wal-Mart Supercenter at Fennell Avenue. Additional stores of note include a Future Shop between Stone Church and Rymal, and a large plaza across the street containing everything from a Zellers Department Store to EB Games to one of Hamilton's elusive few Starbucks. Beware of traffic during rush-hour periods, and note that most shopping areas can be accessed relatively-easily via West 5th.
Concession Street
(http://www.concessionstre...) - originally a turn of the century african american neighbourhood. many slaves escaping the u.s. via the underground railway settled in this urban neighbourhood at the edge of the escarpment. it boasts the best views of the lower city and features many parks, some with fantastic vistas overlooking the downtown and heavy industrial areas. the neighbourhood offers many shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities. the housing is an eclectic mix of million dollar estates and 1920s cottages. stairs to the lower city are available on mountain avenue, traversing the 91 m 300 foot escarpment. many buses travel along concession, making it one of the most public transit accessible areas of the city. once considered run-down, it may be one of the most underrated areas of the city. a recent 1920s movie house has been renovated and is showing first run and art films.
Lime Ridge
Is a great mall with over 200 shops and services, located on upper wentworth just south of mohawk road, adjacent to the lincoln alexander parkway. easily on-par with most major malls in larger canadian cities. it's the most popular hang-out spot on the mountain for younger and older people alike, partly due to the total absence of a night life outside of downtown.
Ottawa Street
(http://www.shopottawastre...) - home to innumerable fabric, home decor and furnishings stores. the street had fallen on hard times earlier in the decade, but is undergoing a resurgence and has become one of the city's most popular destinations for antiques, fabric and home furnishings.
Hamilton has a few main shopping districts. While less is available in Hamilton than in neighbouring Toronto, a few good areas successfully specialize in antiques or specialty boutiques.
Locke Street South
(http://www.lockestreet.com) - located just west of downtown, locke street is home to a large number of antique shops. prices tend to be lower than in toronto.
Westdale
(http://www.westdalevillage.ca) - adjacent mcmaster university keeps this neighbourhood healthy, with its many boutiques, groceries, eateries, pubs and bakeries and even a movie cinema specializing in foreign and art films. westdale village is accessible by bus and is walking distance to mcmaster university and hospital. it was hamilton's first master-planned community in the 1920s.