You'll find all kinds of unique gifts and souvenirs in Key West, from coconut postcards to Key lime pies. On Duval Street, T-shirt shops outnumber almost any other business. If you must get a wearable memento, be careful of unscrupulous salespeople. Despite efforts to curtail the practice, many shops have been known to rip off unwitting shoppers. It pays to check the prices and the exchange rate before signing any sales slips. You are entitled to a written estimate of any T-shirt work before you pay for it.

At Mallory Square is the Clinton Street Market, an overly air-conditioned mall of kiosks and stalls designed for the many cruise-ship passengers who never venture beyond this supercommercial zone. Amid the dreck are some delicious coffee and candy shops and some high-priced hats and shoes. There's also a free and clean restroom.

Once the main industry of Key West, cigar making is enjoying renewed success at the handful of factories that survived the slow years. Stroll through "Cigar Alley" (while on Green St., go 2 blocks west and you'll hit Cigar Alley, also known as Pirate's Alley), where you will find viejitos (little old men) rolling fat stogies just as they used to do in their homeland across the Florida Straits. Stop at the Key West Cigar Factory, at 308 Front St. (tel. 305/294-3470), for an excellent selection of imported and locally rolled smokes, including the famous El Hemingway. Remember, buying or selling Cuban-made cigars is illegal. Shops advertising "Cuban cigars" are usually referring to domestic cigars made from tobacco grown from seeds that were brought from Cuba decades ago. To be fair, though, many premium cigars today are grown from Cuban-seed tobacco--only it is grown in Latin America and the Caribbean, not Cuba.

If you are looking for local or Caribbean art, you will find nearly a dozen galleries and shops clustered on Duval Street between Catherine and Fleming streets. You'll also find some excellent shops scattered on the side streets. One worth seeking out is the Haitian Art Co., 600 Frances St. (tel. 305/296-8932), where you can browse through room upon room of original paintings from well-known and obscure Haitian artists in a range of prices from a few dollars to a few thousand. Also, check out Cuba, Cuba! at 814 Duval St. (tel. 305/295-9442), where you'll find paintings, sculpture, and photos by Cuban artists as well as books and art from the island.

A favorite stop in the Keys is the deliciously fragrant Key West Aloe at 524 Front St., between Simonton and Duval streets (tel. 305/294-5592). Since 1971, this shop has been selling a simple line of bath products, including lotions, shampoos, and soothing balms for those who want a reminder of the tropical breezes once they're back home. At the main shop (open until 8pm), you can find great gift baskets, tropical perfumes, and candies and cookies, too. In addition to frangipani, vanilla, and hibiscus scents, sample Key West for Men, a unique and alluringly musky bestseller.

For foodies, the Key Lime Pie Co. (tel. 305/294-6567) is so popular for its pies, cookies, and pretty much anything you can think of made with Key lime (candles, soaps, lotions), that there are two on the tiny island. One is at 701 Caroline St. and the other is at 424 Greene St. From sweet to spicy, Peppers of Key West (tel. 305/295-9333) at 602 Greene St. is a hot-sauce lover's heaven, with hundreds of variations of sauce from brutally spicy to mild. Grab a seat at the tasting bar and be prepared to let your taste buds sizzle.

Literature and music buffs will appreciate the many bookshops and record stores on the island. Key West Island Bookstore (tel. 305/294-2904) at 513 Fleming St. carries new, used, and rare books and specializes in fiction by residents of the Keys, including Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Shel Silverstein, Ann Beattie, Richard Wilbur, and John Hersey. Flaming Maggie's (tel. 305/294-3931) at 830 Fleming St. carries a wide selection of gay books. Both shops are open daily.

One of the area's newer and funkier shops is the combination museum and gift shop called Reworx, just behind the quirky gift gallery Pandemonium and the mosaic car at 825 Duval St. (tel. 305/294-0351. Actually, this is Pandemonium's number, but the owners are friends. For Reworx, ask for Valerie.) Mammoth functional art made from salvaged metal parts is on display, and smaller works from recycled material are on sale. Admission to the adjacent museum of industrial art from recycled items is $7 for adults, $5 for children aged 5 to 12, and well worth it.

Also worth checking out in the newly revitalized Bahama Village section of town are the shops along Petronia Street between Thomas and Whitehead streets. Especially interesting is Maskerville (tel. 305/293-6937), which sells a variety of feather-laden artwork from masks to lampshades. Just next door is Hello Gorgeous, at 315 Petronia St. (tel. 305/294-1770), which carries unique clothing, shoes, and jewelry for women and impersonators (the name comes from one of Barbra Streisand's more memorable lines).

Off the beaten track at 814 Fleming St. (tel. 305/294-7901) is the Helio Gallery Store, featuring locally made crafts and fine art.

For anything else, from bed linens to candlesticks to clothing, go to downtown's oldest and most renowned department store, Fast Buck Freddie's, at 500 Duval St. (tel. 305/294-2007). For the same merchandise at reduced prices, try Half Buck Freddie's [ST], 726 Caroline St. (tel. 305/294-2007), where you can shop for out-of-season bargains and "rejects" from the main store.