Local Color: AMI’s Hippest Souvenir Shop

And fun fact – the store is basically a keepsake itself! Today, Julia Duytschaver runs it along with her husband, Shawn Duytschaver, whose grandparents first opened the shop back in 1960. Back then, it was simply known as the Sand Dollar. Over the years, the store was passed down through the generations. Shawn’s parents ran it. Shawn and his sister stepped in for a bit before selling to pursue other local ventures. Then in 2019, Julia and Shawn were given the opportunity to welcome the store back to its original family, which they did with open arms – hence the Original Sand Dollar name today.

So, what makes this souvenir shop unlike the rest? For starters, you won’t find a traditional layout of aisles and shelves here. Julia and her team are always creating fun displays to inspire customers and help them envision pieces in their own lives – be that back home somewhere else or locally in town. Julia comments, “We see a lot of repeat customers [who] come every year,” but also “locals who are wanting new merchandise for their house … and designers who are constantly flipping things.” (Read: There’s a good chance the cute coastal decor in your rental property came from here.)

Julia describes the store’s feel “like a coastal boho boutique.” There’s a little bit of everything, so you can embrace the island’s carefree vibe in all aspects of your life – from beachy barware and kitchen goods to relaxed rompers and athleisure wear to breezy home decor and body products. And because the team is constantly switching things up and bringing in new finds, there’s no guarantee that item you fell in love with on the first day of your trip will be there by the end – so don’t wait to treat yourself!

The Original Sand Dollar is open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s conveniently located at the corner of Gulf and Marina Drive in the Island Shopping Center, not far from Holmes Beach. You can soak up some sun – then stroll up for a little shopping. The shopping plaza also has options for grabbing a bite to eat or cooling off with a sweet treat.