Another recurring theme of holiday shopping is the irresistible pull of the “novelty item.” Otherwise sensible people, when far from home and in an expansive mood, will buy the darnedest things, and CityWalk has some wonderfully offbeat shops along Lombard Street that cater to this urge.
Dapy, at the top end of Lombard Street, offers a dizzying variety of novelty toys, gizmos, gadgets, and miscellaneous thingies, many of them linked to popular culture. Katie’s Candy Co., a little farther on, serves up by-the-pound candy that you certainly don’t need at prices that are higher than in the theme parks. Of course nothing fits this theme like a tattoo and, if you’re game, Hart and Huntington is there to oblige. They also sell t-shirts and other gear of the sort that might freak your mom out.
Cartooniversal, at the bottom of the street, sells t-shirts, toys, towels, trinkets, and souvenirs that don’t begin with “T.” Everything sold here ties in with one of Universal Orlando’s gang of cartoon characters.
Finally, back up at the top of Lombard Street, opposite Dapy’s, is Cigarz at CityWalk, which doesn’t quite fit into any category. Most obviously it is a cigar store wonderfully decorated to evoke an old Cuban cigar factory, complete with sheaves of tobacco leaves hanging from the corrugated tin roof. A walk-in humidor holds the good stuff, while the rest of the shop offers exotic cigarettes and a variety of paraphernalia for the serious cigar buff. Best of all, at the back is a compact and cozy bar where smokers, preferably cigar smokers, can repair for quiet conversation, a warming scotch, and a fine cigar. Yes, you can actually smoke here, thanks to a loophole in Florida’s anti-smoking law. It seems Cigarz doesn’t sell enough food to be covered by the law. This is one of CityWalk’s few hidden corners where you can actually get away from the noise and the crowds. It’s not surprising that it has become a favorite hangout for Universal employees.
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