souvenir shop

Meaning

A souvenir shop is a retail store that sells mementos, gifts, and local crafts to tourists who want to remember their trip. These shops are typically located near major tourist attractions, airports, and hotels. The term is neutral and widely used in everyday travel contexts.

Examples

• I stopped by a local souvenir shop to buy some postcards and magnets.

  I stopped by a local souvenir shop to buy some postcards and magnets.

• Every tourist area is packed with souvenir shops selling cheap trinkets.

  Every tourist area is packed with souvenir shops selling cheap trinkets.

• She spent an hour in the museum's souvenir shop looking for a unique book.

  She spent an hour in the museum's souvenir shop looking for a unique book.

• Let's find a souvenir shop so I can get a t-shirt for my brother.

  Let's find a souvenir shop so I can get a t-shirt for my brother.

• The prices in that airport souvenir shop are much higher than in the city.

  The prices in that airport souvenir shop are much higher than in the city.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I bought this key chain at a memory shop.

  ✓ I bought this key chain at a souvenir shop.

  While 'souvenirs' are for memories, the physical store is strictly called a 'souvenir shop' or 'gift shop'.

• ✗ There are many souvenirs shops near the beach.

  ✓ There are many souvenir shops near the beach.

  When a noun acts as an adjective modifying another noun, it is almost always singular: 'souvenir shop', not 'souvenirs shop'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I need to find a ___ to buy some local chocolates for my colleagues.

  💡 A store selling items to remember a place by

  Show answer

  souvenir shop

• Almost every ___ in the city center sells the same postcards.

  💡 A shop targeted at tourists seeking gifts

  Show answer

  souvenir shop