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Shopping

Because so much in the U.S. is mass-produced, there is a large quantity of goods available at relatively low prices for everyone. You will find a tremendous range in cost, variation based on quality, style, areas of the country, and other factors. Comparative price shopping is a good idea before one starts to buy any major items. Tampa Bay area consists of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Safety Harbor, Dunedin, Largo, Seminole, Palm Harbor, Oldsmar, and Tarpon Springs.

The Campus Bookstore
The Bookstore is located on campus to provide your required books and supplies. Hours of operation are posted on the front of the store. Your textbooks can be purchased there (new and sometimes second hand), and your used textbooks may, of course, be sold there. The Bookstore also sells stationery and art supplies, candy, some clothing such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, and miscellaneous items.

Downtown/Shopping Centers
The Tampa Bay area, like all large cities, offers all of the shopping facilities one can think of but, because of the presence of businesses and offices, the bustle and traffic which accompanies large flows of humanity makes shopping a bit hectic, especially if you're driving. For the other parts of town, more leisurely shopping can be accomplished in shopping centers. Shopping centers offer a variety of shops, restaurants, movie theaters, and services such as medical, real estate, and travel offices, with ample parking space available and easily accessible from several entrances. Generally, stores in these centers include a supermarket, a drugstore, a department store, and other specialty shops.

Drugstores (Pharmacies)
 Drugstores will fill your doctor's prescriptions and you can purchase over-the-counter remedies. You can also find a variety of other items such as magazines, candy, toiletries and cosmetics, newspapers, film, etc. Most drugstores are open Sundays, as well as weekdays.

To help international students who are not familiar with U.S. sizes in their shopping for clothing and shoes, the following comparison with European sizes are given:

WOMEN

Dresses and Coats - Misses
U.S.A.
British
Continental		 8
-
-		 10
10
38		 12
12
40		 14
14
42		 16
16
44		 18
18
46		 20
20
48
Dresses and Coats - Women's
U.S.A.
British
Continental		 34
34
42		 36
36
44		 38
38
46		 40
40
48		 42
42
50		 44
44
52		  
Dresses and Coats - Junior's
U.S.A.
British
Continental		 7
7
34		 9
9
35		 11
11
38		 13
13
40		 15
15
42		 17
17
44		  
Stockings
U.S.A.
British
Continental
(But many European countries use the same as the U.S.A.)		 8
8
0		 8½
8½
1		 9
9
2		 10
10
4		 10½
10½
5		 11
11
6		  
Blouses, Sweaters, Slips
U.S.A.
British
Continental		 30
30
38		 32
32
40		 34
34
42		 36
36
44		 38
38
46		 40
40
48		  
Shoes
U.S.A.
British
Continental		 5
3½
35		 5½
4
35		 6
4½
36		 7
5½
37		 8
6
38		 8½
7
39		 9
7½
40
For Women
Small
Medium
Large
 		 Sizes under 12
Sizes 14-16 and sometimes also 12
Sizes 18 and up; sometimes also 16
 In skirts, dresses, coats, half sizes are usually intended for the short-waisted, stocky figure.

MEN
 
Coats and Suits
U.S.A.
European		 36
46		 38
48		 40
50		 42
54		 44
56		 46
59		  
Shirts
U.S.A.
European		 14½
37		 15
38		 15½
39		 16
40		 16½
41		    
Shoes and Slippers
U.S.A.
European
 Americans often use the sizes small, medium, large or extra large.		 8
41		 8½
42		 9½
43		 10
44		 10½
45		    

Last updated 07-Nov-2002