The best shopping in San Luis is at two stores. The state-run store La Casa del Artesano (tel. 444/814-6999), at Jardín Colón 23, has five rooms filled with merchandise from all parts of the state. It's open Monday through Friday from 10am to 8pm and Saturday from 10am to 5pm. The FONART crafts store, operated by the federal government (tel. 444/814-3868), at Morelos 1055, is around the corner from the church of San Agustín. It's open Monday through Friday from 9am to 2pm and 4 to 7pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm. The hand-woven rebozos (shawls) from the town of Santa María del Río are what the state is most known for, but the store offers several other crafts, such as the richly colored bags of woven ixtle (agave fibers).
Several blocks along the pedestrian Calle Hidalgo north of Jardín Hidalgo, you'll find the city's Mercado Hidalgo, and just beyond it, the Mercado República. Look around. You'll find just about anything, including regional products such as baskets, rebozos (shawls), and straw furniture. Taken as a whole, the market area in San Luis is one of the most engaging market experiences in Mexico. As you enter the area on Hidalgo, you'll see a good slice of the city's small-business commercial life. Hardware stores, crafts shops, shoe stores, groceries, and taverns line both sides of the street.
A well-loved local candy factory is Constanzo, which has several outlets throughout the city, including three on Carranza (including an old-style candy shop at Carranza 325). Most outlets are open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 1:30pm and 4 to 8:30pm.