Bonanza Gift Shop

Touted as the “largest gift shop in the world”, the 40,000 square foot Bonanza Gift Shop Las Vegas has become as much a tourist attraction as a must-visit outlet for souvenir shopping. Situated between the affluent Sahara Hotel Resort and the heart of the Strip, Bonanza is a pretty hard to miss attraction. A colossal circular sign marked by an old cowboy typeface announces it's location with dazzling, neon-lit brilliance and can be seen from a fair way along the Strip. That same sign has existed since 1980, when the Bonanza first opened it's doors to Vegas and unleashed it's quirky product lines upon an unsuspecting community.

Local legend has it that Bonanza was inspired by the finding of an archaic artifact, within what is now the adjacent parking lot. Said artifact was alleged to have been left behind by a conquistador traveling across the Nevada desert, who had happened upon it while seeking out a freshwater spring. Believing the object to possibly have some local importance, it is said the conquistador etched his name onto the artifact and reburied it in the sand like a time capsule – a find in 1980 which prompted the development of the Bonanza Gifts shopping arcade. The object now holds pride of place within the shopping center, although it is often overlooked, such is the bizarre attraction of cursing parrots and giant snow globes!

Nostalgic memorabilia forms a strong part of the product variety within Bonanza - everything from Elvis pop-art t-shirts to mugs and tankards featuring the decadent famous hotel resorts of bygone years. The Sands, Sahara and the Dunes formed the beacons of the Las Vegas entertainment circuit throughout the 50's and 60's – a period many consider to be the golden years of Sin City. Since no memorials or landmarks exist in homage to the resorts that showcased the Rat Pack, Elvis Presley and the Bee Gees, kitsch souvenirs remain all that is left to celebrate their existence, and the icons whom made their Vegas debuts within them. Las Vegas souvenirs run the gamut of weird at Bonanza. You'll find miniature light-up Las Vegas signs, silver spoon collections and dice clocks within the “Home” section. Fancy dress whimsies include Elvis Presley glasses and sideburns, giant cactus suits and a plethora of flamboyant wigs. Fancy yourself as a Marilyn Monroe double? The complete transformation could be easier than you think!

The unique appeal of Bonanza Gift Shop is it's sheer size. Gift and souvenir outlets in Vegas range from the generic postcard stores along the Strip, to the upmarket boutiques selling engraved Murano glass sculptures for several thousand dollars. Few places exist in between and none on the scale of Bonanza. Tease out your inner child, because this is one place where acting your shoe size is part and parcel of the experience!