Bonanza Gift Shop

Ever imagined finding the world’s largest gift shop smack-dab in the middle of the desert? You’re standing right in front of it. The Bonanza Gift Shop. This isn’t just any souvenir stop. It’s a Vegas landmark, nestled between the Sahara Las Vegas and the Stratosphere. The Bonanza Gift Shop boasts a staggering 40,000 square feet of retail space. That’s larger than a football field. Now, British Airways might advertise it as the ultimate souvenir destination. But Fodor’s playfully suggests it’s maybe not the *world’s* largest. It is, however, the biggest and, they argue, the best in Vegas. The Bonanza Gift Shop opened its doors in 1980. Before rows of quirky shot glasses and Vegas-themed t-shirts took over, this spot was home to smaller shops and a couple of casinos. Remember the Jackpot Casino or the Money Tree Casino? They once stood right here. The Bonanza Gift Shop even earned the title of “Best Gift Shop” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s online readers in 2006. More recently, in 2016, the entire property was sold for a cool $50 million to Haim Gabay. He’d been running the shop as a tenant for a year before taking full ownership. And for the movie buffs among us, the Bonanza Gift Shop has its own Hollywood history. It appeared in the PBS show “Going Places” and the 2016 Nicolas Cage film, “The Trust.” So, as you browse through the endless aisles of souvenirs, remember you’re not just in a gift shop. You’re in a piece of Vegas history, a star of the silver screen, and quite possibly, the biggest gift shop you’ll ever see.