Babette, I have to admit enjoying the stroll down 8th St. too and I've made enough purchases there over the years, from a great hat at the store near the corner of 6th Ave. to assorted tops at the various boutiques. I also did tons of browsing, and then of course there was Patricia Field's place which was a total must.
Broadway below Houston and above Canal is where a lot of shoe stores similar to the ones on 8th are. The shoe stores above Houston are mostly for nikes etc. and the skateboard fanatics. But even now there are less shoe stores there than just a year ago. The last item I purchased in that zone was quite some time ago but it was a pair of jack boots made by Chippewa, to my mind the best traditional motorcycle boots made, that are not that easy to find, I got an ok price.
I still windowshop on 8th Street and probably will as long as a couple of the boutiques hold out and then there still is Joyce Leslie where a girlfriend is always recommending items to me and where the price is always right.