American city gift stores selling tat, primarily (6)

I believe the answer is:

boston

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'american city' is the definition.
'Boston' can be an answer for 'city' (Boston is an example). I'm not sure about the 'american' bit.

'gift stores selling tat primarily' is the wordplay.
'gift' becomes 'boon' (I've seen this in other clues).
'stores' is an insertion indicator.
'primarily' says to take the initial letters.
The first letters of 'selling tat' is 'st'.
'boon' going around 'st' is 'BOSTON'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for boston that I've seen before include "Card game; Lincolnshire town" , "Mass housing this" , "cards" , "American city famed for historic Tea Party" , "American city noted for historic Tea Party" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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