Shopping in Boone

Sprawled across more than 200,000 square feet of retail greenhouses, Painters Greenhouse shelters nearly 700 varieties of flora, all cultivated start-to-finish by a staff of knowledgeable green thumbs. Retiring from their 320-acre farm in Pennsylvania a few years ago, owners Brad and Deenie Owen sojourned to North Carolina to helm Painters Greenhouse, where they aim to increase the production of native plants, vegetables, and water garden plants—all with sustainability in mind. Their vast inventory of perennials, annuals, herbs, and shrubs is joined by an impressive variety of native species—plant life that occurs in the area naturally and is beneficial to the local ecosystem. Blooming baskets and potted ferns mingle with decorative planters and space-saving gardening containers, while aquatic plants provide good hiding spots for squirrels scuba-diving inside Painters' decorative fountains.

The husband-and-wife team behind Sweet Dreams Mattress, Inc., Greg and Katy Law, stock their space with a simple goal in mind: to help their customers get a great night's sleep. Plush pillow-top and memory-foam mattresses line their show room, inviting visitors to kick their feet up and find the mattress that best suits their needs. The shop’s preferred mattress brands—including Tempur-Pedic, Serta, Simmons, and Southerland—design mattresses for a variety of sleep styles and preferences. Firm mattresses lend extra back support, and pillow-top mattresses cradle bodies with the softness of a grandmother cloud. Around the shop, bedroom sets, futons, linens, and pillows tempt a one-stop redecoration, which the store's own crew will promptly deliver to homes.

Youngsters who have outgrown their gear and adults picking up a new sport can outfit themselves with selections from Play It Again Sports, the largest sporting-goods resale franchise in North America. In its stores, brand-name equipment—from popular makers such as Adidas, Nike, and Wilson—shines in displays alongside gently used wares. This gear helps equip competitive athletes playing sports such as soccer and golf as well as noncompetitive sportspeople who just want to fill golf carts with soccer balls for fun. Patrons can also trade in or sell their equipment, provided that it is still in working condition, and put that money toward new gear.

Humans can find the missing pieces for their homes and kitchens with the lightly used furnishings and appliances at Second Chances Thrift Store, but homeless animals are the ones that really benefit the most from each sale. That's because the shop donates all proceeds to Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, a no-kill shelter and a foster program for homeless animals that might otherwise roam the streets with their possessions in a handkerchief tied on a stick. A large inventory of kitchen appliances, books, and furniture flows constantly through the store. Additionally, shoppers can find antiques peppered throughout the selection, identifiable by their black-and-white appearance.

Like many women and retired manikins, Salice Boutique owner Kristen adored fashion, but wanted affordable, flattering styles she could really wear. She began selling apparel by indie designers out of her spare bedroom, but the business became so popular she decided to open up a true storefront. Her airy boutique, nested inside a white clapboard house, stocks feminine fashions in hard-to-find brands such as Miss Me Jeans, Tulle, Karlie Clothing, and Joyous & Free. Dresses in bold, vibrant prints can go from casual to glamorous with the change of a Lindsay Phillips sandal strap, and handmade jewelry by Lori Snyder brightens outfits with colorful beads, stones, and petrified rainbows.