Shopping in Charlottesville

Autumn Hill Vineyards owners Ed and Avra Schwab have made a lot of wine in the past 30 years, from their gold medal blend of petit verdot and merlot to their vintner’s reserve chardonnay that takes on the flavors of the French oak barrel it ferments in. The one thing you won’t find in their cellars, however, is a sweet wine. That’s because the pair strives to craft Virginia wines with a European influence, resulting in dry, full-bodied vintages brimming with character. This specialization has led them to cultivate seven types of wine grapes, including some of the oldest cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay vines in Virginia.

Though the duo spends most of the year tending to their vines in private, they invite guests in four times a year to see in the inner workings of their operation. Visitors to the vineyard are privy to tours through the barrel-aging cellar, helpful advice on how to pair wines with food, and vertical tastings of the same vintage to highlight the flavor differences among the grape crop every year. For guests who can’t make it out, the vineyard offers a wine club that delivers select vintages to clients' doorsteps or sommeliers' giant beanstalks in the spring, fall, and holiday season.

The staff at Layers Bed Company believe that a good night’s sleep shouldn’t be a rare occurrence. To make sure their customers sleep well every night of the year, they stock only high-quality mattresses, linens, bedding, and pillows. Handmade to order in Virginia, the mattresses custom layer springs, memory foam, and latex to quicken the journey into the Land of Nod. The layers also work and breathe together to combat dust mites, promote orthopedic comfort, and avoid mustiness. Four degrees of firmness—from plush to firm—can also be layered within a single mattress, which is helpful when one spouse wants to sleep and the other wants to dream-wrestle a polar bear.

Before customers fall asleep on the store’s display beds, the staff demonstrates the luxurious comfort of a down pillow and linens by designers such as DKNY, Matouk, and Sferra. Cashmere throws and down comforters warm sleepers through spring, summer, autumn, winter, and baseball. :m]]

Ragged Mountain Running has helped foot-soldiers chase their dreams for nearly 30 years, offering running shoes, windbreakers, and other get-fit goods, as well as info on local races and running clubs. Owned by Michigan State University track star Cynthia Lorenzoni and her running-coach husband Mark, the outlet outfits runners and other athletes with a wide variety of running shoes, including Asics 1160 ($80.99) and Nike Pegasus ($85.99).

Locally sourced and sustainable staples grace doorsteps and kitchens throughout the region thanks to Arganica Farm Club's innovative grocery service. Each exceptional edible includes information on its origin, with grocery gurus striving to source every bit of cheese, meat, dairy, produce, and more from local producers who employ sustainable, spray-free, and free-range methods. Unlike the wasteful baby bundles of the mainstream stork industry, every delivery of exceedingly fresh fare comes in a sustainable handmade wooden crate.

Open for more than two decades, Orchid Lane is a fair-trade importer with a commitment to providing products produced only under humane working conditions for a fair wage. As well as offering plus sizes, maternity wear, and popular brands such as Kenzie, Betsey Johnson, Habitat, and Pura Vida, items that Orchid Lane designs and produces under its own label are sold in the store. Check out handmade clothes, such as a 100% silk wrap skirt made in India ($15+) or a 100% cotton pleated tank top made in Guatemala ($29), both of which are sure to become treasured wardrobe pieces that will never be let go, no matter how much a sibling begs or a poker game goes awry. Fashionable blue jeans ($39+) available in styles such as straight, flare, boot, and Smurf cut, turn a lunch with friends or a chess match with a mirror into just another occasion to look amazing. All jewelry items, such as necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, are handcrafted with natural gemstones, including amber, turquoise, emerald, ruby, and sapphire.

Play It Again Sports promotes active lifestyles and family recreation with an ample supply of new and gently used sports gear and fitness equipment. The store's buying policies ensure that shelves are stocked with items from well-known brands suited for a range of sports, including volleyball, golf, baseball, lacrosse, and full-contact checkers. Champro volleyballs ($9.99) provision games at picnics and beach trips, and olympic and standard weight plates ($0.99/lb.) add an extra challenge to frisbee matches.