Shopping in Cleveland

Louis Priddy’s love of pounding the pavement led him to found Running Factory II—the previous incarnation of Front Runner Athletics—in 1982. Over the next 15 years, the business blossomed until Louis changed its name and built a new 4,000-square-foot location to accommodate its expanded inventory of shoes and athletic apparel.

In 2001, Louis passed the reins to avid runner Chad Varga, who has carried on Priddy’s legacy by ensuring that his customers’ shoes not only fit on their feet but also accommodate runners’ individual arches and manner of jogging. To achieve this, Chad and his staff conduct free comprehensive gait analyses, guiding guests—who are often referred by local orthopedists and podiatrists—toward shoes that match their foot shapes and habits of running on the sidewalk, on a track, or on hot coals. The store’s wide range of men’s and women’s shoes from the likes of ASICS, Adidas, Mizuno, and New Balance help the experts find the ideal pair.

From stocking pink booties to supporting the pink ribbon cause, breast cancer, with a portion of their proceeds, the Thrift Warriors staff tends to a wide range of needs with low-cost resale apparel and merchandise. The selection at any given time might include Banana Republic jeans, Abercrombie T-shirts, sofas and loveseats, kitchen utensils, and a robot from the future that can tell you where the best sales will be in the year 2356.

Santa Richard Bonnington first stepped into the shoes and red suit of the holiday celebrity in a 2003 production of Miracle on 34th Street. Since then, it's been Santa all the way: he's appeared as Santa at corporate children's parties, accompanied gift donations to charities, and added holiday cheer to nursing homes. He's been the full-time mall-Santa for two different malls, is the official Santa of the local Toys-4-Tots program, and holds a degree in Santa Claus certification.

The difference between buying a bike at a department store versus buying one at a specialty store is the staff members. Because they are well versed about riding mechanics and bike brands, they’re able to pair clients with ergonomic bikes suited to their intended use. The staff of Cycle Sport Concepts guides customers through the industrial show room’s rows of bikes, explaining which models are best suited for taking pleasure rides, racing, or for testing the speed of light by drag racing lampposts. Staff also put this knowledge to use when fixing bikes, usually repairing and returning rides within 24 hours.

More than 30 years ago, Aztec International Incorporated owner Gary Forrester began supplying local candle makers with the wax necessary to bring wicked creations to fruition. Over the years, he has expanded his repertoire to include soap making and canning, providing crafters of myriad interests with raw supplies, DIY kits, and books.

In the shop’s classroom, seasoned instructors lead both soap- and candle-making classes. In soap-centric sessions, they guide students through the process of melting glycerin soap and cold-processing lye soap, as well as scenting the bars with fragrances such as birthday cake and honeydew. In candle classes, meanwhile, they empower students to craft their own paraffin and soy candles, providing tips along the way to ensure candles burn evenly, smell heavenly, and cast industry-grade shadow puppets.