Shopping in Coral Springs

Though they now sit under illuminated display cases, Unique Eyewear’s chic sunglasses and frames are never far removed from the fashion runways of designers such as Prada, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, and Burberry. Guests in need of sharper vision or style can hand over a prescription to the store's staffers, who then order and swiftly slip single-vision, bifocal, and progressive lenses into stylish frames. They take precise measurements to ensure a snug fit and further personalize glasses with protective coatings, coloring, or etchings of your unique DNA strand.

At Bloom Nursery, owner Diego Scort and his staff of green thumbs nurture the tender blossoms and lush foliage of their palms, shrubs, and budding vines. They strive to help customers gussy up their gardens with organically and locally grown plants, as well as those that have been adapted to thrive in South Florida's climate. In addition to sending visitors off with flourishing florae, the staffers also equip gardeners with materials, supplies, and tips necessary to keep plants from sprouting rampant weeds or eloping with tumbleweeds just passing through town.

Navroze S. Mehta and his daughter, Sonali Mehta Rao—the co-founders of MyMela—named their online marketplace after the festive gathering of sellers and buyers common to an Indian town square. Though they envisioned the store as a means by which to empower India’s artisans and forge meaningful connections among people separated by geographies, Navroze recently told Forbes that their inspirations were also personal. “Growing up in India, I was surrounded by the beauty of handcrafted products for both decorative and everyday use,” he says, and Sonali’s internship experiences in India showed her how desperate the makers of those beautiful products had become. Through MyMela, they work together to build a bridge between India’s master craftsmen and America’s customers—one that harnesses the power of a global economy to benefit both sides.

When they purchase their one-of-a-kind necklaces, picture frames, rugs, and other artisanal items, customers can also choose to help fund MyMela loans, a program that supplies interest-free loans to artists who then use the capital to continue their work and increase their quality of life.

The afternoon sun slices through Lucx Boutique's wide windows, illuminating the feminine details on beaded dresses and statement heels modeled by discerning manikins. Inside, the shop bustles as ladies of all ages skim through the racks of sophisticated, classic threads. Many of the shoppers learned about the store thanks to enthusiastic praise from local press, such as Boca Raton and Simply the Best, and chic Magic 8 balls. They’re rewarded for stopping in with seasonal cocktail dresses, evening gowns, and everyday jeans and tees stitched by New York and LA designers such as Jovani, Yoyo Yeung, alice + olivia, and Betsy Moss.

Dr. Bita Sabripour's medical colleagues turn to her when they have blurry vision. Whether it's because of her training at two of the world's premier eye centers, the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, or because her office is completely free of solar eclipses, medical professionals recognize the high-quality care one receives at her vision center. From basic exams to postoperative eye care, Dr. Sabripour and her support staff help patients through every step of their ophthalmologic journeys. This support extends to outfitting clients with frames and contact lenses.

Most cigar shops reflect overstuffed Gilded Age opulence, with leather chairs, mahogany fixtures, and dim lighting leaving guests feeling a step out of time. Thankfully, 5 Star Cigarz isn’t most cigar shops. Its wooden floors and olive-trimmed white shelves bask in the natural light flooding in from floor-to-ceiling front windows. But this modernized appearance doesn’t affect the shop’s selection of cigars, with time-tested favorites from Padron, Macanudo, Arturo Fuente, and Don Diego lurking along the well-stocked walls.

The shop also shows off its collection of shiny water pipes, and a dedicated hookah area welcomes languid smokes and caterpillar impersonations with green, turf-like rugs, potted plants, and a mounted flat-screen TV. These comfy stations are hot real estate during the shop’s weekly events, which range from hookah nights and wine and cheese tastings to impromptu games of duck duck goose.