Shopping in Darien

Dr. Jordan Jones and his duo of fashion-conscious opticians, Gregory and Joseph Winjum, foster ocular health with comprehensive eye exams, and if necessary, outfit patients with the proper prescription contact lenses and glasses. Both the Chicago and Orland Park locations feature shelves neatly stocked with designer frames from brands such as Paul Smith, Tom Ford, Oliver Peoples, ic! berlin, and Prada. The wide selection of eyeglasses ensures that clients can find the appropriate styles to suit their face shapes, lifestyles, and superhero alter egos.

In 1962, Val Camilletti began working at Capitol Records, which was ushering in a new era of music, led by The Beatles and The Beach Boys. Ten years later, she opened her own retail record shop, which has spent 40 years distributing eclectic sounds to listeners who, Val says, "are tired of shopping for music in refrigerator stores."

At Val's, you'll find vinyl records lined up in tidy rows and rock posters on the walls. Its expansive, rotating stock features several musical genres and spotlights burgeoning local artists. Knowledgeable staff can also help customers hunt down rare issues, imports, or B-sides. If a record is not in the store inventory, Val's can order it within 24 to 48 hours, depending on how fast they can wake up Keith Richards.

Since taking off the training wheels in 1972, Cycles N Sports has been a full-service bike shop, wrenching two-wheel wisdom into each bike it sells and service it renders. A staff of riding enthusiasts helps customers navigate the shop’s inventory, comprising spoked specimens from such major brands as Electra, Townie, Felt, Giant, Fly, and Stolen, as well as many specialty models. Whether you arrive looking for a bike or parts for a BMX bike, road bike, mountain bike, or the makeshift ramp from the roof of your house, the staff can happily assist and answer questions.

A family-owned-and-operated outfit, Crest has been furnishing homes from Indiana to Wisconsin for more than 20 years. Its aisles brim with elegant, name-brand pieces for living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and boiler rooms. At any given time, more than 120 lines rotate throughout its show room, from manufacturers such as Century, Parker House, Eagle, Robin Bruce, and DR Kincaid.

Over Art & Company’s more than 27-year history, its knowledgeable employees have placed approximately 500,000 paintings onto customers’ walls. They aim to consult with every customer before making a thoughtful, personalized recommendation from their stash of more than 10,000 elegant oil paintings and thousands of frames. Their goal is to bring out each customer's creativity by matching them all with perfect paintings and frames.

Depending on which wall you first look at when entering Motiv8 Skate Shop, it’s easy to think you’ve stepped into an art gallery. Hung along the wall like a painting exhibition, a collection of skateboard decks from lines such as Alien Workshop and Girl attracts shoppers with an array of colors and designs. Beyond that, a stock of longboards and BMX bikes and accessories inspires athletes to dream about conquering halfpipes or biking across the Atlantic Ocean. The staff also keeps the racks filled with a selection of clothing and shoes from designers such as Etnies and Emerica.