Shopping in Daytona Beach

Chris Patterson's first time on a standup paddleboard went the opposite of how most of his clients' first experiences go. "People don't think they can do it because it looks like a surf board, but once they do it, they're hooked," he said. But for Patterson, who had surfed Hawaii's waves for seven years, his first confident step onto a standup paddleboard resulted in immediately falling off. Hauling his humbled self back onto the board, he learned the proper stance, set to paddling, and began seeing the water in a whole new way. The upright stance, unlike surfing's crouched position, opened his vision to the all the water around him, including several feet away where dolphins crested beside his board.

The versatility of the sport inspired Patterson to launch Surfs SUP when he moved back to Florida, where the coast and inland waters afford abundant recreation. During semi-private and private small group lessons, Patterson’s students may encounter water-dwelling creatures such as manatees and dolphins. He's even had clients take out rentals for a day of fishing and bring back catches such as a 45-pound amberjack and a very large bundle of seaweed. Claiming training certification from the American Council on exercise, Patterson also leads on-the-water fitness classes that include SUP Yoga and Paddle Fit, which he learned directly from the program's founder, Brody Welte. Additionally, Patterson organizes a competitive SUP racing team and leads youth camps, where he applies training techniques he learned from teaching kids with cerebral palsy and blindness how to surf.

At Schley’s Bonsai & Supplies, skilled bonsai gardeners tend to the miniature branches of ficus trees, cultivating their artful lines and emerald-green foliage. They supply starter kits filled with tools and instructions for fledgling tree artists and lead classes at the shop where they demonstrate how to properly shape the foliage with shears, nippers, and wire cutters. In addition to instructional help, the gardeners purvey their trees and flowers, including elms, junipers, and azaleas, which, like an apologetic jack-in-the-box, spring from low, shallow vessels flush with colorful flowers.

Knox Nursery, Inc. started in 1962 on the Knox family's porch. Although the family-run nursery has grown to encompass more than 23 acres since then, the second-generation owners haven’t forgotten their humble beginnings, still emphasizing the down-home customer service that made the business what it is today. They and their staff lovingly harnesses the Floridian sunshine to produce plugs and liners, cultivating more than 5,000 plant varieties ranging in size from young ones destined for greenhouses to 4-inchers perfect for landscaping.

At the retail center, staffers stand ready to help green-thumbed shoppers to navigate the selection of annuals and perennials or pick out shrubs to block views of money-filled swimming pools from jealous neighbors. Palms, trees, and vegetables await their chance to fill out gardens or finish landscapes.

Mattress World's owners bring 30 years of experience in the mattress industry to their five stores, which stock a wide variety of Serta, Simmons, and Tempur-Pedic sleeping surfaces. Once patrons choose their desired mattress or mattress set, clerks call patrons' attention to the more than 50 styles of headboards, frames, and bedding, which add height and style to plush, pillow-topped mattresses. The store offers delivery and set-up services, dispatching staffers—who first remove old frames and bedding without the use of dangerous black holes—to construct new beds on-site.

Rising from humble beginnings as a family-owned watch and car audio dealer, Time 'N Sound grew to become Pioneer's largest US audio outlet during the late 1980s and is a prominent local dealer of home and car multimedia today. An onsite showroom displays products from JL Audio, Pioneer, and Viper, filling customers' heads with ideas for innovative speaker setups and fantasies of partying on a spaceship. Security devices, navigational tools, and a bevy of complete audio systems elevate vehicles’ social standing, with experienced staff members on hand to offer advice and implement upgrades ranging from à la carte speaker installation to complete sound and video overhauls. Installations for the home, including flat-panel TVs and surround sound, enhance movie-watching experiences and keep neglected houses from considering surgery to become RVs.

With a penchant for outdoor shoots and eco-friendly practices, the shutterbugs of Shannon Whitaker Photography preserve connections between their portrait subjects and the world around them. They travel to Gainesville's urban and rural locales from a boutique studio, amassing honest snapshots of families, expectant mothers, infants, couples, and teens. Though they deftly capture standard poses, they prefer to snag the creative, split-second stills that speak to the client's individuality. To this end, they provide personalized consultations and maintain a meticulous attention to detail for each photo collection.

The business's environmentally conscious methods cut down on photographic waste without requiring the staff to make their prints collage-style out of images from past shoots. Their packaging is recyclable, and they can build photo albums from vegan materials on request.