Shopping in Delta

Thirty years ago, Marilyn Diligenti spent her spare time scouring the fashion exchange in search of high-end threads, which she then sold to friends out of her home. Her keen eye for timeless, flattering ensembles earned her a devoted following, and she soon expanded from her living room to a storefront in Caulfield Village.

Now, Ms. Diligenti applies the same keen eye to scout out elegant apparel for women and girls by designers such as Michael Kors, Betty Barclay, Twin-Set, and Save the Queen. She helps each customer hone in on styles that not only align with trends, but complement her figure, lifestyle, and fashion sense. To help achieve that goal, her staff of fashion experts can plan personal-shopping sessions to recalibrate a lackluster wardrobe, and the store’s in-house tailor can custom-fit garments.

Sparkling semiprecious beads, Kazuri beads, and Swarovski crystals line the shelves of Kellie’s Bead Boutique, waiting to be strung into bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. The shop’s ever-changing selection evolves according to seasonal fashions and nearly imperceptible shifts of dark matter. Similarly, jewellery-making classes regularly change so that teachers can help students craft new statement pieces. The class instructor and shop owner, Kellie Sutton, also crafts her own line of jewellery, which is sold internationally.

Richard Fraser spent more than 20 years hoarding every variety of bulb, plant, shrub, and tree he could find until his obsession finally came to a head. His wife, Nancy, delivered this ultimatum: he had to either bid farewell to her or the plants. Thankfully, the couple found a perfect compromise. Now, Richard sells and trades his plants and trees as part of a business that keeps him collecting and keeps Nancy from packing her bags.

The Frasers publish a list of Fraser's Thimble Farm's current collection online every April and November, as well as a main collectors’ list each July. Richard's love of both common and rare plants has inspired him to expand the farm's stock to more than 400 bulb varieties, including orchids, lilies, and compact fluorescents. Additionally, he assembles a selection of local, Asian, and European perennials, ferns, and evergreen and deciduous trees.

The winter-sports division of Mad Dog's Source For Sports began with a meagre stash of five skis, five bindings, and eight boots. Over the past 30 years, the superstore has expanded into all seasons and terrains, equipping athletes with name-brand gear and personalized services. Staff prep hockey players for the ice with custom skate fittings catered to each player's foot type, and keep preowned blades crisp with their Blademaster sharpening system. Baseball and softball players charge out into the dirt with new cleats, gloves, or slow-pitch aluminum bats, and lacrosse players glide over the grass with a newly strung STX Proton head. The multiskilled staff strings tennis racquets for hard-court play, and tests each hockey stick they vend to make sure their flavour pairs well with this season's stick tape.

The term “boutique fashion store” normally conjures up image of a trendy but very small storefront, lined with shelves that can only hold a select few articles. Lolly’s Fashion Lounge aims to keep the intimacy and uniqueness of these small boutiques, but within a space big enough to house plenty of display racks, elegantly tall ceilings, and sleek chandelier lights. Throughout the airy, open space, clothes from Michael Kors, BB Dakota, French Connection, and Miss Me Denim hang from artistically arranged racks, and trendy clutches, scarves, and jewellery from Merx, Garbo, and Rosie nestle atop glass shelves installed along the walls. The store’s staff, meanwhile, stands by to help clients beef up their wardrobes, perform style transformations, and share true feelings about wool onesies during the summer.

Some years ago, Paul and Caroline heard rumblings about water hyacinths. Their inner horticulturalists were intrigued because these plants bloom early and combat algae, but water hyacinths were only imported from Singapore at the time and often carried invasive parasites. So, the couple resolved to grow the plants themselves and start Woodbridge Ponds, a local greenhouse specializing in safe, locally cultivated specimens.

Today, their two-pronged business consists of Echo Nurseries, a 27,000-square-foot wholesale nursery, and Woodbridge Ponds, a sprawling retail shop brimming with beautiful water lilies and pond plants, lively fish, and essential pond hardware and supplies. All of the shop’s retail plants are grown at the adjacent nursery, ensuring that no seedlings get homesick while waiting for a new owner. Their friendly team of loyal local women helps visitors navigate hundreds of available plants, which gussy up large ponds and simple birdbaths alike.