Shopping in Durham

Striking a balance between the cosmopolitan classiness of a designer's studio and the warm friendliness of a neighborhood shop, Village Optique’s small, family-run boutique dresses eyes in frames that exude contemporary or traditional fashion. A staff well-versed in the intricacies of ocular styling assists customers from the moment they walk in the door, giving them little time to idly observe the boutique’s purple-hued walls, distinctive wooden chandelier, and collection of psychedelic eye charts. Those who do pause to take in the décor’s understated elegance may find it the perfect complement to an artful selection of eyewear from designers such as Theo, Italy's Jee Vice, Etnia Barcelona, and Boz by J.F. Rey. Frames constructed with durable titanium, stainless steel, and lightweight plastic acetate provide a wealth of options regardless of face shape and personal preference.

Plato’s Closet curates a collection of gently used name-brand apparel, incentivizing their customers to bring in their own quality used clothing for cash. Each week, the staff pores over piles of clothing and accessories in search of young and on-trend sweaters, dresses, shorts, and hazmat suits from such brands as Hollister, Abercrombie, Steve Madden, J.Crew, Guess, and American Eagle. After picking out the best clothes and accessories, the staff reshelves items, priced at up to 70% off their retail value. The style-savvy staff aims to keep the shop’s stock in line with current trends and classic fashion statements, generally choosing only pieces that are 12–18 months old. Most of the available apparel comes in sizes 0–16 for women and waist size 28–40 for men.

Though Ambiente Furniture began by purveying modern Scandinavian furniture exclusively, it has since expanded to display contemporary pieces from across the globe, including Italian, German, and American designs. The store carries more than 200 quality brands, including European leather-furniture makers Natuzzi and Gamma, Canadian bedroom furnisher Mobican, and legendary woodworker Mister Geppetto. Within its 30,000-square-foot showroom, Ambiente Furniture's staff helps guests navigate the collections with ease, pinpointing pieces for the bedroom, living room, office, and dining room.

At The Mattress Capital, a knowledgeable staff of salespeople guides visitors through firm or downy mattresses that are all eager to go home and snuggle up to their new owners' slumbering forms. Guests consult with staff members before receiving a personalized tour as salespeople demonstrate the knowledge they gleaned by training one-on-one with experts until they knew each mattress like a horse trainer knows sugar-cube melting points. All of the store's mattresses, including brands such as Tempur-Pedic and Simmons, come with a 90-day comfort guarantee.

Since Dr. Stanley Pearle opened the doors to the first Pearle Vision in 1961, the franchise has expanded to more than 800 stores nationwide. In these stores, optometrists assess the ocular health of patients before onsite opticians help them navigate the assortment of frames from brands such as Versace, Ray-Ban, and DKNY. If they're not in the store, clients can utilize the Try-On tool, uploading a photo to see what they or their dog looks like in different types of glasses. Pearle Vision also helps focus the world with contacts from Acuvue and Biofinity.

Bespoke tailor Raj Bulchandani custom measures his clients, then crafts Egyptian-cotton shirts and smartly fitted suits in the tradition of the tailors of London's Savile Row. Discriminating human mannequins select from an array of Egyptian wools and cottons in more than 14 shades to create custom-cuffed shirts, and prospective suit owners take their pick of more than 350 patterns and fabrics from mills including Ermenegildo Zegna, Loro Piana, Fintex, and Holland & Sherry. Raj then takes a flurry of measurements to create a unique pattern for each client, rather than relying solely on one-size-fits-all models or futuristic space-suit prototypes.