Shopping in El Campo

After noticing a dearth of affordable art supplies in his Long Island community, Jerry Goldstein flung open the doors of his first art supplies store in 1968, and has since kept artists nationwide stocked with paints and frames through his mail order and online catalogs. Jerry's sons David and Ira have been part of the Artarama business since their early teens, and over the years have helped their dad launch 15 discount stores in the Northeast, South, Texas, and Colorado. The family's dedication to artists and local communities is evident in the myriad workshops and store events at its locations, where staff members help customers navigate the store's shelves of rotating products and floors that switch places with the ceiling each week.

True to their namesake, Heads Up Puzzles' puzzles are designed with a single purpose: to keep heads up. By transferring to a vertical surface a cherished pastime usually performed while craned over a coffee table, the products let customers of all conditions stay upright and reclaim the joy of puzzling. Magnetic jigsaw pieces emblazoned with vibrant images stick firmly to refrigerators or the company's lightweight metal stands, keeping pieces firmly at eye level to maintain straight backs, comfortable necks, and well-balanced fruit hats. Clients can upload their own pictures to be made into custom photo puzzles or peruse a gallery of stock puzzles awash with colorful images of animals, sports, gardens, and monuments.

It was 1986 when Richard Caudle, a school psychologist, saw something missing in children's education. The lesson plans used lacked multisensory learning approaches, music, and engaging content that would make learning fun. Taking matters into his own chalk-covered hands, Mr. Caudle contacted his brother Brad, a musician, and together the two recorded Rock 'N Learn's first program. More than 25 years and a slew of awards later, the company still remains a family affair. Brad's wife, Melissa, writes material and coordinates research, while Richard's wife, Kathie, manages the sales and marketing team. Together, they have created more than 50 books, audio programs, and videos.

Rock 'N Learn's educational DVDs and CDs fuse music and colorful imagery to teach skills in areas such as math, science, phonics, and language. Their DVD programs give life to animated characters such as D.J. Doc, the Hip Hop Hamster, who raps positive lyrics about states and capitals and the challenges of finding rodent-sized sunglasses. Some of Rock 'N Learn's other items include interactive stories for the iPad and iPhone as well as DVDs that cover test-taking strategies.

Originally founded by the CollegeHumor.com team, the artists behind BustedTees.com collaborate with comedians and well-known brands—such as Conan O’Brien and Funny or Die—to develop humorous clothing designs. Screen-printed on T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, or tank tops, these designs are part of a growing collection that expands each week. In addition to developing images for tops, BustedTees.com’s artists also apply their creativity to novelty products, from iPhone cases shaped like Nintendo controllers to moustache-shaped cookie cutters, which, like real moustaches, should only be cleaned in a dishwasher.