Shopping in Gastonia

Tom and Ryoko Nadeau founded Nadeau in 1991 with a goal of providing customers with quality home furniture and a wealth of product knowledge. The business quickly evolved into something larger: The duo now has 19 retail stores and a team of buyers who travel the world in search of one-of-a-kind, handcrafted pieces of solid-wood furniture. Nadeau has earned mentions from numerous media outlets—including the Washington Post, CBS Chicago, and Charleston Home magazine—for its unique selection, which includes a cache of more than 6,000 pieces ranging from rare side tables and chairs to dining sets. Pieces are never mass-produced, allowing customers to bring the flavor of different cultures into their homes or provide an adopted tree with a new friend.

To call The Body Shop a mere skin and body care store is to miss half of what makes it special. Late founder Dame Anita Roddick was a pioneer for ethical business practices; upon opening her first store in Brighton, England, in 1976, she developed company values such as "Defend human rights" and "Protect our planet." She somehow balanced principles and profit, partnering in global campaigns with UNICEF, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, and the United Nations, all while expanding her brand into 2,500 locations in 60 international markets. After her death in 2007, then-British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, “She campaigned for green issues for many years before it became fashionable to do so and inspired millions to the cause by bringing sustainable products to a mass market. . . . She was an inspiration.”

Indeed, the Body Shop exhibits an eco-friendliness that's hard to come by in a company of its size. Its products have been fair-trade since 1987, and its Against Animal Testing movement led to a UK-wide ban of animal testing of cosmetics. The products are made from ingredients harvested from around the world: shea butter from Ghana goes into body scrubs and butters, and Indian artisans craft wooden massagers and tote bags that are screenprinted by hand. But all that isn't to say the company's production practices overshadow its final products. Skincare treatments such as the Blue Corn 3-in-1 deep-cleansing scrub mask often appear in Allure, Marie Claire, and other national publications.

Just as its famous namesake once ruled the water, Davey Jones Fireworks helps customers seize control of another vast ocean, the night's sky. Evenings burst to life as artillery shells soar into the heavens and explode in patterns of brilliant color. Multishot displays launch firework after firework, leaving onlookers to marvel at a choreographed dance of light and sound. Not everything in Davey Jones' large stock of pyrotechnics flies towards Earth's ceiling, however. Sparklers, fountains, and smoke balls add character to celebrations right at ground level.

The husband-and-wife team behind Sweet Dreams Mattress, Inc., Greg and Katy Law, stock their space with a simple goal in mind: to help their customers get a great night's sleep. Plush pillow-top and memory-foam mattresses line their show room, inviting visitors to kick their feet up and find the mattress that best suits their needs. The shop’s preferred mattress brands—including Tempur-Pedic, Serta, Simmons, and Southerland—design mattresses for a variety of sleep styles and preferences. Firm mattresses lend extra back support, and pillow-top mattresses cradle bodies with the softness of a grandmother cloud. Around the shop, bedroom sets, futons, linens, and pillows tempt a one-stop redecoration, which the store's own crew will promptly deliver to homes.

Oh Scrap! boasts rows upon rows of cute and colorful papers, unique invitations, fun scrapbooking supplies, and more for the pickiest of papyrus purchasers. Whether you're planning a surprise wedding or you suspect you have a birthday coming up, Oh Scrap! offers fun or formal invitations and announcements, as well as same-day printing for paper products (pricing varies, average cost is $1.29 per standard invitation with a $10 same-day printing rate for up to 20 cards). Gift a pair of attractive parents-to-be with the cleverly composed Bonnie Marcus Sonogram Frames ($19.99), perfect for flaunting their baby's good looks in utero. Additionally, Oh Scrap! shows its true colors and school colors by offering teachers a 15% discount on supplies. Jazz up the yearly holiday form letter you send to old flames and long-lost grade-school secretaries with today's Groupon.

Father-and-son team Robert and Fred Lee worked as homebuilders for years before going into business selling lights in 1965, so they knew how quickly something impressive could rise from a humble foundation. Sure enough, Lee Lighting, their small family company, grew to include a vast online retail shop and one of the largest lighting dealers in Texas. They've even purchased Savoy, a company that designs fixtures to bring cheer to dining rooms and make rooms full of ventriloquist dummies less terrifying.

Lee Lighting stocks shelves with a diverse selection of indoor lamps from brands including ELK Lighting, Quoizel, and Hudson Valley. Staffers certified by the American Lighting Association move beneath the dazzling crystal sprays and faux candles of chandeliers. They suggest outdoor lighting to transform backyards into regal terraces. They also stay abreast of lighting trends to help patrons select lights that will stay in style.