Shopping in Greentree

Herbert and Edwin Sherman founded their business as a resource for men with hard-to-find sizes and difficult-to-please fashion tastes. They used to cart closeout styles from East Coast factories to their storefront, traversing miles in the name of great deals and men’s fashion. Since the 1950s, local politicians, athletes, entertainers, and powerful wizards have frequented their store, finding wares from brands such as Alden, Santoni, Cole Haan, and Allen Edmonds. Sherman Brothers Shoes’s staff measures feet by hand using an old-fashioned fitting stool, matching customers with exotic, dress, casual, and work shoes, among other types.

For more than 80 years, the retailers at Robinson Luggage have packed their showroom with functional and stylish luggage, business cases, and bags from brands such as Kenneth Cole, Johnston & Murphy, and Kipling. Today, more than 60 brands of luggage, computer cases, and backpacks line the shelves waiting for somebody to entrust them with their clothes, business documents, or treasured slinky collections. A close-knit family, the staff averages 12 years of experience, with many team members having been a part of the store for more than 20 years. They welcomely combine their expertise to aid shoppers searching for pieces that fit ideal factors such as budget, aesthetic, or function.

French native Valerie Vittu created Margot & Camille Optique to pair clients with the European frame styles popular in her home country. Drawing from her experience working for designer Alain Mikli on Madison Avenue, Valerie selects unique, nonbranded eyewear that sets trends rather than follows them. Past designs have included efforts from Alain Mikli, Lafont, and Tom Davies's made-to-order Couture Horn collection of natural horn-rimmed frames. A hands-on presence in her shop, Valerie helps clients pick frames that fit their faces and styles, and she happily offers extended hours by appointment to accommodate clients who spend every daylight hour holding mirrors to the sky to see how the sun likes glare in its eyes.

Fairmount Running Company's stockpile of shoes, apparel, and accessories outfits athletes in gear designed by some of the industry's top names, including New Balance, Brooks, Nike, and Asics. As the changing seasons present a variety of weather-related challenges, from winter's ankle-deep snow to summer's torrents of falling air conditioners, the shop keeps its shelves and racks loaded with all the equipment for runners to remain in top shape. The store also offers minimalist shoes from such brands as Vibram, Brooks Pure Line, and New Balance, and more casual shoes from Asics. Seven days a week, visitors can browse the arsenal while the staff of seasoned runners dispenses advice. In addition to an expansive selection of merchandise, Fairmount Running Company spearheads a weekly running club open to any level of athletes, whether they're training for a marathon or trying to go from lying on the couch to running a 5K during commercial breaks. Group runs depart from the storefront every Wednesday at 6:45 p.m.

The wedding-attire experts at Philadelphia Bridal Company Bridal Loft dress the betrothed in avant-garde gowns from couture design houses including La Chatuise, Paloma Blanca, and Winnie Couture. The window-fronts’ intricate gowns entice brides to enter the shop's chandelier-lit confines, where a bridal specialist stands ready to help them try on fascinators, find a stylish veil, and snag the right shoes. Once brides-to-be have found their gowns, the staff can also alter threads to fit perfectly, rather than requiring too-long dresses to be worn with stilts.

Art Star Gallery’s wares include offbeat threads and home goods to furnish well-considered lives. Jewelry reflects influences ranging from high art to childlike impishness, including patterned glass earrings and mustache cufflinks, and tank dresses in funky prints swish around knees as they draw admiring glances. Shoppers can stock their homes with eccentric touches by purchasing paper goods such as greeting cards and prints to put in kitchens, in bedrooms, and over failed tunneling experiments in the cellar.