Shopping in Hoover

For more than three decades, the framing specialists at The Framin' Shoppe have preserved memories behind glass. They build custom frames for flat items such as diplomas or photographs and build shadow boxes to contain three-dimensional items such as quilts or football jerseys with the athletes still wearing them. The shop also purveys DIY framing materials; posters; prints commemorating Alabama, Auburn, and other SEC football teams; and a wide selection of mirrors. Conveniently, the company operates at four Birmingham locations.

Dedicated to a next-day turnaround for many assignments, Thompson's encases everything from diplomas to completed jigsaw puzzles within the ornate borders of more than 2,000 customizable frames. Guests can also peruse a collection of 300 ready-made frames that will fit snugly around standard-size pictures, or commission custom tabletop frames to showcase unconventionally sized posters. More than 100 framed, beveled mirrors further populate the store, silently reflecting the reversed T-shirt graphics and snarky grins of each shopper's personal doppelgänger. Frames and mirrors are complemented by a collection of original oil paintings, which help homeowners adorn their walls with a colorful still life, a muted landscape, or an unflinchingly honest portrayal of the human condition.

Helmed by formalwear expert Terry Tant, The Cambridge Shop has fashioned elegant wardrobes for more than 45 years, lavishing visitors with personal attention and clothing from world-renowned merchants. Suits from Hart Schaffner Marx or Giorgio Cosani blend classic style with contemporary design, while Status belts and wallets accent outfits with luxurious Italian leather. An impressive selection of casual wear infuses a touch of class to mornings on the golf course with Greg Norman golf shirts or nights on the town with Austin Reed silk sport coats. Staff match each piece of clothing to customers with detailed individual files that capture clients' brand preferences, sizes, and alteration histories, ensuring that new coats, slacks, and dress shirts cut sharp profiles and form comfortable fits while hiding superhero suits.

At Advanced Eye Care, Dr. Alexia C. Vaughn and her staff assess eye health and vision and outfit patients with frames from brands such as Coach and Sean John. Though Dr. Vaughn tackles existing ocular issues, she also works to prevent eye disease by recommending that her patients take vitamins, wear sunglasses, and subsist on diets of snowman noses. With prescription in hand and a staff of professionals on hand to offer advice, patients can select lenses enhanced with antiglare or scratch-resistant coatings and a pair of frames that flatter their face shapes.:m]]

Auburn and Alabama gear fills Campus Spirit's local shops, flooding the racks and shelves with hues of crimson, burnt orange, and navy blue. The Campus Spirit team helps keep fans ready throughout the year with merchandise celebrating the Auburn Tigers—who won the National Football Championships in 1957 and 2010—and the Alabama Crimson Tide—who began their strong-playing history in 1892 by winning 56–0 in their very first game. The schools' logos can be found throughout the store on tailgating gear, clothing, and even housewares such as oven mitts to wear when baking homemade footballs. Campus Spirit carries Auburn and Alabama gear at locations in The Summit in Vestavia and the Alabaster Colonial Promenade—two open-air shopping centers with merchants including Banana Republic, GapKids, LongHorn Steakhouse, Target, and Starbucks.

After attracting awe by donning a stylish dress to the Crimson Tide’s 2008 game against Clemson, University of Alabama grad Shena Birdsong realized that there were few boutiques catering to the tradition of wearing snazzy formal attire to football games. After setting up shop in 2009, Birdsong began selling cute houndstooth and crimson dresses to the Alabama faithful. Her wares proved popular, even among rivals, and she quickly expanded her collection to serve fans of fellow SEC members Auburn, LSU, Georgia, and Florida. Earning the praises of the Huntsville Times and WVUA, Gameday Girl Stuff’s collection of scarves, dresses, boots, and accessories is specifically designed for showing off at the stadium on autumn Saturdays and cutting a stylish figure in the off-season. Alumni proudly show their colors with orange-and-blue clutches and winter coats of red and black, or dress their up-and-coming fans in collegiate-color onesies and booties that ensure that a child’s first words will be “offense wins games, but defense wins championships."