Shopping in Hopatcong Hills

After growing frustrated with her film-industry career in New York City, Anne Kuronyi traveled out west, where she spent most of her time sifting through clothing racks in "buy, sell, trade" boutiques. Fueled by a love of vintage apparel and a modest amount of money, Anne returned to her hometown in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, to open her own shop. What began in 2003 as a three-room boutique eventually expanded into a seven-room vintage haven stocked with gently used designer clothing, jewelry, and home décor. Now three locations strong, The Attic maintains a dialogue with its clientele through excellent customer service, social-networking sites, and retro carrier pigeons.

Since 1921, Army & Navy Store has worked to supply local residents with the necessities for interacting with a variety of geographical features. The shop began as an outfitter for rail workers and miners, preventing them from having to dig with boots stolen from the town giant, before expanding to carry Army and Navy surplus goods from World War II. Currently, it specializes in outdoor gear and employs an experienced staff to assist guests in searching for specialized equipment for camping, cycling, fishing, exercise, and watersports.

Since opening the doors of their first shop in Queens in 2006, the family behind Happy Eyes Optometry has expanded their vision-boosting territory to Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Their experienced optometrists examine eyes, draft prescriptions, and teach customers how to use their contact lenses properly. Meanwhile, staffers stock shelves with fashionable brands, such as Ray-Ban's face-flattering specs, Oliver Peoples' vintage-inspired designs, and Maui Jim's repurposed coconut shells.

After apprenticing with master framers in Yorkshire and London, Heba Elbanna opened Tresorie, where she designs custom frames that archive cherished memories and reflect her clients' unique tastes. Drawing on nine years of French matting experience, she carefully applies transparent watercolor washes and hand-inked lines around matted works of art. This technique, which first arose in the late 18th century, was nearly quelled by the Industrial Revolution, a time of great societal change when the rise of precise machinery made hands obsolete. Fortunately, 20th-century artists revived the French matting technique, and today Heba often incorporates the classic designs into the framing of modern art pieces as well as contemporary photographs.

When she isn't painting delicate lines, Heba and her staff source frames from Larsen-Juhl and Roma Moulding, which come in styles ranging from slim and minimalistic to wide and ornate. Staffers can protect photographs and prints with simple, clear glass as well as museum quality, UV-resistant glass that reduces glare from grouchy portraits. In addition to cutting single, double, and multi-windowed mats, Heba also displays three-dimensional pieces—such as antique pipes and fans—inside specially designed frames. Customers can view Heba's handiwork on her online gallery and peruse samples of her French matting.

Along the back wall of Regal Gallery and Custom Framing, frame samples representing a range of styles and materials nestle together. The diversity of these frames showcases all the custom framing options that the shop—which boasts 25 years in the industry—offers to its customers, whether they are looking for a gilded, hand-carved frame to showcase fine art or a practical, economical frame to enclose a poster.

Fine art and prints also deck the walls, along with 3D shadowboxes containing sports jerseys and memorabilia. Regal Gallery and Custom Framing can also frame diplomas, keepsakes, mirrors, and antiques or smaller frames that frame even smaller frames to represent the concept of infinity. They are so confident in their work they guarantee to complete projects in less time and for less money than their competitors.

The frames at J. Reznik Studios don't just immortalize old photographs and new college diplomas; they also keep the memories of fallen heroes alive. As the studio's in-house artist, Jodi Reznik has eased the pain of lost loved ones for dozens of families—such as those of Suffolk County police officer Glen Ciano and NYPD officer Russel Timoshenko—by memorializing them with brushstrokes on canvas. Equal parts frame shop, gallery, and conversation space, the studio beckons art lovers of all stripes inside to interact with Jodi and her husband Jeff while they browse her work or select a frame for an existing piece. Expert printmakers also enlarge and emblazon images on paper and canvas to forge eye-catching photo gifts, and staffers specializing in flower preservation enshrine bouquets from weddings or punish daisies with unpaid gambling debts behind quality glass.