Shopping in Huntersville

The specialists at Four Corners Framing and Gallery walk customers through the process of designing their own frames from mat to glass, keeping artwork and photographs safe by performing all services onsite. Custom framing ($50+ depending on size; most orders cost $100–$300) encases cherished collectibles or wily escape artists in a personalized fixture. Experts guide visitors through a selection of more than 1,000 moulding options and offer advice on mat selection. Adding a pane of reflection-control or conservation glass protects pieces by blocking more UV light than sunglasses coated in sunscreen. Between framing decisions, customers can peruse a gallery space that features new local artists every month.

Laura James designs and handcrafts each piece in her award-winning collection, ensuring each owner an eclectic piece. Her vintagelike designs have appeared on the Today Show and in Lucky and People magazines, and they currently adorn the bodies of celebrities such as Jessica Alba, Rumer Willis, and Jessica Szohr. Her new designs and vast collection of other pieces can ramp up your own star-studded style and cause onlookers to provide you with on-the-go red carpets for quick trips to the supermarket. Shop online for Laura's creations, which include vintage marcasite black marquis cut rings ($78), vintage front-hinged bracelets ($78), and small angel and rose earrings ($72) perfect for adorning the lobes of loved humans and beloved pet dragons.

Although easily inserted into the name of, say, an ice-cream shop, the "32 flavors" in 32 Flavors Boutique represents something deeper than menu options. It's an expression of the boutique's diversity, and it's geared toward the modern woman. Inside the store, that diversity manifests itself in the form of the handmade jewelry, art, clothing, and other knickknacks that parade colorfully across the walls. The boutique's decor doubles as inspiration during jewelry-making classes, when groups gather to create their own earrings, pendants, and bracelets instead of planning a heist on local pyramids. Classes are offered in nonintroductory levels, too, such as advanced wire wrapping.

A treadmill might not be the first thing you’d picture in an athletic store, but for the skilled staff of Charlotte Running Co., it’s a key step in the art of finding the perfect fit. After lacing up or sweet-talking on a pair of shoes from Adidas, Nike, or Saucony, patrons hop aboard the treadmill, and the ‘gait analysis’ begins. Aided by a video feedback system, the specialists analyze each both the customer’s strides and the performance of the shoes to identify the ideal levels of support and cushioning, as well as the perfect fit–a process made much more precise by seeing the fancy footwear in action.

In addition to running shoes that can help increase speed and safety, Charlotte Running Co. can outfit its patrons in other jog-friendly gear. The FuelBelt keeps much-needed fluids at the ready on long runs, while shirts from Nike and Asics help to keep bodies cool, reducing runners' need to jog in the penguin habitat at their local zoo.

When discussing the inspiration behind Fresh Boutique with reporters from Lake Norman Woman magazine, Emily Haggart explained that she "had a love of fashion from the day she was born." Armed with her keen, evolving aesthetic sense and a sharp entrepreneurial mind, Emily fills her shop with rotating seasonal inventory of designer clothing.

A trio of mannequins garbed in vibrant dresses, necklaces, and scarves greets visitors to Emily's shop. Inside, a kaleidoscope of colors dangles from racks, making up an array of tops, bottoms, and coats from names such as Joe's Jeans, Michael Stars, and Alice & Olivia. Stacks of crisp blue designer jeans line the shelves while ornamental display trees glimmer with bangles, earrings, and rings that entice the eye.

Peek-a-Boo Couture, an "elite children's clothier," helps guardians to gussy up youngsters ranging from newborns to teens in accessories and clothing that accentuates what makes each child special. Pintsize fashionistas can don vibrant flower headbands, which are perfect for baby announcements or attracting curious hummingbirds. The sociable staff also helps shoppers to navigate racks overflowing with frilly pageant dresses, whimsical animal-print onesies, and vintage dresses, all hanging in a bright, airy boutique with hardwood floors and pink accents.