Shopping in Indian Trail

Atlantic Bedding and Furniture showrooms speckle the Southeast, each one a treasure-trove of fine furniture and top-brand mattresses. Attentive staffers bustle past collections of leather couches and arrangements of dark-wood dining sets, eager to assist customers in their quest to find a memory-foam mattress that best suits their sleeping habits or a rug that best covers up the dungeon trapdoor in their living room. If an item is out of stock, the attendants can have it shipped directly from the company's central warehouse—a cavernous storeroom packed with furniture from top vendors like Coaster, Sealy, and Lifestyle Solutions. Much of the furniture is available online, enabling customers to shop from the comfort of home.

With 150 years of experience behind them, buyers at WMF Americas Inc source top-notch kitchen wares that end up on the stoves of professional and home chefs. Like a copy of Ulysses etched into stainless steel, their products blend quality and style and include colorful pots by Silit, nonstick bakeware by Kaiser, and glassware by Spiegelau.

As one of the largest and most established maternity-wear franchises in the United States, Pickles & Ice Cream outfits moms-to-be and their bundles of joy with helpful gifts and stylish clothing from well-known labels. Designers such as Spanx, Prego, Seraphine, and More of Me dress expecting shoppers to the nines in eye-catching lingerie, swimwear, and outerwear suitable for any occasion, and adorable babywear swaddles infants in comfortable, colorful ensembles. Like a cocktail dress with plenty of cargo pockets, diaper bags from Babymel fuse fashionability with function, Pickles & Ice Cream’s assortment of thoughtful gifts of skincare and babycare essentials stock shower gift baskets.

For more than 35 years, Ernest Perry and his highly educated staff of 12 gemologists have sought out storied pieces by some of the jewelry world’s most respected designers, such as Tiffany and Co., Cartier, and Charles Krypell. They consign, buy, sell, authenticate, and trade jewelry dating from as far back as the 18th century. Their passion and expertise has earned them esteem within the community, as well as a television show on DirectTV and Dish Network and a recurring spot on FDR’s fireside chats.

Ten years ago, Amanda Carroll opened Bead Boutique, the seedling that would eventually blossom into Sage Jewelry Arts. Noticing the need to expand, Amanda moved across the street, expanding the contents of her original 10’x10’ kiosk into a spacious 1,200-square-foot facility. She also hit the road, traveling the country and taking workshops from some of America’s top jewelry instructors. The journey once again awakened Amanda’s desire for expansion. This time, it wasn’t just about space. Amanda had a grander notion: opening her own full-scale jewelry-making academy.

Hence the birth of Sage Jewelry Arts, Amanda's newly revamped studio in which instructors lead jewelry classes for students of all ages and skill levels. Classes touch on subjects ranging from simple stringing and finishing or bails and wire twisting to more advanced jewelry techniques such as trapping your mood in a crystal. The studio also host parties, jewelry-enthusiast clubs, and open-studio time during which students can finish projects. Watched over by displays of work by local artists, the studio’s expert jewelers can also repair or custom-design pieces to clients' specifications.

At more than 100 stores nationwide, Max Muscle's nutrition and fitness experts guide health seekers toward their ideal physiques. The staff work one-on-one with customers to help them plan and meet fitness goals, designing personalized nutrition plans and regularly checking in to take measurements and provide words of encouragement, such as "Yay."

The shop, which was founded by athletes, also stocks workout enhancements such as protein powders, muscle builders, and weight gainers, each designed to feed muscles. Vitamins, cleanses, and other supplements further encourage overall health.