Shopping in La Vista

Backed by more than 85 years of experience, the shoemakers at Stride Rite design and assemble durable, cushy footwear specifically tailored to accommodate the constantly growing soles of babies, toddlers, and kids. They put each piece of footwear from their eponymous brand through a meticulous, three-step test, first scrutinizing fit before allowing real kids to don the shoes for 30–45 days of active play and imaginary-friend wrestling. Then they administer another 30–40 lab tests, striving to secure a snug fit with sturdy materials. To further swaddle tots’ feet in style, Stride Rite compiles a vast array of sneakers, sandals, and dress shoes from renowned brands such as Sperry, Robeez, and Keds.

Chooty & Co’s fabric designs span the spectrum from folksy to baroque, but they’re united by bright colors and bold patterns that can enliven any space in your home. One mustard-colored blanket, for example, features silk-screened flowers and a black satin border; tiny mosaic tiles wind across another plush salmon pillow; and some gauzy gold drapes crinkle like a foil candy wrapper. In addition to premade home furnishings, the store stocks more than 600 fabric swatches for shoppers to peruse until they hone in on an ideal pattern and hue for bed linens, blankets, or Dracula capes.

Stanton Optical treats shoppers to a selection of more than 3,000 frames from designers such as BCBG, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein. Their optometric physicians calibrate fresh prescriptions before patients browse the wealth of frames and then select from brands of lenses such as Sola, Zeiss, and Transitions, which alternate between clear and tinted to protect eyes from sun rays and help them absorb the zinc found in moon rays. For those who prefer frame-free faces, Stanton Optical also outfits eyes with contacts by Acuvue and Bausch + Lomb.

Legacy Art & Frame edges photographs, prints, and memorabilia with more than 2,000 different frame styles, matting options, and protective glass sheets. Outlining expert Michael Heaton draws on 22 years of experience as he outfits mirrors in heavy gold baroque fashions or complements cubist paintings with sleek contemporary lines and non-glare glass. Shadow boxes elegantly display sports jerseys, pressed flowers, or action figures representing the shadow government, and specialized frame assemblies help guard fading daguerreotypes against further wear and tear. Patrons can also peruse the store’s variegated collection of antiques, which includes lamps, chairs, glassware, and vintage knick-knacks.

Each Wild Willy's house of celebrations is fully stocked with a wide variety of incandescently colored explosives for any and all midsummer festivities. Noisemakers can instigate the hoopla with a 36-pack of M-70 firecrackers ($2.50), while military buffs can use the package of sparkler-wielding mini tanks ($0.25 apiece) to re-create the American-Antarctica War's decisive Battle of Dwarfish Artillery. The company also carries 200-gram and 500-gram cakes, such as the Aftershock, from which 19 nebulas of red, green, and gold explode and linger in the night sky. Find firework fountains, sparklers, and artillery shells—all ideal gifts for the Independence Day lover that already has a Bill of Rights leather jacket.

Billing itself as a “janitorial superstore,” The Cleaning Mart stocks cleaning and household supplies in bulk quantities as well sizes appropriate for the typical homeowner. Its vast selection ranges from push brooms to hand soap to cases of trash bags. Instead of rubbing lavender and pinecones on your walls and floors, you can easily get a room smelling nice with air fresheners.