Shopping in Lockport

Bean Sprout cultivates the clothes-getting of kinderkind with a colourful inventory featuring boutique items from more than 70 fashion brands for newborns to 16-year-olds. Dress your daughter for her inevitable Picasso phase with Blü attire such as a sunshine-yellow polka-dot dress ($29.99) and leggings ($19.99), or prepare your son for his role as Miranda in an authentic 17th-century staging of Shakespeare's The Tempest with a Deux par Deux pale-pink jersey dress ($47.99). More dude-duds are available in the form of T-shirts ($26.99) and quick-dry plaid shorts ($37.99) from Point Zero. Bean Sprout also sells jewellery, handmade purses, music boxes, toys, and numerous other items for kids' consumption.

Beta, an acronym for "beyond everything tried already," outfits active urbanites in eco-friendly, made-in-Canada apparel that hinges on style and social responsibility. Dudes can snuggle into the bamboo-fiber blend of the Stimulus men's T-shirt ($34.50) or bounce from the beach to the bar with ease in the versatile, eggplant-coloured Cooper polo ($69), made from Chitosante, a fabric that's EPA-certified, antibacterial, and wicks away moisture. Women may wish to wear the weather with the raindrop designs of the Curve longsleeve ($59) or frolic down the foggy corridors of time with the comfy Contour crop pants ($69). Beta also ups the ante on underthings with its line of men's underwear—never again go missing in a crowd of half-naked people with the red Sugar Ray boxer shorts ($28), or feel secure in the sub-equator of your body with Hobbes boxer briefs ($28). There is a limit of one pair of underwear per Groupon.

Peek-A-Boo boasts a roster of clothing for Toronto's toddlers, teenies, tykes, and teddy-bear bearers, with apparel for all seasons and styles. Meld the storms of summer and the creatures of the Cretaceous with a dinosaur rain jacket ($36), or keep boot fillers in check with a pair of Country Kids light-pink cotton tights ($14.99). Shoes and slippers include a pair of Minibel classic patent MJ shoes ($50.15). Like a handsome shape-shifter playing peek-a-boo, the aptly named boutique constantly reveals new clothing options, so check back often for the latest fashions to hit the store's shelves, hangers, and mannequins.

A childhood charm bracelet. A necklace for prom. A pair of earrings to wear on your wedding day. Since 1968, the accessorizing experts at Beads ‘N Things have been crafting inimitable jewelry to model during life’s many occasions. When taking over the full-service bead shop in 1984, the current owners began cementing their reputation as a reliable source for beading advice. They regularly unveil the tricks of the trade to visitors during private lessons, group classes, and casual conversations at the counter.

At Beads ‘N Things, arts-and-crafters can find all the supplies needed to string together their own unique accessories. The shop's display cases and racks brim with pendants, freshwater pearls, and beads carved out of almost every material imaginable, including metals, bone, semiprecious stones, and hand-cut Czech glass. Fully equipped kits and learning materials inspire amateur and experienced artisans alike to pursue various beading projects. Finished pieces of jewelry hang on display, and guests hoping for more personalized trimmings can commission custom items. The staff also repairs cherished possessions, carefully restringing tattered strands and replacing missing parts.

Pulp Comics traces its origins to a heroic act of kindness.

In 2009, Paul Tappay donated part of his liver to his father, saving his dad's life and leaving him plenty of time to read comic books while convalescing in the hospital. Hungry for a new adventure, Paul drew up a business plan built around his love of comics, games, and pop culture. Months after the Tappay family's life-altering and lifesaving surgery, Pulp Comics began welcoming visitors not to a crowded, dimly lit lair, but to a sunny, roomy space full of new and vintage publications and droves of like-minded hobbyists.

A sense of positive, fun-loving nerddom pervades Pulp Comics' main room, where you'll find collectibles, racks of comic books, and a life-sized replica of Harrison Ford's character from Witness frozen in carbonite. Guests read gripping graphic novels in the front room's comfy leather sofas or retreat to the Back Cave, filled with more than 10,000 vintage back issues, old-school arcade games, and free WiFi.

Ace Hardware's handy employees help customers to navigate shelves stocked with home-improvement implements, household appliances, and domestic essentials. The shop’s technicians are certified to perform warrantee repair tasks for more than 100 manufacturers, including Honda, Kawasaki, and Stihl, returning your snowblower or Statue of Liberty replica to working order. In addition to its wide selection of hardware, paint, plumbing, and electrical supplies, Ace Hardware dedicates ample space to gifts, home décor, men's and women's clothing, and housewares.