Shopping in Madison

At Herbs & Spice, mad cooks are sure to find whatever concoction they need to complete their meat-reanimation experiments among the sprawling cornucopia of spices and spice-related merchandise. The shop is also home to owner and longtime spice aficionado Colonel De Stewart's line of hand-blended spices, Colonel De Ray, watched over by the mustachioed Colonel himself, both in the flesh and on a hand-painted sign hanging above the spice counter. Always ready with recommendations drawn from a lifetime of cooking experience, not to mention the all-knowing tapeworm curled up in his ear, the Colonel will happily act as your jungle guide through more than 500 herbs and spices.

Mary and Randy Baron cultivated their entrepreneurial spirit by transforming Baron Barclay Bridge Supplies from a mail-order home business into a large supplier of all things related to the game of bridge. After 30 years of expanding that company, they enlisted the help of their son Dustin to begin a new venture designed to nourish the culture of eco-awareness and sustainability in their hometown of Louisville. That idea eventually became Amazing Green Planet, which stocks locally made gifts and fair-trade products including earrings, soaps, and candles. Compost pails, reusable bags, and water-saving showerheads also help increase efficiency around the home and lessen the strain on the planet without forcing it to wear a lumbar belt around its equator.

When Jason Reser isn't pouring his energy into competitive mountain-bike racing and trail improvement, he's tending to his business—Reser Bicycle Outfitters. At two stores, one of which earned a Best Bike Shop recognition from Northern Kentucky Magazine in 2012, he leads a team of competitive cyclists, technicians, and fitting specialists certified by the Serotta International Cycling Institute. At the Over-the-Rhine location, staffers match customers to city-friendly bikes and accessories; at the Newport, Kentucky store, they instead oversee a stock specializing in sports-focused bikes. Their inventory encompasses brands such as BMC, Civia, Orbea, and Ridley. The technicians service all makes and models in onsite repair shops, treating bicycles with everything from basic tune-ups to major overhauls to unproductive psychotherapy sessions. They also measure customers and frames at more than 30 points and swap out parts to complete custom fittings.

Pottery Rowe is the studio, showroom, and store of master potter Melvin Rowe, who brings more than 35 years of experience to his craft. His hand-shaped, wheel-worked, and kiln-heated creations serve functional, artistic, and decorative purposes. House main-meal eats in high-capacity salad bowls ($18) and dinner plates ($26), or lick up libations from coffee mugs ($16). Clients seeking handcrafted containers for flowers and soap instead of flour and soup can opt for Rowe-made home accents. Illuminate midnight peregrinations with a squat, long-burning oil candle ($18) or lather dirty digits with a pump bottle's burst of liquid soap ($20).

Show Mom you care or carefully remember Mother's Day with a For You, Mom bouquet, a 26-stem combination of roses, gerbera daisies, carnations, mini-carnations, baby’s breath, and vibrant greens ($50.75). Or, gift a minimalist glass-bubble bowl filled with a few simple seasonal blooms ($30). A dozen roses ($60) are fail-proof blooms for any occasion, including Constitution Day, Secretary's Day, and Overseas Electronics Day. The friendly flower whisperers at Ruttle & Neltner boast an impressive 55 combined years of creating eye-catching arrangements and will be happy to work with you to design a creative and customized nine-inch bouquet vase ($35+) or other vased arrangement ($45+).

By keeping up-to-date on the latest product information and safety alerts, with regular input from a parent advisory team and IBM’s Deep Blue computer, Best for Babies ensures that it carries only the safest and highest-quality merchandise. Parents and pet owners who like to dress their four-legged friends in baby clothes can deck out their darlings with clothing such as New Jammies organic nap n’ play footies ($28), a Barefoot Dreams eco-heirloom cardigan ($50), or a stylish Alfonsi Venetis oilcloth smock ($25).