Shopping in Mauldin

Inside Ashley Furniture HomeStore’s sprawling warehouses and showrooms, friendly staffers stock plush beds, sturdy end tables, and stylish home accessories. Expert designers craft these dwelling fillers, testing raw materials' durability and basic arithmetic skills before transforming them into classy furniture items that mesh with any decorating style. They build many tables and chairs to meet eco-friendly business standards, using recycled engineered wood to reduce landfill waste and slow down deforestation. Ashley also stocks nonwood items, including a selection of state-of-the-art body-cushioning mattresses from brands such as Sealy and Simmons.

For an additional charge, Ashley Furniture HomeStore transports its furniture using its own fleet of semi trucks and fighter planes, which ensure that comfortable couches and slick dining-room tables are never damaged and always fresh smelling. Each location is locally owned and operated, meaning staffers are friendly residents who know which couches best complement regional design trends and indoor weather patterns.

At Athens Running Company, shopping for running shoes is much like test-driving a car. As part of their mission to educate customers, owners and childhood friends Mark Schroeder and David Laggis consult closely with clients and perform complimentary fittings, whereby a foot scanner and a video gait analysis narrow down the best options for stability and comfort. Guests then slip their feet into the latest styles of footwear by the likes of Saucony, Asics, and Brooks before taking shoes for a 15-second spin on the shop’s treadmill so employees can evaluate their movement. Once customers have reviewed a selection of suitable pairs, they take the finalists out on an actual walk or jog, ensuring that the shoes give proper support by squeaking “great job” after every mile.

Aside from carrying shoes for all running disciplines ranging from light jogs to triathlons, the shop’s staff also outfits visitors with workout apparel and accessories, including compression gear, orthotics, heart-rate monitors, and jogging strollers. Despite the breadth of their catalog, Mark and David both reject the personal detachment of a large retail store. They invest in several local running programs, sponsoring races where they time the competitors and host finish-line services. Works by neighborhood artists decorate the shop’s walls, alongside leashes and pet jackets by Ruffwear—items of potential interest to Mark's dog, Sam, who accompanies his owner to work each day.

The flittering notes of flutes pipe through the doors of Musical Innovations, followed by the deep plucking of a string bass as novice musicians studiously master their instrument of choice. Students can try their hands at woodwinds, horns, percussion, and stringed instruments, renting music-making equipment from the shop if necessary. Led by accomplished musician and educational advocate Tracy Leenman, each one of the shop's employees holds a degree in music, and thus can yodel Beethoven's Ninth Symphony while leading shoppers through an inventory of sheet music and instruments that range from beginner models to professional quality, including custom flutes and specialty strings. Home-school programs take musical instruction on the road, and in-shop summer camp programs keep youngsters from practicing archery with violin bows.

Master jewelers Margaret and Robin Newton of Diamonds Choice have adorned extremities with precious metal flourishes to fit every budget for nearly 15 years. The tasteful team specializes in bridal jewelry, one-of-a-kind pieces, and custom designs and performs in-house repairs and restoration to re-set jostled jewels and disenchant mummy-cursed rings. A rotating stock of consignment and estate jewelry presents an opportunity to find irreplaceable accouterments.:

Named the best toy store in Western North Carolina by Mountain Xpress for five years running, Dancing Bear Toys overflows its two locations in Asheville and Hendersonville with an ever-evolving stock of high-quality playthings from top designers. Co-owners since the first store’s opening in 1993 and sisters since well before, partners Erika and Sarah routinely travel to the New York City International Toy Fair to scope out the latest and most exciting boons to kids’ imaginations, from wooden trains to broccoli-eating robots. Within the shops’ colorful walls, giant stuffed animals from Melissa and Doug smile down on Playmobil action figures, educational kits and puzzles, and a variety of children’s books, movies, and games.

Brimming with works from up-and-coming artists across South Carolina, Southern Galleries treats aesthetes to an exclusive selection of paintings and custom frames. The gallery is overseen by an experienced team of curators and artists in residence, who also use the studio for fun, informative painting classes for adults and children. Located across from the clock tower in historical downtown Simpsonville, the gallery fosters a creative environment with ceiling-high bay windows, rustic exposed brick walls, and a catcher-free environment where dreams can roam unhindered.:m]]