Shopping in Middleton

Surplus G-Clean, Ryobi, and Stok tools and merchandise find worthy homes at Direct Tools Factory Outlet stores. Direct Tools aggregates hammers, cleaners, grills, and nozzles from suppliers and offers them to customers at a price below their standard retail tags, usually as a result of manufacturer overproduction. Each item is unopened in its original packaging, and Stok grilling products retain their 2- or 10-year warranties.

As Madison residents bid good riddance to cold weather, Elements Boardshop throws open its doors to prepare for summertime activities. Rows of Element, Zero, and Darkstar skateboard decks entice visitors to shed their wheel-less shoes for more mobile transport with crisp, colorful designs and sturdy construction. T-shirts by Hurley stand at the ready to free patrons from the confining threads of suits or giant silkworm cocoons, covering torsos in purple, green, and black designs emblazoned with the company's iconic logo. Board shorts and bikinis in assorted styles are durable enough to brave rough waters or cover their owners as they lounge beachside.

Bean Sprouts Café's wholesome, vegetarian-friendly menu supplies palates with a nutritious array of fresh smoothies, snacks, salads, sandwiches, wraps, pasta, and entrees in portions to please kids ($5.25 for a main dish), adults ($7.95), and big daddies ($9.50). Gather enough forearm strength to punish burly bullies with the spinach, gruyere, and hummus wrap, or satisfy a Lilliputian appetite with the turkey or veggie-tofu Bunchkin Burger. All main dishes come with a choice of healthy side, such as edamame or freshly harpooned banana octopus. Organic baby bites with clever names such as Pea Diddy and Sam I Yam ($2.50 each) and family meal packs cement Bean Sprouts' familial air like a Scythian blood oath.

Backed by beloved brands including The North Face, Mountain Hardwear, Burton, Patagonia, and Arc'teryx, Fontana Sports has been cradling Madison's outdoor aficionados in a hammock made of high-quality sporting goods and friendly service for more than five decades. Outfit your summer surfing trip with board shorts such as the Patagonia Wavefarer ($58.99), or distract fellow snowboarders from your face-to-snow frequency with flashy POW Mustacheo winter gloves ($39.99). The impressive footwear selection can properly protect your lower paws from jagged sidewalks, inconsiderate glaciers, or icky beach insects. Sultry summer goddesses will bask in the laceless comfort of Reef's Bohemia sandals ($39.99).

Helmed by a pair of passionate framers, Middleton Art & Framing takes pride in carefully protecting artwork from the ravages of time and sunlight through in-house constructed frames and glass that protects against UV damage. Local artwork adorns the walls of the cozy store, where guests confer with the knowledgeable staff to find the ideal frame to accent and protect any outlandish item, such as Turkish rugs, racing suits, or frame collections.