Shopping in New Kensington

Painters, graphic artists, and architects have found the tools of their trade at the one-stop Top Notch Art Centre since 1971. A floor-to-ceiling picture window beckons passersby on Craig Street, where shade trees shelter a block of historic buildings and small businesses, including a rare bookshop and a cobbler for broken dreams. Inside, the staff leads 2-D artists toward the right brush for watercolor or oil from their selection of Winsor Newtons, or printmaking papers from Arches Cover and BFK Rives lines. The store also makes an effort to seek out artisanal brands, such as Gamblin Artists Oils and Mt. Vision Handmade Pastels. Bookbinders can pick up screw posts and glue, and drafters can run their fingers over delicate, smooth vellum and curl them around the curves and angles of nine types of stylus guides. Past the tall, narrow aisles, a framing shop encases completed works of art in glass and caution tape to prepare them for display.

A mass of black crystals dangles from Chic Boutique’s ornate, vintage-like chandelier, which, contrasted by the youthful vibrancy of the shop’s red and pink walls, captures the core of this trendy men’s and women’s clothing shop: classic fashion enhanced with fun and flirty trends. The apparel emporium lines it shelves with labels from well-known and up-and-coming designers from across the country and accessorizes outfits with airbrush tans expertly applied by hand. The fashion-forward and helpful staff purveys style smarts with clothing alterations, style advice, and personal-shopping assistance to help customers discover their signature style or trace their family lineage back to Coco Chanel.

At Cell Phones and More, clients browse phones and accessories from carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Boost, Cricket, and Virgin Mobile. Onsite technicians can reignite the healthy glow of a damaged smartphone screen or rekindle connections between computers and the Internet. Staffers can unlock phones, allowing devices to switch carriers without losing functionality or running away from home in search of their old signals. The shop also buys gently used cell phones and dishes out servings of prepaid minutes.

Sunlight falls through windows and bounces off interlocking planks of wood, whose polyurethane sheen resists scuffs and dirt brought by foot traffic. Fabulous Floors' technicians apply long-lasting coats of polyurethane—available in gloss, semi-gloss, or satin varieties—after swiftly cleaning floors and buffing away scratches. Specialists can also move furniture aside for a thorough wall-to-wall treatment or impromptu dance to "Old Time Rock and Roll.

Babette's Gowns swathes bodies in contemporary frills and formalwear from top designers, helping produce more than 29 years' worth of visually stunning occasions to remember. The two-story showroom sparkles with more than 4,000 prom and homecoming dresses from attire artists such as Alyce Designs, Mori Lee, and Mac Duggal alongside elegant wedding and bridesmaid gowns crafted by Jade, Jordan, and The Dessy Group. Professional fitting and alteration services tailor dresses to amend styles or cuts, while the store's global-exchange policy allows buyers to trade in their gown if they spot a fellow prom-attendant or local dogcatcher wearing the same dress.

With a focus on footwear for children aged 6 months–8 years, Sten's Stride Rite outfits tykes with kicks from brands including Stride Rite, Nike, New Balance, and Timberland. The shop's seasoned associates perform specialized fittings to ensure that footwear doesn't suddenly fall off or attract rental applications from an old woman who lives in a shoe. When the store's not selling shoes, it supports such organizations as Make-A-Wish, Project Bundle-Up, and The Children's Home of Pittsburgh.