Shopping in Niles

Wedding parties. Families. Graduating seniors. These are just a few of the subjects that attract the lenses of Classic Image Photography's resident artists. After free consultations, photographer Nicole Waldron and videographer Mike Trentacosti capture still and moving images with a combination of photojournalistic, traditional, and artistic styles. They then edit video and transform images into everything from custom storybook albums to metal prints.

When not at the studio, Ms. Waldron and Mr. Trentacosti hone their skills by snapping photos all over the country. In fact, customers can purchase some of Ms. Waldron's favorite images from her travels, such as the back roads of Utah or the spaghetti mountains of Colorado.

The floor-to-ceiling windows that frame Sentiments Bridal & Special Occasion display fashionable formal attire for men and women. Owner Marie Brown stays abreast of the trends, updating the displays regularly so the colors, textiles, and styles suit the season. Brown coordinates dresses for bridal parties, rents tuxes to groomsmen, and designs custom fashions for mothers. Accessories, including hats, shoes, and jewels, complete outfits. Brown's shop also outfits children with miniature garments for special occasions, such as christenings or space-camp graduations.

Since 1947, Mid-City Supply Co.’s friendly staffers have helped avid home improvers to outfit their digs in premium products. Nowadays, the experienced showroom staff displays much smarter fixtures, from faucets that turn on with the tap of a hand to eco-friendly water heaters powered by domesticated dragons. Though technology has changed, the company keeps quality high, stocking name brands such as Delta, American Standard, Toto, Gerber, Brizo, and Elkay. Customers can check out items in person at one of six showrooms in two states. To give back to the communities that helped them to grow, the company regularly donates to United Way.

For more than two decades, American Mattress has promoted peaceful slumber in bedchambers throughout the Midwest with their vast selection of mattresses, headboards, and linens. The sleep experts strive to stay abreast of the latest bedding technology: their Serta mattresses are made with gel foam that supports curves, and Tempur-Pedic mattresses repel allergens, mites, and poltergeists looking to spoon. This devotion to a good night’s sleep has helped them earn the title of Best Mattress Store from suburban Chicago’s Daily Herald five years in a row. Additionally, American Mattress doubles down on each of its beds with a 30-day comfort guarantee and a 60-day best-price guarantee.

Since Dr. Stanley Pearle opened the doors to the first Pearle Vision in 1961, the franchise has expanded to more than 800 stores nationwide. In these stores, optometrists assess the ocular health of patients before onsite opticians help them navigate the assortment of frames from brands such as Versace, Ray-Ban, and DKNY. If they're not in the store, clients can utilize the Try-On tool, uploading a photo to see what they or their dog looks like in different types of glasses. Pearle Vision also helps focus the world with contacts from Acuvue and Biofinity.

At Northside Galleries, $90 worth of services goes a long way, approximately furnishing a black-framed single mat for an 11”x14” diploma ($95), a single floated mat and mounting for a framed 10”x12” piece of art ($89), or a double-matted glossy 8”x10” ($99) for a portrait of a cow balancing a papaya on its nose. Northside has more framing options than even Teddy Roosevelt can shake a stick at, though 30 framing profiles are handy for quick project solutions. Standard and acid-free mountings are available, along with stretching for jerseys and glass with reflection control and UV reduction. Frames range from plain to museum quality in a variety of styles ($3.50/foot to $70/foot), so take your time while perusing the chevrons of potential style.