Shopping in Norfolk County

Braun’s is Bicycles stocks its three stores with a plethora of bikes and bike-related gear, supplying cyclists with new chains, mountain bikes, and high-quality helmets. But the establishment isn’t just focused on selling merchandise. The 88-year-old business regularly sponsors local charities in the community, from family-friendly carnivals to bike rides to raise funds for neighbors in need.

At Play It Again Sports, athletes suit up to conquer challenges on the ice, in the field, or on the court with new and used gear from major-league brands such as Nike, Callaway Golf, and Adidas. An ever-rotating inventory keeps lockers stocked with spare balls, dressers filled with run-ready shorts, and dens populated with gleaming treadmills. Proud recipients of the Gold Standard Store award, amiable staffers stand ready to answer questions or assist with fittings, ensuring that each athlete leaves with the appropriate gear for their needs. Neglected equipment ready to leave storage spaces and rejoin the sporting life can be traded-in for cash or credit for gear, completing the ethereal Circle of Sports.

Eyes on King maintains an expert staff and displays a selection of eyewear in their cobalt-blue walls that snagged the Gold Award for Best Local Optical Store in the Waterloo Chronicle Reader's 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards. Their licensed optometrists can diagnose vision with a series of tests before prescribing lenses to correct eyesight or impart night vision. Recessed displays hold designer frames by Coach, Gucci and Persol as well as sunglasses to shield eyes on sunny days.

Meltdown Snowboard Shop purveys athletic gear and apparel for sports involving boards, skis, and BMX bikes. In the winter, snowboards by brands such as Burton, Forum, and Gnu fill the shop. In the summer, paddleboards by Bic Sport and Jimmy Lewis float into stock, along with longboards by GoldCoast, Dregs, and Lush. Athletic apparel and accessories bolster a wide range of outdoor pursuits, from hiking up tranquil foothills to biking away from overly chatty mountain goats. Men and women’s clothing provides tip-to-toe epidermal coverage, and all-purpose backpacks hold gear safely and conveniently.

In addition to guiding guests through an extensive selection of boots and bindings, the expert staff maintains slope-shredding equipment with meticulous tune-up services. Patrons can drop off beloved skis or snowboards for overnight upkeep sessions at the shop, bidding tearful goodbyes and making sure they packed their night lights.

Cherry Hill Optical proprietor Matthieu Hill opened the doors to his eyewear boutique in 2001, filling glass cases and shelving units with designer eyewear. Hill stocks eyeglasses and sunglasses engineered by fashion houses such as Versace, Ralph Lauren, and Coach, and also carries Swap Eyewear, a brand that creates customized glasses with interchangeable “sliders” that slip in and out of frames to match outfits or mustard stains. Cherry Hill Optical’s optometrists conduct eye examinations to diagnose current ocular conditions, and an on-site lens laboratory fashions patients’ prescription lenses from a molten paste of melted telescope glass. The shop also repairs glasses and replaces lenses. Many of Cherry Hill Optical’s services can be completed in just one hour.

Harry Ten Shilling boasts a history as rich as its homemade desserts. The building's original identity was the Union Hotel, which served as a stopover for early pioneers. Later it would become a bootlegging operation, then an antique store, and then an art gallery. Finally, in 1977, the storied location transformed into Harry Ten Shilling Tea Room—a name that pays homage to William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part II. During the play, characters reference a 10-shilling coin marked with the face of Henry III, who was also known as Harry.

Harry Ten Shilling's traditional teatime experience bridges the gap between past and present. The café complements cups of chai and naturally flavored black tea with homemade finger sandwiches, jams, and signature scones. Cooks arrange the delicacies on fine china and supply all the proper tea fixings—milk, sugar, and splints for keeping pinkie fingers angled at precisely 45 degrees.