Shopping in Norristown

North Wales Running Company’s staff channels its dedication to running and training, helping out shoppers with pertinent advice and earning the shop a Philly Hot List pick as the #1 running store in the city six years straight. Runners can peruse more than 80 types of shoes for men and women from venerated brands such as Asics, Mizuno, and Nike. The shop's staff assists patrons in reaching their fitness goals, whether finding a proper fit for jogging shoes or fastening rockets to jogging shoes. A selection of winter apparel and accessories—including GPS watches, heart rate monitors, pedometers, and energy bars—helps runners stride down the road toward optimal health.

Daniel's Lawn & Garden captures the verdant beauty of the outdoors within its sprawling landscape, nursery, and garden center. Inside this indoor arcadia, staffers walk customers through the benefits of installing pools and spas complete with offers of free estimates and squirt-gun fights with different grades of water. An outdoor nursery brims with color and greenery during the warmer months, overflowing with fresh flowers, trees, and vegetables ready to be seeded or transplanted. Since some consider the barbecue grill to be the crowning jewel in a perfect yard, the shop also fills floor space with Bull grills and outdoor kitchen accessories.

Through their shop and sustainable vertical-landscaping services, Urban Jungle aims to cultivate green space wherever possible throughout Philadelphia's brick-and-concrete ecosystem. Indoor plants, air plants, containers, and pockets that hang from vertical-gardening structures cater to apartment dwellers without a yard of their own to mow. Those lucky enough to have a rooftop or an open green space can personalize their landscapes with outdoor plants, recycled-metal sculptures, and stone fountains. Their gardening gurus also lead workshops throughout the year on topics such as making terrariums, vertical gardening, arranging floral centerpieces, or reinforcing beanstalks in hopes of reaching the Cloud Kingdom.

After moving from London to Philadelphia, Elena Brennan needed a way to fulfill her desire for hard-to-find designer shoes without hopping a transatlantic flight back home. In 2007, she stashed away her aviation goggles in favor of opening Bus Stop, a boutique specializing in stylish kicks and women's apparel. The quirky spot carries lesser-known brands, such as Jeffrey Campbell, J Shoes, and FarylRobin, as well as fashionable favorites from Toms and Fluevog.

White walls outfitted with monochromatic shelves pull shoppers' attention towards a collection of shoes so eclectic it helped Bus Stop win an award for best women's shoe store in 2008 from Philadelphia magazine. Antique wooden tables heave under the weight of handmade accessories and apparel from local and national designers and wayward elephants that thought they smelled peanuts. This Fabric Row boutique also holds monthly events that showcase the work of emerging artists and local fashionistas.

Owner Steve Jamison, who has more than 25 years of experience in the retail industry, founded Sole Blue Shoes as a haven for Philadelphia’s style-conscious men and as a contribution to the city’s budding fashion scene. Five years later, his 1,300-square-foot boutique stocks an extensive collection of men’s high-end footwear, including dress shoes, suede oxfords, and canvas sneakers. A range of belts complements soles, as do 150 pairs of upscale Robert Graham and Marcoliani Milano socks, which are, according to the Inquirer, woven with colorful polka dots and vivid argyle stripes and packed into contemporary cubbyholes.

At Color Wheel Bike Studio, the sharp lines and traditional styles of old-timey Schwinns mingle with custom bikes from brands such as Trek and Panasonic. Spanning a range of aesthetics and capabilities, available bikes fit riders of all fashion senses and lifestyles, from the casual commuter to the serious cyclist. U-locks, headlights, a colorful array of tires, and other accessories trim cycles with personal flair, and basic tune-ups ensure they stay firmly in place when owners race or attempt to jump the neighborhood quicksand pit.