Shopping in North Highlands

Vanessa Lopez owns Heart Clothing Boutique, a high-end shop with attractive décor and equally eye-catching clothing. Damask wallpaper and stylish mirrors line the walls, where racks teem with clothing from House of Harlow, BB Dakota, Tulle, and other designers. Beneath a pearly white-deer-head wall hanging, accessories and outerwear entice shoppers. The selection of various bottoms drapes client with colorful skirts or whimsical shorts, and dresses cover the whole frame, be it that of a person or a scarecrow person. The shop’s accessories, meanwhile, add pizzazz to any outfit, including geometrically shaped necklaces and nature-inspired rings.

A knowledgeable staff that includes tennis instructors and former touring pros helps customers navigate the aisles of racket-sports equipment inside the two locations of Courtside Tennis & Apparel. A demo program lends out rackets from brands such as Babolat and Wilson for patrons to try out on the court or at John McEnroe–themed parties, and same-day stringing services get gear serve-worthy in a hurry.

Since 1972, Exotic Plants has encouraged locals to improve their interior air and go green with potted plants. The business stocks a range of low-maintenance plants that thrive indoors, including palms, succulents, cacti, and evergreen chia heads. Since other plants, such as orchids and bonsais, can require a bit more effort, the store holds plant-care workshops and even makes house and office calls to keep plants well maintained. The staff helps indecisive owners select plants during design consultations, and the store offers a selection of plants and blooms for short-term event rental. As Exotic Plants also carries bright pots and natural fertilizer made with Icelandic sea kelp, customers can grab everything they need to help their leafy, spiky, and persnickety friends flourish.

“I enjoy having the opportunity to enlighten the community about the joys and wonders of art,” says Helen Jones, speaking of the eclectic gallery she curates. Here, one might find a handmade bronze frog sculpture sitting beside a post-impressionistic-style Californian landscape. The broad aesthetic range of original paintings, giclée prints, and sculptures she has assembled inspires not only the art aficionado but the everyman as well. Humor, for instance, is the hallmark of her Donald Roller Wilson prints, and the original oil paintings of Luigi Stefano Cannelli are rife with Renaissance-era allegory such as birds and really important babies. Helen's gallery also features services that help works of art survive, including custom framing, giclée printing, and photo restoration.

After emigrating from their native Russia, Ella and Dmitriy Aks began selling fine European furnishings out of their home. Before long, the two had worked their way toward their dream: opening Furnitalia, an Italian-furniture store all their own. After careful research, the couple connected with Excelsior Designs, a New York–based furniture importer with six product-specific factories throughout Italy. Ella—an experienced interior designer—admired the graceful, timeless qualities of Excelsior’s pieces, while Dmitriy—a master of engineering—was captivated by their exquisite craftsmanship and ability to form structurally-sound couch forts. Throughout Furnitalia’s show room, sleek, leather sofas and armchairs show off streamlined curves and simple, yet elegant structure that meshes with home-décor accents such as plush rugs and minimalist lamps.