Shopping in Oakdale

An ornate chandelier floods Threads Consignment Boutique's soft-pink walls with light, illuminating racks of fine consignment apparel. The store draws business from mothers, daughters, and grandmothers alike, with designer clothing available in a wide range of sizes and styles. Guests can try on clothing, purses, and handbags behind the billowing curtains of spacious changing rooms, and the boutique also offers a selection of uncommon items from both local and international female artisans, along with handmade greeting cards from Fairest LJ and 316 Greetings. The shop is often the site of special events, such as fashion shows, jewelry workshops, private shopping parties, and timed cannon-loading competitions.

Paula Gauthier loved working at Yesterday’s Books through high school and college so much that she ended up there, years later, as a manager. When the owners retired, she and her husband, Phillip, decided to buy the store and continue its more than three-decade run as a repository of new, used, rare, candy-coated, and out-of-print books. Today, the Gauthiers continually update a collection of more than 100,000 titles, all categorized into sections such as general fiction, classics, theology, and children's books stacked on floor-to-ceiling bookcases. They also stock eight always-unlocked display cases with rare books, such as a first edition of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin that would buckle the knees of any bibliophile, history buff, or person named Tom. Other collectibles range from a specially bound copy of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six to a signed volume by Edgar Rice Burroughs, author of the Tarzan and John Carter series.

The Gauthiers have also brought modern updates to the shop, such as replacing the paper-based store-credit system with an electronic one, which even gives members an online account to track available funds. Phillip observes that some regulars swap out up to 50 books per visit. In addition to book collections, the Gauthiers maintain a catalog of CDs, DVDs, and sheet music.

Harland Watch & Diamond's cases glint and glitter with shafts of prismatic light bouncing off skillfully cut gems. Working closely with patrons, staff members help match each customer with pieces that suit their tastes and fall within their budget, from pearl and diamond bracelets and earrings to designer watches to Montblanc pens perfect for forging presidential directives.

High-quality gear and apparel from renowned outfitters such as Rossignal, Merker, and Tecnica line the racks and shelves at 4 Seasons Sports, formerly known as the longstanding Dobler’s Ski Cottage. Here, outdoor-sports enthusiasts can locate attire in the form of goggles and boots to protect them from the elements, such as wind and the tears of lonely snowmen. They can also lug existing gear to the full-service shop, where professional technicians ready their skis and snowboards for jaunts down nearby mountains.