Shopping in Salisbury

Like friendly, escapable black holes, the ineluctable pull of hardware stores attracts everyone who lives in a modern structure or appreciates a well-crafted daiquiri. You don’t have to drive to the suburbs for your hardware fix with today’s Groupon to Ace Hardware Stores: you get $20 worth of blenders, key copies, cable splitters, watch batteries, house paint, and more for $10. Your Groupon is good at the Federal Hill and Waverly stores for any product and service. Whether your potted plants need special food to survive in your cold basement apartment, or your outdated faucet needs a 21st-century fix, the friendly folks at your local Ace Hardware can lead you to the perfect solution.

Leave embarrassing fashion dopplegängers in the dust with today's Groupon for one-of-a-kind clothing finds at Blu Vintage Boutique. Today's deal gets you $60 worth of expertly cultivated tops, skirts, purses, and more for $25. Boutique and vintage options ensure that you won't end up at a cocktail party wearing the same dress as your boyfriend's ex, the catty one who refuses to return Doug’s Harry Potter Monopoly board.Follow @Groupon_Says on Twitter.

Today’s Groupon gets you $50 worth of apparel and accessories for $25 from Babe (a Boutique). Babe is a Federal Hill shop that stocks stylish frocks from trendy brands, such as Rich & Skinny Jeans, Nick & Mo, and Laquette. It was named second best Baltimore boutique in Baltimore Magazine's 2009 Best of Baltimore Readers' Poll.Follow @Groupon_Says on Twitter.

Fell's Point Frame and Design (FPFD) provides every imaginable form of artistic box, from frames and shadowboxes to wood box-mounting, mirror framing, and making lithographs appear undeniably guilty. Framing for a black-wood frame, professional dry-mounting, glass, and basic hanging hardware starts at $30; 16" x 20" frames start at $77; 24" x 36" start at $106; and 40 x 60" start at $254 (prices will change depending on your project and the frame’s materials.) The friendly framesmen also produce high-quality prints, starting at $7.20 for an 8" x 10" photo printed on a basic satin-paper option. Fancier paper options, such as textured fine-art paper and canvas, are available for a higher price.

Amaryllis offers a bounty of limited-edition, handcrafted jewelry, featuring the sparkly creations of lesser-known artists and local artists, such as Karen Clark, Zoe Chicco, and Mark Edge. Peruse the daily-changing selection of necklaces, sets of earrings, or home adornments inside Amaryllis's sleek, 500-square-foot studio. Bangle bracelets ($18+) and glass necklaces ($12+) make for classy dermal decoratives, while giftables, such as a hand-painted picture frame ($58.50) or a Baggallini purse ($40+), are appropriate for birthdays or Labor Day. Amaryllis’s warm and knowledgeable staff makes it a priority to ensure customer satisfaction, going to great lengths to hunt down unexpected jewelry gems.

Steve Appel and Lee Whitehead found themselves in a design dilemma regarding the messy home of a wealthy client. She wanted to sell her house, but no one would buy the building in its current state. Instead of passing on the case, the duo visited the home and constructed a battle plan during a 10-hour consultation. Within the week, they'd completely repainted and replaced most of her furniture, readying her for a Saturday open house, and by Sunday, she'd received multiple offers from potential buyers. By Monday, the house was sold. As graphic-design majors and interior-design enthusiasts, Steve and Lee have used their talents in many such situations, under short time limits and with exceptional challenges, to refurbish a range of spaces—even helping famed baker Duff Goldman of Food Network's Ace of Cakes choose furnishings for his lobby at Charm City Cakes.

At Nouveau Contemporary Goods, the duo fills their space with an ever-changing roster of upholstery, dining sets, bed sets, and colorful crystal-infused wallpaper. Modern furnishings such as egg chairs and aquamarine crushed-velvet benches share a mutual territory with traditional pieces such as a red cabinet with a marble top and the actual couple who posed for American Gothic. In addition to showpieces, samplings of glass panels, blinds, and other window treatments ooze inspiration for potential clients coming up with their own projects. Anyone on a tight deadline can also count on the design duo for same-day delivery, be it for full showroom sets or unique recycled artwork and furniture.