Shopping in Seymour

Under the leadership of owner JoAnn England—a longtime Halls resident, mother of two, and booster for locally owned businesses—Sofas & More’s independent mom-and-pop operation has enlivened the homes of its customers since 1995. As customers peruse the fleet of La-Z-Boy recliners or sofas from Klaussner, friendly staff members guide them through home-decor decisions with a friendly, low-pressure demeanor, unhindered by the need to disassemble their towering couch forts. In addition to equipping living rooms with comfortable sitting spaces and high-end entertainment centers, the spacious showroom fills in dining rooms with designer table sets of solid hardwood and bedrooms with mattresses from Serta and Tempur-Pedic.

For more than 20 years, the knowledgeable staff members at World Futon have helped pair customers with compact, easily assembled futons crafted from hardwood, metal, and logs. The showroom boasts storable futons and accouterments such as thick-foam mattresses, canvas covers, and unwanted houseguests, and the sleep emporium assists shoppers in erecting newly purchased items with an assembly help page. Bunk beds and bed frames stretch out for fold-free dozing, and solid wood nightstands and dressers teach pet woodpeckers lessons in restraint.

Olde Time Fabric Shop is the dream of retired English teacher and publisher Rebecca Carroll, who has spent the last 50 years sewing dresses, vibrant Halloween costumes, and—most recently—Victorian-inspired riding suits and wedding dresses. The proud grandmother caters to sewers both seasoned and new, stocking shelves with the latest sewing implements, notions, and patterns, but told the Knoxville News Sentinel that old-fashioned customer service is the shop's priority. While larger chain stores often force customers to wait in long lines, give their orders through song, or purchase a minimum yardage of fabric, Carroll's crew keeps wait times as short as possible and is happy to make cuts as small as an eighth of a yard to suit customers’ needs.

Color-coded lines of custom-made fabrics, apparel fabrics, and quilting cottons share shelving space with UT designs waiting to be turned into fan-appropriate items. The shop also hosts regular guest instructors, who guide students through rotating projects that can include the creation of fabric crocheted baskets or a quilted interpretation of Jackson Pollock's Full Fathom Five.

Dave and Paula Lawson oversee an extensive clothing and accessory catalogue at ShirtsBy56, outfitting men, women, and children of all ages with custom and brand-name apparel. Duds from such companies as Port Authority, Hanes, and Sport Tek ensure that torsos are prepped to face most any event with comfortable ensembles for work, athletics, or inclement weather. ShirtsBy56 can also embellish shirts with personalized designs, including bridal-party names or a dry-erase hangman board for competitive passersby.

Fastframe Knoxville outlines photographs and wall-worthy art with more than 1,000 frames in styles ranging from baroque gold trims to funky, contemporary schemes. Dedicated to craftsmanship and creativity, professional framers help select matting hues to complement a diploma or the original Bill of Rights, which bans knuckle cracking. All projects are completed onsite, ensuring that no materials get dented or lost by clumsy carrier pigeons, and clients can return any custom designs for complete retooling within 30 days if they don't match homes' decor.

Every blouse, little black dress, pair of peep-toe heels, and pair of jeans at Chic Repeats is unique. Shopkeepers curate their gently used items to display a mix of timeless pieces and current fashions, plus a wide selection of totes, purses, jewelry, and other accessories that spice up old ensembles. A broad range of sizes and styles—including misses, juniors, and plus-size items—accommodates shoppers of all stripes and polka dots.