Shopping in Sherman Oaks

Collector's Paradise Comics & Gallery stuffs itself wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling with more time-travel and evil-origin subplots than all the shops of the Megaverse combined. All comics comfortably coexist amongst shelves, including major publishers like Marvel and independents like Image, with every Top Cow, Dark Horse, and Archie in between. Indulge your tastes with the wildly popular (Batman Lovers six-comic collection, $30), the lovingly obscure (one of 500 copies of the graphic novelization of Kevin's Smith's unproduced Green Hornet film, $10), and the possibly functional (Lantern Corps colored ring set, $10), among much, much more. In all, the store encompasses 2,400 square feet of comics and graphic novels, action figures, posters, and much more. It is one of the oldest and largest comic-centric stores in the San Fernando Valley. Collector's Paradise also plays host to numerous in-store events, signings, and exhibitions.

A collector of fine wares from around the world, Adobe has gifts and rare items you’d be hard-pressed to find outside of Ancient Persia, the Holy Roman Empire, or Middle Earth. Nab a ceramic serving platter by well-known Mexican craftsermerator Gorky Gonzalez ($45), a box of hand-rolled Perin-Mowen votive candles ($30), a bar of herbal Italian soap ($10), or velveteen, eco-amorous bamboo towels ($37).

With everything from Hello Kitty bags and Lakers gear to cardboard movie-star cutouts and mylar balloons, no one can accuse Aahs!! gift shops of not having variety. The eight locations equip party hosts of all kinds, including parents looking for Toy Story and Disney Princess favors and maids of honor seeking scandalous accessories for bachelorette bashes. The stores’ battalion of T-shirts features images of superheroes and bands, and their array of movie merchandise pays homage to both recent releases and classics such as Star Wars,—the first film to document white dwarfs snubbing shooting stars. Aahs!! even helps customers celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or Halloween with rotating holiday decor.

The approach of Halloween also heralds the opening of Aahs!!’s fleet of Halloween-specific stores located throughout southern California. In addition to two Halloween Clubs that stay open all year, about a dozen temporary locations assemble thousands of costumes, wigs, masks, and props for trick-or-treaters and partygoers.

More than 3,000 styles of shoes from cobblers such as Nike, Jordan, Converse, Skechers, adidas, and Puma reside at WSS Footwear. A 58-store southern California footwear chain, WSS allows customers to browse their extensive shoe selection online and find a store nearby. New styles, such as Nike Running shoes, arrive daily alongside classic Vans Authentics, which come in sizes to accommodate the feet of both adults and future adults. Women's fashion shoes ready feet for prom, weddings, or walks in the park, and WSS also offers trendy clothing and accessories such as hats, backpacks, and sports balls.

Designer Wynn Katz harnesses more than 25 years of fashion expertise to craft Rough Roses' edgy yet ladylike line of Italian-leather handbags, belts, and wallets. Hobo, crossbody, satchel, and other styles of handbags forged from velvety leather bear flashy accents with gold-toned zippers and chain and leather straps. Stylish belts in seasonal hues festoon waistlines with braided leather and chain links. Fashion magazines such as Lucky and Cosmopolitan have lauded the Rough Roses line, and its designs have been spotted on celebrities such as Britney Spears, Lauren Conrad, and Winston Churchill.

Tom and Ryoko Nadeau founded Nadeau in 1991 with a goal of providing customers with quality home furniture and a wealth of product knowledge. The business quickly evolved into something larger: The duo now has 19 retail stores and a team of buyers who travel the world in search of one-of-a-kind, handcrafted pieces of solid-wood furniture. Nadeau has earned mentions from numerous media outlets—including the Washington Post, CBS Chicago, and Charleston Home magazine—for its unique selection, which includes a cache of more than 6,000 pieces ranging from rare side tables and chairs to dining sets. Pieces are never mass-produced, allowing customers to bring the flavor of different cultures into their homes or provide an adopted tree with a new friend.