Shopping in Short Pump

All visitors to Colesville Nursery scrutinize a list of plants and a map upon their arrival, as if gearing up for a scavenger hunt. The preparation makes sense, considering that guests are unleashed onto the sprawling grounds, where they walk or drive through more than 50 packed acres of plants. The vast plant selection includes azaleas, roses, ornamental grasses, and even topiaries, whereas the garden shop supplies green thumbs with gardening tools and organic fertilizers.

Once customers hone in on their ideal plants, staff members carefully help load the leafy bounty into cars without damaging blossoms or rousting sleepy garden gnomes. If the flora is too big to fit in your vehicle, the nursery happily delivers to locales within a 100-mile radius.

The trio of eye specialists at Riverfront Optical employs its more than 75 years of collective experience to help bring the world into focus for its patients. The professionals help clients select trendy or classic frames that flatter face shapes from brands such as Lindberg, Coach, and Calvin Klein. Within flexon and titanium frames, progressive and premium thin lenses enhance vision, and antireflective coatings keep conversational partners from inadvertently practicing Oscar acceptance speeches. Owner and optician Ray Guin also designs contacts for hard-to-fit patients, such as those with astigmatism and keratoconus.

Shoppers walking down West Main Street's long stretch of businesses are apt to notice one that stands out—a brilliant-pink storefront warmly lit by evenly spaced overhead lights. Along with its colorful façade, Pieces Boutique and Consignment catches the gaze of passersby with large, arced colonial windows showcasing stylish looks for both men and women. The boutique's offerings are a neatly organized medley of new and previously owned fashions from both revered and up-and-coming fashion designers. Pieces supports these local artists by selling their work in-store right alongside Nicole Miller's dresses, Ralph Lauren’s polos, and Alexander McQueen’s radioactive pocket protectors. The shop's highly selective employees make sure to populate Pieces' environmentally conscious bamboo display racks with an ambitious mix of beach, Southern, and city styles.

Fountain Bookstore's well-read staff curates a selection of national bestsellers and regional works, many of which have been autographed by their scribes. Adults, teens, and children can discover new reads by consulting staff recommendations or by channeling the ghosts of writers of old with pocket Ouija boards. In addition to the store's wide selection of tomes, events such as author readings or Young Adult Saturdays congregate book lovers for communal festivities. Dogs are welcome to trot into the bookstore alongside their owners, and complimentary curbside delivery service allows patrons and canines to retrieve previously ordered books without stepping out of the car.

The friendly staffers at family-owned-and-operated Petals & Bows Florist happily tailor their bouquets to customers’ needs. Their purview incorporates seasonal arrays of fresh-cut blossoms, ranging from classic red roses to sprays of purple limonium, and can come paired with accessories such as festive bows or teddy bears. Prompt service ensures arrangements ready in time for special events, such as weddings, landmark birthdays, or commemorating a couple’s first kiss that didn’t include a lost tooth.

In 1955, Maybelle and George Landa began crafting makeshift bundles of pansies to sell alongside produce at their roadside stand. Before long, they were offering fresh-cut Christmas trees, cut flowers, and various houseplants, and the business bloomed into Boulevard Flower Gardens at Ruffin Mill. After decades of growth, the business was passed down to son Mark Landa and his wife Francine.

Today, Boulevard Flower Gardens resides on 6 acres that house a 33,000 square-foot greenhouse and hosts a wide variety of events. Computerized climate control creates optimal growing conditions for plants and a retractable A-frame roof hopes to lure a baseball franchise to hold spring training. The diverse staff includes certified horticulturalists, a full-service florist, and Wilbur the potbelly pig, a friendly mascot who's famous for his seasonal pumpkin carvings. When not tending to the nursery or the gift shop's selection of jellies, flags, and local wines, Mark Landa can be seen dispensing gardening wisdom on WRIC 8's morning news program.