Shopping in Spring Valley

Mission Hills Nursery draws from a long tradition of horticulture, as it was founded in 1910 by renowned green thumb and urban-green-space advocate Kate Sessions. Year after year, rows of roses, shrubs, and vegetables have sprung up under the staff's doting hands and dangled morsels of plant food. A section for gardening accessories equips yard workers with trowels, thorn strippers, and organic fertilizers to motivate crops without scourging them with caustic chemicals. In addition to tending to its plants, Mission Hills Nursery's staff arranges landscapes with garden-design services and teaches clients to arrange their own through gardening classes.

The Art of Framing's skilled craftspeople protect and prolong the life of treasured paintings, photographs, and three-dimensional artifacts by encasing them behind thousands of frame designs. Outside of their standard framing services, technicians also stretch mats and fabrics; heat-mount delicate documents; and mend scratched, chipped, and shrink-rayed framework. More than merely preserving personal collections of photos and posters, The Art of Framing promotes the area's thriving art community, hosting a show once a year as well as selling local artists' work in the gift shop.

Along with his sister Darcie and their parents, Jason Huggins began his journey into retail in a cozy 300-square-foot space that sold toys and a small selection of streetwear. Huggins discovered it was actually the clothes—not the toys—that were rolling out the door, and so the family changed its focus, upgrading to a larger space and a brand new concept that showcased hip men's clothing, men's and women's accessories, and skateboards. Today, the store's rich hardwood shelves are lined with fresh graphic tees by brands such as Honkey Kong and The Condolence Co., a cutting-edge collection that earned it a nomination for Best Men's Clothing in CityVoter's 2011 awards. While the family fashion hounds continuously track down newcomer designers such as San Diego–based Dyenomite N' Hippo Apparel, Huggins's own line of T-shirts, pins, and pillows is growing more and more popular as the shop’s signature logo––a handlebar mustache––continues to catch the eye of shoppers and passing Wyatt Earp impersonators.

The storefront bills 5&A Dime as a "haberdashery," and the eccentric antique décor and rows of Brixton fedoras reflect the old-timey feel. A stuffed buffalo head adds a touch of rustic charm to the vintage vibe, and offers sage clothing advice to anyone who beats it in a staring contest.

The fashion aficionados at Sportie LA San Diego stock exclusive sneakers and threads in rare and hard to find styles and colors from brands such as Adidas, Clarks, Asics, Fila, Lacoste, Puma, and Sperry Top Sider. Their cache of cool clothes extends to items such as select track jackets, old-school flat-bill hats, and retro wear such as fedoras and suspenders that keep shoelaces from dragging.

Elizabeth Cecilia Leffler-Agia named her boutique after her fashionable grandmother, Cecilia, who sketched and then crafted dresses with her own hands. A bounty of fashion tips and refreshments awaits shoppers, as Leffler-Agia strives to create the comfortable atmosphere reminiscent of rummaging through a stylish friend's closet without having to pick her house’s locks. Crown moldings top the vintage French-style wallpaper while chandeliers cast light over the racks of carefully selected styles from local designers such as BCat Threads and M. Dot Design Studio, as well as famous names such as French Connection and Paige.