Shopping in Stockton

Paula Gauthier loved working at Yesterday’s Books through high school and college so much that she ended up there, years later, as a manager. When the owners retired, she and her husband, Phillip, decided to buy the store and continue its more than three-decade run as a repository of new, used, rare, candy-coated, and out-of-print books. Today, the Gauthiers continually update a collection of more than 100,000 titles, all categorized into sections such as general fiction, classics, theology, and children's books stacked on floor-to-ceiling bookcases. They also stock eight always-unlocked display cases with rare books, such as a first edition of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin that would buckle the knees of any bibliophile, history buff, or person named Tom. Other collectibles range from a specially bound copy of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six to a signed volume by Edgar Rice Burroughs, author of the Tarzan and John Carter series.

The Gauthiers have also brought modern updates to the shop, such as replacing the paper-based store-credit system with an electronic one, which even gives members an online account to track available funds. Phillip observes that some regulars swap out up to 50 books per visit. In addition to book collections, the Gauthiers maintain a catalog of CDs, DVDs, and sheet music.

Harland Watch & Diamond's cases glint and glitter with shafts of prismatic light bouncing off skillfully cut gems. Working closely with patrons, staff members help match each customer with pieces that suit their tastes and fall within their budget, from pearl and diamond bracelets and earrings to designer watches to Montblanc pens perfect for forging presidential directives.

Bouquets bursting with Ecuadorian roses and purple azaleas tug at olfactory heartstrings as Flower Studio owner and expert designer Jorge Ortega nips, clips, and arranges flowers to spruce up homes or celebrate special occasions. The studio’s gift shop delights planners and brides-to-be with its stock of cakes, bouquets, and professional snapshots courtesy of an in-house photographer. Hand-selected bunches of daisies and chrysanthemums send hearts aflutter on holidays and anniversaries, and colorful arrangements of man-eating flytraps commemorate Boss Appreciation Day. Plush white furniture lines the studio’s interior, where a complimentary dessert bar pacifies taste buds jealous of their fellow sensory receptors.