Shopping in Tinton Falls

Viva Fashion’s staffers handpick the European threads that hang from the store's shelves, which heave under the weight of more than 3,000 unique styles. The clothing cloaks men, women, and children with a selection of dresses, women’s tops, women’s outerwear, menswear, and accessories. The high-quality fashions come from European brands including Deca, Angels Never Die, and Lauren Vidal, and they range in size from XS to 4XL, ensuring that whole families of nesting dolls can shop in the same store.

The employees at Aztec Florist shudder at the idea of casually stuffing flowers into a box—their arrangements are devotedly crafted and delivered by hand to Ewing customers or painstakingly shipped to houses nationwide. The family-owned-and-operated shop's emphasis on pleasant service matches its investment in variety, which is reflected by an expansive stock of bouquets, gift baskets, and plants. Blooms fit into the traditional categories of birthday gifts and romantic gestures, as well as simple themes such as Make Someone Smile. The Flowers in a Gift collection groups stems into unique containers, including a fire engine that rolls and repels hungry bees with a siren frequency that only they can hear.

Alexandra’s Boutique stays on trend by importing designer wares from international style centers including New York City, Miami, and Greece. Style-savvy staffers assist clients in piecing together personalized outfits that complement any body type, eye color, and complexion, from summery paisley prints to stunning gowns. Far from a mere collection of beautiful fabrics and baubles, Alexandra's serves as a nerve center for sociability and fun during wine-and-cocktail Ladies' Nights Out or birthday parties.

Licensed optician Rita Beller has been with Eye Appeal since its founding as Bay Opticians more than 25 years ago, and she continues to ply her trade alongside fellow opticians Oleg Liberov and Konstantin Urman. Together, the trio brightens patients’ sight by conducting eye exams and fitting faces with glasses in mere minutes. Like a pair of gold-plated safety goggles, the shop’s collection of specs combines fashion with attention to ocular health, and includes frames from Gucci, Armani, Tom Ford, and Bulgari.

Glasses Galore's eyewear aims to merge crystal-clear vision with high fashion. Tending first to sight, doctors scrutinize eyes during exams before recommending the lenses that will best suit each client’s vision and lifestyle needs. Eyes can blink through lens styles including no-glare and progressive, which transition seamlessly between near, intermediate, distance, peripheral, and interstellar vision. An equally diverse selection of contact lenses caters to the frame-free with daily-wear and specialty options. In the fashion-focused showroom, designer frames by Coach, Dior, Gucci, Kate Spade, and Tiffany & Co. rest in display cases or atop Groucho Marx mustaches.

In their New Jersey and Michigan facilities, Wicked Flames’ candle makers hand-pour natural, kosher, nontoxic, dye-free candles. Essential oils mingle with soy wax to create soothing aromas as candles burn, including island-inspired aloha, spicy cinnamon, and fresh lemon verbena. Many candles boast aromatherapy benefits such as improving moods or masking the smell of a roommate’s postbreakup apathy-scented candle. Because soy candles burn cooler than conventional candles, they are less likely to leave sooty black on jars and walls, and Wicked Flame uses braided cotton wicks to reduce smoke. Each candle burns approximately 10–12 hours per ounce, and candles are available in 2- to 30-ounce sizes.