Shopping in Vernon

First opened in Vancouver, Bang-On T-Shirts' shops have spread over the past decade to dot the globe. No matter which continent they call home, the custom-printing stores emphasize a retro style, filling their binders with hundreds of images inspired by fashion, pop culture, and music. Patrons flip through the binder of in-store designs, selecting ones to customize or print as is. Creative types bring their own photos or illustrations of the monster living under their house in for pressing. Once customers lay out their T-shirts and tank-top patterns, staffers emblazon the cotton tops right in front of them.

Outbound Cycle's active staff members use their knowledge of riding and racing to assist clients shopping through their selection of bikes from Rocky Mountain, KHS, GT, and Haro. Cyclists can also rent mountain or downhill bikes to take scenic jaunts through the lolling Okanagan landscape or have something to lean on when posing for photos. With the purchase of a new bike, patrons will get one free tune-up from the shop's technicians. Other services include everything from cable adjustments and suspension repair to complete bike overhauls.

At Cottage Quilting, shelves groan under the weight of more than 3,500 bolts of fabric awaiting adoption by nimble hands. Friendly staffers help customers navigate reams of brightly hued designer cottons, sweet floral prints from Amy Butler, and vivid batik patterns in their quest for the perfect cloth. They can also point crafters toward hand-dyed threads, pattern books, and tools such as rotary cutters and mats, as well as new sewing and embroidery machines from Bernina and Brother. Their classes dole out guidance and inspiration for students of varying skill levels, focusing on anything from binding basics and hand embroidery to crafting reversible aprons that enable a single chef to play both good cop and bad cop with fallen soufflés.

In 1975, J.K. Schmidt and his wife Marianne opened a watch repair shop that blossomed into today's expansive JK Schmidt Jewellers. Glimmering rings, necklaces, and earrings surprise loved ones on special occasions, and watches from brands such as Citizen, Bulova, and ESQ Swiss help wearers accurately time parking lot footraces. The shop's handy service people can also size rings, repair damaged jewellery, appraise trinkets, and engrave trophies with witty jabs about the losing team's unfashionable socks

Opened in 1994 and named after proprietor Marsel Ahmadzadegan's daughter, Mona Vision enhances clients' sight with a stunning array of high-end frames. Like a tailor-made three-piece spacesuit, the eyewear menagerie combines fashion with advanced technology, whether pairing lenses with designer-label and vintage frames, or outfitting clients with oxygen-rich hydrogel contacts. Well-renowned brands such as Versace and Perry Ellis encircle eyeballs with modish spectacles; sunglasses from Nike, Ray-Ban, and Guess block harmful UV rays and flocks of phoenixes with cool, stylish grace.

Amid the sunny, pistachio-coloured walls of Green & Bear It, a treasure trove of chic outdoor wear, useful gardening gear, and sweet-smelling lotions and perfumes decks out greenskeepers with the tools and trinkets of successful plant husbandry. Customers don wellington boots from Hunter for strolling through dewy pastures, or equip themselves with hedge clippers, rakes, and pitchforks for clearing new beds or chasing away trespassing frankenstein monsters. Over 500 varieties of non-GMO heirloom seeds from West Coast Seeds sprinkle the earth with fresh new greenery, and Woodstock Chimes fill the air with haunting notes and melodies carried by the wind. Guests ready themselves for fruitful yardwork labours with adorable floppy sun hats, sleek rain jackets, and Swarovski-crystal jewellery from local artist Kelly Sweet.