Shopping in Watertown

Experienced framers Barry Stahl and Bob Clayton built Big Picture Framing from scratch in 2000, holding meetings around an old card table as construction roared around them. Today, framers at 14 area locations craft custom and ready-made frames to display artwork, photographs, and record sleeves, and shadow boxes protect three-dimensional items such as ballet slippers, macaroni art, or a swarm of wasps. Patrons can dictate all design choices, choosing from metal and wooden frames in a multitude of colors and styles, or ask for recommendations from one of Big Picture Framing's resident experts. Big Picture Framing also stocks pre-framed art, prints, and posters to spruce up bare-walled homes or a drab doghouse.

A lot of history surrounds Berk’s Shoes—it has been sheltering the feet that trot across Harvard Square for more than 30 years. And though it may not be quite as historic as someplace like the Parthenon, its columns of shoeboxes create an impressive selection of fashionable footwear. Logos from Ugg, Dansko, Dr. Martens, Birkenstock, and Merrell fill the store, beckoning customers looking to replace their blown-out sneakers or the old teddy bears they’ve converted into slippers. In addition to men’s and women’s shoes, sandals, and boots, the shop also houses women’s clothing and jewelry alongside a helpful staff that shows customers around and offers shoe-repair services.

The staff at Greater Boston Running Company—the Northeast operation of the national and online retailer Running Company—hopes customers are not misled by the name. They’ll custom fit everyone for shoes that support their pursuits, whether they be marathoners, CrossFitters, or a nurse who has to stand all day. The process starts with talking to guests about their average workout or day, followed by a meticulous measuring of their feet. Staffers then have guests walk, jog, or run on a treadmill equipped with slow-motion-capture software, which lets guests see things such as how their arches react when striking and lifting from the ground. Armed with this wealth of information, Greater Boston Running Company’s team can narrow the expansive shoe stock down to just a few recommendations.

Beyond an armory of footwear, Greater Boston Running Company stocks athletic apparel and accessories from brands such as New Balance, Garmin, and SmartWool. This gear is matched by a wealth of educational resources, both online and at the store level. Regularly posted web articles cover topics from how the seasons impact nutritional needs to how rubbing your body in bacon attracts wild animals and boosts your desire to run.

At individual locations, each store’s staff works with local running clubs, high-school teams, and charities—making them especially adept at pointing runners toward fellow runners and trainers who will help them reach their goals.

One might not expect an immigrant with no formal education to name his family business after Yale University. But that's just what Steve Sheinkopf's grandfather did in 1923, and the pluckiness of the name was a harbinger of the company's ability to thrive against all odds. Over the course of almost 90 years, Yale Appliance & Lighting weathered the Great Depression and other economic crises, yet Sheinkopf's grandfather kept the business going and even made enough to help his four brothers emigrate to America. In 1984, when the landlord sold the Portland Street building that had housed Yale for 30 years, Sheinkopf helped his father measure a space on Freeport Street on the coldest day of that year. They've been there ever since.

What keeps the company going is a refusal to rest on its laurels and an almost obsessive commitment to customer satisfaction. On any given weekday, you'll find Sheinkopf blogging exhaustive side-by-side comparisons of a variety of his merchandise. The now 25,000-square-foot store houses more than 3,500 lights and thousands of appliances and plumbing products, and its delivery and service departments have grown to include 112 experienced employees and a fleet of 25 heavy-duty vehicles and industrial-size Tonka trucks.

The family legacy continues to flourish. Yale Appliance & Lighting’s kitchen appliances have made the megastore a multiyear winner of Boston magazine’s Best of Boston awards. As reported in the Boston Business Journal, Yale earned a Green Award from Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the city of Boston in 2007 for promoting energy-efficient appliances with education and in-store rebates. That same year, the Journal named Yale Appliance & Lighting one of the best places to work in Boston, which may be partly due to the frequent in-store cooking demos performed by regional chefs.

At Framers Edge, a staff of artists and skilled craftspeople preserves anything from precious family portraits to sports memorabilia to the wettest of oil paintings. They first conduct a complimentary consultation, advising clients on the best border for their belongings and detailing the step-by-step process. Once a method is agreed upon, they get to work: blocking and stretching needlepoint pieces, adding beveled accents to finished artwork, and mounting 3-D objects such as baseball jerseys and a baby’s first clump of shower hair. They use the best equipment in the industry and materials from high-quality suppliers, including Bainbridge mats and Bella and Studio moulding.

Since 1976, Framers' Workshop has set treasured art, photos, and memorabilia within comely, carefully constructed borders. The shop's staff welcomes all framing challenges, unfazed by any size project involving original art, textiles, sports jerseys, or captured space-pilot smugglers. In addition to custom framing, there are 10 do-it-yourself workstations where you can build your own frames from scratch, either with store materials or with your own. Staff members remain on-call for queries by do-it-yourselfers, and will help correct any framing mistakes.