Shopping in Windsor

Behind a rough-hewn wooden façade, walls embellished with wheels and cycles surround Apex Cycles & Services' solo employee, Aaron Curtin. While stocking the store with quality bikes and parts from brands such as Kona, Continental, and De Rosa, Aaron builds an excellent rapport with customers by executing thorough cycle services for almost all makes and models. Bike treatments range from basic tune-ups to comprehensive overhauls that include the installation of fresh parts and a deep cleansing. Aaron also constructs bikes from custom components and works with clients to accommodate all budgets by utilizing prviously used parts and allowing patrons to whittle down debts by volunteering at the shop. Aaron can pick up and drop off two-wheelers himself or welcome them into his store with more delight than a BMX rider moving to a neighborhood filled with drained pools.

In 2005, DanvilleExpress.com profiled Matt Akabane, whose family has run Tassajara Nursery for more than 30 years. At the time, he was preparing to appear on HGTV's Landscape Smart. On the show, he helped revitalize a dull patio with the flora of a French garden, a wine-barrel fountain, and a flagstone patio.

This creative approach to landscaping shines through at the family’s nursery, where a wide range of shrubs, trees, and tropical plants all jostle for attention, their leaves making a hushing sound in gentle breezes. Organic fertilizers keep grasses lush, and bonsai specialists can help clients select a new, tiny tree from several species available. They also give tips on how to trim the plant and encourage cookie-baking elves to colonize it.

Since 1993, Sweet Celebrations has helped hosts maximize festivities by carrying decorations and accouterments for any variety of shindig. In-house printing services run off custom invitations, banners, and candy-bar wrappers for birthdays, weddings, and baby's first dentist appointment. Sweet Celebrations' delivery service can bring balloon bouquets or arches directly to a local party venue, eliminating the risk of a party host popping balloons or floating to the moon instead of making it home.