Shopping in Winston-Salem

The specialists at Four Corners Framing and Gallery walk customers through the process of designing their own frames from mat to glass, keeping artwork and photographs safe by performing all services onsite. Custom framing ($50+ depending on size; most orders cost $100–$300) encases cherished collectibles or wily escape artists in a personalized fixture. Experts guide visitors through a selection of more than 1,000 moulding options and offer advice on mat selection. Adding a pane of reflection-control or conservation glass protects pieces by blocking more UV light than sunglasses coated in sunscreen. Between framing decisions, customers can peruse a gallery space that features new local artists every month.

With winter escaping like a bag of spilled gravy, now is the ideal time to throw open the windows and get home-care projects underway. Pick up a Steel Grip six-piece screwdriver set for $8.49, a VPT rip hammer for $6.29, and a whole bunch of screws, anchors, and bolts (prices vary), and you'll be ready to finally mount every buffalo nickel and steel penny in your coin collection. Illuminate the newfound décor with a 12-pack of Ace light bulbs ($21.48), the better to see by as you make use of a Wooster Painter's Choice roller kit ($10.49). If you need to match paint to a favorite coverlet or choose a hue that complements a pleather recliner, each store offers a paint-matching service free of charge. Get keys made, or clean a barnacle-encrusted carpet with the help of a carpet-cleaning machine.

Although easily inserted into the name of, say, an ice-cream shop, the "32 flavors" in 32 Flavors Boutique represents something deeper than menu options. It's an expression of the boutique's diversity, and it's geared toward the modern woman. Inside the store, that diversity manifests itself in the form of the handmade jewelry, art, clothing, and other knickknacks that parade colorfully across the walls. The boutique's decor doubles as inspiration during jewelry-making classes, when groups gather to create their own earrings, pendants, and bracelets instead of planning a heist on local pyramids. Classes are offered in nonintroductory levels, too, such as advanced wire wrapping.