Shopping in Woburn

Southern Art & Framing offers much more than its name implies—aside from custom-framing projects and ready-to-hang art, the store also boasts an eclectic gift shop stocked with goods made by local and national artisans. Shoppers can peruse a selection that includes everything from handbags and scented candles to barbecue tools and home decor designed for fans of popular college sports teams. Local artists also host onsite art classes, teaching skills such as impressionist painting and converting your boring sedan into an exciting police cruiser.

Get some quirky, heartfelt inspiration for less with today’s side deal. For $25, you’ll get a framed 11’’x14’’ StoryPeople print from Sense of Wonder. This North Andover shop is a haven for local artists, artisans, and Dwarven smithing guilds. Along with its many one-of-a-kind items, Sense of Wonder is the only store in the Boston area that sells the popular StoryPeople line.

Well-lit and painstakingly organized, Used Book Superstores upend images of the precariously balanced stacks and dusty hardcovers most people associate with used book stores. More than 100,000 new and gently used books—from current bestsellers to staples of the literary world—sprawl across each of the five mammoth locations, which, like so many shattered crates of tea, dot the landscape of the greater Boston and south New Hampshire region. As bookworms hunker down with hardcovers, paperbacks, and children's books, neglected friends can peruse the store's voluminous selection of music, DVDs, and toys, all of which sell for a fraction of their original cost.

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.