Shopping in Woodstock

Customers choose their own adventures as they peruse the aisles of Book Browser, a literary goldmine where books by classic and contemporary authors open up new pathways for the imagination to wander. The shop’s mission to maintain a quality collection of used books results in a conspicuous lack of torn covers and dog-eared pages among the fiction and nonfiction offerings. Books by local authors highlight the selection of fresh-off-the-presses books, which share their shelves with handcrafted necklaces, Hot Shades reading glasses, and children put to sleep while flipping through the pages of Goodnight Moon.

The staff at Blush Kennesaw love talking clothes with their customers. Whether it's face-to-face in their cozy shop, or through their Facebook page, they leap at the chance to share the latest dresses and tops with other fashionistas. And with an ever-changing stock of colorful sundresses, trendy knit tops, comfortable shorts, and glimmering accessories, coupled with a penchant for 1920s sports trivia, they always have something exciting to chat about.

Sparks of inspiration can flare into big ideas, as evidenced by Ann Jackson’s zeal for art, which led to her opening a namesake gallery in historic Roswell in 1971. Initially an exhibit space for works from local, national, and international artists, Ann Jackson Gallery today provides a number of interior-decoration services for homes and commercial buildings, such as custom framing and art consultation and restoration. Now helmed by her three daughters, Ann Jackson Gallery maintains a colorful collection of artwork with a specialization in fine oils, including pieces by Ann Jackson herself. The gallery is also one of a few galleries in the world licensed to represent the art of Dr. Seuss, helping customers achieve the American dream of a sneetch on every wall.

Each of Decadent's designs can be personalized by a dizzying arrangement of custom fonts, colors, missives, stitching, and more. Whether you're wishing a new mother well with a plush lovie ($12) or a best friend a happy-moving with a flower-power reusable tote bag ($17), Decadent has you covered. You can also keep pillow fights from tumbling over the precipice of illiteracy with monogrammed pillowcase covers (two for $22), or contain mascara madness with a snow-white waffle-weave cosmetic bag (two for $25). Decadent also offers straight embroidery services for plain items you've picked up elsewhere that are in desperate need of branding.

Father-and-son team Robert and Fred Lee worked as homebuilders for years before going into business selling lights in 1965, so they knew how quickly something impressive could rise from a humble foundation. Sure enough, Lee Lighting, their small family company, grew to include a vast online retail shop and one of the largest lighting dealers in Texas. They've even purchased Savoy, a company that designs fixtures to bring cheer to dining rooms and make rooms full of ventriloquist dummies less terrifying.

Lee Lighting stocks shelves with a diverse selection of indoor lamps from brands including ELK Lighting, Quoizel, and Hudson Valley. Staffers certified by the American Lighting Association move beneath the dazzling crystal sprays and faux candles of chandeliers. They suggest outdoor lighting to transform backyards into regal terraces. They also stay abreast of lighting trends to help patrons select lights that will stay in style.

An archer draws back his bow and steadies his aim, letting the imitation trees, deer, and turkey fade from view as he focuses on a yellow-centered bull's-eye. Along with access to its 22-yard indoor archery range, Big Woods Goods indulges sportsmen with a shooting range, where 10 lanes accommodate marksmen with roomy 4-foot-wide bays and computerized targeting systems. Further comfort enhancements include plentiful lighting, a ventilation system built to military standards, and an M-18 bullet trap that captures rounds at the end of their 25-yard journey. Off the range, Big Woods Goods' team teaches firearm classes for all experience levels from first-time shooters through armed security officers. To further support clients, an onsite gunsmith and archery technician repair and enhance equipment with services such as dipping equipment in camouflaged glitter.