What local independent retailer have you supported lately?

[dubone]

We often talk on UrbanPlanet about wanting local and independent shops to thrive, but either from lack of knowing where to find them, or lack of a recommendation, or just laziness, we don't end up supporting the ones we do have.

Here is your chance to share these little stores that you actually found useful enough to shop there. This isn't a thread for local franchises of chain brands or for restaurants, because the former is boring and the latter has another thread here: http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=12591

I have shopped recently at Home Economist Market on South for groceries. I went in a long time and thought their selection was lacking. But I tried them again more recently and found that they have a lot more selection. I think they need to take some pages from the business plan of Fresh Market (a Greensboro company with a store at Providence and Fairview) on shopping experience, but they still have a fairly nice store with friendly people and and old-skool curved wooden ceiling.

Not too long ago, I shopped at Canine Cafe on South Tryon at Camden, which has cute little doggie stuff. You can bring your dog in, too.

Across the street from Canine Cafe is a candle shop with a name I can't think of at the moment, maybe "Bee Man". They actually hand dip beeswax candles in the window at the corner of Summit and Tryon!

Over Street Market is at Morehead and Tryon. They buy overstock furnture and art at furniture markets in High Point and other places and resell them at their store. They have a certain style, but that style tends to appeal to people living in town. Most of their stuff is listed at the list price, but they then sell it for half off that price. I bought a piece of art there once and then realized it was too big for my car, so I had to carry it on the Gold Rush trolley and walk it home. Ha! Everybody thought I was a little nutty.

Paper Skyscraper is great for little gifts, coffee table books, cars, and small home decor items. They are located on East near South in Dilworth. The high quality of merchandise makes it a good place to find stuff without picking through a massive wearhouse store. It is also sure to be more unique.

Furniture Solutions near South Tryon and Summit sells TV room furniture. I have never bought anything there, but I have looked a few times for TV room furniture.

Gerrard Tire uptown is a local tire and car maintenance shop. They have survived uptown for a long time. They recently vacated their main building, developing it for office and drug store (CVS). They moved across Graham Street to another set of buildings they owned.

I can't think of any more at the moment, but I'm sure there are lots out there that you all can recommend to everyone else. Tell everybody a little about them, and what's good there. If UP people don't support these small retailers, then who will? .

[monsoon]

I went to the local hardware store in Cornelius yesterday instead of trying to deal with Lowes or HomeDepot. (though it could be argued that Lowes is local) I needed some bolts for a device I am building and its much easier to get stuff there. Plus the atmosphere is great.

[dubone]

That's cool. I like little independent hardware stores. Blackhawk is one in Charlotte, but their prices never cease to make my jaw drop. Also, being in a strip mall takes away from whatever charm they might have otherwise had.

Older Lowe's stores, like the one in Chapel Hill before they built the new larger one, had a lot of charm, too, but still not like I'm sure the one in Cornelius has.

[voyager12]

Some independent retailers I religiously patronize include: Berrybrook Farm, PaperSkyscraper,Bookbuyers Used Books,Common Market,Creation Cuisine,Dish, and Sunshine&Daydreams. I am most likely forgetting a few but I am at most of these at least once a week. Charlotte gets a lot of grief for being such a "chain" town. We do have our fair share and being chains they have the size and power to drown out the littlel guys, but if you look hard enough you can find a local merchant to patronize and show support

[kewlaidkiddd]

Unable to actually shop at the local retailer that we frequented for the past few years as she has closed shop and moved to England.... But Hysteric Glamour was a great clothing and wig store that we loved to shop at. Boris and Natasha's next door is still there and we go in and check it out often.

There aren't many other local places that we check out here as of late other than restaurants but will save that for the other board.

[PlazaMidwoodGuy]

I make a point to support local, non-national chain retailers whenever I have the choice. I think that's extremely important! As for me, here is a list of some that I've recently patronized and make regular visits to:

Paper Skyscraper

Creation Cuisine

Common Market

Visart (only the best video rental store in Charlotte!)

Nova's Bakery

Lulu

City Supply Co.

Dish

[DigitalSky]

We try to get a lot of our produce from the Charlotte Farmers Market. Also, like to get music and support local artists @ Manifest... Park Road Books... tons of local restaurants... I've never been to Visart, and would like to as PlazaMidwoodGuy mentioned above, it'd be a nice change from the common Blockbuster. Here's to wishing there were more indy stores in the 'burbs.

[PlazaMidwoodGuy]

Blackhawk is one in Charlotte, but their prices never cease to make my jaw drop. Also, being in a strip mall takes away from whatever charm they might have otherwise had.

[monsoon]

Faulk Brothers hardware is good alternative to the very expensive Blackhawk. It's located on N. Tryon. If you want a bit more adventure, there is still a General Store located in Mecklenburg on 115 just north of Harris Blvd. I am not sure how much longer it will be open so it's worth a look if you want to see something like this.

[graydog]

Blackhawk Hardware is the best. There's an employee on almost every corner isle to help you. That might be why the prices seem high. They actually have people who can take the time to help you and they know what they're talking about. I think it's worth it. They've saved me hours of trial and error.

We even had a night out there once. We grabbed some free popcorn at the front of the store and watched the video of the Yankee squirrel-proof birdfeeder. Hilarious.

[DigitalSky]

Faulk Brothers hardware is good alternative to the very expensive Blackhawk. It's located on N. Tryon. If you want a bit more adventure, there is still a General Store located in Mecklenburg on 115 just north of Harris Blvd. I am not sure how much longer it will be open so it's worth a look if you want to see something like this.

[cinco]

all the above are great examples.

to add - i buy all my medicinal needs from PIKE'S pharmacy on shamrock. they are a couple dollars more on most items that you could find @ a cvs, but, they are knowledgable, helpful, and about the nicest people you'll meet. that means so much - i will pay the little extra to support them.

also, HONG KONG on central, if your feeling an itch of nostalgia.

KELLY tires on central has always been a pleasent experience.

BLACK SHEEP on camden for my kicks (shoes).

[revitalize]

Brawley's Beverage on Park Road is a great place to get micro's or import beers... Very nice/knowledgable staff there too.

[Charlotte_native]

Unable to actually shop at the local retailer that we frequented for the past few years as she has closed shop and moved to England.... But Hysteric Glamour was a great clothing and wig store that we loved to shop at. Boris and Natasha's next door is still there and we go in and check it out often.

[Charlotte_native]

As for places we try to support as often as possible:

All the local restaurants on East Blvd

City Supply Co.

Little Hardware

Wolf Camera

Dim Sum

White Rabbit

Asian Market beside Dim Sum

Dilworth Coffee House

Black Sheep and Niche for shoes

[StevenRocks]

Old Dog Clothing Co. in Phillips Place, as well as Bedside Manor and Taylor Richards & Conger.

[kpryde4u]

ALL ethnic stores, thus progressing Charlotte's diversity!

[uptownliving]

A couple that I go to on a regular basis:

Reid's Fine Foods

Tic Toc Coffee Shop

Limberjou

Phat Burrito

Visart Video (technically a chain, but feels like a local place)

[CLT]

Most recently I have shopped:

Frank N' Pegs Pet Store

Home Economist, Indp. & S Blvd.

Fresh Market

Creation

New Century Food Mart @ Asian Mall

Kelly Tires, he has profited from my bad luck with tires!

DI Central

[Charlotte_native]

Most recently I have shopped:

Frank N' Pegs Pet Store

Home Economist, Indp. & S Blvd.

Fresh Market

Creation

New Century Food Mart @ Asian Mall

Kelly Tires, he has profited from my bad luck with tires!

DI Central

[cinco]

i went to a little record store this afternoon called LUNCHBOX RECORDS. it is in plaza-midwood on central next to the gay & lesbian community center. i was very impressed. this place reminded me of what little record stores used to be like... it reminds me of SCHOOLKID's in chapel hill (if it's still open). hell, it reminds me of alot of places you'd find in the triangle.

lunchbox is pretty genre specific (rock that has been carefully picked)... although they do have smaller sections of other genres. think small record store for audiophiles with a leaning towards rock n' roll (i use that phrase in the very broad term that it is). they have used and new cd, records, movies, and some publications you will be hard pressed to find anywhere in the area. i will be checking out this place more often...

[ScottCLT]

I went to Sticki Rice on East Blvd. the other week. Didn't buy anything, but it is a unique store -- many imported knick knacks, furniture, handbags, etc. To be honest, it's one of those stores that I would love to see succeed but I will probably never buy anything from there myself.

I also passed by a shop across from Carrabba's near South Blvd. and Park today called SHOP (the sign was in the form of a stop sign, but with an "H" instead of a "T"). This is in the spot that I recall used to house Sleepy Poet Stuff. Is SPS gone? Or is this its new reincarnation? Or a totally different store in the same spot? The signs seemed to aim more towards gifts than antiques, so it makes me think it's a new store.

And you can't really search for "Shop Charlotte" on Google and expect accurate results for obvious reasons.

[cinco]

i've noticed SHOP on park ave. as well. from the window - it looks like a cool place. SLEEPY POET is now further down s. blvd, right next to queens park... i haven't been there in a couple of months but have always enjoyed that place.

[joshuacc]

I work on Camden, so most of my support goes on that block when I can. I get my coffee at heck yeah, burritos at phat burrito, if I needed a picture framed I'd go next door to the living room. Get clothed at Niche, Blacksheep and American Apparel. For lunch I'll walk over to Laurel Market or up to Owen's Bagel. Of course a lot of other places people have mentioned as well.

That store on Park is called Authentic Modern, nothing to do with sleepy poet. Sticki Rice is a great store, I love the fact the have the story for where most of the furniture came from, tribe, country etc.

[revitalize]

I got coffee at Java Passage in SouthEnd this morning.... it was REALLY good. definitely recommend it.