Toy stores are meant to be magical places, filled with unique treasures that spark the imagination. Often, such wonderful neighborhood stores exist only in memories. But everyone who visits Scheffel’s Toys & More, on the northeast corner of California and Oregon streets, knows that they’ve found the real thing: a classic toy […]
Handmade. Handcrafted. Hand-Created! At Jacksonville’s Carefree Buffalo, visitors will find a collection of functional artisan masterpieces, from the world’s finest pocket knives to incredible leather and high-density microfiber jackets, from gorgeous ceramics to unique reading glasses, from exquisite purses to precision crafted clocks. “We admire products that personify uniqueness, […]
Sunday afternoon. Everything is ready for the party except…
Oh no! The Cherries Jubilee! Two pounds of cherries need to be pitted. You reach for a knife, then remember how badly that went last time. Those poor cherries looked as though they’d been trampled by a wild animal. How are you going to […]
Shoppers stepping into Blue Door Garden Store feel they’ve found an enchanted place filled with wondrous miniature gardens, with a populous of whimsical gnomes, fairies, elves, and Zen figurines. Conversations in the store are punctuated by the melodic knell of myriad wind chimes—and the thump-thump-thump of shop dog Myah’s wagging tail.
“Sometimes it […]
Farmhouse Treasures, at 120 West California, specializes in reminders of a more relaxed era. Gift items cover every surface: chalkboards and sloganed tin signs decorate the walls; seasonally themed décor, and anything you need to make your home comfy, draw your eye; aprons and dishtowels spill across upcycled vintage cabinets—which also are […]
“With a 1908 vintage motorcycle on the wall, I guess you could say we’re not your traditional jewelry store,” says The Crown Jewel co-owner Jason Robison. “But we’re not simply out to offer the unusual—we’re here to have fun and do things with meaning.” In fact, the store’s slogan is ‘Jewelry and […]
Aficionados of antiques and collectibles have been finding their way to Pickety Place for over thirty years, even though the white picket fence that inspired its name has been absent most of that time.
“When it opened in 1986, Pickety Place was in a little house with a yard, surrounded by that fence,” […]
Many people come to Jacksonville to retire…but then, somehow…don’t. Because they love what they do.
Take Marge Wall, owner of Country Quilts. She’s operated the shop, located at 214 East California, for fourteen years, although she and her late husband Bob had established the business in 1987, in the building right next door. […]
You need a gift for someone, but you’re not certain about that someone’s size or special interests. And if the giftee is male, your task is even harder.
Stumped? Seek inspiration at Pico’s, 160 East California Street, where co-owners Michael Richardson and Louise Lavergne have made a point of keeping the mix eclectic, […]
Jacksonville represents the fulfillment of a dream to those lucky enough to have found a cozy nesting space within the city limits—including business owners who long to set up shop in this historic community’s downtown.
Case in point: Adrienne and Pat Powers, proprietors of Quintessence Décor. They’d owned […]
Tobiano Boutique, at 120 South Third Street, exudes an artsy vibe. It’s clearly a women’s apparel shop, filled with colorful, flowing garments. With the abstract patterns on many of the fabrics, and the prints of Picasso, Matisse, and O’Keefe gracing the walls, the shop also brings to mind a gallery, or an […]
Artist Todd Lovett and gardener Mark Sutter opened their gift store when they realized how smoothly their individual careers blended into a cohesive package. “I had done landscape and event planning,” Mark says, “and Todd’s career was in art and retail. It made sense to merge our professions. That’s how we came […]
They say to be careful what you wish for.
Five years ago, Jo Parker told her husband, Jacksonville Review publisher Whitman Parker, that she needed a change. After a lengthy career in marketing and title insurance, she was tired of sitting behind a computer all day. “It just wasn’t me,’” she says.
Asked what […]
“Where Style Meets Elegance” isn’t just a slogan at Jacksonville Company, it’s a policy that’s evident when customers step in the door. From handbags to jewelry to women’s clothing, owner Lorraine Akin keeps a keen eye open for both the latest styles and classic designs.
“I call it […]
Readers will find that the shelves in Rebel Heart Books, the newest retail establishment in Jacksonville (located in the old blacksmith shop building at 157 West California), don’t display category labels. Thus, they may not immediately divine where the poetry volumes await, or whether there’s a sports book section (there is). The […]
Sandi Whittle, co-owner of La Bohème, gazes about her Jacksonville boutique with a smile. “My daughter, Amy Blanchard, talked me into it,” she admits. “I was happily retired.”
The two shared a vision strong enough to pull Sandi back into the workforce in 2007, […]
JoyFull Yoga Wellness Center may seem a non-traditional destination for seasonal shopping, yet it offers surprising and unique gifts for your loved ones.
“We’re all about providing opportunities to help people feel better,” says owner Louise Lavergne. “We offer the gift of wellness. And you can treat yourself […]
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss… one generation removed.
The Cotton Broker has been a fixture on the Jacksonville fashion scene since 1994, when store founder and Jacksonville native Alice McGee acquired the historic brick building on the corner of California and South Oregon. Having […]
Standing near a wall of drawers filled with nuts, bolts and other fasteners, and in reach of a selection of hand and power tools, paint supplies and general hardware items, Ruch Hardware owner Tiffany Ryan readily describes her business philosophy: “We do anything we can to make your life easier. That’s […]