Shop Therapy: You Want It, The Valley's Got It
By Virginia Watson // The Roanoker Magazine

Shopping. That one little word inspires so many different emotions - joy, panic, pain and delight. Newcomers, visitors and long-time Roanokers alike shouldn't worry - the retail scene in the Roanoke Valley has something to offer everyone.

Clothing, Jewelry, Shoes, Accessories
Roanokers love clothing, and they especially love boutique designer clothing. If you have a hankering for Lily Pulitzer, you can find her clothing line at Everything Shabby out on Va. 419. In the same building is Patina, a bridal-wear shop. Down in the market area is Gone CoCo with tropical women's fashions, and Lä D¯e Dä, which has fashionable comfy clothes and a gorgeous home decor shop attached. For classic elegance go to Frances Kahn . To get your Betsy Johnson fix, head out to Present Thyme at Towers, and a couple doors down, pick up gorgeous underpinnings at Isabella's Whisper. Close by is the ever-chic Bliss. For high-end fashion, go to The Forum on Starkey Road, where Panache and E.I. Randle have storefronts. Main Street in Salem has two great stores, Millie & Co. with new clothes in the front and a consignment store in the back, and Lilies of the Field across the street. Also in Salem is the always fashionable Kathy's Boutique. For shoes, you can find the popular Ugg brand at Bush-Flora at Towers, or cute footwear and clothes at Suzabella in Roanoke, and Sole Mate in Blacksburg.

Our locally owned jewelry boutiques are every bit as good as the national chains. They include Ginger's, Gem Gallery, Fink's, AmRhein's and Frank L. Moose. If you want to feel like a celebrity, call Tiffany Mann - a private jeweler and high-quailty wholesale diamond broker. For classic men's clothing go to John Norman Clothiers , open since 1932, or Davidson's, they've been in Roanoke for 94 years. Last but not least, Smith Mountain Lake has two excellent women's clothing boutiques - Yours Truly and The Veranda. .

Groceries, Wine, Bakeries
Pick up all of your cooking needs from copper pots to exotic spices at Provisions on Franklin Road. Not far away is Montano's, fine dining by night and a deli by day with specialty food items. Wertz's Farm Market and Misty Meadows Produce on Brambleton have fresh locally grown produce. For organic and whole foods, head out to the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op on Grandin. Richmond-based gourmet grocery store Ukrop's is slated to come to Roanoke in Fall 2005. The Roanoke Farmers' Market downtown is the oldest continuously operating market in Virginia.

Wine enthusiasts take heart! Lee & Edwards downtown has a large selection and frequent beer and wine tastings. The Cork & Keg located in Countryside Classics in Salem has a small but comprehensive wine shop, and Wine Gourmet in Daleville has a wide selection of wines and classes on wine tasting and food pairings. Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg and Radford has been named one of the top 50 wine stores in the country by Esquire.

Fine fresh-roasted coffee is a must at Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea . Take in a meal or just buy a loaf of bread at any of our local bakeries. Market-area bakery On the Rise serves great lunches as well. Wildflour has three unique stores in Roanoke. Find great bread and eclectic gifts at Kneadful Things .

Cultural diversity in Roanoke has brought excellent ethnic grocery stores. Oriental Market on Williamson is one of the biggest Asian food stores in the area. Eastern European foods can be found at Europe Market in the Lamplighter Mall on Williamson. Mi Ranchito Tienda Mexicana on Melrose carries a wide variety of Latin American foods.

Got a sweet tooth? Then visit one of Katie's Ice Cream and Chocolates' two locations. Good Things on the Market in Roanoke and The Chocloate Spike in Blacksburg also feature some of the best handmade chocolates and fudges in the area. For a comprehensive look at the specialty and ethnic food stores in the region, read "Eat it Up" by Maxine Fraade. This book can be purchased at Provisions or Ram's Head Books, or by emailing maxinefr@aol.com.

Home and Garden
Walk into the exotic lush interior of Present Thyme's furniture and interior decor store and get inspired. Twists & Turns downtown has amazing wrought iron pieces that are functional art. At The Forum on Starkey, browse through Trocadero 's opulent store. You may have seen Grand Home Furnishings in other cities, but the chain started in Roanoke. Mostly Sofas sells furniture at discount prices in a spiffy old warehouse downtown. Reid's Fine Furnishings and Olde Salem Furnishings both sell beautiful classic pieces.

For gardening enthusiasts there are many nurseries in the area, including Cindy's Greenery, Greenbrier, Obenchain's, Planter's Market, Riverside, Townside and Walter's Greenhouse. To get an old-timey Roanoke feel, and gardening stuff, go to Agnew Seeds down on the market, and for gardening-inspired gifts, go Through the Garden Gate in The Forum on Starkey Road. Roanoke has all of the big hardware stores, but we also have small hardware stores with hard-to-find parts and materials and great customer service such as Grandin Village Hardware, and Hollins Hardware.

Art, Music, and Books
Roanoke's thriving art scene supports many great galleries to shop from including two on the market - Market Gallery and Gallery 108, both artist-owned co-ops with a diverse selection of media. Also downtown is Studios on the Square Gallery, which features both regional and national contemporary artists. The Betty Branch Sculpture Studio and Gallery is the home of acclaimed local artist Betty Branch. And in Moneta is The Little Gallery, named one of Southern Living's favorite places in the nation to shop.

Reading material is abundant in Ram's Head Books, with four rooms of books, magazines and gifts in Towers shopping center. Printers Ink on Va. 419 has one of the best selection of magazines in town, and gives 20 percent discounts on special orders of books. Charlotte's Web antique mall houses a storefront for Christopher Gladden Bookseller, who specializes in used and rare books. Afy 's downtown, Givens in Salem and Too Many Books on Grandin are also excellent resources for used books. Though they are a dying breed, we still have at least two music stores in Roanoke. The Record Exchange at Towers has new and used DVDs, CDs and vinyl.

Niche and Gift Shops
You can get lost for hours looking for that perfect something in The Gift Niche on the market. Also on the market is Seeds of Light, selling beads and ethnic- inspired merchandise. A Little Bit Hippy in Towers has supplies for all of your hippy needs. About Pets Center on 419 in Salem has upscale pet merchandise in their wonderful boutique. Star City Dry Goods on Franklin has everything from funky pens and stationary to pet needs to bath goods. Stop in next door for classy stationary, gifts and purses at RSVP. Party supplies and stationary share space at If It's Paper with locations on Apperson and Williamson. With imprinting done in-house, stationary and invitations can be perfectly personalized by You're Invited. Fun educational toys can be found at Imagination Station on Franklin Road and on the market. Three Graces in Daleville carries women's gifts, clothing and jewelry, along with a section of products and gifts for newborns. Ranging from silver monogrammed jewelry to framing, Martinique on Crystal Spring carries unique gifts for everyone.

© The Roanoke Magazine