Great place to pick up gifts. Large selection. My favorite is the Varina soap shop.read more

Why have I never stopped to explore the Shoppes on Main?! I did not realize that so many cute…read morebusinesses were located inside. This is definitely a great place to grab a gift or to grab something for yourself. Check it out if you are exploring around the area.

House turned studio in downtown Apex. The Studio in Apex is the go-to place for creating, shopping,…read moresupporting local artists, and finding unique, vintage items. If you are in need of a gift for yourself or others this is the place to go. Since it was a house previously, the Studio has a special comforting atmosphere. Although numerous items line the shelves, it doesn't seem overwhelming. The items are organized well and it's easy to navigate the area. The only difficult part was trying to narrow down what to purchase. The items are well made and the scattered amigurumi are incredibly adorable. I didn't even realize I wanted a crochet pop tart until now. I ended up purchasing several items as gifts. If you are unsure where to start, the co-owners are helpful and welcoming. We met the lady who makes the soaps and the soap is incredible. Overall, excellent place for local gifts and flowers! Free parking is available along Chatham street and in nearby lots.

The Studio is an adorable store with all local artists. Such a great idea! I follow their Instagram…read morepage and realized they have special events with themes too. I got a children's book bundle for my daughter's Birthday. It was decorated with cute stickers, candy, a pen, crayons, and more. I loved they put an age for the book. I will definitely visit again!

My sister and I enjoy every trip to this Kirkland's location - especially if the sales associate,…read moreAudrey, is working. Audrey is so friendly, warm, and welcoming. Please thank Audrey on our behalf.

Kirkland's has gotten better over the years so I think more people shop there now than they did…read morebefore which is great, I'm happy for them. This location is my go-to but unfortunately some of the staff is unhelpful. I won't use their names but they really don't know what they're doing or how to navigate the Kirkland's website and contact customer service on behalf of a customer. For example, I received a broken vase in the mail. Called customer service and they said if I brought it to the store, they would call them on my behalf and confirm the item was as I said it was received and they would send me a new one vs doing it from home, taking pictures and sending emails. Store associate tells me I have to send pictures and email to Kirkland's customer service. I tried to explain that I came in store to bypass all this but unfortunately I just ended up returning w/o replacement. Another example, a chair was discontinued but I saw similar chair w/ different material. Store associate continuously said that it's the same chair but looks different online but it doesn't make sense since they have two different item #'s??? Employees could use more training!

Warning! This store does not honor the online hallmark return policy on ornaments. EXCHANGE or…read moreSTORE CREDIT ONLY. The online policy is 90days &/or same season (before December 24th). I tried again and yet another disappointing experience from this location. I was going to buy a large tabletop ornament ($150+). I have only ever exchanged 2 ornaments in 10 years. I know that each Hallmark brick & mortar makes their own rules so I asked what their return policy is since the ornament I wanted to purchase the store display was broken and this one is a fair amount of money. The woman working (dark brown short/shoulder length hair, late 30s to 40s, white) gave me a rude/snarky answer. They do not allow any returns on ornaments ONLY EXCHANGES. I pointed out that the store display was already broken and she got even more defensive. "We get children in here poking and pushing every button and being rough with all the displays so we can't afford to just keep putting new ones out". Okay well that means I would have to figure out what to spend almost $200 of store credit and since I've already purchased 75% of my ornaments at the July and October open houses (at a different store) that might be tough. So I put the ornament back and got a huge reminder of why I don't like coming to this store! I spend A LOT at hallmark each holiday season but I refuse to give this store any of my hard earned dollars! I will continue to drive further to a different hallmark.

This is a nice shop in the holly springs town center off 55…read more They have different items than the store in the Raleigh mall and this store is much easier to get around. Things are displayed nicely. The employees here on the day I went were friendly and helpful. The prices are the same as the other Hallmark stores. This is my favorite hallmark store due to the store layout and better selection of items.

So cute! Ideal place for unique, locally crafted gifts. The shop is spacious and extends deeper…read morethan I originally expected. After perusing the shelves, I found several items that would make perfect gifts. Prices seem in line with comparable local shops and Etsy. In the back there is the check-out along with a bar/cafe. The employee at the counter greeted me as I neared the back of the store and offered assistance as needed.

This store is so cute! It is located in Downtown Fuquay and is a great spot to shop local from a…read morevariety of local artisans.

I just want to give a quick shoutout to this store! Me and my sisters went there about 2 weeks ago…read moreto get permanent bracelets which we absolutely LOVE. The service was amazing and the quality that you get is incredible. I also purchased a necklace that unfortunately broke within a few hours and I couldn't drive back because I was from out of town and flying back to Boston the next day. I called the store and April ( who was wonderful) helped me. She shipped me a brand new one to Boston and no extra charge. I'm wearing the necklace now and I'm absolutely in love. When I am ever back in that area, I will definitely go back !

My sister and I had made an appointment to get matching permanent jewelry as we recently celebrated…read morea birthday and wanted to commemorate the occasion with something special. We drove from Durham for the appointment and unfortunately, upon entry, were received with abysmal service and (lack of) interaction with the staff. No one greeted us in or even acknowledged our existence until one lady finally stated, "you my 3 o'clock?" As she proceeded to keep walking into the back before we could respond. She later returned and sat at the jewelry station staring down at her phone and continued to ignore us. Needless to say we left immediately. It's really disappointing, especially when you want to support a local business and do something special with your twin.

Painted Tree Boutiques is worth a visit if you are in Crossroads Plaza in Cary. It is a large store…read more(formerly a Stein Mart) that provides booths for local entrepreneurs to rent to sell their products. I thought that there was a good mix of products that were sold here, they sell teas, food items, clothes, jewelry and more. It is perfect if you are looking for a gift or to support a small business.

I don't particularly enjoy shopping, however, this boutique conglomerate is way cooler than I…read morethought it would be. I needed a last minute gift and this was the closest boutique open on a Sunday. Painted tree provides a space for numerous boutiques to display and sell their items. The boutiques are neatly organized and their names displayed. Prices vary, often being very reasonable. Some boutiques share their website information as a place to find additional products. It was easy to find a gift here. If we were not pressed for time, I would have stayed longer to visit all the boutiques. Check-out was a little slow. The employees working the check out counter were friendly and helpful. They even wrapped the gift in tissue paper for me. Overall, great place to shop for a gift or for yourself!

This is the cutest store! Everything is beautifully curated and just aesthetically gorgeous. I…read morepopped in to pick up some polymer clay earrings from Lauren of Lauren Makes. The ladies in the shop are super sweet and very friendly! I'm hoping to take some classes here soon. I noticed some conflicting reviews regarding location. At the time of this review, the shop is at 417 Kildaire Farm Rd in downtown Cary near the new park. Parking is a bit tricky when it's busy but the big parking garage is just across the street.

I love the products that Gather Goods has in their space. Very curated and thoughtful in what they…read moresell. All high quality products with unique beginnings. The perfect place for a gift or item for your home.