Great stores are as inclusive as they are selective, eclectic as they are cohesive. Even the familiar suddenly feel fresh— yes, you know that designer but how the collection was culled and how that piece is presented makes it new. But known or unknown, everything in a great store feels as if it were chosen solely because it provides a flood to the senses. At their best, great stores are hard to analyze because they are so personal yet anyone who shares the sensibility will find something that resonates. Which isn’t to say a great store is ever cold or off-putting, no matter how “cool.” Great stores need heart— and personality. Much like great women, great stores must also be smart, charming, real and, yes, occasionally just plain silly. Don’t miss: Charms by DoDo, jewelry by Marie-Hélène de Taillac and Gem Palace, anything from Natalia Brilli or Carolina Bucci. Oh, and the condoms with the glow-in-the-dark Kama Sutra positions on the package.36 Village Square, Village of Cross Keys, 410-323-9009
