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!

We were walking around Apex and decided to pop in here to view their wares. They have a selection…read moreof home items, baby items, cards and more. The two staff members were very pleasant and unobtrusive and we looked around. We didn't buy anything on this visit but on the whole we support independent stores like this one.

Walking along Salem street and discovered this gem. Nice variety of quality items for everyone…read morealong with trendy items. Friendly and helpful staff.

Absolutely lovely local home decor store with some very unique gifts and goodies…read more They have greeting cards, candles, home decor items - I chose a lemon candle, very reasonable prices, too! The atmosphere is very friendly and casual - you immediately feel like you are with friends. The two ladies there are so welcoming and warm. Loved hearing that Archer is the street they grew up on, Pratt is the cross street. Will definitely be back to grab gifts and goodies for our own home. Support local!

Simply the cutest local artesian shop around! Need a…read morewedding gift, birthday gift or a just because- Archer + Pratt will have what you are wanting & so much more. Unique items. Locally made items. Trendy yet everyday items & Hand made cards for the finishing touch to your gift! I was so surprised at all the different items archer + pratt had, so much so I came back twice in one day. Prices were more than fair. From furniture pieces to bath essentials @ kitchen decor- they've thought of it all. Seasonal. Current. One of a kind items. Neat, cleanly & organized. Friendly staff & a great way to support local! PS- check out next door which is owned by archer + pratt.

Pricy, but so fun to walk through and admire the beautiful pieces. They arrange the furniture…read moreperfectly. Plus the store is much larger than it appears. There were multiple rooms, all nicely decorated. Most focused on furniture, women's apparel, and gifts. Some rooms with products from other boutiques, one with bird baths and seed, and another with sale items. The employees seem to all be good friends and enjoy their job, which is refreshing to see. They host events, for instance, Christmas tree decorating. I think we arrived just after an event since they had drinks and snacks out. Overall, we enjoyed walking through this shop and recommend it to others!

Once you get inside, it's a cute little shop with a variety of trinkets and homegoods. While they…read moredo have a couple of chairs and couch pieces, this place is more so for little knick knacks to place around the house. They also have some jewelry, cute socks and things of that sort. I appreciate the fact that they are requiring people to wear masks. And I can see myself returning to pick up a few decorative items.

The Fancy Bee is an upscale home decor and personal accessories store. It would be a great place to…read moreshop for gifts, or for unique items for your home. They have not been open long, but every time I have visited there have been other shoppers in the store. The lady who works there is extremely friendly and is remarkably laid-back about people bringing kids into the store (my advice: don't do it). I had a great time browsing their selection of scented soaps, candles, artwork, etc. and am trying to resist the temptation to go back and buy a really gorgeous decorative bowl for my bookshelf (at least until I recover from Christmas shopping).. but I'll probably cave when I have to drive by this place twice a day once school's back in session. The only complaint I would have is the hours- closing at 4 is really a bummer for people like me, who prefer to shop in the evening rather than the daytime!

Adorable shop with very nice furnishings and reasonable priced clothing and accessories. Lovely…read moreshop owner. Can't wait to go back and shop again.

If you love local art, unique jewelry, cute stickers, and other handmade artsy items, you must…read morecheck out the local Raleigh gem, Curate on Hargett Street. I initially wandered in because the "Support Local Artists" sign caught my eye. I am an art lover so this store was 100 percent calling my name. The visual art caught my eye first (art lovers, you'll appreciate the vibe immediately), but I quickly realized this place has so much more. It's a small store but the carefully curated selection of handmade items makes a huge impact. The handmade jewelry selection is awesome. The statement pieces you will find here are super unique. Some of the rings were made from recycled vintage earrings. Definitely not the kind of stuff you see everywhere. They also had stickers galore for me and all the planner lovers, which made me happy. T-shirts, tote bags, bag charms, and on and on. And bonus: there's a great juice and smoothie bar right next door, which makes the whole stop even better. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, which always makes a shopping experience feel special. This store is 100% my vibe, and I already know I'll be back... probably to buy one of the art prints I can't stop thinking about.

What a unique boutique store at Crabtree!…read more While waiting to be seated at The Cheesecake Factory, we browsed this store. I liked it immediately. I found a pair of earrings that I knew would match a particular dress I like wearing. I held them in my hand, still looking around for other things to buy. The person at the register reminded me that the store closed in 15 min. It was 8:45 in the evening, and soon after, our table was ready. I bought those earrings. My one negative feeling was the pricing. Even the things I wanted were financially out of reach for me. We were about to spend over one hundred dollars at the restaurant, and these earrings were affordable. Other items weren't. Will I go again? I think I will. Lots of cool companies selling their homemade goods there. I understand marketing and price points. Everyone deserves a profit. If I come into some money, I'll try and spend it there.

If you're looking for fun, pretty or just cute, paper for party invitations, or announcements for a…read moregraduation, a wedding or baby shower, or just want your own personalized stationery, journal, or stamp, Cute Buttons would be a good place to check out. If you aren't looking for paper supplies, but instead want some offbeat or whimsical gifts, then you might find it here. Some items are made by local arts-and-crafts creative people using ordinary items like bottle caps made into magnets or scrapbook pages made into picture frames. They even carry some soap and lotion made with honey from North Carolina hives. The t-shirts are funky and modern and not at all like you find in the mass retail shops. Overall, a nice local store to get a not-so-ordinary gift or create your own personalized stationery reflective of the real you.

Alice is there owner and helped me out tremendously getting cardstock and envelopes for my business.read more

Homebody's is located in Downtown Wake Forest. It has moved next to Sweet Magnolias so it is more…read morevisible from White Street. The entrance is on the street level but stairs are required to visit the eclectic shop. They do have a webpage you can order from if stairs are an issue for you. I first found Homebody's during a Ladies Night on White as I wouldn't have stumbled onto it on my own as the entrance was in the back. But the unique items in the store were enough to bring me back. Besides the shop, in which you will find candles; stationery; clothing; baby items; items for the home; self care; and much more, they also offer workshops so you can learn some new skills. If you are in Downtown Wake Forest and looking for the perfect gift for someone make sure to stop in Homebody's.

A friend gifted me a workshop at Homebody's. I chose the to paint mountains with Smitten in a…read moreMitten. Everything was set up when we arrived. Four people to a class so everyone got plenty of attention/help as needed. Directions were simple to follow and the laid back vibe to the class really made it not intimidating! Each participant was encouraged to choose colors they wanted not to just follow the example. We plan on coming back for another workshop soon...maybe macramé!!