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April 23, 2009 "Off the Beaten Path" shopping column in the Washington Post features New to You, Quinn's Auction House, Stifel & Capra, Bedo's, Penzy's Spices and Hole in the Wall Books. Off the Beaten Path

"Off the Beaten Path: Falls Church

Sorry Falls Church. Route 7, which you lovingly call Broad Street, has traditionally served as a means for me to get from Alexandria to Tysons Corner. I've failed to check out the cute little shops and restaurants that line your busy, narrow corridor, some of which has a speed limit of a mere 25 miles per hour. I finally stopped the other day and walked by your shops. Here's what I found:

New to You, a small shop that calls itself the "Chic Boutique," is a women's consignment store at 108 West Broad St. The shop owner says the store capitalizes on expensive buying mistakes made by women, selling high-end pieces that were bought with the best of intentions but never made it off the hanger. The store is very selective about what it accepts, limiting its labels to designers like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, and styles from the last year or two. It also accepts vintage clothes from the 1960s and earlier. And even then not everything gets on a New to You rack. The store only wants interesting and unique pieces, a standard that draws clothing from all over the country. Much of the clothing has original price tags with discounts of 35 percent to nearly 70 percent.

Falls Church's Broad Street and its side streets are also chock full of galleries and art dealers that sell local work, as well as art from all over. There's Quinn's Auction House at 431 North Maple Ave. The place has an auction every Wednesday night selling everything from antique furniture to jewelry and watches. Stifel & Capra, an art and ornament gallery at 260 West Broad, features local artists even with some of their own studios on site. Think of a miniature version of Alexandria's Torpedo Factory.

Bedo's Leatherworks at 412 West Broad is not exactly a shopping destination but an interesting business. The store will do just about anything that needs to be done to repair shoes, handbags and anything else made out of leather, as well as dry clean your clothes. The business, which looks like an old country store from the outside, was started in 1977 by Bedros Doudaklian, who immigrated from Lebanon. The store has been passed down to his son, who expanded the shop to include luggage repair and other related services. The store offers a "recrafting" service where an old pair of shoes could look new again with new soles and heels and other updates.

Broad Street is also home to Penzys Spices, a national chain of spice stores started in Wisconsin. It's hard to imagine that a whole store could be filled with spices but Penzys, located at 513 West Broad St., has everything from Honduran allspice and freeze-dried bell peppers to several different types of extracts and Turkish oregano.

Also check out Hole in the Wall Books, a small house at 905 West Broad filled from top to bottom with used books.

So where do you shop when you go to Falls Church? What are some other off-the-beaten-path shopping spots?"

By Tania Anderson | April 23, 2009; 12:00 AM ET Off the Beaten Path

April 15, 2009 - Stifel & Capra has been nominated for a 2009 NICHE Top Retailer Award in the category of Best Guild Store! Stifel and Capra was also nominated in the Top Retailer category.

Sponsored by Niche Magazine, the NICHE Top Retailer Awards honor the nation’s best craft retailers, arts nonprofits, museums and guilds for growing and strengthening the American and Canadian craft community. The program annually recognizes 24 retailers and gallery owners as “Top Retailers”, names one “Retailer of the Year”, and gives awards in 10 special categories.

Falls Church News Press - Business News and Notes 12/24/2008

Washington Post "Making It" Column 12/14/2008

Fairfax Times - Artists Helping Others Art Show

Press Release - Artists Helping Others Art Show

2008 Artists Helping Others Catalogue

Testimonials

"Your work is magnificent! Wow! You are so talented"

    Gayle P. Woodbridge, VA

"Stifel and Capra pillows are absolutely beautiful and of great quality. I have nine of them in my family room and every single guest comments on them. For my last order, Theresa made a couple extra pillows so I could choose just what I wanted -- they were all gorgeous and I couldn't decide so I took them all!"

    Paula P.B

"The baby pillow is so lovely, instead of being displayed in my daughter's room, we have it front and center on the living room sofa! Thank you again!"

    Mary C. Alexandria, VA

“Thank you so much for the beautiful pillow…with her announcement and picture on it, it is a wonderful keepsake!”

    Wendy H., Falls Church, VA

“Lovely Work!” ---Robyn L. Falls Church, VA

"So far Theresa has custom-made four pillows for my living room and even my very choosy husband really likes them. Best of all, they have held up well around my two small children! Theresa also has made five pillows for me to give as gifts for family and friends this Christmas. They make unique, affordable presents, and I love that Theresa can transfer personal photos right into the pillow fabric. She takes such care to make sure you are truly happy with the fabrics and stitching styles -- and she is such fun to work with. I've already recommended her to several friends."

    Kristin C., Falls Church VA

"The door hanger was a huge hit at the shower! Thanks! "

    Carolyn B.

"The [retirement] pillow was a HUGE success. Thank you"

Evelyn C.

"Just wanted to thank you for sewing the GORGEOUS pillows for me! It's nice to have 2 pillowcases to match the bedspread [you made]. And the pillow you made from my sister's fabric is better than I imagined. You are very talented. Best regards."

Julie H. Falls Church, VA