Selosa Steps In When chef Seran Kerneklian-Taylor bought the venerable Mrs. Marshall's Carytown Café in April, she kept some of the treasured menu items like the Smithfield ham biscuits and other sandwiches, but added delights of her own such as a made-from-scratch coconut cake and Italian subs. Remember that famous creamy potato salad? Kerneklian-Taylor serves hers with a twist. "It's very healthy," the owner of Selosa Boutique Deli says of the Armenian potato salad that doesn't include mayonnaise. "It has to be good enough for my family to eat or it won't be served in my restaurant" is Kerneklian-Taylor's business motto. The deli also caters parties, offers delivery for orders over $10 and does a brisk business in made-to-order box lunches. For more information, call 355-1305 or visit selosarva.com . Everything Eclectic "If you can't find something to buy in here, there's something wrong with you," laughs Olga Tailor about the dizzying selection of home goods, garden accessories, furnishings and decorative items found at Eclectic Stuff Consignment, which she co-owns with her daughter, Ellie. "We get consignments from all over," she says. "There are always new items coming in." In need of a blue peacock fan? Vintage tools? Rare golf clubs? Take a peek in here for a smorgasbord of antiques. "I try to focus on furniture, but we have metals, jewelry, books, old pens, you name it. … I've been doing this for 25 years," Tailor says. The store recently moved from its old location next to Carytown Burgers and Fries, where it had been since May of last year, to 3218 W. Cary St., near the Glass Boat and Cary Street Veterinary Hospital. Despite the new digs, "eclectic" will remain the buzzword. "We'll be doing the exact same thing we've been doing," she says. The shop's consignment details and stipulations are available on the Eclectic Stuff website at eclecticstuff.net. For more information, call 355-3355 or visit eclecticstuff.net . Essential Elements "True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul," the late Audrey Hepburn once offered. Easy for the glamorous actress to say — she used Erno Lazlo. The newly opened Elements of Carytown offers the entire product line of Lazlo, the Hungarian-born dermatologist who founded the ritzy Erno Lazlo Institute and helped to give Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and other classic lovelies their luminous glows. An upscale family-owned beauty boutique, Elements sells a wide array of exclusive bath items, skin cremes and perfumes not often found in department stores. "We also carry products for men, like the Grooming Lounge, a shaving line out of Washington, D.C.," says Elements co-owner Sherry Burgess. Elements' boutique manager, Laurie Edwards, counsels customers about how best to use the products. "People may want to buy something for dry skin when they don't have dry skin at all," Burgess says, adding that the staff at Elements will sit down with customers for one-on-one consultations. The shop, at 3425 W. Cary St., specializes in natural and organic merchandise, such as that offered by Australia's exclusive Jurlique company. They stock products for kids, too. "We've had a lot of parents come in because they were looking for organic skin care for their children," Burgess says. For more information, call 340-2900 or visit elementsbeautyshop.com . Virginia Made O'Virginia sells mostly Virginia-made items, but not just the same old Virginia-made items. "You won't find ‘Virginia is for Lovers' T-shirts here," owner Daryl Flick says. "You can find those anywhere. But we do carry Virginia hams, peanuts, preserves, and even cheese straws … the things you need." The shop offers a little bit of everything, showcasing the diverse range of products found around the state. You'll find the work of local watercolorists and wildlife photographers, Shenandoah Valley honey, goat milk soaps and specialty skin balms, handmade baskets, soy candles, and even regional maps and books on Virginia history. Flick, a former event planner, opened O'Virginia in October 2012, and says that the initial response from customers has been "overwhelming." They appreciate his determination to only buy locally produced goods such as American flags manufactured in Virginia rather than China. "We track where these things are made. We want people to think about where their products are coming from," says Flick, who is busy building an online O'Virginia to complement the retail location at 3310 W. Cary St. For more information, call 477-7977 or visit ovirginia.com . Craft Fair "We cut out the middle man, unless the middle man is helping the community," says Michelle Moore, owner of The Artisan Shops, at 3324-B. W. Cary St. on the corner of Cary and Crenshaw. Moore was born in the United States but moved to Guatemala at an early age. Seven years ago, she moved back to the United States and sold wholesale jewelry in Fredericksburg before relocating to Richmond to start her own business. In February, she opened The Artisan Shops, filling 1,575 square feet of retail space formerly occupied by Babycakes Bakery with a wide range of goods from Latin American countries such as Peru, Bolivia and Guatemala, as well as parts of Africa. "We offer everything from jewelry to purses to clothes to décor," Moore says. "We also sell paintings from local artists." Since she buys directly from the artists and craftspeople, she says she can "pay much better than the price they can get on the street. With fair trade, you help the community." The Artisan Shops' colorful showroom is filled with exotic items — necklaces, wood-carved animals, Colombian coffee, colorful casual wear. "We sell everything you can find in other countries," Moore says. "Really different things." For more information, call 877-404-6884 or search for The Artisan Shops on Facebook. Hot Rocks It isn't just the stressed-out deskaholic who can use a bit of therapeutic kneading. Everyone from expectant moms to athletes in training can benefit from a relaxing rubdown. The Carytown location of Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, which is slated to open in May at 10 N. Nansemond St., promises a full range of professional spa services at fair prices. H&S advertises Swedish and deep tissue rubs, its own patented, stress-killing hot stone massage, and a full line of skin facials and peels administered by certified estheticians. There is also a hot towel foot exfoliation massage for your worn-out toes, and numerous face and body waxing options, from eyebrow and underarm maintenance to full bikini and Brazilian waxes. John Marco, Hand and Stone's founder, opened the first location of the franchise in Toms River, N.J., in 2004 and the spa chain now has 97 locations across the country. (This is Richmond's second location, with the first found at 11873 W. Broad St. in Short Pump). Monthly memberships and gift cards are available, and reservations are recommended. For more information, call 227-9427 or visit handandstone.com .
