Lower Main Street offers shopping as vibrant as its restaurant scene, an international smorgasbord of tastes, style and cultures. For every French, Italian, Oriental or Pan-American restaurant, we found equally delicious stores “serving” everything from boutique java or workout gear to fine jewelry and world-class art. 

Puppy Pram When Fido’s personal four-wheel drive fizzles, a pet stroller ($179.90) by Jeep will make you his best friend forever. Built to go the distance with joggers, it’s among the many treats (including cookies baked by a former pastry chef) at Max’s Dog Bakery, 1375 Main St., Sarasota (941) 330-0330.

Fit City “Sarasota is a wicked workout town,” say Karen Magee and Andrea Rankin, who are astounded by the turnover of exercise gear at their new Jake’s Downtown. Items from volleyballs ($20) to Good Move performance T-shirts ($30) and tanks ($40) are flying out the door. 1463 Main St., Sarasota (941) 955-JAKE. 

Diamond Eyes Glasses are jewels for your face at Soto’s, where Eyewood’s curly maple frames sport black, brown and gold Swarovski crystals ($800) and David Eden’s boast diamonds, rubies, even canary emeralds ($700 to $2,300). Soto’s Optical Boutique, 1383 Main St., Sarasota (941) 953-3788.

Stars’ Sapphire It’s no wonder fans of Helen Ringus’ jewelry include celebs Melanie Griffith, Angela Bassett and more. She created the diamond-rimmed enamel flowers on this sapphire necklace ($11,500) with an ancient filigree technique, plique a jour. Wearable Art, 1463 Main St., Sarasota (941) 957-0105.

Life’s Mosaic The newest restaurant on Main Street, MoZaic represents an amalgam of cuisines and cultures that have left their mark on French Moroccan chef-owner Dylan Elhajoui’s life and menu. Try the tagine-stewed petite veal shank laced with fennel. MoZaic, 1377 Main St., Sarasota (941) 951-6772.

Arts Counsel At this local artists’ co-op, you’ll find paintings, sculpture and artists on hand to discuss their work and inspiration. Wood turner Gordon Cook says he crafted this stunning segmented bowl ($1,480) with 134 pieces of maple and walnut. Art Uptown, 1367 Main St., Sarasota (941) 955-5409.

Gold Standard To make a truly figure-flattering swimsuit, you have to understand lingerie, says Lotus owner Wendy Getchell, whose newest bathing suits are by Huit (from $134) and Cosa Bella (from $160), the gold labels of European underwear brands. Lotus, 1451 Main St., Sarasota (941) 906-7080.

High Five You’ll celebrate La Source’s 60-Second Fix for Hands, the award-winning therapy program that restores dry hands to softness within minutes. Customers in the know snap up this hands-down best-seller (in $10 and $28 sizes) at Main Street Traders, 1468 Main St., Sarasota (941) 373-0475.  

Seattle South It’s a coffeehouse culture at Sarasota News & Books with a new café menu, C’est La Vie croissants and coffee by Intelligentsia, the boutique roaster with a cult following. Try a 12-ounce bag of beans to go (from $10.50). Sarasota News & Books, 1344 Main St., Sarasota (941) 365-6322.

Don’t Forget to…

-    Show you care with awesome gift baskets specially customized to fit your friend, lover and budget with tantalizing treats from $50 to $600 at The Gourmet Market, 1469 Main St., Sarasota (941) 953-9101.

-     Rifle through racks of recycled designer fashions on consignment from Sarasota’s finest closets at Encore! and more, 1439 Main St., Sarasota (941) 953-4222, where proceeds fund the Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota County.

-     Step back in time at the Gator Club, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and consistently voted best bar/club in town with rhythm and blues, hot new bands, even Texas Holdem Mondays. Gator Club, 1490 Main St., Sarasota (941) 366-5969.

-     Browse through stacks of gently used tomes plus antique books, maps and prints at this world-class emporium, where the booksellers are as intriguing as the subject matter. Book Bazaar/A. Parker’s Books, 1488 Main St., Sarasota (941) 366-1373.

Raise the Bar
Indulge in affordable luxury with an extra-special soap.

It’s Essential Venice, Fla. soap crafter Francine Nichols’ signature bar is a seven-fragrance Organic Essential Oil Blend, but every one of her original recipes includes hand-poured goat’s milk for silky skin. A 7-ounce bar is $7 at www.pureessentialoilsoap.com or Nirvana, 353 W. Dearborn St., Englewood (941) 726-1127.

Haute Soap The lavender in Cote Lavande soap ($8.50) is so pure it’s certified by the French government (like fine wine) for origin and quality. Based in Haute-Provence (where the lavender is grown), but the owners warehouse products in Sarasota. Pamela de Provence, 665 S. Orange Ave., Sarasota (941) 955-9102.

Sunshine State As fresh as Florida citrus, Earthwork soaps ($10) called grapefruit, sweet lime and limone combine natural floral and fruit essences. Triple-milled in England with moisturizing shea butter, coconut and jojoba oils. Simply Spoiled, 100 Central Ave., Sarasota (941) 364-3337.