Fayetteville’s Ramsey Street corridor combines community charm with a variety of retail options, offering everything from formal wear and thrift store finds to national chains.
Whether you’re exploring Ramsey Street for the first time or a resident looking for something new, this guide will introduce you to four businesses in the area and what makes each worth a visit.
An Affair to Remember
An Affair to Remember, a boutique specializing in dresses for formal events such as proms, pageants, homecomings and military balls, opened in 2005. Store manager Rebecca Horne shared that the shop is gearing up to celebrate its 20th anniversary on March 8, which coincides with International Women’s Day. To mark the occasion, the store plans to host its annual fashion show on the anniversary.
“It’s going to be a big party,” Horne said.
“This is not just a prom store,” Horne said Wednesday. “Whatever you need for whatever event that you’re looking for, we definitely provide it, from the shoes to the earrings, the undergarments, the bra that would work with the dress, to the dress itself. You could literally walk in here and walk out with your dress in hand and everything to go with it for your event.”
The details
Address: 5407 Ramsey St. Suite A, in Monarch Plaza shopping center.
Hours and days of operation: Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed on Sundays.
Phone: 910-486-5323
On the web: aatrnc.com
More neighborhood shopping: Check out these five shopping spots in Fayetteville’s historic Haymount neighborhood
Ann’s Flower Shop
Christina Fair, who began working at Ann’s Flower Shop 20 years ago after graduating college, is now the owner of the business that her parents, Ann and Jim Fair, opened in 1995. Fair said she attributes the shop’s long-standing success to their customer service, small staff and an emphasis on building lasting relationships with their clients. The shop offers flowers, plants, flower deliveries, gifts, corsages, wedding and event florals, as well as arrangements and wreaths.
“It’s a special shop because it is a family business. We have a small staff that remembers our customer’s names and we know what our customers love,” Fair said Wednesday. “My dad was military, and he retired, and my mom was a stay-at-home mom and loved working with flowers and plants. After he retired, he said ‘Annie, it’s your turn’ and so they opened up the flower shop. We’ve been in business ever since.”
The details
Address: 5780 Ramsey St. Suite 101, in the Village at Kenwood shopping center.
Hours and days of operation: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed on Sundays.
Phone: 910-488-4177
On the web: annsflowershop.net
Shopaholix Thrift Store
Yvette Perry-Bullock, the owner of Shopaholix Thrift Store, is a veteran and proud entrepreneur. Since opening the store in 2020, she said, she has made it a priority to employ single mothers and individuals facing difficult circumstances. Perry-Bullock said she attributes the store’s success to its organized layout and low pricing. She said customers often say her prices are more affordable than other thrift stores in the area.
“The thing about us is that everything in the store is $5 or less,” Perry-Bullock said Wednesday. “We wash everything, we clean everything, and nothing leaves out of here without being washed.”
She said the Shopaholix Thrift Store is sandwiched between her other businesses, Shopaholix Venue and Shopaholix Beauty Salon.
The details
Address: 2009 Ramsey St.
Hours and days of operation: Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Sundays.
Phone: 910-745-9867
On the web: facebook.com/people/Shopaholix/100063540370552
Loving Stitches Quilt Shop
Store owner John Watkins opened Loving Stitches Quilt Shop in 1996 in a 1,200-square-foot space in the Andrew Commons Shopping Center on Andrew Road. In 2003, the store expanded to its current custom-designed 10,000-square-foot location at 7076 Ramsey St.
He said the shop, which began as his wife’s idea, offers a wide range of quilting materials, including fabrics, panels, patterns, used sewing machines, books, thread, embroidery supplies, as well as quilting classes. Loving Stitches is recognized by BERNINA, an international manufacturer of sewing equipment, for sales excellence and for being one of the largest quilt shops in the United States, according to its website.
“We’re warm and welcoming. We have a lot of fun, our customers enjoy coming here, we’re a destination store and most customers return because they enjoy the atmosphere and the things they can do,” Watkins said Wednesday. “It’s not just a shopping experience, it’s also a creative experience. It’s a gathering place for primarily women to get together and do things together.”
The details
Address: 7076 Ramsey St.
Hours and days of operation: Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on Sundays.
Phone: 910-630-3912
On the web: lovingstitches.net
Reporter Lizmary Evans covers growth and development for The Fayetteville Observer. You can reach her at LEvans@gannett.com.