Where the wares are

For all your hammers and nails, buckets and pails, and flowers and more, Frager’s is your one-stop home and garden store.

Frager’s hasn’t changed all that much in the 90-plus years it’s been in business — and that’s a good thing. Friendly faces still greet you as you walk in the door, and the staff is more than willing to help you out with exactly the kind of salt you need for that slippery sidewalk or the perfect logs for your fireplace.

{mosads}Frager’s also occasionally has Customer Appreciation Weeks that are worth stopping by for the raffle prizes it gives away.

If you live in the neighborhood, stop by Frager’s, and you’ll be sure to meet new people every time you go.

Frager’s is located at 1115 Pennsylvania Ave. SE.

Stitch D.C.

Knitting is one of the new “it” hobbies, and Stitch D.C. promises to help make your newfound love of knitting and sewing a reality with a wide range of fibers like wool, alpaca, silk, linen and mohair.

Stitch offers classes in knitting, crochet, embroidery, sewing and quilting. You can also invite up to 15 people to the store’s private classroom or its private interior courtyard for a unique take on a birthday party.

If you’re expecting a baby, try Stitch’s “D.C. Expectant Party,” where a workshop can be designed for guests to make handmade baby items for the mother-to-be (including organic washcloths, blankets and baby booties). The future mom also receives an autographed copy of The Expectant Knitter.

If you want to stop after work, stop in on Wednesdays, when the store is open until 8:30 p.m. Stitch is located near the Eastern Market Metro at 731 8th St. SE.

Backstage, Inc.

If your plans this weekend include a costume party, Backstage, Inc. is a must-stop beforehand. With everything from tiaras to tap shoes and every kind of mask you’d ever imagine (including an impressive array of political ones), you’ll be good to go.

The store also offers biblical costume rentals. The place is as whimsical as it is serious and even offers wigs if you’re interested in heading out on the town incognito. Backstage is D.C.’s only theatrical store — it has been in the area for more than 20 years.

For those of you who like to start planning your Halloween costume early, be sure and check it out. The store is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, at 545 8th St. SE.

The United States Capitol 
Historical Society

For the history buffs among us, the United States Capitol Historical Society, at 200 Maryland Ave. NE, offers children’s books and gifts as well as constitutional and presidential memorabilia. 

Diana Wailes, vice president of merchandising for the organization, said that society members get a 10 percent discount on items.