Enter the spacious, well-lit Niche and you'll see a lusciously sink-into-able leather couch next to a table full of fashion mags. An oriental rug and potted plants complete the living-room vibe. But it won't take you long to remember that you're at Niche, so you don't your feet up. The 14-year-old footwear institution comes stocked with hard-to-find and eye-catching styles from Audley, Claudia Ciuti, La Canadiennet, Luc Bergen, Ben Sherman, Tsubo, Costume National, Moma and Ambre Babzoe.

The uniqueness will cost ya, though: Most of Niche's shoes run between $200 and $500 (worth every penny if shoes are your baby). Everything is utterly "of-the-moment" and anything goes: delicately-beaded sandals sit next to metallic, jewel-and-fur dotted moccasins and bohemian embroidered boots. For men, shoes from Gordon Rush feature everything from John Wayne-style to suede ankle boots and dressy lace-ups. Display cases at the back of the store offer jewelry from local designers like Jules Verna and cute knickknacks (think suede purses and fabric belts) that threaten to leave you stylish but broke. I guess it just comes down to what's more important to you—looking awesome or eating dinner.

Centerstage Reviewer: Jennifer Berg