Rafael Gutierrez, managing partner of SoMi Pet Resort, likens his business to a good restaurant. SoMi does two things and two things only, and it does both of them well. It offers boarding and daycare for dogs and cats when their humans need to take a vacation or go to work. Staff members genuinely care for animals and have extensive experience in the pet boarding and daycare industries. SoMi is an exciting place. The kitties get cat condos and toys. The pups splash around in pools designed for big and small breeds. At capacity, SoMi can board about 200 dogs. And whenever you start to miss your furry best friend, the facility is equipped with cameras so you can peek at your pet sleeping, running, playing, and making new pals. Hours are 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

If you think only a certain type of figure can wear clingy knits during the coolest days of the year, reconfigure your mind. KRELwear is the tropical knitwear for everybody on the spectrum of woman, of whatever stature, dressing for any kind of Miami weather. Owner and designer Karelle Levy uses yarns of every color you can think of to feed into her on-site loom and craft custom pieces to order — although she does have a limited amount of off-the-rack stock available for purchase as well. The pieces — including rompers, shorts and tanks, midi skirts with crop tops, wraps, kaftans, halters, minidresses, you name it (and if you can't name it, Levy will name it for you, or show you a picture of it) — cling gently to the body like a peach to its stone. As in, sweetly. And they also come off without a fight.

The pandemic has hit all businesses pretty hard, but locally owned establishments probably bore a bigger brunt. So instead of sauntering off to a Men's Wearhouse or Nordstrom when you need a suit, stop by Austin Burke instead. For more than 70 years, the shop has been helping Miami men look extra-sharp by providing an array of designer brands and custom-made suits. The attentive service is the key here, with tailors making sure you leave with a suit that not only fits your style but your body as well. At a time when it's so easy to buy things with a quick tap on your phone, Austin Burke reminds you that some things are worth doing in person — and procuring a well-tailored suit is one of those things.

California has Stüssy. New York has Supreme. And now Miami has GPC. GPC Miami — the name stands for Global Peace Club — is a growing streetwear brand helping to define the city's style. If you've strolled through Wynwood, you've probably seen their pastel "Love is the Answer" logo plastered on a wall or peeking from a collage of fliers. Founder Gregory Wint, along with collaborators Jabari Smith, Emmanuel Zamor, and Jelani Cameron, has been working on the brand's aesthetic since they were teenagers, but after several successful capsules and a sold-out collaboration with Footlocker, the crew is raising the bar for its next evolution. "We're not kids anymore. It's a real business and sometimes a business can get nitty-gritty. It's not just about being creative," he tells New Times. "These next years are going to be super-exciting, because now we feel like we have the tools to do whatever we want." Wint and the rest of GPC have always leaned on collaboration as a vehicle for expressing their vision, be it a heart-shaped rug for one capsule or a partnership graffiti streetwear pioneer Shirt King Phade for the next. In a world where success seems contingent on popularity, GPC Miami is unfazed by the semantics. They do things the only way Miamians know how: Playing by our own rules.

In an unassuming shopping center on Bird Road lies a time-traveling portal to the past. You wouldn't know it from the outside, but as soon as you enter Miami Twice, you're hurtling back through decades of fashion, jewelry, and eclectic ephemera. Not more than two steps in the door, and the merchandise demands to be seen and lovingly appreciated. Colorful suspenders, neon fishnet fingerless gloves, flapper girl wigs and hats, and elegant 1950s-style dresses — you name it, Miami Twice has got it. Whether you're a fan of classic styles looking to beef up your wardrobe or a cosplayer in search of that certain je ne sais quoi, the wide selection of vintage pieces and unpredictalbe accessories means you'll have a treasure trove to sift through. The ambiance is lively and fun, and the employees bring a youthful energy that acts as a nice contrast to the bygone aesthetic of the merchandise. Miami Twice carries a selection of designer purses and apparel from known brands like Chanel, Versace, and Christian Dior that set it apart from competing stores. If you're in the market to sell, the store buys clothes, jewelry, and vintage items. Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Need that Louboutin red sole replaced? Covered. Investment handbags renewed? Done. The Cobblers has a fleet of artisans who can repair or restore almost anything you throw at them. From boots to zippers to belts, they know their way around vintage and designer goods and everything in between. The tidy, stylish, full-service shop does stellar work, but if you can't make the trip to Little River, by all means order the prepaid shipping kit, then mail in your tattered items and get them back resurrected. After a treatment here, your favorite pieces will look fresh-outta-the-box new.

Pound for pound, dry cleaners might be one of the most colossally underrated service providers. Picking a decent and reliable dry-cleaning service is like choosing a therapist: You can't settle, and you have to go with what feels like the right fit that caters to your specific needs. As one of the highest-reviewed dry cleaners out there, Sudsies is that place for countless Miamians. With three locations in Miami-Dade County alone (Miami, North Miami, and Miami Beach) — and pick-up and delivery service throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties — Sudsies is widely accessible. When the services you offer are also offered at countless other storefronts and locations across the region, it can be hard to stand out in your market. But not if you're Sudsies. The dry cleaner services large non-clothing items such as bedding, area rugs, and comforters, to name but a few. ("Might we add bridal, evening wear, vintage clothing, alterations, restorations, and preservation to our long list of fortes," Sudsies' website proudly boasts.)

Yes, Red, White & Blue is a chain — one that boasts 22 locations nationwide, including one in North Miami and another in Hialeah. But what RW&B lacks in local color it more than makes up in volume. To put it bluntly, Red, White & Blue is huge. As in seriously humongous. Here you'll find a wide range of clothing, as well as items ranging from furniture and fine china and couches to Coach bags and bicycles. The scope of the store's stock cannot be explored in a single 24-hour period — and truckloads of new arrivals are added daily. This is no best-kept secret, either: Lines are long. But it's worth the wait, especially if you're shopping for color day deals to snag additional discounts. Be advised that while North Miami's location accepts credit cards, Hialeah's is cash only. And those looking to narrow their horizons (as it were) should note that the Hialeah RW&B is conveniently located in Flamingo Plaza, which brims with thrift stores.

According to its official listing, the Pawn Shop is located on NW 36th Street in Allapattah. But a more apt description of this particular building's location would be that it is firmly situated on South Florida Postcard Fantasy Lane. With its endearingly gaudy exterior mural featuring an unearthed treasure chest, a parrot, and palm trees beckoning from a beachscape, it's just about impossible not to feel drawn into the place. The store is well-organized, and the hours — unlike those at many pawn storefronts — extend to 8 p.m. on weekdays, cognizant of the fact that a lot of people work 9 to 5. Prefer a remote pawn shopping experience? If you need a quote on the pawn side, give the Pawn Shop a call. And if you're the web browsing type, you can gander at a selection of the merch via ebay.com/usr/thepawnshop_miami.

Imagine a scenario in which you get home from work and decide to investigate the pain you've been feeling in your throat all day. You take your phone's flashlight to the bathroom mirror and open wide, only to discover a Cronenberg-like scene back there involving your tonsils, uvula, and tongue. There's discoloration — ooze, even. You might have a fever, too. Of course, you can't know for sure because you don't own a thermometer, but you're sweating. So you drag yourself to the CVS MinuteClinic, where the nurse takes one look in your mouth and says you need an antibiotic or an exorcism and she isn't qualified to administer either. She sends you to the Baptist Health Urgent Care at Seventh Street and Alton Road. It is 9:30 p.m. They administer a big fat penicillin shot and prescribe a Z-Pak, which you purchase from a vending machine next to the checkout desk. You're in and out in the span of 30 minutes — no waiting around, minimal paperwork, no second stop at the pharmacy, and no priest or holy water needed.