Founded in the early 1800s at the confluence of the Beaver and Ohio rivers, Beaver is a bucolic town of more than 4,700 people with well-kept Victorian homes tucked amid the borough's tree-lined streets.

Rich in history and the county seat of Beaver County, Beaver is about 35 miles northwest of Downtown Pittsburgh. It offers a flat, walkable business district along Third Street that's lined with boutiques, art galleries, gift shops, bakeries and other services.

The community celebrates Light-Up Night from 7 to 10 p.m. Nov. 28 in Irvine Park at Market and Third streets. Children will visit with Santa as the streets light up to welcome the Christmas shopping season.

A big draw that brings people to the community is the Wooden Angel, renowned for its fine-dining menu and its extensive all-American wine list. Established in 1968, the Wooden Angel has won numerous awards, including the Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence in 2007. It's located off the business district at Sharon Road and Leopard Lane.

Another food destination is Cafe Kolache, at 402 Third St., a coffee shop and bakery where you'll be able to sample kolaches, the slightly sweetened yeast dough that has complemented traditional Czech meals. The traditional kolache is filled with apricot, cottage cheese, poppy seed and/or lekvar (prune butter). Cafe Kolache offers nearly 30 varieties filled with fruits, meats, cheeses or veggies, making its versions an option for breakfast, lunch or dessert. There's also a full-service coffee bar and a menu that includes salads, soups, biscotti and other sweets.

A couple of blocks down Third Street is Kretchmar's Bakery, famous for its butterflake rolls, torts, hand-decorated specialty cakes, puff pastries and more. (Watch a video at its Web site, www.kbakery.com, and start salivating.)

The reputation of the savory Neapolitan pies at Mario's Woodfired Pizzeria at 406 Third St. also brings people to Beaver. As China Millman, the Post-Gazette's dining critic, attests, the "Pizza Speciale" is hard to resist. Work off all that food by buying a bike at the independently owned Snitger's Bicycle Store at the corner of Third and Beaver. Not only does the shop offer adult and children's brands, but also it organizes group bike rides from the store. Snitger's sells a full selection of clothing, car racks, helmets, child carriers, eyewear and other equipment you'll need.

Celebrating its 70th year is Shirley Shoppe, which offers petite to misses fashions in sizes 2 to 20. The shop sells dresses, coats, coordinates and fashion accessories such as jewelry, handbags, Brighton jewelry items and Spanx Body Shapers.

For boys and girls clothing, there is Purple Frogs at 433 Third St. Here you'll find a wide array of outfits, from infants to size 16, including special occasion clothing for confirmations, christenings, flower girl dresses and more.

For other jewelry options, there are Cirelli's Fine Jewelry at 676 Third St. (cfjewelry.com) and Allan Jewelers at 500 Third St. (www.allanjewelers.com). Both of these have online catalogs to browse.

While strolling along the business district, check out Inspirosity Inc. ("Where curious minds come to be inspired"), a 3,000-square-foot fine-art gallery that not only exhibits and sells fine art, but holds yoga sessions and portrait drawing classes. Among its more edgier exhibits was last month's "Darkened Windows to the Soulless," one of the largest collections of original artwork created by murderers and serial killers ever put on display.

There are far more businesses to mention than we can include here. Fortunately, this picturesque town, which served as a backdrop for scenes in the 2000 movie "Wonder Boys" and 1986's "Gung Ho," has the active Beaver Area Chamber of Commerce at 469 Third St. (beaverareachamber.com). The office has detailed maps available of the shopping district for customers unfamiliar with the borough's rich array of shops, galleries and restaurants.

First Published: November 15, 2008, 10:00 a.m.