The Shop Around the Corner provides a quiet place of refuge for shoppers in Fallbrook

For shop owner Theresa Morris, The Shop Around the Corner in Fallbrook is more than just a retail location.

"There's a lot more that happens here than meets the eye," Morris said. "Though I thought I was starting a bookstore/gift store, from the very beginning, probably within the first couple of days, I had people coming in who were complete strangers to me that would come in and look around.

"I'd start chatting with them, we'd end up sitting and having coffee and tea, and an hour later even big, burly strong men are with the tissue box, crying, hugging me as they walk out the door an hour la...