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Mark Waldhauser photo
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Sarah Walor photo
Best Consignment Clothing Shop
Clementine 3118 W. Cary St., 358-2357 Richmond moms Lyn Page and Jane Crooks run Clementine, offering gently worn, stylish clothing for women, none of it more than three years old. When the shop went up for sale last summer, the duo jumped at the opportunity. Last month, the friends opened Clover, a kids' consignment shop across the street from Clementine. 2. The Hall Tree 3. The Butterfly
Best Costume Jewelry
Penelope Visit penelope-jewelry.com for locations. When Penelope opened as a clothing boutique more than 22 years ago, there were about 12 pieces of sterling-silver jewelry displayed in a glass case. And today? "We are known as the silver people," says vice president Missy Wheeler with a laugh. This month, the Short Pump store doubles its space. 2. Bygones 3. Stein Mart
Best Local Bookstore in Which to Browse
Chop Suey 2913 W. Cary St., 422-8066 Before opening Chop Suey in 2002, owner Ward Tefft collected books for four years in New York City — about 10,000 books, to be exact. On the drive to Richmond, his U-Haul broke down across the street from the store's original location. "I had to carry them the final block," Tefft says. Yes, all 10,000 of them. And yet the man still offers to buy used books for cash or credit. 2. The Black Swan 3. Fountain Bookstore
Best Store for Handbags
Nordstrom 11812 W. Broad St., 364-6900 If they're not perusing Nordstrom's most popular section — shoes — female customers make a beeline for the handbags. Manager Lindsey Pearce says six customer-service staffers at Nordstrom work the handbag section, offering trend advice and bag-maintenance tips to customers. The best selling lines are Burberry, Kate Spade, Coach and LongChamp. 2. Saks Fifth Avenue 3. Dillard's
Best Museum Shop
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts 200 N. Boulevard, 340-1525 Erin Kelley, the full-time buyer for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts' gift shop, passionately browses other stores, magazines and trend reports to find one-of-a-kind treasures. Kelley's favorite items to date have been the handblown glass vases and decanters by Los Angeles-based Joe Cariati, whose works are always in surprising shapes and colors. 2. Science Museum of Virginia 3. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Best Maternity Clothes
It's Hip to be Round 3463 W. Cary St., 340-1700 Owner Anne Kennon says she spends as much time getting to know her customers and their lifestyle as she does helping them pick clothing that's right for their particular stage in pregnancy. "Just as trying on the wrong size is a waste of time, so is trying on the wrong clothes," she says, adding that they offer fits for every body type — from business attire to casual pieces. 2. Motherhood Maternity 3. Target
Best Children's Clothes
The Children's Place Visit childrensplace.com for locations. Boys and girls from infant to age 14 can find stylish clothes here — and for great prices. The offerings range from classic looks to trendy outfits. They also carry summer swimwear that has sun protection woven into the suit's fabric. 2. Gymboree 3. (Tie) Baby Gap/Gap Kids/The Gap; Once Upon a Child; Rattle & Roll
Best Gift/Home Accessories Shop
Tweed 4035 Lauderdale Drive, 249-3900 Everything about Tweed — its classy blue walls, its wood floors and its merchandise — is a family affair. Kate Stottlemyer's Short Pump store was an outgrowth of her mom's New Jersey bookstore and designed by her artsy sister in Boston. Recently moving to a bigger location in the same shopping center, Tweed is a haven for tasteful, personalized gifts for all ages. 2. Mongrel 3. Home Goods
Best Baby Furniture
USA Baby 1201 Mall Drive, 379-0987 USA Baby has a whopping 12 lines of baby furniture, says owner Steve Krickovic. And in addition to having cribs in every shape, style and color, the store's sound system delivers an eclectic mix of upbeat tunes while you shop. "We play anything from Metallica to ‘N Sync to Johnny Cash," Krickovic says. 2. Babies "R" Us 3. Rattle & Roll
Best Beach Wear
South Moon Under 11800 W. Broad St., 364-9424 South Moon Under originally launched from a small surf shop in Maryland, so it's only appropriate that it stocks swimwear year-round. The Short Pump store sells at least one swimsuit per week in winter and as many as 50 in the warmer months. The store also offers designer fashions for dry land from Trina Turk and Roxy. 2. Target 3. Everything but Water
Best Store That Taps Into Your Artistic/Craft Side
Ben Franklin Visit bf-crafts.com for locations. The six Ben Franklin stores in the region recently expanded their Bead Corner to the glee of local jewelry artisans. In addition, they help crafty locals expand their creativity with monthly classes in cake decorating, painting, knitting, crocheting and more. 2. All Fired Up 3. Michael's
Best Designer Denim Selection
Need Supply Co. 3010 W. Cary St., 355-5880 In 14 years of business, Need Supply Co. has won the allegiance of shoppers from Richmond to the Ukraine (no joke) with more than 200 denim varieties for both men and women. Owner Chris Bossola says the women always go for the dark skinny jeans while the men grab the raw APC denim. Why? Versatility of course, Bossola says. 2. Saks Fifth Avenue 3. Nordstrom
Best Evening Wear
Lex's of Carytown 3020 W. Cary St., 355-5425 Owner Lisa McSherry's favorite time is prom season. "The energy … is just crazy," she says. Lex's, a participant in the annual Cinderella Dreams project, gives away more than 60 gowns to prom-goers who can't afford them. The shop doesn't skimp on dresses for adult women, either, stocking everything from a simple cocktail dress to all-out, full-length Oscar-worthy gowns. 2. Saks Fifth Avenue 3. Nordstrom
Best Eyeglass Frames
LensCrafters Visit lenscrafters.com for locations. LensCrafters customers can schedule an appointment online, pick out frames and get their eyes checked by an eye doc — all in a single day. And if you purchase frames at one of the region's five LensCrafters, they offer free adjustments for life. 2. For Eyes 3. Costco
Best Fine Jewelry
Fink's Jewelers Visit finks.com for locations. Diamonds — a girl's best friend? Staffers at the family-owned Fink's say it's a close tie between the sparkly rocks and pieces by David Yurman for the store's most popular items. In addition, custom rings for engagements and other occasions are available at the three Richmond-area Fink's. 2. Schwarzschild Jewelers 3. Adolf Jewelers
Best Kids' Shoes
Saxon Shoes 11800 W. Broad St., 285-3473 When Saxon opened downtown in 1953, it was a small shoe store for kids. Now, on any given Saturday, the store sells more kid's shoes before lunch than it did during that whole first year. Gary Weiner, CEO of the family business, says service is their secret; every pair is fitted by a salesperson, then double-checked by a manager. 2. Stride Rite 3. Nordstrom
Best Locally Owned Women's Boutique
Pink 3158 W. Cary St., 358-0884 Pink owner Deborah Boschen aims to give customers the chance to buy dresses they won't see on other fashion-forward women around town by carrying small quantities of items by designers ranging from Rebecca Taylor to Marc by Marc Jacobs. 2. Levys 3. The Phoenix
Best Bridal Wear
Tiffanys Bridal 1517 N. Parham Road, 273-6303 Sharon Townsend displays her 1972 Tiffanys wedding dress in her West End store. After working as a part-time wedding coordinator for 20 years, Townsend bought Tiffanys four years ago. She loves to help brides find the perfect dress among Tiffanys' 200 styles. And she adds that her own dress — with lace and an empire waist — is coming back in style. 2. Bella Rosa 3. Jingles
Best Men's Fashion
Franco's Fine Clothier Visit francos.com for locations. Franco's tailor shop is the backbone of the business, says vice president Kevin Reardon. Reardon recalls that a few months ago, an out-of-towner chose a suit and had it altered all within two hours — due to the mastery of the staff, overseen by Italian-trained Franco Ambrogi, who launched Franco's from a tailoring business he began in his Lakeside garage in 1972. 2. (Tie) Jos. A. Bank; Need Supply Co. 3. Peter-Blair
Best Place to Buy Lingerie
Victoria's Secret Visit victoriassecret.com for locations. This shop is a haven for women's undergarments — from underwear staples to sexy lingerie for a special occasion. The store has also redefined the color pink — plastering their pink logo on totes, umbrellas and the backs of sweatpants. And while some of the store's window displays push the tasteful limit, the free fittings are worth a visit. 2. Kiss & Make-Up 3. Blythe
Best One-of-a-Kind Gifts
Mongrel 2924 W. Cary St., 342-1272 Mongrel opened 20 years ago during an economic slump. "A lot of people questioned — are you crazy?" says co-owner Stan McCulloch. But the store — selling spot-on gift items and cards — has thrived in its Carytown location thanks to unusual offerings such as a sock-monkey holder for wine. But its biggest sellers are cards — 4,000 varieties, to be exact. 2. Tweed 3. World of Mirth
Best Hardware Store with Folks Who Know
Pleasants Hardware Visit pleasantshardware.com for locations. When Pleasants' staffers offer advice on anything repair-related — they know what they're talking about. President James Hatcher says the staff's average stint at local stores is 14 years. The weirdest sale he's ever made? Heavy-duty vinyl to construct a mud-wrestling ring in a customer's basement. "I have no idea how it turned out," he says with a laugh. 2. Lowe's 3. Ace Hardware
Best Pet-Centric Store
PetSmart Visit petsmart.com for locations. PetSmart's friendly staffers provide training tips and explain food types for your particular breed. The stores also offer a series of training classes and adoption opportunities out front via local rescue groups on weekends. Make sure to grab a free treat for your pet, available at every register. 2. Dogma 3. Three Dog Bakery
Best Department Store
Nordstrom 11812 W. Broad St., 364-6900 Since 2003, Short Pump's Nordstrom has delivered 144,000-square feet of style — and customer service. Manager Lindsey Pearce says there is no set return policy, but the staff is educated to care for customers case by case — "We stand by our product," Pearce says. They also offer in-store alterations, free style consultations and a shoeshine station. And to think, the first Nordstrom, which opened in Seattle in 1901, just sold shoes. 2. Macy's 3. Kohl's
Best Civic-Minded Auto Dealer
Dominion Auto Group
12050 W. Broad St., 364-4500
Every holiday season, Dominion conducts a fundraiser for the SPCA. Last year, they raised $5,000 through texting. The auto dealer also sponsors the downtown Christmas parade. Dominion president Ted Linhart's favorite memory of growing up in the business? Having Dan Blocker — Eric "Hoss" Cartwright on Bonanza — attend the 1965 grand opening of a new location: 95,000 showed up over four days.
2. CarMax
3. (Tie) Pearson; Whitten Brothers
Best Baby Strollers/Gear
Babies "R" Us
9004 W. Broad St., 747-4720; 13315 Rittenhouse Drive, 744-2595
There is no CarMax for baby strollers. But if there was one — and it only sold new cars — it might look something like Babies "R" Us. With several aisles of this chain store devoted to strollers and their attendant gear, this may be your one-stop shop for strolling strong with your kids in tow.
2. weebsworld
3. Tots on the Go
