Goods & Services >>

• Best Letterpressers
  See Saw Designs
  Now that Phoenix has "made it," we're all searching for the little things to help round out our city's Mid-Century Modern aesthetic. And See Saw is here to deliver. Run by six young and talented designers and boasting two massive old-school letterpresses, See Saw is more than an Urban... More >>
• Best Art Supplies
  Wet Paint Artist Supply
  So you've run out of gouache and if you don't get some fast, your artistic muse will leave you. No worries. Head to Ash Avenue in Tempe and talk to the good people at Wet Paint. Whether you're in need of blue Prismacolor pencils to lay down the sketches for your next Web comic or bamboo brushes... More >>
• Best "Out of the Box" Art Supplies
  The Town Dump
  Painters have it easy when it comes to sourcing materials. Paints and canvases are available at art shops, craft stores, even Wal-Mart. On the other hand, if you specialize in "found object" or recycled art, you'll likely be stuck scouring back alleys and diving through smelly dumpsters, unless... More >>
• Best Place to Get Creative on the Cheap
  Dollar Tree
  For those who lust after art and craft supplies, there is only one place you need to visit to completely load up. Sorry, but it ain't fancy. The good news, though, is that there's likely one in your neighborhood. Dollar Tree dollar stores (and we're not talking about just any dollar store; it's... More >>
• Best Place to Prep for Your Project Runway Audition
  Bernina Connection
  Ready yourself for Project Runway status by learning how to sew at this cute-as-a-button shop in Phoenix. Bernina Connection offers "bring your own project" open sessions on nights and weekends; just bring snacks to share and come ready to giggle with the local gals. Don't worry about the fact... More >>
• Best Fabric Store
  Tempe Sales
  Ready to bust out on a DIY project using some vintage or vintage-looking fabric? If you haven't been to Tempe Sales, get yourself over there. The store carries everything you need for your upholstery projects and then some — not only fabric, but also vinyl and leather in every groovy... More >>
• Best Bead Store
  Beads Galore
  We love that arts and crafts are in vogue, and we're always looking for fresh ways to get our maker fix. If you or a crafty friend want your pupils to dilate, just stop by the enormous Beads Galore brick-and-mortar store. Sure, its online shop probably has what you need with a click of a mouse,... More >>
• Best Scrapbook Supplies (1 Comment)
  Crop Girls
  As one Crop Girls customer pointed out on our most recent visit, scrapbooking is the one crafty hobby that people seem to stick to — as evidenced by the fact the store is always packed. We'll travel clear across the Valley to go to Crop Girls, which has the best selection of vintage paper... More >>
• Best Late-Night Arts and Crafts
  The Craft Retreat
  It's 10 p.m. on a Saturday and your crafty self is stuck home with nothing to do. You've already thumbed through the latest Martha Stewart Living. Twice. You watched reruns of HGTV's The Carol Duvall Show until you wanted to hot-glue your eyes shut. Yeah, we've been there. Thankfully, there's... More >>
• Best Place to Buy Art You Can Manhandle
  Practical Art
  Ever been "finger-wagged" by one of those serious-as-cancer security guards at the Phoenix Art Museum? You know, you sneak in for a closer look at one of the paintings, and the guard is in your face, index finger zipping back and forth like a windshield wiper? Hey, it's their job; we get it.... More >>
• Best Place to Buy Art You Can Afford
  Art One
  Kraig Foote had a brilliant idea. He invited students to sell their art at a gallery on high-end Marshall Way in Scottsdale. The students get a start, the customers get a bargain. Genius, right? We think so, and obviously so does the market — Foote has teetered, for sure, but he hasn't... More >>
• Best Budget Flowers
  Half-price loose stems on Fridays
  Once we find a flower shop we like, we latch on as if it were our hairdresser. So we understand if you don't feel right about even reading this. But if you're new in town, or your florist moved to Vegas, or you're ready to cheat on whoever usually trims your stems, Phoenix Flower Shops is a... More >>
• Best Alternative to Sending Flowers
  Urban Cookies
  Flowers are overdone. Edible Arrangements look a little creepy. So when you care enough to send the very best, send cookies! Urban Cookies creates adorable care packages for any occasion under the blazing sun. Each brown box is customized with a design of your choosing and squared off with a... More >>
• Best Baking Supplies
  ABC Cake Decorating Supplies
  From the professional pastry chef to the neophyte fondant user to the 6-year-old looking for anything with Elmo on it, ABC has it — and a pretty pink bakery box to put it in. We're pretty sure this place carries every Wilton product on the market; you can find cake toppers for every... More >>
• Best Cooking Supplies
  Le Gourmet Chef
  Don't laugh at us, but we needed a new meat thermometer. Our heart was set on the Redi-Fork Digital Probe Thermometer with Detachable Tines and Rapid Read TipTake, but who wants to pay retail for such a high-end item? We certainly didn't, so we headed out to Le Gourmet Chef and almost wished,... More >>
• Best Knife Shop
  Phoenix Knife House
  The only confusing thing about this amazing pointy emporium is its name: Phoenix Knife House is located in Scottsdale. Geography aside, everything about Eytan Zias' knife shop makes perfect sense. Zias is a former chef whose love for all things sharp led him to open a store that also offers... More >>
• Best Spice Shop
  Penzeys Spices
  After Googling the daylights out of "where to buy smoked paprika," imagine our delight in discovering that the most-recommended online spice shop boasts one of its 41 worldwide retail outlets right here in Scottsdale. With soft green walls and clever crate displays housing spices from around the... More >>
• Best Place to Buy Bulk Herbs
  Chakra 4
  If Viagra isn't your bag, maybe damiana leaf is. The Mexican-grown herb's one of many supposed aphrodisiac herbs available at Chakra 4, a shop chock-full of bulk herbs for just about any ailment. Patrons can pick from hundreds of herbs, including astragalus root (supposedly an immune booster),... More >>
• Best Oil and Vinegar
  Cucina Olive Oils
  There are just a few tasting grounds for serious gourmets in the Valley, and we've discovered a new hot spot. Cucina Olive Oils does just two things but does them with panache: gourmet olive oils and vinegars. Huge vats line this quaint, Tuscan-themed boutique, and there are tiny, plastic shot... More >>
• Best Coffee Beans
  Cartel Coffee Lab
  Not only does this indie serve some of the best-brewed pick-me-ups in the Valley, but it also offers its bomb-diggity coffee beans for sale. Some of our faves include the fancy-pants Black Market Espresso, with its hint of grapefruit (sounds yucky, but it's fantastic), and roasts from Brazil and... More >>
• Best New Coffee House (1 Comment)
  Lola Coffee
  If Lola Coffee seems familiar, that's no surprise. It may remind you a bit of Lux, a coffeehouse down the street that originally was owned by Daniel Wayne, the same guy bringing you this latest offering. Lola's got big tables, comfortable chairs, lots of light and delicious, fresh-roasted... More >>
• Best Coffee House, Central Phoenix
  Hob Nobs
  We go there every Sunday morning, for a bunch of different reasons: We love the massive remodel of the place, which turned the former hippie-dippy Willo House into a sleek-but-still-cozy coffee shop that feels like someone's well-appointed home. We're crazy about the quiche and the tasty baked... More >>
• Best Coffee House, West Valley
  Cabin Coffee
  Appearances, as they say, can be deceiving. For proof, look no further than Cabin Coffee. Before walking into this north Glendale java place, we expected the usual coffeehouse decor pastiche of leather easy chairs and faux cherrywood furniture, with maybe even a few Ansel Adams framed photos... More >>
• Best Coffee House, Northeast Valley
  Cave Creek Coffee Company and Wine Bar
  A bustling yet intimate gathering place that attracts an eclectic crowd of old cowboys (or city slickers pretending to be old cowboys), businesspeople, tourists, hipsters, and other riff-raff to the main drag in this small-town oasis. Open every morning at 6:30, the popular java joint offers a... More >>
• Best Coffee House, Southeast Valley
  Bergie's Coffee Roast House
  Oh, brother! There are a few reasons we fell in love with this place from the moment we saw it. First, it's run by easygoing 40-something siblings Bruce and Brian Bergeson, whose personable nature is kinda infectious. Then there's the fact they chose a deliciously enchanting cottage located... More >>
• Best Coffee House, Mesa (4 Comments)
  Inside the Bungalow
  The marriage of caffeine and yoga may seem strange. However, such a bold combination can make a traditionally comatose area worth visiting more often. This downtown Mesa spot formerly known as Coffee Talk pretty much looks the same — the wedding-day-like front patio still beckons visitors... More >>
• Best Coffee House, Tempe
  SOLO Café
  Sure, there are a few indie coffee house options in downtown Tempe. But if you're willing to drive a bit south just past U.S. 60, you'll find the totally-worth-the-trek SOLO Café. Open for almost two years now, this seven-day-a-week space serves up some mean and tasty espresso drinks as... More >>
• Best Coffee House, Scottsdale (1 Comment)
  Village Coffee Roastery
  The best part of waking up is kicking that can of stale-ass "coffee" to the curb and getting a cup of the good stuff. Where do we go? In Scottsdale, you'd best believe it's Village Coffee Roastery, where the coffee isn't just delicious; it's scientific. The fine roasters at VCR have "combined... More >>
• Best Japanese Convenience Store
  Fujiya Market
  Irashaimase! The best things in life aren’t free. In fact, they’re a little expensive. Still, a life without C.C. Lemon soda, miniature Gundam figurines or pre-packaged bento boxes is no life at all, or so says a true Japanophile. That’s why we frequent Fujiya Market when we need goods from... More >>
• Best Place to Give the Dog a Bath — and a Treat
  Wag N' Wash
  The thing about being a dog is that you're subject to the will of your owner. Sure, you can bark and whine, but you're going to be stuck wearing a pink fuzzy sweater and eating tofu dogs if your master demands it. Whimper. Good thing there's Wag N' Wash, where owners can pamper their pooches... More >>
• Best Pet Boutique
  Oliver & Annie
  We have absolutely nothing against PetSmart. The local favorite is a good corporate citizen and a great place to shop for everything from dog food to a new pet fish. But Oliver & Annie is to PetSmart what a stylish little clothing boutique is to Target: a small, lovely complement. This tiny... More >>
• Best Boutique (1 Comment)
  Frances
  Oh, Frances, how we love you. Actually, we never knew you, because you are Georganne Bryant's late grandmother and the namesake of her north-central Phoenix boutique, which in just three years has become a retail mainstay in that neck of the woods. Bryant stocks her little shop with cool women's... More >>
• Best Retail Vision
  The Duce
  Steve and Andi Rosenstein are big thinkers, which is good, because they've got 15,000 square feet of space to fill, and the Anchor Manufacturing Building on Central and Lincoln is their new project. Built in 1928, this historic spot has housed everything from a car dealership to a garage for... More >>
• Best Retail Bliss (1 Comment)
  Domestic Bliss
  The plush linens, vintage baubles, and flirty sundresses at this chic boutique practically sell themselves, but owners Kristin and Dan Alber and their creative staff really want you to get "blissed out." They've got craft kits and supplies for domestic divas to make everything from felt cupcakes... More >>
• Best Retail Co-Op
  Pink House
  Don't let the cutesy name fool you — this fun shop is aimed at the tattooed, tough-as-nails set who adore vintage threads and elbowing each other on the flat track. Pink House started out as a furniture shop, but gradually transformed into a funky fashion-forward boutique with about a... More >>
• Best Reason to Shop in a Down Economy
  Bag Dayz at Rowdy Boutique
  We just assumed, based on the chic little cocktail dresses in the window of this two-year-old central Phoenix clothing shop, that Rowdy Boutique would be a bit too chi-chi for our tastes. Thank God for second impressions: A friend told us about Bag Dayz, and we've been regulars ever since. Buy... More >>
• Best Shopping on Roosevelt Row
  MADE Art Boutique
  Ever notice how some boutique shops rotate stock so infrequently that their selection is as stale as a week-old doughnut? That's why we love MADE, whose fresh stock has yielded new treasures every time we've popped in for First Friday. This artsy little shop offers a unique collection of... More >>
• Best Shopping on Grand Avenue
  Devious Wigs & Things
  Devious Wigs & Things is like the Cheers of vintage shops — after a couple of times pawing through their unpredictable selection, the entire Devious family knows your name and can point you to the leather bomber or Steve Madden purse your heart desires. The front room features a large... More >>
• Best T-Shirts
  Brand X
  There's a screen-printed shirt inside Brand X on Mill Avenue that says "Custom T-Shirts Are the New Mix Tapes." We have to agree. In an era where it's all too easy to pop out a personalized mixtape or Photoshopped greeting card, getting a T-shirt printed still seems like a genuinely thoughtful... More >>
• Best Ruffles
  Contagious Boutique
  If you enjoy being a girl, this trendy clothing boutique in downtown Mesa is a must-visit. Step in the door and you're instantly transported to a frilly wonderland of pink. Everything is under $50, and though you won't find brand names like Guess or Bebe here, you can score a designer look... More >>
• Best Kid Boutique for Moms (1 Comment)
  Loveland
  Yes, Loveland — a new little boutique in that strip center at Mill and Baseline that we've always thought looks a little bit like the set for The Music Man — has adorable children's clothing. Appliqued T's, handmade tutus, teeny-tiny kiddy luggage and barrettes, and a few choice... More >>
• Best Resource for Phoenix Parents
  Raising Arizona Kids
  So many decisions, so little time, so much advice from possibly shoddy sources. What's a parent to do? Pick up a copy of Raising Arizona Kids. From schools to camps to where to throw your kid's birthday party, the monthly parenting magazine has your back. RAK recently celebrated its 20th... More >>
• Best College Aid
  College Depot
  Arizona legislators (and governor!), take note. We're got a living, breathing example of just how much good a little bit of public money can do for students. Housed in a beautiful new center in the Burton Barr Central Library, designed by the library's original architect, Will Bruder, College... More >>
• Best Supplies for an Earth Mama
  Healthy Baby Happy Earth
  If you're a mom who's serious about her eco-conscious rep, the recycling bin and the Prius aren't going to cut it. To really reduce your carbon footprint, head to Healthy Baby Happy Earth for all the environmentally friendly infant goodies you can possibly desire. The boutique stocks organic... More >>
• Best Secondhand Clothes for Kids (1 Comment)
  Kid to Kid
  Those in the know are aware — painfully, at times — that kids outgrow their clothes at a far faster rate than they wear them out. We're talking about clothes, but also about toys, books, and furniture. So what to do with all the leftovers (other than give them to Goodwill, stash them... More >>
• Best Vintage Boy Toys
  Smilin' Jack's Pedal Cars
  Remember pedal cars, those miniature metal machines that were foot-powered and looked exactly like Dad's classic Thunderbird? Take a trip back to the good old days at Smilin' Jack's and you'll find plenty of the real thing — vintage-style pedal cars with chrome accents and fins as well as... More >>
• Best Vintage Girl Toys
  Auntie Em's Miniatures
  The shelves of today's toy stores are stocked with plastic cell phones and dolls that make a Van Buren Street hooker look elegant. That's why we adore Auntie Em's, where old-fashioned dollhouses and fully clothed dolls reign supreme. The feminine yin to Smilin' Jack's Pedal Cars' yang, Auntie... More >>
• Best Vintage Clothing
  Retro Ranch
  This funky store is stocked with a whole lot more than your typical coterie of furniture, barware, and velvet Elvis paintings. The owner's eagle eye has scored an eclectic selection of clothing so enticing it would make Carrie Bradshaw — and Sarah Jessica Parker — jealous. Cheery... More >>
• Best Vintage Jeans
  Blue Jean Buyer
  The Blue Jean Buyer is a magical place. You can walk in and pick out any pair of jeans, boots, belt and T-shirt, and you're about as close to being Keith Richards as you're going to get without having a few blood transfusions. With an astounding collection of vintage Levi's, T-shirts, cowboy... More >>
• Best Clothing Exchange
  Sunset Clothing Xchange
  It's a shopper's dream come true to hit a hot streak in a store. When you find so much that you actually have to put things back to keep the total ticket down, you experience the glory of pure consumerism . . . and you're beautiful. This happens to us every single time we walk through the doors... More >>
• Best Retro Cocktailwear
  Hollywood Regency
  We finally wrangled an invitation to Lewis and John's annual snooty-boots cocktail soiree, only to discover that its hosts insist on "formal vintage eveningwear" in order to get through the door. We made a beeline for Hollywood Regency, because we knew that the proprietress, Heidi Owens, had a... More >>
• Best High-End Antiques (1 Comment)
  Antique Trove
  There's a booth among the many at Antique Trove that carries nothing but big, beautiful pieces from the south of France. We go there sometimes just to ogle the Napoleon armoire and the glass-and-mahogany wet bar. Don't get us wrong; sometimes we go to Antique Trove to actually buy stuff, like... More >>
• Best Antiques on a Budget
  Fat Cat Antiques
  The gal who runs this place loves to chat, but she'll also leave you alone to wander through this old house in the ghost-town stretch of East Indian School Road. You'll find everything from neatly arranged Barbie clothes (hey, everything is neatly arranged in this shop; no digging through boxes... More >>
• Best Overhaul of an Old Favorite Antique Shop
  Historic District Antique Mall
  We cannot tell a lie: We stopped shopping at this, one of the biggest antique malls in town. Not because their stuff was expensive or because we never found anything we liked there, but because the guy who ran the place was a tyrant. We got tired of being yelled at for asking how much a floor... More >>
• Best Mid-Century Furnishings
  Red Modern Furniture
  Jonesing for a rosewood and leather sofa by Hans Olsen? Dying for a pair of Eames chairs? Won't sleep 'til you own a Milo Baughman cocktail table? Have no idea what we're talking about? Even if it's the latter, we bet you'll appreciate a trip to Red Modern Furniture, if only for the sheer... More >>
• Best Modern Living
  haus modern living
  At haus, a Saarinen Womb Chair can be yours for a cool $2,943. Or you can pick up a Jack Spade messenger bag for $90. Either way, your impeccable taste will be on display. We first spotted Jonathan Adler's clever Prozac jars on the shelves at this modern-mainstay, and every time we visit, we... More >>
• Best French Connection (1 Comment)
  Paris Envy
  Wandering inside Paris Envy on Seventh Avenue is a bit like strolling through the Marché aux Puces St-Ouen flea market in Paris. You'll find ornate headboards, shimmering chandeliers, curvy vanities, and a host of other authentic and reproduced French-style treasures. Even the walls say,... More >>
• Best Dry Cleaner
  Krisply Kleen
  We always swore that whatever dry cleaner was closest was good enough for us. So why do find ourselves driving crosstown just to visit Michael and Kevin at Krisply Kleen? It's not just because they're charming, although that certainly helps. These guys run a tight ship, with brand-new,... More >>
• Best Vintage Stove Repair
  805 Stoveworks
  We were feeling so smug about the cool 1940s Kenmore gas range we bought from a neighbor. All gleaming white enamel and chrome, it screamed to us from across the street to take it home and bake something in it. We did — or tried to. We knew, once we quieted the shrill shriek of the carbon... More >>
• Best Place to Get Your Time Machine Fixed
  Classic Automotive
  It's a bit of a mystery, but somehow, Classic Automotive in Queen Creek has become a go-to shop for the Arizona DeLorean Club, a group of enthusiasts dedicated to preserving the stainless steel coupes manufactured in the early '80s by a long-defunct company and used as Doc Brown's time machine... More >>
• Best Car Wash
  Lindstrom's Family Car Wash
  We had rather an odd problem: Our former favorite car wash is owned by someone who's a little obsessive about keeping one's car clean. We grew tired of taking it on the chin every time we pulled up in our usually filthy two-door coupe, and went looking for someplace we liked as well. We ended up... More >>
• Best Place to Buy E-85 (Ethanol) for Your Flex-Fuel Vehicle
  Western States Petroleum
  We sometimes refer to ethanol as the conservative's alternative fuel. It's not a whole lot better for the environment, but buying it helps Midwest corn farmers and reduces the amount of oil needed from the Saudis and Hugo Chávez. Trouble is, we learned after purchasing a flex-fuel vehicle... More >>
• Best Cab Company
  Yellow Cab Company
  We may not be afraid of writing about Sheriff Joe, but when it comes to drunk driving, we'll admit that we're terrified of the consequences. Forty-five days in jail for an extreme DUI? Yikes. Of course, that doesn't mean we've cut back on our drinking — but we have found ourselves getting... More >>
• Best Drive-Thru Liquor Store
  Melrose Liquors
  In other parts of the world, the concept of a drive-thru liquor store is probably illegal, let alone indulgent and mostly unnecessary. Here, it's one of the perks of living in the desert. Phoenicians know that turning off the air conditioner for even a second is unthinkable, even if it's to stop... More >>
• Best Old-School Liquor Store (1 Comment)
  Tops Liquor
  We love a wide selection — particularly when it's of booze — but the last time we called one of those liquor mega-stores, looking for a particular brand, the guy on the phone sneered, "Look on our Web site," and practically hung up. We'd like our vodka tonic with a twist of customer... More >>
• Best Selection of Airplane-Sized Liquors
  Chandler Liquors
  From the funky vintage sign to its dusty catacombs of shelving, we dig the vibe at this downtown Chandler liquor store. But it's the vast selection of airplane-sized liquor bottles lining the wall behind the cashier's booth that caught our eye. The answer was a curt "no" when we asked to go back... More >>
• Best Cigars
  Habanos Torres Cigar Factory
  Though he recently moved to classier digs in downtown Mesa (estimated square footage of the old store: 10), there are still much fancier cigar shops than Habanos Torres Cigar Factory. But how many other shops have a torcedore working on your smokes while you peruse the humidor? Timothy Torres, a... More >>
• Best Head Shop
  Paraphernalia Boutique
  Dude, where's the best place in Phoenix to pick up a hookah (besides Van Buren)? Paraphernalia Boutique, a charming little store with burglar bars on the windows and every possible accessory to help you get your smoke on. In addition to the expected stash of incense and shisha, Paraphernalia... More >>
• Best Place to Stop and Smell the Patchouli
  Hippie Gypsy
  If you're looking for hard-to-find incense, follow your nose to Hippie Gypsy. The hookah and head shop carries a huge variety of smelly sticks, cones, and oil for your olfactory pleasure — or obfuscation. The store carries traditional scents like sandalwood, strawberry, jasmine, and... More >>
• Best Nursery
  Harper's Nursery
  If you don't know your asarina from your elephant's foot, the über-friendly staff at Harper's Nursery is happy to help out. This family-owned nursery's been around since the victory gardens of WWII, and it's got it all: a garden club, discount days, landscape design services, garden... More >>
• Best Exotic Nursery
  Tropica Mango
  We've heard of people growing fruit in the desert — yeah, like prickly pear. But bananas? Mangos? No way. Yes way, say the folks at Tropica Mango, a perennial favorite of Sunset magazine as well as local gardeners in the know. Located in the stretch of south Phoenix once reserved for... More >>
• Best Place to Spruce Up Your Porch
  Figs Home & Garden
  Yes, this is a "home" and "garden" place, but for us, the porch is the embodiment of both home and garden. It's the inside, but outside. A space you can furnish like a room and treat like a garden at the same time. Figs, located in the Melrose District of central Phoenix, is packed with a mix of... More >>
• Best Gardener
  Dave Owens
  Do you ever notice that your urge to garden is strongest when you've been out of town? On a recent trip to Los Angeles, we marveled at a friend's ginormous zucchini and lusted after his squash. "If he can do it, so can we!" we told ourselves, only to return home to a brown lawn and dying... More >>
• Best Bookstore
  Changing Hands
  Believe it or not, we work on the Best of Phoenix issue all year long. This time around, when we dug up our file of potential BOPs, as we call them, we noticed that most of the ideas had one thing in common: Changing Hands Bookstore. We'd saved a notice about the store's outdoors program, which... More >>
• Best Collectible Bookstore
  Book Gallery
  Our holy grail since the early '80s was a copy — we'd have even settled for a dirty, torn, library discard copy — of Cornelia Otis Skinner's Dithers and Jitters. We despaired of ever finding this mid-century essay collection, but that's because we'd forgotten, somehow and however... More >>
• Best Budget Bookstore
  Thrifty Joe's Books & Music
  When you're looking for a new copy of Lolita in Tehran or the latest Stephen King thriller, there are a dozen big-box bookstores waiting to suck up your hard-earned cash. But if you don't mind a good treasure hunt for your new-release book, Thrifty Joe's is the place to go. This used bookstore... More >>
• Best Magazine Rack
  Borders
  It pains us to give this award to a chain store, but we are here to serve you, dear reader, and the truth is that there's no greater magazine selection in town than at the Biltmore Borders. We could lose ourselves for hours (and we have) in this store's magazine rack — testament that the... More >>
• Best Budget Magazine Rack
  Bookmans Entertainment Exchange
  We stood at a magazine rack the other night, holding a $25 (we kid you not) design magazine in our sweaty hands, and had one thought: "Do they have this used at Bookmans?" If you've never been to the magazine section at one of the Bookmans locations in town, we suggest you drop this issue and... More >>
• Best Place to Buy a Graphic Novel
  Samurai Comics
  If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a graphic novel must be worth a billion. That's why when we want more than 24 pages of comic action, we head to Samurai Comics. If you're the sort of troubled soul who prefers gritty, graphic novels like 30 Days of Night, Samurai's got you covered. Do you... More >>
• Best Place to Buy a Comic Book
  Ash Ave. Comics
  We're not sure there's a reason to leave the corner of Ash and University. There, you have access to great coffee, pizza, piercings, Casey Moore's, and one incredible comic shop: Ash Ave. Comics. If single issues or superheroes are your thing, look no further. Ash Ave. has enough plastic-sleeved... More >>
• Best Adult Toy Store
  Red Hot Robot
  Paying hundreds of dollars for a vinyl figurine may seem like madness. We prefer to think of it as dedication. You never have to grow up as long as Red Hot Robot is around to surprise your inner child with wacky plastic toys, zonked-out artwork, and dozens of books full of vector art. Grab a... More >>
• Best S&M Supplies
  Fetish Falls
  PVC dress. Check. Riding crop. Check. Gas mask. What?? If you've been trolling the 'Net to find good bondage wear or, God forbid, slumming it at Hot Topic, you clearly haven't visited Fetish Falls. What started as an at-home craft shop for making the colorful "Cyberlox" clip-on pigtails... More >>
• Best Selection of Cheeky Greeting Cards
  Unique On Central
  Though most of Unique On Central's merchandise caters to the gay and lesbian community (rainbow jewelry, spandex swimwear, gay erotica), the store's greeting card selection is a hoot for heterosexuals and homosexuals alike. Owner Doug Klinge says that people constantly come in and giggle over... More >>
• Best Party Favors
  Mona the Magnet Lady
  Ah, the Magnet Lady. First, Mona sets up shop in a corner of a wedding reception, a bar mitzvah, a quinceañera, or whatever special event you may host. Then, she asks passersby to pose for a photo or three, with whomever they like. Now comes the good part. Before you say your goodbyes,... More >>
• Best Nail Art
  Quality Nails
  Here in the Valley of the Flip-Flops, toes are all-important. And it's not enough anymore to simply sport a pleasing shade that hasn't chipped yet. You'd better deliver some bling on those toes, or at least a mini-mural. Good news: Quality Nails steps up toenail design to a new level. The small... More >>
• Best Skateboard Shop
  Cowtown Skateboards
  When it's time to hit the decks, there's no doubt that Cowtown is the only choice for us. There's just something about walking into the store that makes our heart race a little faster. While it could be the constant stream of the newest skateboarding videos showcasing the latest in Skate-or-Die... More >>
• Best Bike Shop
  Slippery Pig Bike Shop
  Cyclists can be really picky: The seat's too wide, the fork's too long, the wheels are too squishy, there's more than an ounce of fat on my body. With the exception of the latter, your bicycling needs can be met at central Phoenix's Slippery Pig, a serious bike shop for serious bikers. This... More >>
• Best Place to Sell CDs
  Zia Records
  In these tight times, it's time to cut away the excess. Do you really need all those Snoop Dogg CDs? Zia will be happy to consider taking them and any other CDs off your hands. Ever since Brad Singer founded the record store nearly 30 years ago, people have taken their unwanted music into the... More >>
• Best Place to Buy CDs
  Stinkweeds
  If you're like us, it takes forever to take a trip to the record store. The experience is less a transaction than a balancing act: Which new releases to pick up? Which unheard classic to finally delve into? Once you have a stack of CDs, it's time to thin the herd with cash-flow considerations.... More >>
• Best Vinyl (2 Comments)
  Revolver Records
  We don't just listen to vinyl records because they're retro cool. Their analog recordings capture the whole sound, while CDs and MP3s actually miss little bits and pieces of the sound wave. The only prob is that platters are hard to find and often in poor condition. When we want the best... More >>
• Best Way to Get a Quick-and-Easy Demo (1 Comment)
  Ray Reeves
  We know. Your band rules, but: a) you can't afford studio time; and b) no way can a clinical recording environment capture the energy and general awesomeness of your live performances. Well, guess what? There's a local drummer and professional audio engineer by the name of Ray Reeves who goes... More >>
• Best Dude Who Will Fix Your Broken Music Gear
  Matthew Averill of Field Services Audio
  Averil, employed by the locally owned repair shop that fixes speakers, amps, soundboards, mixers, Line 6 pedals, and P.A. systems, repairs gear (except instruments) for many of downtown's musicians. And since he's part of the scene and not a shady stranger, he'll tell you straight-up what needs... More >>
• Best Place to Do Your Laundry and Hear Live Music
  Washouse
  The in-shambles laundrette on the southeast corner of Seventh and Portland streets is the last place you'd expect to host live music. But thanks to Rocky Yazzie of local rock group Skinwalkers, you can be serenaded by live grooves as you do loads of whites and darks. Normally held on the first... More >>
• Best Advertising (1 Comment)
  Michael Little
  If you've spent substantial time in downtown Phoenix, you've at least heard of Michael Little. At this point, the sometimes homeless, self-taught painter and musician is a legend among folks who live, work, or play in the Roosevelt Row arts district. Little hasn't had a day job in over 10... More >>
• Best-Looking Bank
  JP Morgan Chase Bank
  Some people call it "The Flintstones Bank." Others call it "that strange VNB over on 44th Street." But whatever you call it, you gotta love this flagstone-studded Chase bank branch, which the city is trying to get listed as an historic landmark. Built in 1968, the unique structure and its... More >>
• Best Green Thumb
  Maya Dailey
  Farming in Phoenix is surely a labor of love. From the inescapable heat to the lack of rain, the deck is stacked against anyone who might dare to coax food or flowers from our desert soil. Maya Dailey does just that. From her 1.5-acre Maya's Farm at The Farm at South Mountain, Maya's hard work... More >>
• Best Use of Vintage Bump Chenille
  Beatrice Moore, Kooky Krafts Shop
  She came to Phoenix meaning to paint, but Beatrice Moore, long considered the godmother of the downtown Phoenix arts community, instead wound up in charge. When she discovered there wasn't a local artists coalition, she formed one. That group, known as ArtLink, went on to create and host Art... More >>
• Best Collector
  Vyle Raven-Greyv, Curiouser & Curiouser
  "I spent the first nine months of my life in a Ziploc bag and have been clawing my way to freedom ever since." That's her life, in a nutshell, according to Vyle Raven-Greyv, the eccentric owner of the weirdest shop in the Valley, Curiouser & Curiouser. "I can't say more because it would... More >>
• Best Indie Spirit
  Hoodlums Music and Movies
  Out here in the West, the genes of independent spirit course through our dehydrated bloodlines. Our cuckoo-crazy relatives were so desperate for independence that they settled an inconvenient home on our spiky, dry land. Why? Because they wanted to go renegade and live by their own rules. We... More >>
• Best New Shop
  Smeeks
  The first time we walked into Smeeks, we weren't sure whether to clap our hands in glee — or cry. We really did tear up a little, after months of hearing about Georganne Bryant's dream to open a candy/novelty shop in the same complex as her wildly successful boutique, Frances. This place... More >>
• Best Style
  Rachel Richards and Jim Malloy, Bunky Boutique
  This year's most stylish Phoenix wedding took place not here but in lower Manhattan, just off the West Side Highway in an industrial building that houses artists and low-income residents. The groom, Jim Malloy, is a native Phoenician; his new bride, Rachel Richards, hails from the wilds of... More >>
• Best Boutique for Kids
  Garage
  Katie Wilson rocks the kidswear hard in her sparkly boutique — complete with a candy bar that would make Dylan Lauren green with envy. You can embrace your kid's inner Elvis or Harley rider with a black leather coat and all the trimmings, go girly with the fullest tutus in town, or just... More >>
• Best Retail Legend
  Last Chance Bargain Shoes & Apparel
  As shoppers here love to remind the rest of the world, "You only get one Last Chance — and it's in Phoenix." Yes, there's Nordstrom Rack, the discount arm of the pricey chain department store. That's not what we're talking about here. Last Chance gets the stuff that doesn't sell at The... More >>