Eastern Virginia: Shopping Winners 2019

_{Illustration by Aldo Crusher}

Best Antiques

Kilmarnock Antique Gallery

144 School St., Kilmarnock, Virginia-Antiques.com, 804-435-1207

This local shopping staple offers a large selection of antiques from more than 100 dealers, including the best collection of vintage oyster plates in the region and maybe in all of Virginia. Owner Steve Bonner has a vast knowledge of oyster plates, so make sure to chat with him. Other popular items include midcentury furniture and decorative accessories.

second place: Vintage Potential, Smithfield, VintagePotential.com, 757-542-3600

third place: Williamsburg Antique Mall, AntiquesWilliamsburg.com, 757-565-3422

Best Bicycle Shop

Village Bicycles

9913 Warwick Blvd., Newport News, VillageBicyclesNewportNews.com, 757-595-1333

Owned and operated by Walter Gardner, Village Bicycles has helped folks put wheels to the road since 2009. Staff mechanics have more than 90 years of combined mechanical experience, and the shop offers a full range of maintenance and repair services, including fixing a flat tire, packing a bike, and comprehensive tune-ups.

second place: Conte’s Bike Shop, Virginia Beach, ConteBikes.com, 757-491-4505

third place: Trek Bicycle Williamsburg, TrekBikes.com, 757-229-0096

Best Book Store

Ye Olde Book Shoppe

7204 Northumberland Hwy., Heathsville, NorthumberlandPublicLibrary.org, 804-580-5051

Ye Olde Book Shoppe is located just a short distance from the library in Heathsville. Prices range from 50 cents for paperbacks and children’s books to $3 for new hardcover books and $2 for older ones. Antique books and coffee table books typically cost $5. Sets of more than one volume are individually priced.

second place: Prince Books, Norfolk, Prince-Books.com, 757-622-9223

third place: Sundial Books, Chincoteague Island, SundialBooks.net, 757-336-5825

Best Bridal Boutique

Blush Bridal Boutique

185 Herman Melville Ave., Newport News, BlushGowns.com, 757-595-7797

Located in the Port Warwick Shopping Center, Blush is an intimate bridal boutique and a custom-order bridal shop that provides a large selection of gowns in a variety of styles and silhouettes. All gowns are hand-selected each season from many of the top bridal designers.

second place: The Main Event by Emily, Smithfield, TheMainEventByEmily.com, 757-357-2814

third place: Milk & Honey Bride, Virginia Beach, MilkAndHoneyBride.com, 757-995-7323

Best Car Dealer

Northern Neck Chevrolet

18175 Kings Hwy., Montross, NNChevrolet.com, 804-441-9205

Car shoppers and owners in Montross and the surrounding area value Northern Neck Chevrolet’s extensive inventory, competitive lease specials, and finance options. The dealership’s expert auto service includes routine oil changes, tire rotations, alignments, tune-ups, brakes, and transmission services. Since 1997, this family business has treated each customer “as if they were a guest in our home.”

second place: West Point Ford, WestPointVaFord.com, 804-843-2500

third place: Bill Hudgins GMC, Gloucester, BillHudginsAuto.com, 804-693-2828

Best Consignment Shop

Periwinkles Consignment Boutique

215 Mason Ave., Cape Charles, PeriwinklesVa.com, 757-678-2481

Next time you stroll through downtown Cape Charles, be sure to stop at Periwinkles Consignment Boutique, which specializes in “like new” upscale clothing for women of all shapes, sizes, and styles. New inventory arrives weekly, ensuring something for everyone, including accessories like designer purses, shoes, belts, scarves, and jewelry.

second place: Rivah Consignments, Kilmarnock, Facebook.com/RivahConsignments, 757-678-2481

third place: Mosaic Consignments and Gifts, Callao, Mosaic-Consignments-Gifts-LLC.business.site, 804-529-1030

Best Fine Jewelry Store

Burkes Fine Jewelers

86 S. Main St., Kilmarnock, BurkesJewelers.com, 804-435-1302

Dorothy and Fred Burke Sr. opened the doors to Burkes Fine Jewelers in 1969. They built a flourishing business on simple values—good old-fashioned service, superior craftsmanship, and lasting friendships. Now in third-generation ownership, Burkes Fine Jewelers continues their craft with creative skills and modern technique.

second place: Ross’s Fine Jewelers, Kilmarnock, RosssRingsAndThings.com, 804-435-3529

third place: Vashti’s Jewelers, Gloucester, VashtisJewelry.com, 804-693-3434

Best Florist

The Wild Bunch

18 N. Main St., Kilmarnock, TheWildBunchFlowers.com, 804-435-1044

Founded in 2003, The Wild Bunch’s mission is to support local nurseries and farms and to source the freshest seasonal flowers whenever possible. Although the designs might not be your typical florist’s style, the staff uses only premium, high-end florals, and the beauty of the results speaks for itself.

second place: Bridget’s Bouquets, Inc., Montross, BridgetsBouquets.com, 804-493-8800

third place: Britt’s Garden, Wicomico Church, Facebook.com/BrittsGarden, 804-580-4501

Best Gifts

The Rivah

49 S. Main St., Kilmarnock, ShopRivah.com, 804-577-4291

Located on Main Street, The Rivah has been the Northern Neck’s go-to shop for gifts, home décor, antiques, apparel, and accessories since 2012. Owner Emily Hoar listens to the feedback of her patrons and closely observes their shopping habits to curate the ideal blend of Rivah-inspired home décor, fun and trendy gifts and accessories, and a ladies’ apparel boutique.

second place: Papeterie, Kilmarnock, PapeterieVa.com, 804-435-1125

third place: Colonial Collectibles, Warsaw, 804-333-0581

Best Independent Home Décor Store

Feather Your Nest and Cindy Lloyd Design

5011 Richmond Road, Warsaw, FeatherYourNestCindyLloydDesign.com, 804-333-6463

With a showroom in Warsaw and servicing the entire Northern Neck, Feather Your Nest and Cindy Lloyd Design provides custom blinds, shades, curtains, honeycomb cellular shadings, and plantation shutters, as well as motorized blinds and shades. New items are offered along consignment pieces at reasonable prices.

second place: Bay & River Home Décor, Kilmarnock, Facebook.com/BayRiverHomeDecor, 804-436-1900

third place: W.F. Booth and Son, Inc., Kilmarnock, WFBooth.com, 804-435-1329

Best Men’s Clothing Store

Weekends

125 S. Main St., Kilmarnock, WeekendsFashions.com, 804-577-4041

Located in a former Sears Roebuck house that was built in 1904, this specialized men’s and ladies’ boutique was lovingly restored over a two-year period, and in 2015 received the John Hanbury award from the historical society for the repurposing of a historical structure. Customers describe the store as having a “beautiful shopping environment” because of the authentic restoration of the building.

second place: Lowe Tide, Urbanna, Lowe-Tide.com, 804-758-4444

third place: R. Bryant, Ltd., Williamsburg, RBryantLtd.com, 757-253-0055

Best Outdoor Outfitter

REI

350 Independence Blvd., Virginia Beach, REI.com, 757-687-1938

At REI in Virginia Beach, customers find top-brand gear and clothing—and inspiration—for camping, climbing, cycling, fitness, hiking, paddling, travel, and more. The shop also offers classes to help you get the most out of being outdoors, as well as a full range of professional bike shop services.

second place: Great Outdoor Provision Co.,Virginia Beach, GreatOutdoorProvision.com, 757-962-6618

third place: RW’s Sports, Callao, RWSports.com, 804-529-5634

Best Shoe Store

The Shoe Attic

409-B W. Duke of Gloucester St., Williamsburg, Shoe-Attic.com, 757-220-0757

This eclectic shoe store carries great styles you’re hard-pressed to find anywhere else, including Jeffrey Campbell, Seychelles, Irregular Choice, Sam Edelmen, Dolce Vita, BC Footwear, and Poetic License. If that’s not enough, shop for clothes by Project Social T, Unpublished, and BB Dakota and accessories by Rachel O’s, Bunnies in LA, Vanessa Mooney, The Giving Keys, and Pura Vida.

second place: The Shoe Store, Kilmarnock, 804-435-3020

third place: Virginia Shoe Clinic, Kilmarnock, VaShoeClinic.com, 804-577-4012

Best Shopping Area/Mall

MacArthur Center

300 Monticello Ave., Norfolk, ShopMacArthur.com, 757-627-6000

MacArthur Center on Monticello Avenue in downtown Norfolk features 1 million square feet of retail offerings. Spend time exploring Dillard’s or any of the other 140 unique stores. Then, enjoy dining to suit any palate from casual, sit-down restaurants to quick eats in the food court.

second place: Simon Premium Outlets, Williamsburg, PremiumOutlets.com, 757-565-0702

third place: Lynnhaven Mall, Virginia Beach, LynnhavenMall.com, 757-340-9340

Best Sporting Goods Store

RW’s Sports

1434 Northumberland Hwy., Callao, RWSports.com, 804-529-5634

Founded in 1990, RW’s Sports started out as a simple tackle shop with some saltwater bait, tackle, and T-shirts. These days, it’s a 10,000-square-foot hunting and fishing supply store with everything from turkey calls and duck decoys to guns, ammo, umbrella rigs, rods, and reels.

second place: Sports Centre, Kilmarnock, SportsCentreOnTheBay.com, 804-435-1211

third place: Point 2 Running Company, Newport News, RunPoint2.com, 757-223-5000

Best Women’s Clothing Store

The Dandelion

4372 Irvington Road, Irvington, TheDandelion.com, 804-438-5194

Housed in a former parsonage built in the heart of Irvington during the Steamboat Era, The Dandelion is a “living catalog” and a “treasure trove” of fabulous ladies’ clothing, jewelry, shoes, and accessories, as well as gifts and decorative elements that owners Jean Ward-Smith and Sheila Broderick Brown have searched for worldwide.

second place: The Rivah, Kilmarnock, ShopRivah.com, 804-577-4291

third place: The Shoe Attic, Williamsburg, Shoe-Attic.com, 757-220-0757

Winners were determined by our Best of Virginia Readers’ Survey in January and published in our Best of Virginia 2019 issue.