Illustration by Aldo Crusher
Best Antiques
Past Time Antique Emporium
228 E. Main St., Marion, PastTimeAntiqueEmporium.com, 276-378-0521
The emporium displays antique, vintage, and collectible items, as well as local arts and crafts, from more than 30 vendors across two stories and 12,000 square feet. The shop also sponsors a vintage market on Broad Street for the Mayberry Comes to Marion event in October; this year’s market will take place Oct. 12.
second place: Black Dog Salvage, Roanoke, BlackDogSalvage.com, 540-343-6200
third place: Zephyr Antiques, Abingdon, 276-628-6115
Best Bicycle Shop
Chain of Fools Bicycle Repair
28 Fayette St., Martinsville, ChainOfFoolsBicycles.com, 276-336-8529
Matthew Huckfeldt opened his shop in 2015 with the goal of addressing both the town’s health issues and economic issues. He believes cycling is a great way to improve quality of life and aims for his shop to be “accessible enough for casual riders, but knowledgeable enough to serve those hardcore riders.” Among many services, he offers custom work with rider fit consultations and electronic suspension analysis.
second place: Cardinal Bicycle, Roanoke, CardinalBicycle.com, 540-344-2453
third place: Highlands Ski & Outdoor Center, Abingdon, HighlandsOutdoor.com, 276-628-1329
Best Book Store
Books and Crannies
50 E. Church St., Suite 4, Martinsville, BooksAndCranniesVa.com, 276-403-4380
Following the closing of all major book retailers in the Martinsville area, Books and Crannies fulfilled a need for the community. DeShanta Hairston opened the shop in 2016 and carries general-interest fiction and nonfiction, as well as a large children’s selection, and hosts events such as book signings, children’s readings, and “Rhymes and Wine” open-mic nights.
second place: Too Many Books, Roanoke, TooManyBooksRoanoke.com, 540-985-6469
third place: Barnes & Noble Valley View, Roanoke, BarnesAndNoble.com, 540-563-5683
Best Bridal Boutique
Studio I Do Bridals
128 Campbell Ave. SE, Suite 102, Roanoke, StudioIDo.com, 540-904-5088
Owner Jordan Winfield and her team strive to deliver unmatched service and help every bride say yes to her dress. The shop, while maintaining an intimate atmosphere, has recently expanded into the third floor of the historic building to create a showroom-style space that showcases the latest fashions for brides and grooms.
second place: Get Fancy, Lebanon, Facebook.com/AAABridalProm, 276-202-5229
third place: Patina Bridal & Formals, Roanoke, PatinaFormals.com, 540-776-1636
Best Car Dealer
Nelson Ford Mazda
201 Commonwealth Blvd., Martinsville, AutosByNelson.com, 276-638-2331
A three-generation, family-owned business, Nelson Ford Mazda serves Henry, Franklin, and surrounding counties. The team forges long-lasting relationships with their customers: One family has purchased 15 cars, trucks, and SUVs there since 2014. The dealership is also in the process of developing a racing program at Patrick Henry Community College.
second place: Shelor Motor Mile, Christiansburg, Shelor.com, 540-381-8417
third place: Morgan McClure Chevrolet GMC, Inc.,Castlewood, MorganMcClureAuto.com, 877-212-0882
Best Consignment Shop
House Dressing
50 Euclid Ave., Bristol, ShopHouseDressing.com, 276-644-4881
Owner Martha McGlothlin Bowman views her job as a little like matchmaking—finding a home that is a perfect fit for an item that was no longer wanted or needed by someone else. The shop encompasses 6,000 square feet of what Bowman calls “upscale resale,” and hosts bimonthly events ranging from paint parties to jewelry making.
second place: Sprout Consignment, Abingdon, Facebook.com/SproutConsignment, 276-206-8941
third place: Golden Shoestring, Roanoke, TheGoldenShoestring.com, 540-345-2731
Best Fine Jewelry Store
Goodman Jewelers
108 E. Main St., Abingdon, GoodmanJewelers.biz, 276-676-3110
The shop’s custom-design services provide customers with a resin model of their piece—created using CAD software and a 3D printer—before it is cast. Owner Mark Goodman, GIA, is a graduate gemologist and will also guide customers through the process of selecting their diamonds and gemstones.
second place: Fink’s Jewelers, Roanoke, Finks.com, 540-342-2991
third place: P.R. Sturgill Fine Jewelry, Wytheville, PRSturgills.com, 276-335-2131
Best Florist
Simply the Best Flowers
105 Broad St., Martinsville, SimplyTheBestFlowers.com, 276-666-2378
The shop specializes in contemporary, traditional, and high-style floral arrangements, as well as wedding and funeral designs, silk arrangements, and European dish gardens. In addition to florals, the shop carries a range of gift items, such as Carriage House gourmet pecan biscuits and cheese straws. Simply the Best Flowers is open limited hours on Sundays for sympathy orders.
second place: Petals of Wytheville, Wytheville, PetalsOfWytheville.com
third place: George’s Flowers, Roanoke, GeorgesFlowers.com, 833-416-9379
Best Gifts
Cranberry Lane
623 State St., Bristol, CranberryLaneHome.com, 276-669-9899
Opened by Karen Hester in 2000, the 15,000-square-foot shop specializes in locally made goods and gourmet food items. In addition to carrying an entire line of home décor, furniture, and artwork, the shop also features an in-house florist who designs arrangements and wreathes and sells flowers by the stem.
second place: Part & Parcel, Roanoke, PartParcelGifts.com, 540-358-8004
third place: Janice Cain Stationery, Martinsville, JaniceCainStationery.com, 276-638-3282
Best Independent Home Décor Store
Virginia Vintage Interiors
505 State St., Bristol, VirginiaVintageInteriors.com, 276-644-3240
Gabe Heltom founded his shop in 2014 after his grandmother passed away and left him a storefront and a lot of old furniture. Heltom looks for pieces with “good bones and bad cosmetics” that he can refinish and retail. He also provides refinishing services, including making classic pieces more “friendly” for your home.
second place: Fabric, Etc., Bristol, FabricEtc.net, 276-644-4775
third place: Cranberry Lane, Bristol, CranberryLaneHome.com, 276-669-9899
Best Men’s Clothing Store
Davidsons
412 S. Jefferson St., Roanoke, DavidsonsClothing.com, 540-343-3734
Founded in 1910 by Joe Davidson, the shop is now run by his grandson, Larry. Curious about what to wear with a charcoal suit or which watch to pair with a suit? Larry posts videos providing men’s fashion tips and advice to the shop’s website. The shop also hosts custom clothing events with labels such as Hickey Freeman, Robert Talbott, and Hart Schaffner & Marx.
second place: Draper & Ferrell Clothiers, Martinsville, DFClothiers.com, 276-638-3985
third place: Blakley-Mitchell Co., Bristol, BlakleyMitchell.com, 276-669-0116
Best Outdoor Outfitter
Clinch Life Outfitters
3022 Fifth Ave., St. Paul, ClinchLifeOutfitters.com, 276-608-6907
Opened by a mother-daughter team in 2016 to honor their father/grandfather, an avid outdoorsman, the shop is a specialty outdoor center providing guided fishing trips, educational kayak trips, bicycle rentals, and firearms. The store also serves as an official NRA recruiter and offers discounted memberships.
second place: Mountain Sports Ltd., Bristol, MtnSportsLtd.com, 276-466-8988
third place: Walkabout Outfitter, Roanoke, WalkaboutOutfitter.com, 540-777-2727
Best Shoe Store
Shoozies
527 State St., Bristol, Facebook.com/ShopShoozies, 276-644-3275
Customers can find a large inventory that ranges from Birkenstocks and other sandals to boots in brands such as Vionic, Rieker, Ugg, and Dansko. The shop also carries an extensive line of Brighton jewelry that includes lockets, and the store will print your picture on site to make sure it fits perfectly.
second place: Southern Shoe Connection, Abingdon, 276-698-3188
third place: Shoe Dept., Martinsville, ShoeShowMega.com, 888-557-4637
Best Shopping Area/Mall
Valley View Mall
4802 Valley View Blvd. NW, Roanoke, ValleyViewMall.com, 540-563-4440
The mall is home to beauty store and salon Ulta; department stores JC Penney and Belk; specialty home store Sleep Number; clothing stores Lane Bryant, Express, Versona, Buckle, and H&M; outdoor specialty store Walkabout Outfitter; and more. The mall also offers visitors a range of restaurant options, including Panera, Carrabba’s, Red Robin, and Longhorn Steakhouse.
second place: Historic Downtown State Street, Bristol, BelieveInBristol.org, 423-573-2201
third place: New River Valley Mall, Christiansburg, ShopNewRiverValleyMall.com, 540-381-0004
Best Sporting Goods Store
Clinch Life Outfitters
3022 Fifth Ave., St. Paul, ClinchLifeOutfitters.com, 276-608-6907
In addition to all the necessary hunting and fishing gear—including firearms, ammunition, camping supplies, trail snacks, clothing, rods, reels, and live bait—the shop provides fishing permits for Oxbow Lake. In the winter, you can also find snow gear like sleds and tubes.
second place: Dunham’s Sports, Martinsville, DunhamsSports.com, 276-670-2046
third place: Mountain Sports Ltd., Bristol, MtnSportsLtd.com, 276-466-8988
Best Women’s Clothing Store
Hey Helen
302 S. Locust St., Floyd, ShopHeyHelen.com, 540-745-4307
Owner Allie Mannon opened her shop in 2014 and strives to provide “affordable, adorable” clothing options to the women of her hometown community. In addition to women’s clothing and jewelry from lines such as Carter Clay Collection and Anne Vaughan Designs, Mannon offers airbrush spray-tan services.
second place: Serendipity Boutique, Bristol, ShopSerendipity.com, 276-644-9695
third place: Forget-Me-Not, Abingdon, ForgetMeNotAbingdon.com, 276-628-2700
Winners were determined by our Best of Virginia Readers’ Survey in January and published in our Best of Virginia 2019 issue.
