Antique Store
Readers' Pick:RED ROOSTER ANTIQUE MALL
307 W. Charleston Blvd.
This mall has more than 100 vendors to crow about, selling everything from old bottles to furniture. It was your antiquarian pick last year, too. Second-place honors go to The Attic.
Our Pick:
CRAFTMANS WORKBENCH
2616 E. Charleston Blvd.
Hey, they don't just sell old things here. One of the buildings they sell from is an antique, too: A bungalow was moved from the original El Rancho, before its demolition, by the antique shop's owner. In addition to offering bona fide antiques, Craftmans Workbench also sells contemporary soaps, linens and dried flower arrangements that blend well with the antiques.
Bookstore
Readers' Pick:BARNES & NOBLE BOOKSELLERS
567 N. Stephanie St., Henderson
2191 N. Rainbow Blvd.
In addition to books, the Henderson branch has an upscale music department with CDs in New Age, jazz, classical and other genres. Shoppers can wander through to an attached Starbucks coffee shop. The newer Rainbow branch has its own in-house cafe. Both feature a full calendar of events including children's story time and discussion clubs for readers of fiction and poetry. Borders Books & Cafe was a close second.
Our Pick:
BORDERS BOOKS
2323 S. Decatur Blvd.
1445 W. Sunset Road, Henderson
It's kind of like Coke vs. Pepsi, this theoretical Borders vs. Barnes & Noble argument. Let's just thank our lucky stars for the proliferation of book outlets. Borders expects to open a third location on Rainbow Boulevard in May. Borders is a bibliophile's dream, offering plenty of titles, not just the latest releases. The stores also combine reading with drinking coffee. Cultural events occur on store properties throughout the week.
Computer Store
Readers' Pick:COMPUTER CITY SUPERCENTER
4731 Faircenter Parkway
Great presentation is one of Computer City's fortes. Merchandise is easy to find and nicely arranged. They have a good selection of products, so even a Mac user doesn't feel like an outcast. Connecting Point won second-place honors.
Our Pick:
COMP USA
353 W. Sahara Ave.
We like the wide selection of computer-related book titles as well as the hardware and software available at this supermarket of high-tech equipment.
Mall
Readers' Pick:GALLERIA AT SUNSET
1300 Sunset Road, Henderson
The newest mall to make the local map, Galleria is a godsend for folks who live in the southernmost portion of our fair valley. In addition to the usual mix of mall stores, it offers an art gallery devoted to Southwestern Indian themes and a sit-down Italian restaurant. In spring, the Easter bunny doesn't just visit, the mall also holds an Easter egg hunt. Forum Shops at Caesars finished a distant second.
Our Pick:
BOULEVARD MALL
3528 S. Maryland Parkway
The granddaddy of local malls, the Boulevard is still going strong since extensive remodeling several years ago. It's the only local mall that houses a Woolworth's, that artifact of mercantile Americana. Its Woolworth's seems to cater as much to mod UNLV students as it does to grannies on a fixed income.
Outlet Store
Readers' Pick:NIKE FACTORYSTORE
7400 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Just do it, the readers say. Head over to an outlet that sells both Nike shoes and apparel for up to 30 percent off regular retail prices. Burlington Brands at Belz Factory Outlet World, selling men's and women's clothing, came in second.
Our Pick:
SPIEGEL
7400 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Staffers just can't get enough of those stylish clothes at prices below the usual stratospheric range. And the store offers a variety of name-brand home goods at discounted prices.
Place to Buy Offbeat Gifts
Readers' Pick:THE BOMBAY CO.
4300 Meadows Lane
3528 S. Maryland Parkway
The public apparently defines "offbeat" in a classy way. Bombay Co. specializes in unusual decor items and smallish pieces of furniture. Wood is a favorite medium for its tasteful home furnishings. Pier One Imports was your next pick.
Our Pick:
BROOKSTONE CO.
3500 Las Vegas Blvd. South
3680 Maryland Parkway
In need of a toothbrush that uses ultrasound waves to disrupt plaque buildup? A writing pen that also serves as a laser pointer? Look no farther. Brookstone has gadgets that are ingenious and practical in categories ranging from hiking and picnicking to the bath and office.
Record Store
Readers' Pick:WOW MULTIMEDIA SUPERSTORE
4580 W. Sahara Ave.
For exceptional breadth of titles -- beyond the hackneyed "new release" list -- this is the place. It also has lots of listening stations, so you can catch a few bars and decide if an album's a loser before you buy it. Top-selling new releases are always on sale. Best Buy was second-best.
Our Pick
WOW MULTIMEDIA SUPERSTORE
Wow! We think alike. And when you get tired of searching the record racks, you can always take a break with a cup of cappuccino at its cafe on the premises. An eclectic book department also offers respite from musical overload.
Sporting Goods Store
Readers' Pick:SPORTS AUTHORITY
Multiple locations
Santa's storehouse couldn't be more impressive than these monster-large stores with products stacked to the rafters. Sports Authority serves the broad spectrum, from large wares such as trampolines and workout machines down to the small details, such as sweatbands and knee braces. Your second pick was Las Vegas Discount Golf & Tennis.
Our Pick:
BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS
Multiple locations
Big 5 has earned its stripes, delivering the goods in Las Vegas for decades before some of its competitors arrived. Inventory is not as diverse, but the service is consummate and the prices are attractive.
Swap Meet
Readers' Pick:FANTASTIC INDOOR SWAPMEET
1717 S. Decatur Blvd.
The scene gets more competitive -- with swap meets now on the west, north, central and east ends of the valley -- but Fantastic sweeps the field. The Gemco Indoor Swap Meet finished second.
Our Pick:
BROADACRES SWAP MEET
2930 Las Vegas Blvd. North, North Las Vegas
What can we say -- we must like the open-air authenticity lacking at all the other swap meets. With its near-dawn opening time, Broadacres is designed to reward the early-bird shopper. And unlike the indoor markets, Broadacres actually attracts sellers such as Aunt Emma after she cleans out her attic.
Thrift Store
Readers' Pick:JUNIOR LEAGUE REPEAT BOUTIQUE
1040 E. Twain Ave.
For a castoff with cachet, try clothing donated largely by the Junior League's well-groomed membership. Women's formal wear is actually a small portion of the inventory. The shop also sells women's daily wear, clothes for men and children, shoes and small appliances. Your second choice was the Buffalo Exchange.
Our Pick:
SALVATION ARMY THRIFT STORE
Multiple locations
For convenience, how can you beat the Army's three locations? We also are partial to patronizing an organization that once tried to stretch the community's mores -- even though it was defeated -- by proposing to put a store in a self-proclaimed tony neighborhood in the northwest part of town.
Tobacco Store
Readers' Pick:MR. BILL'S PIPE & TOBACCO CO.
Multiple locations
It doesn't just serve the counter-culture culture. It also offers cigars, tobaccos galore and pipes. Who can beat the prices at your second pick, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribal Smoke Shop?
Our Pick:
PHEASANT TOBACCONIST
2800 W. Sahara Ave.
Pheasant is not just a place to buy, it's a place to revel in the smoking process. The cigar aficionado who doesn't have a humidor of his or her own can rent a locker here -- and smoke the Big One in the upstairs members-only lounge. One loyal patron describes the lounge as "the kind of atmosphere a yuppie lawyer would like."
Used-Book Store
Readers' Pick:PAPERBACK EXCHANGE
6700 W. Charleston Blvd.
Paperback Exchange is bigger and stronger since it closed both former locations, merging them at its new address on Charleston Boulevard. Despite the name, it has some hardcovers. They have titles in all categories and will pay 25 percent of cover price for acquisitions. That goes to you, the seller, in the form of trade credit, not cash. Novel Idea placed second.
Our Pick:
BOOKENDS
3920 W. Charleston Blvd.
"Eclectic, offbeat" is the baseline for Bookends' holdings, although it has a bit of everything. Its specialties include science fiction, fantasy, mystery and vampire literature. Books range from used paperbacks to collector's editions.
Used-Record Store
Readers' Pick:UNDERGROUND
1164 E. Twain Ave.
Before the mass-market stores even thought of selling small or alternative labels, the Underground was already doing it. Handily located near the university, it still fills that lofty mission. The Underground actually was the public's second choice. The technical first-place winner, Outer Limits, is out of business.
Our Pick:
DISC GO ROUND
3967 S. Maryland Parkway
Contrary to popular belief, a CD can be damaged. But the watchful eyes -- and ears -- at Disc Go Round accept only used materials that are in mint condition. They also guard against sloppy handling by customers that could result in damage. If you're on the prowl for replacement CD cases that are clear or colored transparents, Disc Go Round is the ticket.
Video-Rental Store
Readers' Pick:HOLLYWOOD VIDEO
Multiple locations
When the new owners took over, they kept the best of the Video Park's back-titles collection and added a new twist -- a promise to never run out of new releases. Ergo, you can still find a copy of the latest hottest release even if you come by late -- and they have oodles of used copies to sell cheap after the heat dies down. Blockbuster placed second.
Our Pick:
HOLLYWOOD VIDEO
Multiple locations
From the Redundancy Department of Redundancy: What's there to add?
Las Vegas Souvenir
Readers' Pick:FACES N CUPS
Available at various souvenir shops and casinos, these are the latest thing to slap your very own likeness on. Instead of a lousy T-shirt, give your friends a personalized drink container to get all choked up about. Winning Megabucks was your No. 2 pick.
Our Pick:
CHOCOLATE CASINO CHIPS
When you can't afford to treat guests to a rack of $100 casino chips, give them the next best -- a rack of fake $100 casino chips. These luscious bites of mint chocolate come wrapped as generic chips of various denominations. Year-round they can be found at the Sweet Factory in the Forum Shops at Caesars. At Christmastime, they also were available at other Sweet Factory locations.