Readers Poll:
Shopping

Best Adult Bookstore

Dreamers Since 1994, Dreamers has taken the honors as your favorite place for viewing and reading pleasure "intended for mature audiences." While old fave AAA News made a good show, the upset was second-place winner and veritable newcomer Lobo Books, a gay & lesbian book and trinket store with an extensive video rental collection. 11218 N. Lamar, 837-5534; 3401 N IH 35, 469-0539

Best Antiques

Whit Hanks Antiques and Decorative Arts It's no wonder Whit Hanks, the granddaddy of Austin antiques, sweeps this category yet again. With 70 different dealers, you can outfit your boudoir from French Provencial to Kilim and even combine them if you choose... but you may not want to tell that to the sales staff since they really know how horrible that would look. 1009 W. Sixth Street, 478-2101

Best Art Supplies

Michael's A three-way race between Michael's, Hobby Lobby, and Asel was decided by a few votes. It's been this way for two years. Miller Blueprint and Co-op East made notable showings. 10225 Research, 795-8573; 801 William Cannon Dr. East, 448-2623; 13945 N. Hwy 183, 331-5656; 3201 Bee Caves, 328-6142

Best Audio Equipment

Best Buy The chains made out with the top honors as Best Buy just tweaked Circuit City out of range. But business is booming for High Fidelity and Custom Sounds, which both made sound showings. 4970 W. Hwy 290, 892-7550; 10111 Research Blvd., 795-0014

Best Bookstore

Book People The super indie on Sixth and Lamar received twice as many (and we mean many) votes as second-place mega-chain Barnes & Noble. Bookstop and Half-Price tied at third. Sixth & Lamar, 472-5050

Best Camping/Outdoor Equipment

REI This little co-op that could smacks in the face of the big boys with its member-owned, dividend-sharing system finding new, expansive digs on Austin's north end. What better way to accomodate all those happy customers? Academy, Wilderness, and Whole Earth Provisions received exactly the same number of votes and tied. Gateway Market, 343-5550

Best Card/Poster Shop

Sparks For the last two years, Sparks has ignited this poll. Celebration, the small women's specialty shop, can have one in honor of its second place, while Ecoworks, formerly Vertu (and before Vertu, Nuvo) comes in third. 1014 W. Sixth, 477-2757

Best Coffee Store

TIE: Anderson, Trianon Austin's coffee market extends beyond the goatee and bookworm fray. Some folks just want to sit home alone with their addiction glued to Regis & Kathy Lee. Anderson and Trianon are the perfect outfitters for the home perker. Trianon: 3201 Bee Caves Rd, 328-4033; 3742 Far West, 346-9636

Best Comics Bookstore

TIE: Dragon's Lair, Austin Books This dynamic duo took on the able Booksource, last year's winner and this year's runner-up, and prevailed. Dragon's Lair: 616 W. 34th, 454-2399; Austin Books: 5002 N. Lamar, 454-4197

Best Consignment Store

Second Time Around The first time in this category is the charm, though and Second Time had some hefty competition in Baubles & Beads (second) and Baraka (third) in a category which sees a different winner each year. 3704 Crawford, 451-6845

Best Costume Shop

Lucy in Disguise & Electric Ladyland The girl with kaleidoscope eyes meets the little wing and together, they take the top in a classic rock frenzy, a tradition now, four years running. 1506 S. Congress, 444-2002

Best Cowboy Boots

Allens Boots Saddle on up to this category, pardners, new for 1996. Allens takes the lone star, while Cavendar's and Shepler's meet at high noon for second place and Tiny's Boots rustles up third. 1525 S. Congress, 447-1413; 7010 W. Hwy 71, 288-0605; 9012 Research, 459-0051; 13279 Research, 219-1718

Best Drugstore

Nau's The noble Nau's gives the big chain stores bitter medicine. Austin is loyal to the classic drugstore with the soda fountain in the back. 1115 West Lynn, 477-8888; 2406 San Gabriel, 476-1544

Best Factory Outlet

San Marcos Factory Outlets Hey! This is supposed to be Best of Austin. Locally, Harold's, Neiman Marcus Last Call, and Dell Outlet showed well. 396-2495

Best Florist

Cowgirls & Flowers 1994's winner, Cowgirls & Flowers is back in first place by a few votes over second-place Flower Bucket. Azul is surely not blue about taking third place. 508 Walsh, 478-4626

Best Gift Shop

Cadeau The urbane outfitter of many a fresh(wo)man's domicile, this drag cornerstone beat out Cornerstone hardware and Possessions for first place. Originals came in third. 2316 Guadalupe, 477-7276; 4001 N. Lamar, 453-6988

Best Jewelry (costume)

Possessions Possessions narrowly beat out last year's winner Originals for first. Ec*lec*tic and Lucy in Disguise followed. 1600 W. 35th, 302-1132

Best Jewelry (the real stuff)

Russell Korman Russell Korman took most of the votes in this category, with Americus and Benolds close in line. 3806 N. Lamar, 451-9292

Best Hardware Store

Breed & Co. The margin in this talley is a testimony to four-year winner Breed & Co.'s staying power. Even the big chains like second place Home Depot don't come close. For its relatively new place on the scene, Cornerstone made a solid showing at third. 718 W. 29th, 474-6679

Best Lingerie Shop

Victoria's Secret Upon close investigation (yes, please!), it is revealed that while the gender breakdown for first place winner Victoria's Secret and second place winner Tabu ran about equal, mostly men voted for third placer Forbidden Fruit! Barton Creek Square, 327-1219; Highland Mall, 323-0121

Best Liquor Store

Wiggy's You can't beat Wiggy's. And no one has in four years. Reuben's and Centennial take two and three respectively. 1130 W. Sixth, 474-9463

Best Lumber Store

Home Depot Last year's winner Stripling Blake ties for second along with Furrow's, as the readers go against the grain and put Home Depot in first. 10107 Research, 795-8011; 5400 Brodie Ln., 892-7887; 7211 N. I-35, 458-8012

Best Music Business

Strait Music Straight to first again for the recently relocated Strait Music superstore. MusicMakers took second and Black Market, Rietz, and One World tie for third. 805 W. Fifth, 476-6927

Best Pawn Shop

Doc Holliday's Doc's clocks in another winner for the third year in a row. 1993 winner EZ Pawn comes in a distant second. Seventeen Locations

Best Periodicals Rack

Book People From Z Magazine to Newsweek,Book People's monolithic periodicals rack is outsized in range and volume only by the store's mind-boggling book selection. Barnes & Noble and Bookstop tie for a close second. Sixth & Lamar, 472-5050

Best Pet Store (chain)

PetSmart This megastore of the puppy/kitty set takes the first place again. Petco makes its mark in second. 5400 Brodie Lane, 892-6770; 1628 Ohlen Rd., 835-7212

Best Pet Store (local)

Bark & Purr The first appearance of this category shows customer loyalty to be quite dog-like for Bark & Purr, one of our personal faves. Local chain Tomlinson's placed second. 4604 Burnet, 452-3883

Best Record Store (Chain)

Tower The location and the in-stores speak volumes as Tower wipes out the competition in this survey. 2402 Guadalupe, 478-5711

Best Record Store (Vinyl) Best Record Store (Local)

Waterloo While the margin between contenders in the vinyl division was not so great -- Sound Exchange and Antone's both made great showings -- the Local Record Store prize battle was a veritable, er... Waterloo. 600 N. Lamar, 474-2500

Best Shopping Center

The Arboretum The big, green gateway to the northwest takes first again. 1994's winner, Central Park, holds on in second. 10000 Research, 338-4437

Best Specialty Bookstore

Bookwoman The sisters are not only doin' it for themselves but for everybody else as well from the looks of this landslide. Europa (R.I.P.) and Book People, while not actually specialty stores, garnered votes, perhaps for their attention to detail and selection. 918 W. 12th (12th & Lamar), 472-2785

Best Sporting Goods Store

Oshman's Although Oshman's wins this year after year, the results require an ump's call. Academy came really close. At the malls; Oshman's Super Sport: 2525 W. Anderson Lane, 459-6541; 2901 Loop 360, 327-6967

Best Subculture Store

Planet K The other-orbital subculture kings ask the P.K. Dickian question, "Do Rubber Toys Dream of Plastic Sheep?" 1994 winner, Oat Willie's came in a distant second. Also-rans include: Atomic City, Lobo, and Fringeware. North: 9407 N. I-35, 832-8544; South: 1516 S. Lamar, 443-2292; 11657 Research, 502-9323

Best Thrift Store

Goodwill Public servant resaler-rehabilitator Goodwill led the second-place Thriftown by a 2:1 margin. Project Transition's Top Drawer, quickly becoming one of Austin's fave li'l thrifties, placed a hearty third. 8965 Research, 832-0004; 13096 N. Hwy183, 258-5898; 5400 N. Lamar, 451-2306; 836 Airport, 389-3277; 2800 S. Lamar, 442-8802; 5734 Manchaca, 448-4849

Best Toy Store for Grown-Ups

Toy Joy Sure, take the kid. See how much stuff you get for yourself. Forbidden Fruit tempts with a different kind of toy and joy in second place. And Sharper Image takes third. 2900 Guadalupe, 320-0090; 2100-B Guadalupe, 472-2262
WWW: http://www.toyjoy.com

Best Used Book Store

Half Price Books This is as close as a ballot came to a unanimous vote. We concur; Texas-owned Half Price rules! 3110 Guadalupe, 451-4463; 2929 S. Lamar, 443-3138; 8868 Research, 454-3664

Best Vintage Store

Blue Velvet This is a first appearance for Blue Velvet in this category, previously held by now second-place Flipnotics and Amelia's. 3203 Red River, 474-5147