Services+Stuff

Kathy and Company, winner for best florist

Voters’ practical sides finally got the better of them this year: In the battle for best shoe store, Danform Shoes overtook Stella Mae by 20-odd votes. But outside Chittenden County, the Shoe Horn boutique retained its glory — the Montpelier shop has won the Daysie every year since 2008.

Another Montpelier store is having its moment in the sun: Zutano beat out Burlington’s Isabean with the most votes overall for best children’s clothing. And the capital city’s Woodbury Mountain Toys continues to reign supreme over all other area toy stores — even Toys ”R” Us.

Speaking of local businesses standing up to chains, the small but mighty Crow Bookshop in Burlington defeated Barnes & Noble for the second consecutive year. What will happen next year, once Phoenix Books has had time to settle into the scene and become a contender? Time will tell.

Gulliver’s Doggie Daycare won its second Daysie for best pet daycare, but Play Dog Play was nipping at its heels. The Crate Escape was close, too.

There’s no beating Burlington’s Advance Music and Montpelier’s GuitarSam when it comes to musical-instrument stores, but we were psyched to see Vermont Violins & the Burlington Violin Shop come in third, followed by Bethel’s Ellis Music.

Planning a wedding in Vermont? Daysies voters suggest tying the knot at Shelburne Farms or the Inn at the Round Barn Farm in Waitsfield. If those are booked, runners-up Stowe Mountain Lodge or the Old Lantern in Charlotte are pretty sweet, too. If you’re going to say yes to the dress, do it at longtime Daysie winner Fiori Bridal Boutique in Essex Junction or runner-up Sewly Yours Bridal in Burlington. Voters’ favorite flowers come from Burlington’s Kathy & Company Florist.

After three years winning the Daysie for best place to do your banking, Merchants Bank finally fell behind longtime runner-up New England Federal Credit Union. TD Bank came in third, and right behind it were Vermont Federal Credit Union and Vermont State Employee Credit Union. Could this be the year of the credit union?

We got plenty of suggestions for where to get car repairs — from McCaffrey’s Sunoco to SVS to the Automaster — but Girlington Garage was the clear champion. Hey, it always helps to have an adorable, memorable name.

Indeed, one of the best parts of tallying Daysies ballots is discovering local stores with awesome names, even if they don’t win. Our fave this year: South Hero antique store Junk & Disorderly. Consider this your honorary Daysie, J&D, for wittiest business name.

—Megan James

Best women’s casual clothing

[W] Sweet Lady Jane
[RU] Salaam

Best women’s evening wear

[W] Ecco Clothes for Women & Men
[RU] Sweet Lady Jane

Best men’s clothing

[W] Michael Kehoe
[RU] Salaam/The Men’s Store

Best shoe store

[W] Danform Shoes
[RU] Stella Mae

OUTSIDE CHITTENDEN COUNTY
[W] The Shoe Horn Boutique

Best vintage/secondhand clothing

[W] Old Gold
[RU] Second Time Around

OUTSIDE CHITTENDEN COUNTY
[W] Getup Vintage

Best children’s clothing

[W] Zutano
[RU] Isabean

Best eyeglasses store

[W] Eyes of the World
[RU] Lenscrafters

Best jewelry store

[W] Perrywinkle’s
[RU] Zinnia

Best beauty-product purveyor

[W] Mirror Mirror
[RU] MAC Cosmetics

Best pet daycare

[W] Gulliver’s Doggie Daycare
[RU] Play Dog Play

Best pet-supply store

[W] Pet Food Warehouse
[RU] PetSmart

Best toy store

[W] Woodbury Mountain Toys
[RU] Toys ”R” Us

Best musical-instrument store

[W] Advance Music
[RU] Vermont Violins & the Burlington Violin Shop

OUTSIDE CHITTENDEN COUNTY
[W] Guitar Sam
[RU] Ellis Music

Best bookstore

[W] Crow Bookshop
[RU] Barnes & Noble

OUTSIDE CHITTENDEN COUNTY
[W] Bear Pond Books

Best housewares store

[W] Homeport
[RU] Kiss the Cook

OUTSIDE CHITTENDEN COUNTY
[W] Capitol Kitchen

Best furniture store

[W] Burlington Furniture Company
[RU] Homeport

Best antique/secondhand store

[W] Anjou & the Little Pear
[RU] ReStore

Best lighting store

[W] Conant Metal & Light
[RU] Lighting House

Best camera store

[W] LeZot Camera Center
[RU] PhotoGarden

OUTSIDE CHITTENDEN COUNTY
[W] Green Mountain Camera
[RU] Bob’s Camera & Video

Best place to buy a computer

[W] Small Dog Electronics
[RU] Best Buy

Best local web developer

[W] Union Street Media
[RU] Eternity Web Development

Best bridal shop

[W] Fiori Bridal Boutique
[RU] Sewly Yours Bridal

Best Vermont wedding venue

[W] Shelburne Farms
[RU] The Old Lantern

OUTSIDE CHITTENDEN COUNTY
[W] The Inn at Round Barn Far
[RU] Stowe Mountain Lodge

Best florist

[W] Kathy & Company Florist
[RU] Chappell’s Florist

Best outdoor outfitter

[W] Outdoor Gear Exchange
[RU] Eastern Mountain Sports

OUTSIDE CHITTENDEN COUNTY
[W] Onion River Sports

Best bike shop

[W] Old Spokes Home
[RU] Ski Rack

OUTSIDE CHITTENDEN COUNTY
[W] Onion River Sports

Best auto dealer

[W] Automaster
[RU] Heritage Toyota/Ford

Best place for car repairs

[W] Girlington Garage
[RU] McCaffrey’s Sunoco

Best real estate agency

[W] Coldwell Banker Hickok Boardman
[RU] Lang McLaughry Spera

Best garden center

[W] Gardener’s Supply
[RU] Claussen’s Florist & Greenhouse

Best bank/credit union

[W] New England Federal Credit Union
[RU] Merchants Bank

Best place to buy a pipe

[W] Full Tank
[RU] Bern Gallery

OUTSIDE CHITTENDEN COUNTY
[W] Stash N’ Stowe Smokeshop

Best adult toy store

[W] Good Stuff
[RU] Imago

Best hair salon

[W] Indigo
[RU] Stephen & Burns

Best place to get body art

[W] Yankee Tattoo
[RU] Jade Lotus

Best gym/health club

[W] The Edge
[RU] Planet Fitness

OUTSIDE CHITTENDEN COUNTY
[W] First in Fitness

Best Vermont spa

[W] Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa
[RU] Spa at Topnotch

Best manicure/pedicure

[W] Tootsies
[RU] Jennie Nail & Spa