ANTIQUES/VINTAGE FINDS
Reader Pick: JunkerVal’s
JunkerVal's owner Val Arnett makes no secret of what she likes to buy: “oddities, weird, unusual, strange, unique.” She's into antiques, vintage, and taxidermy. Seen it, but aren't sure what it is? “If you have never seen one, do not know what it is, maybe it's ugly or a little disgusting,” she says on her site. “Val might buy it.”
3458 Bluebonnet Circle, Fort Worth, 76109, 817.266.6403, junkerval.com
Staff Pick: Historic Camp Bowie Mercantile
7200 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 76116, 817.377.0910, the-mercantile.com
ARTWORK
Reader Pick: Travis Stewart Western Art
559.779.4741, tstewartwesternart.com
Staff Pick: Carter Bowden Antiques
4704 Bryce Ave., Fort Worth, 76107, carterbowdenantiques.com
ATHLETIC ATTIRE
Reader Pick: Lululemon Athletica
1540 S. University Drive, Unit 110, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.882.8075, lululemon.com
Staff Pick: Luke’s Locker
2600 W. 7th St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.877.1448, lukeslocker.com
BRIDAL BOUTIQUE
Reader Pick: De Ma Fille
2964 Park Hill Drive, Fort Worth, 76109, 817.921.2964, demafille.com
Staff Pick: Bliss Bridal Salon
4624 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.332.4696, blissfw.com
CHILDREN'S STORE
Reader Pick: Zoe + Jack
This West Side children's boutique uses the slogan “find clothing and accessories as unique as your child.” Baby, toddler, and pre-school are big focuses.
5137 Birchman Ave., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.989.2200, zoeandjack.com
Staff Pick: Baby by Design
Founded by TCU grad Hilary Colia, Baby by Design carries contemporary nursery furniture and girls and boys clothing from much-loved brands including KicKee Pants, Egg and Rylee & Cru.
4806 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.731.0440, shopbabybydesign.com
CIGAR SHOP
Reader Pick: Pop’s Safari Cigars & Fine Wines
2929 Morton St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.334.0559, popssafari.com
Staff Pick: Silver Leaf Cigar Lounge
426 Commerce St., Fort Worth, 76102, 817.887.9535, silverleafcigar.com
FINE JEWELRY
Reader Pick: Kube’s Jewelers
2700 W. Berry St., Fort Worth, 76109, 817.926.2626, kubesjewelers.com
Staff Pick: Pieter Andries
Longtime Southlake jeweler Pieter Andries Hye isn't allowing himself to get complacent. He's busting out the side of his store, adding a production area for the custom pieces his store makes and a Rolex boutique.
2425 E. Southlake Blvd., Southlake, 76092, 817.749.4367, pieterandries.com
GIFT SHOP
Reader Pick: Artisan’s Haven at Vagabond Treasures
Artisan's Haven, one of Fort Worth's few galleries that sell the work of numerous artists and craftsmen, just celebrated its first year in business. The place sells pottery, wood turning and carvings, fused glass, jewelry, leaded and mosaic stained glass, Pique Assiette mosaics, paintings, photos, and even hand-crafted furniture. You can buy a gift for $30 or an heirloom piece. And Artisan's Haven gives you a lot of opportunities to get to know the people it represents, finding just about any excuse to throw a party with ample food and booze.
4236 W. Vickery Blvd., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.377.0909, artisanshaven.com
Staff Pick: Lawrence’s
4601 W. Freeway, Suite 224, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.731.2772, lawrencesgift.com
GROCERY STORE
Reader Pick: Central Market
4651 W. Freeway, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.989.4700, centralmarket.com
Staff Pick: Roy Pope Grocery
Oh sure, who doesn't love Central Market, as the magazine's readers can attest. But how about Roy Pope Grocery? Just up the street from Central Market, many feared Central Market's entry into Fort Worth would eventually force Roy Pope out of business. But they're still here. Roy and Rose Pope opened the market 70 years ago, catering to West Siders' fine tastes. Longtime manager Bob Larance and his wife Renee became Roy Pope's third owners when they bought the store in 1990, and they continue to serve up the fine meats, produce, gourmet foods, wines and deli goods the store has been known for. The produce manager leaves Fort Worth at 3:30 a.m. daily to pluck produce from the Dallas wholesale market and get it back to Cowtown.
2300 Merrick Ave., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.732.2863, roypopegrocery.com
GUN SHOP
Reader Pick: Elk Castle
8240 W. Freeway, Fort Worth, 76108, 817.246.4622, elkcastle.com
Staff Pick: Defender Outdoors
This new shooting center hadn't opened yet, but still garnered votes in this year's Best Of contest, so we're sure it will do even better in next year's Best Of competition. The facility features 24 pistol lanes, six rifle lanes, 5,600 square feet of shopping, and a simulation house with military grade paintball that allows home invasion, night vision, and timed simulations.
2900 Shotts St., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.935.8377, defenderoutdoorsshootingcenter.com
HEALTH/WELLNESS
Reader and Staff Pick: Sunflower Shoppe
Multiple locations, sunflowershoppe.com
HOME DÉCOR
Reader Pick: Brumbaugh’s Fine Home Furnishings
11651 Camp Bowie W. Blvd., Aledo, 76008, 817.244.9346, brumbaughs.com
Staff Pick: (tie) Adobe Interiors
4651 Bryant Irvin Road, Fort Worth, 76132, 817.294.0053, adobeinteriors.com
Staff Pick: (tie) Simple Things Furniture
Simple Things is a bit out of the way. You have to be out on West Vickery Boulevard toward U.S. 377 to run into it. But it's been around for 16 years and is “obsessed” with sofas and chairs. Simple Things sells high-end upholstered and slipcovered furniture, antiques, “repurposed industrial pieces,” and “collections you might never have thought to collect. Their collection of textiles, including vintage rugs, pillows and kantha throws, is nothing short of impressive.
7401 W. Vickery Blvd, Fort Worth, 76116, 817.332.1772, simplethingsfurniture.com
LIQUOR STORE
Reader Pick: Spec’s
Multiple locations, specsonline.com
Staff Pick: Chicotsky’s Liquor and Fine Wine
3429 W. 7th St, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.332.3566, chicotskys.com
MEN'S CLOTHING
Reader Pick: Pax & Parker
This new store, founded by TCU graduates Winston Ley and Alari Paxson, sells an elevated assortment of ready-to-wear clothing and accessories for men and women. Ley and Paxson met while working in the buying offices of the South Texas retailer Julian Gold and stock the men's section with designer labels including Vince, Velvet by Graham and Spencer and Billy Reid.
1621 River Run, Suite 116, Fort Worth, 76107, 817.439.9581, paxandparker.com
Staff Pick: The Squire Shop
4516 Hartwood Drive, Fort Worth, 76109, 817.927.8722, thesquireshop.net
NURSERY
Reader Pick: Calloway’s Nursery
Multiple locations, calloways.com
Staff Pick: Earth-Land Gardeners & Rustics
7313 FM Road 1187, Benbrook, 76126, 817.443.3570, earthlandgardeners.com
OUTDOOR FURNITURE
Reader Pick: PalletSmart
5321 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth, 76114, 817.945.1584, palletsmart360.com
Staff Pick: Into the Garden
This Fort Worth favorite sells solid teak, wrought iron, wicker, mixed media, aluminum, and upholstered outdoor furniture.
4600 Dexter Ave., Fort Worth, 76107, 817.336.4686, intothegardentexas.com
SHOE STORE
Reader Pick: Stanley Eisenman Fine Shoes
Multiple locations, stanleyeisenmanshoes.com
Staff Pick: Neiman Marcus
2100 Green Oaks Road, Ridgmar Mall, Fort Worth, 76116, 817.738.3581, neimanmarcus.com
TOY STORE
Reader Pick: Toy Works
Toy Works doesn't buy just any toys. It specializes in toys and games “geared toward the creative advancement of the young mind.” Its selection acknowledges “that learning and the development of logical and analytical skills for children is critical and has the best assortment of toy objects and games to support this notion."
6333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 76116, 817.737.8697, toyworksstore.com
Staff Pick: The Happy Lark
Parents love The Happy Lark, thanks to its indoor play space for children. The site boasts that you can “let your children get your wiggles out” while you shop and sip on a free cup of coffee.
5816 S. Hulen St., Fort Worth, 76132, 682.841.1027, thehappylark.com
WESTERN WEAR
Reader Pick: Luskey/Ryon’s Western Wear
This Fort Worth institution makes this list every year; it's a great place to shop for authentic Fort Worth.
2601 N. Main St., Fort Worth, 76164, 817.625.2391, luskeys.com
Staff Pick: Overland Sheepskin Co.
Sundance Square, Overland Sheepskin's landlord, likes to keep hit lists of prospective tenants it wants in the near-term and prospects it thinks would be strong targets farther down the road. It'll sometimes jump ahead, when presented the opportunity. Overland Sheepskin was one such opportunity. When a Mexican restaurant exited Sundance Square, the merchandising plan called for another restaurant in the space in the near-term, with apparel longer-term. Sundance signed Overland Sheepskin, a 43-year-old Iowa retailer of premium shearling coats, leather jackets, hats, leather bags and gloves, slippers and boots, rugs, and accessories, that opened just before Christmas in 2014.
115 W. 2nd St., Fort Worth, 76102, 817.820.0701, overland.com
WOMEN'S CLOTHING
Reader Pick: Hip Chic Boutique
7200 Camp Bowie Blvd., Historic Camp Bowie Mercantile, Fort Worth, 76116, 817.733.6301, hipandchicboutique.com
Staff Pick: Esther Penn
3328 W. 7th St., Fort Worth, 76107, 682.841.1360. estherpenn.com
