Shops & Wares >>

• BEST JUNK
  Architectural Antiques
  This is junkyard heaven, the place where cool, funky things go to die or to be bought or rented as the case may be. Chandeliers and traffic lights hang from the ceiling while stained-glass windows, Coca-Cola vending machines, marble busts, golf clubs, and bookshelves line the walls. Looking for... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO BUY ITALIAN DELICACIES WHILE LISTENING TO DEAN MARTIN
  Laurenzo's Italian Market
  If Laurenzo's were nothing more than the area's best Italian market (and most people say it is), it would still be worth writing about. But the 50-year-old institution is so much more: a slice of Little Italy in Miami-Dade County, an oasis of Old World charm, a portal onto the past. Laurenzo's... More >>
• BEST FLORIST
  Jenny's Flowers
  "From the womb to the tomb and all moments in between." Those are the appropriate times for flowers and plants, according to the ebullient Jenny Kallert, who has run her famous flower shop since 1973. With the fastidious zip of a German-accented bee in pollination mode, she works in her environs... More >>
• BEST NEWSSTAND
  Worldwide News
  Broward has Bob's and we have Worldwide. That's the best way to explain this store's perennial lock on this category. If you're looking for an obscure magazine or an out-of-town newspaper, this is where you must come. And if Worldwide doesn't have it, you're out of luck, bub. Regardless of what... More >>
• BEST COSTUME JEWELRY
  C. Madeleine's
  A cameo to nestle in your cleavage. Rhinestones to ring your fingers. Austrian crystals to drape around your neck. No matter what manner of costume jewelry you seek, you'll most likely find it at this vintage shop, where numerous cases house quality watches, fobs, brooches, chains, chokers, and... More >>
• BEST INDIAN GROCERY
  Bombay Super Bazaar
  When the vindaloo you've eaten in restaurants just won't do, it's time to try making it yourself. The perfect place to stock up on supplies is Bombay Super Bazaar. This small market boasts a bounty of ingredients destined for innumerable Indian dishes from every region. Packed in bags of various... More >>
• BEST FLEA MARKET
  Flagler Flea Market
  An unofficial survey indicates many Miamians (well, at least three or four) do not buy anything, except groceries, anywhere but this flea market. Why run around to different malls and spend more, they reason, when on any given Sunday afternoon they can take Mom and the kids out to the pulguero... More >>
• BEST SKATE SHOP
  Fritz's Skate & Bike Shop
  We trolled bowling-alley parking lots, video arcades, tattoo parlors, and public handicap ramps to survey skate rats about the best shop in town. Whether it was in Kendall, Westchester, or Aventura, the overwhelming favorite was Fritz's. This Lincoln Road storefront distinguishes itself by not... More >>
• BEST VINTAGE STORE
  Morningside Antiques
  Zoom by too fast on Biscayne Boulevard and you might mistake Morningside Antiques for a small house. And it certainly was once upon a time. Now it's an intimate antique mall featuring a series of rooms that act as booths run by different dealers. Wander through leisurely and you're sure to come... More >>
• BEST VIDEO STORE
  New Concept Video
  If you're looking for a stark example of the difference between a corporate giant and a locally owned emporium, just mosey through the carefully stocked aisles of New Concept Video, which serves up practically everything its surrounding community is after: imported fashion magazines,... More >>
• BEST MANICURE
  New Slick Unisex Salon

  6726 Bird Road

  West Miami-Dade

  305-667-9827

  In the Bird-Ludlam Shopping Center there are three places to get your nails done, but only one salon will do if you want a seven-dollar manicure and more chisme (gossip) than you can possibly process. While your cuticles are being pushed back and the polish is being applied, you'll hear about... More >>
• BEST NURSERY
  Cornell Landscape Nursery
  The topiaries perched on the fence posts give you a clue about what you'll discover at this family-run nursery. The eager assistance, available as soon as you open your car door, will soothe any confusion you may experience gazing upon the tangle of vegetation in front of you. And the... More >>
• BEST NURSERY FOR TROPICAL FRUIT TREES
  Clinica de las Plantas
  You've got the family, the job, the little plot of land. What's missing from your idyllic life? Oh, right. The folks from whom you bought your house had thumbs about as green as the sky. You need trees, and since you live in Miami you figure they might as well bear fruit and save you some bucks... More >>
• BEST COMIC BOOK SHOP
  Super Heroes Unlimited
  This is the place for those who want to scope out their funnybooks and still feel like a grownup. The Archie/Pokémon/Disney presence is relatively low-key. Cutesy card games and movie tie-in toys clearly aren't this previous "Best of Miami" winner's reason for existing. Instead the... More >>
• BEST LAST-MINUTE GIFT IDEA
  Cookies by Design
  You're a generous person with a heart for gift-giving, but you're a lousy shopper without an ounce of creativity. Every Mother's Day you do five laps around the mall looking for the perfect gift, only to end up empty-handed, bitter, and with sore feet. Wearily you lick the envelope on yet... More >>
• BEST BOTANICA
  Botanica Oricha
  All the usual potions and talismans and statuettes and candles and flowers any good santero needs are here in the heart of Allapattah. On the exterior green walls of this building are painted colorful renditions of some of Latin America's more popular Catholic saints, such as Caridad del Cobre... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO BUY A SHIRT AND CHAT WITH A LEGEND
  La Casa de las Guayaberas
  Guayaberas may now be ubiquitous, as familiar a sight in South Beach as in Little Havana, as popular with club-hopping twentysomethings as with potbellied old men. But there is still only one mago de la guayabera (guayabera magician): Ramon Puig, owner of La Casa de las Guayaberas, the famed... More >>
• BEST DIVE SHOP
  Bubbles Dive Center
  If this dive shop is good enough for Flipper, most likely it will be good enough for you. The pros at Miami Seaquarium drive across the Rickenbacker Causeway regularly to get their tanks filled and equipment repaired by the guys at Bubbles. As a shop, they offer the latest gear from SeaQuest,... More >>
• BEST BABY STORE
  Crybaby
  Frankly the only tears we see flowing in here are ones of joy. No consumer in his or her right mind would even think of shedding one in sadness, given the plethora of goods you can peruse for your young one, ranging from cute little one-size outfits (with matching hats) for newborns to faux fur... More >>
• BEST SECURITY SHOP
  Counterspy Shops of Mayfair, London
  In this current age of paranoia, which dates back at least ten years and which was heightened tremendously by September 11, well-heeled folks (Colombians and Venezuelans who can't shake the creepy feeling they're vulnerable and need extra zones of protection) are turning more and more to James... More >>
• BEST JUICE BAR
  Los Piñarenos Frutería y Florería
  This is a carefree, open-air oasis with buckets of cut flowers and bins of produce at your fingertips as you stroll along the sociable Calle Ocho sidewalk. Coco frio is said to be the specialty here, and there's something naturally wonderful about grabbing a freshly slashed coconut and sucking... More >>
• BEST MALL
  Dolphin Mall
  It's only a year old but already the Dolphin Mall has its devoted fanatics. One of the appeals is variety: more than 200 stores running the gamut from low-end to high, from Burlington Coat Factory to Bebe. There are also outlets (Off 5th, Bombay), offbeat gift stores (Exotic Treasures), and... More >>
• BEST WINE STORE
  Wolfe's Wine Shoppe
  Given the pedigree of the husband-and-wife owners -- 34-year-old Jeffrey Wolfe was formerly general manager of Norman's restaurant, and 29-year-old Christie was marketing manager for Augustan Wine Imports -- we had a suspicion this place would stock some pretty eclectic bottles gleaned from... More >>
• BEST SUPERMARKET
  Publix Super Market at Shores Center
  The pleasure of shopping at the Shores Publix begins outside, in the ample parking lot, where an empty space can usually be found with relatively little effort (if the lot is full, just take the ramp to the rooftop parking deck; an elevator will bring you to ground level). Before you go in,... More >>
• BEST MEXICAN MARKET
  Mexico Market
  On Sundays, when everyone is off work, this grocery store looks like the site of a fiesta. In aisles festooned with all-occasion piñatas, shoppers -- many with kids in tow -- load carts with provisions for the week ahead. A lot of socializing takes place here. And eating, too. There is a nacho... More >>
• BEST PAWNSHOP
  Daddy's Cash
  At Tenth Street near downtown Miami, Daddy's is presided over by Herman ("Dat's the only name you need!"), a guy who'll purchase your wristwatches ("Rolex is still da best"), AK-47s ("Dat's a lotta money -- I can't quote ya a price 'cause prices vary, ya unnerstand?"), or Sony 30-inch TVs... More >>
• BEST DANCE SUPPLY SHOP
  StarStyled
  At this small, unassuming store on the northern fringes of Little Havana, dancers can purchase everything they need to dress up their routine. Danskin unitards that normally sell for $50 or $60 can be had here for little more than $20. On our last visit we came across the most inexpensive pair... More >>
• BEST BOOKSTORE
  Books & Books
  Maybe Miles Davis's Kind of Blue is playing when you walk in. Maybe you spot on the newsstand a literary magazine you've never heard of -- Tin House, for example. Maybe when you're inside the store, slowly looking over the new books displayed on tables and the older stock arrayed on dark-wood... More >>
• BEST SPECIALTY BOOKSTORE
  Murder on Miami Beach
  I could see this dame was trouble the minute I laid eyes on her. A tough-looking blonde with a hard smile and a bagful of sideways glances. Yeah, I knew better than to ask her for help. So I just browsed the aisles and bided my time. They were all there, 8000 sordid little stories of greed,... More >>
• BEST SPANISH-LANGUAGE BOOKSTORE
  Libreria Revistas y Periodicos
  Here is a real find for political-science junkies interested in Latin America. Tucked into a strip mall across from Tropical Park, this Colombian-owned store specializes in a collection of books that concentrates on social upheaval throughout the Americas. Since 1989 its owners, Eduardo and... More >>
• BEST RECORD/CD STORE
  Blue Note Records
  The word "records" is a bit of a misnomer these days, given that Blue Note owner Bob Perry has transferred the bulk of his store's vinyl to a separate jazz annex a few blocks away. But despite that additional schlep now required for those still, ahem, possessing needles and in need of a... More >>
• BEST PLACE FOR DJs TO BUY VINYL
  Grooveman
  Other stores may have larger selections, but Grooveman is the DJ's record store. Stocked with everything relevant -- from club standards to obscure imports -- Grooveman concentrates solely on a DJ's needs, resisting the temptation to turn the shop into another South Beach tourist trap. With an... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO BUY LATIN MUSIC
  Museo del Disco
  Looking for that old Bola de Nieve bolero your abuelo used to sing? Itching for a copy of that Pablo Neruda poem set to music by Aterciopelados but you can't remember what it's called? Eager to hear the latest releases from Cuba, Brazil, Colombia, or Spain? Has collecting round discs etched with... More >>
• BEST USED-CD STORE
  Uncle Sam's Music
  As those wise men of dance culture, the Village People, once opined, "You can't stop the music." That's definitely the motto over at Uncle Sam's, which took this award last year and deserves it again in 2002. Why? Because a never-ending supply of used CDs keeps turning over, rewarding a weekly... More >>
• BEST CONSIGNMENT STORE
  Twice As Nice
  This diminutive storefront looks unremarkable from the outside. You might even miss it if you're not paying attention. But on the inside, where every available square inch is taken up by clothes, jewelry, and accessories, it's pretty darn amazing. Twice As Nice is all secondhand merchandise, but... More >>
• BEST SEX TOYS SHOP
  Pink Pussycat Boutique
  Let us ask you something. Are you gonna buy the ten-inch Jeff Stryker molded-plastic cock from just any purveyor of the prurient, or are you going to buy it from the little neighborhood porn shop that's been helping Miami get off for more than 30 years? That's what we thought. Actually the... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO SIP CUBAN COFFEE WHILE SELECTING A MODERATELY PRICED PINOT NOIR
  Best Time Wine and Gourmet 305-443-6070
  One of the best one-stop shopping concepts in town. Both Best Time locations offer a pretty extensive selection of cheap to moderately priced wines (seven to sixteen bucks) as well as a counter for Cuban coffee and sandwiches. The perfect place to grab a bottle for that unexpected dinner party... More >>
• BEST LIQUOR STORE
  Crown Wine and Spirits
  Remember all those times in college you told your parents you had been at the library studying when you actually had been out drinking? You weren't lying. You were just anticipating this place. Crown isn't just a liquor and wine shop; it's the ivory tower of vino, Wine U., an institute of higher... More >>
• BEST COSTUME SHOP
  Casa de Los Trucos
  Ay, Mami! When Tio took us to see the trucos, I got too scared! There's this big witch's head when you walk in the door, and it's so ugly! I told Tio I had to go back to the car but he just laughed at me. Then you go in and they have all these body parts you can put on and look really scary, and... More >>
• BEST COMPUTER REPAIR
  Computer Village
  Warning! If you own a PC, this is not for you. But if you own an Apple, consider yourself in heaven. When your maniac Mac goes totally bozo, which scenario would you prefer: 1) While you try to explain the problem to some SuperduperSlickStore front-desk person who's basically a receptionist,... More >>
• BEST CIGAR EMPORIUM (1 Comment)
  305-604-9694
  Rudy Rodolfo opened his South Beach Cigar Factory five years ago, during the height of the cigar boom, at 1136 Collins Avenue in a charming storefront that looked like a walk-in mom-and-pop joint, only hip. At the time Anglo cigar bars were proliferating all over Miami, but particularly in South... More >>
• BEST BIKE SHOP (1 Comment)
  Cycle World
  Back in 1981, when Owen Lee and his wife Joan took a gamble on a business opportunity by purchasing a bicycle shop, it seemed a relatively straightforward enterprise. Inventory decisions were simple -- a limited number of manufacturers produced a limited number of models. Mountain bikes were... More >>
• BEST MODERATELY PRICED MODERN FURNITURE
  Spasics
  Pressing your nose against the windows of the ritzy furniture stores in Coral Gables has to stop. You can't afford what you stare at so longingly, and you're smudging a lot of glass. Yeah, yeah, furniture is an investment, but in this case saving pennies isn't an option. You just can't bring... More >>
• BEST TOY STORE
  The House of Dolls
  Dolls are toys too! A toy emporium doesn't have to be packed with Pokémon, G.I. Joes, Beanie Babies, or remote-controlled cars. We'll admit it may be a little creepy walking into this two-and-a-half-year-old store, which is wall-to-wall dolls, and being stared at by a thousand pairs of... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO CURE YOUR ILLS
  Halouba Botanica
  Let's say that one day the devil jumps down your throat when you are caught with your mouth open, and from then on you are worse than miserable with bad luck and grief. You may be haunted, the victim of a spell. You may never know who is responsible. But let's say the only thing that will get... More >>
• BEST BUSINESS NAME
  Señor Stereo
  Need we say mas? More >>
• BEST SPORTING GOODS STORE
  Play It Again Sports
  The marketing-recycling phenomenon began in Minnesota in the Eighties with Once Upon a Child, the notion that kids outgrow their clothes, toys, and furniture so fast it's nuts to just keep buying new, then spread to sports (Play It Again), and lately to the electronic-communications frontier... More >>
• BEST DELIVERY SERVICE
  On Call Beer Express
  So your party is a hit. Somehow your pad is full of cool strangers who are mingling loudly around the keg of Pabst. As you approach the center you hear some chick bitching about the soggy suds being spit from the tap. Some geek is trying to impress her by dipping the spout below the canister.... More >>
• BEST ADULT VIDEO STORE (2 Comments)
  Miami Playground Adult Entertainment
  They claim to be the largest adult bookstore in the entire U.S. of A. True? Who knows? Who cares? Size doesn't matter, right? This clean, well-lighted place for porn and sex toys, conveniently located near State Road 112 and busy 27th Avenue, has everything a sexy beast might need, from... More >>
• BEST RUSSIAN VIDEO STORE
  Moscow Video
  Lurking behind a Miami Subs and a bikini shop on an awkward corner beneath the 163rd Street overpass, Moscow Video is a curious catch-all shop of videos, CDs, cassettes, Russian newspapers, and small, ornately decorated wooden boxes. Besides the Russian-language flicks you can enjoy the sublime... More >>
• BEST BEACH BOUTIQUE
  La Squadra
  "I knew you'd be back," says Stephane Amar with a satisfied smile. A few hours earlier you had stopped in at his shop on Washington Avenue searching for a new suit. His racks featured several sweet-looking suits from Europe. The fit could not be topped and the price was too low to believe. You... More >>
• BEST SECONDHAND STORE
  Bargain Box
  This small storefront boutique d'yesterjour, located near the Orange Bowl, features the usual thrift-store goodies like books, records, kitchenware, appliances, and furniture. But the best reason to go there is the clothing: men's and women's suits, shirts, jackets, jeans, and shoes, a lot of it... More >>
• BEST SOCCER SHOP
  Soccer Locker of Miami
  There's a reason we keep naming this store numero uno among soccer outlets. In a word it's service. Oh yeah, and the selection is pretty good too. The first-time futbol mom, facing a daunting array of supplies, can take comfort in the patient explanations on the relative merits of the Diadora... More >>