2025 Best of the Best Winners: SHOP

Shop: The Best of Style and Shopping

Place to Play Dress-Up: Thrift Pony 

This resale store is vivid pink and glittery, a walk-in treasure chest of classic clothes, low-rise cargos, and fuzzy jackets of all sizes. Dressing rooms are wallpapered in classic magazines, and the mirror has a squiggly pink body. 1824 Statesville Ave., Ste. 103

Place to Get Tins of Fish: The Culture Shop 

If celebrities needed to inventory their pantries in Charlotte, that is the place they’d go. Shelves are lined with provisions like actually good cheese, pure wines, and, in fact, the modern-day cool-cat snack: tinned fish. The Culture Shop carries all the pieces below the ocean—smoked caviar, Fishwife anchovies, octopus paté. Get a sleeve of fancy crackers and a tin of fish, and settle into that omega 3-rich, salty excessive that solely fish packaged in metallic can present. 1425 Kennon St.

Place to Cast a Spell: Sanctuary Imports 

Sometimes, all of us want a jar of dried herbs to throw in a pot and solid slightly spell. Sanctuary Imports in Plaza Midwood is a metaphysical playground that hosts new moon circles, tea gatherings, Reiki, sound baths, and Tarot readings. If you’ve ever wished your aura photograph taken, they will try this, too. 822 Lamar Ave.

Meat to Support Western North Carolina: The Chop Shop Butchery

One of the best methods to help Hurricane Helene restoration efforts is to buy Western North Carolina companies. Asheville-based whole-animal butcher Chop Shop Butchery has a location in Myers Park. When you purchase its (beautiful) quick ribs or pork chops, you help not solely the store but additionally the Western North Carolina farmers who provide it. 2820 Selwyn Ave., Ste. 160

Paint Store to Get DIY-Inspired: CLT Paint Cures

This south Charlotte retailer is the one woman-owned, impartial paint retailer within the state. Find prime manufacturers like Benjamin Moore, Romabio, and Golden Paintworks, plus luxurious manufacturers like Little Greene. Owner and shade professional Kristine Compton, who labored on the retailer for nearly 20 years earlier than taking it over, is all the time there with a smile and useful steering. 8706 Pineville-Matthews Road, Ste. 120

Old School Golf Club Whisperer: John Gamble, Carolina Golf Manufacturing

When one thing’s a bit off-kilter along with your membership—and also you’re sure it’s not the particular person swinging it—Johnny’s your man. You’ll discover golfers of all ranges lined up inside his Plaza Midwood store ready for him to tinker with their drivers. 2917 Central Ave., Ste. B 

Prime Fish Cellar

Sake and Provisions Shop: Prime Fish Cellar

When you need an encore of something you tasted at Omakase Experience, head a couple of doorways all the way down to this connoisseur market and bottle store in Providence Plaza. It’s stocked with uncommon wines, premium sakes, contemporary wasabi root from Japan, and hard-to-find elements to make your personal sushi. It’s additionally the one Charlotte retailer to hold the Yubari King muskmelon, one of many world’s most costly fruits. If you’re in a rush, seize a contemporary sashimi field or some A5 wagyu meatballs from the freezer. If you could have a while, keep to pattern caviar and wine flights. 2921 Providence Road

Cocktail Mixers: Spirits of Alchemy 

Most cocktail mixers style overly candy and synthetic. But every bottle from Charlotte-based Spirits of Alchemy feels dialed and packaged. One of its Old Fashioned mixers blends cinnamon and smoked cayenne pepper, whereas its Cast Away product, fusing mango and pineapple, conjures Caribbean vibes. All varieties could be discovered on the corporate’s web site or at native outlets, together with Sip City, Moxie Mercantile, Tip Top Daily Market, and Paper Skyscraper areas.

Sports Card Selection: Replay Sports Cards

This South End store has sealed packing containers, uncommon playing cards, and an adorkable employees that’s schooled in particular eras and gamers. Check their schedule for month-to-month Rip Nights the place you should buy, promote, and commerce with fellow collectors and revel in free giveaways. 115 E. Park Ave., Ste. C

Noelle Muñoz fashions her Soñadora necklace, 6-Stone ring, Bones bracelet, and Solara earrings.

Boho Modern Jewelry: Noelle Muñoz

It’s arduous to look at Noelle Muñoz at her workbench and name her a jewellery designer. When she’s bouncing between the torch, soldering instruments, clamps, metallic recordsdata, and sharpening machine, it feels disrespectful to name her something aside from an artisan. Her jewellery blends architectural shapes and Mexican iconography, leading to hanging silver and gold assertion items that whisper reasonably than yell. On her web site, you’ll discover a vary of earrings, necklaces, and rings below $200 in addition to daring signature items like her Bones bracelet ($825) and the Soñadora necklace ($835).

Place to Get Your Giddy Up: El Potrero Western Wear 

This ain’t Texas, however you possibly can cross for a Lone Star native after a visit to this east Charlotte retailer. Find an unlimited collection of western hats, boots, leather-based belts, and attire for males, ladies, and children from manufacturers like Ariat, Stetson, and Cuadra. If the vibe is cowboy-chic, that is the place to buy. 3036 Eastway Drive

Community in Motion: VisArt Video 

Charlotte’s final video rental retailer formally grew to become a nonprofit in 2021. With a rarity-filled trove of fifty,000-plus titles, the shop boasts “the most important assortment of movie and video on the East Coast.” Beyond entry to that treasure, guests to this east Charlotte spot can benefit from VisArt’s academic programming, particular screenings, espresso store, and neighborhood occasions. 3104 Eastway Drive

PC Paradise: Micro Center 

Think of it as a Home Depot for house workplace tech. Micro Center carries row upon row of computing merchandise, 3D printers, robotics kits, graphics playing cards, gaming-specific upgrades, and far more. One main attraction for 3D printer fans: a filament-dispensing robotic that produces your choice in seconds. 4744 South Blvd.

Place to Get and Save a Goldfish: The Fish Room of Charlotte

This staff is aware of aquatic pets: what they like, who will get together with whom, and plant preferences. They additionally know sufficient about water purification expertise to earn an honorary science diploma. When your child’s betta fish appears to be panting on the underside of the tank, they’ll do triage with you over the telephone and stroll you thru the treatment. Whether you could have a wall-to-wall tropical aquarium or a singular swimmer in a bowl, this place will take your fish household critically. 8129 Ardrey Kell Road, Ste. 103

Paper Goods: Good Postage

Many people nonetheless love a pleasant handwritten observe. Good Postage has the supplies for that and far more at its Camp North End retailer—with paper that’s recycled and printed regionally. Beyond its notecards, notebooks, and writing instruments, you’ll additionally discover authentic artwork, artwork provides, pouches, totes, and extra. 1824 Statesville Ave., Ste. 106A

Christmas Superstore: Holiday House & Co. Pop-Up

This isn’t the place to go for a brand new decoration or strand of lights. This is the spot for individuals who need to make Santa gasp when he sees your tree. We’re advised they’ll be again this yr in a brand new location.

Courtesy, Belmont Bookshop

Bookshelf Wealth: Belmont Bookshop

Browse books and vinyl records, play board video games, have a drink with buddies, and let the children discover the indoor treehouse. The huge inexperienced chalkboard within the again all the time has a schedule of occasions, like e-book launch events, children story instances, and blind date e-book golf equipment (if you recognize, you recognize). 7 N. Main St., Belmont

BOBlight: 

Overstock Resellers

Our readers love to buy, and all of us go nuts for a deal. When we reported the opening of Reclectic, the overstock low cost retailer for Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free People, half one million folks interacted with the publish. So brace your self—Charlotte’s obtained extra. There’s Where Ya Bin, an Amazon overstock and returns retailer in Matthews (1834 Matthews Township Parkway, Ste. 100) and Concord (30 Branchview Drive NE); Fast Design (4746 Sweden Road), a Target house liquidation warehouse; and the Frontgate outlet (9571A South Blvd.), which sells discounted returns, overstock objects, and minorly broken items from the dear house furnishing retailer.