Best Place to Spend a Day Shopping

Crocker Park

From Trader Joe's to Anthropologie, and for countless reasons in between, the Westlake lifestyle center is brimming with life. Its diversity of offerings makes it a welcome stomping ground for singles, couples, and families alike.

189 Crocker Park Blvd., Westlake, 440-871-6880,crockerpark.com

Best Place to Buy Music

Music Saves

Whether it's old or new, you'll find every era's hippest acts here, with an emphasis on contemporary indie rock and those who influenced it.

15801 Waterloo Rd., Cleveland, 216-481-1875, musicsaves.com

Best Place to Buy Unique Gifts

Big Fun

The Coventry Rd. fixture now has a companion shop on Cleveland's western edge. Both locations open the door to all the long-lost toys and forgotten treasure you never needed but wish you still had.

1814 Coventry Rd., Cleveland Hts., 216-371-4386; 11512 Clifton Blvd., Cleveland, 216-631-4386;bigfunbigfun.com

Best Place to Buy Vinyl

My Mind's Eye

If you're looking for a slab of classic rock, punk, or metal vinyl and My Mind's Eye doesn't have it, you're probably out of luck. But you'll find seven other things you'd forgotten that you wanted.

3727 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-6660; mymindseyerecords.com

Best Adult Store

Adult Mart

This multi-state chain specializes in clean, spacious, and plentiful stores that make filling your adult needs easier than ever.

Numerous locations throughout Northeast Ohio; adultmart.com

Best Liquor Store

Minotti's

With five locations, Minotti's is a West Side institution. Best known for their fabulous wine selection, they also host regular wine-related events.

minottis.com

Best Thrift Store

Unique Thrift

Part of a 17-store chain that spans Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, Unique is best known here for its Ohio City location. Unpredictable in its treasures throughout the year, it's a godsend come Halloween time.

Four area locations, including: 3333 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, 216-631-0205; uniquethriftstore.com

Best Place to Buy Groceries

West Side Market

For the best prices and the freshest food, the West Side Market can't be beat. Grocery stores will come and go, but this Market is here to stay.

1995 W. 25th St., Cleveland, 216-579-6800, westsidemarket.org

Best Place to Furnish Your Place

Arhaus

This multi-state chain is as good as it gets with high-end furnishings and design consultation.

Multiple locations throughout Northeast Ohio, arhaus.com

Best Locally Owned Bookstore

Mac's Backs

Three floors of new and used books make us love Mac's Backs; the Coventry shop's devotion to hosting book-signings, writing groups, and other literary events keeps us coming back.

1820 Coventry Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-2665, booksite.com/mback

Best Hair Salon or Barbershop

Crazy Mullets

The name, of course, is a self-aware nod to what can happen to your hair in the wrong hands. No such concerns at either outpost of Crazy Mullets, where a hip vibe meets a talented staff.

14807 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-712-7733; 1830 Coventry Rd., Cleveland Hts. ;216-320-9891 crazymullets.com

Best Boutique

Banyan Tree

Owners Christie and Dale Murdoch hunt and peck for rare and stylish pieces to fill their lovely Tremont boutique. Thanks to them, you don't have to do the hunting yourself.

2242 Professor Ave., Cleveland, 216-241-1209, shopbanyantree.com

Best Animal Hospital

Gateway Animal Clinic

This walk-in clinic in Tremont specializes in care for animals that too often get woefully little of it in the outside world.

1502 Abbey Ave., Cleveland, 216-771-4414

Best Tattoo Parlor

Eclectic Tattoo

With its bright shop beaming with natural light and its artwork so detailed that it pops like 3-D, there's little wonder Eclectic earns the nod.

7054 Avon Belden Rd., North Ridgeville, 440-327-4465, myspace.com/eclectictattoocompany

Best Spa

Sacred Hour Masssage

Their services vary from therapeutic treatments to energy work and facials, and their results are positively immeasurable.

15217 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-228-9750, sacredhour.com

Best Eco-Friendly Business

Greenhouse Tavern

Chef Jonathon Sawyer is a leader in the local-food movement, sourcing most of his ingredients from area farms and making plans for his own on-site rooftop garden.

2038 East Fourth St., Cleveland, 216-443-0511, thegreenhousetavern.com

Best Recreational Tobacco Supply Shop

Daystar Boutique

Daystar has served the head-shop crowd for decades, offering papers, pipes, bongs, and other accessories essential for smoking legal substances. And we'll assume that's what you had in mind.

17102 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-228-4522; 15798 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, 216-941-4144; shopdaystar.com

Best Locally Owned Clothing Store

Banyan Tree

Nestled in the heart of Tremont, Banyan Tree is to local shopping as all those fantastic restaurants are to local dining, by which we mean: essential.

2242 Professor Ave., Cleveland, 216-241-1209,