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Best Bookstore

Changing Hands Bookstore

Don't give your money to Amazon. Jeff Bezos has enough of it. If you want to buy a book, go to Changing Hands. A Valley fixture since 1974 — and at its second location in Phoenix since 2014 — Changing Hands is exactly what a bookshop should be. The shelves are packed with titles, and if you can't find something, a friendly staff member is ready to help you. And Changing Hands is so much more than just books. There's no better place to grab stocking stuffers — lotions, ornaments, cooking supplies, funny knick-knacks and more abound. With the First Draft Book Bar located inside the Phoenix store, it's also a great place to crack open a paperback and grab a drink. Changing Hands also hosts everything from writers' workshops to author readings to poetry nights. And instead of your money lining Bezos' pockets, portions of every sale benefit public radio, charities and local schools.

Best Used Bookstore

Bookmans Entertainment Exchange

Truly, we want to support the publishing industry. It's just that new books cost an arm and a leg these days. Fortunately, there's Bookmans Entertainment Exchange. A local staple for decades, Bookmans' two Valley locations have an enormous selection of used books across all genres. As original list prices creep up, so have Bookmans' books, but you can still get most titles for about half of what you'd pay at Barnes & Noble. And Bookmans goes way beyond the printed page; both locations sell musical instruments, DVDs, video games, vinyl records, craft supplies, collectibles and other cool stuff. You can even take your unwanted items and get cash or trade for them. The store's cozy, welcoming atmosphere makes it easy to spend an afternoon browsing, after which we often leave with an armful of new-to-us reading material.

Best Book Sale

VNSA Used Book Sale

Along with Christmas, our birthday and the ASU v. U of A football game, the VNSA Used Book Sale is one of the events we eagerly anticipate each year. For one weekend, an exhibition hall at the Arizona State Fairgrounds turns into an epic shopping experience. More than 500,000 books, magazines, records, games, puzzles, maps and more are for sale at ridiculously low prices. Book dealers and bargain hunters show up as early as possible for a good spot in line; in fact, before the sale organizers changed the rules and only started allowing people to line up at 5 a.m., some early birds got there the night before. We've found countless good deals, unique items and rare treasures over the years. And best of all, all proceeds from the event benefit local charities. The next VNSA Book Sale will be held Feb. 15 and 16, 2025.

Best Pop-Up Market

Melrose Vintage Market

The Melrose Vintage Market started as a monthly event popping up just off Seventh Avenue in the Melrose District. And while that market is going strong, organizers expanded this year to open a new iteration of the MVM in downtown Phoenix. The events are on different days, which means you have double the chances to catch this pop-up vintage extravaganza. Throughout the market, some vendors sell antiques for your home, others sell unique and curated vintage clothing and accessories and a few stands sell collectibles and vinyl records. There's often a snack vendor, and dogs are welcome, making this outdoor shopping experience one of our favorite activities of the cooler months — the markets run from October through April.

Best Boutique

Bunky Boutique

What can you find in the concise yet expertly curated selection at Bunky Boutique? The better question is, what can't you find? Creative greeting cards. Craft soaps. Fun onesies. Men's hipster shirts from the likes of Howler Bros. and more with fun desert themes. Women's casual yet chic separates. Knockout graphic tees for all ages. Accessories that run the gamut from colorful bags in the perfect size and shape to a stunning range of jewelry for all tastes, from mini stud earrings to zodiac necklaces. Not to mention, friendly and attentive salespeople are on hand to help you find what you need. But the best part about Bunky is the delightfully serendipitous finds you'll stumble across that you cannot resist buying for someone, from your crazy cat lady best friend to your Swiftie spouse, your trans nephew (there's a huge Pride-themed collection) or your stoner grandma. For instance, we found a vintage motel-style keychain for a dog-obsessed master gardener friend that reads, "PLANT LADY BUT ALSO DOG LADY." Perfect.

Best Place to Shop for Gifts

Frances

Not many shops offer gifts perfect for everyone in your life. But Frances has a carefully curated selection of menswear, toys and clothes for kids, cocktail kits and decorations for the home and jewelry and accessories your mom or sister will cherish. The store also offers gift wrapping and sells greeting cards, so you can complete your gift all at once. Tucked into a shopping center off Camelback Road and Central Avenue, this gem is a true one-stop shop. Also among the wide selection of gifts are Arizona-themed items, so you can share a little local love while shopping local at the same time.

Best Upscale Party Supplies

UrbAna

It's a problem we've frequently experienced. We want to host an event. We want it to look fabulous. But we don't want to deal with the cleanup. In the happy medium between hours of dishes and foam plates from the grocery store, there is UrbAna, a local boutique home goods chain. UrbAna carries an excellent selection of disposable partyware that's both convenient and chic. Slender-handled plastic cutlery in gold and silver looks so nice that we wish it wasn't single-use. Plates and napkins are available for a range of party themes from birthday and pickleball to dinosaurs and cowboys. And if you're the dinner guest rather than the dinner host, UrbAna has a delightful selection of hostess and housewarming gifts such as Arizona-themed glassware, cheerful cocktail napkins, bar accessories and more.

Best Future of Fashion

Fair Trade With Redemption Market

Of all the trends to hit the consumer sector in recent years, fair trade seems to be among the more overtly promising. It's a chance for the average shopper to think ethically and sustainably to support better business practices. And as far as shops championing this very approach in the Valley, you can't do much better than Redemption Market. Be it home goods, jewelry, clothing or handbags, Redemption uses every purchase to support a meaningful cause while ensuring that the creator of each item is paid in full. And that comes as they continually support socially and environmentally sustainable sourcing practices, further promoting both transparency and alignment as essential parts of the shopping experience. Add in a local emphasis on independent artists/creators, and some decidedly approachable pricing, and Redemption's efforts are all about creating an atmosphere where seller and shopper are equal and interested in long-term business over quick exchanges. This whole fair trade thing may be a trend elsewhere, but it feels like the heart and soul of what makes Redemption such a worthy member of the Valley's bustling small business scene.

Best Vintage Clothing

Antique Sugar

Annamarie Sanchez and Sarah Bingham of Antique Sugar take vintage clothing very seriously. The pair's obsession started in the '90s and has grown from an eBay shop to 2,000-square-foot retail space in the heart of the Roosevelt Arts District. Their sustained success isn't just about their long-standing commitment. It's in the sheer range of clothing, with full outfits and accessories and everything in between dating all the way back to the 1920s. It's how they continue to embrace online shopping as a means to extend and augment their physical storefront. Or even how they expertly curate their very own gift box, the aptly titled Sugarbox, and how they make vintage shopping even more accessible. It's even in how they remain environmentally conscious (a true must for responsible vintage shopping). Antique Sugar fosters and maintains the inventory, presence and all-around good vibes that define great vintage shopping, and their passion and commitment is what takes it from a hobby to a vital expression of community. That, and the prices ain't half-bad, either.

Best Men's Clothing

Cave + Post Trading Co.

When Bruce Springsteen visited Phoenix in March for his Footprint Center concert, what store did he go to? Oh, that would be Cave + Post Trading Co. And if it's good enough for Springsteen, it's good enough for us. Plenty of touring musicians have stopped in at the central Phoenix store, but the bulk of its clientele are just regular, non-famous stylish guys who like Cave + Post for its classic American aesthetic tinged with Western flair. It's the place where you can get Howler Bros. shirts with pearl snaps, Hiroshi Kato selvedge denim and American Optical sunglasses (yes, the same brand that John F. Kennedy wore). Cave + Post also sells some great home goods and stuff for the ladies, but its focus is on men's fashion to the benefit of all Phoenix fellas. We know The Boss would approve.

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