Best of Hartford 2010: Retail

Antiques
EDITH WHITMAN INTERIORS
Avon
Whether the style you’re looking for is all-out glam,
fun and fresh, or serenely sedate, Edith Whitman
Interiors is the go-to design firm to help you transform
your ho-hum house into your dream home. Why go to
all the trouble of moving when you can just pick up the phone?

Appliances
HOLLOWAYS APPLIANCE CENTER
Simsbury
From Amana to Zephyr, if you need an appliance,
Holloways has it. This third-generation company,
in business for more than 50 years, offers competitive
prices and service you won’t find in the big stores.
Visit the user-friendly website and keep up with monthly
sales and specials through Facebook or Twitter.
There is no place like Holloways.

Audio Store
BEST BUY
Manchester, Newington, West Hartford and West Simsbury
Whether you’re looking for a tiny iPod or a monster TV –
or the tunes and shows to put on them – Best Buy is
your best bet! Accessorizing the mancave or sprucing up
the den? Go to Best Buy to find all you need and more.

Auto Dealer
HOFFMAN AUTO GROUP
East Hartford, New London, West Simsbury
From Ford to Porsche, Hoffman knows cars. With three
Connecticut locations and more than 10 automotive
brands, Hoffman’s is the premier car dealership in
Hartford County. Known and trusted in the area for
decades, Hoffman’s high level of service and professionalism
have made them our reader’s favorites. No wonder their
slogan is “Driven by Trust”!

Beer Selection (Retail)
CRAZY BRUCE’S LIQUORS
Bristol and West Hartford
He’s crazy! Crazy like a fox, that is! Crazy Bruce’s started
over 40 years ago, and has built a beer and liquor inventory
that can’t be beat. As proud producer of the world’s worst
commercial (as seen on Jay Leno) and can’t beat ‘em prices,
Crazy Bruce’s is the life of any party. If you can’t find the
beer you want, it hasn’t been made yet.

Bicycle Shop
NEWINGTON BICYCLE AND REPAIR
Newington
Newington Bike is a small shop with a large worldview.
From professional fittings to bikes for tots, and from
how-to clinics to the low-down on local riding hot spots,
Newington Bicycle has the sport covered – from
helmets to tires and everything in between.

Bookstore
BARNES & NOBLE
Canton, Enfield, Farmington, Glastonbury, Manchester,
New Britain, Newington and West Hartford
Who doesn’t love a good bookstore? From the cozy corner
of the children’s section to the rows of bio-graphies, art,
romance and drama, Barnes & Noble is a browser’s favorite.
Cozy up with a good read and your Starbucks Venti soy
no-water Chai, and you are set to wile away a rainy afternoon.

Bridal
MARIELLA CREATIONS
Rocky Hill
Mariella’s offers dresses for all special occasions, from proms
to cocktail dresses. But for nearly 40 years, this family-owned
company’s number one priority has been the bride on her big day.
Providing everything from personal fittings and alterations to
cleaning and preservation, Mariella Creations wants to create
the perfect experience for you.

Candy/Chocolate Store
MUNSON’S
Farmington, Glastonbury, Newington, South Windsor,
West Hartford and West Simsbury
Everyone knows Munson’s! For over 60 years, Munson’s has
offered delicious and delightful chocolate and candy to everyone.
This third generation family company is beloved by all and it’s the
rare person who doesn’t have a sweet memory of them
growing up. Munson’s has it all, from dark chocolate to
sugar-free candy. And with so many locations, that next
yummy treat is closer than you might think.

Children’s Clothing
KUMQUAT
Avon
Want your kid to look just right for that upcoming event
or photo op? Look no further than Kumquat. Locally owned
and operated by a mom, this shop’s goal is to help you find
just the right apparel and gear for your most favorite
accessories of all… your kids!

Consignment Store
UPTOWN CONSIGNMENT
Rocky Hill, Southington and South Windsor
A favorite consignment haunt for nearly 20 years,
Uptown is upscale in all ways except for their prices.
Whether you prefer Dolce and Gabana or Dooney and
Bourke, Uptown Consignment is sure to have what you
are looking for at downtown prices.

Eyeglasses
CENTRAL OPTICA OPTICAL SALON
West Hartford
For over 20 years, Central Optica has offered premier
and unique frames to local eyeglass wearers everywhere,
with one of the largest selections available in the Northeast.
See your way to Central Optica and feast your eyes on
their collections.

Florist/Flower Shop
FLOWERS BY LANE & LENGE
West Hartford
Lane & Lenge was established in 1912 and has been
providing the local community with floral beauty ever since.
Whether you want a simple bouquet or a room full of
flowers, Lane & Lenge can accommodate you.

Framers
IMAGINE IT FRAMED
Simsbury
The only shop in Connecticut to be named one of America’s
top frame shops by Décor magazine, Imagine It Framed
controls every step of the framing process, from the cut of
the frame to the matting of the picture. Whether it’s a simple
finger painting or a family heirloom, the owners will ensure
that you get the best service and are completely
satisfied with your product.

Furniture Store
PURITAN FURNITURE
West Hartford and Wethersfield
Since its start nearly 80 years ago, Puritan’s policy was to
sell only the best and to always have it in stock.
Considering its longstanding reputation as one of the best
in the community, we would say it has done well.
Puritan continues to be dedicated to customer service
and sales done directly from its five-acre warehouse,
with fine selection and competitive prices.

Garden Center
MOSCARILLO’S GARDEN SHOPPE
West Hartford
Since 1933, Moscarillo’s has been growing and growing!
With 12 greenhouses and two locations, they offer
everything you need so you can have the perfect lawn,
plant or flower. The wild bird center will make a
bird watcher out of you.

Hardware Store
PFAU’S HARDWARE
West Hartford
When you walk into Pfau’s, you’ll think you’ve stepped
back into the 1950s. The charming, old-fashioned decor
and plethora of goods will bring back memories from
days of old. Better yet, the store’s pleasant and helpful
staff is standing ready to guide you to whatever you may
be looking for, from paint and tools, to kitchen supplies
and giftware. They’ll make copies of your keys on the spot,
or install new screens in your windows.

Jeweler
LUX BOND & GREEN
Glastonbury, South Windsor and West Hartford
This is the place to go for watches, diamonds, jewelry
and other gifts from around the world, including exclusive
and custom designs. Reasonable prices and great
customer service are givens at Lux Bond & Green.
Whoever you’re shopping for won’t be disappointed,
and you won’t feel like you’ve paid too much.

Kitchen Store
WILLIAMS-SONOMA
South Windsor and West Hartford
If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and most people
do, you can find everything you need at Williams-Sonoma,
whether it’s for entertaining guests or quiet nights eating in.
The stylish and practical offerings include cookware and
cooks’ tools, cutlery, food processors, glassware, bar and
tabletop items, décor and furnishings.

Lighting
CONNECTICUT LIGHTING CENTERS
Hartford and Southington
You won’t be blinded by the light when you stop here,
even though they have the area’s largest selection of
lighting, fans and home accents. The knowledgeable staff
provides services like reviewing your house plans,
testing various lighting schemes for your rooms in their
lighting labs, and repairing broken fixtures.

Mall/Shopping Center
WESTFARMS
Farmington
The mix of shops and services is always being updated
at this 1.3 million-square-foot deep-dish slice of shoppers’
heaven. Among those coming soon are Aéropostale and
its tween sibling P.S., Brow Art 23 and Relaxation Station,
and Praline’s Ice Cream.

Men’s Clothing (Casual)
MICKEY FINN’S
Berlin
Mickey Finn’s offers a diverse mix of brands, appealing
to a wide range of men’s tastes. Among the clothing lines
featured in the 20,000-square-foot store are Diesel, GStar,
True Religion, 7 Diamonds, Lacoste, Tommy Bahama,
Hurley, The North Face and Nike, along with the largest
selection of denim brands in Connecticut. Mickey Finn’s
carries ladies’ clothing, too.

Men’s Clothing (Sophisticated)
NORDSTROM
Farmington
The secret of success is to dress the part. Nordstrom
has what you need to look your best, without sacrificing style.

Pet Store
PETCO
Avon, Enfield, Farmington, Manchester, Newington,
Southington and Windsor
If you love your pet but also value your time, Petco is
the one stop you should make to pick up food, accessories
and toys for your non-talking best friend. The store also
offers services such as grooming, photography and
vaccinations. You can even expand your furred or feathered
family at one of the store’s periodic adoption events.

Pool/Hot Tub Retailer
RIZZO POOL
Newington
With a team of devoted workers and craftsmen and
more than 50 years of experience, Rizzo Pool can handle
your project, from initial design concept to site preparation
and construction. They do it all, from massive commercial
pools to backyard and indoor pools, decking, swim-spas that
let you get a full workout in a compact area, hot tubs,
fountains and other water features for your yard.

Rugs
J. NAMNOUN ORIENTAL RUG GALLERY
Hartford
Whether you’re looking to buy an Oriental carpet or get one
cleaned, restored or repaired, this is the place to do it.
They give it to you straight, with no haggling and no
gimmicks or hassles.

Shoe Store
FOOTPRINTS
Newington
If one pair of shoes doesn’t fit, don’t worry: Footprints
has more than 100,000 others to try in order to find the
ones that fit you just right. They have all of the latest
styles and colors in shoes, plus accessories, all personally
presented to the customer by the store’s numerous
attentive associates.

Sporting Goods
DICK’S SPORTING GOODS
Canton, Enfield, Manchester, Newington and Plainville
Whatever the sport, Dick’s offers a deep assortment
of equipment, footwear and apparel to give athletes
the edge they need to perform at their peak, and fans
the look that declares their loyalty to their team. A golf
pro shop, fitness equipment, bicycles and everything
that anglers, hunters, campers and water sports
enthusiasts need are here, too.

Toy Store
TOY CHEST
West Hartford
Tired of the impersonal, rushed environment of the
chain toy stores? The Toy Chest is the answer, with
the charm of a traditional toy store and a wider variety
of playthings, including the newest and most creative
toys, as well as furniture, strollers and car seats, all
made with Old World care.

Tuxedo Rental
FORMALS BY ANTONIO
Rocky Hill
Formals by Antonio is a family-owned store with a
personal touch in service and a large selection that in
cludes many brand names, ready for any of the formal ev
ents in your life. The store even has white shirts in many
shades, to perfectly match any wedding gown.

Wine Selection (Retail)
DOTCOM WINES & SPIRITS
West Hartford
Value, a wide selection of wines and good advice about
which wine to serve with dinner are some of the
things that put dotcom Wine & Spirits, with its expert
sommeliers, in a class of its own.

Wireless Phone Store
VERIZON WIRELESS
Multiple locations
Who wouldn’t want the best coverage? Verizon Wireless
operates the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless
voice and 3G network, with 91.2 million customers in
the U.S. They also offer a wide selection of wireless devices.

Women’s Clothing (Casual)
KIMBERLY BOUTIQUE
West Hartford
This is a boutique in the best sense of the word,
with personal service and stylish, unique items you
won’t see other women wearing when you are
out and about. It’s all affordable, too. Featured
designers include 360sweater, Alexis Bittar, bcbg,
james jeans, Lilla P, tracy reese and white & warren.

Women’s Clothing (Sophisticated)
NORDSTROM
Farmington
The classy, stylish and unique all come together in
an emporium that is redolent with taste and quality.
Though you may walk in not knowing what look you
seek, you’ll emerge knowing you’re ready to make your
own, unmistakable fashion statement, thanks to the
gentle guidance of Nordstrom’s accommodating salespersons.