Stoweflake
Stowe
If spas are supposed to be healthy, what's this we hear about your heavenly spa cheesecake?
Basically, it is an absolute takeoff on regular decadent cheesecake, with the exception that we replace items of high-fat content with items with much, much lower fat content. So, rather than using regular cream cheese or ricotta cheese, you can use tofutti cream cheese . . . For us, spa cuisine means much lighter fare and trying, whenever possible, to use local products. If there's a topping of blueberry coulis, it's made with blueberries grown in our garden, so we don't have to add any extra sugar.
-- David Merves, director of food and beverages
| best indoor place to work out |
Sports & Fitness Edge
South Burlington, Williston, Essex Junction
Seven Days readers named "outdoors" as the best place to work out for three consecutive years. This time, we asked you to look within for your favorite spot to sweat it. Turns out the winner, Sports & Fitness Edge, has five spots. The exercise enterprise is the result of the Twin Oaks and Racquet's Edge operations coming under single ownership in 1998 -- and under one name in 2006. Racquet sports are still strong at all facilities, but the 80 Eastwood Terrace (formerly Farrell Street) location in South Burlington is dedicated entirely to children's fitness. Swimmers can get their kicks at several sites; indoor soccer players get theirs in Williston. Gymnasiums, weight rooms, fitness classes and team leagues appeal to sporty types looking for pickup basketball, volleyball, Pilates or just to blow off steam.
Barnes & Noble
South Burlington
What was the biggest surprise dud at your store in the past year?
The Da Vinci Code in paperback. We had all kinds of promotions for it tied to the movie, and it really fizzled. We just didn't see the sales.
-- Gabe Diaz, assistant store manager
Lang Associates
South Burlington
If selling a house is all about location, then selling a client on a real estate agent is all about reputation. Lang's got a good one. The company's 70-plus agents list a multitude of farmhouses, townhouses and vacation retreats, some of which are featured on a Sunday Home Show on WCAX Ch. 3. If you miss it, watch it online or download a podcast from their website, www.langrealestate.com. It might make you want to move.
Maplehurst Florist
Burlington
What's the oddest reason people send flowers?
I always find it interesting when people send flowers for breakups. When they say that, I just don't know how to respond. "I guess she might like these, but she might tear them up and throw them at you." And a lot of the guys say that if it's not for "I'm sorry," they call it "a preventative measure." Whatever works, I guess. Flowers are always a good thing.
-- Courtney Sherman, manager
Stella
Burlington
Do people ever come into the store moaning, "Stella! Stella!" a la Marlon Brando?
Of course! We get that at least a couple times a week.
-- Piper Nightingale, co-owner
Michael Kehoe
Burlington
If your store didn't exist, where would you shop
for men's clothing?
Well, we're fierce about shopping local. Where would I shop? Hmm . . . Probably the SkiRack."
-- Tom Pierce, co-owner
Old Spokes Home
Burlington
This funky Old North End bike shop is more than just a place to buy a new or used two-wheeler. The Old Spokes Home also does repairs -- their crew of mechanics tinkers constantly with broken cycles in a workshop out back. Visitors are also invited to take a self-guided tour of owner Glenn Eames' collection of vintage bikes, starting with the 1914 English Elswick Roadster in the front window. Eames' cousin Ralph, who works in the shop, says the staff is less interested in bike racing than in providing a stylish transportation alternative to driving. With gas prices high and going higher, that never gets old.
| best place to buy women's casual/sportswear |
Sweet Lady Jane
Burlington
Now that you've started two successful retail stores in Burlington -- Sweet Lady Jane and Tribeca -- what's next for your growing business empire?
Are you kidding me? This is it. My next business goal is retirement!
-- Rachel Strules, owner
Homeport
Burlington
Need a puffy butterfly chair, Cuisinart panini press, retro fridge magnets or a bamboo armoire? Try Homeport. The locally owned Church Street retailer seemingly snagged its first Daysie this year, but in fact topped this category for several years in its former, Pier 1 incarnation. What's in a name? Shoppers still love those fun, moderately priced home furnishings.
| best beauty product purveyor |
Soapdish
Burlington
What's the strangest fragrance in a perfume, soap or cologne?
Our most unusual ones would be the Demeter fragrances . . . I have two personal favorites. I love the Dirt fragrance, which you either love or hate. The other one I really, really like is Snow. It's just a really clean, fresh fragrance. The man who creates them is a master perfumer. He has an incredible nose and creates fragrances like Sushi and Laundromat. His newest one is PlayDough.
-- Kathleen Bradley, co-owner
Fiori Bridal
Essex Junction
Why do bridesmaids hate their dresses
so much?
I don't know. I started in bridal in 1989, at the height of the ugly bridesmaid dresses. The bridesmaid dresses today are definitely much nicer and actually quite trendy. I think if you agree to be in a wedding, once you say yes to the bride, you have to keep saying yes. We have our "show up, shut up and pay up" tip: Just do whatever the bride tells you to.
-- Nicole Roberts, owner
| best place to buy women's casual/sportswear |
Salaam Boutique
Montpelier
Salaam is Arabic for "peace." That sounds exotic, but many of the items for sale in this lively, upscale boutique are made in Vermont. Andrea Miksic and her husband Peter Burns have designed the Salaam line since 1990. Today their skirts and dresses are sold in more than 600 specialty stores worldwide. Capital-city shoppers can find them at the boutique, too, next to pairs of $174 designer jeans. But store manager Gina Germond says she stocks bargains as well: "You could pick up a cute little rayon skirt for $20 on our sale rack right now!"
The Automaster
Shelburne
What's the most unusual request you've ever had for a custom delivery?
We had one BMW customer who requested that we deliver the car to their house as an anniversary gift. And we had to buy three-dozen roses. One dozen roses were to be left on the hood of the car. For the rest, the rose petals were to be drenched on the seats and cover the walkway all the way to the front door.
-- Dale Fillion, general manager
