Best Antique Store

Empoirum St. Louis Antiques
9410 Manchester Road, Rock Hill; emporiumstlouis.com

READERS' CHOICE SPOTLIGHT
Emporium St. Louis may be known for its neon-pink and black facade, but that color scheme is only part of its vibrancy. Beloved as one of the area’s oldest antique and vintage stores, this Rock Hill gem overflows with everything from ornate, old world furniture to cottagecore tchotchkes that, though once out of date, find new lives as their aesthetics come back in style. With an ever-changing inventory, helpful staff and an eBay store that allows you to treasure hunt from the comfort of your own home, emporium brings the joy of the search to you no matter how you prefer to shop. Though really, it’s hard to beat the thrill of sifting through its wares on site; you never know what this wonderful shop has in store until you start looking.

Best Sex Shop

Ciggfreed's Liquid & Lace
6839 Gravois Avenue; ciggfreeds.com

READERS' CHOICE SPOTLIGHT
Originally opened as an e-cigarette emporium in 2014, Ciggfreed’s expanded its repertoire to include adult toes, novelties and size-inclusive lingerie a few years later, offering a safe, non-judgemental place for patrons to explore their kinks. Woman-owned and dedicated to helping patrons fulfill their fantasies, Ciggfreed’s has a comprehensive selection of adult products and a knowledgeable staff that can answer questions and make personalized recommendations with a friendly, “You do you” demeanor. The shop is committed to making everyone feel sexy in their own skin, so they allow their customers to try on lingerie in the store and will even offer fit tips, understanding that how you feel is the most important thing about being at your best — and at this welcoming, inclusive shop, they make sure you have everything you need to get there.

Best Gift Shop

Golden Gems
3108 Locust Street; shopgoldengems.com

READERS' CHOICE SPOTLIGHT
Where do you go when you need to get the point across to your bestie that they are, indeed, a fucking peach? In St. Louis, there’s only one answer: Golden Gems, the unapologetic lifestyle brand that sells a coffee mug printed with this exact sentiment. Sisters Amanda Helman and Susan Longsdon’s delightfully irreverent boutique, home goods and accessories store has everything you need to celebrate a life lived on your own terms and an assortment of gifts for the powerful witches surrounding you who are doing their thing, too. There’s nothing worthwhile that you can’t find a Golden Gems; the shop and online store has everything from hats, scarves, clothing and accessories to candles, crystals and sex toys, so you are sure to be the best gifter at the party when you come with a package from this sparkling diamond of the shop. Just don’t forget to grab a little something for yourself, too; you, goddess that you are, deserve it.

Best Dispensary

Heya
multiple locations including 10417A St. Charles Rock Road, heyawellness.com

READERS' CHOICE SPOTLIGHT
If smoking weed used to evoke images of bleary-eyed stoners noshing on Doritos while watching Futurama, Heya Wellness embodies today’s marijuana Zeitgeist. Sleek, polished and professionally staffed, this boutique chain of dispensaries has the feel of a high-end tea shop, with a comprehensive selection of hard-to-find strains, edibles and vape cartridges, as well as friendly budtenders to guide you on your mind-body wellness journey. Heya truly sees cannabis as a way to achieve holistic well-being, and it helps guests achieve this by offering the highest quality flower, which it cultivates from seeds sourced from teh best in the industry. Being vertically integrated (Heya handles cultivation, manufacturing and dispensing, allows the company to have its hand in every step of the process, which results in the best cannabis around.

Best Jewelry Store

Clayton Jewelers
143 Carondelet Plaza, Clayton; claytonjewelersstl.com

READERS' CHOICE SPOTLIGHT
For more than 30 years, Clayton Jewelers has been St. Louis’ true jeweler — not a big-box store offering generic wares but a place where actual craftspeople, oftentimes owner Steven Paige himself, make custom pieces on site. The shop is passionate about bringing to life the vision of its customers and will work to create custom pieces in a collaborative fashion. Even when you’re buying something already made, you can rest assured that you’re being listened to and guided toward the perfect pieces. Paige has honed his craft to the point of being a master of it, and he uses that skill on everything from large diamonds and colored gemstones to family heirlooms. He and his team are also well-versed in repairs, resettings and restoration so that your timeless pieces can be passed down from generation to generation. You’d only trust the best with something so precious.

Best Smoke Shop (General)

LIT Cigar Lounge St. Louis
17049 North Outer 40 Road, Suite 189, Chesterfield; litstl.com

READERS' CHOICE SPOTLIGHT
LIT may be beloved for its wonderfully chic and inviting cigar lounge and on–premise spirits, but this Chesterfield establishment is equally popular because it boasts the ara’s most outstanding selection of cigars, offered by a knowledgeable staff that is happy to guide everyone from serious aficionados to those to those just starting out. It’s a mindblowing escalation from the “Little Cigar Shop” founder Bryan Ssyder said he wanted to create when he opened LIT in its original locations in 2019; the place took on a life of its own once folks got word of its commitment to providing an exceptional cigar experience. Now in a sprawling location in Chesterfield’s new entertainment complex, The District, Lit features a massive, well-stocked humidor, smoking accessories and fine spirits that the staff will help you pair with your cigar selections. Enjoy them on site or from the comfort of your own home. Either way, you’re guaranteed to be smoking the best the area has to offer.

Best Smoking Lounge

LIT
17049 North Outer 40 Road, Chesterfield; litstl.com

READERS' CHOICE SPOTLIGHT
Bryan Snyder always dreamed of opening an inviting little cigar shop, but that humble vision has morphed into the world-clas lit cigar lounge, the metro area’s must-visit for premium smokes and spirits. Now open in its new digs within the Chesterfield entertainment complex The District, Lit offers a gorgeous, state-of-the-art space for playing games, enjoying fine spirits and of course lingering over a quality cigar. It’s comfortable vibe — tobacco-colored leather, rich wood accents and upholstered chairs you can sink into for hours — offers a premium smoking experience that feels like an unpretentious country club for cigar aficionados. Though memberships are available, the lounge does a wonderful job of making everyone feel like an invited guest thanks to its focus on hospitality. This, along with its outrageously comprehensive selection of fine cigars and equally impressive bourbon and whiskey list, makes LIT the only place in town to consider for a memorable smoking lounge experience.

Best Clothing Boutique

Golden Gems
3108 Locust Street; shopgoldengems.com

READERS' CHOICE SPOTLIGHT
Amanda Helman and Susan Longdon believe there is a badass within everyone, and in 2016, the sisters set out to help folks embrace that reality. Operating out of Helman’s living room, the pair launched Golden Gems with just a handful of products. They became such an overnight sensation, they soon expanded their operations to include a shop on Cherokee, which later closed as they opened a flagship storefront on Locust Street in Midtown as well as shops at City Foundry and West County Center. You understand their appeal the moment you walk into the store, where you can shop for empowering threads in an environment that celebrates you inner — or if you take their cutes, outer — baddie. Cheeky slogans including Midwest Honey, Dive Bar Drinking Club, Live Rude or Pro Hoe adorn a size-inclusive selection of t-shirts and sweatshirts. Their hats, bandanas and accessories are like armor that help you live loud, proud and unapologetically you.

Best Garden Center

Flowers & Weeds
3102 Cherokee Street, flowersandweeds.com

Best CBD Shop

CBD Kratom
multiple locations including 3161 Morgan Ford Road; shopcbdkratom.com

READERS' CHOICE SPOTLIGHT
Before adult-use, or even medical, marijuana came on the scene in Missouri, CBD Kratom offered St. Louisans an exceptional health and wellness experience through CBD-infused products including oils, teas, chocolates and bath bobs. Now with shops spread throughout the St. Louis metro area and beyond, the brand has become the undisputed destination for CBD and kratom, not only thanks to the quality of its products but because of its welcoming environment and knowledgeable staffers, who can guide shoppers on the benefits of incorporating these wellness aides into a whole-health lifestyle. That the brand had become synonymous with the wellness movement nationwide is proof of its authority in the industry.