Best electrician 2013: Robertson Electric

Robertson Electric 973-4348 robertsonelectric.com Runner-up: Design Electric (800) 476-5058 designelectric.com Human conductor Slavisa Pajkic, of Pazarevac, Serbia, can withstand a 20,000-volt current through his body without feeling a thing. He’s known as “Battery Man,” and says he can act as an insulator, conductor, and even a heater. The folks at Robertson Electric can do all […]

Best bank 2013: UVA Community Credit Union

UVA Community Credit Union 3300 Berkmar Dr. 300 Preston Ave. 1018 W. Main St. 325 Four Leaf Ln. (Crozet) 220 Wayles Ln. (Crozet) 964-2000 uvacreditunion.org Runner-up: Wells Fargo 123 E. Main St. 244-3900 2100 Ivy Rd. 984-1301 901 Emmet St. N 984-3710 wellsfargo.com In India, many temples have ATMs installed inside so you can make […]

Best yoga teacher 2013: Kelly Cox

Kelly Cox Runner-up: Jennifer Elliott Kelly Cox first found yoga in graduate school as a way to deal with a demanding schedule. In 2010, she combined her love of the practice with her experience as a social worker, and cofounded Bend yoga studio on the Downtown Mall. At Ashtanga, which opened in 2005, Jennifer Elliott […]

Best place to buy shoes 2013: DSW

DSW 29th Place 326-0066 dsw.com Runner-up: Scarpa Barracks Road Shopping Center 296-0040 thinkscarpa.com One thing’s for sure: You folks like choices. DSW, which opened this past spring in 29th Place (formerly Shoppers World Court), provides shoe shoppers with plenty of options and steps into the winners’ circle for the first time this year. Scarpa, in Barracks […]

Best jewelry store 2013: Angelo

Angelo 220 E. Main St. 971-9256 angelojewelry.com Runner-up: Keller & George  1149 Millmont St.  293-5011  kellerandgeorge.com In 1862, Czar Alexander II, the Emperor of Russia, purchased a 260.37-carat oval-cut blue sapphire brooch at the Great London Exhibition for his empress, Maria Alexandrovna. That must have cost a pretty penny. And while you’re likely to encounter […]

Best vintage clothing store 2013: Vintage Vixen

Vintage Vixen 300 E. Market St. 244-0778 vvclothing.com Runner-up: Glad Rags 1923 Commonwealth Dr. 979-1816 mygladrags.com Coco Chanel famously said, “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” Readers know that in order to achieve both of those things, they need to go vintage. After all, you can’t do “classic” without “class,” right? Vintage […]

Best place to buy beer 2013: Beer Run

Beer Run 156 Carlton Rd. #203 984-2337 beerrun.com Runner-up: Market Street Wineshops 311 E. Market St. 305 Rivanna Plaza Dr., Suite 102 964-9463 marketstreetwine.com Tucked into what’s essentially a mini mall on industrial Carlton Avenue, Beer Run doesn’t look like the kind of place you’d find 400-plus different kinds of beer. But it is—and with […]

Best place for pet supplies 2013: Petsmart

Petsmart Hollymead Town Center 964-9213 petsmart.com Runner-up: Pet Food Discounters 607 Woodbrook Ct. 974-6060 Talk about happy accidents: Sir Isaac Newton, who discovered the principles of gravity, also invented the cat door. That’s just one of the things you’ll find at Petsmart. Readers agree it’s the best spot in town to find what you need—from […]

Best gym 2013: ACAC

ACAC 200 Four Seasons Dr. 978-7523 111 Monticello Ave. 984-3800 Albemarle Square Shopping Center 978-3800 1015 Heathercroft Cir., Suite 100 (Crozet) 817-2055 acac.com Runner-up: CrossFit 1309 Belleview Ave. #2 260-0209 crossfitcharlottesville.com All the best things come in threes. At least, that’s true of ACAC, with locations in Downtown Charlottesville, Crozet, and Albemarle Square to maximize […]