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Best Adult Video Store

Discount 24 Hr Video

Why go out to an adult video store when free smut is just a Google search away? Adult video stores have to work harder than ever to get business, but Discount 24 Hr Video has figured out the secret to getting people to keep coming back. Not only have they built up quite the collection of porn and sex toys, they've built something even better: a community. The Members Only section of the building provides a welcoming space for those couples and individuals looking to indulge in a bit of erotic video watching in the company of like-minded people. Added bonuses include clean theaters, a friendly and inviting staff, and a privacy fence in the parking lot.

Best Community Paper

The Police News

The Police News's subject matter may be relatively limited, but it's the best place around to keep track of the activities of both criminals and law-enforcement officials in the Houston area, particularly the south-southeast quadrant. Founded in 2004, the Galveston-based TPN publishes its print edition monthly, but the jail-bookings ticker on the Web site is updated practically 24-7, down to the last warrant or public intoxication. It's there for a very real purpose: "Our newspaper boasts countless success stories of readers helping authorities locate dangerous fugitives," says the TPN site, which is full of links to Amber Alerts, the FBI's ten most wanted and sex-offender registries. Just about anything else you could hope for related to law enforcement is here somewhere, from interviews with officials and links to auctions near and far and actual police video, such as the December 2011 multi-agency raid on a Santa Fe cockfighting operation that made headlines across the area. Though TPN reports most of its information in a suitably just-the-facts manner, its eye for human folly will slip through in the occasional wry headline like "Ho Hum, Off to Jail Again."

Best Spectacles/Glasses/Optometry

Smith's Opticians

Smith's Opticians has long been Houston's best source for new old stock frames (that means unworn or unopened vintage), but the store also has a carefully curated selection of modern frames (or pretty much any look). Your glasses won't be ready in an hour, and they might cost more than you'd pay at some other places, but the owner, Phillip, will practically wait on you hand and foot until you find the perfect pair. Bonus: You'll have a set of frames unlike anyone else's in this city.

Best Barber

Kings of the Clippers

Whether you're a sneakerhead or a hipster, an artist or a bartender, if you want to look good in H-Town, a carefully styled set of hair follicles is a must. The barbers at Kings of the Clippers are exceptionally skilled in fades, shaves, edge-ups and designs. This clean, hip and affordable shop is staffed by welcoming barbers who'll make you feel like royalty, if only for the brief time they allow you to sit on your throne, doing everything possible to make you look your best. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are certainly welcome. Their motto is "The Name Says It All." It truly does.

Best Sporting Goods

Tri on the Run

Swim, bike and run. Those are the elements of a triathlon. But in order to accomplish this strenuous feat of physical ability, you will require three things: a strong will, a meticulous training regiment and the specialized gear needed to complete the journey. That's where Tri on the Run fits in. They have been Houston's triathlon specialty store for more than seven years and continue to be a fountain of triathlon knowledge and expertise for all interested in the sport. On top of the supplies, the staff provides help with run-gait analysis, nutrition selections and race tactics.

Best Asian Grocery

Super H Mart

Walking into Super H Mart for the first time can be somewhat overwhelming if you didn't grow up going to an Asian grocer. The mall-turned-grocery store is a bit to take in at first, but once you've gained your bearings, you'll find an incredible variety of foods and an array of shops within the impeccably tidy and bright store. This array includes a French bakery, a food court housing half a dozen Korean eateries, and a butcher shop that's among the most well-stocked in the entire city. Super H Mart's seafood cases are a draw unto themselves, housing live and fresh-caught fish and shellfish from around the world.

Best Mall

The Galleria

There are malls, and then there are supermalls. The Galleria is such a monstrosity. If downtown is the heart of the city, this mall is the central nervous system. Bustling with activity from morning till way past dark, it has expanded in recent years with a new wing and enormous parking garage to accommodate the millions of visitors who stop by to shop, skate and people-watch. You will often find a professional athlete or recording superstar walking and shopping the halls of this mall, which houses two hotels and a variety of dining experiences for your spending pleasure.

Best Engagement Ring Store

I.W. Marks

For 35 years, Houstonians have turned to this family-owned jewelry store for gifts to commemorate life's milestones. The professional staff can help you find just the right diamond and setting to express, be it classic solitaire, three-stone, pavé or even a custom design. With an unbelievable selection and remarkable prices, I.W. Marks ought to be on the list of anyone who's serious about finding the perfect ring and not on the prowl for cut-rate rocks.

Best Architect

Barry Moore

When a planned expansion to the Houston Library System's historic Julia Ideson Building was announced, architectural purists held their collective breath — would the building's original Spanish Renaissance design be enhanced or butchered by the addition? Luckily, Barry Moore, an architect with an investment in Houston's historic preservation, was at the helm. Moore used the original plans by Ralph Adams Cram as a guide, updating it for the requirements of new technology and contemporary patron usage, creating a seamless addition to the iconic structure. Over the years, Moore has worked on the renovation of City Hall interiors and the repurposing of the former Congregation Beth Israel complex (built in 1925) into the first campus for the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Moore, who has worked in Houston for more than 47 years, inherited his love of preservation from his father, one of the founders of the Heritage Society and the city's first preservation architect.

Best Record Store

Vinal Edge

Photo by Daniel Kramer

Vinal Edge, which relocated to the Heights last year, is no different from the other quaint shops lining 19th Street just west of Yale, except this is probably the only one where you can pick up a rare Alien Sex Fiend singles compilation or the Rev. Pat Robertson's It's Time to Pray, America! LP. Vinal Edge's new location is roomier than its predecessor, which originally opened in 1985 off Veterans Memorial Boulevard in far north Houston, but is just as stuffed to the gills with music old and new, vinyl and CD, in every genre known to man and a couple that probably aren't. In a relatively rare practice among record stores, Vinal Edge catalogs each and every inventory item on its Web site, which makes it even more invaluable for collectors. The more obscure the title, the more likely you'll be to find it at Vinal Edge — but if it's not there, owner Chuck Roast and his knowledgeable staff will be happy to track it down for you via mail order.

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