Spending money at local businesses helps build a strong community. Every dollar we spend at a locally owned shop helps local business owners and their staff as they contribute to our unique culture and build their lives here in Lexington. From furniture to houseplants to vintage clothing, we’ve highlighted dozens of Lexington’s favorite local spots to burn some hard-earned cash (in good conscience, of course!)
Scout Antique & Modern | Photo furnished
Best Antique Shop
- Scout Antique & Modern
- Peddler’s Mall
- Another Man’s Treasure
Best Book Store
- Joseph-Beth Booksellers
- sQecial Media
- Black Swan
Honorable Mentions:
- Glover’s Bookery
- Wildlings Bookshop
Best Car Dealership
- Quantrell Auto Group
- (Tie) Dan Cummins
- (Tie) Greens Toyota
- Don Jacobs
Best Car Wash
- Jeff’s Car Wash
- Clean Sweep
- Auto Spa
Best Caterer
- Selma’s Catering & Events
- DaRae and Friends
- The Apiary
Best Children’s Clothing Store
- Lele & Lane
- Little Classics on Clay
- Doodlebugs
Best Consignment/Vintage Clothing Store
- Sassy Fox
- Stephen Lawrence
- Pop’s Resale
- Street Scene
Michler's owner John Michler | Photo by Emily Giancarlo
Best Florist
- Michler’s
- Oram’s Florist
- Blooms By Brooke
- Bella Blooms Florist
Ode to Fáilte Irish Shop
Smiley Pete Staff Salute
Homesickness can lead to great ideas. Fáilte Irish Shop was founded in 2001, five years after founder Liza Hendley Betz moved to the Commonwealth from Ireland. Realizing that something she considered an authentic and fundamental taste of home was missing from the Central Kentucky Irish community, she started selling proper Irish sausages.
From that humble beginning, Fáilte (Gaelic for “welcome”) has grown into Lexington’s unofficial gateway to the Emerald Isle. Inside the cozy South Upper Street shop, shelves overflow with Irish sausages, soda bread, black pudding, pork pies, Celtic jewelry, Hanna caps, Belleek china and other imported goods that keep regulars coming back.
The shop is more than a retail store. It’s cultural glue for the local Irish community. Fáilte helps organize Lexington’s annual Lexington St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival and keeps the local Irish community connected through events, traditions and even curated trips to Ireland.
The store’s reach now stretches well beyond Lexington thanks to a thriving online store. But the mission remains the same: bringing a little piece of Ireland to Liza’s Old Kentucky Home. Whether you’re Irish by blood or simply Irish for the day, Fáilte offers a warm welcome to all.
King's Gardens | Photo furnished
Best Garden Store or Nursery
- King’s Gardens
- Michler’s
- Pemberton’s
- Greenhouses
Best Home Accessories Store
- Peddlers Mall
- Frances M
- Scout Antique & Modern
- My Favorite Things
Best Home Fixture/Specialty Home Store
- Plumber’s Supply Store
- Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting
- Brecher’s Lighting
- Wiseway
Farmer's Jewelry | Photo furnished
Best Jewelry Store
- Farmer’s Jewelry
- Rivard’s
- GDA Jewelers
Honorable Mentions:
- Diamond Gallery
- Savane Silver
Best Kentucky Themed Shop
- Kentucky for Kentucky
- Shop Local KY
- Kentucky Branded
Ada & Lo | Photo by Stephanie Gilmore Photography
Best Local Boutique
- Ada & Lo
- Peggy’s
- World’s Apart
- The Front Porch
Honorable Mentions:
- My Favorite Things
- Poppy & Pomelo
Best Locally Owned Grocery Store
- Critchfield Meats
- Good Foods Co-op
- Wilson’s Grocery & Meat
- DY Market
Best Men’s Clothing
- Logan’s of Lexington
- J&H Outdoor Store
- John’s Run Walk Shop
Best Pet Store
- Pet Wants
- Most Valuable Pets
- Southern Barker
Best Piercing Shop
- Alchemy Body Piercing
- Rowan The Summit at Fritz Farm
- Tattoo Charlie’s
John's Run/Walk Shop | Photo furnished
Best Sporting Goods Store
- John’s Run/Walk Shop
- J&H Outdoors
- The Locker Room
Best Tattoo Shop
- Tattoo Charlie’s
- Charmed Life
- Keyhole Tattoo
Best Used Furniture or Accessories Store
- Another Man’s Treasure
- Scout Antique & Modern
- The Peddlers Mall
- Room Service
Best Wine Shop or Liquor Store
- Liquor Barn
- Ernie’s Spirits
- Corner Wine
- Total Wine
Honorable Mentions:
- Vine and Branch
- Darling Wine Shop
Bella Rose | Photo furnished
Best Women’s Clothing Store
- Bella Rose
- Worlds Apart
- The Cotton Patch
- Black Market
Honorable Mentions:
- Peacocks and Pearls
- Peggy’s
- Ada & Lo
