A big thank you to everyone who nominated shops in our Best Shops 2015 competition which closed earlier this week with 31,126 nominations for close to 3,000 shops.
Readers voted in their thousands for cafes and tearooms, food shops and pharmacies, boutiques and hardware stores, and for the first time this year, for market stalls and online shops.
The nominations have included newsagents, alluring interior shops, cool fashion hubs, charity shops, wax bars and even a chiropractor with a particularly inspiring shop window.
The most popular category in this year’s competition was Best Specialist Shop. Readers waxed lyrical about bijou jewellers, cobblers who’ve performed life-saving surgery on expensive shoes, music shops, fab florists and boutiques .
As regards bookshops, reader Amy Kenealy summed it up when she nominated Alan Hanna's Bookshop in Rathmines, Dublin 6, "because it smells like books. Not iPads or Kindles". Edmond McDonnell nominated Amphibian King, Bray because "the staff really know their stuff and offer advice for free". He just wishes it was located on the Northside.
Colette McCarthy nominated Ryan's Pharmacy in Rathangan, Co Kildare because "the proprietor, Shane Ryan, looks after our community's health and well being. He is always on hand to help if you have a query. As a parent of two young children I'm in there a lot. Without Shane and his team I'd be lost."
In the Best Food/Drink section readers got behind welcoming wine shops and off-licenses that stock specialist whiskies and must-try craft beers. Edgy ice cream parlours, butchers who entertained and fishmongers with forensic filleting skills, have also been celebrated.
Sandra O'Hara says Swans on the Green in Naas is a great spot, "a market-style deli that offers amazing service". Glasraí and Goodies in Gowran, Co Kilkenny is "packed to the rafters with a great mix of local and international food that puts the bigger shops to shame," says Liam O'Ceallaigh.
In the Best Café/Teashop category establishments have been nominated from almost every town in Ireland. Mike O'Neill loves the Beach Shop Café in Fenit, Co Kerry. "The food is all homemade, the coffee is organic and fair trade and the atmosphere is very friendly and laid back. The shop is famous for it's delicious brownies and strawberry and almond tart. The soups are tasty and freshly made and just the tonic after a swim in the sea which is just across the road." The Stonecutter in Aughrim, Co Wicklow has great food and a great atmosphere according to Margaret Brady who says its the place to peoplewatch with "lots of celebs to meet".
In the Best Salon section, you wrote about the service received in barbers, and how certain hairdressers made you feel like a goddess. One reader even composed a poem in praise of her local salon.
Readers composed novella-length tributes to craft shops, pottery premises and gorgeous galleries.
We added three new categories this year. In the Best Newcomer section readers got behind these self-starters, many of whom worked in other premises, learning their craft, before taking the plunge and going it alone.
Given the proliferation of markets, especially food markets, it's surprising the Best Market Stall didn't generate the same excitement as Best Newcomer.
The number of shops nominated in the Best Online Shop category was small too, which shows digital has a long way to go to capture our readers' imaginations.
The shortlist will be announced on August 15th and the winners on August 29th. Good luck!
