07-14-2024 Baltimore's Best - Flipbook - Page 6
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The Baltimore Sun | Sunday, July 14, 2024
THE BALTIMORE SUN’S BEST READERS’ CHOICE 2024 LIFESTYLE & SHOPPING
Emma Snyder owns The Ivy Bookshop, which was voted Baltimore’s Best Bookstore. KEVIN RICHARDSON/STAFF
BEST BOOKSTORE
THE IVY BOOKSHOP
5928 Falls Road, Baltimore, 410-377-2966,
theivybookshop.com
Nearly a quarter of a century after publishing experts were predicting that retail giant
Amazon.com would cause the death of brickand-mortar, independent bookstores, Emma
Snyder is proving the pundits wrong.
“We’re the strongest that we’ve ever been,”
said Snyder, who owns The Ivy Bookshop and
its sister site, Bird in Hand Cafe & Bookstore.
“We had over 300 events last year, with
authors like Lorrie Moore and Alice McDermott. An evening with Ann Patchett and R. Eric
Thomas had an audience of more than a thousand people. And, we just started a new monthly
children’s event series.”
The Ivy’s success is especially impressive
given that Snyder’s staff was poised to begin
renovating a new store with three levels, a
covered back patio and three acres of gardens
just before the COVID-19 pandemic descended
on Maryland.
“Building permits were issued in late February of 2020,” Snyder said. “For a number of
years, everything was so uncertain. We spent a
lot of time just managing that transition.”
ANTIQUES
CLOTHING BOUTIQUE
TOMMY’S ON MAIN
BRAY & EM BOUTIQUE
Honorable mentions
Jailhouse Antiques
The Painted Mill
The Parisian Flea
Nonetheless, The Ivy relocated to its new
space eight months later, though temporarily
the story was open just for private browsing.
Next up: Snyder plans to open a 700-footsquare reading room and community space
ideal for book club meetings and other small,
intimate events in 2025.
She’s also established close partnerships with
local organizations from the Whitehall Mill to
Baltimore Poets Theatre. And she’s encouraging her customers to use the stores in creative
ways, from sponsoring $6 cocktails on Saturday nights at Bird in Hand to lawn games in The
Ivy’s gardens.
“The role that best suits us is exploring in as
many ways and spaces as possible the vibrancy
that books can bring to our community,” Snyder
said.
“What we’re doing is advocating for books
in the world. That is our mission and our ethos.
And there’s no upper limit on that.”
— Mary Carole McCauley
HEALTH FOOD/SUPPLEMENT
STORE
PET GOODS STORE
Honorable mentions
Gian Marco Menswear
Karma Fashion Boutique
Charm City Run
MOM’S ORGANIC MARKET
Honorable mentions
David’s Natural Market
OK Natural Food Store
Honorable mentions
The Mill of Bel Air
Howl
Baron’s K-9 Market
BARBERSHOP
CONSIGNMENT/RESALE SHOP
JEWELER
POOL
OLD LINE BARBERS
BELLE PATRI
SMYTH JEWELERS
PADONIA
Honorable mentions
Floyd’s 99 Barbershop
Two Bits Barbershop
The Old Bank Barbers
Honorable mentions
Uptown Cheapskate
The Shabby Button
The Turnover Shop
Honorable mentions
Saxon’s Diamond Centers
Charles Nusinov & Sons
The Parisian Flea
Honorable mentions
Pine Ridge Swim Club
Forest Hill Swim & Tennis Club
Roosevelt Park
BARRE CLASS
DAY SPA
LIQUOR STORE
PRODUCED MARYLAND EDIBLE
THE J, JEWISH COMMUNITY
CENTER OF GREATER
BALTIMORE
ABOUT FACES DAY SPA
& SALON
TOTAL WINE & MORE
SUNMED’S SUNNIES
Honorable mentions
The Wine Source
Ronnie’s Beverage Warehouse
Friendship Wine & Liquor
Honorable mention
Evermore Cannabis Company
Honorable mention
Downtown Yoga, Barre & Cycle
BICYCLE SHOP
Honorable mentions
Jordan Thomas Salon & Spa
Spa on The Boulevard
Spa in The Valley
The Spa on West Main
JOE’S BIKE SHOP
Honorable mentions
Bike Doctor Bel Air
Bicycle Connection
Baltimore Bicycle Works
BOOKSTORE
GREENLABS
Honorable mentions
Storehouse
Zen Leaf
Chesacanna
THE IVY BOOKSHOP
Honorable mentions
Barnes & Noble
Atomic Books
Snug Books
BRIDAL SHOP
GIFTS
SIDESHOW AT AVAM
Honorable mentions
In Watermelon Sugar
The Nest on Main
Found Studio | Shop
RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
BROADMEAD
MARTIAL ARTS
COPPERMINE
DISPENSARY
PETSMART
Honorable mentions
ATA Martial Arts Maryland
U.S. Taekwondo Academy
Equilibrium (tie)
Baltimore Okinawan Karate (tie)
MARYLAND PRODUCED
PRE-ROLL
SUNMED 0.5G PRE-ROLL
2-PACK
Honorable mentions
Forest Hill Heights
Pickersgill Retirement Community
Roland Park Place
SHOE STORE
GIAN MARCO MENSWEAR
Honorable mentions
DSW
Charm City Run
Van Dyke and Bacon
Honorable mentions
Curio Wellness
Evermore Cannabis Company
SPIN CLASS
GROCERY STORE
MEDISPA
THRIFT STORE
WEGMANS
SEIDENBERG PROTZKO
EYE ASSOCIATES
TABITHA’S HOUSE
COPPERMINE
REV CYCLE STUDIO (TIE)
K&B BRIDALS AND TUX
Honorable mentions
Betsy Robinson’s Bridal Collection
Love It! at Stella’s Bridal &
Fashions
Francesca’s Bridal
Honorable mentions
Aldi
Eddie’s of Roland Park
Trader Joe’s
BROW THREADING
Honorable mentions
Manna Life Health & Wellness
Faces Med Spa
ProMD Health Bel Air
CHARM CITY SKIN
GYM
Honorable mentions
Brow Art
Rhea Eyebrow Threading
COPPERMINE
MENSWEAR
Honorable mentions
Outlast Health and Performance
YMCA of Central Maryland
Brick Bodies Padonia
GIAN MARCO MENSWEAR
CAR DEALERSHIP
JONES JUNCTION
Honorable mentions
Adams Jeep of Maryland
O’Donnell Honda
Bill Kidd’s Volvo Cars
CHILDREN’S CLOTHING
CARTER’S
Honorable mentions
Pied Piper Kids
The Shabby Button LLC
Honorable mentions
Christopher Schafer Clothier
Marcia’s Luxury
Eddie Jacobs LTD
HAIR SALON
JORDAN THOMAS SALON
& SPA
Honorable mentions
HLK Hair
NVS Salon & Spa
Fringe Baltimore
MUSIC LESSONS
BALTIMORE SCHOOL
OF MUSIC
Honorable mentions
Lutherville Music School
Peabody Institute of The Johns
Hopkins University
Stages Music Arts
Honorable mentions
Savers Goodwill 2nd Ave Thrift
Store
YOGA STUDIO
YOGA CENTER OF
COLUMBIA
Honorable mentions
Aluma Yoga
Downtown Yoga, Barre & Cycle
Yoga Union Baltimore
CATEGORY HONORABLE
MENTIONS
Braiding: Queen Aisha African Hair
Braiding
Cannabis grower: SunMed
Growers
Maryland-made shatter/wax:
SunMed Golden Pineapple Live Resin
Batter
Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to June. The ballot and
results are generated solely by readers’votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.
