STUFF | Staff Picks

Picks Best Assortment of Refrigerator Magnets: Wish, a retro shop with pop art barstools and other offbeat paraphernalia and artworks. Wish, 3239 Jefferson Ave., Clifton, 513-961-1395.

Best Shop for a Cause: Just a Second Showroom, a furniture consignment shop that benefits children through the Central Clinic Mental Health Agency. The showroom switched from nonprofit status to for-profit in February, but donations of items are still taken and they'll give you a form for a tax writeoff. Just a Second Showroom, 344 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, 513-861-8666.

Best Place to Find Beer Steins: Linden Noll Gift Haus, the perfect place to shop for gifts to give to anyone of Germanic heritage. The store's owner regularly travels Eastern Europe, picking up beer steins, nutcrackers, toys, even children's books written in German. Linden Noll Gift Haus, 506 W. Sixth St., Covington, 859-581-7633.

Photo: Jymi Bolden Ron Ellis (right, with customer Charles Glacking) keeps all the parts working at Pearsol's. Best Throwback: Pearsol's Parts Lock the Maytag repairman inside Pearsol's Parts Center, and you might never get him out. Inside this nondescript brick building lies approximately 25,000 appliance parts and maintenance items. Pearsol's first opened its doors in 1957. Owner Ron Ellis bought the store in 1989, taking over the business from his father, Melvin, who owned Pearsol's the 20 previous years. Ellis says that business has seen better days here, as people are less interested in repairing their appliances. Last year's riots haven't helped any, either. Still, there's a consistent stream of men clad in blue and gray repair uniforms passing through shop's doors. Pearsol's remains ground zero for people who drop the names Whirlpool, Roper and KitchenAid in everyday conversation. Just leave those Do It Yourself Repair Manuals to the experts. (SR) Pearsol's Parts Center, 2319 Gilbert Ave., Walnut Hills, 513-221-1195.

 

Photo: Jymi Bolden Best Shake and Bake: City Limits Wash and Tan Who knew putting a tanning bed and a washer and a dryer in the same facility would create such a frenzy? Well, City Limits obviously must be doing something right, as it's launched a second location in the Clifton/Corryville area. Of course, the novelty business is enhanced by its cable television, your choice of music and general overall cleanliness (a true rarity in the Laundromat world). But what really sets this expansion apart is location, location, location. Set near the University of Cincinnati, City Limits offers a close and convenient place (open until 2 a.m. daily) for college students, hospital personnel and CityBeat staffers to get their whites whiter and their brights brighter. (BB) City Limits Wash and Tan, Jefferson and Nixon streets, Corryville, 513-751-6999.

Best Renaissance: We're sorry as hell to see Crazy Ladies Bookstore close their doors as a retail outlet -- another nail in the coffin for independent booksellers. But at least they've reopened in another form as the Women's Resource Center and will continue serving the area's gay and lesbian community. Women's Resource Center, 4039 Hamilton Ave., Northside, 513-541-4198.

Best Move: We were initially concerned when we heard Shake It Records was moving, but it just shifted locations down the street and is bigger and better. They're helpful, knowledgeable and honest -- they always let you know if the CD you're buying is in their used bin. Shake It Records, 4156 Hamilton Ave., Northside, 513-591-0123.

Best Garden Supply: Need flowers in the spring? How about the perfect Christmas tree? Hyde Park Floral has everything green you could possibly want. Best of all, these guys understand customer service and pleasantly and patiently answer every question we ask. Hyde Park Floral & Garden Center, 3660 Michigan Ave., Hyde Park, 513-871-9888.

Best Bargain Halloween Costumes: While every other costume purveyor in town doesn't put its inventory on sale until after Halloween, the folks at the Ohio Renaissance Festival start early on marking down the chain mail, suits of armor, maces, swords, Sherwood Forest outfits, queen's dresses and other period clothing. The festival closes in mid-October, so on the last Sunday, the knights and wizard garb are marked to deep discount. Just in time for All Hallow's Eve. Ohio Renaissance Festival, Ohio Hwy. 73 at Harveysburg (near I-71's exit 45), 513-897-7000.

Best Retail Display: The area's largest private model train collection is displayed just once a year to the public. Joe Davis has managed to amass one of the nation's largest private setups -- his two layouts, one O gauge and one Standard gauge, are opened to the public every Thanksgiving weekend and draw visitors from all over the country. Admission is free. Davis Electronics, 217 Main St., Milford, 513-831-6245.

Best Physician, Heal Thyself Shop: The Simple Shop is a bulk herb store that displays hundreds of herbs and offers basic instruction for those who want to learn how to make their own medicinal powders, tinctures, liniments, poultices and salves. The Simple Shop, 3 E. Court St., Downtown, 513-369-0111.

 

Photo: Jymi Bolden Best Hotdog: The Mustard King Every king needs a crown. Gene Goldschmidt, Cincinnati's undisputed horseradish and mustard king, knows the rules. So, on a damp Saturday afternoon, Goldschmidt, 54, greets customers in front of his Findlay Market stall with a gold Mardi Gras crown resting askew on his head. Goldschmidt has sold a lot of horseradish, three varieties, since he first started coming to Findlay Market in 1999. Mustards -- jalepeño, horseradish, zydeco and honey -- were added two years ago. His honey mustard recently won a gold medal award from the 2002 Napa Valley International Mustard Competition, further proof of the delicious impact his natural products are making. The Dean & DeLuca food store in St. Helena, Calif., stocks Goldschmidt's mustards, as do local retailers like Jungle Jim's and Dean's Mediterranean Store. A label on the back of his mustard jars encourages customers to call the Cincinnati Reds and ask them to carry his mustard at the new ballpark. Based on the team's performances in recent years, the mustard might be the best reason to catch a Reds game. (SR) Goldschmidt's, Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine, 513-673-FOOD.

Best Store That Looks Good on Paper: Poême is the gift givers' haven, if the gift giver has an extra $18 to shell out for a greeting card. Although pricey, the store offers everything from handmade sheets of paper and personalized wax seals to adhesive quotes for journals and wedding invitations/announcements. It's a wet dream for those who appreciate the visual aspects of writing. Poême, 3446 Michigan Ave., Hyde Park, 513-321-4999.

Best Write-off: At Appointments, on the second level of the Carew Tower Arcade, you'll find the fanciest pens around. Some will make you look classy, and others might be only for collectors. But owner Doug Kennedy definitely stocks the "write" stuff. Appointments, 441 Vine St., Downtown, 513-421-7430.

Best Ben Hur Done That: Michael Scheuer's short lived '70s resale (but unworn) clothing shop off of Ludlow Ave. changed names multiple times in the few months it was open. The merchandise was unsold he'd been collecting from various store closing sales over the years. Scheuer sold the shop, and it's recently reopened as Factory 33. 3410 Ormond Ave., Clifton, 513-542-8888.

Best Pharmacy for Diabetics: Hands down, no one can touch Bernens on the West Side -- the sweetest setup for those with unique needs. Bernens Pharmacy, 5053 Glenway Ave., Western Hills, 513-471-7575.

Best Mom and Pop: OK, maybe not the best, but one of the best small shops around is Cianciolo's downtown. They have a little of everything. Fight the corporate bull and shop the mom-and-pop stores -- it's cheaper than CVS, and the staff is a lot nicer. Cianciolo Market, 720 Main St., Downtown, 513-421-5051.

 

Photo: Jymi Bolden Randy Hancock keeps Metronation running like clockwork. Best Timely Relocation: Metronation "Objects for your life" is Metronation's motto, and that's exactly what they deliver -- especially if scented baths, candles and incense are a big part of your life. Newly reopened this January in a swanky downtown space, Metronation is the kind of boutique that's rare in this city: It has style. Hand-crafted jewelry, unique greeting cards, home accessories, and the aforementioned aromatic devices are just some of the merchandise available for your perusal, and all are reasonably priced. Yet the unquestioned highlight is their hard-to-find collection of colorful Storm watches. Who says timekeeping can't be stylish? (JG) Metronation, 824 Elm St., Downtown, 513-564-0095.

Best Reason to Do Your Banking on May 3: The fifth month/third day of the year is somehow special to the folks at Fifth Third Bank, who lay out an assortment of free goodies and punch once a year at just about every bank. And hey, who's to say Firstar, Provident, Key, PNC and other banks' customers can't snitch a free cookie?

Best Grocery Selection with the Most Uncomfortable Exit: The Hyde Park Kroger. You can find anything you need, but can't buy it without the checkout people bitching at each other about their hours. Of course, this might be every Kroger, but we're not sure. Kroger, 3760 Paxton Ave., Oakley, 513-871-4142.

Best Shopping Tension: The East Side's wild anticipation of the Target and Sam's Club stores opening soon at the "Center of Cincinnati" development just off Ridge and I-71 in Oakley.

Best Place to Learn: Revolution's spinning program offers specific core classes designed to build strength for a targeted sport triathalon. Marathon or eco-challenge, they'll get you ready to kick some ass. Revolution Spinning & Fitness, 4721 Red Bank Road, Madisonville, 513-272-2345.

Best Mini Photo Lab: Joe's Photo, although technically a mini-lab, offers a wide range of photo finishing services for amateur as well as professional shooters. It's a throwback to the old-time neighborhood business in the heart of downtown. Joe's Photo Service, 35 E. Seventh St., Downtown, 513-241-2814.