Best shops 2014

The search continues to find the nation’s favourite places to shop. A week into the competition and we’ve already had thousands of nominations from readers telling us about the local stores, cafes, pharmacies, boutiques and butchers that they love.

This is the third year of the Best Shops in Ireland awards, which launched in recession-blighted 2012. In 2014, there is a new sense of energy, with new businesses opening up and established shops investing and growing.

As in previous years, we’re asking you tell us about the shops and sales people that make a differnce. We want to hear about the best hardware stores, the finest bakeries, the best bookshop, sweet shop or gift shop you’ve come across.

We've enlisted retail experts to sit on our judging panel, a new feature of the competition. Simon Pratt, MD of Avoca; Edmund Shanahan, a retail, fashion and homewares consultant; fashion designers and Frockadvisor columnists Sonya Lennon and Brendan Courtney; and Irish Times journalist Alanna Gallagher.

So far, readers from counties Dublin, Cork and Wicklow have nominated the most shops, while customers in counties Derry, Offaly, Laois and Monaghan are dragging their heels.

Service is what readers wax lyrical about: Orla Walshe loves the fact that the staff at Conn's Cameras, Clarendon Street, Dublin 2 "give brilliant advice to everyone who comes into the shop". She also admits to picking up technique tips by osmosis as she waits in line to be served – the shop is always thronged with enthusiasts.

Towey's Topaz in Ballaghadreeen is nominated for its ability to literally go that extra mile.

American Mae Witt popped in recently and asked to buy a sod of turf, something they didn’t sell. She wanted to bring it back to California as a souvenir of her time in the west. Instead of saying sorry and sending her on her way, the owner, Pat Towey “drove to his house to get one for me”, she writes. We want to hear more of this kind of story. Incidentally, the shop stocks turf in winter.

Martin Bridgeman is a fan of Rollercoaster Records, Kilkenny a shop he's nominated because it specialises "in the pursuit of music in all its forms". Chris Coffey describes it as "less a record store and more a lightning rod for everything that happens on the music scene in Kilkenny".

In the nominations for gifts/ design/interiors, reader Catherine Roddy suggests Westport's O'Reilly and Turpin, describing the shop window as "sinful to the senses, displaying ornaments of farm animals, bored obese ladies, enamelled amulets, and pendants with moving tableaus".

Clara's Closet, Skibbereen, Co Cork is "the most colourful shop" reader Lauren Coakley has ever seen. She says "Bridge Street, where the shop is situated, was once a dark, dull street until Gina opened her shop and brightened up the whole town".

As well as being a "delightful shop selling crafts, gifts, furniture and accessories set in beautiful gardens", The Courtyard, Kells, Co Meath has some "very interesting extras", reader Marion O'Neill notes. They include "a peacock, peahens and friendly dogs".

In the artisan food/greengrocer category, reader Mary Enright laments discovering Quay Food Company, Kinsale saying, "I was skinny when I moved to Kinsale. Thanks to their delicious array of cheeses, spices, breads and gourmet biscuits I have learned that organic may be good for you, but it still makes you fat."

HOW TO NOMINATE

To nominate your favourite shop go to irishtimes.com/bestshops and fill in the form. Follow the competition on Twitter by searching for #bestshops14