Best Of Utah 2014: Goods & Services 

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Mod a-Go-Go

Best New Boutique
Mod a-Go-Go
This new shop on South Temple is a bright beacon of all that’s possible when two smart, stylish souls come together to build a dream. You’ve likely gazed enviously at the beautiful scene on full display in the always-lit building as you’ve driven past on South Temple at night; visiting in the daytime makes it possible to open a time-space wormhole of cool design in your own living room. A mix of art gallery and consignment shop, Mod a-Go-Go features mid-century furniture and accessories, with complementary pieces from local artists hanging on the wall in the shop and the upstairs gallery. With an already-devoted customer base of furniture fans and art lovers, co-owners Eric Morley and Marcus Gibby have quickly made their mark on downtown.
242 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, 801-355-3334, Modagogo.com
2. E3 Modern
3. Diabolical Records

Best Eyes On You
Classic Optical
Your eyes are two of your most valuable tools—but it’s easy to take them for granted until they stop acting like they used to. The doctors at Classic Optical treat their patients with the knowledge that their good eyesight is of the utmost importance—they’re not just selling glasses. They’ll ask careful questions to make sure that your eyes are taken care of with the best methods; two appointments are usually necessary to ensure that your vision is adjusting to your new lenses. Failing eyesight might be an inevitability of life, but Classic Optical is there to help you through it.
192 E. 4500 South, Murray, 801-261-2020, ClassicOptical.net

Best Spot to Find Sol’kanar the Swamp King
Oasis Games
There’s no hangout in Utah for Magic: the Gathering players (aka planeswalkers) quite like Oasis Games. This downtown gaming hub hosts tournaments almost daily and specializes in pre-release parties and resale of rare cards, so you can finally snag that Jace, the Mind Sculptor card you’ve been dying to own.
145 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City, 801-738-4413, OasisGamesSLC.CrystalCommerce.com

Best Macabre Accessories
Prevailing Atrocity Clothing
Like something straight out of a grotesque Masque of the Red Death-style ball, Prevailing Atrocity’s accessories have just the right touches of bold and terrifying. Skull earrings are of course delightful, but for something a little more moribund, how about earrings with noosed skeletons perched atop tiny razor-blade replicas? For something on the softer side, Prevailing Atrocity’s other earring options include silver octopuses and skeleton hummingbirds with roses, and the miniature sewing-machine necklace is something even Ma would appreciate. No matter what you’re looking for, Prevailing Atrocity has the right accessory to liven up (or deaden) any occasion.
Facebook.com/PrevailingAtrocityClothing

Best Cache Valley Comics
Death Ray Comics
On any given Saturday morning, just as Logan’s sleepy Main Street is starting to wake up, there’s already a crowd inside Death Ray Comics—a scrum of people asking for recommendations, chatting about new releases and pricing pristine used comics. Forget the snooty geeks-only stereotype; the Death Ray staff is just as enthusiastic about recommending great kid comics for newer readers as they are debating finer plot points with comic-book regulars. Open just a year, the space has evolved into a gathering spot of sorts; open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, Death Ray hosts book clubs, trivia and movie nights—all overseen by local celebrity Sherman, the owner’s large, friendly Bernese mountain dog.
72 W. Center St., Logan, 435-535-3259, DeathRayComics.com

Best Recycled Fashion for a Cause
Olanova Global
Sona Quiroga Thomas, the “mompreneur” behind Olanova Global, believes in the three “goods”: doing good, feeling good and looking good. The company fulfills this mission by collecting old clothing items and upcycling them by pulling them apart and stitching them into chic new creations. Fleece hoodies are transformed into colorful skirts, and jeans are reinvented as vests. And the company’s affiliated nonprofit works to bring sewing machines to developing nations to provide impoverished women with jobs to help sustain them and their families.
1121 S. Redwood Road, Salt Lake City, 801-318-0356, Olanova.com

Best Proxy Pal For Your Best Friend
AARF Pet Care
It’s just days before that long-dreamed-of vacation, and suddenly you realize: What is Tabby going to do while we’re gone? Don’t cancel the cruise or spend your week in the Alps worrying that your teenage cousin has let your favorite family member escape; just call Suzie Ellison at AARF. She can arrange for your cat to have scheduled visits from trusted pet caretakers, who’ll put out fresh food and water, clean the litter box, play the wand game and even administer medication and bring in the mail. Dog-sitting (including walks) is also available, as are dog-hiking and dog-running excursions if your pup needs more exercise than you can provide even when you’re in town.
801-647-8249, AARFPetCare.com

Best Specialty Kicks
Fice Gallery
If you’re the type of shoe collector with a pair of unworn Nike Air Force Max Fab 5s sitting in the closet, then you probably already know about Fice. For the uninitiated, this downtown boutique hosts monthly gallery strolls and album releases and specializes in carrying hard-to-find, limited-edition kicks, clothes and jewelry. It’s also one of the few spots in Utah where you’ll find sneaker-heads camping out for a fresh pair of LeBrons.
160 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City, 801-364-4722, FiceGallery.com

Unhinged Boutique

Best Boutique for Local Oddities
Unhinged Boutique
This Sugar House store and its Provo outpost are a must-stop for all curio collectors and fans of fashionably odd and one-of-a-kind accessories. Unhinged plays host to more than 25 local artists and designers, who offer everything from knit beanies and silver spoon rings to feather earrings and even deer-antler necklaces. And the store’s Rewind section offers a delightful selection of vintage fashions and styles for those who look to the past to inspire their future wardrobes.
2165 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, 801-467-6588; 16 W. Center St., Provo, 385-312-1268, UnhingedSLC.com

Best Man Cave Antiques
Country Village Antique Mall
Every antique store is a hodgepodge of vintage baubles and doodads, but the curio-lovers of Logan’s Country Village Antique Mall deserve credit for appealing to a certain kind of antiquer. Their “man cave” displays showcase vintage toy models of sweet P-51 Mustang fighter planes, mountain man salt & pepper shakers, old Dodge Mercury hubcaps and bullhorns. Country Village also has a great selection of commemorative beer steins and shot glasses, plus more contemporary antiques like a classic 1994 Gambit action figure from X-Men, still in its original packaging. Finally, the manly antique hunter can know exactly where to shop for everything he needs to add a touch of retro class to his man cave.
730 S. Main, Logan, 435-752-1678, CountryVillageMall.net

Best Oils of the World
Mountain Town Olive Oil Co.
Some of the world’s most sumptuous batches of extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar and spices are right here at your bread-dipping fingertips. Mountain Town Olive Oil Co.’s award-winning oils run the gamut from traditional blends to specialties like California garlic olive oil or black-truffle oil. You can also find dark balsamic vinegars and even fruit-infused balsamic options like the bold cinnamon pear.
613 Main, Park City, 435-649-1400; 21 S. Rio Grande St., Salt Lake City, 801-456-0149, MountainTownOliveOil.com

Best Clothing Boutique (Women)
Q Clothing
There are certain clothing sites that tease you all day via Facebook and Instagram with photos of new, ever-more-adorable dresses and whimsical shoes. But you don’t have to resign yourself to just browser-window-shopping: Downtown’s Q Clothing has a mix of Instagram-worthy indie and vintage-inspired dresses, skirts, tops and shoes, plus must-have jeans and accessories. Best of all, you can try everything on to determine just which flouncy patterned dress best shows off your assets—polka dot, houndstooth or tiny flamingos?
215 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City, 801-474-2000, Facebook.com/QClothing
2. Fresh
3. Unhinged

Best Consignment
Name Droppers
Specializing in current styles and name brands like Gucci, Dior and Marc Jacobs, Name Droppers helps you simultaneously live two of the business world’s popular prescriptions for success: “fake it till you make it” and “dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” If your current job isn’t providing you with enough dough for a brand-new Chanel scarf, you can pick up a like-new one at Name Droppers for a fraction of the cost and achieve a put-together confidence that’ll help you float to the next rung of the social or professional ladder.
3355 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, 801-486-1128; 2350 E. Parleys Way, Salt Lake City, 801-474-1644, ShopNameDroppers.com
2. Pib’s Exchange 3
. Decades

Best Nonfunctional Lingerie
Electronic Couture
Local designer Brittany Bond makes dazzling custom bras and tutus adorned with flowers, feathers, sequins, studs and more—even candy. Electronic Couture’s pieces are designed with the rave crowd in mind, but would definitely make a stir at a costume party—or a private one. If you think lingerie is something to wear just under your clothes, you’re probably not partying with the right people.
Facebook.com/ElectronicCouture

Best Rock Hound Haunt
Rockpick Legend Co.
Die-hard amateur geologists will unearth a treasure at Rockpick Legend Co., an indispensable source for rock-collecting equipment, rock tumblers, mineral and fossil specimens and everything else a seasoned rock hound needs to supplement an ever-growing collection. For beginners making their first mineral purchase or venturing in search of that rare stone, owner Rick Dalrymple is your knowledgeable guide. And classes on topics that range from rock-tumbling to silversmithing can help you transform your beautiful finds into one-of-a-kind keepsakes. Those who yearn to learn more about the state’s unique rock profile are in luck; Rockpick Legend Co.’s own museum is home to a huge collection of Utah minerals and fossils. But when it comes to discovering the outdoors’ most mystifying beauty, Rockpick Legend Co.’s first advice is to look under your feet.
1017 S. Main, Salt Lake City, 801-355-7952, Rocks4U.com

Jeanie's Smoke Shop

Best Pipe Dreams
Jeanie’s Smoke Shop
No mode of tobacco smoking conveys the same Sherlock-level sophistication and allure as a traditional pipe, and Jeanie’s Smoke Shop has a diverse selection of shapes, colors and prices. Whether you’re looking to tap into your inner English gentleman or bohemian writer, the expert staff can help you pick the pipe that was meant for you. Perched on tall wooden shelves are large jars of aromatic loose tobacco varieties to pair perfectly with your new pipe. There’s also a sizeable humidor housing robust Cuban-style cigars, as well as hookahs and, of course, cigarettes. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
156 S. State, Salt Lake City, 801-532-9001, JeaniesSmokeShop.com