I’m a pretty big shopper, but I can’t think of one store that I would call my absolute favorite. Luke’s Locker (running and athletic/casual wear) in Dallas comes closest. I always enjoy Lululemon, too. When I used to buy tailored shirts, Thomas Pink in London was a favorite.
jym, Thank you for the information on the florist! I had no idea. I’ve just spent a few minutes drooling over the arrangements on the website.
My favorite store ever was the original Habatat Gallery on Southfield Road in Southfield, MI. It was one of if not the first big fine art glass gallery and carried a huge, I mean huge variety of artists when the form was exploding in creativity and public attention. It was exciting walking in and talking to Ferd (and the staff) about the art. It was weird being in such a fantastic gallery in a non-descript building on a busy road in suburban Detroit with all these wonderful artists from all over the country (and the world) coming to shows.
Other that that, it’s not really my favorite but I have to say [Irving’s Toy & Card](http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/brookline/2013/08/longtime_brookline_toy_store_owner_turns_99_years_old_friday.html) on Harvard Street in Brookline, MA. It’s still run by Ethel Weiss, who is now 100 years old, who sits at the register (for a few hours a day) wearing her “I love my customers” button, selling candy to the kids from Devotion School and making change. She’s been there since 1939. We figured out one day her first presidential election was a vote for FDR.
The original Borders Bookstore in downtown Ann Arbor. Still grieving.
Powell’s books in PDX. Locally, Changing Hands bookstore.
Now closed stores: Pixie Town (where will I buy my grandchildren’s clothes?), Cafe Swiss the Luau and Ah Fongs… Local private stores:the Cheese Store, Nate and Als and DaPasquale. Our family travels on our stomach.
I almost listed The Cheese Store in Beverly Hills as one of my all-time favorite stores, too!
But Nate and Al’s??? Give me Langers any day!!!
I must admit that I, a lifelong (well almost…I lived in Brooklyn for a total of 2 and a half years…I have never been to Langers. I know that this makes me a heathen…but…sorry. One day I will go there.
Pinks and Tommys on Rampart (again, I haven’t been there for years but gosh they were good. But Pinks…YES! Titos Tacos…
But, hope all is forgiven…the cheese store is amazing. Are we neighbors?
Not neighbors any more. I lived in that neck of the woods 20 years ago, but I now live at the beach. The Cheese Store is well worth a pilgrimage from anywhere in the Southland. And my hairdresser is still in your neighborhood so I’m there every six weeks.
Langers is convenient to my office since I work downtown, but it is pain to get to from the Westside. But the pastrami sandwiches are to die for … The rye bread is especially sublime. Nora Ephron stated in the New York Times several years ago that Langers’ pastrami sandwiches beat any available in NYC, and she almost caused a riot. 
Worth a detour if you are on that side of town.
Correction to previous post: Nora Ephron’s ode to Langer’s pastrami was in the New Yorker, not the NY Times. Here’s a quote from the article:
And, update: Out of fairness to BevHills, I just Googled to see if Nora Ephron had said anything about Nate 'N Al’s. When asked by Maureen Dowd what her last meal would be (long before she was ill), Ephron responded, “a hot dog from Nate 'N Al’s.”
I declare a tie!
I also miss the old Borders and the old family in Ann Arbor.
I have to add a truly odd one: the Cabot Cheese stores. There’s one in Portland, Maine I go to. Why? Because they have so many cheese samples! Of all the cheese they make and it turns out they make a lot. And the really good stuff is cheaper there. I had to list this because I’ve turned to my wife and said, “this is the best store ever!” while eating the free cheese.
There’s a combo Cabot cheese, Green Mountain coffee, and Lake Champlain chocolate shop in Waterbury Center, VT. Tasting heaven! All they need is wine.
Borders…hmmm. We used to have so many bookstores: Dutton, Hunters and Brentanos. They are all gone. I miss the simple act of going to the bookstore and wandering…
The food hall at KaDeWe =P~
OMG!!! GMT, how could I forget about that place?! I seriously had a thought, “This is what heavens look like!”
We are all in suspense!!! Explanations, please!!!
KaDeWe is the biggest department store in Berlin. The first several stories are filled with the general department store crap: Gucci, Prada, perfumes, etc. As you go higher, the stuff becomes more affordable (I hit the jackpot in the Falke corner!)… and then you hit this:
http://www.globalblue.com/destinations/germany/berlin/berlins-best-food-halls/
And you will leave your last euro there!! 
http://foodieinberlin.com/ka-de-we-the-food-hall/
Yummm…
Okay, Berlin’s now at the too of my list! That settles it – this summer!
Oh that looks great! Two more weeks for me!!
If we’re talking hot dogs I’m going to Walter’s Hotdog Stand in Mamaroneck. It looks like a Chinese temple: The hot dogs were deemed best in the United States by Gourmet magazine years ago.
If you are talking food halls nothing beats Japan. Here’s one: http://justhungry.com/fabulous-japanese-department-store-food-hall-yokohama-takashimaya