Best Head Space: Tea Scalp Hair Spa
What’s more blissful than an outstanding scalp massage? At Tea Spa, you put on a comfy robe, lay in a massage chair, and get covered in warm blankets as a hair specialist cleanses your hair, applies a mask, and gently kneads your noggin. It’s a glorious treat for your head and your headspace. – LBM
teaspalv.com
Best Barber to Make Your Pinterest Board a Reality: Louis Nguyen
Vegas has a lot of barbers, and trimming down the fluff to find the best one is worse than trying to find the Pinterest photo I showed my last barber. So, Desert Companion reader, as I flip my Fabio-like flow, I reveal the secret to my luscious locks, Louis Nguyen. This recent resident of the Vegas valley is an independent barber in the southwest side of town that can make that longtime Pinterest board of haircuts you wish you had into a Pinterest board of haircuts you can have. – RV
instagram.com/louisthebarber_
Best Non-Toxic Mobile Nail Salon: Nails Envie
Since the closure of Detox Salon — the city’s first place
to get hair and nails done without harsh chemicals — my mani-pedi go-to has been Nails Envie. Founder Karen Aguirre recently moved out of state, but instead of closing the business, she expanded, continuing to run it from Florida, while having trusted contractors do mobile service in Las Vegas. The icing on the cake: Competitive prices. – HK
nailsenvie.com
Best Place to Get Your Feathers Trimmed: Habib’s Tailoring & Leather
An important part of any good ’fit is, well, the fit, and Habib is a master. He’ll make sure a business suit has that prime cut, and put a little more point in a pencil skirt. But he’s also an accomplished hand at more Vegas-style alterations: getting the matching tuxedos of a Motown tribute act on point, re-hemming a beaded gown before an awards ceremony, and, of course, last-minute weddings. – LTR
Best Shop for Working Cowpokes: El Vaquero Country Store
When you’re in need of Western attire, your mind may drift toward a certain outlet that rhymes with Hoot Harn. But what if you could find a selection of boots, hats, and more at an affordable price and stock up on animal feed at the same time? Okay, maybe not everyone will need a horse bridle or lariat. But a new hat is always in order. Saddle up! – EDV
elvaquerofeedstore.com
Best Place to Get Retro: The Red Kat Vintage
This Main Street thrift shop is home to an outrageous collection of retro clothes, ranging from ’50s pinup to ’80s rock, and everything in between. The front section includes funky accessories and clothing that will express your appreciation of the old days. In the back, find a massive collection of vintage denim, T-shirts, and more, for any gender. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another collection like this in town. – KDS
theredkatlv.com
Best Place to Become a Plant: Iron Rose Plants & Vintage
Find the help you need, black-thumbed plant dreamers! This vintage-themed shop in downtown Boulder City has incredible plant variety, with care options that cater to both beginners and experts. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. You just might walk out as a brand-new leaf baby. – MU
instagram.com/ironroseplantshop
Most Thrifty Furniture: ReStore
Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, a nonprofit home furnishing store, isn’t your typical place to shop for furniture. Okay, yes, the items they stock near the entrance resemble what you might find at a dollar store. Go deeper. The showstopper is the furniture in the showroom. Your support helps the organization build homes for families, no matter how big or small your purchase. – SB
lasvegashabitat.org/restore
Best Place to Get the Creeps: Cemetery Pulp
Step into this tomb for your fix of oddities. Crystals, candles, skulls, and seemingly haunted antiques cover the tables. Comic books, trading cards, and tabletop games fill the shelves. Uranium glassware glows under black-lit cabinets, preserved specimens float in jars, and a village of taxidermied rodents and birds can be found throughout. But this is more than a little shop of horrors. Cemetery Pulp hosts game nights, live music, markets, and workshops. – BJ
cemeterypulp.com
Best Japanese Gift Shop: Tokyo Discount
This family-owned business sells all things Japanese, from Sanrio plushies, anime action figures, fun snacks, and more Japanese knickknacks. They make great gifts for loved ones and friends, or collectible items to keep for yourself. – MU
tokyodiscountvegas.com
Best Complementary Grocery Store: International Marketplace
If you’ve noticed paltry ethnic offerings, at your grocery store, a jaunt to International Marketplace will be a revelation. You’ll find food products from Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, and elsewhere. You can buy legit hummus mix; gleefully fill your cupboard with British and Chinese teas; choose from 15 ponzu sauces; and shop for meat, produce, and beverage items unavailable in any Summerlin supermarket. Bonus: Don’t sleep on the low-priced kitchen wares. – MP
impfoods.co
Best Place to Read Other People’s Books: Las Vegas Books
Bookish old-timers lament the days when this valley was flush with used bookstores, but even medium-timers knew a plenitude we can’t imagine now. Thankfully, a few booksellers keep the dream alive, chief among them this Eastern Avenue store. The selection is huge, organized, updated, and well-curated; it doesn’t feel like a random book dump. – SD
facebook.com/LasVegasBooks
Best Curation of Physical Media: The Analog Dope Store
The footprint of this bookstore and record shop is modest, but every item has been carefully selected. The shelves hold an array of literature on diverse topics — from sociopolitical issues and the histories of Indigenous and enslaved peoples to poetry and coffee table books. And there is a recognizable effort to highlight BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors and artists. – BJ
analogdope.com
Best Biannual Yard Sale: Paradise Palms
This perfectly preserved neighborhood east of the Strip is the best place to admire mid-century modern construction — but it’s also full of goodies during its annual community yard sale. From Eames chairs to teak tables, solid brass knickknacks, and everything else mid-mod, you can find just about any vintage household item here. Get there when it starts, as these items are in high demand. – KDS
facebook.com/paradisepalms
Best Small Business Boost: Market in the Alley
Vegas is crawling with small businesses, so many that you might have trouble finding one for the shopping you want to do. So visit Market in the Alley. This rotating event collects handfuls of vendors all in one night to sell and display their products, including baked goods, art, clothing, and jewelry. – MU
marketinthealley.com
Best Dispensary for the Stoner on the Go: Rise
When dispensaries began opening in our state, part of the shopping experience was chatting with a budtender and getting familiar with the new market. Seven years later, most folks know what they want. Rise lets customers peruse stock and order product on a tablet, then step up to the counter for a speedy transaction. Staff is on hand and helpful, but the vibe is get and go. Multiple locations and locals’ discounts make shopping even easier. – LTR
risecannabis.com
Best Place to Visit the Next Time Your Streaming Subscription Increases: Record City
Give yourself a good chunk of time for a trip to Record City. It’s easy to lose yourself in this maze of physical media: CDs, LPs, cassettes, DVDs, Blu-Ray, VHS tapes, and a massive assortment of LaserDiscs. Jumpstart a collection of music and movies that will outlive your streaming services. – BJ
recordcityonline.com
NOT the Best: Paid parking on the Strip
Only five casinos on the Strip offer free parking today. MGM Resorts started the parking fee practice in 2016. Here’s MGM’s somewhat amorphous rate description: 0-24 hours: $18 weekdays; $23 Friday-Sunday. Valet is more. First three hours for locals is free — except during special events. Locals already hate driving to the Strip — shouldn’t the reward for making it there be free parking? Then again, casinos are raking in record profits, so don’t expect them to give us a break. – JS