[best of missoula] your skills beyond the viewfinder. And if you’re looking for inspiration, check out the downstairs gallery to see what new novels local shooters are “writing” these days. The Dark Room: 135 N. Higgins, 549-1070, darkroommontana.com
Center. A bouquet of roses isn’t the only way to get in the giving spirit. Bitterroot Flower Shop: 811 S. Higgins, 542-0309, bitterootflowershop.com
Finalists, Best Camera/Photo Store 2. Yellowstone Photo: Out of Business 3. Best Buy: 2640 N Reserve St., 829-0409, bestbuy.com
Finalists, Best Florist 2. Habitat Floral Studio: 211 N. Higgins, 543-0967, habitalfloralstudio.com 3. Garden City Floral: 2510 Spurgin Rd, 543-6627, gardencityfloral.com
Best Car Wash Happy Days
Best Head Shop Piece of Mind
Sure, it can be a nice summer errand to run to a self-service car wash and hose down the ol’ Subaru, but you’re missing out on a destination of an errand: Happy Days car wash gets it done faster, typically cheaper and you don’t have to lift a finger. Pull on up to the track and let the good-humored dudes and lady dudes take care of your car washing, drying and more than a cursory wipe-down for you. There’s nothing like getting something done without doing anything at all. Happy Days: Multiple Locations, 728-5527
All the cool kids like to talk about what local farm grew their salad greens and the name of the cow that ended up being their cheeseburger. But forget “Know your farmer.” How about “Know your glass pipe artist”? At Piece of Mind, the first two cases of pipes are stocked full of jaw-dropping examples of local work. Each artist’s name even appears next to his or her work. Store manager Sarah Exum says she takes great pride in working with a stable of artists, most of whom are based in Missoula but also reside in Dillon and Bozeman. And if glass pipes don’t do it for you, don’t worry. The store has a little bit of everything—local or not—to satisfy your jonesing. Piece of Mind: 123 W Main St., 830-3206, pieceofmind.net
Finalists, Best Car Wash 2. Dazzlers: 2610 Radio Way, 728-6262 3. Splash: 2050 Cooper St, 721-3743; splashcarwashmt.com
Best Computer Repair Shop Computer Central Dealing with any computer-related problem often seems to be relegated to going through a mind-numbingly long phone call with some customer service rep reading off a screen. It doesn’t have to be that way. Computer Central offers an easily accessible downtown location, fair prices and a staff of knowledgeable experts adept at troubleshooting and maximizing your computer’s performance. No “Press 1 to hear more options” required. Computer Central: 136 East Broadway, 542-6540, ccmissoula.com
Finalists, Best Head Shop 2. Atmosphere Smoke Shop: 115 West Main St., 728-4420, atmomt.com 3. Mellow Mood: 630 S Higgins Ave, 728-0777, mellowmood.com
Best Home Accessories House Design Studio
Best Florist Bitterroot Flower Shop
One of the hardest chores in life is picking out something memorable and creative for a wedding gift. We don’t think we’re overstating this. Sure, you can go through some box store registry and get your friend a blender, but good luck having that make an impression. No, we want to get something beautiful and distinct—and that’s why we head to House Design Studio. When it comes to decorating a new home, House has a little bit of everything for all kinds of styles. We’re partial to the Jensen chair from Dwell Studios as a lounge-worthy centerpiece to any room, and the store’s own line of handcrafted wood coffee tables, bookshelves and benches. Perhaps the reason we like shopping here for wedding gifts is that we get so many great ideas on how to spruce up our own pad. House Design Studio: 133 N. Higgins, 541-6960, housedesignstudio.net
Whether you forgot Valentine’s Day was coming up or you’re looking to add the perfect dash of color to your wedding, Indy readers recognize Bitterroot Flower Shop time and again as a floral savior. But Bitterroot clearly isn’t satisfied just slinging daffodils and orchids for eager gift-givers. Last summer, the shop began donating $1 to a local charity for every recycled vase customers brought in. The effort has brought in modest sums, but has helped benefit other Missoula staples like the Missoula Food Bank and the Poverello
Finalists, Best Home Accessories 2. Target: 2420 N. Reserve, 543-4000, target.com 3. Red Rooster: 333 N Higgins, 543-7777, redroosterhome.com
Finalists, Best Computer Repair Shop 2. First Call: 616 S. Higgins, 721-4592, firstsolution.com 3. Recompute: 1337 W Broadway St., 543-8287, recomputecomputers.com/zoo
Missoula Independent Page 33 Best of Missoula 2013