First Place: LaDifférence

125 S. 14th St.
648-6210
ladiff.com

Second Place: Decor Furniture and Mattress Showplace

Third Place: Virginia Wayside Furniture

Colloquially known as La Diff, this Shockoe Bottom store racks up its success by being a fun place to shop and offering a wide range of furnishings from all over the globe. “We’re a place where people can drop by after Sunday brunch and have a relaxing time looking around,” president and co-owner Sarah Paxton says. “It’s not a place where people see brown, brown, brown as in other furniture stores. Our people are laughing.” The store has built up a following over its 36 years by providing many different styles and materials, even though the focus is modern. “We can define ‘modern’ as anything from Shaker to high gloss Italian lacquer,” Paxton says. Decor Furniture and Mattress Showplace is known for its good deals. And Virginia Wayside fits well with the traditional set.