Best Shops - the categories and the judges

This year we have changed the categories slightly and added etailers and market stalls. We’re also mindful that many entrepreneurs start their retail life as a stall holder so we also want to hear about the new enterprises setting up their stall in your locale.

We’ve added best newcomer to the competition to reflect the vitality new offers bring to the shopscape and it is interesting to note that several of the last year’s winners were businesses less than five years old. Please nominate your favourite shops under the following categories:

THE CATEGORIES

Best food and/or drink shop - From the local butchers and bakers, to the with the specialist artisan

Best specialist shop - Think book shops, chemists, stationery shops and jewellers; as well as bike shops, sports shop, music shops, angling shops and florists.

Best fashion store - This category includes men's clothes shops, accessories and shoes too

Best cafe/teashop - Nominate the place you where you like to while away the time.

Best gift/craft/design/interiors - When you're looking to buy something beautiful- where do you go?

Best salon - Whether it's a beard trim; a blow dry; a pedicure or a pamper.

Best window/display - What shop stopped you in your tracks?

Best online shop - Which Irish online shop do you have bookmarked?

Best market stall /pop up shop - Head down to the local park for this one

Best newcomer - Open less than 24 months, what new shop has impressed you?

* Go to irishtimes.com/bestshops and tell us why the shop you like should make the cut.

THE JUDGES

As MD of Avoca's 11 shops and 12 cafes Simon Pratt created a new breed of shopping destinations that deliver indoor and outdoor theatre as well as tickling shopper's taste buds. In his spare time he keeps pigs and chickens.

Fashion editor of The Irish Times

Deirdre McQuillan

is endlessly curious and continues to traverse the four corners of Ireland in her ongoing search for all things cool and chic.

Fashion and retail consultant Eddie Shanahan is chairperson of the Council of Irish Fashion Designers, a director of the Leitrim Design House and is a guest lecturer on the Retail Degree Program at Letterkenny Institute of Technology.

Creative director at Brown Thomas John Redmond first cut his visual teeth designing eye-catching window displays for the family shop in Carlow town. His eye-catching windows and in-store displays are visual talking points.

Irish Times journalist and a magazine founder and editor

Alanna Gallagher

has a background in fashion and marketing and when shopping likes the element of surprise, engaging service and all that is visually interesting.

Robert Doherty

is head of product and Clover at AIB Merchant Services. He has over 20 years experience in payments services and manages a nationwide team that possesses local knowledge of every town’s shopscape.

The judging will be chaired by Saturday Magazine Editor Orna Mulcahy