Photo by Josh Huskin
Our Pick: Element Tattoo, 4741 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 979-9877, elementtattoo.com
After surviving a fire in 2009, Element Tattoo rebuilt and grew into a powerhouse studio that employs about a dozen of the Alamo City’s best artists – heavy-hitters like Sweet Lorraine, Kelly Edwards and Justin Martinez. Element is the brainchild of Jedidiah Reed (or Jedi, as people usually call him), who learned how to tattoo in Corpus Christi under Texas tattoo legend Bruce Edwards. While Element houses artists for virtually every style or design (from big, traditional Americana-themed pieces to portraits), Jedi has turned the place into South Texas’ go-to spot for huge, traditional Japanese-inspired sleeves, back pieces and body suits. And lucky enough for all of us, Jedi and his stable of skin-art masters happily take walk-ins.
After surviving a fire in 2009, Element Tattoo rebuilt and grew into a powerhouse studio that employs about a dozen of the Alamo City’s best artists – heavy-hitters like Sweet Lorraine, Kelly Edwards and Justin Martinez. Element is the brainchild of Jedidiah Reed (or Jedi, as people usually call him), who learned how to tattoo in Corpus Christi under Texas tattoo legend Bruce Edwards. While Element houses artists for virtually every style or design (from big, traditional Americana-themed pieces to portraits), Jedi has turned the place into South Texas’ go-to spot for huge, traditional Japanese-inspired sleeves, back pieces and body suits. And lucky enough for all of us, Jedi and his stable of skin-art masters happily take walk-ins.
WINNER: Bike World, multiple locations, bikeworld.com
2. Bicycle Heaven, multiple locations, bicycle-heaven.com
3. Blue Star Bike Shop, 1414 S. Alamo St., (210) 858-0331, bluestarbikeshop.com
WINNER: Twig Book Shop, 306 Pearl Pkwy., (210) 826-6411, thetwig.com
2. Nine Lives, 4907 NW Loop 410 #102, (210) 647-5656, ninelivesbooks.com
3. Imagine Books and Records, 8373 Culebra Ste 201B, (210) 236-7668, imaginebookstore.com
WINNER: Bazinga Comics, 2941 Thousand Oaks Drive, Suite 101, (210) 404-9174, bazingacomics.com
2. Dragon’s Lair, 7959 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 615-1229, dlair.net
3. Gotham Newsstand, 4522 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 379-5115, gothamnewsstand.com
WINNER: Trader’s Village, 9333 SW Loop 410, (210) 623-8383, tradersvillage.com/san-antonio
2. Eisenhauer Flea Market, 3903 Eisenhauer Road, (210) 468-1081, eisenhauerfleamarketsa.net
3. Busseys, 18738 I-35 S., Schertz, (830) 609-0800, busseysfm.com
WINNER: Spring Garden Flower Shop, 211 Brooklyn Ave., (210) 229-1231, springgardenflowershop.com
2. Artistic Blooms, 7863 Callaghan Road, Suite 103, (210) 696-8080, artisticblooms.com
3. HEB Blooms, multiple locations, heb.com
2. Artistic Blooms, 7863 Callaghan Road, Suite 103, (210) 696-8080, artisticblooms.com
3. HEB Blooms, multiple locations, heb.com
WINNER: Las Americas, 6623 San Pedro Ave., (210) 340-2747, lasamericaslatinmarket.com
2. Tim’s Oriental Seafood Market, 7015 Bandera Road, Suite 8, (210) 523-1688
3. Ali Baba, 9307 Wurzbach Road, (210) 691-1111, alibabasanantonio.com
WINNER: Total Wine and More, multiple locations, totalwine.com
2. PigLiquors, 519 S. Presa, (210) 226-6465, pigliquors.net
3. Gabriel’s, multiple locations, gabrielsliquor.com
4. Alamo City Liquor, 2943 Thousand Oaks Drive, Suite 3, (210) 490-9883, garrisonbros.com/alamo-city-liquor
WINNER: Redbone, 8126 Broadway, (210) 822-4111, redboneguitar.com
2. Alamo Music Center, multiple locations, alamomusic.com
3. Robot Monster, 517 E. Woodlawn Ave., (210) 320-1710, robotmonsterguitars.com
WINNER: Amols', 710 S. Flores St., (210) 227-1457, amols.com
2. Piñata Time, 3005 W. Commerce St., (210) 277-7406,
facebook.com/pinatatimes.a.3005/
3. Fiesta on Main, 2025 N. Main Ave., (210) 738-1188, alamofiesta.com
WINNER: Shades of Green, 334 W. Sunset Road, (210) 824-3772, shadesofgreensa.com
2. Rainbow Gardens, multiple locations, rainbowgardens.biz
3. Evergreen Garden, 922 W. Hildebrand Ave., (210) 735-0669, facebook.com/evergreengardensatx
