Reader's Choice Awards - Reader's Choice Shopping

POSTED: Monday, Dec. 08, 2008

Best clothing store: Labels Women's Consignment and Macy's

FIRST PLACE

LABELS WOMEN'S CONSIGNMENT

Location: 1512 Ellis St., 738-0333, 436 W. Bakerview Road, 676-1210, hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

From the boss: "Labels gets a fabulous assortment of clothes from consignors that come from so many different stores and places. We work hard to earn the business of women in Whatcom County. We appreciate our customers and consignors that make the whole process work so great." Sage Bishop, owner

Reader rave: "I like that I can find things that fit me there, and being a tall person who's a 2X, finding things that fit isn't always too easy. It's just fun to go in and browse around." Madeleine Baines, Bellingham

Highlights: Room after room of the Labels store on Ellis Street is jammed with plaids, tweeds, denims and even some argyle - every type of clothing a woman could want. Racks are organized by size and color in rooms arranged for pants, jackets, skirts, sweaters, shoes, dresses and blouses. Labels receives clothes from thousands of consignors in Whatcom County based on their 3 C's policy: Everything must be cute, current and clean to ensure a great selection. The store keeps prices low - and lets customers add some eco-friendly style to their wardrobes with recycled clothing.

MACY'S

Location: Bellis Fair mall, 715-6000

Web site: www.macys.com

Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, hours may vary through the holiday season

From the boss: "We are committed to giving outstanding customer service and providing the best possible shopping experience for our customers. Macy's is celebrating 150 years of fashion history this (fall) so this makes the award even more special." Patty Hatch, Bellingham store manager

Reader rave: "I liked it when it was the Bon when I grew up in Bellingham. We don't have a broad range of high-end stores, so growing up it was always really exciting to go there at Christmas. Macy's is this long American tradition of a store. They have a lot of really good product, the people are really knowledgeable, and I just find it a really pleasant place to shop." Deborah Blakesley, Bellingham

Highlights: For a huge selection of sizes, styles, designers (including Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger) and merchandise, often at sale prices, Macy's is Whatcom County's top option. The store features sprawling racks of jackets, skirts, blouses, sweaters and more in shades of indigo, red, emerald, black, white and beyond. Macy's is one-stop shopping to knock a few names off the gift list during the bustling holiday season, and a good spot to grab gift certificates for that tough-to-shop-for cousin.