Polls are Open: Vote for LA's Independent Store of the Year

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We've got a week in which to determine the best and brightest of Los Angeles retail before the Racked Awards next Tuesday. So it's time to let the voting commence!

Here's how it works: After days of pouring over the archives, weighing the pros and cons, and engaging in heated philosophical debates, the Racked LA staff has determined eight major shopping categories of five nominees each. Your job is to vote in each category before Monday, October 24. Then, we'll take the top three candidates for each vote and start up again with the debating and the weighing until we've selected exactly one winner per category.

First up: Store of the Year. In this categories, we're delineating independent, non-chain stores (which we'll cover in another category later today). Click on through to champion your favorite, and check back with us throughout the week to vote in categories like Best New Store, Best Men's Store, Best Windows, Sample Sale of the Year, and Most Mindblowing Shoe Selection.

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Satine. The dreamy store on West Third stocks the perfect ratio of known heavy-weights to new talent. A delicious shoe department (they carry everything from Alexander Wang and Barbara Bui to Lanvin and Alaia), a helpful staff with bona fide styling chops, and a Parisian vibe make Satine an LA favorite.

Confederacy. The Racked's only triple-threat, nominated in best overall, best men's and best new store, since they switched the front over to Rebecca Minkoff. The store is still one of the city's prettiest, and their very high-profile men's department has done a lot to raise the bar on dude dressing in LA.

Decadestwo.1 A world-famous designer resale boutique that carries exclusive merchandise and offers a pretty large stash of item at prices for the Every Girl. A celebrity favorite for their breadth and discretion; a shopper favorite for their selection and the $150 shoe blowout.

Heist. In LA's ongoing "East versus West" battle of coolness, Heist gives Venice an insane amount of cred. Heist stocks a mix of high-end, edgy and culty: Isabel Marant, Of Two Minds, Raquel Allegra and Martin Margiela are just a few of the labels the spacious store stocks.

THVM Atelier. Take a walk on the wild side with this slightly sinister yet sumptuously appointed downtown boutique. Design-wise, it's such a fully-articulated vision of founders Brian Kim and Olga Nazarova, providing a cool setting for their own THVM line, as well as labels like Cerre, Endovanera and Annie Costello Brown.