Best Furniture '96

Best Furniture Store

Copenhagen
3660 E. Fort Lowell Road

READER'S PICK: Copenhagen is the only store in the Sonoran desert where you can buy a reindeer made out of woven twigs, a Santa-shaped nutcracker and some really expensive modernist Danish furniture. Oh, sure, some tourist stand might have one or two of those things alongside the cow skulls; but for all three, all at once, Copenhagen in your only choice. So, if you want to decorate in the style made famous on the Brady Bunch (Mr. Brady's office was classic Danish Modern), or if you're looking for more traditional furnishings in such arts-and-crafts materials as curved, hand-carved teak, you can't do better than Copenhagen. It's also a fun-for-the-whole-family kind of place, especially around Christmastime when they decorate to the gills in a hopeless but endearing attempt to deny the surrounding desert. Furthering the Nordic atmosphere, a pianist will be playing a jaunty Xmas number. When the heat is on, put on your mukluks and mush on over for some of the finest Scandinavian goods this side of Reykjavik!

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: It's often surprising what some people don't want or use anymore--especially when it comes to furniture. At Value Village, 300 N. Fourth Ave., you'll often find sturdy, kitschy and cool furniture that simply needs a little love and some Murphy's Oil Soap. Quirky is usually the rule of thumb--as in, lots of orange vinyl and velour--but it's not an absolute. When shopping at the Village, patience is warranted. If you've got something specific in mind, a trip to the mall may be more up your alley; but those with more time than money will be pleasantly surprised with the wonderful randomness of the Village's selection. The coolest part about shopping at the Village? Your hard-earned dollars aren't going to some big CEO's fat wallet. Value Village is part of the Beacon Foundation, a not-for-profit venture providing community jobs and income opportunities for those who need a hand.

1998 Winner: Copenhagen
1997 Winner: American Home Furnishings
1995 Winner: American Home Furnishings