1. PLAY Eugene, 232 W. 5th Ave., 541-357-5010, PlayEugene.com.

2. The Yoga Place, 4730 Village Plaza Loop, ste. 130, 541-654-4475, YogaPlaceEugene.com.

3. Happy Haze Dispensary, 1409 Oak St., 541-250-2332, HappyHazeOregon.com.

1. Tsunami Books, 2585 Willamette St., 541-345-8986, TsunamiBooks.org.

2. Smith Family Bookstore, 525 Willamette St., 541-343-4717, SmithFamilyBookstore.com.

3. Books With Pictures Eugene, 296 E. 5th Ave., 5410-485-1048, BooksWithPicturesEug.com.

New, used, rare and so much more, Tsunami Books has won the best of Eugene title for all of its odds and ends. For more than 20 years the bookstore has been providing the Eugene community literature and entertainment as well as writers’ workshops, poetry slams, musical concerts, art galleries, spiritual gatherings, parties, wakes, fundraisers and even a wedding. 

“We’ve had over 5,000 activities and events and endless emotional ones,” says Tsunami owner Scott Landfield.Roaming aisles of new and used books customers can take their pick of reading material off of bookshelves and fixtures made of recycled resources including bleacher boards from schools throughout the Pacific Northwest. Landfield has owned the store for 28 years and says, “We’re making plans for another 20 years.” — Emily Rogers

1. St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County, 2890 Chad Drive, 541-743-7117, Eugene, and 199 Q St., Springfield, 541-746-7784, as well as a dozen other sites in and around Lane County. SVDP.us.

2. SARA’s Treasures, 871 River Road, 541-607-8892. SarasTreasures.org.

3. Ghost Town Outfitters, 1040 Tyinn St. and 365 E. 13th Ave., 541-654-6876. Instagram @ghost.town.outfitters.

St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County is, among other things, the biggest used book store in Lane County. It has — count them — more than a dozen brick and mortar retail outlets as well as online sales. Add up all that commerce, and St. Vinnie’s, as the private nonprofit is known, is selling more than a million books a year. St. Vinnie’s, of course, sells far more than just books; you can buy furniture, musical instruments, men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, and a vast assortment of used tools, kitchenware and sports equipment. You can even buy used cars. One of the growing chain’s newest outlets, which opened in Cottage Grove this year, is essentially a thrifting super store.

Perhaps because of its excellent charitable work helping the unhoused population, St. Vinnie’s easily won a category with plenty of smaller, more specialized stores. SARA’s Treasures, which took second, bills itself as a “gift, thrift, and cat adoption center” operated by Shelter Animal Resource Alliance. Ghost Town Outfitters is putting out a younger, hipper vibe with vintage clothing on the racks and original artwork on the walls.  — Bob Keefer

1. Eugene YMCA, 600 East 24th Ave., 541-686-9622, EugeneYmca.org.

2. Outside, all of Eugene and Lane County. Enjoy!

3. The Yoga Place, 4730 Village Plaza Loop, ste. 130, 541-654-4475, YogaPlaceEugene.com.

Walk through the double doors at the Eugene YMCA and you will be struck by one of two things: There’s either the bedlam of happy children everywhere or, if the Oregon Ducks are playing football, you will feel as if you have most of the 75,000-square-foot facility to yourself.

Either way, the Eugene YMCA — which opened the doors to its new facility on East 24th Avenue in December after 68 years on Patterson Street — is a jewel for the community, and in just shy of a year since the doors opened, EW readers have noticed, voting it the Best Place to Get Fit.

In fact, the community has been coming to the new Y in droves since December. Brian Steffen, the Y’s CEO since 2018, notes that membership has skyrocketed this year from 7,500 members to 17,500. The infrastructure has to keep up, and Steffen adds that the employee roll has gone from 210 people to 350 this year.

“It’s been wonderfully busy since we opened up,” Steffen says, adding that the wide variety of programs and classes as well as opportunities for children has made the Y an accessible one-stop wellness center in Eugene. “That’s a key for the Y. It’s about the heart of serving our community.”

A quick run through the Y’s website reveals a slew of activities and classes in the expanded aquatics and fitness centers. There are two basketball courts and an indoor track, not to mention upward of 17,000 spots available in group wellness classes. Children after school can be dropped off for two hours at one of two drop-off sites, and Steffan adds that there are now classes in support of people caring for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s loved ones.

And Beth Casper, the Y’s vice president of community engagement, notes that the Y now has a teen strength program and, partnering with Lane Council of Governments, civics classes for teens as well as a ham radio class, and there’s Dungeons and Dragons for middle schoolers. — Dan Buckwalter

1. Eugene School of Karate, 116 S. 4th St., Springfield, 541-543-4166, EugeneKarate.com.

2. RMA Martial Arts, 2709 Willamette St., 541-344-0404, RightMentalAttitude.com.

3. Best Martial Arts Institute, 795 Almaden St., 541-345-0684, Bmai.org.

Anybody who’s done martial arts, or a combat sport, knows how quickly it can become ingrained in your life, into your way of being. I did karate, boxing and MMA for 10 years and am always ecstatic to see the community thriving. It was always a source of pride for me and a center for physical exertion, and to know there are incredible studios in Eugene for all ages is encouraging. Eugene School of Karate, run by Sensei Albert, is family-oriented and has been training karate extraordinaires for 31 years. If I had lived here when I started my martial arts journey, I’m sure I would’ve gone here. — Mason Falor

1. Lane County Farmers Market, Farmers Market Pavilion, 85 E. 8th Ave., 541-431-4923, LaneCountyFarmersMarket.org.

2. Kiva Grocery Store, 125 W. 11th Ave., 541-342-8666, KivaGrocery.com.

3. Sundance Natural Foods, 748 E. 24th Ave., 541-343-9142, SundanceNaturalFoods.com.

1. Down To Earth Home, Garden & Gift, 532 Olive St., 541-342-6820, DowntoEarthEugene.com.

2. Eugene Backyard Farmer, 501 Washington St., 541-485-3276, EugeneBackyardFarmer.com.

3. Gray’s Garden Center, 737 W. 6th Ave., 541-345-1569, GraysGardens.com.

1. Bicycle Way of Life, 556 Charnelton St., 541-344-4105, 2480 Alder St., 541-342-6155, Bicycleway.com.

2. Shift Community Cycles, 811 W. 6th Ave., 541-728-2453, Shiftcc.org.

3. Hutch’s Bicycle Store, 960 Charnelton St., 541-345-7521, Facebook/HutchsBicycles.

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s a bicycle shop — it’s EW readers’ favorite bicycle shop! Whether you need a derailleur adjustment, new tubes or gloves, Bicycle Way of Life caters to the needs of every type of cyclist across Eugene. 

Bicycle Way of Life has two locations —  one in South Eugene and downtown — with each location fully staffed and stocked. Founder Paul Nicholson originally made a bet with a roommate in 1977 wagering that he would not be able to open a wholesale account. After $1,000 worth of bike parts and not wanting to lose $5 in a bet, Nicholson founded the bike shop on March 1, 1985, after moving to Eugene, and has been dedicated to providing high-quality bikes and parts since.

In order to embody the true bicycle way of life, the mechanics take great pride in contributing to Eugene’s rich culture of cycling. “It’s about providing an alternative transportation method, it makes me feel good to be able to work here,” says mechanic Ivan Hess, “Eugene is a great city for biking.” — Josiah Pensado

1. Joe’s Garage, 888 W. 1st Ave., 541-507-8788, JoesGarageEugene.com.

2. Sun Automotive,1905 Agate St. (541-344-0869), 391 Rustic Place (541-344-2219), 255 S. A St., Springfield (541-746-6430), 490 Ivy St., Junction City (541-746-6430), SunAutomotive.com.

3. Sparky’s Garage, 268 Madison Street Alleyway, 541-632-3759, SparkysGarage.myshopify.com.

1. Sarah Knapp, Wild Rose Tattoo, 2849 Oak St., WildRoseRattoo.com/sarah.

2. Caitlin Carter, Caito Tattoos, 30 E. Broadway, CaitoTattoos.com.

3. Kenny Plimpton, High Priestess, 525 E. 13th Ave., 541-343-3311, BestStudioEver.com 

Wild Rose Tattoo is keeping it in the shop family this year with Sarah Knapp, co-owner, this years’ best tattoo artist. Knapp has been in the tattooing game for 12 years and specializes in color and floral and botanical work. Knapp also says she enjoys doing pet portraits or other illustrative work like antiques.One of Knapps’ favorite things about the shop is their community outreach events. “Whenever we do flash events, we make sure that there’s a focus on a local nonprofit that benefits in either physical donations or monetary donations,” Knapp says. Knapp is looking forward to this Halloween’s flash event in which there will be a tintype photographer coming to take portraits. — Emily Rogers

1. Jodi Wiktorowski, Eugene Animal Hospital, 1432 Orchard St. 541-342-1178, EugeneAnimal.com.

2. Kristina Garretson, VCA Delta Oaks Animal Hospital, 1020 Green Acres Road. 541-345-7970, VCAHospitals.com.

3. Cameron Jones, Amazon Park Animal Clinic, 725 E. 25th Ave. 541-485-0161. 

It’s been one day since a patient last pooped in the lobby. The record is 21 days, a true feat for any veterinary clinic, and one that Eugene Animal Hospital displays on its walls with pride.

This is the second year that Eugene Weekly’s Best Veterinarian category focused on individual providers rather than clinics, and it’s the second year that Dr. Jodi Wiktorowski has won. “That has been the best reward for me,” Wiktorowski says, “because it’s coming from the community. That means I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do, taking care of the animals.”

Wiktorowski knew she wanted to be a veterinarian from a young age, she says, when her neighbors would bring her baby birds or give her a call when their cat was limping. By the time she finished high school, Wiktorowski already had her wildlife rehabilitation license.

Although Eugene Animal Hospital has been around since 2001, Wiktorowski didn’t take sole ownership until 2015. She’d always wanted to own her own clinic, she says, so when the business went on the market, she jumped on the opportunity.

“I worked in every position, and I wanted to be able to have a business that was a team that treated the staff the way they should,” Wiktorowski says. “I can’t do my job if I don’t have a good staff. Each of those members are just as important as me.”

The trust the clinicians have in one another is apparent in their joint ownership of Jessica the clinic bird. Jessica was brought in by PetCo when she fell ill, and went back to the store following her rehabilitation, Wiktorowski says. However, everyone working at Eugene Animal Hospital kept visiting the bird at the chain store until they finally adopted her as a collective. Now Jessica can be seen riding on techs’ shoulders or snuggled up in hoods as they work in the back rooms.

The care Wiktorowski shows her own animals, including Jessica, is not dissimilar to the care she shows her patients — and their owners.

“I think you have to really pay attention to the needs of the owner as well as the animal,” she says, “because that’s where it comes down to. If you can figure out what they need to take care of their pet and help them with that, then that’s doing the right job.” — Emma J Nelson

1. Anomaly Hair Collective, 837 Monroe St., AnomalyHairCollective.com.

2. 4247 Loft, 390 Lincoln St., #220, 855-461-1420, 4247Loft.com.

3. Mothership Salon, 303 Main St., Springfield, 541-746-4247, TheMotherShipSalon.com.

1. Ashley Newport, Anomaly Hair Collective, 837 Monroe St. AnomalyHairCollective.com; Trailhead Barbershop, 384 E. 40th Ave. 541-505-8432.

2. Brooklynn J. Damon, American Traditional Barbershop, 390 W. 12th Ave. Atbs.life.

3. Renee Rogers, Anomaly Hair Collective, 837 Monroe St., AnomalyHairCollective.com.

1. Calvin Orlando Smith, Albertsons on Hilyard, 3075 Hilyard St. Local.Albertsons.com.

2. Sarah Mutterspaugh, Veneta Meals on Wheels, MidLaneCares.com.

3. Danette Lamson, WOW Hall, 291 W. 8th Ave. WowHall.org.

You’ve heard of singing cowboys and, perhaps, The Singing Detective. The larger-than-life figure of Calvin Orlando Smith is Eugene’s singing grocery clerk, with a personality so outgoing you half expect him to break into an aria while monitoring the self-checkout counter. EW profiled Smith in 2020 under the headline “Baritone on Aisle Three” that lists some of his considerable accomplishments, such as performing on Broadway in Peter Pan, graduating with degrees from both Oxford and Cambridge universities and sharing a stage with the likes of Ben Vereen, Florence Henderson, Cathy Rigby, J. K. Simmons, Patrice Munsel, R.E.M., Jane Pauley, Bryant Gumbel and The New Kids On The Block. Oh, and getting to know Britain’s King Charles III back when he was just the lowly Prince of Wales. 

In case you don’t need to restock your larder, you can also catch Smith at the Wildish Theater in Springfield Friday, Oct. 25, performing music from the Great American Songbook. Tix and info at WildishTheater.com. — Bob Keefer