We asked, you answered.
In The Baltimore Sun’s Best: Readers’ Choice 2025 poll, our readers voted on what’s best in the region, from wedding venues and roofers to pediatricians and hair salons. This year’s winners highlight people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction over the last year.
The poll includes more than 550 winners in nearly 200 categories in six areas — Arts & Entertainment, Home & Garden, Food & Drink, Lifestyles & Shopping, Personal Services and People & Media. More than 47,000 ballots were cast, cultivating a list of your favorite museums, pizza joints, boutiques, TV anchors, radio hosts and more.
Best Clothing boutique, Menswear, Shoe store: Gian Marco Menswear
517 N. Charles St. 410-347-7974. gian-marco-menswear.com.
For what it’s worth, everyone gripes about the prices at this trendy men’s shop.
“They’re entitled,” said Marc Sklar, CEO of the Charles Street boutique that deals in luxury clothing and footwear.
Who would pay $100 for a bow tie, $260 for a cotton shirt or $400 for a pair of crocodile-and-python sneakers?
“Someone who appreciates quality,” Sklar said. “People who come here want a good product. It’s like eating fine steak rather than something from McDonald’s.”
Well-heeled patrons agree. For 35 years, they’ve been buying European dress and casual wear off the fashionable racks at Gian Marco, while touting the top-notch fabrics and customized apparel.
“This stuff is so well made that it will go out of style, and then come back in, before it wears out,” one reviewer wrote online.
“That’s almost true,” Sklar said. “Except that the merchandise we buy is so timeless that it never goes out of style.”
Twice a year, he and co-owner John Massey fly to Italy and browse the high-end clothing factories, awaiting that Eureka! moment.
“We’ve literally climbed through vaults of fabric to find things that are really unique,” Sklar said. “We’re looking for buried treasure.”
Fabric found, they make their orders, mindful of their customers’ breadth.
“Sometimes we have Italian manufacturers produce sizes they would normally not produce,” he said. “They have to understand that there are a lot of big Americans.”
How old are Gian Marco’s clients?
“Age 25 to death,” Sklar said. “We’ve done many of their burials.”
Also weddings, graduations, confirmations and Bar Mitzvahs.
“We’ll go to people’s homes to fit them, or to redo their wardrobes,” the owner said. Truth be told, customers like to peruse the shop in Mount Vernon, if only to hear the good-natured banter between Sklar and Massey. Said the former, “We’ve been in this business so long that John used to dress Moses.”
Have a news tip? Contact Mike Klingaman at jklingaman@baltsun.com and 410-332-6456.
Antiques: Second Chance
Honorable mentions:
The Painted Mill
Vintage Treasures
Cornerstone Antiques and Consignments
Barbershop: Old Line Barbers
Honorable mentions:
Two Bits barbershop
Ernesto’s Barber Shop
Westminster Barbershop
Bicycle shop: Joe’s Bike Shop
Honorable mention:
Bicycle Connection
Bookstore: Barnes & Noble
Honorable mentions:
Ivy Bookshop
Greedy Reeds
Old Fox Books & Coffeehouse
Braiding: The River Oshun
Bridal shop: Gamberdella
Honorable mentions:
Amanda Ritchey Bridal Loft
Elegant Touch Bridal and Tuxedo
Love It! at Stella’s Bridal & Fashions
Brow threading: Beautiful Eyebrow Threading and Sabita’s Threading & Spa (tie)
Honorable mention:
Rhea Eyebrow Threading
Cannabis grower: SunMed Growers
Honorable mentions:
Curio
Curaleaf
Car dealership: Jones Junction
Honorable mentions:
Heritage
Anderson Automotive
Jimmy The Boxer Auto Mall
Clothing boutique: Gian Marco Menswear
Honorable mentions:
Brightside Boutique
Fells Point Surf Co.
Mason-Mayes (tie)
My Fancy Finds Boutique (tie)
Consignment/resale shop: Habitat for Humanity Restore
Honorable mentions:
Second Chance
Uptown Cheapskate
Goodwill
Day spa: Eeyah Holistic Spa
Honorable mentions:
THE pearl spa
FX Studios
Mindful Moon
Dispensary: GreenLabs
Honorable mentions:
Health for Life
Green Point Wellness
Curaleaf
Gifts: Smyth Jewelers
Honorable mentions:
The Nest on Main
Becket Hitch
Tra CigarDiva
Grocery store: Giant Food
Honorable mentions:
Sprouts
Whole Foods
Green Valley
Gym: Krav Maga Maryland
Honorable mentions:
Club Pilates, Ellicott City
Brick Bodies
YMCA of Central Maryland
Hair salon: Lavish Salon
Honorable mentions:
Jordan Thomas Salon & Spa
K. Co Design Salon
Thirty Hair
Health food/supplement store: MOM’s Organic Market
Jeweler: Smyth Jewelers
Honorable mentions:
Radcliffe Jewelers
Saxons
Charles Nusinov & Sons Jewelers
Liquor store: The Wine Source
Honorable mentions:
Cranbrook Liquors
Bel Air Liquors
Christo’s Discount Liquors
Martial arts: Krav Maga Maryland
Honorable mentions:
US Martial Arts Academy
Monroe Hall Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
US Kuo Shu Academy
Maryland made shatter/wax (cannabis): Sunnies by SunMed Growers
Honorable mention:
Curaleaf
Maryland produced pre roll (cannabis): SunMed Growers
Honorable mentions:
Curio
Curaleaf
Medispa: LUXMODE Aesthetics
Honorable mentions:
Seidenberg, Protzko Eye Associates
Allure Aesthetics
Mason & Friends (tie)
ProMD Tox Bar (tie)
Menswear: Gian Marco Menswear
Honorable mention:
Marcia’s Luxury
Music lessons: Baltimore School of Music
Honorable mentions:
Stages Music Arts
Lutherville Music School
Music Land
Pet goods store: The Mill
Honorable mention:
Howl, McHenry Row
Pool: Padonia Park
Honorable mention:
Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore
Produced Maryland edible (cannabis): Sunnies by SunMed Growers
Honorable mention:
Curaleaf
Retirement community: Broadmead
Honorable mentions:
Miller’s Grant
Mercy Ridge
Stella Maris
Shoe store: Gian Marco Menswear
Honorable mentions:
The Good Feet Store
Run Moore
Ma Petite Shoe
Spin class: Rev cycle
Honorable mentions:
Jen McColigan, YMCA of Kent
Resistance Cycle
Yoga studio: Pilates House
Honorable mentions:
THE pearl spa
Yoga Center of Columbia
CorePower Yoga
Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to May. The ballot and results are generated solely by readers’ votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.
More winners
Food & Drink
Personal Services
Arts & Entertainment
People & Media
Home & Garden
Lifestyles & Shopping
