Best clothing store (new)

1. Urban Outfitters (1246 Ste-Catherine W., 874-0063)

2. Le Château (various locations)

3. The Gap (various locations)

4. B.C.B.G. (1300 Ste-Catherine W., 398-9130)

5. Tie: Holt Renfrew (1300 Sherbrooke W., 842-5111); Sisley (Eaton Centre, 287-0892)

Best clothing store (used)

1. Village des Valeurs (4906 Jean-Talon W. 739-1962, 6779 Jean-Talon E., 254-0433, 2033 Pie IX, 528-8604, 7401 Newman, 595-8101)

2. Eva B (2013 St-Laurent, 849-8246)

3. Salvation Army (various locations)

4. Scandale (3639 St-Laurent, 842-4707)

5. Twist encore (3972 St-Laurent, 842-1308)

Best sports store

1. Sports Experts (various locations)

2. Tie: La Cordée Plein-Air (2159 Ste-Catherine E., 524-1106); Super monde des athlètes (705 Ste-Catherine W., 845-5664)

3. Murray (1200 Peel, 861-9636)

The perennial winner Sports Experts still leads the pack, due largely to its wide selection of bicycles, shoes, rackets, skis and skates (both in-line and ice), all of which can also be found at Murray Sport (#3). Super monde des athlètes (#2), known for its sports shoes and sportswear, came in at #2. And it's nice to see that extensive renovations have paid off for La Cordée (#2), where you can find equipment for any kind of off-track activity, from camping and mountain-biking to running and climbing (including an on-the-premises climbing wall).

Best store for sneakers

1. Sports Experts

2. Super monde des athlètes

3. Sports Fever (1238 Ste-Catherine W., 874-0198)

Best stereo store

1. Future Shop (various locations)

2. Audio Centre (5260 Sherbrooke W., 482-4420)

3. Aventure Électronique (various locations)

4. Radio Shack (various locations)

5. Centre Hi-Fi Électronique (625 Ste-Catherine W., 288-4849)

Best video store

1. La Boîte noire (4450 St-Denis, 287-1249)

2. Blockbuster

3. Movieland

4. Video Roma

5. Videotron

Best fitness club

1. Y.M.C.A.

2. Nautilus Plus (various locations)

3. La Cité (3575 du Parc, 288-8221)

4. Sanctuaire (6105 du Boisé, 737-0000)

5. Tie: Body Tech (6572 Waverly, 495-2443); Stone Gym (1440 Ste-Catherine W., 397-8663)

Best student travel

1. Travel Cuts/Voyage Campus (various locations)

2. Allô-Stop (4317 St-Denis, 985-3032)

Best record store (new)

1. HMV (various locations)

2. Sam The Record Man (various locations)

3. MusicWorld (various locations)

4. Tie: Archambault (500 Ste-Catherine E., 849-6201); Noize (58 Pine E., 985-9989) 5. Future Shop (various locations)

Best record store (used)

1. Cheap Thrills (1433 Bishop, 844-7604, 2044 Metcalfe, 844-8988)

2. L'Échange (3694 St-Denis, 849-1913, 713 Mont-Royal E., 523-6389)

3. Disquivel (1587 St-Laurent, 842-1607)

4. Tie: Noize (58 Pine E., 985-9989); Le Rayon Laser (3656 St-Laurent, 848-6300)

5. Tie: L'Oblique (4333 Rivard, 499-1323); Rock En Stock (1238 Crescent, 878-1648)

Best first-run cinema

1. Loews

2. Cinéma Impérial

3. Égyptien, Cours Mont-Royal

4. Eaton Centre

5. Palace

Best rep theatre

1. Cinéma du Parc

2. Palace

3. Cinéma Imperial

4. Tie: Rialto Theatre; Conservatoire

5. Cinémathèque Québécoise

Yep, this city's residents clearly can't get enough celluloid. In addition to a gaggle of film fests, Montrealers go to first-run and rep houses in record numbers. And that's reflected in the explosive growth rate that's about to change the movie-going landscape of Montreal forever. Cineplex is constructing a 20-screen multiplex on St-Denis, while plans are still on to turn the Forum into a 30-screen multiplex. Not to be left out, the Atwater cinema in Alexis-Nihon Plaza is going to be pumped up to nine state-of-the-art screens. Claude Chamberlan and his entourage have plans to expand the Cinéma Parallèle, and Richard Szalwinski of Behaviour Entertainment wants to build a rep cinema in old Montreal. The Mirror suggests every building in the city be converted into a cinema. Think about it--no one would ever get bored!

Best book store (new)

1. Chapters (1171 Ste-Catherine W., 849-8825)

2. Paragraphe (2065 Mansfield, 845-5811)

3. L'Androgyne (3636 St-Laurent, 842-4765)

4. Champigny (various locations)

5. Nemo/Danger! (3968 St-Laurent, 286-2998)

Best book store (used)

1. The Word (469 Milton, 845-5640)

2. Cheap Thrills

3. S. W. Welch (3878 St-Laurent, 848-9358)

Best health food store

1. Optimum (various locations)

2. Tau (4238 St-Denis, 843-4420)

3. Frenco (3985 St-Laurent, 285-1319)

4. Rachelle-Béry (various locations)

5. Kilo Prix (201 St-Viateur W., 279-2817)

Best hair salon

1. Mutt & Jeff (2135 Crescent, 288-7689)

2. Coupe Bizarre (169 Duluth E., 843-3433)

3. Tonic (3613 St-Laurent, 499-9494)

4. La Coupe (1115 Sherbrooke W., 288-6131)

5. Pascha (6424 Décarie, 735-1124)

Best tattoo shop

Tatouage artistique (1962 Ontario E., 529-8288)

Best new thing on Ste-Catherine Street

1. Urban Outfitters (1246 Ste-Catherine W., 874-0063) This popular American-based clothing/housewares company opened a location here in December 1996.

2. Second Cup (1122 Ste-Catherine W., 395-2983) Opened February '97.

3. Chapters (1171 Ste-Catherine W., 840-8825) Opened in the summer of '96.

4. Ciné Express (1926 Ste-Catherine W., 939-2463) A café with a filmscreen and comfy couches. Occasional live entertainment; they always use real whipped cream on coffees and desserts. Open since July '96.

5. HMV (1010 Ste-Catherine W., 875-0765) Opened March '96.

6. Subway (712 Ste-Catherine W., 878-0078) Opened December '96.

Best place to buy cigars

1. Davidoff (1452 Sherbrooke W., 289-9118)

2. Tie: Vasco Discount Plaza (1327 Ste-Catherine W., 284-0475); Allegra Cigar Lounge (3523A St-Laurent, 288-4884)

3. Poupart (1385 Ste-Catherine W., 842-5794)

4. Cuba