Best Of 2014

1. San Antonio College Radio KSYM 
90.1 FM, sacrtfnet.alamo.edu/ksym

Living left of the dial in public radio land, student-operated KSYM brings eclectic programming unmatched on the FM airwaves. The core of their sound lies in the Blues/Americana of flagship shows The Sauce and Third Coast Music Network, but KSYM also broadcasts hip-hop, metal, indie rock and good ol’ AAA. It’s music from student and veteran announcers psyched about what they’re playing, and it shows in their set choices and commentary.

2. Mix 96.1
96.1 FM, mix961.com

3. KJ 97
97.3 FM, kj97.com

1. Charlott’s Antiques
2023 Austin Hwy, (210) 653-3672, charlottsantiqueshop.blogspot.com

2. Karolina’s Antiques
1709 Blanco, (210) 731-9787

3. Alamo Antique Mall
125 Broadway, (210) 224-4354, alamoantiquemall.com

 

What makes them so special? Comment below.

Hills Snyder, Sala Diaz director/curator
hillssnyder.com

He rarely gives himself marquee billing on the many solo and group exhibitions he puts together every year, but Hills Snyder gets our vote for San Antonio’s best curator. Snyder is the guiding force behind the consistently unique offerings at Sala Diaz, one of SA’s premier contemporary project spaces. He encourages resident solo artists to overtake the unconventional facility at the limits of their imaginations, which has made for some of the most ambitious and original work in town. For group shows, Snyder addresses uncommon but accessible conceptual themes with customary wit; his “Lonely Are the Brave” Contemporary Art Month show at Blue Star five years ago, inspired in part by the 1962 Western film of the same name, set the bar high for SA, and he doesn’t let up.

1. Nik Soupé (Soup) (pictured, left)
The Paint Yard, 525 San Pedro, (210) 229-1707, thepaintyard.com

2. Lloyd Walsh
facebook.com/lloyd.walsh

3. TIE: Robert Tatum
tatumoriginals.com

Oscar Galvan
galvanstudios.org

 

What makes them so special? Comment below.

1. Tim Duncan
San Antonio Spurs, nba.com/spurs

2. TIE: Manu Ginobili & Tony Parker
San Antonio Spurs, nba.com/spurs

3. Drew Bignall
Mission CrossFit San Antonio, 827 E Rector,
(210) 865-9348, missioncrossfitsa.com

 

What makes them so special? We want to hear from you in the comments below.

1. Jenny Browne
jennybrowne.com

With three collections under her name, poet and Trinity University professor Jenny Browne has eked out a quiet but commanding career as a bard (it can still be done, English majors!). Just as impressive as her literary oeuvre is her work as a teacher around SA, sharing her talents with the San Antonio Housing Authority, the Good Samaritan Center and the Borderlands Collective, where she documents the experiences of recently resettled refugees living on the Northwest Side.

2. Sandra Cisneros
sandracisneros.com

3. Scott McDowell

1. Chris the Barber
Clippers, 6991 Blanco, (210) 525-8292, clippersbarbershop-tx.com

2. Jose Luis Granados
Rene Roberts Hair Studio, 1207 McCullough, (682) 224-9969,
styleseat.com/joseluisgranados

3. Jordan Rangel
Diesel Barbershop, 11255 Huebner, Ste 104, (210) 745-1255, dieselbarbershop.com

 

What makes them so special? Comment below.

1. Gabriel’s Wine & Liquor
Multiple locations, gabrielsliquor.com

2. Pig Liquors
712 S St. Mary’s, (210) 226-OINK (6465), pigliquors.wordpress.com

3. Don’s & Ben’s
Multiple locations, donsandbensliquor.com

 

What makes them so special? Comment below.

1. Bike World
Multiple locations, bikeworld.com

2. Blue Star Bike Shop
1414 S Alamo, (210) 858-0331, bluestarbikeshop.com

3. Bicycle Heaven
1931 NW Military Hwy, Ste 121, (210) 342-2453, bicycle-heaven.com

 

What makes them so special? Comment below.

1. The Twig Book Shop
306 Pearl Pkwy, (210) 826-6411, thetwig.indiebound.com

2. Nine Lives Books
4907 NW Loop 410, Ste 102, (210) 647-5656, ninelivesbooks.com

3. Imagine Books & Records
8373 Culebra, (210) 236-7668, imaginebookstore.com

 

What makes them so special? Comment below.

1. Dirt Cheap Distro
600 E Amber, facebook.com/dirtcheapdistro

More than a decade ago, Debi Lambright graduated from selling patches at punk shows to owning Dirt Cheap Distro—a snug Southside shop catering to the alternative set. While burlesque/rockabilly/horror fans might find larger emporiums elsewhere, Lambright clearly knows her customers and keeps them coming back for specialties like retro pinup dresses ($29-$95), Killer Klowns T-shirts ($16), locally made hair accessories ($6) and sequined pasties ($11).

 

2. Montage Vintage
423 W Grayson, (210) 324-0157, montagevintage.com

3. Voge Boutique
1846 N Loop 1604 W, #105, (210) 254-9297, facebook.com/vogeboutique