• Daria Bishop
• Joe Dunlavey (left) and Ryan Farrell

Wendell's Furniture — You can come for the giant selection of sofas, dining room tables and bedroom sets — or for the chocolate. Either way, the family that has owned Wendell's Furniture for two generations is happy to host you. Always ready to answer questions and direct shoppers to the right section of the 40,000-square-foot Colchester showroom, the sales staff will also hang back and let you wander the floor, where you'll find bowls of Hershey's Nuggets on random tables.

Wendell Farrell started the business in 1999 and has since turned it over to his son, Ryan, and Ryan's cousin Joe Dunlavey. The store boasts a huge range of recliners and a large selection of Amish bedroom and dining room sets made in the United States, as well as a few hardwood pieces from Thor's Elegance, based in Brandon.

Bargain seeking? Visit Wendell's Loft upstairs for deals on discontinued designs and floor models.

Other Finalists

• Anjou & the Little Pear
• Barge Canal Market
• Burlington Furniture
• The SuperStore