CONTEST METHODOLOGY: Our 15th annual contest featured two divisions: Big Cool for stores with six or more full-time employees; and Small Cool for stores with five or fewer. From 85 entries, 10 finalists per division were selected by INSTORE’s editors. Separate panels of industry-expert judges chose the top three stores in each division. Five Honorable Mention stores were chosen from each of the division’s finalists and will be featured in upcoming issues. Judges viewed the entries on a specially created website and rated stores in six categories: story, exterior appearance, interior appearance, advertising and marketing, online presence and overall individuality. Total scores were calculated weighting the categories according to importance: story 50 percent, exterior 75 percent, interior 100 percent, advertising 50 percent, online 25 percent and individuality 100 percent. Judges with personal or professional ties to a store were asked to recuse themselves from voting on those stores. Many thanks to our terrific judges and to all those who entered!