It doubles as a gift shop par excellence, too, with all sorts of music-themed knickknacks and novelties. Between record-company promo cutouts, historical photographs, framed 45s, oversize album covers and periodic installations, it's almost as good of an art gallery as it is a record store. It has been in its present location since November 2007, after the original space next to the Alabama Theatre closed about 18 months earlier. The frequent in-stores with free Saint Arnold's you may know about, but here's some neat stuff about Cactus you may not: Cactus was founded in 1975 by Don and Bud Daily, son of legendary Houston record-label owner and jukebox supplier H.W. In the past year or so, the vinyl stock at the Shepherd Plaza mainstay has probably doubled, reason enough to give them this year's award.

When Cactus Music stops deserving to be called Houston's best record store, we'll stop doing it.