Good service is...

• A snobby store that doesn’t make you feel like you’re in Pretty Woman
• An affordable florist who knows how to say it with flowers
• A helpful electronics store that won’t bust your budget
• A bookstore where you don’t mind paying the jacket price
• A hardware store that stocks everything you need for a project—including good advice
• A kids’ store that can hook you up with baby-shower gifts
• A bus driver who is helpful and funny
• A subway station agent who actually assists riders
• A doorman who actually makes your night better
• A live music venue where you can catch a show without being trampled
• A fancy restaurant where the staff is so intuitive, it seems like they’re invisible
• A lingerie shop that won’t make you feel embarrassed or ripped off
• A sex shop that doesn’t make you feel like a perv
• An eyewear store that will save you from yourself
• A sports bartender who makes you feel part of the team
• A coffee joint that feels like a community
• A fancy restaurant where the chef reads your mind
• A cheap restaurant where the staff knows the food
• A high-end bartender who serves you quickly and attitude-free
• A department-store clerk who’s like a personal shopper
• A bike shop where they match you perfectly with the bike
• A corner store where they know your name

A snobby store that doesn’t make you feel like you’re in Pretty Woman

Providing service with a dose of Southern charm is in the genes of Jeffrey Kalinsky, founder and president of chichi department store Jeffrey New York. “My father owns a shoe store in Charleston, South Carolina,” says Kalinsky. “He opened it in 1950. He taught me that no matter what they’re wearing or whether they’re green, purple or magenta, the moment anyone walks in the door they’re clients of the store. Everyone is on their hands and knees waiting on them.” As such, jewelry associates at the Meatpacking District shop will slip Lanvin heels onto the feet of frumpily dressed ladies, salesmen will patiently assist dudes wearing breakaway pants, and you will be greeted without any attitude (despite that old SNL sketch that implied otherwise). “I tell everyone just how simple it is to be nice to everyone,” explains Kalinsky. “That’s probably the biggest mission of the store.” 449 W 14th St between Washington St and Tenth Ave (212-206-1272)

[Return to the top]

An affordable florist who knows how to say it with flowers

“Like chefs, we usually cater the day’s arrangements to what looked good at the market,” says Prudence Designs co-owner Grayson Handy. The shop has just moved into glossy new Chelsea headquarters, but it’s turned out gorgeous, blossom-packed bouquets for 13 years. Handy asks customers for information on the recipient’s tastes, the occasion, and whether it’s a home or office delivery (for deskside dispatches, he favors compact, transportable arrangements). They also keep copious records of preferences and past orders (so as not to replicate). The best part: The goods (including delivery) start at a highly reasonable $65, but spend $150 and you’ll get a sizable—and exotics-filled—display. 231 W 18th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves (212-691-1356)

[Return to the top]

A helpful electronics store that won’t bust your budget

You know you don’t need to buy that extended warranty, and so does the staff at B&H Photo Video. They have an aversion to up-selling, and their attention to customer service has turned the local institution into one of the largest photo and video stores in the country. “Our mission is to have people leave here as happy, or happier, than when they came in,” says store manager Eli Daskal. To accomplish this, B&H’s friendly staff (made up almost entirely of Orthodox Jews—don’t try shopping there on a Saturday; it’s closed for Shabbat) don’t work on commission, so the pressure’s off. And, as avid photographers, videographers and audio geeks themselves, they’ll be able to steer you to the right product—which you’ll have full, hands-on access to try out. 420 Ninth Ave between 33rd and 34th Sts (212-444-6615)

[Return to the top]

A bookstore where you don’t mind paying the jacket price

“Books are not a commodity,” says Carol Wald, a bookseller for the past decade at Three Lives & Company. “Everyone who works here is a bookworm. And we really get to know the people who come here to shop—their successes, their tribulations, even their dogs.” Literary giants (Alan Bennett) and avant-garde authors (David Markson) are among the many who revere the cozy yet surprisingly well-stocked West Village institution, where the knowledgeable employees, personalized recommendations and speedy special-order policy more than make up for the lack of an in-store Starbucks. Literary tip: The Three Lives staff currently digs short-story tome Brief Encounters with Che Guevara, which means you’ll love it too. 154 W 10th St at Waverly Pl (212-741-2069)

[Return to the top]

A hardware store that stocks everything you need for a project—including good advice

“We practice ‘positively outrageous service,’” says Vincent Mazzone, patriarch of the family-owned Mazzone True Value Hardware. That credo, developed by business writer and small-business proponent T. Scott Gross, promises “service that delivers far more than expected,” explains Mazzone. Although the family can’t offer the sprawl of a Home Depot, they succeed by getting the little details right: well-lit, easy-to-navigate aisles; friendly banter; one-on-one help with customer projects (from gardening to shelving); strong neighborhood ties (“If we can’t help you, we know a plumber or electrician around here who can”); and, an anomaly among NYC hardware stores, Sunday business hours. Outrageous, indeed. 470 Court St at 4th Pl, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn (718-624-8494)

[Return to the top]

A kids’ store that can hook you up with baby-shower gifts

Peanutbutter & Jane is the opposite of a megachain store: For one thing, you won’t find any junky Mattel or Fisher-Price products here. Since 1981, this cluttered, charming West Village institution, with its tin ceiling and creaky hardwood floors, has been selling unusual children’s toys, clothing and games—and gift-wrapping them with a smile. If you don’t know your bibs from your blankies, fret not. Friendly, attentive (and infinitely patient) manager Timmie Reilly will happily show off Pucci-style diaper bags and tot couture. “Everything here, both funky and conservative, is very eclectic, to appeal to everyone’s tastes,” she says proudly, and it’s true. There’s a dizzyingly good selection arranged by age group, from babies to tweens. Owner Carolyn Capstick’s wry sensibility is reflected in every item—like the newborn hat that reads lifelong democrat. 617 Hudson St at Jane St (212-620-7952)

[Return to the top]

A bus driver who is helpful and funny

Typically, the only time you’ll see a bus driver talk to passengers is if one of them tries to board with an expired MetroCard. Not so for Brooklyn native Elaine Coonan, who has worked behind the wheel since 1984—an era when female drivers were rare. “Every stop is a whole new group of people,” she says. “It’s always something different, and you really feel good when you help certain people. Driving a bus is almost like being a psychologist.” At just $2 a ride, Coonan’s counseling aboard the M42 is one of the best deals in the city. One appreciative passenger gave her a new puppy when he heard the driver’s own dog had died. Others have written letters of praise to NYC Transit, resulting in 20 commendations for this public-service superstar.

[Return to the top]

A subway station agent who actually assists riders

The 7 train is nicknamed the “United Nations train” because it serves a swath of Queens that is among the most ethnically diverse areas in the nation. So when that train goes out of service, as it will every weekend throughout March, there are bound to be hundreds of confused riders asking questions in many different languages. Enter station agent Donald Carlin, who stands on the platform at the Times Square station giving advice on routes with a warm smile and a patient ear. When language barriers prove insurmountable, Carlin pulls out a map and gives directions by hand. “I prefer being outside the booth and interacting with people,” he says. “Even if they’re upset, I try to put them at ease and remind them that a train being shut down is not the end of the world.”

[Return to the top]

A doorman who actually makes your night better

Nowadays, most nightspots are content to hire brutish doormen to browbeat patrons into submission (probably not the best form of public relations that a boîte could employ). But there was a time, back in clubbing days of yore, when the doorman was considered the introductory face of a club, as essential an ingredient of a successful party as any host, promoter or DJ. Thomas Onorato, who mans the ropes at events like Motherfucker and MisShapes, is a throwback to that era. He does have plenty of attitude—“I don’t care what kind of look you’re working, just work one,” he advises would-be partyers—but he manages the crowd with such flamboyant, sarcastic-yet-sweet panache that a recipient of his scolding is more likely to crack up than cower. misshapes.com, motherfuckernyc.com

[Return to the top]

A live music venue where you can catch a show without being trampled

If you think in terms of service at live-music venues, it’s not so much what you are looking for—it’s more what you aren’t looking for. That is, you don’t want to be herded like cattle by needlessly rude security, just to wait in line for the privilege of paying too much for a drink while straining to catch a glimpse of the band from the back of an overly packed room. Is that so much to ask? Not at Bowery Ballroom. The midsize LES space has a well-earned rep for sparing patrons the usual nightclub drama. The bouncers are aloof but efficient, drink prices are about what you’d find at any bar, and the sight lines, sound and bookings are also top-shelf. The downstairs lounge provides a nicer (if a more crowded) respite than your bedroom. 6 Delancey St at Bowery (212-533-2111)

[Return to the top]

A fancy restaurant where the staff is so intuitive, it seems like they’re invisible

Of all New York’s hyperextravagant eateries, Jean Georges has the most clairvoyant service. The waiters glide imperceptibly throughout the dining room, predicting a diner’s needs with eerie accuracy: Glasses fill and refill as if by sorcery. But those are common parlor tricks compared with the polished sleight of hand with which waiters perform the restaurant’s signature tableside flourishes, such as spooning yellow-orange Château-Chalon sauce around ghostly white turbot. Only service this seamless maintains the precarious illusion of high-end dining: All you notice is the fabulous food. 1 Central Park West between 60th and 61st Sts (212-299-3900)

[Return to the top]

A lingerie shop that won’t make you feel embarrassed or ripped off

Men may like to imagine that shopping for a bra is a breezy, sexy affair, but most women would agree that finding the right size—and something that looks hot—is usually a struggle. But lingerie shop BraSmyth stocks sizes to suit all cleavages—from bumps to boulders—and the employees are so experienced that they can guess your bust measurements the second you walk in the door (they’re usually right). “First we listen, then we fit,” says president Becky Smith, adding that the store has seamstresses to alter your purchase for a customized fit. “Some people can feel shy and vulnerable, but we draw them out. By the end of that fitting, they’re running out of the dressing room to chat in their bras.” Men, resume your lingerie-shopping fantasies. 905 Madison Ave between 72nd and 73rd Sts (212-772-9400); 2177 Broadway at 77th St (212-721-5111)

[Return to the top]

A sex shop that doesn’t make you feel like a perv

Sex shops aren’t exactly known for creating an inviting atmosphere, but Babeland makes the search for titillating toys less daunting. Its two brightly lit Manhattan locations seduce patrons with a huge selection of battery-equipped floor models to fondle, walls of gleaming strap-on harnesses and informative descriptions for everything. The friendly staff are all trained sex educators, rather than the unsavory characters you might find at other joints. “We test and try everything in the store, and are continually trying to learn as much as possible about everything that we carry,” says Babeland buyer Alicia Kay. Happily for those confounded by their purchases, the emporiums host enlightening workshops each month on fellatio, female ejaculation and other lascivious subjects. 94 Rivington St between Ludlow and Orchard Sts (212- 375-1701); 43 Mercer St between Broome and Grand Sts (212- 966-3674)

[Return to the top]

An eyewear store that will save you from yourself

Dorothy Parker be damned: Men always make passes at girls who wear glasses—especially those who wear black cat’s-eye Armanis purchased at the Eye Shop. The excellent opticians here can even custom-make clip-on sunglasses for hard-to-fit specs (and will include a free chamois with any purchase). Manager Arman Saryan, who’s worked at the store for 25 years, attributes the outstanding service to his “being in the store all the time. I own the place. I’m a shop man: I try to solve all the problems,” he says. “The business has changed a lot, but I get all my old customers. They never go anywhere else.” 50 W 8th St between MacDougal St and Sixth Ave (212-673-9450)

[Return to the top]

A sports bartender who makes you feel part of the team

Zach Israel goes beyond slinging $5 draft beers and $10 pitchers at Proof Bar & Lounge. He wears team jerseys, bellows fight songs, and paints his face and those of his sports-crazed customers. For him, it’s all about making the patrons feel comfortable. “It’s like they’re at their alma mater or their local college bar,” says Israel, whose allegiance tilts to “whichever team has the most fans present.” Israel has been known to get overheated himself—for the recent college football championship, he plastered the windows in Florida colors and jumped onto the bar waving a Gators banner. Certainly smells like team spirit to us. 239 Third Ave between 19th and 20th Sts (212-228-4200)

[Return to the top]

A coffee joint that feels like a community

There’s a convivial authenticity that comes from family-run D’Amico Foods’almost 60 years in the neighborhood—a feeling that neither free Wi-Fi nor mustachioed hipsters hunkered on grungy couches can replicate. From one of the ratty stools pulled up to the granite-topped counter in back, you might see the guy who pulls your espresso (8 o’clock shadow, big basketball shorts) parrying flirty insults from a gaggle of tweens sipping self-serve (but irreproachable) coffee. When the skirmish gets out of hand, the group of weathered Italian men (derby hats, glasses thick as osso buco) headquartered at the rickety tables nearby gently scolds them all. Starbucks, eat your heart out. 309 Court St between DeGraw and Sackett Sts, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn (718-875-5403)

[Return to the top]

A fancy restaurant where the chef reads your mind

Even in the best restaurants, waiters can sometimes mangle a chef’s good intentions. The antidote: a seat at the bar at Sushi Yasuda, in front of head chef Naomichi Yasuda. With only a small counter separating customers from the affable master, Yasuda develops an uncanny understanding of each person’s preferences. “Small mouth, yes?” he greets a woman for whom he always makes his pieces of sushi a bit smaller. “Bigeye!” he says to another as she sits down—a nickname referring to her favorite type of tuna. Express enough admiration and you might get a nickname too. 204 E 43rd St between Second and Third Aves (212-972-1001)

[Return to the top]

A cheap restaurant where the staff knows the food

Too often, ambitious Brooklyn restaurants are felled by embarrassingly amateurish service. The Farm on Adderley, in faraway Ditmas Park, is a delightful exception. Owners Gary Jonas and Allison McDowell, who occasionally push plates themselves, take special care to ensure the staff tries all the regular dishes, seasonal specials, wine and beer. But it certainly doesn’t come across as pretentious; the waiters are as likely to wax poetic on the artisanal cheeses and mostly local vegetables as they are to gush in layman’s terms about the strapping burger (“so good!”). Perhaps that’s why they garner so many raves in the comment book that accompanies the check. “The service was impeccable,” one diner wrote. “Celine, thank you.” 1108 Cortelyou Rd between Stratford and Westminster Rds, Ditmas Park, Brooklyn (718-287-3101)

[Return to the top]

A high-end bartender who serves you quickly and attitude-free

The arrival of cocktails-done-right has brought with it the sometimes insufferable sense of bartender-knows-best. Enter Jim Meehan, the gracious, hunky drink-slinger at Pegu Club (Monday) and Gramercy Tavern (Thursday to Sunday). “I’m not going to serve an aviation to someone who wants a piña colada,” says Meehan, who comes from the old school of bartending—ask him about his influences and he may cite a book by 19th-century bar icon Harry Johnson. Besides mixing skills, he’s also an expert diviner of drinkers’ desires, whether that means chatting them up or leaving them alone. Either way, he’s inspired a loyal fan base. As Meehan says, “A great bar is filled with regulars.” Pegu Club, 77 W Houston St between West Broadway and Wooster St (212-473-7348); Gramercy Tavern, 42 E 20th St between Broadway and Park Ave South (212-477-0777)

[Return to the top]

A department-store clerk who’s like a personal shopper

It takes a brave man to put up with a picky groom buying a suit for his wedding at the last minute—with a sitcom-loud mom in tow. Ramon Velez is that man; the store is Macy’s. Velez has been in the business for 26 years and treats everyone like a personal client—selecting a suit, and then speeding around the building to pair it with a shirt, tie, shoes and hanky. Of course, he works on commission, so it’s in his best interest to please, but such service is unexpected at a big chain; he even gives out his personal number. “I have a philosophy that customers are like a guest in my home,” says Velez, 43, who grew up wanting to be a baseball player but realized he enjoyed helping people. “So I interview the customer, ask him what he’s looking for and what the occasion is. You always ask what their profession is, because most men hate shopping,” he adds. “When they’re here, you try to give them everything they need.” 151 W 34th St between Broadway and Seventh Ave (212-695-4400)

[Return to the top]

A bike shop where they match you perfectly with the bike

The Bicycle Station is a godsend for cyclists on their way to or from Prospect Park—and the many others who make a detour just to get their steed serviced by owner Mike Rodriguez and his crew. In a refreshing change from the usual attitude-laden bike store, the stationmasters want to find exactly the right cycle for you, they don’t up-sell, and they don’t look down on newbies who can’t tell derailleurs from crank arms. “Quick, efficient and friendly” seems to be the shop’s unofficial motto. “I think customer service means being nice,” says Rodriguez. Amazingly, this freakish philosophy hasn’t hurt the shop, which has been around for eight years. 560 Vanderbilt Ave between Bergen and Dean Sts, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (718-638-0300)

[Return to the top]

A corner store where they know your name

“We’re a neighborhood place,” says Larry Xerri, manager of the family-owned-and-operated L&M Deli. “People stop by to say hello—they’re not obligated to buy anything.” It doesn’t take long to become a regular here—just two or three visits and you’ll be greeted like family; you might even join the handful of sports fans who hang out and listen to the game at night. Besides being an active social hub, the Chelsea store is a neighborhood legend for its home-cooked turkey and rotisserie chicken (seasoned with paprika, sage, rosemary, black pepper and sea salt). Even though the deli is perpetually busy with customers picking up breakfast, lunch and coffee, the orders fly out with unerring efficiency. “I try to remember what everyone has, and how they like it,” says Xerri. “It makes things move quicker.” 80 Seventh Ave at 15th St (212-242-2645)

[Return to the top]

Complied by Melissa Anderson, Carmela Ciuraru, Erin Clements, Michael Freidson, J. J. Goode, Dustin Goot, Clare Lambe, Elise Loehnen, Kate Lowenstein, Aline Mendelsohn, John Mihaly, Kirk Miller, Justin Rocket Silverman, Bruce Tantum, Elisabeth Vincentelli, Mike Wolf and Helen Yun.