This marks the third year we’ve been compiling our list of the best indie baby stores in America. In the past year, we’ve lost a handful of these stores to a tough economy. But most have soldiered on. And we’ve added a few newcomers to the list this time around. So, drum roll, here is the Baby Bargains List of Best Baby Stores in America 2012:

Baby Furniture Plus (Columbia/Greenville, SC)

Baby Super Mart (Broomall, PA)

Baby’s 1st (Houston)

Behr’s (Metro NY)

Berg’s (Cleveland, OH)

Cribs to College Bedrooms (Naperville, IL)

Galt Toys + Galt Baby (Chicago)

Georgia Baby (Atlanta)

Great Beginnings (Washington DC area/Maryland)

Ideal Baby & Kids (Miami); also known as La Ideal

Juvenile Shop (Sherman Oaks, CA)

Kids Stuff Superstores (South Dakota, Nebraska)

Lazar’s (Chicago)

Lone Star Baby (Dallas)

Magic Beans (Boston)

Planet Kids (New York City)

Rockridge Kids (Oakland, CA)

Treasures Room (St Louis)

A few notes: just in case you are wondering, NO retailers paid us to be on this list. We don’t take advertising, commissions or fees to recommend stores in our book or blog. The retailers we think are best earned it the old fashioned way—-by focusing on their customers.

We compiled this list from reader feedback and store visits; we also asked baby gear manufacturers to name their top retailers. This list focuses on baby stores in major metro areas (with a few exceptions). Most of these stores sell baby furniture/products in a wide range of prices; these aren’t expensive boutiques, but mainstream retailers.