Augusta 2024
by Dan Pearson
Photo courtesy of The Solfood Kitchen on Facebook
From crack-of-dawn breakfast joints to latenight sips and snacks, we’ve got what your neighbors say are the best places for the good stuff. Here’s to the menu!
Photo courtesy of First Watch on Facebook
BREAKFAST
If you’d like to shake up your wake-up, readers say head to First Watch. Here’s one reason why: Million Dollar Bacon for less than $10 bucks. Way less. It’s true! Perennial matutinal favorite Sunrise Grill scores second place, and Waffle House, whether your breakfast there is served at 7 a.m. or 3 a.m., wins third.
BRUNCH
What do you do when you’ve hit the snooze bar 12 times and that fast food place has already switched to their lunch menu? You visit The Brunch House of Augusta. As they often say, “Brunch is our middle name.” Ok, maybe they don’t say it all that often, but it’s true. Pineapple Ink Tavern gets the silver medal, and they only do brunch one day a week (Sundays), so you know it’s good! The SolFood Kitchen does its award-winning brunch on Saturdays, so you’ve got your weekends covered.
LUNCH
It’s a bit risky to point out that your #1 pick, The SolFood Kitchen, is a “wellness cafe.” To some people that conjures up images of sandwiches built from rice cakes, alfalfa sprouts and tofu. Like there’s anything wrong with that combo! But let the votes reassure you — your lunch will be delicious, even if it’s a little weak on fat and cholesterol. Mirin Fusion Kitchen makes the nextbest midday munchies, according to the ballots, followed by Pineapple Ink Tavern.
BUSINESS LUNCH
If lunchtime finds you downtown, wearing a 3-piece suit including, perhaps, stylish high heels, Augustino’s Italian Eatery and Prime Steaks is the place for you. Grab a few others similarly attired and enjoy a power lunch as you build empires.
APPETIZERS
Well, for starters readers anoint Craft & Vine as the best. You know the ancient proverb: a journey of 1,000 miles begins
with a single tasty bite — and hopefully gets even better from there. Pineapple Ink Tavern proves they are no fluke with yet another appearance on the medals stand; Finch & Fifth takes the bronze.
BARBECUE
Your three favorite barbecue purveyors each offer something the others do not. Your first pick, Sconyers sells Bar-B-Que. Silver medalist Jim ’N Nick’s arrives on the scene serving Bar-B-Q, while Smokeshow Southern Style BBQ’s road show offers BBQ. Try all three!
RIBS
If you’re a Sconyers Bar-B-Que fan, stick to your ribs, well, their ribs technically. But they will be more than happy to let you have as many as you care to eat. Ditto at Smokeshow Southern Style BBQ: their ribs will stick to your ribs. They’re not real picky. And in third, Jim ’N Nick’s isn’t just “The Home of Two Apostrophes.” No, they’re also the home of Classic Spare Ribs. So don’t feel too bad for the pigs — these ribs are spares.
CATFISH
In the true meaning of the word catfishing, Old McDonald’s Fish Camp lures diners into a temporary relationship. Consider how well they do this: the place is off the side of a side road in the middle of nowhere and isn’t particularly easy to find. But people fill the place up like, well, sardines because it’s so good. Rhinehart’s Oyster Bar wins second place. And Captain D’s wins third. You decide. We report.
WINGS
When it comes to the place voted Augusta’s #1 wing slinger — and that would be Wing Stop — readers ignore the name and pretend it’s Wing Go. And that’s exactly what they do. TBonz Steakhouse’s second-place finish, meanwhile, reminds us that there are cows and chickens in da TBonz house; and another Top 3 finish for Pineapple Ink Tavern.
SEAFOOD
Winner of the annual “Most Truthful Slogan Award” since they opened (if you’re new in town, it’s “beyond casual”), Rhinehart’s Oyster Bar also wins the “Most Bestest Seafood Award” this year from — you guessed it — Augusta magazine! In second, always juicy and never crabby, The Juicy Crab. Abel Brown Southern Kitchen & Oyster Bar nets third.
SUSHI
Koi Japanese Hibachi & Sushi wins the Golden Compartmentalized Tray, and probably a lot of overflow traffic from the eatery next door, Ruth’s. Or not. Takosushi and Solé Augusta put on their best sumo costumes and battle it out for second and third, respectively.
STEAK
Readers have unofficially replaced the T in TBonz Steakhouse with an A+. We predict that’s going to stay unofficial because somehow A+Bonz just doesn’t look right. LongHorn Steakhouse is your next-favorite house of steak, and Outback Steakhouse (not affiliated with Subaru) also has its welcome mat out.
FRIED CHICKEN
Sure, the health nuts try to keep us away from fried food, but WifeSaver continues to hold the banner high, and hungry voters definitely appreciate it. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen takes the golden fried silver medal, as ironic as that may sound, and Kentucky Fried Chicken — yes, even in Georgia and South Carolina — wins third.
SOUP
Is it soup yet? That depends on who you ask. If it’s Boll Weevil, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, the sweetery portion of Boll Weevil Cafe & Sweetery seems to get all the attention (see Desserts upcoming), but the Soup Department of their Cafe Division is doing just fine according to readers. Another place where they celebrate the Souper Bowl every day
Best Hot Dog Sno-Cap Drive-In
(except Sundays) is Village Deli Sub & Pub. Panera Bread ladles up the bronze medal.
PIZZA
When you want to live the life of pie, you can do no better than Mellow Mushroom Voters say it’s upper crust all the way. The moveable feast known as Southern Fired Foods is first-place adjacent. Look for their wood-fired food truck. The Pizza Joint takes third, but remember, there are only winners in the world of pizza.
HOT DOG
Hot dogs are everywhere, but who serves the best? The long and short of it is that Sno-Cap Drive-In is the answer to that question. It could be the dogs themselves; it could be the unique Sno-Cap ambiance. Whatever it is, readers give them top-dog status. Costco and Cook Out win second and third places.
BURRITO
You know burrito actually means “little donkey,” right? In food terms, the name comes from the fact that a tortilla can
contain many tasty ingredients, just like a donkey can carry a variety of different items. The head of our local burrito army, according to the ballots, is Diablo’s Southwest Grill. To continue our language lesson, El Rey means “the king,” and Taqueria El Rey, your numero dos, strives to live up to that name. Nacho Mama’s rounds out the winners.
SANDWICHES
Speaking of definitions, “bread and …,” defining a sandwich could be completed in about 12 million different ways. What do you like between two slices of bread? Readers say all your best options are on the menu at Village Deli Sub & Pub, your top pick. Third place goes to MoSH PiT Eats. Check them out! Sandwiched in between (see what we did there?) is your friendly local Jersey Mike’s Subs, a sub above (but this time in the middle).
HAMBURGERS
If you like the farm-to-table trend, you might also like the Farmhaus Burgerto-table movement. That’s what your fellow Augustans recommend. Gary’s
Hamburgers, a local chain that was not launched in Gary, Ind., earns second, while downtown Augusta’s classic Sports Center wins third.
FRIES
Addiction is a terrible thing — except when it involves French fries. Then it’s truly a wonderful thing. And the best place to satisfy the cravings? Readers say it’s none other than McDonald’s. Duh! No wonder there’s one on every third corner in most of the known world. On a smaller scale, our own Farmhaus Burger challenged Micky D’s dominance and almost scaled the mountaintop, stalling out at #2. Five Guys rounds out the winner’s list.
SALAD
Salad is almost the only food so good that it has an item of silverware dedicated specifically to eating it. Other than a few random exceptions (like soup spoon, dessert fork, paring knife, tea spoon, butter knife, dinner fork and a tiny handful of others), the salad fork is unique. Try one out at The Southern Salad, your fave, where salad building is elevated to an art form. Crunch the
Pink Dipper Best Ice Cream
BAKERY
numbers and California Dreaming shows up in second place, and The SolFood Kitchen earns third.
DESSERT
“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof,” says the Bible, words they take to heart at Boll Weevil Cafe & Sweetery, where their meal endings are legendary. Also, isn’t “save room for dessert” in the Bible somewhere, too?
Vance’s Bakery Bar, though recently closed, was rated as second in the line of baking, even over-21 baking. You can’t waste stuff this good on little kids. Whipped Creamery scoops up third place.
The uninitiated sometimes say “Little” Dutch Bakery. But then, they also call the rapper Little Wayne. But it’s actually Lil’ Dutch Bakery, and you can use the time you save by not having to say “ttle” to eat cupcakes and stuff. Try it! Sheila’s Baking Co. keeps company with apple fritters, cinnamon rolls, bear claws, sticky buns and more, but they gladly share them with customers. Publix, specifically the bakery department, completes the Top 3.
DONUTS
We have seen registered dietitians we know in line at Krispy Kreme, your favorite.
They’re in full disguise, of course, but it’s them all right, no doubt about it. Follow their lead, y’all. Belair Donuts is your silver medalist, and North Augusta’s EN Donuts (named for the initials of the owners’ two kids) wins the coveted third-place trophy — with sprinkles.
ICE CREAM
Technically this is supposed to be Best of Augusta, and Pink Dipper is technically in North Augusta, but really, aren’t we all part of the brotherhood of man? Let us dispense with boundaries and barriers and unite over a couple of scoops of chocolate chip, shall we? And while we’re at it, let’s curb violence, too, except that it’s ok to whip cream. Good thing for the Whipped Creamery, right? Bruster’s Real Ice Cream placed third in the voting.
COFFEE
As kicks go, is the coffee kick the G.O.A.T, the Greatest of All Time? It is if you go to Goat Kick Coffee Co., say readers. There’s no need to be dark and brew-ding with Goat Kick around. Other energy options not affiliated with Georgia Power include the growing Rooted Coffeehouse network and Monte Sano Avenue’s Relic Coffee Company.
ICED TEA
You’re not going to believe this, but there are parts of this country, some say the greatest nation on earth, where iced tea is not a thing. It’s like living in a Third World country! Fortunately, we live in an area served by WifeSaver, something no one should ever take for granted. Readers also send out the word that McDonald’s (2nd) and McAlister’s Deli (3rd) pour a mean glass of tea.
WINE MERCHANT
Switching from beverages made from leaves to those made from grapes, readers say White Horse Wine & Spirits has it going on, from the Anjou region to Zinfandel. Toast Wine & Beverage is another electoral favorite, and so is Cheers Wine & Spirits.
Photo by Emily Rahn
Cork & Flame Best Wine Menu
WINE MENU
Cork & Flame, a regular victor in this space, proves that you don’t need to be a big and imposing free-standing edifice to excel. As they prove year after year, you can be in a shopping center and still be the best. Craft & Vine is another top matchmaker in the fine wine department. Oliviana Bar Italiano & Pizzeria rounds out the best three.
BEER SELECTION
When Toast Wine & Beverage includes beverage in its name, a big part of what they mean is beer. Their selection is what we (and millions of Augusta magazine readers) call best-worthy. Drop by and see for yourself. Remember when Ivy Falls near Patriots Park was only 100 houses? And then when it was only 10,000 houses? Ah yes, the old days. And now they have their own silver-medalwinning beverage store, Ivy Falls Wine and Spirits. Beverage Outlet is the bronze medalist.
BEER MENU
With a name like World of Beer, could they have finished anywhere else but #1? Not if our readers had their way. Which they did. They also installed Arsenal Taproom + Kitchen in the runner-up spot, and in third, Savannah River Brewing Co.
CRAFT COCKTAIL
Normally when we think of crafts, a glue gun and pipe cleaners are involved. But at Craft & Vine , they have graduated to much more sophisticated crafts, and the results are tantalizing indeed. The Indian Queen and Pineapple Ink Tavern muscle up to the bar in second and third without pipe cleaners or glue guns in sight at either place.
HAPPY HOUR
After numerous second and third-place finishes, Pineapple Ink Tavern stands atop the medals stand here, gold medal in hand. Do they even have enough room in their trophy case? Next, what we call the
ampersand twins, Finch & Fifth and Craft & Vine, win second and third.
CATERER
No doubt every restaurant caters to its clientele, but at Fat Man’s Cafe and Catering they actually cater to their clientele. See the difference? Similarly, Tastefully Yours transforms food they have purchased and prepared, at which point it’s still tastefully theirs, and then they deliver it to customers so that it becomes tastefully yours. Blooms, Boards & More takes third.
DOWN HOME COOKING
Oooh. Mac ‘n cheese, black-eyed peas, and barbecued everything. It must be Goolsby’s, your favorite. But closely following is Sista Sista Soul Food, featuring The Three Cs: collards, cornbread and chitlins, not to mention banana pudding. And, of course, numerous main dishes. And in third, North Augusta’s McNeely’s Place has got your meatloaf, chicken pot pie and other goodies just like Granny used to make them.
Photo courtesy of Cork & Flame on Facebook
SouthernFoodsFired Best Food Truck
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OUTDOOR DINING
The rule of thumb in the Garden City is that outdoor activities can be safely attempted only during months whose name contains an R. If there’s no R, you’re taking a big chance unless you like to sweat. But fear not: we have Rs now and for months to come, and we have Solé Augusta and their lux patio. Rhinehart’s Oyster Bar can seat you in their own great outdoors, and Bodega Ultima has its very own adjacent plaza. Enjoy!
ASIAN RESTAURANT
Let’s not be coy about it. Koi Japanese Hibachi & Sushi has readers bowing in their direction. You can make this trip to Japan and still be home in time for the nightly news. Another option hungry voters like is Chef JK Korean BBQ Master. Mirin Fusion Kitchen completes the quick but delicious trip to Asia.
MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT
Readers give a most worthy first-place trophy to Laziza Mediterranean Grill They have an Evans location, but if you opt for their downtown Broad Street eatery you get the added plus of the James Brown
mural as a backdrop. Shishkebab Restaurant got more votes than you can shake a stick at, so instead they filled the stick with grilled cubes of meat and veggies. Makes sense. Next up in the voting: Ephesus. Go there when you can’t decide between Greek and Turkish cuisine. They’ve got both.
MEXICAN RESTAURANT
As mentioned earlier, El Rey means the king in Spanish, and when it comes to Best Mex incumbent Taqueria El Rey, readers said, “Who are we to disagree?” Their reign is extended for at least another year. Azteca Maya and El Alazan Restaurant finish as numeros dos y tres
INDIAN RESTAURANT
Taj of India may not literally be the crown of India (Taj, as you know, means crown), but hey, readers say it’s at least the crown of Augusta. And a very delicious one at that. Curry Hut is another place to sample the tasty tastes of the subcontinent. Namaste Indian Street Food is the final ingredient in your top three.
ITALIAN RESTAURANT
On your way back from India, you might
as well stop in Italy. I mean, you’re right there. And while you are, make sure to dine at Oliviana Bar Italiano & Pizzeria. It comes most highly recommended. Another option, the legend that is Luigi’s. As diners, our support keeps the legend alive, and in return the legend feeds us. That’s what is known as a win-win. Cucina 503 and its inhouse sister restaurant Local make for an appetizing one-two-third-place punch.
DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT
Delicious and not pretentious. Would you agree those are two apt descriptors of Whiskey Bar Kitchen, your top choice? We concur. The ballots recognize two other major players in the impressive lineup of downtown restaurants: Frog Hollow Tavern and Craft & Vine. Diners cannot go wrong with any of the blue-ribbon recommendations from readers.
NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT
It can’t be just the inviting laid-back atmosphere that gave Ironwood Tavern the win. It has to be that plus the stellar menu. Readers say it’s a winning combination. The SolFood Kitchen makes
Photo
Jane Kortright
a healthy showing in second, while the venerable and ever-popular Village Deli Sub & Pub wins third.
HIDDEN GEM
Other than offering yummy food served in appealing settings, what your three favorites have in common is that they’re all hidden in plain sight. Raes Coastal Cafe is the only winner that might have a legitimate claim to being hidden, but it’s just a stone’s throw off Walton Way. Meanwhile, Cadwalladers Café is hidden on Washington Road and The SolFood Kitchen is hidden in Surrey Center. Happy hunting.
NEW RESTAURANT
There’s nothing quite like someone’s dream of opening a restaurant coming true. And then when people love it,
it’s even better. Such is the happy convergence at Munchies Snacks in West Town. Way to go! Another new kid on the block endorsed by readers is Midtown Tavern, in the former home of Café DuTeau and Southbound Smokehouse. The finals wrap up with North Augusta’s French-flavored Bistro 55. Go ye and savor these new eateries!
FOOD TRUCK
Food trucks aren’t exactly new, but it seems like they have never been as ever-present nor as elaborate in their offerings. Case in point: your winner, Southern Fired Foods, whose truck is a mobile wood-fired pizza oven. That is fire. And cool at the same time. If you see SmokeShow Southern Style BBQ’s truck heading down the road, follow it and enjoy the aromas. The same goes for Villa
Europa’s Villa Wagen. And by the way, you don’t have to drive around looking for your favorite mobile feast. Just check their respective websites or social media for current and future locations.
BEST OVERALL RESTAURANT
Last in the dining section but first in significance, readers have chosen the finest combinations of excellent cuisine, exceptional service, ideal atmosphere and outstanding value. By those yardsticks, here is the best of the best:
1. Abel Brown Southern Kitchen & Oyster Bar
2. Frog Hollow Tavern
3. French Market Grille Congratulations to all three!
CRAWFORD CABINETS
CUSTOM DESIGN & PLANNING CENTER 40 years of excellence
Family owned and operated for 40 years; our design team is dedicated to building custom cabinets to fit each unique space. All components of the cabinetry are built onsite in our manufacturing facility. Visit our Design center and take a tour to experience the craftsmanship and attention to detail that sets us apart. 3831 Oak Drive Augusta, Georgia | info@crawfordcabinets.com | 706-868-6329 | www.crawfordcabinets.com
Shopping & Leisure
In this era of online retail giants, supporting local businesses has never been more important. Here are some of the best picks.
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MEN’S CLOTHING STORE
Suit yourself, but according to Election Central, you’re much better off letting Boardroom Clothing Company handle your sartorial affairs. The votes say they have the best threads. Following closely behind is Low Country Clothier, then Lionel Smith Ltd.
WOMEN’S BOUTIQUE
Men merely have clothing stores; women have boutiques. In this category, the ladies say their boo is The Swank Company Well, the name certainly checks out. Soho earns a fully loaded silver shopping bag, and North Augusta’s Shoppe 3130 is the third of your top three.
PLACE TO BUY HANDBAGS
Guys, you can at least ask if they carry man bags, but this category is mostly for the other half, and once again The Swank Company carries the day — along with makeup, ChapStick®, a billfold and the keys, a comb, and judging by the weight of your average handbag, at least one brick. Dillard’s is another great place to buy a handbag, we are told, as is Shoes at Surrey.
WOMEN’S SHOE STORE
The great thing about your top choice, Shoes at Surrey, is that once the shoes are yours you can wear them anywhere. They can be Shoes at Dubai, Shoes at Saint-Tropez, or even Shoes at the National. You (and your feet) also love Dillard’s. Last but not least in the triple crown is Designer Shoe Warehouse, a.k.a. DSW.
OUTDOOR/FITNESS STORE
Escape Outdoors has it all: gear for running, walking, camping, backpacking, kayaking, biking, golf and disc golf — and
they sell hammocks. Because chilling out is an activity, too. Academy Sports + Outdoors is your next-best, and Dick’s Sporting Goods your next-next-best.
CONSIGNMENT SHOP (FURNITURE)
It’s a consign of the times that Consign Design won this category. As kids, the owners probably played finders keepers all the time and grew up letting other people in on the fun. Thanks! Second Time Around, appropriately enough, comes in second. There are enough friends of trends to install Trends & Traditions Antique Mall in third.
Best Men’s Clothing Store BoardroomCompanyClothing
CONSIGNMENT SHOP (CLOTHING)
Second Time Around is first this time around, making them your top clothing reclamation project. Uptown Cheapskate brings together both sides of the consignment coin: we want Gucci, and we want it cheap. Voters consigned Encore Boutique & Consignments to third place. That’s not a bad thing.
ORGANIC FOOD/ PRODUCTS
Well, naturally Sprouts Farmers Market
is your top pick. We’ve never checked, but they may have a garden out back. Good Earth Produce & Garden Center, on the other hand, not only offers your second-favorite source for organics, but they can set you up to grow your own groceries. The Fresh Market lives up to its name next on your grocery list.
PRODUCE
We all have the chain restaurants, department stores, etc., that we like, but it’s always a wonderful thing when local independent businesses succeed and thrive. Case in point: Good Earth Produce & Garden Center. Succeeding, thriving and
carrying around a big trophy for winning this category. Publix and Sprouts Farmers Market also populate your produce aisle of distinction.
NURSERY/GARDEN SHOP
Green means go, both for readers and Bedford Greenhouses. Collectively, it’s our favorite place to get our hands dirty and beautify our personal corner of the planet. Cold Creek Nurseries also sells all the good green stuff. We like it, too. Finally, Sanderlin Greenhouses leads people down the garden path — yet they keep coming back for more.
GIFTS
Best Nursery/
Garden
Shop Bedford Greenhouses
Accurately defining the concept of time has challenged scholars for centuries. Your favorite place for gifts — Cudos2u — illustrates the point perfectly. It is always the present time there. Always. If you need a present, go and check it out for yourself. You’ll see. The Swank Company and North Augusta’s High Cotton are also presently in business.
PLACE TO SHOP FOR HUSBANDS/BOYFRIENDS
To give you some idea of the range of goodies available to you at Rivers
Photo courtesy of Bedford Greenhouses on Facebook
PHOTO BY
Best Place To Shop For Husbands/ Boyfriends
Rivers & Glen Trading Co.
& Glen Trading Co., through your generosity, your husband or boyfriend could score everything from some very cool duds to some fly-fishing gear to a boardroom-ready briefcase. Whether he’s a city mouse or a country mouse, they’ve got the perfect gift. Readers also recommend Escape Outdoors and/or Lowe’s for your (and his) pleasure.
PLACE TO SHOP FOR WIVES/GIRLFRIENDS
There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving. Take Windsor Fine Jewelers, for example, your favorite place to shop for wives or girlfriends. You buy her a gift there. She’s happy. Windsor Jewelers is happy. But you are happier than either of
them. This is what scientists call a win-winwin. The ever-present Swank Company offers you the same opportunity to spread bliss in multiple directions, and so does Shoppe 3130.
ANTIQUES
Sure, it’s old news that Trends & Traditions Antique Mall is the winner. And yes, the term “old news” contradicts itself. It makes zero sense, but somehow it all works, and people love it. Our savvy readers chose Savvy Home next, and Romantic Farmhouse wins third.
FINE JEWELRY
Some synonyms for fine include excellent, first-class, first-rate, exceptional, superior
and superb. But somehow none of them fit as well for Windsor Fine Jewelers. Like, does Windsor Excellent Jewelers work for you? It doesn’t for us either. They should stick with fine. We’re fine with fine, and it seems like everyone else is, too. Stan Johnson Jewelers wins the silver and Friedman’s Jewelers the bronze.
COSTUME JEWELRY
Not that costume jewelry can’t be fine, too, but it’s fine in a different way. Like the difference between appetizers and hors d’oeuvres. The Swank Company has a little of both, say the ballots. Shoppe 3130 and Lizard Thicket are two additional places to buy “diamonds” in settings of quotation marks.
Photo by
Amy J. Owen
Best Yoga Studio SpaceStudiosYoga Services &
Here are some great places to support — to keep them great, and to keep them open and serving us all.
Miscellaneous
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Best Carwash Sparkle Express
FLORIST
Turns out that more people stop and smell the roses at Flowers on Broad than any other local florist. That is a good thing, especially for those of us who can’t even grow weeds. By contrast, there’s a place in Augusta where beautiful flowers grow in the street. Do not adjust your magazine! Check out Charleston Street and you’ll see what readers mean. Last bud (not least) is Ladybug’s Flowers & Gifts.
PHOTOGRAPHER
The camera doesn’t lie, and along with voters, it says Amy J. Owen Photography qualifies for best camera clicker in town. As every good photographer knows, excellence is a lot more than pushing the shutter button. Whitney Boykin of High Cotton Photography wins second, and Natalie Thompson Photography wins third.
BRIDAL SHOP
There may be elegant bridles in Aiken,
but in Augusta, readers say the place to go before the big day is Elegant Bridals. There is a difference. As we lift the veil further, House of the Bride comes into view next. Tiffinie Bleu Bridal Boutique completes the train.
BANK/FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
Voters again chose Queensborough National Bank & Trust Co. as their most trusted financial institution, making us glad that, although they are a national bank, they’re headquartered locally. That’s convenient for us, but not so much for the rest of the country. The ballots also say we can confidently bank on SouthState Bank and SRP Federal Credit Union.
REALTOR
Your top choice is the one and only area realtor identifiable by a single letter: V. That can mean only one person: V is for Venus Morris Griffin, and in her case, V is also
for Victory. Her Meybohm colleague, Greg Oldham, is second. Matt Kelly, who works under the Blanchard & Calhoun Real Estate label, and Kim Writer of the Azalea Real Estate Group, battle to a third-place tie.
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY
“We don’t need no education,” sings Pink Floyd. Ok, maybe for them, but elsewhere it’s common knowledge that we can gain uncommon knowledge at Augusta University. That’s what the votes say. Another Grade A place to acquire mad skills is Augusta Technical College, and readers also award a bronze to the University of South Carolina Aiken.
CARWASH
This year’s results are a virtual clone of the ones last year. Sparkle Express Car Wash is first, LuLu’s Car Wash is second, and Tidal Wave Auto Spa is third. Keep in mind, that these three specialize only in new and used foreign and domestic vehicles
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Best Day Spa Cucumber & Mint
plus gas, electric and hybrid cars and trucks. Unfortunately, if it isn’t in one of those categories, they probably can’t wash it.
BARBER
We don’t know what you think about prices for haircuts these days but considering that the average head has 100,000 individual hairs, even at fifty bucks that would only cost a dollar for every 2,000 hairs they cut. It’s the bargain of the century. So “head” over to Big City Cuts, your “top” choice, or V’s Barbershop in second (not affiliated with Venus Morris), or Durden’s Barber Shop in third.
HISTORIC LANDMARK
Your chosen choice is the James Brown Statue, a most worthy selection. The amazing thing is that some artist got Mr. Brown to stand still long enough to sculpt him. We heard the sculptor kept saying, “Please, please, please,” over and over. The magnificent Sacred Heart Cultural Center is likewise high on your list. The Augusta Canal comes next, built in 1845, and still
used almost 180 years later for its original purposes: power generation, transportation and water. No other canal in the American South can make that claim.
PLACE YOU WISH WAS STILL HERE
As the years go by, fewer and fewer people can remember the one-of-a-kind store known as Fat Man’s Forest. But for those who still can, the votes suggest those are some treasured memories. Fort Discovery was another unique place that time has made go poof! And folks still fondly remember and miss the old Town Tavern.
GYM/FITNESS CENTER
Speaking of education, we could all use a little more physical education (ok, a lot more) and P.E. from the Y is A-OK. Head to the Family Y and tell ‘em we sent you. On a related note, you know all those EFC decals you see on like every third car? Those are from your second choice, Evans Fitness Center. In third, you can’t live without Oxygen Fitness Studio.
HAIR SALON
You say Bliss Salon and Spa delivers on the promise of its name. The vote probably makes them as euphoric as their clientele. Love is also in the hair at DJ & Co. Salon, Spa & Gifts, Inc. In third, the very cool decor of Undertone Salon & Co. lets you know they are all about style.
DAY SPA
Cucumber & Mint … the name itself exudes a clean, fresh, revitalizing vibe. Isn’t that what we want from a day spa experience? Answer: Absolutely. In second, Retreat Spa & Salon is exactly what it says it is, according to voters: a retreat, and a most refreshing one at that. Rosewater Spa & Wellness is the final finalist.
NAIL SALON
Readers say we all have at least 10 reasons — and probably 20 — to visit Paris Nails and Spa. The final results also point to a beautifully manicured finger at Stillwater Nail Spa. Also, TL Nails & Spa nails down third place.
Photo courtesy of Cucumber & Mint on Facebook
Best Golf Course Forest Hills Golf Course
PLACE TO SWIM
Few exercises are more beneficial from head to toe than swimming. So why don’t more of us swim regularly? Because we didn’t know where to go. But now, thanks to this reader poll, we all know that the Family Y is the perfect place to dive right in. The Salvation Army Kroc Center was also swimming in votes, and readers added that the water is just fine at Augusta Aquatics Center.
GOLF COURSE
Speaking of strokes, Forest Hills Golf Course is the proverbial first tee for area golfers. It’s proverbial because the literal First Tee is roughly a 5-wood drive away. At Bartram Trail Golf Club they sometimes say, “Don’t have a stroke! Have about 70 of them. But please, no more. In fact, 68 if you can manage it.” And some actually do. In third is the Augusta Municipal Golf Course, better known as The Patch, which recently announced a major partnership with the Augusta National Golf Club. Seriously.
TENNIS COURTS
When someone asks, “Tennis, anyone?” The reply should be, “Yes. Let’s head over to Newman Tennis Center.” It’s the reader’s favorite. Readers give the second
set to Montclair (if anyone asks, be sure to claim that you live in Montclair) and the third to Patriots Park.
YOGA STUDIO
They’re doing the hero pose and chanting woo-hoo at Space Yoga Studios in celebration of being named the reader fave. They are repeat winners from last year, as is Oxygen Fitness in second and North Augusta’s GVO Studios in third.
PLACE TO WALK YOUR DOG
The people say the place to go is the Augusta Canal. But the dogs say it’s not enough to talk the talk; they say you also have to walk the walk, and they add, “You have to take us with you.” Makes sense. Another dog walker’s paradise is North Augusta’s Greeneway, and it’s not too shabby even if you don’t have a dog. Naturally, no list would be complete without including the dog park at Evans Towne Center Park.
LOCAL FESTIVAL
There are so many reasons to love the Backon-Broad Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival. The paintings. The photography. The sculptures. The poetry readings. The
music. And the glorious foods from the world over. It’s all good. The Augusta Greek Festival is a second-favorite, just ahead of Harlem’s Oliver Hardy Festival celebrating their most famous son.
FUNDRAISING EVENT
The reader favorite, Fake It to Make It is not only hugely fun and entertaining, it has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Safe Homes Domestic Violence Center and the important programs they provide. Arts in the Heart of Augusta, benefitting the many art-supporting initiatives of the Greater Augusta Arts Council, takes the silver. Your final finalist is Wine Women & Shoes, a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities.
LOCAL CHARITY
Your choice for best is Golden Harvest Food Bank, as it should be. Well actually, every organization in this top three is eminently worthy of all the accolades (and donations) they receive. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta and SafeHomes Domestic Violence Center of Augusta likewise deserve your second and thirdplace vote totals. Well done to one and all. Thank you for your service.
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Best Country Band TheAngelsDusty
Arts
& Entertainment
For the best of live music and entertainment, here are a few people and places to put on your short list.
Photo courtesy of The Dusty Angels on Facebook
Best Male Vocalist
Ryan Abel
LOCAL VISUAL ARTIST
You may not recognize the name April Henry King (then again, you may), but you have surely seen her work here and there around the Garden City. She is quite the busy muralist, among other mediums. Speaking of murals, et cetera, Jason Craig scores the silver medal even though he might have preferred a pink slip instead. Oh well. As a measure of the health of Augusta’s arts community, internationally known artist Leonard “Porkchop” Zimmerman only gets third. There’s no shame in that, Porkchop.
MALE VOCALIST
Big man, big voice. That is your winner — Ryan Abel — in four words or less. Over in second place, we’re still waiting for dill pickle news from Will McCranie, but despite that, we’ll allow his 2nd place vote to stand. Luke Amerson is your other Top 3 finalist.
FEMALE VOCALIST
Readers, we are impressed! You voted AE the Cool as your #1 female vocalist,
thereby showing off your sophistication and knowledge of the local music scene. Well done! Your next choice, Jaycie Ward, has been performing around town since she was knee-high to a grasshopper. Check out her vintage chops on YouTube singing, “You Ain’t Woman Enough.” She’s only gotten better since then. Brandy Douglas is a most worthy third.
R&B GROUP
The Lady & The Gents give the lady top billing, and readers again extend the favor to the entire band. TreSounds gets its name from all the stuff blended into their tunes: jazz, soul, R&B and more. In third, Sounds of Brilliance puts on an awesome show. Check them out soon.
JAZZ GROUP
COUNTRY BAND
Your top pick, The Dusty Angels, mixes in just the right amounts of twang and country rock. Whether you hear fiddle, guitar, or just pure and flawless vocal harmonies depends on the song. Whiskey Run made a run for the crown and finished second, followed closely by The Harlem Sons.
LOCAL ROCK/ ALTERNATIVE BAND
One of our very favorite local acts, The Brownstown Gritty takes the top honors, again. They’ve got merch on their website, so you can sport a BG tee next time you go to one of their gigs. The Lady & The Gents makes another awards show appearance here, and Garden City Jazz is their warmup act.
The ballots suggest that the members of Bodega Cat are some bodacious cats. Actually, it’s more than a suggestion. It’s official. Similarly, the indigo from Pure Indigo is indeed pure, as confirmed by your votes. Brandon Henson Trio, like the other performers here recognized, regularly takes their talents to nearby stages. Make sure you’re in an audience soon.
Photo courtesy of Ryan Abel on Facebook
Best Performing Arts Group
ThePlayersAugusta
PERFORMING ARTS GROUP
“All the world’s a stage,” said someone once, and as you like it staged well, you have chosen The Augusta Players for the offBroadway award known as Best of Augusta. Well played, Players. INSPIRE Studios, where they train young actors, dancers, and singers and then put them on stage, gets your honors in second. Colton Ballet, both the school and the company, received your third-place kudos.
BEST BAR
Readers know whereof they speak: StillWater Taproom is practically cozy. The inviting ambiance, the rotating selection of drafts, the quality music scene there … it’s the complete package and a worthy winner. Soul Bar makes a noteworthy contribution to the “keep downtown Augusta funky” campaign, and The Indian Queen is the third of your three top taverns.
BEST LATE-NIGHT SPOT
When the sun goes down things change, and readers say they change for the better at Solé Augusta. It’s basically a community service they offer and a muchneeded one at that. Now we just need Best Spots for mid-mornings, late afternoons, etc. The votes say StillWater Taproom also gets better of late, and Pineapple Ink Tavern is a good place to stop in lately.
LIVE MUSIC BAR
Let’s do this one in reverse to demonstrate the great music scene we have in Augusta. In third place: Doc’s Porchside. Third place! The awesome lineup they always have only makes it to third in reader voting. Yowza! Even better, say the votes, is StillWater Taproom. As we alluded to above, it’s a comfortable and intimate place to see somebody play. Your top honors go to Solé Augusta, which features a great indoor space plus an awesome patio and a rooftop bar and patio. So, for winners here, it’s partly the performers and the venues, but it’s all good stuff.
SPORTS BAR
Readers voted for the twins, lifting Twin Peaks to a high and perky status above the competition. But it’s not what you think. It’s more about the wall-to-wall TVs, the yummy made-from-scratch menu, the 29 degree brewskis and the mountain cabin vibe. Right? Hooters, a slang term often used to describe noses and owls, is your second-place winner. Sports Center, downtown’s frozen-in-time classic sports bar, is honored with a third-place trophy.
SPECIAL EVENTS FACILITY
Named in honor of Lady A, our homegrown Nashville heavyweights, the Lady A Amphitheater and its Evans Towne Center Park environs is your preferred venue for special events. The soaring confines (we know, that sounds contradictory) of Sacred Heart Cultural Center are next, followed by the less soaring confines of the Julian Smith Casino.
Photo courtesy of The Augusta Players
The following is not fake news. It’s the results of the media categories of our annual reader poll.
Photo by Hailea Boykin
Kimberely Scott
LOCAL TV STATION
In some of these categories you can tell people are holding a remote. It’s so easy to switch channels. This year WRDW News 12 is the reader favorite. Just to show you how convincing their victory was, on a scale of 1 to 10 they scored a 12. Clickers are programmed with other favorite channels, too, namely WJBF NewsChannel 6 and WFXG FOX54.
LOCAL TV NEWS ANCHOR (FEMALE)
The golden teleprompter goes to Kimberely Scott of WFXG. Congratulations! Film at 11. Oops. Make that 10. Jennie Montgomery of WJBF comes in second in this year’s sweeps. And for third place you chose the recently retired Laura Warren of WRDW. When you go to work about the time the kids
come home from school and get back home at midnight, that’s a tough shift for a mom. Best wishes on your new career, Laura.
LOCAL TV NEWS ANCHOR (MALE)
As this win by Trent Butler of WFXG reminds us, anchors always get raised. Correction: get a raise. Way to go, Trent. Spend it wisely. WJBF’s Brad Means and WRDW’s Richard Rogers are anchoring down second and third, respectively.
LOCAL TV MORNING ANCHOR
Wouldn’t it be absolutely crazy to discover that your favorite, Mary Morrison of WJBF, is really a night owl by nature? That would make her sterling work for all these years even more
impressive. We’ll just have to wait for the release of her autobiography to find out for sure. Her cohort Barclay Bishop is right there in second.
LOCAL TV WEATHER ANCHOR
This win, this time by Jay Jefferies, gives WFXG the triple crown of local news anchoragism. Memo to WFXG management: if our math skills are correct, that’s three anchors due for a raise. Nipping at Jay’s heels is WRDW’s one-two punch, Riley “Hailstorm” Hale and Tim “Strong Winds” Strong.
LOCAL TV REPORTER
As we have observed in past editions, there is only one George Eskola (WJBF). The Census Bureau confirms it. And fittingly enough, readers report that he is their #1.
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Best Local Writer/ Columnist Charmain Brackett
Checking our screens, the voters rank Ansleigh Edwards of WFXG at #2, and #3 goes to Meredith Anderson of WRDW.
LOCAL MEDIA SPORTS REPORTER
According to readers, WFXG’s Ben Parsons seems to know the score wherever games are played across the globe. Player #2 is WJBF Sports Director Brendan Robertson. Once upon a time, sports was Ashley Brown’s vocation. These days it’s his avocation, but even playing part-time readers say he is medal-worthy.
LOCAL RADIO STATION
Don’t touch that dial! Particularly if it’s set to Kicks 99, your fave. “Get your kicks on Route 99” may not have that certain je ne sais quoi, but we don’t speak French anyway, so …. The talksters at WGAC (AM 580) come next, and these days OG radio station WBBQ (104.3 FM) is streaming into the ears of 3G and 4G listeners. Maybe even 5G.
LOCAL RADIO TALK SHOW PERSONALITY
The king of talk in these parts is Austin Rhodes of WGAC. To show his appreciation he says a year from now you won’t have
to vote for him again. Everything will be fixed. The continuation of his reign, already long, is thereby assured. Cher Best at 96.3 Kiss-FM lives up to her name in second, and Bryan Axelson, one-third of the Kicks Wake Up Krew, is your radiohead #3.
LOCAL MORNING RADIO SHOW
Scientists say the most important radio show of the day is the Kicks 99 Wake Up Krew, and guess what? Not only do readers agree, but so does Kicks 99. No big surprise there. The experts also remind us that skipping that first radio program of the day is not a healthy
choice. Your alternate breakfast is Augusta’s Morning News as served up by WGAC.
LOCAL WRITER/COLUMNIST
Ironically enough, the winner’s bracket happens to contain the Brackett Bracket.
Yes, multi-genre writer and author Charmain Brackett is the crowd favorite even though every year we remind readers, don’t squeeze the Charmain. Does anybody listen? Lifelong Augustan Miguel Legoas of The Augusta Chronicle is winner-adjacent, and John Clarke, yes Augusta commissioner John Clarke, also medals for his insider political column in The Augusta Press
Photo courtesy of Charmain Brackett
Best of Home
Best of home is back in Best of Augusta!
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Best Countertop CounterSync
APPLIANCE STORE
Some like it hot. Some like it cold. But everybody seems to like Kelley Appliance Center. They attracted votes like a refrigerator door attracts magnets. Davis Appliance & Furniture wins the silver … well, ok, the stainless. As for Dave’s Appliance Warehouse, remember bronzelook refrigerators and stoves? Dave will have to settle for a bronze medal.
BATH SUPPLY SHOWROOM
If you visit your #1 pick, Landrum Supply Co. Kitchen & Bath Showroom, expecting displays of shampoo, conditioner, soap and body wash, et cetera, you may be disappointed. On the other hand, you’re going to be pleasantly surprised by the bath supplies they do have. The same can be said for Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery and W.A. Bragg & Co., your other two favorites.
BLINDS/SHUTTER COMPANY
Do not go into Summerville Shutter Company and tell them the old blind man joke. They’ve already heard it about 12,000 times. But, by all means, go to Summerville Shutter Company. They are Best of Augusta, say your fellow readers. The ballots also mentioned Plantation Shutter of Augusta and Bloomin’ Blinds of Augusta as top picks.
CABINET MAKER
We don’t have a category for butchers or bakers, but we do have one for cabinet makers. Crawford Cabinets comes out on top. Well, technically just beneath the countertops, but in cabinet making that’s as close to the top as there is. Cedar Ridge Cabinet Company wins second place, and Martinez Cabinet & Millworks third.
COUNTERTOP COMPANY
Speaking of countertops, you definitely want to pair the best cabinets with the best countertops, which the ballots say is where CounterSync comes into play. They are tops which, by coincidence, is what they install. Augusta Granite Company and Olympus Granite are your other favorites.
CARPET/RUG COMPANY
Hi-lo shag may be hard to find, but the carpeting and rug styles of 2024 are awaiting installation at your home, and your votes say Merit Flooring, Kitchen and Bath should get the job. A&D Carpets & Hardwoods not only sells runners, but they are also the runner-up in this category. And in third, when they say Hardwood Floors & More, the “More” part is the carpet and rug part.
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Best Hardwood Flooring Company
Hardwood Floors & More
CARPET CLEANING COMPANY
We have always found it amazing how very similar things can be completely different. For example, stained glass is very cool. Stained carpeting is not. Hence the existence of Stanley Steemer. Their goal in life is the eradication of stained carpeting. They are opposed to the Save the Stain movement. If you agree, give them a call. Duraclean CSRA is your next-best option, and readers say Majestic Floor Care is, in a word, majestic.
HARDWOOD FLOORING COMPANY
Earlier we mentioned the More Department of Hardwood Floors & More. Here, their Hardwood Floors Department wins the category, serving the niche market of people and buildings that have floors. Kirkland’s Flooring is on the second floor, and LL Flooring, what we used to call Lumber Liquidators, occupies the third floor.
CUSTOM ART FRAME SHOP
Oddly enough, even a Rembrandt or Van Gogh isn’t picture-perfect without a visit to Augusta Art and Frame Shop. Take your masterpieces to them, say your fellow art lovers. Art on Broad also comes highly recommended. And The Frame Shoppe joins the medalists in third.
DECORATOR FABRIC STORE
Curtain Call Fabrics & Interiors won this category last year. That makes this year’s win literally a curtain call for
Photo courtesy of Hardwood Floors and
Best Garage Door
AugustaDoorOverhead
them. Congratulations to the staff there, each is a woman or man of the cloth. Decorator’s Outlet & Interiors gets the silver-metallic-threaded silver, and Park Avenue Fabrics wins the bronze-metallicthreaded bronze.
ELECTRICIAN/ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
To put it plainly, Rob Zapata’s Electric, Inc. really turns people on. There’s no other way to put it. They are your top choice. Readers are also pretty wired for Waynesboro’s Golden Rule Electrical, as well as light from Lite Electric.
FURNITURE STORE
They may not have the advertising splash that other furniture stores do, but Andrews Gallery, your favorite, has been quietly and beautifully furnishing homes around town for more than 30
years. Weinberger’s Furniture wins second place, and Merry’s Home Furnishings comes in third.
FENCE COMPANY
For all the things you want to keep in or keep out, who you gonna call? The votes say East Georgia Fence Company is your best bet. Primo fencing companies build fences, of course, but often they also do decks and patios and landscaping. That’s why they are top vote-getters. Southern Reigle Fencing and Augusta Fencing round out your top three.
GARAGE DOOR COMPANY
Who let the cars out? First and foremost, you tell us it’s Augusta Overhead Door. Let us raise a door in their honor. Lowe’s — you know, the multibillion-dollar mega chain — finishes second to Augusta Overhead Door. Ouch. Precision Garage Door Service follows Lowe’s.
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING COMPANY
Heating is as old as humans. Fire is ancient. But can you imagine enduring summers in Augusta in a pre-Busby’s Heating & Air world? We are a favored lot, indeed. Case in point, #2: Your secondplace choice in this time of global warming is Bailey’s Comfort Services, whose middle name is, as you can plainly see, comfort. Bless their hearts. Doc Savage Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. scores third.
KITCHEN SUPPLY SHOWROOM
Perhaps you’ve heard of the trend in new homes where what used to be called the kitchen is now known as the family room. And with good reason. This is the room where we all gather together — the very same room readers say is best entrusted to Landrum Supply Co. Kitchen and Bath Showroom. They can transform
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your old kitchen into your new family room. W.A. Bragg & Co. gets the silver medal and Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery the bronze.
LANDSCAPING COMPANY
Have you ever spent a day at the Masters? If so, you may have had the unsettling experience of admiring the beauty of your yard in the morning, followed by disgust at how shabby it looks when you return in the afternoon. The National can do that to you. The antidote: call Pebble Creek . They can make your yard look like a masterpiece. The ballots say Southern Landscaping Garden & Gifts is another yardmaster, as is Piedmont Landscape Management.
LIGHTING SHOWROOM
As people pondered who is best in this category, they had one of those light-bulb moments and wrote down
Southern Lighting Gallery. Folks say the staff at Hardwood Floors & More is also a light-hearted group, and Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery makes another top three appearance.
LUMBER COMPANY
When we opened the beautiful wooden ballot boxes and counted the votes inside, Mulherin Lumber Company emerged as the winner. Voters say they are board-certified. Howard Lumber Company and their pachyderm mascot win second, and Belair Building Supply nails down third.
MORTGAGE COMPANY/ BROKER
When you’re about to put your signature on about 400 documents and sign up for decades of house payments, you absolutely want to have the best mortgage
Best Home Accessories Store
Savvy Home
company in the room. Area homeowners — the “been there done that” crowd — say that company is Meybohm Mortgage Who are we to disagree? Other worthy options, like maybe for your second and third mortgages: Queensborough National Bank & Trust Co., and Guild Mortgage Company.
HOME ACCESSORIES STORE
Notice the winner’s name: not Savvy House, but Savvy Home. There is a difference. In second: HomeGoods = good homes. In third: Mish Mash Interiors. You know what mishmash means, right? It means a hodgepodge, a widely varied collection, a vast assortment. In short, a mishmash.
HOME BUILDER
Of course, it’s difficult to create a mishmash without a home to put it in. It
Photo courtesy of Savvy Home on Facebook
Best Home Builder Ivey Homes
can be done, but at the first high wind, there it all goes. It’s best to call Ivey Homes, your favorite, and have them build a proper place to securely house your personal hodgepodge. Readers also like Southern State Builders and J-Mar Builders & Services, Inc.
OUTDOOR FURNITURE STORE
There is no formal furniture at the aptly named Casual Furniture of Augusta. It’s all nonchalant, and really, who wants chalant furniture? Try it, you’ll see. HomeGoods and Lowe’s complete the top trio.
PAINT STORE
Benjamin Moore and his partner Gerald Robinson’s Paint & Decorating Center (or as we call them, Ben & Jerry) are your winners. People actually go there to watch paint dry, they’re that good. Sherwin-Williams puts on the second coat, Lowe’s the third.
PEST CONTROL
If you’re sharing your home against your will, readers would like to put a bug in your ear: call Bug House Pest Control and they will evict the little critters for you. Arrow Exterminators is first runner-up, which hopefully means they make bugs run out, and Horne’s Pest Control takes third.
POOL COMPANY
People often ask Pete Alewine of Pete Alewine Pool & Spa to explain the difference between pool and billiards. “Ask me again when it’s 100 degrees,” he’ll reply. Smart man. Your second choice is Hefner Pools; third goes to Peachtree Pools & Spas.
PLUMBING COMPANY
At press time we are still awaiting a return call from NASA. We asked them to verify that Universal Plumbing is, in fact, universal. We’ll have to assume they do what they say — the votes certainly seem
to be there. At Ricky Jay Plumbing, your next choice, they may have lost Ricky in the past year, but not their dedication to quality service. Hardy Plumbing Co., Inc. wins the bronze (almost brass) medal.
HOME FURNISHINGS (CONSIGNMENTS)
Their Best Home Accessories win means it’s a good place to buy stuff. But the Savvy Home win here means they’re also a great place to sell stuff. Actually, you can do both. Dual-purpose Second Time Around can likewise help you clutter and declutter. Consign Design offers the same coupled convenience, too.
INSURANCE COMPANY
People may not get excited about insurance, but there is one sure-fire way to get excited about insurance: don’t have any. That catastrophe can be avoided best with the assistance of Blanchard & Calhoun
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Best Assisted Living Brandon Wilde
Insurance , say your fellow readers. State Farm comes in second, but not Jake from State Farm. No, local agent Keith Perret was specified on enough ballots to scoop up first runner-up. Mantle Insurance (powered by Meybohm Real Estate) is second runner-up.
REAL ESTATE COMPANY
Speaking of Meybohm Real Estate, they are your #1 go-to for those times when you don’t love it, and instead, you list it. Blanchard and Calhoun Real Estate is what might be called Meybohm-adjacent (although they would never use that term themselves). Coldwell Banker rounds out the three winners.
REMODELING COMPANY
We don’t know what your favorite, DPM Construction, abbreviates, but it could be Don’t Panic Ma’am. After all, something unexpected probably happens in half of all remodeling jobs, right? Well, don’t panic, ma’am. DPM’s got this. Nash Solutions wins the coveted Silver Circular Saw, and
Byrd’s Remodeling and Home Repair, Inc. gets the Bronze Bevel.
ROOFING COMPANY
Have you priced chimneys lately? They are through the roof! But part of the pleasure of doing business with Southpaw Roofing is no dad jokes. That is their promise to you. Second place goes to Crosby Roofing & Seamless Gutters. Penn Roofing wins third.
SECURITY SYSTEM COMPANY
You can’t be too careful these days which is why people choose Cruise Security Systems as their top choice. ADT Security Services wins second, and Georgia Carolina Security is third. Homeland security starts at home.
TILE COMPANY
There is no question: tile is in style at the Tile Center, the #1 reader choice. Credit for your second choice, Traditions in Tile &
Stone, may well go to their catchy jingle and the songwriters behind it. Merit Flooring, Kitchen & Bath, once upon a time known as The Carpet Shop, wins third.
BEST INTERIOR DESIGNER
We spend a lot of time in our interiors which is why they should be as spiffy as humanly possible. Life is too short to not call Katy King of King Interior Designs , the reader fave. Gina Speegle Interiors comes next on the designer wish list. You’ve seen Lauren Robbins in The New York Times articles. Now, bring her home with Lauren Robbins Interiors, your 3rd option.
BEST ASSISTED LIVING
We all need assistance to live, correct? But if the ballots are any indication, Brandon Wilde has elevated it to an art form. It’s kind of like living at the country club. Another worthy option provided by readers is Thrive at Augusta. Readers also give Camellia Walk of Evans an assist, probably in thanks for all their assistance.
Photo courtesy of Brandon Wilde on Facebook
