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Readers’ Choice is a special advertising section of The Billings Gazette.
PRESIDENT Dave Worstell ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Ryan Brosseau SPECIAL SECTIONS COORDINATOR Teresa Cox PAGE DESIGNER Emily Shullaw Access Readers’ Choice at www.billingsgazette.com/specialsections
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NOMINATIONS ARE LIVE THROUGH JULY 5. IT’S TIME TO NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL BUSINESSES, PEOPLE AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE 2020 BILLINGS GAZETTE READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS. Go to go.billingsgazette.com/readers choice now through Sunday, July 5 to nominate your favorites. Registered users may nominate once per day. The Billings Gazette will tally the results, and the top 5 nominees in each category will move on to the official Readers’ Choice ballot.
Voting will be open Monday, July 27 through Sunday, August 23 on go.billingsgazette.com/readerschoice. Registered users may vote in each category once per day. The 2020 Readers’ Choice winners will be announced in a special publication on Sunday, October 25 in The Billings Gazette.
KEY DATES NOMINATIONS: June 8 - July 5 VOTING: July 27 –August 23 WINNERS ANNOUNCED: Sunday, October 25
GO.BILLINGSGAZETTE.COM/READERSCHOICE
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READERS’ CHOICE NOMINATIONS 2020
Thank You Billings For Voting Us Your 2018 Medical Cannabis Provider. We at Elevated have a true passion to bring safe, reliable, high quality relief to as many Montanans as we can.
(406) 601-1166 Now with 6 locations: Billings East 1827 Old Hardin Road
Great Falls 3313 15th St NE
Butte 2905 Harrison Ave.
Billings West End 6522 S. Frontage Rd
Helena 3710 N. Montana
Bozeman 611 W. Main St.
READERS’ CHOICE NOMINATIONS 2020
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READERS’ CHOICE
Thank You
CATEGORIES
for Voting Us Best Farm & Ranch Store!
EATING & DRINKING
Shipton’s Big R strives for three important things: customer service, the best quality products, and of course, low prices. Stop by one of our 5 convenient locations and shop our extensive departments. From western apparel, footwear, and sporting goods to farm & ranch supplies, pet & livestock feed, and power equipment. There’s something for everyone! We carry every top quality brand that you have come to rely on for quality & durability, including: Wrangler, Ariat, Husqvarna, Carhartt, Dewalt, Nutrena, Justin Boots, Keen Utility, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, and many others. Shipton’s Big R takes pride in supporting many events and organizations that make our community great, including: 4H, FFA, PRCA Rodeo, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and more.
Dr. Patty Rickard Pet Vaccination “The Less-Stress Vet” Clinics at Our (406) 839-5763 Billings Stores Every Month! www.ahomevet.com
Best All Around Restaurant Best Bakery Best Barbeque Best Breakfast Best Caterer Best Cheeseburger/Hamburger Best Chinese Food Best Coffee Shop Best Doughnuts Best Family Diner Best Food truck Best Fresh Meat/Seafood (Grocer) Best Fried Chicken Best Frozen Yogurt Shop Best Ice Cream Best International Food Best Italian Food Best Japanese food Best Place for Lunch Best Mexican Food Best Micro Brewery Best Pizza Best Ribs Best Place for a Romantic Dinner Best Seafood Best Steak Best Sub Sandwich Best Sushi Best Thai Food Best Wings
HEALTH & BEAUTY
Best Barber Shop Best Day Spa Best Dental Practice Best Fitness Center Best Eye Clinic Best Fitness Center Best Hair Salon Best Hearing Aid Provider Best Medical Cannabis Provider Best Medical Spa Best Nail Salon Best Pharmacy Best Tanning Salon Best Tattoo Shop Best Weight Loss Center Best Yoga Studio
LOCAL BIG R WEST
2600 Gabel Road
(406) 652-9118
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BIG R EAST
BIG R HEIGHTS
BIG R LEWISTOWN
(406) 252-0503
(406) 384-0099
(406) 350-4422
216 N. 14th Street
June 2020
1908 Main Street
825 NE Main Street
BIG R SHERIDAN
2049 Sugarland Drive
(307) 674-6471
Best Customer Service Best Hotel Best Music Venue
Best place for a child’s birthday party Best place for family fun Best place to buy produce Best place to get married Best place to work Best Retirement Community
PEOPLE
Best Accountant Best Attorney Best Barber Best Bartender - Female Best Bartender - Male Best Chef Best Chiropractor Best Dentist Best Esthetician Best Financial Advisor Best Hair Stylist Best Insurance Agent Best Interior Decorator Best Massage Therapist Best Mortgage Loan Officer Best Nail Technician Best Optometrist Best Photographer - Children Best Photographer - Wedding Best Photography - Portrait Best Realtor Best Tattoo Artist
SERVICES
Best Auto Body Repair Best Automotive Best Bank Best Car Wash Best Carpet Cleaner Best Computer Repair Shop Best Credit Union Best Custom Framing Store Best Custom Upholstery & Furniture Best Dry Cleaners Best Electrical Contractor Best Heating & Cooling Provider Best Home Center/Building Center Best Insurance Company Best Limousine Service Best Mortgage Lender Best Oil Change Best Pet Boarding facility Best Plumbing Service Best Real Estate Brokerage Best Tax Prep Service
Best Towing & Recovery Best Veterinary Service
SHOPPING
Best Antique Store Best Bike Shop Best Boat Dealer Best Bridal store Best Car Dealer - new Best Car Dealer - pre-owned Best Children’s Boutique Best Clothing store - Men’s Best Clothing store - Women’s Best Consignment/Used Clothing Store Best Cowboy/Cowgirl boots Best Fabric store Best Farm Ranch shop Best Flooring store Best Florist Best Garden Center/nursery Best Gift Shop Best Grocery Store Best Hardware Store Best Home Furnishing store Best Hot Tub/Spa center Best Jewelry store Best Kitchen Cabinet center Best Kitchen supply store Best Lighting center Best Lingire store Best Mattress store Best Optical store Best Paint store Best Pet Groomer Best Pet store Best Power Equipment store Best Rug store Best RV Dealer Best Self-storage facility Best Shoe Store Best Sporting Good Store Best Tire store Best Vacuum store Best Window & Door Store Best Wine Store
SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Best Bowling Alley Best Casino Best Golf Course Best Karaoke Best Live Entertainment Best Martial Arts School Best Ski Mountain/Resort
READERS’ CHOICE NOMINATIONS 2020
HOTEL
ACCOUNTANT
Northern Hotel 19 N. Broadway
Lisa Woods - Woods Accounting 1211 Grand Ave. #4 Lisa Woods can happily say she has built a successful business. And, she admits her success did not come without additional help. First, she credits her husband, Kevin Woods, and their two young sons, as well as a great support staff and outside businesses. “I have always liked numbers, and I’ve always worked in an accounting field during any job I have held,” she said Helping clients, especially during stressful tax season, keeps Woods levelheaded and happy to assist. “I tell them, ‘we can do this,’” said Woods. Woods received her accounting education at Miles City Community College and online. She holds the status of an Enrolled Agent. She has also received additional training this year for filing individual, business or corporate tax returns, which is likely to be more stressful due to recent federal changes in the tax law. That specific training mainly came from other accounting firms operating in and training in other states.
Serving Billings for 50 Years!
Discover a hotel that defines a new dimension of luxury, the Northern Hotel, unpretentiously luxurious. Historical charm and comfort meld at the Northern Hotel. As the only 4-star urban hotel in Montana, the Northern Hotel features a suite of amenities that includes luxurious, plush rooms, complimentary Wi-Fi, valet parking, easy access to onsite gourmet restaurant TEN, and much more. After undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation, the Northern Hotel is the perfect place to stay for the traveling executive or vacationing family. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Northern Hotel’s unique character and charming ambiance are reason enough to stop and stay. The hotel’s convenient downtown location features ample access to shopping, fine dining and entertainment and don’t forget the complimentary valet and selfparking.
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• Carpet Hardwood • Hardw • Laminate • Tile & Stone • Vinyl
THANK YOU
T O R E A D E R S F O R VO T I N G T H E NORTHE RN HOTE L THE BEST HOTE L SEVEN YEARS RUNNING. WE HOPE T O O N C E AG A I N B E YO U R C H O I C E HOTE L FOR 2020.
Voted Best Hotel in Billings: 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
BILLINGS GAZETTE
2019 READERS’ CHOICE
FINALIST
406-248-3656
713 Main Street Mon.-Fri. 8-5, Sat. 9-3 www.richsflooring.com READERS’ CHOICE NOMINATIONS 2020
Thank you for nominating us for Readers’ Choice.
Rich’s Modern FLOORING
19 North Broadway Billings, MT 59101 406-867-6767
NorthernHotel.com
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AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE Vallie Automotive Center 2071 Rosebud Dr. Tim Vallie, owner of Vallie Automotive Center since 2003, talks team works together every day providing the full line of automotive maintenance including brake repair, tune ups and timing-belt replacement. With their skills, they also complete total engine and transmission replacements. Vallie said each repair always starts with the proper diagnosis of the problem. “I like the diagnostic side of the business and we are always keeping up with the new technologies.” tions. turers provide all the information on their new products,” he said. He quickly named Napa, Carquest and O’Reilly as just a few of “That’s key to running any successful business. It is the team to diagnose and repair properly and it gives the guys more opportunities to work together. And when they are happy they work really well.”
FARM RANCH STORE Shipton’s Big R In Montana: 216 N 14th St., Billings 2600 Gabel Rd., Billings 1908 Main St., Billings 825 N.E. Main St., Lewistown In Wyoming: 2049 Sugarland Dr., Sheridan
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For 70 years, Shipton’s Big R’s main focus is farmers and ranchers – it’s a store big enough for everyone, including the outdoorsman, workers and pet owners. Shipton’s Big R has built its business on customer service, everyday low prices, convenient hours and locations, and quality brands. Any one of the five store loca tions has departments stocked full of quality products from brands you’ll recognize: Farm and Ranch equipment from Tarter, Powder River, and Priefert Vortex Optics and Ruger firearms for the avid hunters and sportsmen (Montana and Wyoming’s largest selection of new firearms) Quality apparel and workwear from Wrangler, Ariat and Carhartt
Western and work footwear from Keen Utility, Justin Boots, Tony Lama and Timberland Pro Montana and Wyoming’s largest selection of Montana Silversmiths jewelry A full line of Nutrena livestock feed Taste of the Wild and an extensive pet supplies department for dedicated pet owners In addition to those products, Shipton’s Big R carries a full line of Husqvarna and Honda Power equipment. At Shipton’s Big R, they service what they sell. The Shipton’s Big R Power Equipment Service Center is located at 301 N. 14th street (across the street from Big R able certified technicians. Best of all, those technicians will get you serviced and repaired within 10 days. Shipton’s Big R continues to actively support community events. In 2019 their annual “4-H Day” was held at Big R West, and had an exceptional turnout of young people from clubs around the area. Shipton’s is also well known for sponsoring many rodeos and sporting goods events.
READERS’ CHOICE NOMINATIONS 2020
MEDICAL CANNABIS PROVIDER Collective Elevation Billings 4949 Danford Dr. With three employees and himself working at his fully licensed Medical Marijuana Dispensary, Collective Elevation Billings owner Connor Lorenz, has one goal: helping others. Serving 300 patients, Lorenz has received the 2019 Readers’ Choice Award in a relatively new category that deals with a relatively new form of health care - Medical Cannabis. This form of healthcare, whether smoked or ingested, meant very little to him a few years ago when he was still suffering from lactose intolerance. In dealing with that condition, he spoke with a friend who suggested Lorenz try the new product. After becoming a state-approved patient, he gave it a try, and it worked. “I said, ‘wow this is really great.’ Then I started hearing more and more stories of people who successfully used this medication,” he added. He received the correct licensing and began Collective Elevation to achieve that goal. “I want to be able to provide something positive, be a promoter for the younger generation to know that this [Medical Can-
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nabis] is strictly a form of medication and their daily lives could depend on it if they are ill,” Lorenz said. He personally knows how it helped with his lactose intolerance and has seen its pos-
itive effect for those patients with chronic pain. “It is all pretty random after that,” he said. He then listed some of the more common health concerns for which his patience use Medical Cannabis to seek relief:
Cancer, multiple sclerosis, migraine, joint issues. “It’s truly improved as a business that is gaining a nationwide momentum. We are all helping pioneer that,” he added.
HOT TUB/SPA CENTER Montana HotSpring Spas 2217 Grand Ave. Scott Prociv, owner of Montana HotSpring Spas, knows that the proof of any good hot tub spa is in its water. Working with HotSpring Spas for 30 years, Scott is well qualified to speak about how manufacturing of the spa and enhancing the way water is treated has positively and purely evolved through the years. “Yes, we have the industry’s latest and greatest. What has really changed the most is our system for water care, the creation of a fresh water salt system with no more bottled chlorine or bottled bromine. The trademarked term for our exclusive system is ‘Freshwater Salt System,’” he said. “This innovative technology is built in to every spa we sell,” he added. For older spas, Prociv and has nine employees at Montana HotSpring Spas offer trade in/ trade up programs so the best water will be available for use in all spas. “It is simpler and easier to use. There is a more natural feeling and you get longer lasting water. The water within your spa remains clean and lasts up to one year. With normal use it should not need to be replaced for a full year, and that is three times longer than other spas,” he said. “With spas, it is all about the water, no matter what. This leads to an overall better ownership experience. That is the goal, right?” he asked. Over the past 20 years, Prociv has met that goal, has been proven in his shop winning the Readers’ Choice Award for 20 years. Page - stock.adobe.com
READERS’ CHOICE NOMINATIONS 2020
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MEXICAN FOOD Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant 17 N. 29th St. 1403 Main St. 1223 Grand Ave. 216 1st St. Ave. S (Laurel) 335 1st St. (Havre)
BOB ZELLAR/Gazette Staff
Mexican cuisine offers a sense of comfort. It is fillings, warm, and spicy. It is a perfect food on cold or warm days. Authentic Mexican fare is often healthy – made from fresh ingredients like tomatoes, avocados, beans, limes, and lettuce. And that has been the standard of the menu at Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant. Owned and operated by the extended family of Juan Nuno Sr., his son Juan Nuno Jr., and family work tirelessly to create fresh and delicious food for their customers. Juan Nuno Jr., told how his father began working in the Mexican food industry in 1979, using family recipes adapted a bit for Montana tastes. Adapted, but always fresh, he added. “In the summer of 1989, my sisters and I started this restaurant believing in our commitment to quality, using extremely fresh produce, USDA meats and the best cooling system,” he said. “We will never deviate. There will be no artificial ingredients or colors. We use nothing but the best ingredients, period. We have embraced the quality of our food.” The Nuno family employs roughly 75 employees in their Billings locations. Family and food is important to the business. “We ask them to care about being their best self and focus on their mental health, too. It is all about a family setting, but with a professional ideology and holding ourselves accountable,” Juan Nuno Jr., said.
FLOORING Rich’s Modern Flooring 713 E Main Street Billings Heights We provide beautiful and innovative products for all types of flooring and design - Residential Carpet, Hardwood, Ceramic and Porcelain Tile, Laminate, Luxury Vinyl Plank ,Sheet Vinyl and Commercial Flooring. We’re a family owned business celebrating 50 years of serving Billings, Eastern Montana and Northern Wyoming!
Larry Malvin
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READERS’ CHOICE NOMINATIONS 2020
2003
2004
Thank you Billings for voting us
Best Hot Tub/Spa Center 19 years in a row!
We appreciate your business and would appreciate your vote again this year!
Thank you for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 Let’s do it again in 2020!
Nominate and Vote for Previous winners in the Best Tax Prep and Best Accountant categories
We appreciate your business and continued support.
1030 S. 24th St W • Billings, MT 406-969-5394 2019 Readers’ Choice Winner Best Mortgage Loan Officer
“Thank You For Your Support!”
406-652-7727 • 2217 Grand Ave. • www.lovethetub.com
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DeDe Stoner
3127 Central Avenue Suite 4 Billings, MT 59102 O: 406.237.0104 | M: 406.208.4404 | F: 406.237.0100 www.guildmortgage.com/dedestoner • dstoner@guildmortgage.net
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NMLS #250504 • Company NMLS #3274
2016 READERS’ CHOICE
2017 READERS’ CHOICE
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MORTGAGE LOAN OFFICER DeDe Stoner - Guild Mortgage 3127 Central Ave. #4 With a bachelor’s degree in finance from Montana State University Billings, DeDe Stoner has been in the finance industry for 25 years. Beginning as a teller and working her way up through banking institutions, Stoner takes her experience and education hand-in-hand to provide the best knowledge for her clients. Stoner’s mortgage background includes processing and underwriting. “Having the underwriting background helps. I know what they are looking for,” said Stoner Stoner invests in each client, taking their application for homeownership personally. “They are not just a file to me. They rely on me and I don’t want to let them down. I want to fulfill their expectations, their wants and needs,” Stoner said. With several buying programs already existing and developing for homebuyers, Stoner believes that there is a home loan out there for everyone. “Every homebuyer situation is unlike the one before. It takes time to find the right loan for each client. I remember when I bought my first home and having no knowledge. I want my clients to understand the process,” said Stoner. “It is so great when we get to the closing table and your clients achieve a goal they never thought they would.”
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MEDICAL CANNABIS PROVIDER Elevated 1827 Old Hardin Rd. 6522 S Frontage Rd. As a fully licensed Medical Marijuana Dispensary, Elevated works to compassionately care for its patients while following the rule of the laws delineated through Initiative 148 The Montana Medical Marijuana Act. Elevated works with a network of cannabis-trained physicians who see the patient and medical records to make a referral for a ‘green card,’ which takes four to six weeks to receive. Once they hold that license, the patient can come to Elevated to purchase different forms of medical marijuana meant to provide relief.
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NAPA Auto Care Center
Any service of $100 or more Offer expires 7/31/20
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Best Auto Mechanic Readers’ Choice Multi Year Winner 2071 Rosebud Dr. • Billings • 406.248.4023 • East of Job Service
DOWNTOWN – 17 North 29th Street 259-8930 HEIGHTS – 1403 Main Street 245-2151 WESTEND – 1213 Grand Avenue 652-5156 LAUREL – 216 1st Avenue South 628-4117 HAVRE – 335 1st Street 265-1852 Order by Delivery Order online: guadsmt.com Need Catering? Call 927-9068 READERS’ CHOICE NOMINATIONS 2020
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READERS’ CHOICE NOMINATIONS 2020