Nominations

Nominees

In order to make it to the ballot, businesses must be nominated by enough voters to make the top six. This year, we had many ties in the nominations phase, which led to more individuals on the ballot than previous years. To that end, we honored over 450 businesses in Montezuma County.

AUTOMOTIVE

Best Auto Salesperson • Aaron Marsell • Calib Moore • Cody Martin • Ellis Yates • John Hager • John Sutherland • Mark Knisley • Matt Unrein • Richard Zawistowski

Best Dealership • Keesee Motor Company • Pre Owned Cars & Trucks • Steve Keetch Motors • TruWest Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Best Detailing Service • J & J Mobile Detailing • Precision Detailing & Glass Best Farm Equipment / Tractor Store • Big R Stores - Cortez • IFA Country Store • Stotz Equipment

Best Motorcycle / Hobby Sport Store • Chrome Mafia Custom Cycles • Fun Center • Mancos Motorsports, LLC • Mesa Verde Motorsports

Best Oil / Lube Service • America’s Auto Care & Tire • Big O Tires • Four States Tire & Service • Jiffy Lube • Keesee Motor Co

Best Repair Shop • America’s Auto Care & Tire • Auto Masters Corp. • Cortez Auto Repair

• Four States Tire & Service • Keesee Motor Company

Best Tire Store • America’s Auto Care & Tire • Big O Tires • Cox Conoco • Four States Tire & Service • Keesee Motor Company

Best Towing Service • Able Towing • Blairs Towing • Jack’s Towing & Recovery • Mancos Towing & Canyon Paint

FOOD & DINING

Best Asian Cuisine • Angel’s End Zone Sports Bar • Hunan Chinese Restaurant • Ocean Pearl Chinese Restaurant • Stonefish Sushi & More • Thai Cortez & Sushi Best Bakery • Absolute Bakery & Cafe • City Market • Moose & More • Safeway Bakery • The Pie Maker Bakery • Three Chicks Bakery & Deli

Best Bar / Pub • Angel’s End Zone Sports Bar • Blondie’s Trophy Room • Dolores River Brewery • J Fargo’s Family

Dining & Micro Brewery • Loungin’ Lizard • The Main Street Brewery • WildEdge Brewing Collective

Best Barbecue • End of the Trail Catering • J Fargo’s Family

Dining & Micro Brewery • Main Street Brewery & Restaurant • The Gettin’ Place • Wigglin’ Pig

Best Bartender • Amy Meyerhofer • Casey Kennedy • Jake Reed • Joel Balderrama • Juan • Patrick Allen Jackson

Best Beer Selection • Blondie’s Trophy Room • Dolores River Brewery • Main Street Brewery • Mancos Brewing Company • WildEdge Brewing Collective

Best Brewery • Blondie’s Trophy Room • Dolores River Brewery • Main Street Brewery • Mancos Brewing Company • WildEdge Brewing Collective

Best Burger • Blondie’s Trophy Room • Burger Boy Drive In

20 |

BEST OF CORTEZ 2020 • Montezuma Mexican Restaurant • The Depot • The Farm Bistro • Best Casual Dining • Bubba’s • J Fargo’s Family

Dining & Micro Brewery • Loungin’ Lizard • The Farm Bistro • Ute Coffee Shop

Best Coffee Shop • Cattle Drive Coffee • Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters • Loop’s Coffee House & Bistro • Moose & More • Silver Bean • The Pie Maker Bakery

Best Dessert • Cold Stone Creamery • Mancos Brewing Company • Montezuma Mexican Restaurant • Moose & More • The Pie Maker Bakery

Best Happy Hour • Angel’s End Zone Sports Bar • Blondie’s Trophy Room • J Fargo’s Family

Dining & Micro Brewery • Loungin’ Lizard • Montezuma Mexican Restaurant • Stonefish Sushi & More • WildEdge Brewing Collective

Best Health Food • Absolute Bakery & Cafe • Flat Belly Organics • Stonefish Sushi & More • The Farm Bistro • Zuma Natural Foods

Best Hot Wings • Angel’s End Zone Sports Bar • Blondie’s Trophy Room • J Fargo’s Family

Dining & Microbrewery • Loungin’ Lizard • Main Street Brewery

Best Ice Cream/ Fro-yo • Cold Stone Creamery • Dairy Queen • Moose & More

Best Mexican Food • Chavolo’s Mexican Restaurant • Gustavo’s Mexican

Restaurant & Bar • La Casita de Cortez • Mi Mexico • Montezuma Mexican Restaurant • Tequila’s Mexican Restaurant

Best Outdoor Dining • Destination Grill • Dolores River Brewery • Fenceline Cider • La Casita de Cortez • Loungin’ Lizard • Shiloh Steakhouse

Best Pizza • Absolute Bakery • Dolores River Brewery • Lotsa Pasta & That’za Pizza • Mancos Pizza Co • Papa Murphy’s • Sweetwater Gypsies

Best Restaurant • Beny’s Diner • J Fargo’s Family Dining & Micro Brewery • Loungin’ Lizard • Olio Restaurant • Stonefish Sushi & More • Thai Cortez & Sushi

Best Servers • Beny’s Diner • Blondie’s Trophy Room • Burger Boy Drive In • J Fargo’s Family

Dining & Micro Brewery • Loungin’ Lizard • Montezuma Mexican Restaurant • Moose & More • Stonefish Sushi & More

Best Steak • Main Street Brewery • Millwood Junction • Shiloh Steakhouse

Best Vegetarian / Vegan • Gustavo’s Mexican

Restaurant and Bar • Stonefish Sushi & More • The Farm Bistro • Zuma Natural Foods

Best Winery • Fenceline Cider • Flying T Wine • Sutcliffe Vineyards

LEGAL, FINANCIAL, REAL ESTATE

Best Accounting Office • Forth & Associates PC • Majors & Haley PC • To the Penny Tax Services LLC

Best Bank / Credit Union • First National Bank Cortez • First Southwest Bank • Four Corners Community Bank • The Dolores State Bank • Vectra Bank - Cortez

Best Home Builder • Comisky Construction • Cruzan Construction • Kelen Lovett • Mountain View Builders LLC • Swallow’s Nest Brett Lacompte

Best Insurance Agency • Denise Dennison,

Farmers Insurance • Dennis Morita, State Farm • Ricky King, State Farm • The Wade Agency,

American Family Insurance

• Woods Insurance • Wynes Insurance Agency

Best Mortgage Company • First National Bank Cortez • Fairway Independent Mortgage

Corporation Loan Officer • Major Mortgage • The Dolores State Bank • Vectra Bank

Best Real Estate Agent / Broker • Bill Stanley • Carol Click • Jo Ann Cauley • Marti Spitzer • Paul Adams • Paul Beckler

Best Real Estate Office • 4 Corners Properties Pete Singleton • Century 21 • Coldwell Banker Heritage House • Cortez Country Living eXp Realty • Re/Max Mesa Verde Realty • Regents Real Estate Group • United Country Blue

Sky Homes and Land

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Best Computer Repair or IT Service • NetForce PC • PC 411 • The Geeks

• The Mac Ranch • William Glenn

Best Day Care Center / Provider • Lil Rascals Preschool Daycare • Por Dia Preschool & Learning • Teddy Bear Preschool • Tree House Day Care Cortez • Trinity Lutheran Preschool

Best Dispensary • Chronic Therapy • Doobie Sisters • Durango Organics Cortez • LivWell Enlightened Health

Marijuana Dispensary • The Herbal Alternative

Best Doggie Daycare • Ashley Carelock • Cortez Animal Bed & Breakfast • Mud Puppies • Snooty’s Pet Salon • Stacked Rock Kennel • The Dog Ranch

Best Educator • Cathy Epps • Debbie Garner • Matt Keefauver • Shirley Tourjee

Best Electrician • A & J Electric • Cortez Electric • Nice Electric • Stanley Electric Best Flooring Store Installation Services • House of Carpets • Just Wood Floors • Magnum Construction Inc • Muscanell Millworks • Preston Cornett • Top Line Floors

Best Flower Store • City Market • Cliffrose Garden Center & Gifts • Flower Cottage • Four Seasons Greenhouse & Nursery

Best Hair Salon • AboutFace Aesthetics • BarberDoll • Envy Salon & Boutique • Salon M • Shear Shack Salon • The Loft • Viva Salon and Spa • Westview

Best Heating Service • Case Heating • Comfort Air Mechanical • JNL Mechanical • Sparks Plumbing & Heating

Best Hotel / Bed & Breakfast / Lodging • Baymont Inn & Suites • Best Western Turquoise Inn & Suites • Dolores River Campground and Cabins • Hampton Inn • Mancos Inn and Hostel • The Views RV Park & Campground

Best Jeweler • Amador Garcia • John Garcia • Kate Nickols • Kristi Smith

Best Landscaping Company • A-1 Affordable Landscaping • Classic Gardens Landscape • Cliffrose Garden Center & Gifts • Four Seasons Greenhouse & Nursery • Pleasant Tree Farm Dolores • Sprinkler Pros

2020 BEST OF CORTEZ

| 21

CONT.

• Sunrose Landscaping • Wood Landscape and Design

Best New Business • DD Professional Home Inspections • Little Miss Ink • Mestas Welding • Regents Real Estate Group • Target Rental • The Gettin’ Place • Yellow Car Country Wines

Best Nonprofit • Denkai Animal Sanctuary • Four Corners Child Advocacy Center • Habitat for Humanity of Montezuma County • Onward! A Legacy Foundation • The Piñon Project

Best Photographer • Aspen Jade Photography • Gina Boren • Look Look Design • Spruce & Ivy Photography

Best Plumber • C R Plumbing & Heating • Dean Valdez • Jason Elliott Pro Plumbing • Randy Taylor • Rick’s Plumbing and Heating • Scott’s Plumbing • Sparks Plumbing & Heating

Best Roofing Company • A-1 All Weather Roofing, LLC • Cortez Home & Office Repair • Shawn Montgomery • Top Line Installers

SHOPPING & ENTERTAINMENT

Best Annual Event • 12 hours of Mesa Verde • Dolores River Festival • Harvest Beer Festival • Montezuma County Fair • Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo

22 |

BEST OF CORTEZ 2020

Nominees

Best Antique Shop • Antique Corral • Notah Dineh Trading Co. • Traditional Charm Antique Mall

Best Art Gallery • Artisans of Mancos • Notah Dineh Trading Co. • Raven House Gallery • West Fork Gallery

Best Bicycle Shop • Kokopelli Bike & Board • Lizard Head Cyclery LLC • Mountain Bike Specialists

Best Casino • Northern Edge Navajo Casino • Sky Ute Casino Resort • Ute Mountain Casino Hotel

Best Clothing Store • Bealls • Eclectic Spatique LLC • Love on a Hanger • Run + Hike • Second Time Fashions • The Flying Pig Boutique

Best Consignment / Thrift / Pawn Shop • Denkai Thrift Store • Habitat for Humanity ReStore • High Desert Life

Outdoors & Exchange • Methodist Thrift Shop • Renew Wings Thrift shop Dolores • Second Chance Thrift Store • Second Time Fashions • The Flying Pig Boutique

Best Furniture Store • Antique Corral • Ranch Bar-B Rustics LLC • ReStore, Habitat for Humanity of Montezuma County • Rustic Style Furniture dolores • Town & Country Furniture

Best Garden Supply / Nursery • Cliffrose Garden Center & Gifts • Four Seasons

Greenhouse & Nursery • IFA Country Store Best Hardware Store • Builders FirstSource • Choice Building Supply • Dolores General Store • Slavens True Value Hardware

Best Liquor Store • Cork and Bottle • GST Liquors • Liquid Assets • Mancos Liquor • Smitty’s Liquors • West Slope Liquors

Best Pet Supply Store • Big R Stores • Good Life Pet Food & Supplies • IFA Country Store • J C Pets

Best Sporting Goods Store • Goods For The Woods • Hibbett Sports • High Desert Life

Outdoors & Exchange • Run + Hike

Best Supermarket / Grocery Store • City Market • Dolores Food Market • Flat Belly Organics • Safeway • Southwest Farm Fresh Cooperative

Best Tourist Attraction • Boggy Draw • Canyons of the Ancients

National Monument • Ghost Walk Durango • Mesa Verde National Park • Phil’s World • Ute Mountain Ute

Tribal Park Visitor Center

WELLNESS

Best Acupuncturist • Ben Hawes • Ivy’s Therapy Center • Katie Thomas Best Assisted Living Facility • BeeHive Homes Memory Care • Madison House - Assisted Living • Valley Inn Nursing Home • Vista Mesa Assisted Living

Best Chiropractor • Eric Breitenbach • Jeremy Rosenbaugh • Kiviok Hight • Michael Treinen • Petra Sullwold • Ryan Haley

Best Day Spa • AboutFace Aesthetics • BeLiz MedSpa • Elevated Esthetics LLC • Elite Day Spa & Salon Cortez • Ivy’s Therapy Center

Best Dental Clinic • Arter Family Dental Care • Cortez Family Dentistry • Cortez Smiles • Dr. Jason Smith • Summit Family Dental of Cortez • Vestal Dental

Best Eye Care Center • Alpine Eye Clinic • Cortez Vision Clinic & Optical • The Optical Shoppe • Underwood Optical

Best Gym • 24hr Power House • Body By Design • Cortez Recreation Center • CrossFit Mountain Range Fitness • Evolution Gym/CrossFit Cortez • Momentum 24/7 Fitness

Best Hearing Center • Animas Valley Audiology • Four Corners Hearing Centers • Montezuma Hearing Clinic

Best Home Health Care Provider • Guardian Angel Home Health • Hospice of Montezuma • PASCO/SW Home Health Best Instructor / Personal Trainer • Amy Huckins • Ellen Shinkle • Jeana Echols • Lindsay Fresquez • Ren Smith • Thomas Lindsay • Toni Smith

Best Massage Therapist • Abbi Gulick • Abby Lyons • Casey Kennedy • Gary Evink • Ivy’s Therapy Center • Rob Chontos

Best Pharmacist • Amber Laird • Kelsey Gilbert • Neal Hurst • Nichole Belland

Best Pharmacy • City Market • Safeway • Southwest Health System • Walgreens

Best Physical Therapist • Brenton Wright • High Desert Physical Therapy • Jodi Harris • Johnson Physical Therapy • Staci Cost

Best Physician / Doctor • Andrew McAlpin • Charlotte Barry • Erin Henderson • Erin Reardon Schmitt • Hope Barkhurst • Kameo Smith • Karla Demby • Kelly Busby • Robin Richard

Best Veterinarian Clinic • Cortez Adobe Animal Hospital LLC • Dolores Animal Hospital • Mancos Valley Veterinary Hospital • Montezuma Veterinary Clinic • Vibrant Pet Animal Hospital

Congratulations!

The Journal congratulates the Best of Cortez & Montezuma winners!

Honorees may pick up awards and a Winner’s Package at The Journal office Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The Winner’s Package will include a Best Of 2020 branded pint glass and a coupon for popcorn courtesy of Durango Popcorn Depot.

2020 BEST OF CORTEZ

| 23