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  • Palmetto Business
  • January-February 2013

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Best of Columbia 2013

The votes are in and the winners are announced

By Compiled by Lauren Brock

Photography by Jeff Amberg

The city of Columbia has spoken and so shall the awards be bestowed! During an enthusiastic online voting process, Columbians cast their votes and doubled any previous year’s ballot counts, with zealous battles over addictive restaurants, delicious foods, show-stopping entertainment and much more.
Many of the Best of Columbia winners have achieved award-winning status year after year. These winners have a special Hall of Fame logo included in their advertisements in this section that help them toot their horns about being the best. Winners who have won five or more years are inducted into the Hall of Fame and are eligible to distinguish their business with a gold logo.
Each year, the editorial department selects several winners to highlight in a zany photo spread. Special thanks this year goes out to Stanley Steemer, Jeffers McGill and Century Glass for allowing us to take some editorial liberty and celebrate with a little fun. It’s creative attitudes like these that help these winners reach the top.
Nobody says it better than the people of this great town, so explore the city with newfound adventure. This is your city, your magazine, and these are your choices for the Best of Columbia. See who won in this year’s categories and celebrate these wonderful businesses that make Columbia a wonderful place to live!

FOOD

Best Appetizer
Bonefish Grill

Best Bakery
Tiffany’s Bakery and Eatery

Best Barbecue
Hudson’s Smokehouse

Best Biscuit
Bojangles’

Best Boiled Peanuts
Cromer’s

Best Chicken Salad
The Gourmet Shop

Best Cookie
Blue Flour

Best Dessert
Nonnah’s

Best Doughnuts
Krispy Kreme

Best French Fries
Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Best Fried Chicken
Zesto

Best Frozen Yogurt
Yumilicious

Best Grits
Mr. Friendly’s

Best Hamburger
Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Best Ice Cream
Marble Slab Creamery

Best Iced Tea
Bojangles’

Best Milkshake
Rush’s

Best Pizza
Mellow Mushroom

Best Ribs
Hudson’s Smokehouse

Best Sandwich
Groucho’s Deli

Best Steak
Ruth’s Chris Steak House

by Jeff Amberg

Scott Cooper, management team member at Stanley Steemer, gets lost in award-winning daydreams as he gives owner Suzanne Pucci’s hair the best vacuuming Stanley Steemer has to offer!

RESTAURANTS

Best Restaurant in Columbia
Mr. Friendly’s

Best Restaurant in Irmo
Alodia’s Cucina Italiana

Best Restaurant in Lexington
Travinia Italian Kitchen

Best Restaurant in Northeast
Solstice Kitchen

Best Restaurant in West Columbia/Cayce
Terra

Best Chinese Restaurant
Miyo’s

Best Greek Restaurant
Zorba’s

Best Italian Restaurant
Villa Tronco

Best Japanese Restaurant
Inakaya

Best Mexican Restaurant
Eric’s San Jose

Best Thai Restaurant
Mai Thai Cuisine

Best Business Lunch
Motor Supply Company Bistro

Best Coffee House
Starbucks

Best Bang for the Buck
Moe’s Southwest Grill

Best Family Restaurant
Lizard’s Thicket

Best Fast Food Restaurant
Chick-fil-A

Best Fine Dining Restaurant
Garibaldi Café

Best Healthy Restaurant
Zoës Kitchen

Best New Restaurant
Café Caturra

Best Outdoor Dining
Café Caturra

Best Romantic Dinner
Al’s Upstairs

Best Seafood Restaurant
Blue Marlin

Best Sunday Brunch
DiPrato’s

Best Sushi Restaurant
Inakaya

Best Wait Staff
Mr. Friendly’s

Best Wine Menu
Gervais & Vine

By Jeff Amberg

Brothers Mark and John McGill of Jeffers McGill try to push their youngest brother, David, into a refrigerator to keep their award for Best Appliance Store all to themselves!

RETAIL

Best Antique Store
Worth Repeating

Best Appliance Store
Jeffers McGill

Best Art Store
City Art

Best Athletic Wear Store
Todd & Moore

Best Bicycle Specialty Store
Outspokin’

Best Bridal Wear Store
Jo-Lin’s

Best Children’s Clothing Store
Bumble Boutique

Best Children’s Shoe Store
Tootsies

Best Consignment Shop (clothing)
Revente

Best Consignment Shop (furniture)
Consignment 1st

Best Fashion Accessories Store
Just the Thing

Best Flooring/Floor Covering Store
Redd Flooring and Design Center

Best Florist
Rosewood Florist

Best Frame Shop
HoFP Gallery

Best Gamecock Store
Jewelry Warehouse

Best Gardening Store
Woodley’s Garden Center

Best Gift Store
Gibson’s on Devine

Best Glass Store
Century Glass

Best Home Furnishing Store
Strobler Home Furnishings

Best Hunting/Fishing Supply Store
Barron’s Outfitters

Best Jewelry Store
Sylvan & Dubose

Best Kitchen Store
Mary & Martha’s

Best Lighting Store
The Lite House

Best Mattress Store
Best Mattress

Best Men’s Clothing Store
Brittons

Best Men’s Formal Wear Store
Granger Owings

Best Men’s Shoe Store
Granger Owings

Best Office Furnishings Store
McWaters

Best Office Supply Store
Staples

Best Outdoor Store
The Backpacker

Best Pet Boutique
Pupcakes Pet Boutique

Best Pet Supply Store
PetSmart

Best Running Specialty Store
Strictly Running & Walking

Best Shopping Venue
Village at Sandhill

Best Sporting Goods Store
Dick’s Sporting Goods

Best Supermarket
Publix

Best Toy Store
BeBeep, a toy shop

Best Vision Wear Store
Sansbury Eye Center

Best Wallpaper/Wall Covering Store
Wallpaper Additions

Best Wine Shop
Total Wine & More

Best Women’s Clothing Store
Round Robin

Best Women’s Evening Wear Store
Coplon’s

Best Women’s Shoe Store
Kicks

 

HOME

Best Apartment Complex
42 Magnolia

Best Assisted Living Facility
Lutheran Homes of South Carolina

Best Condominiums
Adesso

Best Home Builder
The Mungo Companies

Best Home Remodeler
Remodeling Services Unlimited

Best New Home Community
Saluda River Club

Best Retirement Community
Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community

 

RECREATION

Best Boat Dealer
Mid-Carolina Marine

Best Exercise Facility
Gold’s Gym

Best Place for a Kid’s Birthday
Monkey Joe’s

 

SERVICE

Best Auto Repair
Andrews Auto Service

Best Bridal Photographer
Neva Loftis

Best Car Dealer
Jim Hudson

Best Car Rental Agency
Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Best Carpet Cleaner
Stanley Steemer

Best Caterer
Southern Way

Best Chimney Sweep
Top Hat Sweepers

Best Facial
Urban Nirvana

Best Dry Cleaner
Tripp’s Fine Cleaners

Best Event Planner
Cricket Newman

Best Fence Company
Brabham Fence

Best Furniture Refinisher
Colonial Woodwork

Best Hair Salon
Shear Xpectations

Best Hardscape Company
Hay Hill Services

Best Heating/Air Service
2nd Wind Heating & Air Conditioning

Best Insurance Agency
State Farm

Best Insurance Agent
Brad Everhart

Best Interior Designer (commercial)
Katherine J. Anderson
Design/Interiors

Best Interior Designer (residential)
Evon Kirkland Interiors

Best Landscaping
Company
Hay Hill Services

Best Lodging
Hilton

Best Massage
Urban Nirvana

Best Modeling Agency
Millie Lewis of Columbia

Best Moving Company
Two Men & A Truck

Best Nail Salon
Soak Nail Spa

Best Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor Lighting Perspectives

Best Pest Control Service
Home Pest Control

Best Pet Boarding
Wescott Acres Luxury Pet Resort

Best Pet Grooming
Groomingdales

Best Plumbing Company
Superior Plumbing & Gas

Best Real Estate Agent
Jill Moylan

Best Real Estate Agency (commercial)
Grubb & Ellis|Wilson Kibler

Best Real Estate Agency (residential)
Home Advantage Realty

Best Staffing Agency
Roper Staffing

Best Swimming Pool Company
Jack Oliver’s Pool, Spa & Patio

Best Travel Agency
Forest Lake Travel

Best Wedding Venue
701 Whaley

MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT

Best Art Gallery
Columbia Museum of Art

Best Live Theatre
Trustus

Best Museum
South Carolina State Museum

Best Radio Station
89.7 WMHK

Best Radio Personality
Jonathon Rush

Best TV Station
WIS-TV

Best TV News Anchor
Dawndy Plank

Best TV Sportscaster
Rick Henry

Best TV Weatherperson
Ben Tanner

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