By Dana Kroll, Uptown Marketing and Communications Specialist
It’s the most wonderful time, of the year…well, okay. ONE of the most wonderful times of the year. The time of year when votes are cast and tallied, and YOU, dear West Michiganders*, tell us who you find to be the very very Best in all of the West of our great state. (*Team Michigander not Michiganian here, as are all sane people, right?).
The Best of the West Annual Voter’s Poll celebrates its ninth birthday this year, and earning a title becomes increasingly sought-after by area businesses with each passing turn ’round the sun. The contest is brought to us by Revue West Michigan Magazine – a regional publication that is (and has always been) one of West Michigan’s most well-known and dependable go-tos for folks who are looking to find out what’s poppin’ in Grand Rapids and its surrounding areas. The monthly publication is an all-year-long ode to celebrating and educating its readers about all things local. Thus it’s certainly fitting that they would be the ones to have introduced this competition, which allows the public to have a say in who and what they find to be the current year’s very best across nearly 120 different business categories spanning six voting sections: Dining, Drinking, Music, Shopping, Arts & Attractions, and Services & People.
Featuring: Good Judy’s Juice Bar (and owners Dean and Connor) and Meanwhile Bar (and owner Tami VandenBerg
The contest continues to grow each year, both in the number of categories covered, as well as in popularity and participation. The public has come to recognize that casting their votes is an easy and fun way to support their favorite area businesses – most of which are independently owned. In turn, the businesses take their nominations and recognitions very seriously and with great pride. A spot on this coveted list – as either a winner or a finalist – makes a direct positive impact on business patronage and brand awareness. It’s also a really cool way for the folks who pour their hearts, souls, and energies into their endeavors day in and day out, 365 days of the year, to be reminded by the community: Hey. Yeah. We see you. We appreciate you. You’re good…no, great…no, THE BEST, at what you do!
Meanwhile the Uptown Grand Rapids district, which is home to nearly 400 small and independently-owned businesses (and counting!), is consistently where to find perhaps the largest concentration of overall winners and finalists among the various districts and areas that receive votes. And each year, our total number of awardees grows larger. This year we celebrate….*drumroll please*….SIXTY-FOUR WINNERS AND FINALISTS. Wheeeeet-whewww! To say that we are delighted doesn’t begin to cover it. To say that we are grateful to the hundreds of thousands of voters who participated in this year’s event barely scratches the surface. Know this: If you’re reading this and were one of the many who took the time to cast a vote or two (or several)…you made a difference. And on behalf of the establishments you gave those ‘ups’ to – we at Uptown GR, Inc., wanna just offer you a great big ol’ giant squeezy-feely sincere and true-blue thanks. Big thanks. Mad props. Fist bumps. High fives. THANKS. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And now – why we’re all really here: Let’s get to our list of honorees, shall we? Strap in – the list really is long. Take a look!
Earning the winning title of BEST OF THE WEST –
We proudly congratulate:
West Michigan’s Best Bicycle Shop: Grand Rapids Bicycle Co.
West Michigan’s Best Bourbon: Long Road Distillers – Straight Bourbon
West Michigan’s Best Breakfast: Wolfgang’s Restaurant
West Michigan’s Best Brewery: Brewery Vivant/Broad Leaf
West Michigan’s Best Coffee: Madcap Coffee
Featuring: Brewery Vivant and The Pita House
West Michigan’s Best Craft Cocktails: Long Road Distillers
West Michigan’s Best Distillery: Long Road Distillers
West Michigan’s Best Gift Shop: Rebel
West Michigan’s Best Gin: Long Road MICHIGIN
West Michigan’s Best Hot Dogs: Yesterdog
West Michigan’s Best Mediterranean: The Pita House – Sami’s Gyro’s
West Michigan’s Best New Store/Business: Black Dog Books & Records
West Michigan’s Best Shopping District/Destination: Eastown
Featuring The Eastown Business District
West Michigan’s Best Sushi: Maru Sushi
West Michigan’s Best Tattoo Shop: Sovereign Arms Tattoo Co.
West Michigan’s Best Vodka: Eastern Kille Distillery Utility Vodka
West Michigan’s Best Women’s Clothing: Lee and Birch
West Michigan’s Best Yoga: Funky Buddha Yoga Hothouse
Earning placement as a top-three finalist in their category,
we proudly congratulate:
Bakery: Wealthy Street Bakery
Barber Shop: Locals Barbershop
Featuring: Store Owners Renise of Basic Bee and Carmen of Covet, and the fellas of Local’s Barbershop
Bartender: Cassie Heuton – Pursuit of Happiness
Beer/Wine/Liquor Store: Smitty’s Specialty Beverage
Best Bar in Grand Rapids: Pursuit of Happiness, and The Meanwhile
Best Restaurant in Grand Rapids: Grove
Book Store: Argos Book Shop, and Books and Mortar
Bourbon: Eastern Kille Distillery – Straight Bourbon, and Mammoth Distilling – Woolly Bourbon
Brunch: Basalt
Burgers: Black Napkin
Butcher: Louise Earl Butcher
Catering: Kangaroo Kitchen
Chinese: Red Bowl
Comic Book Store: Argos Book Shop
Craft Cocktails: Eastern Kille Distillery
Desserts: Chartreuse Sisters, and Mokaya
Diner: Good Truckin’ Diner
Distillery: Eastern Kille Distillery
Fried Chicken: Hancock
Fries: Black Napkin
Gin: Eastern Kille Barrel Finished Gin
Ice Cream/Frozen Treats: Furniture City Creamery
Interior Designer: Jean Stoffer
Mediterranean: Zivio
Most Innovative Cuisine: Grove
Movie Theater: Wealthy Theatre
Pizza: Quarantinos
Featuring: Quarantino’s and Good Truckin’ Diner
Sandwich/Deli: Schnitz Deli
Shopping District/Destination: Wealthy Street
Soup: Uncle Cheetahs
Sour Beer: Speciation – Genetic Drift, and Speciation – Incipient
Tattoo Shop: Meeting House Tattoo
Thrift/Consignment Shop: Rock Paper Scissors
Vegetarian/Vegan: Basalt, and Good Judy’s
Vet/Animal Clinic: Eastown Veterinary Clinic
Vodka: Long Road Distillers Vodka
Wine Bar: Chateau Grand Rapids
Women’s Clothing: Basic Bee Boutique, and Covet
Yoga: Kula Yoga
For a complete list of businesses located in Uptown, head to our business directory page.