The Best of Roanoke 2012
From doggie daycare to retirement homes, from biggest brain to biggest clown, from worst moment of 2011 to best new idea for 2012, our readers have picked the best – and a few not-so-bests – of the valley. Our thanks to those readers for more than 30,000 individual votes cast in 153 categories, resulting in the following 465 Platinum, Gold and Silver awards.
- Pop Out People
- On the Web / TV & Radio
- Live & Learn
- What Happened What’s Happenin’
- Where to Go, What to Do
- Wheels
- Shop Til You Drop
- Home, Sweet Home
- Best in Services
Shop Til You Drop
Best Shoestore for Everyday Kicks
- PLATINUM: The Cobbler’s Wife
- GOLD: Fleet Feet Sports
- SILVER: Bush-Flora Shoes
Best Shoestore for Everyday Kicks (Chain)
- PLATINUM: Rack Room Shoes
- GOLD: Super Shoes
- SILVER: Macy’s
Best Beachwear
- PLATINUM: Dance Etc.
- GOLD: Target
- SILVER (tie): Gantner; Pac Sun; T.J. Maxx; Victoria’s Secret.
Best Sporting Goods
- PLATINUM: Fleet Feet Sports
- GOLD: Walkabout Outfitters
- SILVER: Play it Again Sports
Best Sporting Goods (Chain)
- PLATINUM: Dick’s Sporting Goods
- GOLD: Gander Mountain
Best for Movies, Games and Tunes
- PLATINUM: F.Y.E. (inside Valley View Mall)
- GOLD: Best Buy
- SILVER (tie): GameStop; RePlay Games
Bookstore That Makes You Put Down That E-Reader
- PLATINUM: Too Many Books
- Chain Winner: Barnes & Noble
- Chain Winner: Books-A-Million
Best Place to Buy a Camera
- PLATINUM: Best Buy
- GOLD: Photo USA
- SILVER: Lee Hartman and Son’s
Best Everyday Groceries
- PLATINUM: Kroger
- GOLD: Roanoke Natural Foods Co-Op
- SILVER: Food Lion
Best Gourmet Groceries
- PLATINUM: Tinnell’s Finer Foods
- GOLD: Roanoke Natural Foods Co-Op
- Chain Winner: The Fresh Market
Freshest Local Produce
- PLATINUM: Roanoke Farmers’ Market
- GOLD: Salem Farmers’ Market
Best Mall or Shopping Center
- PLATINUM: Valley View
- GOLD: Towers Shopping Center
- SILVER: Tanglewood Mall
Best Women’s Dress Shoes
- PLATINUM: The Cobbler’s Wife
- GOLD: Yarid’s
- SILVER: La De Da
Best Women’s Dress Shoes (Chain)
- PLATINUM: Macy’s
- GOLD: Belk
- SILVER: Rack Room Shoes
Best Men’s Dress Shoes
- PLATINUM: Davidsons
- CHAIN WINNERs: Belk; Macy’s
Freshest Flowers
- PLATINUM: George’s Flowers
- GOLD: Creative Occasions Inc.
- SILVER: Stritesky’s Flower Shop
Freshest Flowers (Chain)
- PLATINUM: Fresh Market
- GOLD: Kroger
Best Wedding Floral Designer
- PLATINUM: Creative Occasions Inc.
- GOLD: George’s Flowers
- SILVER: Corsair Floral & Decor
Best Bridal Shop
- PLATINUM: Bride’s House & Formals
- GOLD: AmRhein’s
- SILVER: Patina
- CHAIN WINNER: David’s Bridal
Best Men’s Formals
- PLATINUM: Brides House & Formals
- GOLD: Davidsons
- SILVER: AmRhein’s
Best Men’s Formals (Chain)
- PLATINUM: David’s Bridal
- GOLD: Men’s Warehouse
- SILVER: JoS. A. Bank
Best Local Wedding Venue
- PLATINUM: Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center
- GOLD: Silver Hearth Lodge
- SILVER: The Woodland Place
Best Catering
- PLATINUM: Schaal’s Catering & Events
- GOLD: Montano’s International
- SILVER (tie): Blue Ridge Catering; Linda Chapman at Holiday Inn Tanglewood
Best Women’s Clothing
- PLATINUM: Urban Gypsy
- GOLD: Punch Boutique
- SILVER: La De Da
Best Women’s Clothing (Chain)
- PLATINUM: Talbots
- GOLD: Stein Mart
- SILVER: Kohl’s
Best Men’s Clothing
- PLATINUM: Davidsons
- CHAIN WINNERs: Belk; JoS. A. Bank; Macy’s
Best Kids’ Clothes
- PLATINUM: Toad’ly Kids
- GOLD: Our Little Cherubs
Best Kids’ Clothes (Chain)
- PLATINUM: Once Upon a Child
- GOLD: Old Navy
- SILVER: Kmart
Best Consignment Shop
- PLATINUM: Euro Fashions and Exclusives
- GOLD: Hidden Treasures Consignment
- SILVER: New to Me Consignment Boutique
Best For Fine Antiques
- PLATINUM: Black Dog Architectural Salvage
- GOLD: Roanoke Antique Mall
- SILVER: Buy the Season
Wine Shop That Carries Your Favorites
- PLATINUM: Mr. Bill’s Wine Cellar
- GOLD: Wine Gourmet
- SILVER: Tinnell’s Finer Foods
Wine Shop That Carries Your Favorites (Chain)
- PLATINUM: Kroger
- GOLD: Fresh Market
Pharmacy You Trust Most
- PLATINUM: Cundiff Drug Store
- GOLD (tie): DownHome Pharmacy; Brooks Byrd Pharmacy
Pharmacy You Trust Most (Chain)
- PLATINUM: CVS
- GOLD: Kroger
- SILVER: Walgreens
Best For Fantastic Fabrics
- PLATINUM: The Second Yard
- GOLD: The French Thistle
- CHAIN WINNER: Jo Anne Fabrics
