Our annual “Best of Roanoke” Reader Survey produced hundreds of winners, but there were still some categories we didn’t include. Here are the nominations for “Best Thing Not On This List.”
Best Annual Free Broadway Show performance: Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio. Local high schools kids performing numbers from Broadway musicals at a professional level. For free!
Best B&B: Santillane. A historic venue on the National Registry, surrounded by beautiful gardens and is close to area attractions. Affordable and the gourmet breakfast is delicious.
Best Childcare Center: Alpha Childcare. We were very blessed to find Alpha Childcare in the Hollins area.
Best Computer Guy: Matt Spencer. For excellent customer service, always being there when you need him, and customers that love him.
Best Computer Store: Cyberline.
Best Country Club: Hidden Valley, Roanoke and Hunting Hills. They are not ‘Your Father’s Country Clubs.’ They are family oriented places with lots of activities for adults and kids of all ages and interests. I would like to urge The Roanoker to write an article about these treasures that most locals do not know of in the light of welcoming members.
Best Dive. Dives are fun. I like ‘em seedy, grimy, cheap and noisy. There’s nothing quite like the beery, bleary camaraderie of your stool mates.
Best Esthetician and Best Cosmetology/Esthetic School.
Best Event or Service that Promotes Environmental Conservation. I love your selections on this list, but most of the categories revolve around how things can benefit me or my family (e.g., Best Night Out, Best Place to Buy a Luxury Car) I’d like to see something that reminds people of how they’ve helped the Roanoke Valley.
Best Place to Recycle.
Best-Looking Building: Wachovia Tower. You have ‘Building in Need of a Face Lift’ why not the best-looking building? I would definitely cast my vote for the Wachovia Tower, especially during Christmas time.
Best Nonprofit: C.H.I.P. They serve so many children and do a great job at it.
Best Place to Have a Corporate Meeting: Silver Hearth Lodge is a diamond in the rough. Beautiful views, fire pit for a cool fall day, swings, an overlook. And this is a good category since there are many corporate meetings occurring through the year.
Best Place to Kayak: Carvins Cove and Buena Vista. There are a lot of kayakers in the area, but not much info about where to go.
Best Complete Service for High School Student Applying for College: Sandra McMinnis of McMinnis & Associates, LLC. Provides a complete week of college admissions services that includes: the college application, the college essay, the academic resume, preparation for the college interview, acquiring the best college references, and preparation for the SAT exam. The program is unique and is named ‘First Choice College Boot Camp for High School Students
Best Dog Trainer: Hope Cogen at High Hopes. Since the first meeting, Hope had my dog working and learning. This training service is the best!
Best Florist / Event Designer: Caroline LaRocca Event Design
Glazed Bisque-It. You can make almost anything with your special touch.
Best Live Theatre. This is a category where there a tons of options to choose from and lots of deserving winners.
Paint the Roanoke Civic Center. Paint a huge mural on the civic center, or show movies there.
Best Personal Female Trainer: Robyn Goodpasture. Robyn is very knowledgeable about nutrition and weight loss! She is very inspiring and a great person!
Best Place for Retail Therapy: Provisions Gourmet/RSVP. It has so many wonderful items to buy, and has great customer service.
Roanoke’s Low Crime Rate. I know that we have a few high-crime problem areas, but overall – and compared to other cities – we are very lucky to have such a low crime rate.
Best Summer Camp: Camp Bethel has a complete list of activities for kids and adults all year long and is reasonably priced.
Thing That Sets Roanoke Apart. The city’s love for, and preservation of, our vintage signs, especially the lighted ones. When you come to Roanoke what’s the first thing you see? The Star, H&C Coffee and Dr. Pepper signs. It gives the city character and makes us unique.
Best Place to Work: Norfolk Southern Railway. Great benefits.
Best Reason to Live in the Roanoke Valley. No better combination of all good things, a variety of restaurants, musical and entertainment genres. Weather, views, friendliness of the people, the (lack of) traffic. I have travelled much of the country and wouldn’t live anywhere else.
The People. I am a native who returned after many (many) years. Love the bright, engaged, friendly people of this region!
The Water Heater. It provides a venue for all ages to enjoy visual and performing arts experiences.
Virginia Industrial Cleaners John Deere Dealership. The sales staff, repair staff and owner treat you like family. Their best sales person is Shaw, and the best service guy is Poff.
Are there other categories we should have included? Let us know in the comment field below!
