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After thousands of ballots were cast in our annual Favorites of the Foothills Reader’s Choice Awards, in which you, the readers, chose your favorite local businesses, individuals, and organizations, the results are in!

Please join us in congratulating and celebrating the winners of Favorites of the Foothills!

 

Favorite Principal

First Place: Adam Giles – Polk County High School

Second Place: John Mauldin – Tryon Elementary

Runner Up: Dr. Kim McMinn – Polk Central Elementary

Favorite Elementary Teacher

First Place: Wendi Owens – Tryon Elementary

Second Place: Kristy Cox – Polk Central Elementary

Runner Up: Kellie Bradley – Sunny View Elementary

Favorite High School Teacher

First Place: Chauncey Barber – Polk County High School

Second Place: Brandy Alm – Polk County High School

Runner Up: Jessie Hyder – Landrum High School

Favorite Middle School Teacher

First Place: Lennox Charles – Polk County Middle School

Second Place: Michelle Ballentine – Landrum Middle School

Runner Up: Jerry Cox – Polk County Middle School

Favorite Asian Food

First Place: Soulisa’s Fine Thai Dining

Second Place: Naruto Sushi Bar and Ramen

Runner Up: Fuji Express

Favorite Bakery/Sweets

First Place: All Good Things Bakery

Second Place: Martha’s Amish Bakery

Runner Up: Openroad Coffee Roastery

Favorite Coffee Shop

First Place: Openroad Coffee Roastery

Second Place: Wakey Monkey

Runner Up: All Good Things Bakery

Favorite Fast Food

First Place: Buck’s Pizza

Second Place: Taco Bell

Runner Up: Wendy’s

Favorite Fine Dining

First Place: Newman’s Restaurant at Orchard Inn

Second Place: Caro-Mi Dining Room

Runner Up: Purple Onion

Favorite Kids Menu

First Place: Calvert’s Kitchen

Second Place: Trade Street Diner

Runner Up: Sully’s Place

Favorite Mexican Food

First Place: El Campesino

Second Place: Cocula’s Mexican Grill

Runner Up: Guerrero’s

Favorite Place for a Burger

First Place: Green River Barbecue

Second Place: Southside Smokehouse

Runner Up: Calvert’s Kitchen

Favorite Place for a Chicken Sandwich

First Place: Southern Manners

Second Place: Southside Smokehouse

Runner Up: Calvert’s Kitchen

Favorite Place for Steak

First Place: Southside Smokehouse

Second Place: Bowen’s Landing

Runner Up: Brooks Tavern

Favorite Place for an Appetizer

First Place: Southside Smokehouse

Second Place: The Brick

Runner Up: Relish

Favorite Place for Breakfast

First Place: Southern Manners

Second Place: Trade Street Diner

Runner Up: Waffle House

Favorite Place for French Fries

First Place: Iron Key Brewing Company

Second Place: Mountain View BBQ

Runner Up: Calvert’s Kitchen

Favorite Place for Hot Dogs

First Place: Calvert’s Kitchen

Second Place: Trade Street Diner

Runner Up: Kirk’s Kitchen

Favorite Place for Ice Cream

First Place: Crossroads Ice Cream & Coffee

Second Place: Trade Street Diner

Runner Up: Looking Glass Creamery

Favorite Place for Lunch

First Place: Southside Smokehouse

Second Place: Calvert’s Kitchen

Runner Up: Mountain View BBQ

Favorite Place for Mixed Drinks

First Place: Southside Smokehouse

Second Place: Sidestreet Pizza

Runner Up: Hare and Hound

Favorite Place for Pizza

First Place: Sidestreet Pizza

Second Place: The Brick

Runner Up: Wolverine Pizza

Favorite Place for Seafood

First Place: Caro-Mi Dining Room

Second Place: Southside Smokehouse

Runner Up: Calvert’s Kitchen

Favorite Place for Wings

First Place: Sidestreet Pizza 

Second Place: Southside Smokehouse

Runner Up: Mountain View BBQ

Favorite Restaurant In Columbus

First Place: Iron Key Brewing Company

Second Place: Calvert’s Kitchen

Runner Up: Mountain View BBQ

Favorite Restaurant In Landrum

First Place: Southside Smokehouse

Second Place: Caro-Mi Dining Room

Runner Up: Southern Manners

Favorite Restaurant in Saluda

First Place: Green River BBQ

Second Place: Purple Onion

Runner Up: Ward’s Grill

Favorite Restaurant In Tryon

First Place: Side Street Pizza

Second Place: Nana’s Kitchen

Runner Up: Trade Street Diner

Favorite Vineyard/Winery

First Place: Parker-Binns Vineyard

Second Place: Overmountain Vineyards

Runner Up: Mountain Brook Vineyards

Favorite Campground

First Place: Emberglow

Second Place: Silver Creek Campground

Runner Up: Orchard Lake Campground

Favorite Farmers Market

First Place: Landrum Farmers Market

Second Place: Columbus Farmer’s Market

Runner Up: Eubanks Farm Store

Favorite Golf Course

First Place: Tryon Country Club

Second Place: Links O’ Tryon

Runner Up: Meadowbrook Golf Course

Favorite House of Worship

First Place: The Well

Second Place: West Point Baptist Church

Runner Up: Big Level Baptist

Favorite Live Music Venue

First Place: Tryon International Equestrian Center

Second Place: Roger’s Park

Runner Up: Tryon Fine Arts Center

Favorite Local Festival or Event

First Place: Tryon Beer Fest

Second Place: Fabulous 4th

Runner Up: Coon Dog Day

Favorite Place to Hike

First Place: FENCE

Second Place: Bradley Falls

Runner Up: Adawehi Trails

Favorite Acupuncture / Wellness Office

First Place: Clover Acupuncture and Wellness

Second Place: To the Point Healthcare

Runner Up: Adawehi Wellness

Favorite Chiropractic Office

First Place: AlignLife Chiropractic

Second Place: Radix Family Chiropractic

Runner Up: Carolina Chiropractic Plus

Favorite Dental Office

First Place: Wood Creek Dental

Second Place: Parkside Dental

Runner Up: Columbus Family Dental

Favorite Doctor’s Office

First Place: Family Physicians of Landrum

Second Place: Advent Internal Medicine

Runner Up: Blue Ridge Health

Favorite Massage / Spa Center

First Place: Vibes Massage and Spa

Second Place: Wildflower Wellness

Runner Up: Adawehi Wellness

Favorite Pharmacy

First Place: Landrum Drug Co.

Second Place: Foothills Pharmacy

Runner Up: CVS-Columbus

Favorite Retirement Community or Assisted Living

First Place: Tryon Estates

Second Place: White Oak

Runner Up: Autumn Care of Saluda

Favorite Veterinary Office

First Place: Bonnie Brae Veterinary Hospital

Second Place: All God’s Creatures Animal Hospital

Runner Up: All Seasons Veterinary Hospital

Favorite Place to Work (1-10 Employees)

First Place: Salon 3:15

Second Place: Alignlife of Tryon

Runner Up: Vibes Massage and Spa

Favorite Place to Work (11-25 Employees)

First Place: Green River BBQ

Second Place: Parker-Binns Vineyard

Runner Up: Price Services Heating and Air

Favorite Place to Work (26-50 Employees)

First Place: Stott’s Ford

Second Place: Bonnie Brae Veterinary Hospital

Runner Up: Town of Tryon

Favorite Place to Work (51+ Employees)

First Place: Polk County Schools

Second Place: Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Runner Up: Polk County Local Government

Favorite Chiropractor

First Place: Dr. Clay Baker 

Second Place: Dr. Bob Lilly 

Runner Up: Dr. Lealand Fagan

Favorite Dentist

First Place: Dr. Levi Hunt

Second Place: Dr. John Moneyhun

Runner Up: Dr. David Krishingner

Favorite Doctor

First Place: Dr. Jeffrey Viar

Second Place: Dr. George Kim

Runner Up: Dr. John Kornmayer

Favorite Electrician

First Place: Becker Electric

Second Place: Danny Willis Electric

Runner Up: Family Electrical Services

Favorite Hairstylist

First Place: Carla Sain

Second Place: Tristin Hyder

Runner Up: Savannah Hartsell

Favorite Home Builder or Contractor

First Place: Highland Construction and Design

Second Place: Paul Yoder

Runner Up: Junge Construction

Favorite Insurance Agent

First Place: Tiffany Freel

Second Place: Cathy Stott

Runner Up: Renae Dusenbury Waldmen

Favorite Law Enforcement Officer

First Place: Amy Ferguson

Second Place: Caleb Edwards

Runner Up: Daryll Bailey

Favorite Mechanic

First Place: Ben Dimsdale

Second Place: Brandon Searcy

Runner Up: Nick Kniffin

Favorite Minister

First Place: Brannon Poore

Second Place: Jeff Harris

Runner Up: Mark Bishop

Favorite Photographer

First Place: Carri Bass

Second Place: Rebecca Blanton

Runner Up: Kelli Duncan

Favorite Real Estate Agent

First Place: Jeremy Wood

Second Place: Stewart Cameron

Runner Up: Bonnie Lingerfelt

Favorite Server

First Place: Amanda Belue – Southside Smokehouse

Second Place: Pam Owensby – Calvert’s Kitchen

Runner Up: Myra Padgett – Caro-Mi Dining Room

Favorite Veterinarian

First Place: Dr. Stephen Etter/BB

Second Place: Dr. Iain Fitch

Runner Up: Dr. Christina Chumbler

Favorite Antique Store

First Place: Tryon Antique Mall

Second Place: Shops of LAM

Runner Up: Old Mill Market Square

Favorite Art Gallery

First Place: Mirrorball Gallery

Second Place: Tryon Arts & Crafts

Runner Up: Tryon Painters & Sculptors

Favorite Auto Parts Store

First Place: Advance Auto Parts

Second Place: CarQuest

Runner Up: O’Reilly Auto Parts

Favorite Bank / Credit Union

First Place: Hometrust Bank

Second Place: SECU

Runner Up: First Citizens Bank

Favorite Feed Store

First Place: Tim Edwards Landscape & Feed Store

Second Place: The Hay Rack

Runner Up: Tractor Supply

Favorite Financial Planner

First Place: Mike Ashworth – Ashworth Financial

Second Place: Jay Geddings – Edward Jones

Runner Up: Beth Head – Edward Jones

Favorite Floral Shop

First Place: Four Winds Florist

Second Place: Bodega Noir

Runner Up: Brett Auston Floral & Gift Boutique

Favorite Funeral Home

First Place: Petty’s Funeral Home

Second Place: McFarland Funeral Chapel and Crematory

Runner Up: Sander’s Funeral Home

Favorite Garden Center / Nursery

First Place: Avery Creek Nursery

Second Place: Tim Edwards Landscaping

Runner Up: Down to Earth

Favorite Gift Shop

First Place: Wild Petunia’s

Second Place: Gunner’s Haven

Runner Up: Mountain Trail Soap Co.

Favorite Gym / Fitness Center

First Place: Tryon Health and Fitness Club

Second Place: Burn 31 Fitness

Runner Up: Foothills Movement

Favorite Hair Salon

First Place: Salon 3:15

Second Place: Haven Salon

Runner Up: Main Street Salon

Favorite HVAC Service Provider

First Place: Price Services Heating and Air

Second Place: All Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning

Runner Up: Barton Brothers

Favorite Insurance Agency

First Place: State Farm – Tiffany Freel 

Second Place: Main Street Insurance

Runner Up: Farm Bureau

Favorite Landscaping Company

First Place: JB Trees and Scapes

Second Place: Kropp’s Land Management

Runner Up: Barber Landscaping

Favorite Non-Profit

First Place: Steps to Hope

Second Place: Hope Chest

Runner Up: FENCE

Favorite Outdoor Recreation Company

First Place: Green River Adventures

Second Place: The Gorge Zipline

Runner Up: Adairs Rod and Gun Supply

Favorite Pest Control Service Provider

First Place: Nelon-Cole Termite and Pest Control

Second Place: Justice & Son Exterminating

Runner Up: Recon Pest Control

Favorite Place for an Oil Change

First Place: Stott’s Ford

Second Place: Landrum Lube

Runner Up: Daniel’s Auto Service

Favorite Place for Tires

First Place: Dills Tire

Second Place: Stotts Ford

Runner Up: Pierce Tire

Favorite Real Estate Agency

First Place: Tryon Foothills Realty

Second Place: Coldwell Banker Advantage

Runner Up: Walker, Wallace & Emerson Realty

Favorite Self Storage Company

First Place: Keystone Storage

Second Place: Searcy Automotive and Storage

Runner Up: Rowe Storage

Favorite Service Organization

First Place: Steps to Hope

Second Place: Outreach

Runner Up: Share Thy Bread

Favorite Tree Service

First Place: JB Trees

Second Place: Expert Tree Solutions

Runner Up: Epperson Tree Service