Once again we asked residents of Federal Way who was the best at what they do.
This year, there were the usual categories of service, shopping, food, living and nightlife, and a total of 74 awards. Below is the entire list of your winners, handpicked by you. (SEE PHOTOS)
We received a staggering number of these submissions in both print and online. Some of you, as always, get creative in your picks and in your answers.
For instance, when asked the country you were from, some chimed in with King and Pierce rather than the U.S. Apparently these folks want to secede from the union. Perhaps they should move to Boulder, CO. One entry listed FW Automotive as the best adult care center. Apparently their car is really old. An entry for best auto dealership listed the pygmy goats as a selling point. Perhaps they will buy a truck to haul these goats. One can only hope they weren’t referring to any of the employees.
A number of folks listed the WA State Liquor Control Board as their favorite wine store. This occurred in a number of entries. This was not to be outdone by the folks that simply listed Federal Way as their favorite wine store. I suppose when you need a good bottle of wine, anywhere counts.
Humor aside, none of this would be possible without the support of you, the reader. Your commitment to filling out the ballots and submitting them is what makes this program a success. The businesses that place as finalists and win these awards take this seriously. They want to be the best and go to great strides to ensure that they are.
We hope you enjoy the results along with the messages from the businesses and groups for which you voted. Thanks for making Federal Way a great city.
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BEST OF 2012 AWARD WINNERS (by category)
SERVICE
Adult In-Home Care
Comfort Keepers – 1st
Home Instead Senior Care – 2nd
Just Like Home Adult Family Home, LLC. – 3rd
Auto Body / Collision
Bob Bjorneby’s CARSTAR Federal Way Collision – 1st
Precision Collision Auto Body – 2nd
Sparks Car Care – 3rd
Auto Repair Shop
Sparks Car Care – 1st
Walt’s Auto Care Centers – 2nd
Eagle Tire & Automotive – 3rd
Auto Technician / Location
Toby Gribble/ Sparks Car Care – 1st
Merle Pfeifer / Sparks Car Care – 2nd
Eagle Tire / Craig Richland – 3rd
Bank / Credit Union
BECU – 1st
Heritage Bank – 2nd
Red Canoe Credit Union – 3rd
Barber Shop
Gents Fine Grooming for Men – 1st
Big Jer’s Barber & Style – 2nd
SportClips – 3rd
Barista / Location
Maria Kuehlthau / Marista’s – 1st
Emma Gremer / Starbucks on 320th – 2nd
Kelsey Pyper / Marista’s – 3rd
Bartender / Location
Bart Henning / Puerto Vallarta Twin Lakes – 1st
Scott Blanco / Time Out Ale House – 2nd
Pete Houillon / Billy McHale’s – 3rd
Chiropractor
Summers Chiropractic & Massage – 1st
Dupont Chiropractic Center – 2nd
Wolf Chiropractic – 3rd
Day Care
KinderCare Learning Centers – 1st
La Petite Academy – 2nd
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Preschool – 3rd
Day Spa
8th Day Spa – 1st
MeMe & Company – 2nd
Twin Lakes Hair Salon – 3rd
Dentist
Dr. Kenneth Brossel, DDS – 1st
Dr. Robin Reinke, DDS – 2nd
Dr. Stacy R. Kanda, DDS – 3rd
Fitness Facility / Location
LA Fitness – 1st
24 Hour Fitness – 2nd
Federal Way Community Center – 3rd
Hair Salon
Twin Lakes Hair Salon – 1st
MeMe & Company – 2nd
Gene Juarez Salons & Spas – 3rd
Healthcare Professionals
Jade River Acupuncture – 1st
Virginia Mason – 2nd
Group Health – 3rd
Insurance Agent / Company
Jeff & Kathy Burnett / Allstate – 1st
Carrie Kuhel / State Farm – 2nd
Karl Kuntz / American Family Insurance – 3rd (tie)
AAA Washington – 3rd (tie)
Massage Therapist
Rachel Valik, LMP / Summers Chiropractic & Massage – 1st
Dana Quade – 2nd
Phoenix M. Alexander, Licensed Massage Practitioner – 3rd (tie)
Dr. Jeanine Wolf / Wolf Chiropractic Center – 3rd (tie)
Nail Salon
Twin Lakes Hair Salon – 1st
Tip Top Nails – 2nd
8th Day Spa – 3rd
Pet Groomer
Simply Paws – 1st
Petsmart – 2nd
Biscuits Federal Way – 3rd
Portrait Studio / Photographer
Ed Streit Images – 1st
Yuen Lui – 2nd
Picture Me Portrait Studios – 3rd
Real Estate Agent / Company
Jackie King / Better Properties – 1st
Debi Braulik / Keller Williams – 2nd
Lori DeVore / John L Scott – 3rd
Senior Living Facility
Village Green Retirement Campus – 1st (tie)
Foundation House of Federal Way – 1st (tie)
Just Like Home Adult Family Home, LLC. – 3rd
Travel Agency
AAA – Federal Way – 1st
Sea and Sand Travel – 2nd
Travelocity – 3rd
Tutor
Sylvan Learning of Federal Way – 1st
Treehouse – 2nd (tie)
Monique Basle / Spring Valley Montessori – 2nd (tie)
Mathnasium of Federal Way – 2nd (tie)
Veterinarian
Sacajawea Healthcare for Pets – 1st
Cascade Veterinary Hospital – 2nd
Twin Lakes Veterinary Hospital – 3rd
Waiter / Location
Dustin Vistante / Puerto Vallarta – 1st
Saif Shihab / Gyro House – 2nd
Sonny Roberts / Black Bear Diner – 3rd
Waitress / Location
Angie Diviney / Black Bear Diner – 1st
Nicole Masseth / Puerto Vallarta – 2nd
Sabrina Lehman / Time Out Ale House – 3rd
Yoga
Hot Yoga – 1st
Three Trees Yoga & Healing Arts Center – 2nd
Bamboo Asana Yoga – 3rd
SHOPPING
Auto Parts
O’Reilly Auto Parts – 1st
G&M Honest Performance – 2nd
AutoZone Auto Parts – 3rd
Beer Store
99 Bottles – 1st
Safeway / 320th – 2nd
Fred Meyer – 3rd
Car Dealership
Jet Chevrolet – 1st
Scarff Ford in Auburn – 2nd
Doxon Toyota of Auburn – 3rd
Clothing Store
Macy’s – 1st
Sears – 2nd
Ross Dress for Less – 3rd
Discount Store
Walmart – 1st
Costco – 2nd
Ross Dress for Less – 3rd
Grocery Store
Trader Joe’s – 1st
Fred Meyer – 2nd
WinCo Foods – 3rd
Hardware / Lumber Store
New Lumber & Hardware Co. – 1st
Home Depot – 2nd
Ace Hardware (Dash Point) – 3rd
Jewelry Store
Jeffrey’s Jewelers – 1st
Federal Way Custom Jewelers – 2nd
Weisfield Jewelers – 3rd
Nursery & Garden Center
Branches Garden Center – 1st
Lowe’s – 2nd
Home Depot – 3rd
Pet Store
Petco – 1st (tie)
Petsmart – 1st (tie)
Simply Paws – 3rd
Second Hand Store
Goodwill – 1st
Deseret Industries – 2nd
Heaven Sent – 3rd
Shopping Center
The Commons at Federal Way – 1st
Federal Way Crossings – 2nd
Kent Station – 3rd
Tire Store
Les Schwab – 1st
Discount Tire – 2nd
Sparks Car Care – 3rd
Wine Store
Trader Joe’s – 1st
99 Bottles – 2nd
Costco – 3rd
FOOD
Asian
Indochine Seafood and Satay Bar – 1st
Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse – 2nd (tie)
Garden Korean Cuisine – 2nd (tie)
Bakery
Great Harvest Bread Co. – 1st
Panera Bread – 2nd
Wild Wheat Bakery Café & Restaurant – 3rd
Barbecue
Billy McHale’s – 1st
Jimmy Mac’s Roadhouse – 2nd
Pitmasters – 3rd
Brunch / Breakfast
Black Bear Diner – 1st
Salty’s – 2nd
Poverty Bay Coffee Company – 3rd
Buffet
Old Country Buffet – 1st
Mika Japanese Buffet – 2nd
East India Grill – 3rd
Caterer
Café Pacific – 1st
Caveman Kitchen – 2nd
3 Chicks Catering – 3rd
Coffee/Latte/Mocha
Poverty Bay Coffee Company – 1st
Starbucks / 320th – 2nd
Marista’s – 3rd
Deli / Sandwich
Subway – 1st
3 Dog Deli – 2nd
Poverty Bay Coffee Company – 3rd
Family
Red Robin – 1st
Black Bear Diner – 2nd
IHOP – 3rd
Hamburger
Fatburger – 1st
Red Robin – 2nd
Burger Express – 3rd
Ice Cream
SubZero – 1st
Cold Stone Creamery – 2nd
Baskin Robbins – 3rd
Indian
East India Grill – 1st
Indochine Seafood and Satay Bar – 2nd
5-way tie for 3rd
Italian
Vince’s – 1st
Olive Garden – 2nd
Gino’s Bistro – 3rd
Mexican
Azteca – 1st
Puerto Vallarta Family Mexican Restaurants – 2nd
Chipotle Mexican Grill – 3rd
Pizza
Round Table Pizza – 1st
The Rock – 2nd
Pizza Hut – 3rd
Seafood
Salty’s – 1st
McGrath’s – 2nd
Red Lobster – 3rd
Steakhouse
Black Angus Steakhouse – 1st
Outback Steakhouse – 2nd
Jimmy Mac’s Roadhouse – 3rd
LIVING
Best Cop
Andy Hwang – 1st
Brian Wilson – 2nd
Josh Matt – 3rd
Best Firefighter
Gordon Olson – 1st
Al Church – 2nd
Steve Hopf – 3rd
City Leader
Skip Priest – 1st
Jack Dovey – 2nd
Linda Kochmar – 3rd
Community Volunteer
Merle Pfeifer – 1st
Janice Siebenaler – 2nd
Cindy Ducich – 3rd
Educational Facility
Sylvan Learning of Federal Way – 1st
Highline Community College – 2nd
DeVry University – 3rd
Kids Activity
Wild Waves Theme Park – 1st
Federal Way Community Center – 2nd
King County Aquatic Center – 3rd
Local Charity / Non Profit
Multi-Service Center – 1st
FUSION – 2nd
Communities in Schools – 3rd
Place to Work
Federal Way Community Center – 1st
Home Instead – 2nd
Microsoft – 3rd
School
Federal Way High School – 1st
Decatur High School – 2nd
Todd Beamer High School – 3rd
Teacher / School
Cheryl Stark / Panther Lake Elementary – 1st (tie)
Kristin Norgard / Rainier View Elementary School – 1st (tie)
Luke Thompson / Decatur High School – 3rd
Tourist Attraction
Wild Waves Theme Park – 1st
Federal Way Farmer’s Market – 2nd
Dash Point State Park – 3rd
NIGHTLIFE
Bar / Night Club
Muckleshoot Casino – 1st
Scoreboard Pub – 2nd
Puerto Vallarta Family Mexican Restaurants – 3rd
Casino
Muckleshoot Casino – 1st
Iron Horse Casino – 2nd
Emerald Queen – 3rd
Local Arts Group
Centerstage Theatre – 1st
Federal Way Symphony – 2nd
Jet Cities Chorus – 3rd
Movie Theatre
Gateway Movies 8 – 1st
Century 16 Movie Theatre – 2nd
AMC Kent Station – 3rd