Sunday 20 July 2008
Creo Productions co-founders Aaron Carriere and Andrew Tingley in their Heartside studio | © Brian Kelly

Make It Your Business

Online voting is now underway for the 18th Annual Neighborhood Business Awards. This year's field of nominees includes nearly 90 new and longstanding local businesses and organizations from neighborhoods across the city. The awards are designed to honor those businesses and civic groups that contribute directly to the vitality of the City of Grand Rapids.

Public voting for all 10 categories opened on October 25, 2007 and winners will be announced at a gala event the evening of November 8, 2007 at the Wealthy Street Theatre. The free event, sponsored by the Neighborhood Business Alliance and Neighborhood Ventures, begins at 5 p.m. and is open to the public.

Best New Business

Accents Gallery and Supplies (West Fulton)
324
Bloom Restaurant (East Hills)
178
Bobby J’s (Heartside)
138
Bravo Market (West Fulton)
20
David and Bathsheba (East Hills)
89
El Chisme (Seymour Square)
12
Food Smith (Heartside)
57
Gathering Grounds (Alger Heights)
131
GV’s Clothing Store (West Leonard)
12
Lavanderia Jalisco (Burton Heights)
13
Mangiamo (East Hills)
104
Nantucket Baking Company (Michigan Street)
109
Pink Blvd (East Hills)
366
Rosa’s Restaurant (Burton Heights)
45
Sundae’s In the Heights (Alger Heights)
325
The Photography Room (Heartside)
55
Total Responses: 1978

Best Longstanding Business

Ferris Nut and Coffee (Stockbridge)
166
George Katsoris Shoe Repair (Eastown)
72
Harvest Health (Seymour Square)
181
J. Taylor Electric (Madison Square)
45
Jurgens and Holtvluwer Mens Store (West Fulton)
58
Kingma’s Produce (Chesire)
265
Klienman’s Mens Clothing (Division South)
13
Mahogany Island of Beauty (Boston Square)
73
Mikas Boutique (Franklin Eastern)
22
Modern Hardware (Boston Square)
264
Pickwick Tavern (East Hills)
211
Real Food Café (Alger Heights)
443
Standard Lumber (Boston Square)
17
Swift Printing (Stockbridge)
99
Viking Fitness (Burton Heights)
24
Total Responses: 1953

Best Use of a Sign or Awning

Bobby J’s (Chesire)
329
City Life Church (Division South)
183
Martha’s Vineyard (Michigan Street)
851
NAI West Michigan (Heartside)
136
Total Responses: 1499

Best Window Display

Amy’s Fashion’s and Joe’s Western Wear (Burton Heights)
112
Eastown Antiques (Eastown)
593
Lamb (East Hills)
344
Mena Imports (East Hills)
142
Resale with Attitude (East Fulton)
224
Total Responses: 1415

Best Exterior Renovation

Brandywine Restaurant (Eastown)
591
Cornerstone Architects (Stockbridge)
255
Hopscotch Children’s Store (East Hills)
142
Jonkhoff LLC (Division South)
27
Moxie’s Ice Cream (Michigan Street)
203
O’Brien & O’Brien, DDS (Creston)
998
P&S Party Store (Franklin Eastern)
116
537 Leonard (West Leonard)
105
Total Responses: 2437

Best Interior Renovation

Café Aromas (Grandville Ave.)
139
Graydon’s Crossing (Creston)
171
Harrison Park Elementary School
402
Hispanic Center (Grandville Ave.)
78
Home Store and Gallery (Uptown)
37
Literary Life Bookstore & More (Wealthy Street)
134
Louies and the Rocket Lounge (Stockbridge)
317
Meanwhile Bar (Wealthy Street)
239
Monarch Club (Stockbridge)
67
New Yorker Menswear (Eastown)
40
Red Ball Jet (Creston)
252
Union Square Condominiums (Stockbridge)
184
Total Responses: 2060

Best Promotional Event

Buds and Buddies, Violet Northeast Flower Shop (Michigan Street)
463
Creston Car Show, Creston Business Association (Creston)
281
Eat Local Challenge, Local First (Wealthy Street)
509
GVSU Student Transit Program, The Rapid (West Fulton)
193
Southtown banners and bike racks, Southtown Cool Cities Committee (Oakdale/Eastern)
128
Trolley Days, Uptown Planning Committee (Uptown)
178
Total Responses: 1752

Best Reuse of a Building

Craft T Café (Boston Square)
256
Douglas J. Aveda Institute (Heartside)
271
Higher Ground Rock Climbing (Monroe North)
568
Hopson Flats (Heartside)
127
Israels Designs For Living (Stockbridge)
392
Urban Family Ministries (Franklin Eastern)
175
Total Responses: 1789

Best Exterior Maintenance

Bazzani Associates (Wealthy Street)
368
Gateway at 28th Street and Division Avenue (Burton Heights)
207
Lighthouse Furnishings (East Fulton)
184
Logan’s Alley (Michigan Street)
440
Pocket Park at Wealth and Diamond, Image Shoppe (Wealthy Street)
297
Total Responses: 1496

Best New Construction

Alger Hardware (Alger Heights)
497
Cherry Street Investors LLC (East Hills)
117
Gerald R. Ford Middle School
534
Icon on Bond (Monroe North)
65
Metropolitan Park Apartments (Heartside)
132
Midtowne Village (Michigan Street)
143
Uptown Village (Wealthy Street)
175
Vern Berry Place (Heartside)
322
1423 Grandville (Grandville Ave.)
67
629 Michigan Project (Michigan Street)
105
Total Responses: 2157