Best Flooring
BROTHERS FLOORING & DESIGN
Step in to Brothers Flooring and be prepared to spend a few minutes investigating the countless irresistibly tactile displays of carpet, wood, engineered wood, tile and luxury vinyl plank. And when you're ready to get serious about choosing your flooring, there's always a friendly and knowledgeable staff member ready to help determine what type of material works best for your projects. But even with all that on-site expertise, don't try to choose flooring based on what it looks like in the shop. At Brothers, you'll be sure to leave with ample samples to test out in your own space. Once you've made the perfect choice, you'll have all the help you need in getting it installed. (AM)
2nd PLACE: United Floor Covering
3rd PLACE: Caruso's Floors
Best Homebuilder
Best Remodeler
BUILT ON TRUST
Lonnie Edwards, owner and founder of Built on Trust, takes quality control seriously. In fact, he says he still finds himself wielding equipment on job sites a few days a month — that's while Built on Trust completes five to 12 custom homes a year. And he doesn't mind at all when inspectors show up. "Everybody always wants to complain when an inspector is onsite," Edwards says. "If I miss something, I want it to get caught." He keeps clients happy by almost never running over budget, while shouldering all the worries along the way. Edwards likens the emotions around building and moving into a new home as to how you feel when you get a brand-new car. "We're gonna have fun building your house," he says. (AM)
BEST HOMEBUILDER
2nd PLACE: Strohmaier Construction
3rd PLACE: (tie) Condron Homes; Greenstone Homes
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Atlas Building Group
BEST REMODELER
2nd PLACE: Strohmaier Construction
3rd PLACE: Levi's Custom Carpentry
Best Local Garden Supply / Nursery
RITTERS GARDEN CENTER & NURSERY
Ritters' superb plant collections are obviously a top draw for customers all year around. While the plants are gorgeous, it's the helpful, easy-to-grasp signage that takes the mystery out of how to maintain that new plant once you get it home. Plants are rated on how easy or difficult they are to grow, the amount of light and water needed, and even what type of pot they'll thrive in — and Ritters stocks plant containers aplenty. But you'll be missing out if you don't take some time to browse the beautifully curated displays of merchandise in the store including loads of kitchen accessories, delightful lotions and soaps, and some beautiful garden-related books. (AM)
2nd PLACE: The Plant Farm
3rd PLACE: Judy's Enchanted Garden
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Vanhoff's Garden Center, Coeur d'Alene
HOLLIDAY HEATING + COOLING + ELECTRIC
Whether there's a swirling blizzard or a blistering heat dome outside your four walls, Holliday Heating + Cooling has more than 30 years experience in keeping the indoor climate perfectly attuned to your comfort. Inlander readers expressed confidence in Holliday for snappy repair of all types of heating and cooling systems, as well as help choosing and installing new systems, including the less-common but environmentally friendly geothermal systems that can help save up to 70 percent on utility bills. If you've already got a quote, Holliday is happy to offer a free second opinion. (AM)
2nd PLACE: Sturm Heating & Air Conditioning
3rd PLACE: Bill's Heating & A/C, Post Falls
Best Landscaping Firm
COPPERCREEK LANDSCAPING
Who doesn't want a backyard oasis — maybe complete with a fire pit, swimming pool or hot tub? Or perhaps an outdoor kitchen adjacent to a gently splashing water feature that's perfectly lit at night? Coppercreek is ready to help out your outdoor infrastructure, including landscaping — that includes choosing and siting trees, shrubs, container plants, ground covers and perennials — and also designing and crafting hardscape, such as walls and stairs. Beyond that, you'll find plenty of expertise in creating dreamy outdoor living spaces, water features and sport courts. Whatever your yard-dreams, Coppercreek Landscaping founder (and WSU grad) Matt Barton's team is ready to assist. (AM)
2nd PLACE: Blend Outdoor Design
3rd PLACE: Dryland Revival
Best Local Hardware Store
RIVER RIDGE HARDWARE
Tucked in next to the beautiful vintage brick Finch Elementary, River Ridge Hardware of course has the requisite mind-boggling and essential arrays of tools and plumbing parts, as well as a paint counter to get the perfect color for whatever project is on your list. But there's so much more: yard and garden accessories — including a selection of adorable garden boots — in one corner, a custom frame shop for your latest art collectible, and you can rent pretty much any tool under the sun. And if you poke around, you'll see someone has a sense of fun, because mixed among the "serious adulting" necessities are... toys, including an engaging selection of jigsaw puzzles and a display of Wabobas, a colorful tossable that you'll just have to see to understand. (AM)
2nd PLACE: Miller's Hardware
3rd PLACE: The General Store
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Seright's Ace Hardware, Rathdrum
Best Roofing Firm
GLACIER ROOFING AND EXTERIORS, SPOKANE AND COEUR D'ALENE
You gotta have a roof over your head, and the folks at Glacier Roofing get Inlander readers' votes for being the best in their business in the Inland Northwest. Clients start with a free inspection and assessment of the current roof's condition and obligation-free advice on the best path forward. Did you know there are no fewer than seven different types of roofing? From standard asphalt shingles to stone-coated steel to metal panels and concrete tiles, Glacier Roofing literally has you, and your home, covered, with more than 20 years of experience on hundreds of roofing projects. (AM)
2nd PLACE: J&A Roofing
3rd PLACE: Patriot Roofing & Exteriors
Best Windows
PELLA WINDOWS & DOORS
In addition to making an aesthetic statement, windows have to be tough, yet see-through; they allow sunshine in, but turn away rain, snow, graupel and smoke. So when you're in the market for windows, you want to actually see what you're getting. At the Pella showroom, you can slide out huge panels of installed windows from their window "library" — operate the window, gaze through it, examine the differences between vinyl, wood and fiberglass frames, compare traditional and contemporary options. Black frames are in, and happily the wait time for new windows is back down to four to eight weeks after pandemic supply chain issues. (AM)
2nd PLACE: River City Glass
3rd PLACE: The Coeur d'Alene Window Co.
READER COMMENTS
Best Kitchen Store
THE KITCHEN ENGINE
"Spokane classic with the best brands." (Jerome S.); "Huge amount of product, and the staff is helpful." (Leslie M.); "They. Have. Everything." (Vicki T.); "Top quality and service. Returns no problem. Free parking." (Nancy C.)
2nd PLACE: The Culinary Stone, CDA
3rd PLACE: Kitchen Kraft
Best Bank
WASHINGTON TRUST BANK
"The community is so important to Washington Trust." (Tashara K.); "Love my branch. They know my name and tend to keep their employees." (Char P.); "Always treat you like you own the bank!" (Larry M.); Local, professional, helpful. (Sharon W.); "They go the extra mile to help." (Carrie K.)
2nd PLACE: Banner Bank
3rd PLACE: Wheatland Bank
Best Retirement/Senior Living Facility
ROCKWOOD RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES
"The residents and employees are one big happy family. They also serve our community well." (Amy S.); "Super nice and caring staff." (Thomas O.); "Best floor plans, friendly staff, great activities, programs, music, lectures, movies." (Royce G.)
2nd PLACE: Touchmark
3rd PLACE: Fairwood Retirement Village
Best Plumbing Firm
GOLD SEAL PLUMBING
"On time, communication, no hard sales, honest pricing and getting the job done!" (Dan W.); "They come quickly when you have a problem, and they get it fixed. (Marian F.); "Gold Seal is always friendly and professional!" (Kristie W.)
2nd PLACE: Bulldog Rooter
3rd PLACE: Peck Plumbing & Heating
Best Credit Union
STCU
"I switched to STCU years ago, and every employee has been amazing. Plus you can't beat their programs and rates." (Megan S.); "Best billboards!" (Ashley W.); "People-first credit union with a huge impact on the community. Made a huge difference during and after the Medical Lake and Grey fires this year." (Joel S.); "If you have to ask, you've never been a member." (Rob R.)
2nd PLACE: Numerica
3rd PLACE: Canopy Credit Union
Best Furniture
Best Home Decor Shop
TIN ROOF
"All around amazing furniture, beautiful and timeless." (Erin C.); "I like that they have designers working there to help customers." (April L.); "They stood behind their product even when the manufacturer didn't!" (Gary K.); "Unique pieces not seen in every other store." (Lori N.)
BEST FURNITURE
2nd PLACE: Walker's Furniture & Mattress
3rd PLACE: Dania; NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Runge Furniture
BEST HOME DECOR SHOP
2nd PLACE: The Bohemian
3rd PLACE: Chic and Shab
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Mix It Up Home, Coeur d'Alene
Best Real Estate Agent
MARIANNE BORNHOFT, WINDERMERE
"Personality, smart, makes you feel like you're the most important client she has. And a hard worker." (Lyndia D.); "She's an amazing Realtor and does a lot for the community." (Sandy M.); "Excellent responsiveness, intuitive market sense." (Chris L.); "Marianne makes and keeps strong relationships while offering mentorship and example-setting along the way." (Christopher R.)
2nd PLACE: Samara Behler, eXp Realty
3rd PLACE: Alyssa Curnutt, REAL Broker
Best Local Person Who Needs a Street Named After Them
BING CROSBY
2nd PLACE: Rick Clark of Giving Back Spokane
3rd PLACE: Mark Few
BING CROSBY: "I mean, he's the most well known and it kinda just flows..." (Brandon N.); "Maybe if the city named a street after him, the streets might get plowed promptly at White Christmas time." (Ron H.).
RICK CLARK: "Rick has done so much for the Spokane community. So many people need help where we live, and Rick does his absolute best to help as many people as he can. More people should have a caring heart like Rick!" (Mandie H.).
MARK FEW: "700 Wins = Street." (Ryan S.).
OTHER TOP VOTE-GETTERS: Harold Balazs, Cami Bradley, King Cole, Helga Estby, May Arkwright Hutton, Carl Maxey, Anne McClain, Craig T. Nelson, Ryne Sandberg, John Stockton, Julia Sweeney, Sydney Sweeney, Billy Tipton, Percy "Happy" Watkins, Elizabeth Welty, Willie Wiley, Sandy Williams, Walt Worthy.
