Goods & Services Women’s Clothing
Women are looking spiffy across our coastal abode, showing off the latest styles and trends, especially since wardrobe options abound at Island Passage. A seven-time Best Of award winner, Island Passage has been serving Wilmington, Bald Head Island and Wrightsville Beach for over 30 years. Owner Kristyn Prentice continues to work toward making the boutique the best place for women’s clothing by constantly expanding brands and lines of clothes, jewelry and shoes available to women of the Port City. “Sometimes we can have three generations of women shopping with us at once, which I think is really special,” Prentice says. These women flock to the store because of Prentice and company’s constant attention to customer service. Having attended the University of Georgia for fashion merchandising, she stands by the notion that “confidence is a power tool.” With her partners Alison Drake and Beth Ogden working to make women feel good from the inside out, they’re walking examples of their own mantra. “I love making someone feel good on the inside because they look good,” Prentice confirms. “And there is always a renewed sense to be customer-service oriented at the beginning of a new year. The Best Of award confirms we should continue to always strive to put our customers first.” Aside from giving back to their customers with the finest threads, the ladies also make sure IP works closely with labels that have global appeal. One even is founded locally: Half United, which donates half of all proceeds to feed children in third-world countries. “There are so many ways the customer can give back by purchasing certain items that help others,” Prentice continues. “We [also carry] The Giving Keys, [which] help place men and women in homes and off the streets.” In 2016 they’ll continue to grow their VIP program. Interested parties can sign up at either store, Lumina Station, 1900 Eastwood Rd. Ste. 7, or downtown at 4 Market St. “It allows our customers the inside scoop on sales and events!” Prentice tells. Other nominees from the 2016 poll were Edge of Urge and Aqua Fedora.
Coffee Shop
When Port City Java opened in downtown Wilmington in 1995 (in the location now known as Slainte), not many of us could have suspected it would become an integral institution to waking us up, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. CEO Steve Schnitzler has ushered in our quintessential PCJ experience to greater heights. Schnitzler joined the PCJ ranks in 1998, leaving behind his toque as executive chef
at Front Street Brewery for two years. He began implementing the café model we now see today across the 12 locations of PCJ in Wilmington (and a new spot opening in Southport soon)—not to mention the other 17 shops found every where from SC to DC to Abu Dhabi. That’s right! Port City Java isn’t just a local’s java joint, its coffee is globally craved. “We have the best guests, and each day we continue to build lasting relationships with them,” local marketing assistant KC Hackney says. Hackney speaks from experience, as she has worked as a barista, baker and manager for Port City Java for eight years. Hackney stands behind PCJ’s locally roasted beans, which are housed in their own bakery and distribution center. “As the coffee industry focuses on smallbatch roasts and new ways of brewing the perfect cup, we hope to make it easy for our fans to have access to new and interesting coffees,” Hackney says. Though their 18 wins center on coffee— organic and fair trade, nonetheless—PCJ offers so much more. They serve breakfast and lunch food stuff, as well thirst-quenchers, like Italian sodas, made with Monin syrups, milkshakes and teas—including a new iced green tea they’ll begin serving in April. “Knowing our guests think of us as their number one coffee shop makes us work even harder toward being their number one shop next year!” Hackney promises. Other cups of Joe making it onto 2016’s list include Grinders and Java Dog.
BREWED TO WIN: KC Hackney, Nichole Lee and Rachel Guthrie accept another win for Port City Java as Best Coffee Shop 2016. Photo by Chris Brehmer Photography
“I have always loved food and fell in love with the little markets I was used to going to when living in Florida and visiting NY,” she tells. “I wanted to recreate that feel in a market not saturated with these types of shops.” Today both Christi and Kathy are proud of the customer base they’ve built, which
extends beyond the restaurant and market and into the community at large with their full-fledged catering business. Christi credits their attentive customer service as a cornerstone of their growth and opportunity. “We have a very personal staff and do our best to greet our customers by name,” she explains. “There is always pressure to better ourselves and take things to the next level; I think that what makes all of the Best Of winners stand out.” An array of “e” awards pepper the market,
Gourmet Store
For 12 wins now, Pine Valley Market has cornered the gourmet-store experience locally. The quaint shop (3520 S. College Rd.) not only has delicious and homemade frozen meals and a butcher shop, they serve tons of wine and beer, cheese and accoutrements, as well as breakfast and lunch for diners to enjoy onsite or as takeout. Plus, they just launched their Tuesday and Thursday supper club, which allows customers to order meals for around $10 a person to pick up between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to take home, heat and serve. PVM goes above and beyond to make sure everything they sell in house is top-quality and fits within their business paradigm. “We are always looking for new local, and regional products, as well as small companies with great products and cool backstories,” owner Christi Ferretti says. “Supporting family-run small businesses like ours is our focus. Currently, we are introducing some regional fully grass-fed beef and locally and humanely raised poultry products.” Ferretti and her partner Kathy WebbFerretti took over the market in 2004 after moving to Wilmington from St. Petersburg, Florida. Kathy lived in Wilmington before as a college student; however, it was Christi’s first and last time visiting. Her next return would be as a resident and business owner. encore | march 9 – 15, 2016 | www.encorepub.com 31