Kamloops Readers Choice 2023

Welcome to the 2023 Kamloops This Week Readers’ Choice Awards, widely acknowledged as the gold standard among customer service accolades in the Tournament Capital.

The Readers’ Choice Awards are considered the cream of the crop in the local business world because it is the customers of these shops who weigh in with their votes. And, as we know, the customer (and their vote) is always right.

A Kamloops This Week Readers’ Choice Award signifies customer service like no other honour and is a benchmark against which all other businesses can measure themselves.

The 2023 Kamloops This Week Readers’ Choice Awards winners (and runners-up) are in these pages, a process that included tallying tens of thousands of votes cast in more than 200 categories,

with hundreds of businesses nominated.

The Readers’ Choice Awards date back more than a quarter-century, with some businesses featured in these pages having a long history of excellence and others just beginning their legacy.

Kamloops is fortunate to have so many community-minded, locally owned companies that are committed to quality and customer service.

Along with being a publication honouring businesses for their customer excellence, consider this your guide in finding the best of the best, businesses you can trust, when shopping in Kamloops.

When out and about, watch for the coveted Kamloops This Week Readers’ Choice Awards plaques hanging in local businesses as they are the ultimate seal of approval from your fellow residents.

We congratulate all businesses listed in this publication — and we thank them for their advertising support in these pages, in the pages of KTW and online throughout the year. Their patronage allows us to tell the stories of the city’s business community in print every week and online all the time. It also helps us support hundreds of local groups and organizations with hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising support.

The KTW Readers’ Choice Awards exemplify the power — and importance — of shopping local.

The next time someone poses a question, online or in person, asking for tips on the best restaurant or the best bicycle shop or the best dentist in Kamloops, the easy thing to do is point them to this publication (which can also be found online at kamloopsthisweek.com).

READERS CHOICE 20

ACCOMMODATION “BOH” OF THE YEAR (BACK OF HOUSE)

Adina Housekeeping

@Coast Kamloops

• Eldar Fedorchenko,Maintanance, Fairfield

• Akiko Murakami

ACCOMMODATION “FOH” OF THE YEAR (FRONT OF HOUSE)

Lina Pulido - Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre

• Myah Lawrence - The Vista Inn

• Vicki Shwydiuk

FOOD & BEVERAGE “BOH” OF THE YEAR (BACK OF HOUSE)

Sterling LamarshBright Eye Brewing

• Brittany Ferg - Zaaz Eatery And Play

• Isaac Trent, Bright Eye Brewing

FOOD & BEVERAGE “FOH” OF THE YEAR (FRONT OF HOUSE)

Karis Wilson - Local Pub & Eatery

• Erin @ Romeo’s

• Chloe Elkins, Bright Eye Brewing

TOURISM ATTRACTIONS

LEADER OF THE YEAR

BC Wildlife Park

• Zaaz Eatery And Play

• Kamloops Blazers

TOURISM SERVICES

LEADER OF THE YEAR

Terri Axani - Divine Tours

• Gary Yu

• Shannon Macneil

APPETIZERS

Arigato Sushi Aberdeen

• Bright Eye Brewing

• Señor Froggy Restaurant North Kamloops

ASIAN RESTAURANT

Arigato Sushi Aberdeen

• Blue Fish Sushi

• Jacob’s Noodle & Cutlet

• Lemongrass Vietnamese Restaurant

Staff from Black Salt Catering and Gold Leaf Pastries join for a group photograph. Black Salt Catering placed first in Catering Company and third in Charcuterie; Gold Leaf Pastries placed first in Bakery and first in Dessert categories.

Arigato Shushi in Aberdeen is first-place winner in several categories: Appetizers, Asian, Seafood and Sushi.

Moon Wok is first -place winner in both Chinese Food and Food to Have Delivered categories.

WEDNESDAY, August 30, 2023 C11 www.kamloopsthisweek.com

WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE GMC SIERRA’S 2.7L ENGINE?

2023

GMC

Powered by

ONE OF THE BEST 2023

At Zimmer Wheaton GMC Buick, our team is dedicated to providing a sales and ser vice experience like no other. Whether you are interested in purchasing a new or pre-owned GM vehicle, our sales team will treat you just the same; with respect and dedication to your satisfaction. You will see this same quality of ser vice in all of our after-sales and finance depar tments.

ZIMMER WHEATON

READERS CHOICE 20 23

BURGERS

Bright Eye Brewing

Red Robin Gourmet

Burgers And Brews

• Mr Mikes SteakhouseCasual

CAESARS (COCKTAIL)

Mccracken Station Pub

• Local Public Eatery - Kamloops

• Romeo’s Kitchen + Spirits

CHARCUTERIE

Bright Eye Brewing

• Atlas Steak + Fish

• Black Salt Catering

CHICKEN WINGS

Fox’n Hounds Pub

• McCracken Station Pub

• Duffy’s Neighbourhood Pub

CHINESE FOOD

Moon Wok Chinese Restaurant

• Oriental Gardens Restaurant Ltd.

• Shanghai Mandarin Restaurant

DESSERT

Gold Leaf Pastries

• Scoopz Ice Cream Parlour

• Kekuli Café Coffee & Bannock - Kamloops

DRINK MENU

Romeos Kitchen + Spirits

• Carlos O’Bryan’s Neighbourhood Pub

• Underbelly - By The Pig

EAST INDIAN CUISINE

Spice Indian Cuisine

• Nandi’s Flavours Of India

• Maurya’s Rest.bar.banquet

FAMILY RESTAURANT

Arigato Sushi

FAMILY RESTAURANT

Hacienda Cielito Lindo

• Harold’s Family Restaurant

FAST FOOD BREAKFAST

The Art We Are Cafe

• McDonald’s

• A&W Canada

FOOD DELIVERY SERVICE

Skip The Dishes

• Door Dash

• Save-On-Foods

Atlas Steak + Fish has cleaned up on awards this year, winning first place in the Steak category, three second-place awards for Charcuterie, Romantic Dining and Wine List and two third-place finishes in Upscale Dining and Seafood categories.

Brownstone Restaurant first-place winner in both Romantic Dining and Upscale Dining categories.

Sisters Belen (left) and owner Ana are part of the reason for the success behind Hacienda Cietlio Lindo, winning first place in both Mexican Cuisine and Family Restaurant categories.

Indian Cuisine on the North Shore is first-place winner in East Indian Cuisine category and second-place winner in Buffet category.

Jessica McMillan of Kennell’s shoes placed second in this year’s Readers’ Choice Award for Shoe

Awe-Inspiring Views and Unmatched Comfort at the Motel with the Pink Doors!

The Vista Inn is proud to provide every guest with clean and comfy suites, close to everything they might need to make their stay in Kamloops an unforgettable one! Located between Thompson Rivers University and the bustling core of downtown, our newly renovated motel is an ideal spot for families, business travelers, adventure seekers, sport fanatics and even passerbys!

Since purchasing the old Panorama Inn in 2020, Sheila Minten, the general manager of Total Concept Developments and CEO of The Vista Inn, has transformed the property, making it a desirable destination for people coming to Kamloops.

“Being recognized as one of Kamloops’ best hotels is a testament to our commitment to providing quality experiences and supporting the local economy This achievement fu els our passion to continually elevate our standards and keep providing quality experience to our guests.”

Sheila Minten, CEO of The Vista Inn

Our rooms now feature bright pink doors, and comfy King or Two-Queen beds with stunning panoramic views of the city, along with Nespresso machines and grab-and-go breakfast options! Some of the suites include kitchenette and are dog-friendly, catering to everyone’s needs.

When it comes to supporting our community, The Vista Inn is no stranger! Everything about us is local. We are locally owned and operated and purchase most hotel supplies from local businesses within BC, providing only the best quality to guests.

Revel in our warm hospitality, explore Kamloops’ wonders, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Book your stay today and be a part of our journey as we redefine hospitality!

Visit thevistainn.com for more information.

Sheila Minten

Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year finalist

EVENT PLANNER

Carilee Tate

• The Fun Factor

• Elm And Peony Events

FUNDRAISING EVENT

Rib Fest

• LooPS Guinness World Record

• Boogie The Bridge

INFLUENCER

Kevin Roy - LooPS

• Ginger Turley Artistry

• Justin Grover

LOCAL FACEBOOK PAGE

Wild Birds Unlimited

• LooPS (@Officialloopsband)

• Living And Growing Up In Kamloops

LOCAL INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT

LooPS (@Official_loops)

• Blazerhockey

• @Sagenolin

LOCAL RADIO DJ (INDIVIDUAL OR SHOW)

Cheryl And Rich

• Nikki Omen

• Casey Clark Show

LOCAL RADIO STATION

B100

• 98.3 Cifm

• Country 103.1

NICEST SMILE IN KAMLOOPS

Kevin Roy (LooPS)

• Katie Neustaeter

• Lorraine Korobanik

Kamloops Ford Lincoln staff (top photo) gather to celebrate second place in Auto Dealership (New) and (below) a staff member celebrates second place for Truck Dealership (Used) category.

Kevin Roy (left) is the winner of Best Influencer in this year’s awards. Roy can also brag about also winning the award of second-nicest smile in Kamloops, besting his bandmate, Jon Fennell, the other half of the duo known as LooPs.

Owner, Steve Warner

Owner Steve Warner and the team at Rapid Cool Mechanical want to thank Kamloops for voting them number one in heating, venting, and air conditioning. In addition to Readers’ Choice, Steve and company were recipients of the prestigious Circle of Champions Award from Bryant for a seventh consecutive year This award is given to the top one percent of Bryant dealers in North America. Rapid Cool exemplifies what it means to live in Kamloops with their commitment to quality, leadership, and excellence. Steve attributes Rapid Cool’s ongoing success to his hardworking team and community leadership. The staff at Rapid Cool are humbled by the recognition that the Readers’ Choice award brings and will continue to do “Whatever it Takes” for their clients.

second place in Furniture Store and Appliance Store categories and third place in Mattress

CHILDREN’S WEAR

The Children’s Place

• Carter’s - Oshkosh B’gosh

• The Modern Family Boutique

COLD BEER/WINE STORE

Chapters

• Legends Used Books

• Andrena’s Book Company

CANNABIS STORE (LICENSED)

Shades Of Green

Cannabis

• Fiore Fresco Cannabis Dispensary

• Canna Cabana | Kamloops Hillside | Cannabis Store

Stag’s Head Liquor Store

• Sahali Liquor Store

• Brock Centre Liquor Store

COMPUTER STORE

Kamloops Computer Centre

• Best Buy

• Simply Computing - Apple Specialist

City Furniture & Appliances sales and management staff Nav Kandola (left) Pavneet Sidhu, Ritika Rana, Harman Singh and Tanya St. Marie gather for a group photo. City Furniture & Appliances took

Store.

READERS CHOICE

CONVENIENCE STORE

Parkcrest

Neighbourhood Store

Twin Rivers Market

• Happy Valley Foods (Happy Valley Esso)

• Hasty Market

• Juniper Market

DELI

Gary’s European Sausage & Deli Ltd

• Fratelli Foods

• Fresh St. Market - Kamloops

FABRIC STORE

Fabricland

• Heather’s Fabric Shelf & Quilt Shop

FISHING STORE

Surplus Herby’s

• Casting Loops Fly & Tackle

• Canadian Tire

Tumbleweed Toys staff celebrated winning top place in two categories: Specialty Gift Shop and Toys, Games & Hobbies. From left: Kirsten Donchi, Alaina Elke, Rebecca Jones-Howe and Keri-Ann Racicot.

Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson was voted the top politician in the city.

We are here to help you in your quest to find new or used vehicles. Our dealership group has a solid history of satisfied customers. Here at Dearborn Ford, our sales and service staff are knowledgeable, committed and proud to offer the very best vehicles and related products and service. We give our all in providing customers the best car shopping experience, the Dearborn Difference.

AUTO SALESPERSON (NAME OF PERSON AND DEALERSHIP)

Jake Gelowitz (Kamloops Ford Lincoln)

• Cora Mclaren - Dearborn Ford

• Sydney Fraser - Kamloops Mazda

BANK/FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Interior Savings

BARBER SHOP

Straight 8 Barbers

• Manhandler Barber Shop

• Fade Away Barbershop

BOAT SERVICE

Domenic’s Marine Ltd.

•

BODY PIERCING STUDIO

Instinct Adornment

•

BOOKKEEPING SERVICE

Bookkeeping By Maggie

• Louise’s Bookkeeping Services

• Glasskey Accounting & Associates Ltd.

BUSINESS COACHING AND CONSULTING SERVICES

Venture Kamloops

• Amplify Consulting Inc.

Dr. Tracey Levins at Kamloops Natuopathic is first-place winner in the Medical Services category.

We’re able to manufacture, from scratch, unique preparations such as suspension, lozenges, transdermal gels, topical creams, suppositories and custom capsules. This allows us to tailor your medicines to fit your specific needs. By taking raw ingredients and making something completely new, we’re able to compound a prescription that does not yet exist in a ready-made form We also provide compounding solutions for veterinarians.

READERS CHOICE 20

CHIROPRACTOR

Kamloops Integrated Wellness

• Total Health Clinic

• Aberdeen Chiropractic Clinic

CLEANING SERVICES (BUSINESS)

Bin, Bath And Beyond

• ServiceMaster Restore Of Kamloops

• Ezzzy Moving

CONTRACTOR

Five Oak Contracting Ltd.

• DW Builders

• B&C Jones Brothers Construction

COUNSELLING SERVICES

Perspectives Counselling & Consulting - David & Cindy Darwin

• Living Bridges Therapy Collective (Formerly C&C Resources For Life)

• Healing Spaces Counselling Services

DANCE STUDIO

Academy Of Dance

• Akimbo Dance Studios

• Kamloops Dance Academy

DAY CARE

6th Ave. Montessori

• Colour My World Childcare

• Parasol - Early Years Learning

DAYCARE PROVIDER

Tiffany Quast

• Allison Vas (Kamloops Kids)

• Melissa Hofman, ECE

DENTIST (INDIVIDUAL)

Dr. Jas Sarao

• Rick Mehta - Westsyde Dental Center

• Cindy Nagel

DENTIST’S OFFICE

Centennial Dental

• Fortune Dental And Implant Centre

• Horizon Dental

DIESEL MECHANIC SHOP

Dearborn Ford

• Rjames Western Star Freightliner

• Kamloops Ford Lincoln

DOG TRAINING CENTRE

Brazilian Dog Guru Facility

• Cherry Creek Kennel

• Cedar Hills Dog Academy

Best Buy was named Best Home Electronics Store and placed second in the Computer Store category in the 2023 KTW Readers’ Choice Awards.

McAllister and Howard Clothiers owner David Fuoco finished second in the Menswear category.

Bhumika Salon won

Awards catagories: Hair Removal, Lash Studio and Manicure/Pedicure

owner Bhumika (left) and staff member Sarah show the

The Kamloops Blazers organization is first-place winner in the categories of Sports Association and Sports Team.

MORTGAGE BROKER

Ryan W. Smith

• Mortgage Alliance - Sarah

• Greg Peace: Mortgage Alliance Kamloops

MOVING COMPANY

Lightning MovingKamloops Movers

MUSIC LESSONS

Elevation Voice Academy

NATUROPATH

Kamloops Naturopathic

Doctor | Dr. Tracy Levins

• Dr. Madison Maloski, Interior Naturopathic

• Alison Beach Thompson Valley Naturopathic

• Jennifer Matthews-Kamloops Integrated Wellness

NOTARY PUBLIC

Derek Smoluk

Notary Public

• Franca Muraca Notary Public Inc.

• Julia Maika Notary Corporation

NUTRITIONIST

Don Lam Diybody

• Kelly Aiello Rhn Happihuman.com

• Bailey Dagneau Training & Nutrition

OFFICE EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER

Kamloops Office Systems

• Staples

• Heritage Furniture

OIL CHANGE

Great Canadian Oil Change

• Dearborn Ford

• Mr. Lube + Tires

OPTOMETRIST

Dr. Ebata - Ebata

Optometry

• Dr. Nicolas Von Dehn, Nicola Eye Care

• Dr Minahas Nicola Eye Care Optometrist

PAINTING (INTERIOR/EXTERIOR)

Thompson Rivers

Painting

• Powerhouse Painting

• Alba Premium Painting & Wallcoverings

PERSONAL TRAINER

Don Lam Diybody

• Clara Shipp Diy Body

• Bailey Dagneau Training & Nutrition

PEST CONTROL

Bugs Gon Pest Control

Kamloops Ltd.

• Leading Edge Outdoors

PET BOARDING/KENNEL

TLC For Pets

• Cedar Hills Dog Academy

• Harmony Farm Kennel And Lamb

PET GROOMING

Roving K-9 Kare

• Cedar Hills Dog Academy

• Pawsitively Pets

• Paws-N-Tails Dog Grooming

No Limits Fitness is a double first-place winner in the Yoga Studio and Fitness Club categories.

Runners Sole is first-place winner for Shoe Store.

r s c o m p e n s a t i o n n u m b e r B o s a R o o fi n g p r o v i d e s b u i l d i n g / h o m e o w n e r s w i t h t h e a s s u r a n c e t h a t q u a l i t y m a t e r i a l s w i l l b e i n s t a l l e d t o s p e c i fi c s t a n d a r d s b y o u r c o m p a n y B o s a R o o fi n g w i l l a l s o g u a r a n t e e w o r k m a n s h i p o n t h e i n s t a l l e d r o o f f o r u p t o 1 0 y e a r s . W e w o r k o n r e s i d e n t i a l h o m e s , n e w c o n s t r u c t i o n , c o

Privato Vineyards and Winery owners Debbie and John Woodward celebrate a second-place showing in the Winery category.

Monte Creek Winery marketing manager Ashley Cox celebrates a first-place win in the Winery category.

& BA Winexpert

• Wine Kitz

• Sippers Wine Making Ltd.

VETERINARIAN

Dr. Diane McKelveyAberdeen Veterinary Hospital

• Dr. Andrew Reid - Oriole Road Animal Hospital

• Dr Adrian Helmers -Neighbourhood Veterinary

VETERINARY CLINIC

Aberdeen Veterinary Hospital

Kamloops

Veterinary Clinic

• Riverside Small Animal Hospital

WEBSITE (CAN BE ANY COMPANY’S SITE)

Kelly Aiello RHN |

Happihuman.com

• Supplement King Kamloops

• Www.tumbleweedtoys.ca

WEBSITE DESIGN COMPANY

Fallsway Marketing And Media

• KTW Digital

• Page Mine

WEDDING PLANNER

Elm And Peony Events

• Happy Occasions Kamloops

• Bells & Bows

WINDOW CLEANER

Men In Kilts Kamloops

• A+ Gutter & Window Cleaning Kamloops

WINDOW TINTING

Protex Kamloops

• Dunrite Auto

X-RAY CLINIC

Kamloops Downtown

X-Ray Clinic

• Aberdeen Ultrasound & X-Ray

YOGA INSTRUCTOR

Lacey Hook - Yoga Now

• Lorraine Korobanik - Lorraine Korobanik Fitness

• Sarah Maywood

YOGA STUDIO

No Limits Fitness & Hot Yoga

• Yoga Now Kamloops

• Kamloops Hot Yoga

Mike Miltimore, owner of Lee’s Music, earned second-place honours in the category of Music Lessons.