The Readers Have Spoken
Published: June 17, 2009
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Favorites named for our inaugural “Readers’ Choice” awards
The voice of the people has been heard. A few weeks ago, The Valley Advantage published ballots asking our readers to list their favorites in dozens of categories. After tabulating the results, here are the winners:
Cougar Auto in Peckville won Best Auto Mechanic, while the Auto Zone store in Blakely won Best Auto Parts Store. PennStar was the winner for Best Bank, and the cheerful staff at Smiler’s in Dickson City got the nod for Friendliest Bar. Expert clipper Joe Mazzoni of Joe’s Haircuts in Peckville was voted Best Barber, while smilin’ Chris Cerminaro of Frank’s Bar in Simpson took the prize for Best Bartender. The legendary Joe’s Beerman got the win for Best Beer Distributor, while the equally legendary Purv’s in Peckville was praised for Best Beer Menu. Best Breakfast went to the hard-working crew at The Eatery in Jessup, while Wayne’s Family Diner in Jermyn got the prize for Best Brunch.
Anytime anybody in the area holds a vote on Best Burger, Five Guys in Dickson City wins it, and this vote was no exception. In the Best New Car Dealer category, the winner was Gibbons Ford in Dickson City, and the Kwik N Ezy in Peckville won Best Car Wash. For Best Caterer, the winner was DeLeo’s in Peckville.
And in the category of Best Cheesesteak, our readers favored Duke’s Sports Bar in Peckville, where the “cheesesteak pizza” is a neighborhood favorite. The award for Best Chinese Restaurant was won by Wah Mei in Jessup. Mellow Park in Peckville took two awards, one for Best Park and one for Best Playground. The well-known Bear Owen Paving Co. won for Best Contractor, and in the Best Cup of Coffee category, the winner was Dunkin Donuts.
The helpful folks at Bosak’s Choice Meats in Olyphant won the Best Customer Service prize, and the award for Best Deli went to the counter at the Wegman’s in Dickson City. Nearby, the Perkins in Dickson City won the award for Best Desserts and Six East in Dickson City took the prize for Best Diner.
The Rite Aid chain got the nod for Best Drug Store, while Richard Mellow of Dickson City won for Best Electrician. The Best Fix-It Guy award was won by Archbald’s Tim Cawley and the weekly gathering at the Circle Drive-In won for Best Flea Market. Debbie’s Flower Boutique, in Jermyn for more than 30 years, won Best Flower Shop, and Santarelli’s in Peckville, currently undergoing an expansion, won Best Gas Station. The Best Grocery Store prize was won by Quinn’s in Archbald, while Malcolm’s in Peckville won Best Hair Salon.
There are plenty of places to hang at the Viewmont Mall, and so it got the nod for Best Hangout. And one of the mall’s tenants, the GNC store, won the prize for Best Health/Wellness Store. Little known fact: There hasn’t been an Irene at Steve and Irene’s in Mayfield for decades but the owners, Steve and Kate Archer, were thrilled to get the prize for Best Hoagie. Plumpy’s Pierogies/Mafalda’s in Jessup took the prize for Best Pierogies and another Jessup resident, Colarusso’s Restaurant, won for Best Italian Food and for Best Pizza.
Another coveted category, Best Kielbasi, was won by Kutsop’s Old World Market in Blakely, not far from the spot voted Best Landmark: The famed Anchor statue. Tiffany’s in Eynon won Best Lunch, while Master Kovaleski battled to victory in the Best Martial Arts Studio category. One of the more recent additions to the slew of restaurants in Dickson City, Quaker Steak and Lube, took the Best New Restaurant prize, while Falcon Oil in Blakely won Best Oil Co. The Best Pasta award was won by Rossi’s in Jessup, while PetSmart in Dickson City won Best Pet Groomer.
Steve Pronko Diamonds in Dickson City was chosen the Best Place to Buy an Engagement Ring, while good ol’ McDonalds was chosen the Best Place to Dine with the Kids.
There were a number of votes for “church” in the Best Place to Get Married category, but God has more important things to do than accept our award. Among other locations, the winner was the Montdale Country Club. There are plenty of annual picnics in the area but St. Mary’s in Eynon took home the award.
Another relatively new arrival in Dickson City, the Blu Wasabi restaurant, was voted the Best Place to Take a First Date, while the clear winner in the Best Place to Work Out category was Planet Fitness in Blakely.
James Walsh of Walsh Plumbing and Heating took home the prize for Best Plumber, and Rossi’s in Jessup got the most votes in the hotly contested Best Restaurant category. Also in Jessup, Mariano’s won the prize for Best Risotto. In Peckville, Around the World Travel won Best Travel Agent.
The Best Teacher categories got votes for a number of different names, including long-deceased but well-remembered instructors of the past. But the biggest vote getters were both from the Valley View School District. Getting the most votes in the elementary school division was Kim Yagelski; in the high school division the winner was Jamie Addley. The winner in the Best Waiter/Waitress category was Wayne Nelson, who works at Pietro’s in Jessup. The overwhelming choice for Best Winery was Maiolatesi Winery.
And, lest we forget, when we included a “Best Category We Forgot” category the second week we ran the ballot, we got an earful that we’d forgotten to include a slot for Best Furniture Store. Among those that told us so, the choice was Rabel’s in Dickson City.
Five lucky voters will receive gift certificates supplied by Bosak’s Choice Meats, Quaker Steak and Lube, McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts. They are Linda Newberry of Jermyn, Brian Dunleavy of Eynon, Brian Sansone of Peckville, Judy Rogan of Archbald and Diane Baileys of Jermyn. We’ll be in touch next week.
Valley View High School teacher Jamie Addley (right, with his principal James Timmons) was named Best High School Teacher in our reader poll.
Valley View Elementary School teacher Kim Yagelski (right, with her principal Maria Kishel) was selected as Best Elementary School Teacher.
