3


COVER STORY SUN TIMES February 25, 2015


PUBLIC PICKS THE BEST OF THE BEST The Sun Times’


annual survey just


keeps getting bigger and better


Dave Sulz Sun Times


L


ike a snowball rolling down a hill, the Best of the Best keeps getting bigger. The Sun Times’ annual survey


recognizing Lethbridge’s best businesses — and more — reached new heights for participation for 2015, receiving close to 150,000 votes in 115 categories. That represents about a 50 per cent increase in votes over 2014, when the 97,295 votes more than tripled the 31,000-plus vote total of the previous year. Brian Hancock, Sun Times advertising


manager, continues to be amazed at the growth of the Best of the Best survey since it debuted 20 years ago. The move to electronic voting five years


ago has taken Best of the Best participation to a new level. “We make it so much easier to vote,”


said Hancock, recalling the survey’s humble beginnings when it received about 400 hand-written ballots the first year. The number of categories continues to


increase as well, and this year featured not only several new business categories, but also a few of the non-business variety, such as “Best Park in Lethbridge” and “Best Place to Take the Kids.” “We’re trying to include some fun


things, not all just businesses,” said Hancock. “We’re always looking for new categories.” With a 20-year history behind it,


and the growing number of people participating, the survey has become a respected entity in the local community, with businesses proudly display their Best of the Best plaques and newcomers to the city using the results to find out about highly regarded local businesses. “There’s a credibility that comes


with it,” Hancock said of winning the Best of the Best. “It’s a great marketing tool and it


means a lot to the businesses.” The growth of the survey, in terms


of the number of categories and the number of businesses in those categories, also reflects the growth of the Lethbridge business community over that two-decade period. It’s also indicative of local businesses’ increasing impact beyond southern Alberta. “We’re getting votes from around


the world, from people who are dealing with businesses in Lethbridge, like Bells and Bows,” he said, referring to the winner of the “Best Bridal Shop” category. It shows that local businesses “aren’t


just serving Lethbridge any more.” One thing the Best of the Best survey


consistently bears out is the ability of small, independent businesses to hold their own with the corporate giants of the retail world. Hancock points to local firms such as Urban Grocer, winner of the “Best Grocery Store” category, and Smith’s Custom Audio Video, which placed in the top three in the “Best Home Electronics/Computer Store” segment. The survey is also a testament to the


health and vibrancy of Lethbridge’s downtown core, said Hancock, noting the success of numerous downtown


It’s not ours any more, it’s the public’s. We just kind of


facilitate it. The public drives it . . . and that’s great. – Brian Hancock –


’’


Sun Times advertising manager, commenting on the Best of the Best survey


ourselves at it all the time,” said Mueller. In the paint business, that involves


helping customers find the right paint for the job, and providing them with the information they might need to do the job properly. “We need to be up on our products


and we need to give the right information,” Mueller said. That’s where Freddie’s knowledgeable,


veteran staff comes in handy. “We have people who have been here


businesses in the survey. “It validates the strength of downtown


businesses,” he said. Best of the Best recognition also


validates for local businesses that what they’re doing is working. “We do see it as validation,” said Shelley


Mueller, co-owner of Freddie’s Paint, the annual winner of the “Best Paint Store” category. But she is quick to add the honour is not consent to sit back on your laurels. “We have to be ready to evolve and


change with the times,” she said. It’s a formula for success that has


worked nicely for Freddie’s Paint for 55 years, ever since the company’s first store opened in Medicine Hat. A key ingredient in the formula is customer service. “That’s what we’re always pushing for, customer service, and we try to better


25 years,” said Mueller, adding that longevity enables staff to build


relationships with longtime customers. “Many of our customers are called


friends,” she noted. That customer loyalty is a big reason


Freddie’s Paint has continued to top the Best of the Best survey year after year, and Mueller said it’s much appreciated. “We do value it,” she said of the


recognition. “We’re very appreciative of the public voting, and we’re grateful for the faith they have given us.” One of the new categories in the Best of


the Best survey for 2015 is the “Best Eco- Friendly Business,” won by downtown restaurant Mocha Cabana. The win was a surprise to the restaurant’s owners, Angel Harper and Jaclyn Geddes. Harper said they had been hoping to


win “Best Restaurant Patio” this year (they finished second to Firestone).


SUN TIMES PHOTO BY IAN MARTENS


Mocha Cabana owners Jaclyn Geddes and Angel Harper, centre, pose with executive chef Marc Gedrasik and sous chef Katie Breatherick. Mocha Cabana was the winner of one of the Best of the Best’s new categories, “Best Eco-Friendly Business.”


“To win ‘Eco-Friendly’ blew me away; I


didn’t even know that (category) was there,” said Harper. She and Geddes are honoured to win


the category, Harper added, noting it’s a recognition of the “personal beliefs and values” they try to follow in operating the restaurant. That includes supporting local farmers and producers as much as possible for the food they serve to customers. They also use bio-degradable take-out


containers. It all fits in with their goal to “do the


right thing,” said Harper, by “supporting and caring about the community. That social responsibility is just part of the package. When we follow what our values are, things just fall into place.” Hancock said the Best of the Best will


survey to continue to expand, with more categories coming in the years ahead. “We’ve tried to really define (the


categories) and make them a little more specific,” he said. Efforts have been made to not only ease


the task of voting on the website, but to also guard against attempts to electronically “stuff the ballot box,” ensuring results are as accurate as possible. Each legitimate IP address is allowed one vote per day during the voting period of Jan. 1-31. He praised the three-member Tri Cube


Media team headed by Jace Forsyth for their work to “close the loopholes” and keep the survey results as free from interference as possible, while ensuring the system can handle all the votes without crashing. “The bigger it gets, the more


management it takes,” Hancock said. What does the future hold for the Best


of the Best survey? “It will keep growing. There’s no way of


slowing it down,” he said. “It’s not ours any more, it’s the public’s.


We just kind of facilitate it. The public now drives it . . . and that’s great.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56