Best Kitchen store
THE KITCHEN ENGINE
Climb aboard and full steam ahead to whipping together delicious meals and treats after a shopping trip to the Kitchen Engine. Whether you're in need of new gadgets (like a magic mushroom funnel that helps avoid spills while pouring liquid), cutlery (like the two-piece starter knife set with a Damascus steel blade), cookware (like an enamel cast iron Dutch oven), appliances (air fryers, espresso machines and more), or you're in need of reusable spice bags — the Kitchen Engine has you covered. Foodies can also buy spices, rubs, tea and coffee to take their culinary creativity to the next level. If all this shopping makes you thirsty, grab a drink at the on-site cafe that also features local products. If you're looking to improve your cooking skills, sign up for one of their many delectable classes held multiple times each week. (CSh)
2nd PLACE: Chaise & Home
3rd PLACE: Shaped Kitchen (formerly Kitchen Kraft)
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: The Culinary Stone, Coeur d'Alene
Best Furniture
WALKER'S FURNITURE
For at least the last 15 years, Walker's Furniture has placed in the top three of the best furniture stores category. For the family-owned shop's sweet 16, they're back in the top spot. When they opened in 1980, Walker's specialized in solid oak furniture at their single store in Spokane. In the years since, the store's inventory has grown to include upholstered furniture, accents like wall decor and lighting, and wood furniture in a variety of colors and finishes fit for any room in the house. That single store has grown into a regional chain with stores in Eastern Washington, North Idaho and Northern Oregon, all touting the business's motto that quality furniture can cost less. (AP)
2nd PLACE: The Tin Roof
3rd PLACE: Dania
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Runge Furniture, Coeur d'Alene
Best Real Estate Agent
BRENDA McKINLEY,
WINDERMERE VALLEY/LIBERTY LAKE
Brenda McKinley came to the world of real estate from a somewhat unlikely previous career as a kindergarten teacher. "Real estate is absolutely parallel to teaching because you are helping people navigate," she says. "I slow everything down and explain everything like when I was teaching." Describing the current market as "challenging," McKinley says the COVID migration — and homebuyers paying in cash — is over, and now homeowners with low interest rates are sitting tight, meaning the majority of people changing homes are those who going through what she calls "life decisions," such as job transfers. She's hopeful this spring will bring a bigger market surge than the past two years, especially if interest rates come down. No matter the market though, McKinley says, "I absolutely love what I do, and I am honored and blessed to help so many families get where they want to go." (AM)
2nd PLACE: Samara Behler, eXp Realty
3rd PLACE: Alyssa Curnutt, REAL
Best Bank
WASHINGTON
TRUST BANK
Spokanites love locally built businesses, which likely explains why Washington Trust Bank has consistently been voted Spokane's best bank by Inlander readers. (That popularity could also be due to the fact that the bank's headquarters are in two of the tallest and most identifiable buildings on downtown Spokane's skyline — its original HQ built in 1974 at 717 W. Sprague Ave., and the old Wells Fargo building Washington Trust purchased in 2019 at 601 W. First Ave.) First opened in 1902, the bank operated solely in Spokane for more than 80 years before it began opening branches in Idaho, Oregon and the rest of Washington. (CR)
2nd PLACE: Banner Bank
3rd Place: Wheatland Bank
Best Home Decor Shop
THE TIN ROOF
"There's so many demands on our time and our attention that people do want to have a sense of calm when they're home," says Heather Hanley, the owner of The Tin Roof, sitting in the store's showroom where she supervises a staff of six designers. That Hanley's drawn to serene design is apparent in the array of furniture and unique accessories, including pillows, throws and lamps, all around her. "I'm a big fan of not having things just to have them, but actually having intention with what you purchase and where you put it, and not necessarily following trends," she adds. Getting a room's basics settled before adding accessories is generally the best plan, but Hanley notes, "There's certain rules that we can follow in design, but ultimately the best rule is to do what makes your heart happy." (AM)
2nd PLACE: The Bohemian
3rd PLACE: Pleasantries
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Homestead Decor, Rathdrum
Best Independent Auto Repair Shop
MECHANICS PRIDE
Mechanics often find themselves as the bearers of bad news, therefore it's hard to feel joy while standing in an auto repair shop. But Mechanics Pride has flipped that script according to Inlander readers. In 1989, Mechanics Pride opened up on the corner of Third and Monroe in downtown Spokane after owner Mike Federico spent most of his adolescence working on cars with his father in Cleveland, Ohio. Now, 36 years later, Mechanics Pride has three locations and is still building on the foundation of quality service that Federico began three decades ago. So, what's in a name? Well, as it turns out, quite a bit if Inlander readers can tell that these mechanics take the utmost pride in their work. (MP)
2nd PLACE: Pete's Independent Honda Repair
3rd PLACE: Golden Rule Brake
Best Mortgage Company
EVERGREEN
HOME LOANS
A home is the biggest purchase most of us will ever make, and finding a trustworthy lender to facilitate the process is key. Inlander readers chose Evergreen Home loans as their fav. The company offers a hometown presence, combined with digital technology to speed up the process, all with the goal of helping your offer be the one sellers choose. After that, Evergreen pledges to help buyers "close faster and with fewer conditions." (AM)
2nd PLACE: Chimney Rock Mortgage
3rd PLACE: HHL Group
Best Windows
PELLA WINDOWS AND DOORS
For the fourth year in a row, Inlander readers have chosen Pella Windows and Doors as their favorite window purveyor. Replacement Sales Manager Ryan Corker says the feelings are mutual. "We take a lot of pride and care in our community and really care about our customers that we work with. We are a local company... We live in the community." Maintaining a home's climate in the Goldilocks zone of not-too-hot and not-too-cold is a goal for the company. "We always try to improve how we can save energy, save people money and help people feel more comfortable in their home," he says. And sometimes windows are also doors — Pella makes those huge sliding glass doors for opening up a room to the outdoors and pass-through windows that are on trend for kitchens. Corker says while black-framed windows are still popular, he's seeing a return of more traditional light-hued options. (AM)
2nd PLACE: Renewal by Andersen
3rd PLACE: McVay Brothers Siding and Windows
Best Plumbing Firm
GOLD SEAL PLUMBING
Gold Seal Plumbing stands ready to deploy more than two dozen plumbers for whatever plumbing needs arise, 24/7, in the Inland Northwest. Aside from a clogged toilet that must be fixed ASAP if not sooner, there's a huge list of plumbing-related problems Gold Seal is ready to tackle. Its team can detect and fix leaks, install water heaters and other plumbing fixtures, test for radon, and prep a home for aging in place. Gold Seal installs new residential and commercial plumbing and inspects and repairs gas lines. Outdoors, sewer inspection and repair can be accomplished without digging a huge trench in the yard. Gold Seal Plumbing takes pride in its well-trained workforce, stating on their website that they have "the largest company training budget for trade skills in Washington state." (AM)
2nd PLACE: Bulldog Rooter
3rd PLACE: Plumb Zebra
Best Credit Union
STCU
Let's be Frank. It might be their endearing ad campaigns. It might be their dedication to the heroes that are our public school teachers. It might be their support of some of the region's favorite events and concerts. Whatever it is, one thing's clear — readers love STCU almost as much as STCU loves them. What famously started as a shoebox filled with cash deposits in a cubby at Lewis and Clark High School in 1934 is now a beloved nonprofit credit union that still waives its membership fees for educators. You certainly don't have to be a teacher to join — just ask many of the 287,000 STCU members — but do bear in mind you'll receive plenty of great financial education at any of STCU's 39 locations across the Northwest. (EB)
2nd PLACE: Numerica
3rd PLACE: Canopy
Best Retirement Community
ROCKWOOD
RETIREMENT
COMMUNITIES
Rockwood Retirement Communities have been around long enough that it's almost eligible for retirement. More than 60 years have passed since the founding of Rockwood South Hill's campus. The bustling community now includes a mix of homes and apartments offering independent living as well as a spectrum of care levels. Residents enjoy group fitness classes, multiple restaurants, lectures and speakers — all of which create a vibrant lifestyle, peacefully nestled in a 90-acre urban forest. Rockwood's Appleway Court in Spokane Valley opened in 2011, offering affordable, independent senior living. Rockwood at Whitworth is the newest addition, offering apartment homes and varied care levels on a North Spokane campus. (AM)
2nd PLACE: Riverview Retirement Community
3rd PLACE: Touchmark on South Hill
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Guardian Angel Homes, Post Falls
Best Home Remodeler
STROHMAIER
DESIGN & BUILD
What's the secret to a successful remodel? Attention to all the details up front, long before construction starts, including having completed plans and an accurate budget for the entire project. "That way when you are comparing contractors, you are actually getting apples to apples. This also prevents last-second decision-making," says Raena Strohmaier of Strohmaier Construction, the company that she and her husband, Kyle, founded in 2011 and now employs nine. Kitchens and main floors are the most common targets for the firm's remodeling clients. The company also builds new homes. "We have a few custom homes coming up this year and are looking forward to knocking them out of the park and sharing them with the community," she says. (AM)
2nd PLACE: Big Dog Custom Carpentry
3rd PLACE: Levi's Custom Carpentry
VOTER COMMENTS
BEST ROOFING FIRM
Glacier Roofing and Exteriors
"Crew was so fast, and they did a great job on our difficult 105-year-old home." (Molly B.); "They are wizards dealing with insurance claim projects!" (Tori G.); "This company does things right! From first inspection with the estimator to the final clean up, our experience was amazing." (John M.)
2nd PLACE: Timber Roofing
3rd PLACE: J&A Roofing
BEST HVAC SERVICE
Holliday
Heating +
Cooling + Electric
"They are local, dependable and experts in everything from heating to cooling to electrical. I've used them for years!" (Jenn L.); "Very professional and great guys." (Julie T.); "Their fixed-right-or-it's-free guarantee ensures quality. Love that it is local and family owned." (Cody L.);
2nd PLACE: Sturm Heating & Air Conditioning
3rd PLACE: Bill's Heating & A/C
BEST HARDWARE STORE
River Ridge Hardware
"Always have what I need in a pinch. A true neighborhood hardware store." (Mark J.); "They are helpful and never condescending to me as a woman trying to get what I need." (Rachael A.); "They have everything! Great staff." (Fran P.)
2nd PLACE: The General Store
3rd PLACE: Miller's Hardware
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Seright's Hardware, Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Rathdrum
BEST LANDSCAPING FIRM
Copper Creek Landscaping
"Hands-on design and installation — small enough that you can still meet with the owner, and his crews treat every project as a special investment to the client's life. Crews are respectful and diligent from start to finish." (Melissa B.); "Stellar staff!" (Dawn Y.); "High-quality work — never been more happy." (Keagan B.)
2nd PLACE: Blend Outdoor Design
3rd PLACE: Clearwater Summit Group
BEST GARDEN SUPPLY/NURSERY
Ritters Garden
Center & Nursery
"It's like walking into a botanical garden — a winter respite! Special requests — if they can get it, they will." (Pam G.); "Very knowledgeable about all plants and trees for the PNW!" (Kim S.); "Their plants are phenomenal, and they have hundreds of gift ideas. I don't just go there for gardening needs." (Tina B.)
2nd PLACE: The Plant Farm
3rd PLACE: Judy's Enchanted Garden
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: (tie) New Leaf Nursery, Hayden; Vanhoff's Garden Center, Coeur d'Alene
BEST FLOORING
Brothers
Flooring + Design
"They had the laminate I was interested in. Gave me a quote that was a great price. Did a great job with installation and cleaned up at the end of the day." (Donna O.); "Funny commercials!" (Donna D.); "Quality, price and knowledge of salespeople." (Mary T.)
2nd PLACE: Great Floors
3rd PLACE: Caruso's Floors
