CUMBERLAND — On Thursday, Allegany Magazine presented its first “Best of Allegany” awards, presenting 60 trophies to businesses and individuals voted as “favorites” by its readers.
“These are accolades chosen not by me, not by our staff, but by our readers,” said Shane Riggs, managing editor of Allegany Magazine.
The event was held inside the ballroom of the Allegany Museum in Cumberland.
In late 2023, Allegany Magazine asked its readers to go online and nominate then vote for their local favorites in 60 categories.
“We have only been around this long because of you and that is why with every edition our only mission and reason for existence is to celebrate you and this wonderful place we all call home,” said Riggs. ” Allegany Magazine printed our very first edition in January 2006. And I honestly can’t believe we have not ever hosted an event like this before now. For the first time ever, Allegany Magazine is kicking off a new year by saluting the very best of our community and the best our area has to offer – and it’s all handpicked and selected by our readers.”
From mid-August until mid-October, Allegany Magazine collected reader nominations in separate categories to pick local favorites. – everything from favorite barber to favorite live event. Then, the magazine spent a week tabulating the results.
“I love how involved all the readers of Allegany Magazine are. When we ask for something at the magazine, the readers deliver. And never moreso than with this edition. More than 3000 of our readers voted in these categories,” Riggs said. “I have been saying this for the nearly two decades that I have been involved with Allegany Magazine. This area truly has a lot of gems — and most among those treasures are all of you – the people who live and work and play in this community and make it the ‘best.’”
The Best of Allegany 2023-24 Results:
Favorite Local Teacher
1) Erica Fabrizio
Pre K- 12 art teacher, Bishop Walsh
2) Scott Furey
Engineering, Keyser High School and Mineral County Vocational Center
Head Boys Basketball and Head Boys Track Coach at KHS
Pee Wee Coach, Keyser Mini Tornado Football team.
3) Tammy Twigg
U.S. History, Criminal Justice, and Government, Allegany High School
Best Childcare/Daycare Facility
1) Kids Korner Learning Center
2) Lighthouse Christian Daycare
3) Humpty Dumpty
Favorite Bookstore
1) Main Street Books/Frostburg
2) The Book Center/Cumberland
3) Books-a-Million/Lavale
Favorite Local Hair Stylist
1) Lisa Motter/Hot Mess Hair Salon
2) Jenna Holshey/ Studio 757
3) (tie) Barbie Llewellyn/ Bees Hive
Amanda Smearman/Shine Studio
Favorite Hair Salon
1) Shine Studio
2) Studio 757
3) Hot Mess Salon
Favorite Local Barber
1) Kenny Weedon/Cuttz of Encouragement
2) Derrik Stephens/ N’ Da Cutt
3) Cory McCarty
Favorite Barbershop
1) Cuttz of Encouragement
2) N’ Da Cutt
3) Sports Cave
Favorite Photography Business
1) Wolford Photography
2) Liv + Co. Shoots
3) Karen Morgan Photography
Favorite Travel Agent/Agency
1) Jessica Wagoner/Magical Vacation Planner
2) Kathy Anderson
3) Bollman Travel
Favorite Car Dealership
1) Queen City Motors
2) Thomas Automotive
3) Timbrook
Favorite Real Estate Company/Realtor
1) Seth Loar/Coldwell Banker
2) Charis Realty
3) Carter Roque Real Estate
Favorite Accounting/Tax Firm
1) Hamm and Glasbrenner CPAs
2) Allegany Business Consultants
3) Huber Michaels Company
Favorite Bank/Credit Union
1) First People’s
2) Chessie
3) Wepco
Best Place for a Wedding Reception
1) The Villa
2) Stone Bridge Event Center
3) Brookedale Farms
Favorite Bridal/Tuxedo Shop
1) True Elegance
2) Lennox East
Favorite Jewelry Store
1) Kay’s Jewelers
2) Terry’s Jewelers
3) Morton’s Jewelers
Favorite Florist
1) Flowerland/Cumberland
2) Harvey’s/Frostburg
3) Bloom Box/Cumberland
Favorite Place of Worship
1) Lighthouse of Hope
2) Cornerstone Baptist Church
3) (tie) Central Assembly of God
Frostburg United Methodist Church
Favorite Grocery Store
1) ALDI/Lavale
2) Martin’s/Lavale
3) Weiss/Cresaptown
Favorite Antique Store
1) Queen City Flea Market/Cumberland
2) The Baltimore Street Emporium/Cumberland
3) Rustic Touch/Lavale
Favorite Insurance Company/Insurance Agent
1) Cathy Carpenter/State Farm, Lavale
2) Chaney Buskirk/Ridgeley WV
3) Dave Llewellyn/Armstrong Insurance, Frostburg
Favorite Yoga Center/Yoga Instructor
1) Sara Beth/SB Yoga
2) Christina Collins Smith Nicolas/Balance Essential
3) Riverside YMCA
Favorite Massage Therapist or Massage Business
1) Glow Wellness
2) Jill McMillan/Maitri Massage
3) Jonna Penderast/Healing Tree
Favorite Local Fitness Trainer
1) Harley Cofield
2) Brayden Blocher
3) Brent Walter
Favorite Gym or Fitness Center
1) Riverside YMCA
2) Planet Fitness
3) B.C. Jiu Jitsu
Favorite Local Nurse
1) Kamryn Myers
OBGYN Department, UPMC Western Maryland
2) Megan Hetrick
Home Health Department, UPMC Western Maryland
3) Rachel Willison
Emergency Department, UPMC Western Maryland
Favorite Primary Health Care Provider
1) Dawn (Hite) Wolford/Dawn’s Family Practice
2) Mary Ann Riley/ Western Maryland Medical Arts Center
3) Patricia Sheetz/Hometown Healthcare
Favorite Dentist
1) Dr. Paul Lin /Lin Family Dentistry
2) Dr. Annie Lasher/In Town Dental
3) Dr. Diane Romaine/ Dr. Diane D Romaine & Associates
Favorite Pharmacy/Drug Store
1) Lavale Pharmacy
2) Pharmacare/Frostburg
3) Steve’s Pharmacy
Favorite Veterinarian and Veterinary Business
1) North Branch Animal Hospital
2) Dr. Ben Harmon/Hillside Animal Hospital
3) Lavale Veterinary Hospital
Favorite Dog Grooming Business
1) Strawberry Dog
2) Uptown Hound
3) Hillside Animal Boutique
Favorite Home Improvement Company/General Contractor
1) Eliot Fielding/Fielding Construction
2) Gornall Construction
3) Bernard Aesthetics
Favorite Plumbing Company
1) Twigg Plumbing Company
2) Shroyer Plumbing and Heating
3) Triple R Plumbing
Best Painting Company
1) Hayman Painting of Cumberland
2) Bond Home Centers
3) Stickley Painting
Favorite Hardware Store
1) Naylor’s Hardware/Cumberland
2) Geo. Ternent and Sons/Lonaconing
3) Lowe’s/Lavale
Favorite Furniture Store
1) Roderick’s/Westernport
2) Eaton Young Gallery/Lavale
3) Burkey’s/Lavale
Favorite Waiter or Waitress
1) Molly Donahue/Bella Napoli
2) Jill Yaider/Fore Axes
3) Grace Wilhelm/Lashbaugh’s
Favorite Chef
1) Kiya Wilhelm/Puccini
2) Paul Barmoy/Chef Paul
3) TIE: William Hand/Hand in the Kitchen (retired)
John McConnel/Mise En Place
Dwayne Shook/Henny’s
Favorite Bartender
1) Andrew Ellifritz/Ristorante Ottaviani
2) Dylan Reed/ Ristorante Ottaviani
3) Kat Kunis/Uncle Jack’s
Favorite Barista
1) Parker Schrecengost/Clatter Café
2) William Bower/Clatter Café
3) Emmett Malamis/Café Mark
Favorite Photographer
1) Karen Morgan/Karen Morgan Photography
2) Lisa Wolford/Wolford Photography
3) Jacqie McKenzie/Jacqie Q Photography
Favorite local author/writer
1) Melanie Vogel
2) Shane Riggs
3) Gerry LaFemina
Favorite Local Visual Artist
1) Elijah Thane
2) Patricia Wilt
3) (tie) Parris Ashley
Beth Hilliker
Chablis Miller
Favorite Local Art Gallery
1) Allegany Arts Council
2) Gilchrist Gallery
3) Ferleman and Company
Favorite Local Musician
1) Pierce Miller
2) Gilbert Lee/Gibb Cochrum
3) Harley Kuhn
Favorite Consistent Local Solo Performance
1) Dan Stevens
2) Pierce Miller
3) Black Guy Fawkes
Favorite Local Band
1) Jaded
2) Surrender Dorothy
3) Queen City Funk and Soul
Best Venue for a Live Concert or Theatre Event
1) Allegany County Fairgrounds
2) Canal Place
3) 1812 Brewery
Favorite Night Spot
1) Fore Axes
2) Mezzo’s
3) 1812 Brewery
Favorite Celebrity from your Hometown
1) William H. Macy
2) Ty Johnson
3) Rebeca Arthur
Favorite D.J.
1) Jake Everline
2) Scott Furey
3) Dan Fisher
Favorite New Business of the Year
1) AJ’s Cookie Jar
2) Pocketful of Posies Boutique
3) Centre St. Collective
Favorite Legacy Business
1) Curtis’ Coney Island Weiners
2) M&M Bakery
3) D’Atri’s Restaurant
Allegany County’s Best Kept Secret of the Year
1) Corner Café
2) Centre Street Collective
3) Mr. Toad’s Pottery
Favorite Live Concert of 2023
1) DelFest
2) Rock the Mountains
3) Kix (Allegany County Fair)
Favorite Event/Festival of 2023
1) Heritage Days
2) DelFest
3) Tri State Wing Off
Favorite Local Actor
1) Bill Dennison
2) Josh Ruppenkamp
3) (tie) Joel Hoover
Brian Recordss
Favorite Local Actress
1) Kimberli Rowley
2) Whitney O’Haver
3) Nicole Halmos
Favorite Live Theatrical Event of 2023
1) Escape to Margaritaville/Cumberland Theatre
2) Heathers: The Musical/Embassy Theatre
3) Thoughts of a Colored Man/Frostburg State University
Favorite Tourist Attraction 2023
1) Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
2) GAP Trail
3) Rocky Gap State Park
2024 Allegany Magazine
Award of Distinction
Karen Morgan
Photo Correspondent