For the past five years, ‘Real Florida Magazine’ has solicited readers of their print magazine, along with fans of the ‘Real Florida Magazine’ website and over 13,000 Facebook subscribers, to nominate their choice for the best local provider in several categories of goods, services, entertainment and events.
The winners are declared ‘People’s Choice- Best of The Real Florida’, with bragging rights and local notoriety, and the latest results were announced on Wednesday, May 16, 2018.
‘We were once again surprised by the number of submissions’, says Debbie Goulding, President of The Goulding Agency and operations manager for the print periodical “Real Florida Magazine”.
‘This is the fifth year we have held the competition and our original concept was to simply solicit our readers to submit their “People’s Choice” of local businesses, which we would then highlight in an editorial and pictorial segment’.
However, Goulding and her staff quickly found that the local business winners not only embraced the honor, but used the accolade in-house, to further highlight their businesses.
‘Northwest Florida Community Hospital, for instance’, says Goulding, ‘displayed the “Best of the Real Florida” logo and presentation on their electronic billboard for a month in downtown Chipley, and several other businesses used the award in their advertising’.
That’s when Goulding realized that there was a need for a recognition of local businesses, not through paid advertising, but completely unsolicited, as a reflection of the consumer’s wants and needs.
‘There are a few advertising-driven contests’, says Goulding, ‘notably those effected by newspapers and fraternal organizations such as chambers of commerce, but the winners are limited to paid members and advertisers, who soon find themselves bombarded with offers to purchase addition advertising, which is disingenuous and negates the sincerity of the effort’.
The 2018 ‘Best of The Real Florida’ winners are based on local public response, come with no solicitation to purchase advertising, and include:
Air Conditioning/Heating Service: Woodall’s Air Conditioning (Marianna)
Attorney/Law Office: Law Offices of Greg Wilson (Chipley)
Automotive Detailing/Car Wash: New Level Detail (Chipley)
Automotive/Repair: Nichols Auto Repair (Chipley)
Bank or Credit Union: One South Bank (Chipley)
Building Supplies: Townsend’s Building Supply (Chipley)
Butcher Shop/Meats: Stone’s Meats (Chipley)
Cable/Internet Provider: Spectrum (formerly Bright House) (Chipley)
Carpet Cleaning/Water Extraction: Carpet Masters (Chipley)
Caterer: Catering By Lisa (Panama City)
Childcare: Kid’s World (Chipley)
Chiropractic Services: Mark Taylor (Chipley)
Clothing/Boutique: The Westerner (Chipley)
CPA/Accounting Services: J.D. Sasser’s Bookkeeping (Chipley)
Dentist: Downhome Dental (Chipley)
Event/Holiday-Themed: Marianna Christmas Parade and Festival (Marianna)
Event/Children: ‘ArtKidDoo’ Festival (Chipley)
Event/Festival: ‘Panhandle Watermelon Festival’ (Chipley)
Event Venue: Vance Theater (Chipley)
Farm/Feed and Seed: Main Street Feed & Seed (Chipley)
Florist: Kirby Holt/Blossoms Floral Boutique (Chipley)
Fraternal Organization: Chipley Kiwanis Club (Chipley)
Furniture Store (New): Badcock Home Furniture & More (Chipley)
Furniture Store (Used): B&B Used Furniture (Chipley)
Green Grocer/Fresh Fruit & Vegetables: Main Street Market (Chipley)
Grocery Store: Walmart (Chipley)
Guns/Firearms: Chipley Gun & Pawn (Chipley)
Gym/Fitness Facility: Chipley Therapy Group (Chipley)
Hair Stylist: Sensations (Chipley)
Hardware Store: Chipley Hardware (Chipley)
Health Foods: New Beginning Health Foods (Chipley)
Hospice: Emerald Coast Hospice (Marianna)
Hospital/Primary Care Clinic: Northwest Florida Community Hospital (Chipley)
Insurance (Car/Home/Life): Rogers Insurance (Chipley)
Jeweler/Jewelry Store: J. Rose/Valencia’s Jewelers (Chipley)
Lawn Care Equipment: Lane’s Outdoors (Chipley)
Lawn Care/Maintenance: Waylon Yates/Yates Lawn Service (Chipley)
Massage: Paulette Sweeney/Taylor Chiropractic (Chipley)
Music/Performing Band: Dickie Merritt and the Original Bama Jam (Marianna)
Musical Event: Pier Park Summer Concert Series (Panama City Beach)
New Car Sales: Rahal Miller Chevrolet (Marianna)
News Service/Online: Foster Folly News (Chipley)
News Service/Newspaper: News Herald (Panama City)
Nursery/Plants: Maphis Tree Farm & Nursery (Chipley)
Parade: Bonifay Rodeo Parade (Bonifay)
Pawn Shop: Chipley Gun & Pawn (Chipley)
Pest Control: Redmon Pest Solutions (Chipley)
Pharmacy/Drug Store: King’s Drugs (Chipley)
Photographer/Photographic Services: Nicole Everson (Chipley)
Physical Therapy/Rehabilitation: Chipley Therapy Group (Chipley)
Plumber/Plumbing Service: Harrison’s Plumbing (Marianna)
Physician/PA/Medical Clinic: Wendy Corbin P.A. (Chipley)
Pressure Washing/Cleaning: Magical Michael’s Pressure Washing Services
Radio Station: WPAP-FM (Panama City)
Realtor/Real Estate: Cindy Birge, Elite Realty (Chipley)
Retail Store/General Store: Walmart (Chipley)
Restaurant/Full Service: Javier’s Mexican Grill (Chipley)
Restaurant/Quick Serve: Zaxby’s (Marianna)
Sandwich Shop: Sliced Deli (Chipley)
Shoe Store/Boots: Westerner (Chipley)
Sporting Goods: King’s Outdoors (Chipley)
Technical College/Adult Education: Florida Panhandle Technical College (Chipley)
Television Station: WTVY-TV (Dothan, AL)
Therapy- Physical, Speech, Occupational: Chipley Therapy Group (Chipley)
Tires/Service/Alignment: Tommy’s Tires (Chipley)
Used Car Sales: Corbin Auto Sales (Chipley)
Veterinarian/Animal Hospital: Panhandle Veterinary Services (Chipley)