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Over 900 visitors and residents voted in the Best of the Red Rock Area contest sponsored by the Marion County Development Commission to promote hospitality and quality service throughout Marion County’s tourism industry. Ballots were available February 1 through November 1, 2014 at www.redrockarea.com.
Awards were given to the entities receiving the highest number of votes in each of 50 categories. In addition, special recognition was given to the top ten, and the #1, vote getters in the areas of Events, Places to Eat, Places to Shop and Things to Do.
KNIA/KRLS has won as Best Local Source for News every year the recognition and its predecessor “The Best of Marion County,” has been offered. KNIA/KRLS General Manager Jim Butler says “we are proud of our total staff and management’s commitment to delivering on our promise. We are staffed 24/7/365 days a year to make sure that we are the ones to count on for today’s news and local information. Thanks for the recognition. It’s a promise that we take very seriously.”
THE WINNERS: Award Recipients include:
Food:
Best Salad – Kaldera’s Restaurant and Lounge, Pella
Best Appetizer – Checkerboard Restaurant, Pleasantville
Best Pizza – George’s Pizza & Steakhouse, Pella
Best Cup of Coffee – Smokey Row Coffee Company, Pella
Best Ethnic Food – Casa Grande, Knoxville
Best Steak – Monarchs Restaurant & Lounge, Pella
Best Burger – Culver’s, Pella
Best Breakfast – Windmill Café, Pella
Best Sweet Treat – Jaarsma Bakery, Pella
Best Tenderloin – Northcote Locker & Wholesale Meats, Melcher-Dallas
Best Buffet – Pizza Ranch, Pella
Best Caterer – Central College, Pella
Places:
Best Wedding Reception Venue – Pella Opera House, Pella
Best Conference Venue – Central College, Pella
Best Hotel – Royal Amsterdam Hotel, Pella
Best B & B, Guest House or Cabin – The Cheesemaker’s Inn, Pella
Best Place to Entertain Kids – Pella Aquatics Center, Pella
Best Place to Go On a Date – Peace Tree Brewing Company, Knoxville
Best Family Restaurant – Checkerboard Restaurant, Pleasantville
Best Bar or Pub – Peace Tree Brewing Company, Knoxville
Best Happy Hour – Applebee’s, Pella
Best Outdoor Eating Location – Reed’s Kone Korner, Knoxville
Best Campground – Howell Station Recreation Area, Pella
Best Photo Opportunity Location-Cordova Observation Tower, Otley
Best Historic or Rural Road Route for an Auto or Bike Ride-G-28 on the north shore of Lake Red Rock
Best Place for a Run-Volksweg Trail
Shopping:
Best Antique Shop – Simple Treasures & Funky Junque, Pella
Best Consignment or Thrift Store – Bibles for Missions Thrift Center, Pella
Best Gift Shop – Silver Lining, Pella
Best Place to Purchase Locally Made Items – Jaarsma Bakery, Pella
Best Retail Curb Appeal – Boat’s Home Furnishings, Pella
Best Shop for Clothing, Jewelry and/or Accessories – emBellish, Pella
Best Shop for Fresh Meats – In’t Veld’s Meat Market, Pella
Best Spa Services for a Mani/Pedi-Pella Nail Salon, Pella
Best Place to Shop after 5 p.m.-Silver Lining, Pella
Entertainment & Recreation:
Best Live Entertainment – Pella Opera House, Pella
Best Golf Course – Bos Landen Golf Club, Pella
Best Place to Workout – Anytime Fitness, Pella
Best Park – Marion County Park, Knoxville
Best Local Performing Group-Union Street Players, Pella
Best Historical/Cultural Experience-Pella Historical Village & Vermeer Mill, Pella
Community:
Best Local Source for News – KNIA/KRLS, Pella and Knoxville
Best Place to Work with more than 50 employees – Vermeer Corporation, Pella
Best Place to Work with less than 50 employees – Marion County Bank, Pella
Best Service Business-Raceway Tire & Exhaust, Knoxville
Best Real Estate Agency-Home Realty, Pella
Best Bank – Marion County Bank, Pella
Best New Community Project-Pella Sports Park, Pella
Best Business Supporter of Community Projects-Vermeer Corporation, Pella
Best Hospitality – In’t Veld’s Meat Market, Pella
Top 10 Events:
4th of July, Pella
Bike Night in Knoxville
Knoxville RV-TV
Knoxville Sprint Car Nationals
Lake Red Rock Balloon Fest
Living Windows, Knoxville
Pella Tour of Homes
Thursday Nights in Pella
Tulip Time Festival, Pella-#1
Weekly Sprint Car Races, Knoxville
Top 10 Food & Drink Places:
Checkerboard Restaurant, Pleasantville
George’s Pizza & Steakhouse, Pella
In’t Veld’s Meat Market, Pella-#1
Jaarsma Bakery, Pella
Kaldera Restaurant & Lounge, Pella
Mango Tree, Pella
Monarchs Restaurant & Lounge, Pella
Peace Tree Brewing Company, Knoxville
Red Ribbon, Knoxville
Smokey Row Coffee Company, Pella
Top 10 Places to Shop:
Best of Thymes, Pella
Boat’s Home Furnishings, Pella
Brick & Mortar Co., Pella
emBellish, Pella-#1
Main Street Market, Knoxville
Silver Lining, Pella
Simple Treasures, Pella
The Sanctuary, Pella
The Work of Our Hands, Pella
Thistles, Pella
Top 10 Things to Do:
Attending Union Street Players Shows
Biking the Volksweg Trail
Boating at Lake Red Rock
Cheering on the Central Dutch
Climbing the Cordova Observation Tower
Movies at the Pella Cinema
Performances at the Pella Opera House
Races at the Knoxville Raceway
Racing Go-karts at Slideways Karting Center
Touring the Vermeer Mill-#1
2015: Voting for The Best of The Red Rock Area 2015 takes place from February 1 through November 1, 2015 by going to www.redrockarea.com. A full list of the 2014 winners will be posted on the web site by February 2. For further information about the contest or to get a logo to encourage voting for your business, contact MCDC at 641.828.2257 or carla@redrockarea.com.