Vote for The State’s Best 2021

The votes are in.

After asking locals around the Midlands to nominate and vote on their favorite local businesses, it’s time to announce the winners for The State’s Best 2021.

Find the winners of the following categories below: Arts & Entertainment, Automotive, Financial, Food & Drink, Health & Wellness, Home, Service and Shopping. Winners are also announced in print and in our eEdition Sunday, Oct. 24.

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Arts & Entertainment

  • Annual Event/Festival: Greek Festival

  • Art Gallery Columbia: Museum of Art

  • Attraction/Amusement Venue: Riverbanks Zoo

  • Golf Course: Forest Lake Country ClubKid’s

  • Venue for Birthday Party: Riverbanks ZooKid’s

  • Venue for Entertainment/Activities: Riverbanks Zoo

  • Live Music Venue: Colonial Life Arena

  • Museum: SC State Museum

  • Performing Arts Venue: Koger Center

  • Philanthropy/Non-Profit Organization: Harvest Hope Food Bank

  • Stage Theater: Trustus Theatre

Automotive

  • Auto Body Shop: Abbott’s Auto Care & TireAuto

  • Dealership - New Car: Jim Hudson Lexus of Columbia

  • Auto Dealership - Pre-Owned: Jim Hudson Toyota

  • Auto Detailer: Premiere Auto Detailing

  • Auto Glass Repair - Locally owned: Central Glass

  • Auto Mechanics Repair Shop: Danny’s Automotive

  • Auto Salesperson Full Name & Dealership: Lalo Bellamy, Jim Hudson Lexus

  • Car Wash: Frank’s Car Wash

  • Oil Change: Danny’s Automotive

  • RV Dealership: Johns RV Sales and Service / Airstream South Carolina

  • Tire Shop - Locally Owned: Nuttall Tire

Financial

  • Accounting Firm: Burkett Burkett & Burkett CPA PA

  • Bank: First Community Bank

  • Credit Union: Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union

  • Financial Services: Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union

  • Mortgage Services: First Community Bank

  • Tax Service: Thomas, Watson & Company, LLC

Food & Drink

  • All-Around Restaurant: Lizard’s Thicket Restaurant

  • Bang for the Buck: Lizard’s Thicket

  • Restaurant Bar/Tavern: O’Hara’s Public House

  • Barbecue: Shealy’s Bar-B-Que

  • Beer List: River Rat Brewery

  • Breakfast: Cafe Strudel West Columbia

  • Brewery: Steel Hands Brewing

  • Brunch: Cafe Strudel Lexington

  • Burger: Rockaway Athletic Club

  • Catering: Billy G’s Carolina BBQ/GAUSE catering & events

  • Chicken: Zesto of West Columbia

  • Chicken Wings: D’s Wings

  • Coffee Shop: Loveland Coffee

  • Date Night: Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar

  • Deli: Groucho’s Deli

  • Distillery: Hollow Creek Distillery

  • Family Dining with Kids: Flight Deck

  • Fine Dining: Alodia’s Cucina Italiana

  • Happy Hour: San Jose Mexican Restaurant

  • Healthy Eating - Vegetarian or Vegan: Good Life Cafe

  • Hot Dog: Rush’s

  • International - Chinese: Miyo’s

  • International - French: Crêpes & Croissants

  • International - Greek: Grecian Gardens

  • International - Indian: Delhi Palace

  • International - Italian: Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar Lexington

  • International - Japanese: Inakaya Watanabe

  • International - Korean: 929 Kitchen & Bar

  • International - Mexican: Real Mexico Restaurant

  • International - Thai: Mai Thai Cuisine

  • Lunch: DiPrato’s

  • Margarita: Cantina 76

  • Market - Farmer’s: Soda City Market

  • Market - Meat: Ole Timey Meat Markets

  • Market - Seafood: Ole Timey Meat Markets

  • Outdoor Dining: Liberty on the Lake

  • Pizza: La Brasca’s Pizza

  • Ribs: Hudson’s Smokehouse

  • BBQ Salad: California Dreaming

  • Sandwich/Sub: Groucho’s Deli

  • Seafood: Blue Marlin

  • Shrimp & Grits: Blue Marlin

  • Sports Bar: D’s Wings

  • Steak: Halls Chophouse Columbia

  • Sushi: Ganbei Japanese Restaurant & Bar

  • Sweets - Bakery: Tiffany’s Sweets, Eats & Meeting Place

  • Sweets - Candy Shop: The Peanut Man Chocolate Factory & Cafe

  • Sweets - Cupcake Shop: Nothing Bundt Cakes

  • Sweets - Dessert: Kaminsky’s Dessert Cafe

Health & Wellness

  • CBD Shop: Essential Vapors & CBD

  • Chiropractic Group/Practice: Palmetto Chiropractic Center

  • Counseling Services: Pellicer Counseling LLC

  • Day Spa: Urban Nirvana- Columbia

  • Dental Group/Practice: Dr. Sherry Powell

  • Dental Group/Practice - Pediatric: Palmetto Smiles

  • Dermatology Group/Practice: Columbia Skin Clinic

  • Eye Care Group/Practice: Columbia Eye Clinic

  • Fitness - Facility/Gym: HOTWORX- Lexington, SC

  • Fitness - Yoga Studio: Fit Columbia

  • Health & Vitamin Store: 14 Carrot Whole Foods

  • Hearing/Audiology Center: CENTA

  • Hospice Services: Heart of Hospice - Home Office

  • Hospital: Lexington Medical Center

  • Hospital for Childbirth: Lexington Medical Center

  • Hospital for Heart Health: Prisma Health Heart Hospital

  • In-home Healthcare Services: Hands and Hearts Home Care

  • Orthodontics Group/Practice: Davis Orthodontics

  • Pharmacy - Locally Owned: Hawthorne Taylor Pharmacy

  • Physical Therapy Group/Practice: FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers

  • Physicians Group/Practice - OBGYN: Dr. Myles Davis

  • Physicians Group/Practice - Orthopedics: Midlands Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery, PA

  • Physicians Group/Practice - Pediatrics: Sandhills Pediatrics

  • Physicians Group/Practice - Plastic Surgery Donen Davis Plastic Surgery

  • Physicians Group/Practice - Podiatry: Daniel Methuselah, DPM

  • Physicians Group/Practice - Primary Care: Lexington Family Practice

  • Retirement - Assisted Living Facility: Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community

  • Retirement - Independent Living Community Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community

  • Urgent Care Center: Lexington Medical Center

  • Weight Loss/Management Program: Profile by Sanford

Home

  • Apartment Community: The Row at the Stadium

  • Appliance Repair: Appliance Professional LLC

  • Carpet/Flooring Cleaning: Floor Pro

  • Cleaning Service: Palmetto Commercial Services

  • Closet & Organization Company: Tailored Living

  • Electrician/Electrical Contractor: Creations Electrical Inc

  • Fence Company: Ryan Brewer Enterprises, LLC

  • Foundation Services: Mount Valley Foundation Services

  • Gutter Services: The Guttermen

  • Heating & Air Services: Cool Care Heating and Air

  • Home Builder: Great Southern Homes

  • Home Contractor/Remodeler: Nation Builders

  • Home Remodeler - Bath/Kitchen Specialty: Hazelwood Construction

  • Home Security Company: Carolina Wiring Service, LLC

  • Housing Development/Neighborhood: Saluda River Club

  • Interior Design Company: Paige Butler, Interior Styling & Design

  • Landscaping Service: Michael Wayne’s Landscaping and Tree Service

  • Pest Control Service: Family Pest Management

  • Plumbing Company: Freedom Plumbing, Inc.

  • Pool Service/Maintenance: Pete Alewine Pool & Spa

  • Real Estate Agency/Company: Home Advantage Realty, LLC

  • Real Estate Agent - Full Name & Company: Jill Moylan, Home Advantage Realty

  • Roofing Company: Crescent Construction, LLC

Service

  • Animal - Day Camp: Central Bark

  • Animal - Pet Boarding Dog Daze

  • Animal - Pet Grooming: Happy Tails Resort & Spa

  • Animal - Pet Supplies: Lazy Creek Pet Food Center Discount Pet Foods & Supplies

  • Animal - Veterinary Clinic: Veterinary Care Center

  • Attorney/Law Firm: McDonnell & Associates Law Firm

  • Attorney/Law Firm - Defense: Lourie Law Firm, LLC

  • Attorney/Law Firm - Estate Law: McDonnell & Associates Law Firm

  • Attorney/Law Firm - Family Law: Pozsik & Carpenter Law Firm

  • Attorney/Law Firm - Personal Injury: Lourie Law Firm, LLC

  • Barber Shop: Lexington Gentlemen’s Salon & Barber

  • Boat Repair/Service: Marine Pro Custom Boatworks

  • Children’s Camp Program: Hammond School

  • Children’s Daycare Facility: St. Martin’s Preschool

  • Computer Repair/Service - Locally Owned: Silicon Solutions

  • Employment /Staffing Agency: Roper Staffing

  • Funeral Home: Dunbar Funeral Home (Devine)

  • Insurance Agency: Powers Insurance Experts

  • Salon - Hair: Borreggines Hair Artistry

  • Salon - Nails: Lee Nails

  • Salon - Waxing Ahh Sugar Sugar Body Sugaring

  • School - Dance Studio: The Southern Strutt

  • School - Gymnastics Studio: Palmetto Athletic Center

  • School - Private Education: Hammond School

  • School - Public Charter: East Point Academy

  • School - Public District: Lexington County School District One

  • School - Public Magnet: Spring Hill High School

  • School- Public High School: Dreher High School

  • Tattoo Shop: Animated Canvas Custom Tattoo

  • Travel Agency: Cruise Planners- Melanie Scarborough

  • Wedding Reception Venue: Twelve Oak Estate

  • Antique Shop: The Warehouse Antiques

  • Appliance Store: Jeffers McGill Appliance & Furniture

  • Beer & Wine Store: Green’s Beverage Warehouse

  • Bicycle Sales/Service: Outspokin’ Bicycles

  • Boat Dealership: Falcon Bass Boats

  • Cabinets & Countertops: Store Lifetime Cabinets & Countertops

  • Carpet/Flooring Store: Lake Murray Floor Covering

  • Clothing - Boutique: Miss Cocky

  • Clothing - Children’s: Duck Duck Goose

  • Clothing - Consignment: Palmetto Thrift Store, Columbia SC

  • Clothing - Men’s: Granger Owings

  • Clothing - Women’s: Pink Sorbet, a Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store

  • Eyewear Store: Devine Eyes

  • Fabric Store: Forest Lake Fabric Center Inc

  • Florist: Tim’s Touch Flowers and Gifts

  • Furniture - Consignment: The Warehouse

  • Furniture Store: Whit Ash Furnishings

  • Furniture Store- Outdoor/Patio: Tropic Aire Patio Gallery

  • Gamecock Apparel & Accessories: Miss Cocky

  • Gardening Center/Nursery: Woodley’s Garden Center

  • Gift Shop: The Nifty Gifty

  • Jewelry Store: Sylvan’s Jewelers

  • Lighting, Fixtures, Home Supply Store: The Lite House

  • Liquor Store: Green’s Beverage Warehouse

  • Mattress Store: Michaelis Mattress

  • Motorcycle Sales & Service: Harley Haven

  • Musical Instruments” Rice Music House

  • Outdoor Gear and Supply Store: Half-Moon Outfitters Inc

  • Pool/Spa Store: Pete Alewine Pool & Spa

  • Vaping Store: Essential Vapors & CBD

  • Wallcoverings Store: Sherwin Williams Paint Store

  • Wedding - Dress/Formal Wear: Jo-Lin’s Bridal & Formal Wear

  • Window Treatments: Budget Blinds of Lexington and Chapin

  • Windows & Doors Sales: Taylors Window & Screen Inc