SERVICES
Auto Repair (Tie)
Auto Logic
200 W. Main St., Carrboro
(919) 933-6609
autologiconline.comAndy and Marianne Jones, the owners of Auto Logic, have been repairing Triangle area cars, with a specialization in imported models, for nearly 26 years at their repair shop in Carrboro. With six ASE certified master mechanics and one ASE-certified technician on staff, Auto Logic specializes in “technical excellence and a sincere, honest approach to customers,” Marianne Jones says.
“We really do go the extra mile, I feel like, for our customers, and if our customers have a problem … we do the right thing,” she says.
Last year, Auto Logic added three bays for providing tire sales and services. The centerpiece of the expansion is a high-tech Hunter alignment system that handles both simple jobs and more complex ones affecting imports and modern cars with dynamic stability control systems. Jones says another way they serve their customers is by helping to keep their vehicles on the road as long as possible and avoid catastrophic situations through regular maintenance. When it’s finally time for a customer to think about replacing the vehicle – whether because of age-related costs or safety reasons – they let them know that, too, she says.
Chapel Hill Tire (four locations)
502 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill; (919) 967-7092
203 W. Main St., Carrboro; (919) 967-7058
Cole Park Plaza, U.S. 15-501, Chapel Hill; (919) 960-6001
4805 Hope Valley Road, Durham; (919) 797-1013
Chapel Hill Tire is growing its commitment to “green” business, said Marc Pons, who owns the local chain with his brother Britt Pons and sister Neill Bellamy.
A fourth location, in Durham, may be the first auto shop in the nation with a locally landscaped green roof that absorbs runoff and insulates the building, he said. The house formerly at the site was donated to the Builders of Hope in Wake County for use in a low-income community.
“The benefit of something like that is the intersection of where sustainability and good deeds make good business sense,” Pons said. “Just by slowing down the thought process and thinking about things a little differently, you can have a win-win (situation).”
Chapel Hill Tire mechanics also are trained and certified in hybrid repair and are offering fully synthetic oil made with plant and animal fats and certified suitable for most cars. They continue to offer oil that’s recycled, enriched and reused, too, Pons said.
For customers, there’s free pick-up and delivery service from 10 Chapel Hill Transit and UNC park-and-ride lots. Customers arrange a key transfer with the shop, park their cars and catch the bus, leaving Chapel Hill Tire staff to take care of the rest.
Barbershop
Mina’s Studio
The Galleria shopping center
400 S. Elliott Road, Suite K, Chapel Hill
(919) 968-8548
info@minasstudio.comwww.minasstudio.comBeauty Salon
Mina’s Studio
The Galleria shopping center
400 S. Elliott Road, Suite K, Chapel Hill
(919) 968-8548
info@minasstudio.comwww.minasstudio.comCar Dealer
Performance Auto Mall
1810 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Chapel Hill
New Sales: (888) 711-2410
Used Sales: (866) 324-9721
Service: (888) 725-4379
Parts: (888) 284-1262
performanceautomall.comCustomer Service
Mina’s Studio (front desk employee Adalberto Pacheco)
The Galleria shopping center
400 S. Elliott Road, Suite K, Chapel Hill
(919) 968-8548
info@minasstudio.comwww.minasstudio.comDay Care
Childcare Matters and Spanish for Fun Academy in Chapel Hill, and
The Little School in Hillsborough
Dentist
Dr. Jessica Bishop
6015 Farrington Road, Chapel Hill
(919) 489-2793
jessicabishopdds.comDry Cleaners
Dry Clean Warehouse
2801 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill
608 N. Churton St., Hillsborough
(919) 929-6300
drycleanwarehouseinc.comFinancial Advisers
Optima Asset Management LLC (Diane McIntee)
922 Craftsman St., Hillsborough
(919) 933-9019
optimaasset.netGym
UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont
100 Sprunt St., Chapel Hill
(919) 966-5500
uncwellness.com Runner Up: SportsPlexKennel
Doggie Spa & Day Care
1101 Dawson Road, Chapel Hill
919-932-4738
doggiespa.com Runner Ups: Love Overboard in Carrboro and Noah’s Ark in Chapel HillReal Estate Office
Franklin Street Realty
1525 E. Franklin St., Suite 4, Chapel Hill
(919) 929-7174
franklinstreetrealty.comRetirement Community
The Cedars of Chapel Hill
100 Cedar Club Circle, Chapel Hill
(919) 259-7929 or (877) 433-3669
cedarsofchapelhill.comThe caring and friendly people who live at The Cedars make it a special continuing care retirement community, says President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Woodruff. The Cedars at Chapel Hill, located on 47 acres in Meadowmont, has 400-plus members and 306 condominium homes. There’s also the DuBose Health Center – a five-star, 36-bed facility offering skilled nursing, rehabilitation and assisted living – a clubhouse, ballroom and indoor pool. In addition, a three-person activity staff organizes cultural activities and continuing education courses. The community, which opened in 2004, is convenient to shopping, the UNC Wellness Center and both Duke and UNC hospitals.
Residents must be at least 60 years old or married to someone who is 60-plus. All condos are member-owned, so when a resident moves or passes away, the condo is sold to someone else who meets The Cedars’ qualifications, Woodruff says.
“It follows the real estate market in how you determine the value of the home, so people get the benefit of appreciation in value over time and their estate benefits from it,” he says.
Spa
Mina’s Studio
400 S. Elliott Road, Suite K, Chapel Hill
(919) 968-8548
info@minasstudio.comwww.minasstudio.comVeterinarian
Triangle Veterinary Hospital
3301 Old Chapel Hill Road, Durham
(919) 489-2391
trianglevet.comPEOPLE
Barber
Mina’s Studio
400 S. Elliott Road, Suite K, Chapel Hill
(919) 968-8548
info@minasstudio.comwww.minasstudio.comBarista
Matthew Darrah at Mina’s Studio
400 S. Elliott Road, Suite K, Chapel Hill
(919) 968-8548
info@minasstudio.comwww.minasstudio.comHair Stylist
Gabriela Bozymski at Mina’s Studio
400 S. Elliott Road, Suite K, Chapel Hill
(919) 968-8548
info@minasstudio.comwww.minasstudio.comPolitical Figure
Hillsborough Mayor Tom StevensHillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens says he was surprised but honored by his Rose Award, saying he tries to keep the focus on sharing ideas and being responsive and open minded. He also credited town staff, the community and many volunteers.
“It’s hard to argue with somebody who doesn’t have to be right. Certainly, if there’s anything I have difficulty with, it’s with people whose minds are so made up that they cannot consider another point of view,” Stevens says.
The Virginia native lives in the town’s historic district with his wife, Debbie, and has a master’s degree in social work from UNC. He has lived in the Triangle for 40 years and says serving as mayor is his way of giving back to the community. In his spare time, he gardens, reads and studies history. He’s also a writer and a professional painter, whose works sometimes hang in local galleries.
By day, Stevens runs Think Leadership Ideas, a boutique consulting company promoting facilitative leadership – what it is that “we” can accomplish vs. what “I” want, he says. That type of leadership that has made Hillsborough and all of Orange County a better place to live, he says. And he has no plans to stop, at least until Hillsborough’s Riverwalk project gets underway or is finished, he says. He also plans to continue supporting new and existing local businesses.
Runner Up: Chapel Hill Town Council member Matt CzajkowskiCommunity Volunteer (Tie)
Pat Garavaglia and Sharon Collins, co-owners of Balloons and Tunes;
Perry Colwell;
Bob Woodruff, president and CEO at The Cedars of Chapel Hill; UNC
Waiter/Waitress (Tie)
Kate Heying at Mina’s Studio and general manager
Jason Wall at Lantern Restaurant
Yoga Instructor
Ellese NicklesKinetix
257 S. Elliott Road, Chapel Hill
(919) 932-7115
Runners Up: Brooks Rainey Pearson at Carrboro Yoga Co. and Blue Point Yoga in Durham, and
Brianna Honea at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA
SHOPPING
Children’s Gifts
Learning Express
3604 Witherspoon Blvd., Suite 101, Durham
(919) 401-8480
lexpblog.com Runners Up: Balloons and Tunes, The Children’s Store, Cameron’s and Purple Puddle in Chapel Hill
Fashion Boutique
My Secret Closet
107 John Earl St., Hillsborough
(919) 732-1254
mysecretcloset.com Runners Up: Fabrik, Time After Time, Fine Feathers, Cameron’s, Uniquities, Lark and Monkee’s in Chapel Hill; Vintage Revival in Hillsborough
Florist
Purple Puddle400 S. Elliott Road, Suite H, Chapel Hill
(919) 967-2919
purplepuddle.com Runner Up: University Florist in Chapel Hill
Furniture Store
Hill Country Woodworks2113 Old Greensboro Road, Chapel Hill
(919) 929-2075
hillcountrywoodworks.comHill Country Woodworks was founded in 1976 and today has four owners, two of whom are former employees and play an active role in the homegrown furniture retail, design and construction business.
Co-owner Mark Todd, who took up woodworking as a hobby when he was young, says the business is unique because 95 percent of the furniture is made in-house. Todd and co-owner Will Bucher focus on simple, elegant style that is comfortable to use and maintain. Besides standard pieces, the staff can design a custom piece for a small fee to fit any need and provide a full-color rendering of the design before they make the furniture to be sure the customer is satisfied. Furniture lines not made in house come from Vermont and other states, and even as far away as Scandinavia.
Most pieces are sold to customers who live or have lived within 20 miles of the business, Todd says.
“If [customers] love wood, they should come see us, because we try to bring out the beauty of the wood. We don’t paint the furniture, except on a real strong request from the customer; we don’t stain wood, unless the customer insists on it,” Todd says.
Garden Center
Southern States300 N. Greensboro St., Carrboro
(919) 942-3857
southernstates.com Runner Up: Piedmont Feed and Garden Center, N.C. 54 West
Jewelry Store
Grimball Jewelers79 S. Elliott Road, Chapel Hill
(919) 929-2580
grimballjewelers.com Runner Up: Callaway Jewelry/Spiral Studios in Hillsborough
Men’s Gifts (Tie)
Dick’s Sporting Goods5422 New Hope Commons Drive, Durham
(919) 493-9884
dickssportinggoods.com O’Neill’s MenswearUniversity Mall
201 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill
(919) 967-3100
UNC Souvenirs RosesUniversity Mall
201 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill
(919) 942-8551
Runners Up: Shrunken Head and Johnny’s T-Shirts in Chapel Hill
Bike Shop
The Clean Machine104 W. Main St., Carrboro
(919) 967-5104
thecleanmachine.comScott Smith and Doug Venema are celebrating their longtime contribution to the local bike riding scene this year. The co-owners of The Clean Machine opened their Carrboro store 40 years ago and another in Chapel Hill 20 years later. The full-service bike shops also has stores in Durham, Raleigh and Apex, offering education, sales and service to both recreational riders and cycling enthusiasts. Plus, The Clean Machine regularly co-sponsors events like the MS Ride, the Tour de Cure for diabetes and the Ramblin’ Rose event for women.
Sales and marketing manager Johnathan Atkeinson says the staff tries to stand out from other bike shops by offering great service before and after the sale. There are many bikes available to match a rider’s level of experience and needs, and choosing the right one is critical, he says.
“Once our staff members can sit down and really talk with you about what you are going to be doing the majority of the time and what your goals are as a cyclist or as just a recreational rider, we can help you pick which one of those bikes – even within that recreational category – that’s going to best suit your needs and give you the best experience,” Atkeinson says.
Bookstore
Flyleaf Books752 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill
(919) 942-7373
flyleafbooks.comDIVERSIONS
Local Celebrity (Tie)
WCHL radio host
Ron Stutts, former UNC and NBA basketball star
Eric Montross and Hillsborough Mayor
Tom StevensLandmark
Old WellUNC campus
Public Park (Tie)
Hank Anderson Park in Carrboro and
Gold Park in Hillsborough
Community Hangout
Weaver Street MarketMain location: 101 E. Weaver St., Carrboro
(919) 929-0010
weaverstreetmarket.coop Runners Up: Linda’s in Chapel Hill;
The Depot and
Wooden Nickel Pub in Hillsborough; and
Johnny’s and
Glasshalffull in Carrboro
Live Music (Tie)
The Depot246 S. Nash St., Hillsborough
(919) 643-3768
hillsboroughdepot.com Cat’s Cradle300 E. Main St., Carrboro
(919) 967-9053
catscradle.com Runners Up: Kraken and
UNC’s Memorial HallDance
N.C. School of Ballet and the
Library in Chapel Hill;
Kat’s Ballroom Dance Class in Hillsborough
Visual Art
Horace Williams House and
Ackland Art Museum in Chapel Hill;
Churton Street Gallery,
Hillsborough Art Gallery and
Eno Gallery in Hillsborough
Farmer’s Market
Carrboro Farmer’s Market301 W. Main St., Carrboro
(919) 942-8541
carrborofarmersmarket.comWatch Basketball (Tie)
Smith Center on the UNC Campus
Bailey’s Pub and Grille1722 N. Fordham Blvd., Chapel Hill
(919) 918-1005
Hidden Bar (Tie)
Milltown and the
Kraken in Carrboro, and
Shula’s 347 Grill in Chapel Hill
Take Your Kids Play Date (Tie)
Gold Park in Hillsborough, and
Wilson Park, Anderson Community Park and
Maple View Farms Ice Cream Store in Hillsborough
Outdoor Entertainment Venue
Weaver Street MarketMain location: 101 E. Weaver St., Carrboro
(919) 929-0010
weaverstreetmarket.coopEXCEPTIONAL EATS
Asian
Akai Hana206 W. Main St., Carrboro
(919) 942-6848
akaihana.com Runners Up: Red Lotus and
Bangkok 54 in Chapel Hill
Bakery
Weaver Street MarketMain location: 101 E. Weaver St., Carrboro
(919) 929-0010
weaverstreetmarket.coopBarbecue
Hillsborough BBQ Company236 S. Nash St., Hillsborough
(919) 732-4647
hillsboroughbbq.comIn early April, Tommy Stann celebrated one year at his restaurant on South Nash Street. In that time, Hillsborough BBQ Co. has improved on its oak- and hickory-smoked pit barbecue, and he and his wife Cara had a son, he said.
Hillsborough BBQ Co. has been a labor of love for Stann, from the stone front walk that he built to the recipes developed in his back yard to the dump truck full of wood he buys and loads by hand every week at Cate’s Sawmill in Efland. Roughly 30 people work at the restaurant, firing up the massive brick pit every day at 5:30 a.m. to smoke fresh pork butts, chicken, turkeys and sometimes fish.
Stann, 41, is a landscaper by trade. He learned the pit craft from watching a friend, working at partner Matt Fox’s Wooden Nickle in Hillsborough and studying longtime BBQ restaurateur Wayne Monk in Lexington, N.C. He modeled his pit and technique on Monk’s style, he said, even placing cardboard over the meat to lock in the smoky flavor and prevent charring. A light sauce used to baste the meat is more of a “natural complement,” Stann said.
“I want the barbecue to be as good at 11 o’clock as it is at 3 o’clock. We are trying to keep it in small quantities, fresh, all day long,” he said.
Breakfast (Tie)
Weathervane201 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill
(919) 929-9466
southernseason.com Breadman’s324 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill
(919) 967-7110
breadmans.comCasual Dining (Tie)
Saratoga Grill in Hillsborough;
The Loop, Breadman’s, Mediterranean Deli, Weathervane and
Squid’s in Chapel Hill
Cup of Coffee
3 Cups227 S. Elliott Road, Chapel Hill
(919) 968-8993
3cups.netFine Dining
Lantern423 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
(919) 969-8846
lanternrestaurant.com Runner Up: Panciuto in Hillsborough
Ice Cream
Maple View6900 Rocky Ridge Road, Hillsborough
(919) 960-5535
mapleviewfarm.comMexican
Fiesta Grill3307 N.C. 54 West, Chapel Hill
(919) 928-9002
fiestagrill.usChapel Hill is a long way from Jesus and Irene Bravo’s native Mexico and their adopted home in California, but they have stayed true to the authentic flavors of their homeland at the Fiesta Grill, Jesus Bravo said. Part of the secret to head chef Jesus Carrasco’s recipes lies in his influences, Bravo said: He calls momma to find out how she cooks it.
Other vital components are communication; good, fresh food; and many hours of hard work, he said.
Both men have extensive experience in professional kitchens, said Bravo, who worked his way up the food chain from dishwasher and busboy until the day he and Carrasco realized a dream to open their own business. While their lawyer had misgivings about the location they chose in the White Cross community, they were confident it would succeed, he said. They will celebrate their 10-year anniversary in June.
Now with six employees, they hope to expand once the economy picks up – maybe to a new location, since the building they now occupy is limited, he said.
“We are confident about what we can do. We can do it better than any other restaurant around here,” he said.
Pizza
Brixx Pizza501 Meadowmont Village Circle, Chapel Hill
(919) 929-1942
brixxpizza.com Runner-Up: Amante PizzaWine Selection
Chapel Hill Wine Company2809 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill
(919) 968-1884
chapelhillwinecompany.comBurgers
Five Guys Burgers and Fries407 Meadowmont Village Circle, Chapel Hill
(919) 942-1515
http://www.fiveguys.com Runner Up: Tyler’s Restaurant and Taproom in Carrboro
Cheap Date (Tie)
Mediterranean Deli410 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
(919) 967-2666
mediterraneandeli.com Armadillo Grill120 E. Main St., Carrboro
(919) 929-4669
mediterraneandeli.comDining with Kids (Tie)
Breadman’s324 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill
(919) 967-7110
breadmans.com Elmo’s Diner200 N. Greensboro St., Carrboro
(919) 929-2909
elmosdiner.com Runners Up: Chik-Fil-A, Mediterranean Deli and
Foster’s Market in Chapel Hill;
Bocci in Durham
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