Best of Westword Winners From 1986

In 1986, Westword published its third Best of Denver issue, a celebration of the city that saluted everything from the Best Local Comic Made Good (Roseanne Barr, who’d been living in a trailer just a few years earlier and was now starring in her own sitcom) to the Best Bronco (Karl Mecklenburg displaced two-time winner John Elway) to the Best Local Celebrity: Dick Lamm, about to finish his twelve-year stint as governor of Colorado, but definitely not going out quietly. Other winners are long gone, and the Best Candidate for Renovation, the Gates Rubber plant, is disappearing by the day.

But other 1986 winners are better than ever. Just up the street from Gates is that year’s Best Building Saved in the Nick of Time: the Mayan Theatre. Just when demolition seemed imminent for the then-53-year-old movie palace, the feisty Friends of the Mayan stepped in and saved the structure. That fall, the renovation was completed, with the facade preserved and three movie theaters carved out inside. More than twenty years later, the Mayan remains a true treasure, a piece of art that shows art (and also serves cocktails!). Here are the rest of the winners from 1986:

Best of Denver 1986

IN MEMORIUM:

Mama Sans’

Union Station

The Peacock

Bamboo Gardens

Muddy Waters on The Platte Coffeehouse

Warm Weather Café

Lots of Stuff

Trifles

Marcy & Gary Levine

SURVIVAL –

Best Local Celebrity – Governor Richard Lamm

Best Name for Denver – Rep. Pat Schroeder's name of "Rambo City"

Best New Reason to Live in Denver – Ridiculously low air fares by three major airlines

Best Decision by the State Attorney General – Duane Woodard's warning to airlines that they were using deceptive advertising to publicize cheap fares

Best Unsung Colorado Hero – Chris Holloway with his song about the Statue of Liberty, "She's The Only Miss America To Me"

Best Sign That There Will Always be a Boulder – Boulder's Nuclear War Education Committee of Boulder disbanded, being praised by the county commissioner noting that "During your tenure there was no nuclear war, and there was no nuclear war in Boulder County”

Best reason to stay in Aurora – Aurora's John Hunter family experiences problems during their vacation

Best city slogan – Winner of a contest for Longmont's new city slogan = "None of the Above" Best Visible Proof of Unfettered Artistic Spirit – Artist who created the eagle on top of Denver's City and County Building put the eagle in a position only assumed when defecating, in response to bureaucratic wrangling

Best Place to see Dinosaur Tracks – North up Rooney, at the intersection, proceed up the Alameda cutoff to the Hogback.

Best Adjacent Signs – "Butts Rental" and "UDICK Auto Supply"

Best Lawn Ornaments – W. 41st at Ingalls

Best Place to Eavesdrop – Basement Cafeteria, Denver City & County Building

Best Place to People Watch – East 13th Ave, from Lickity Split to Broadway

Best Proof That The Family That Plays Together Stays Together – Aurora Presbyterian's emergency room has to treat family members who had super glued themselves together

Best Bow-Tie – E. Gordon Gee, President of The University Of Colorado

Best Reason for the Bow-Tie Shortage – Perkins Shearer ran out of a model of bow tie after Rattlesnake Club employees were required to wear them

Best Herb Look-Alike – Gordon Gee, seen in a Florida Burger King

Best Boss – Richard Bate

Best PR Person – Maryann Yuthas, The Fairmont Hotel

Best Public Relations Challenge – Adams County businessmen began a campaign to clean up the image of county officeholders, but first community leaders attended workshops on how to maintain the public's trust

Best Public Relation's Challenge - Runner up – Stapleton officials selected Broyles, Allebaugh, & Davis to market the lame duck airport

Best Reason to Build a New Convention Center/Best Reason Not to Build a New Convention Center – Money. We say build it in The Golden Triangle - but solicit competitive bids first

Best Suburb – Edgewater

Best Neighborhood – Park Hill

Best Cruel and Unusual Punishment – Utah farmer Kay Frischknecht, convicted of helping bring illegal farm workers into Utah got a reduced ($300) if he would read Lamm's book, The Immigration Time Bomb

Best New Twist to an Old Quote – The Denver Post's review of the book Lamm co-wrote with Arnie Grossman read - "The ending is all-important in a political thriller. Best of all is the kind that draws a surprised but satisfied Wow!”, the paperback edition read "Wow" across the front

Best Cruel and Unusual Punishment Part II – Gov Lamm picked up a $40 tab, to encourage legislators to join Colorado Plains Inc.

Best Proof that Politics Make Strange Bedfellows – Agreeing with Governor Lamm, William Coors told a group of Barley growers, "We can't be all things to all people. We can't save the world - and sacrifice ourselves in the process."

Best Correction to a New State Program – The Colorado Department of Revenue's Tax Amnesty initially read," The Colorado department of Revenue would like to apologize for the stuffer concerning tax Amnesty that was mailed with your September tax return programs." It was, however only intended as an informational notice and the department apologized soon after for sounding harsh and threatening.

Best Colorado Politician – Rep. Pat Schroeder

Best State Legislator – Senator Martha Ezzard

Best Citizen's Advocacy Group – Citizens Against Contamination of Adams County

Best Activist - departing – Gonzalo Santos

Best Good Samaritans - public – Supreme Dental Group of Arvada agreed to give free dental care to anyone who stopped in one day this summer

Best Good Samaritans -private- King Sooper's Shop For A Friend

Best Gift to Colorado – James Rathone Falck gave almost 4,000 acres in Douglas County to Colorado Open Lands, a non-profit organization

Best City Councilmember – (tie) Stephanie Foote and Cathy Donahue

Best City Bureaucrat – Ruth Rodriguez, Director of Denver Parks and Recreation

Best Low-level City Bureaucrat – Charles Brown, Public Health and Sanitation

Best Bus Driver – Keith Gelwick

Best Bus Route – #23

Best Expense Report – Seven members of RTD's board of directors managed to gather over $65,000 in restaurant, travel, and seminar bills in 1985 - outspending the board's other 8 members 3-1.

Best Explanation for the Speed of the Mail – 400 pieces of deliverable mail were found in a dumpsite in the Capitol Hill Post Office station.

Best Rent Deal – The E-470 authority is leasing office space from developer Bill Walters for $1 a year.

Best Sculpture Made out of Stuff You Sell – Denver Bumper topped by a stainless steel bucking bronco made out of old bumpers.

Best Sci-fi Book – Published report of the Denver area housing committee contains suggestions for Downtown Denver making the area seem more like Xanadu

Best New Renovation – Denver Design Center at the Ice House

Best Building Saved in the Nick of Time – The Mayan Theatre

Best Candidate for Renovation – Gary Rubler's South Broadway Offices

Best New Building – Tuscany

Best Viaduct (and view of downtown) – The newly repaired eighth avenue viaduct

Best Synchronized Lights – 14th Ave East from Broadway to Colorado Blvd

Best Cheap Parking Downtown – Parking lot at 15th and 16th streets, Glenarm and Welton

Best Consulate Parking Space – 17th street and Market

Best Road to Avoid – Any part of Evans

Best Sport – Boulder Businessman Jim Keller

Best Sport in the Best Promotional Event by a Newspaper – Ride the Rockies, developed by the Post's Claire Martin

Best Buddy – Coach Dan Reeves

Best Loosing Streak – CU's basketball team

Best Nugget – Calvin Natt

Best Actor on the Court – Denver Nugget Bill Hanzlik

Best Sports Performance – Doug Moe's antics during Nugget games

Best Denver Sports Team – DU Pioneers hockey team

Best Recruiting – Bill McCartney CU Buffaloes' head football coach

Best Radio Sports Talk – Jim Turner and Mike Haffner

Best Zephyr – Barry Larkin

Best Sports Interview – Denver Zephyrs relief pitcher Mike "Smoke" Smith

Best Bronco – Karl Mecklenburg

Best Friends- Ron Zappolo and Steve Harms

Best Description of the Relationship Between the Press and Politicians – Gov. Lamm said in a talk to high school journalists,” There’s this symbiotic relationship between the press and politicians. It's like the great apes that sit around and pick the fleas off each other"

Best Reason to Refuse Classified Ads – Elaine Leass, the editor of The Rocky Mountain Oyster was charged with accepting ads that she knew were fronts for prostitution.

Best Correction of the Rocky Mountain News – Referring to Berk Breathed's return to the paper.

Best Correction in The Denver Post – Post ran a front page story about Jenifer Macy, who claimed to look like the new Betty Crocker, but both pictures were of Macy.

Best Daily Correction That Won a Pulitzer – The Post won a Pulitzer for a front page story that corrected misquoted figures of missing children

Best Daily Newspaper Photography – Boulder Daily Camera

Best Daily Newspaper Reporter – Denver Post reporter Dan Jones

Best Newspaper Columnist - local – Al Knight

Best Newspaper Columnist -syndicated – Dave Barry

Best TV Newscast – KUSA, channel 9, 10 pm

Best Local News Anchor – Ward Lucas, KUSA

Best Weatherman – Ed Pearl, KCNC TV and KOA radio

Best Radio News – KBCO, FM 97

Best Talk Show Host – Andrea Van Steenhouse

Best Live Rush Hour Reports – Metro Traffic Control

Best TV Commercial Featuring The Business Owner – Sam's Automotive

Best Place to Grin and Bare It – Mountain Air Ranch (a 15 year old nudist camp)

Best Bare Bones Settlement – Settlement of man who had been mailing out nude pictures of his wife, the two people were placed under a permanent court order to leave the other alone

Best Indecent Overexposure – Plans to air the weekly Denver city council meetings on TV were botched when viewers were treated to the Playboy Channel instead

Best Example of a University Being Caught with its Pants Down – University of Colorado's Summit alumni magazine contained 8 photos of a naked man

Best Case of Color Blindness – CU's Campus Press showed "racial insensitivity" twice during the year

Best Sign that Even Good Liberals Tell Ethnic Jokes Under the Right Circumstances – Rep. Pat Schroeder tells a joke about affirmative action to the house

Best Slurred Speech – Ft. Collins councilman John Knezovich uses derogatory slang to refer to blacks, jews, and hispanics

Best Speech Behavior – Councilman John Silchia was having problems in his district with the Denver Islamic Society, and sent a letter to Mayor Pena saying,” I want those sheep slaughters out of my district if possible"

Best Toilet Talk (not to mention) Best Public Embarrassment – Rep. Walt Yonglund said before a house agricultural committee that portable toilets were not necessary for farmers because many of them came from "dugouts" in Mexico and wouldn't know how to use them anyway.

Best Second Career by a Convicted Felon – John Edward Garcia changes his name and takes up pro boxing

Best Local Imitation of Geraldo Rivera Opening Al Capone's Vault – Agents of the Colorado attorney general's crime task force visited the home of self proclaimed mob gangster John Cerrone. After breaking his safe they only found a picture of Cerrone and his wife raising their middle fingers

Best Reason to let the Parade Pass You Buy – Jefferson County Sheriff's Department float in the annual parade is a stuffed dummy swinging from a gallows

Best Blow to Law Enforcement – After cleaning out the Danish World Adult Bookstore, the robber stopped to "get something for Ed" - an inflatable aphrodite doll

Best Reason to Lock 'em Up Till They Pass Through Puberty – A 17 year old prisoner broke his leg trying to evade being capture, later when a detective helped him into the passenger seat, he drove away.

Best Reason Why Harry Morgan Kept His Hair Cropped Short – A St. Joseph nurse sued a surgeon who allegedly pulled at her hair and threatened to pull it out, because another nurse began humming the theme to Dragnet

Best Quote From a Concerned Relative – After his brother's eyes were poked out and one was stuffed down his throat he replied,” An eye for an eye is something but two for nothing is something else"

Best Suggestion for an Alternative Sentence – Russell Rogers suggested that in return for shooting a Denver Police Officer he be "turned loose on Libya"

Best Reason Not to Drink in the Privacy of Your Own Home – Officer RJ Barela visited the home of Jerry and Patricia Murphy to ask about a burglary in the area, found Patricia drinking, and observed her fall down the steps in her home. Barela took her to a detox center shortly after

Best Good Vibrations – Followers of the Rajneesh relocated to Boulder to start a newspaper.

Best Pass of the Collection Plate – Archbishop Stafford moves to a new house costing $295,000, and he then asked 141 Colorado parishes to contribute $200 for new ceremonial crosses

Best Place to go to Confession – Holy Ghost Catholic Church

Best Example of Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth – In Boulder a law was passed requiring landlords to pay 5.5 percent interest on tenants' security deposits. This made it hard for Muslims because Islamic law prohibits contracts that involve interest (city attorney finally exempted religious claimants from the law)

Best Creche Landing – The baby Jesus and other nativity figures disappeared from the Denver City and County Building, but arrived the next day in Georgetown where John Denver was filming a made for TV movie

ENTERTAINMENT –

Best New Entertainers – The Amazing Flying Cats

Best Entertainers to Make It Big Last Year – Precision Lawn Chair Demonstration Team

Best Annual Entertainers – The Mudmen

Best Performance by a Former Entertainer – Denny Workman

Best Free Entertainment – Capitol Hill People's Fair

Best Place to Spend Money and Have Nothing to Show for it – Mile High Kennel Club

Best Entertainment for Under $1 – Lakeside Amusement Park

Best Place to Take the Kids – Children's Museum

Best Place to Play Hookey – Funplex

Best Beer Tour – The Boulder Brewing Company

Best Fireworks – Auraria Campus

Best Amusement Park Ride - Under 50 – Mr. Twister at Eltich's

Best Amusement Park Ride - Over 50 – Ferris Wheel at Lakeside

Best Zoo Attraction – The Camel ride

Best Place to Take a Walk – City Park

Best Place to Walk Your Dog – City Park

Best Place to Fly a Kite - Ruby Hill

Best Urban Picnic – The Berkeley Park

Best Pool Deck – Fairmont Hotel

Best Urban Swimming Pool – Congress Park

Best Beach – Waterworld

Best Wooden Beach – Caldonia's

Best Urban Body of Water – Rocky Mountain Lake Park

Best In-town Fishing – Crown Hill Lake

Best Trout Stream – Middle Boulder Creek, Eldora

Best Day Trip From Denver – Highland Lake

Best Easy Hike in the Mountains for the Terminally Out of Shape – Maroon Bells, Aspen

Best Hot Springs – Valley View Hot Springs, Villa Grove

Best Rapids – Royal Gorge, Arkansas River

Best Ski Area – Vail

Best Ski Run – Shadows, Steamboat Springs

Best Cross Country Ski Trail – Vail Pass

Best Annual Sporting Event – Bolder, Boulder

Second Best Annual Sporting Event – Meeker Massacre Run For Your Life Race

Best Annual Display of Useless Energy – KBCO kinetics race

Best Public Tennis Courts – Sloan Lake

Best Softball Field – Vanderbilt Fields

Best Pool Table – Family Fun Center

Best City Golf Course – Willis Case

Best Public Golf Course – Riverdale

Best Driving Range – City Park

Best Miniature Golf Course – Putt-Putt

Best Bike Path – Highlands Ranch

Best Jogging Path – Platte River Greenway

Best Pick Up Basketball Game – 20th Street Gym

Best Bowling Lanes – Arapahoe Bowling Center

Best Pistol Range – Gun Site

Best Place to go Horseback Riding – Spring Gulch Cross Country Course

Best Video Games – Celebrity Sports Center

Best Photon Player – Photon

Best In-house Porno Movies – Peak To Peak Motel, Estes Park

Best Long Lived Peep Show Rumor – Kitty's South

Best Place to Watch "Dynasty" – Garbo's

Best TV Programming – KDVR, channel 31

Best Movie Programming – Ogden Theatre

Best Movie Theatre - First Run – Century 21

Best Movie Theatre - Revival – Denver Center Cinema at the DCPA

Best Place to See a Movie Alone – The Colorado 4

Best Movie Snack Bar – Landmark Theatres

Best Entertainment After Midnight – Stop Making Sense, Esquire Theatre

Best Drive-In – E. 88th Ave. Drive-in; E 88th and Rosemary, Commerce City

Best Movie Deal – Main Street Theatres: Oriental

Best Local Dance Troop – Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble

Best Local Comic – Don Becker

Best Local Comic Made Good – Roseanne Barr

Best Actor – Joe McDonald

Best Local Actress Made Good – Mary Jo Catlett

Best Theatre for Kids – The Comedy Works in Larimer Square

Best Place to See a Play – The source, Denver Center Theatre Company

Best Excuse to Cancel a Play – A Van Halen Concert

Best Annual Festival – Colorado Dance Festival

Best Local Art Supporter - private – David Adams

Best Local Art Supporter - public – Richard Tietz

Best Local Art Supporter - government – Mayor's Commission on Cultural Affairs

Best Public Sculpture – Michael Pedziwiatr's "Triangular Movement"

Best Local Artists Made Good – Zoa Ace, Louis Recchia and Mary Shivers

Best Art-career Launching Pad – Pirate: Contemporary Art Oasis

Best Art Gallery – Joan Robey Gallery

Best Band for Art Openings – Zulu

Best Art Gallery Openings – Center for idea art, DCPA Galleria

Best Exhibit at the Denver Art Museum – The Red Grooms Show

Best Dioramas at the Denver Museum of Natural History – Diorama with the hidden surprises

Best Small Museum – The Leanin' Tree

Best Art Book – The Codex

Best Place to See Artists (a) By Daylight, (b) Be Athletic,(c) Get Hurt

Best Denver Sports/ Politics/ Rock and Roll Magnate – Sidney Shlenker

Best Rock and Roll Sellout – Feyline Presents or Feyline Concerts

Best Concert – Nevill Brothers, Rainbow Music Hall

Best Place to Cancel a World Class Concert – Football practice

Best Street Musician – Tommy Pough

Best All Ages Shows – The Events Center

Best Local Band – Bruce Odland Big Band

Best Rock Band – The Hendersons

Best Country Band – Runaway Express

Best Underground Band – The Fluid

Best Bluegrass Band – Hot Rize

Best Folkie – Scott Seskind

Best Local Jazz Band – Dale Bruning and Paul Warburton

Best Fusion Band – Rob Mullins

Best Blues Band – Randy Handley Band

Best Big Band – The Dick Hammergren Orchestra

Best Lounge Performer – Steve Conn

Best Dance Band – The Borrowed Times

Best Quasi-Classical Band – Boulder Bassoon Band

Best Classical Group – National Repertory Orchestra

Best Band Name – Electric Third Rail

Best Local Record – Bruce Odland Big Band, The Bruce Odland Big Band

Best Teletunes VJ – Bob Rupp

Best DJ – Roxanne, KBCO

Best Place to Dance – Basin's Up

Best Rock Club – The Longhorn Saloon

Best Jazz Club - Ambiance – The Champa Bar

Best Jazz Club - Talent – El Chapultepec

Best Country Club – The Urban Cowgirl

Best Club for National Bands – The Hi Lo

Best Part-time Club – Chappelle's

Best Seasonal Club – Maui Bay

Best After Hours Spot Also Best Place to Find a Musician – Fatz City

Best Bartenders – My Brother's Bar

Best Matching Bald Bartenders – The Wazee

Best Bouncers – Herman's Hideaway

Best Jukebox – Avenue Bar & Grill

Best Jukebox with Happy Birthday to You – Pic's Corner Bar

Best Happy Hour – King's Court

Best Happy Hour - Hors D'oeuvers- Thrills

Best Happy Hour Pick-ups – The Denver Art Museum

Best Shots – Soapy Smith's

Best Sports Bar – Brooklyn's

Best Place to Watch a Minnesota Sporting Event – Chappies

Best Piano Bar – Scotch-n-Sirloin

Best Mountain Bar – Pioneer Inn, Nederland

Best Singles Bar- Neo

Best Yuppie Bar – Ristorante Boccalino

Best Neighborhood Bar - north – The Portulaca Cafe

Best Neighborhood Bar - central – The Cruise Room, Oxford Hotel

Best Neighborhood Bar - west- Club Aeroplane

Best Neighborhood Bar - east- The Riviera

Best Neighborhood Bar - south – Stadium Inn

Best Neighborhood Bar - Boulder – Juanita's

GOODS & SERVICES

Best Way to Spend Cash Burning a Hole in Your Pocket – Wind-up World, The Tivoli

Best Place to Get Food Stamps – Servicios De La Rasa

Best Place to Get a Driver's License – Douglas County

Best Telephone Operators – Pat Steward and William Walker

Best Men's Room – Oxford Hotel

Best Women's Room – Cherry Creek Cinema

Best Free Legal Advice – Denver Bar Association, Call-a-Lawyer Night 759-2285

Best Mall- Villa Italia

Best Consumer Trend – Discount Shoppettes

Best Department Store Prices – Yellow Front

Best Free Service – Renter's Hotline, 789-9912

Best Dumpster for Browsing – Behind 2000 E. 12th Ave

Best Last Item at the Neusteters Sale – A complete list of everyone who purchased a Neusters fur in the last two decades, prices included

Best Bullet Proof Clothing – Unishied

Best Tuxedo Rental – Smiley's Formal Wear

Best Costume Rental – American Costume Company

Best Selection of Hawaiian Shirts – Rudely Decadent

Best Punk Clothing – Value Village

Best Thrift Store - Men's Jackets – Disabled American Veterans

Best Thrift Store - Women's Jeans – Value Village

Best Hat Store – Cottrell's

Best Bolo Ties – PMM Western Wear & Saddlery

Best Tie Selection – Lee's Men's Store

Best Western Wear – Lancaster Western Wear

Best Boot Selection – Shepeler's Western Wear

Best Odd Sized Clothing - Men – Man's World Clothing

Best Odd Sized Clothing - Women – Ample Duds

Best Men's Shoe Selection – The Garment District

Best Women Shoe Selection – Firenze Shoes

Best Place for Women to Buy Unsensible Shoes – Garbarini

Best Discount Designer Fashions – TJ Maxx

Best Custom Made Clothing – Ragazzi's

Best Vintage Clothing Store – Raggedy Ann's Clothing and Costumes

Best Down Under Clothing – The Australian Outback Collection

Best Indian Jewelry – Colorado Indian Market

Best Dancewear – Motions

Best Bed-jackets- Sears Roebuck

Best Accessories – Allison's Place

Best Place to Buy Shades – Bonanza Flea Market

Best Place to Buy a Bra – Joslin's

Best Lingerie – Fredrick's of Hollywood

Best Current Name for an Escort Service – Golden Girls

Best Spanish Porn Store – El Harpa de Oro

Best Pornographic Bookstore – Book Mart East

Best Palm Reader – Karen Charboneau, 321-0876

Best Shoeshine – Tabor Center

Best Fast Shoe Repair – Cobbler's Corner

Best Cheap Haircut – Johnny's Barber Shop

Best Hair Salon for Gossip – Paul Garcia's

Best Name for a Hair Salon – Bizarre Hair Fashions

Best Facial – Ilona of Hungary Institute of Skin Care

Best Massage – Name withheld on request

Best Artificial Nails – The Nail Parlor

Best Oriental Health Center – Shin's Oriental Health Center

Best Workout/ Personal Fitness Instructor – Neil Wolkodoff, Denver Athletic Club

Best Makeover – Changes, Inc, 100 Fillmore

Best Health Club If You're Out of Shape – Holiday Health & Fitness

Best Chiropractor – John Hanks

Best New Surgical Fad – Suction Lipectomy

Best Country Club Without a Wait for Membership – Glenmoor Country Club

Best Place to Stay Near Fitzimons – Shady Meadows Trailer Park

Best Emergency Room – Rose Medical Center

Best Emergency Room Nurse – Nurse Mike Milam, St. Anthony Hospital

Best Fast Health Care – Express Care, St. Luke's Hospital, Denver Presbyterian Hospital, Aurora; Health Care Plaza, Jordan & Arapahoe

Best Place to Dry Out – Mt. Airy Psychiatric Center

Best Invention – The Guardian Interlock Systems

Best Place to Buy Corpolite – Hall's of Denver

Best Chance of Finding Andy/ Fergie Souvenirs – The Lemon Cheese Co.

Best Souvenirs – Colorado Souvenirs

Best Cement Staturay – Colorado Upholstery Furniture

Best Metal Detector Store – C & D Detection Enterprises

Best Place to Buy a Bob Allison Baseball Card, Denver Baseball Cards and Collectibles- 5602 E. Colfax

Best Antique Store – Niwot Antique Emporium

Best Kitchen Store – Williams- Sonoma

Best Kitchen Store - For People Whose Maids Don't Cook – Stores Equipment Corporation

Best Religious Supply Store – Derkin's

Best One Stop Psychic Center – Colorado Psychic Center

Best Yarn Shop – Skyloom Fibers

Best Fabric and Notions – Buttons 'n Trims LTD

Best Art Supplies - Meininger's

Best Art Supplies – Silkscreen - Midwest sign supplies

Best Pawn Shop – Wedgle's Music and Loan

Best Dime Store – Woolworth's

Best Hardware Store – General Hardware

Best Junkyard – Svigel's Used Auto Parts Inc.

Best Tool Store – Surplus Tool & Commodities

Best Camera Shop – Robert Waxman Cameras

Best Fishing Store - High end – Angler's All

Best Fishing Store - Low end – Uncle Mitty's Tackle Box

Best Sporting Goods Sales – REI Co-op

Best Taxidermy Store – Denver Institute of Taxidermy Training

Best Place to Send a Sick Motorcycle – Woody's Wheel Works

Best Musical Car Wash – 2125 S. Clay

Best Art Deco Gas Station – Sinclair

Best Driving School – AAA Auto instruction

Best Piano Tuning and Repair – David Nereson

Best Movers- Movemasters

Best Typewriter Repair- Edgewater Office Products

Best Ceramics Classes- Arvada Center for The Arts and Humanities

Best Saloon Tours- Tom Noel-History on Tap

Best Place to Learn Japanese- Japan House Culture Center

Best Accordion Teacher- Robert Devine-University of Denver

Best Laundromat- Duds-N-Suds

Best Dry-Cleaner- Lev & Vera Custom Tailors and Dressmakers

Best Place to Learn to Ride the Flying Trapeze- Downtown YMCA

Best Hobby Shop- Michael’s

Best All Night Drug Store- Clay Drug Store

Best Seed Store- Rocky Mountain Seed Company

Best Bedding Plants- City Floral

Best Cut Flowers- More Flowers

Best Dog Trainer- Evy Lucken

Best Vet- Anthony J. Reinhart

Best Pet Hotel- Sage Valley Kennels

Best Poodle Groomer- The Groom Room

Best Toy Store Display- The Wizard’s Chest

Best Toy Store- Children’s Palace

Best Place to Have a Baby- Rose Medical Center

Best Discount Baby Equipment-New- New Children’s Palace

Best Discount Baby Equipment-Used- Toy Exchange

Best Toddler Workout- Dardano’s School of Gymnastics

Best Designer Baby Boutique- Ducks and Drakes

Best Children’s Library- Denver Public Library

Best Preschool- Happy Valley Children’s Ranch

Best Pregnant Workout- International Athletic Club

Best School District- Jefferson County

Best Reading Room- Western History Department/Rare Books Room

Best Card Shop- Avant Card Best Map Store- Maps Unlimited

Best Newsstand- Johnny’s Newsstand

Best Magazine Rack- The News Gallery

Best Used Bookstore- Aion Used Bookshop

Best Bookstore- Tattered Cover

Best Selection of the Classics Translated into Vietnamese- Hong My

Best Women’s Bookstore- The Book Garden: A Women’s Store

Best New-Age Bookstore- Together Books

Best Books on Tape- Q.T. Audio Books

Best Video Rentals- Sound Warehouse

Best Store for Weird Musical Instruments- The Zither Shop

Best Music to Relax by- Music Disc

Best Used Record Store- Albums on the Hill

Best Underground Record Store- Wax Trax

Best Cut-Out Record Store- Sound Warehouse

Best Jazz Record Store- Jazz Record Revival

Best Classical Record Store- Rocky Mountain Records and Tapes

Best CD Store- ListenUp’s Disc Connection

Best Used Stereo Store- Sound Hounds

Best Stereo Store- ListenUp

Best Caterer- Thom Weiss, Toast Points

Best Place to Buy Coffeebeans- FBC Foods International

Best Local Tea- SPORTea

Best Local Product in Supermarkets- Daddy Bruce’s Barbecue Sauce

Best National Product in Supermarkets- White Castle Hamburgers

Best Herbs and Spices- Rainbow Grocery

Best Bakery- Cheesecakes & More

Best Seafood Market- Pacific Mercantile

Best Butcher- Wheat Ridge Poultry and Meat

Best Free Guide to Fresh Product- Colorado Department of Agriculture

Best Fruit and Vegetable Stand- Town & Country Market Produce

Best Cookies- Batter Brilliance

Best Grocery Store- Safeway

Best Specialty Grocery Store- Alfalfa’s

Best Mexican Market- Johnnie’s Grocery and Market

Best Italian Market- Laurita’s Mediterranean Market

Best Oriental Grocery Store- Thai Grocery Oriental Food Gifts

Best Neighborhood Grocery- Helen’s Grocery

Best Non-alcoholic Liquor Selection- Liquor Mart

Best Liquor Store Selection- Applejack Liquor

Best Liquor Store Price- Buyer’s Club

Best Free Samples While Shopping- Buyer’s Club

FOOD & DRINK

Best Breakfast- Fatz City

Best Cheap Breakfast- Swift’s Breakfast

Best Power Breakfast- Brown Palace

Best Cinnamon Rolls- Johnson’s Corner

Best Donuts- Chuck’s Do-Nut Shop

Best Sunday Brunch- Boulderado Hotel

Best Quick Lunch- 20th Street Café

Best Lunch Buffet- Marjolaine’s The Brown Palace

Best Picnic Take-out- FBC Foods International

Best Employee Cafeteria- United Bank Building

Best Cafeteria- Furr’s Cafeteria

Best Dinner Under $10- The Rattlesnake Club Grill

Best Greasy Spoon- Mary & Lou’s

Best All-night Restaurant- McGuire’s at the Fairmont

Best Diner- Johnny’s Diner

Best Food Court- Southwest Plaza

Best Fast Food Chain- Paul’s Place

Best New Fast Food- Kokoro

Best Drive In- Grandpa’s Burger Haven

Best Art in a Drive-in- Upper Larimer Café

Best All-You-Can Eat- Mr. Bill’s

Best Outdoor Café- The Paramount Café

Best Indoor Sidewalk Café- Caffe Lucia

Best Tea- House of Windsor

Best Coffeehouse- Café 13

Best Soda Fountain- Dolly Madison

Best Juice Bar- Kailua’s

Best Health-food Restaurant- Greens Restaurant

Best Restaurant for Non Smokers- Café Giovanni

Best Place to Take the Kids- Wheatridge Dairy

Best Hotel Restaurant- The Augusta Westin Hotel

Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners- Emi-Lene’s Sirloin House

Best Romantic Dinner-in Town- Wellshire Inn

Best Romantic Dinner-out of Town- Fawnbrook Inn

Best View From a Restaurant- Simm’s Landing

Best Restaurant When Someone Else is Paying- The Rattlesnake Club

Best Ambience also Best New Place to be Caught Reading Interview and Sipping Espresso- City Spirit

Best New Food Fad- HealthMark Meals

Best Low-Calorie Meal- The Bay Wolf

Best New Restaurant Trend- Restaurants That Deliver

Best Sinful Delivery- Cravings

Best Restaurant That Delivers- Chez Saleh

Best Uniforms- Marie Callender’s Restaurant and Bakery

Best Service- Tante Louise

Best Room Service Waiter- Andre at the Marriott

Best Waitress- Mary at La Fiesta

Best Sandwiches to go- Mancinelli Italian Market

Best Sidewalk Food- Burrito Terrace

Best Salad Bar-Take Out- Safeway

Best Salad Bar- Souper Salad

Best Salad- Racine’s

Best House Dressing- Plum Tree Café

Best Pizza-Slice- Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta

Best Pizza-Deep Dish- Cappuccino’s Italian Restaurant

Best Pizza Delivery- Windy City

Best Pizza- Paisan’s Pizzeria

Best Hot Dog- Acapella’s

Best Hamburger- The Punch Bowl

Best Cheeseburger- Burnsley Hotel Restaurant

Best Onion Rings- Bonnie Brae Tavern

Best French Fries- Garramone’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant

Best Barbecue- M&D’s BBQ & Fish Palace

Best Fried Chicken- Foucher’s Creole Café

Best Oysters- The Larimer

Best Appetizers- Transalpin

Best Grazing Food- Chives American Bistro

Best Prime Rib- Colorado Mine Company

Best Steak- Morton’s of Chicago

Best Game- Red Lion Inn

Best Buffalo- Buckhorn Exchange

Best Seafood Restaurant- Mostly Seafood

Best Fish Fry- Candlelight Lounge

Best Cajun- Gallery Louisiana

Best Soul Food- Zona’s Cafeteria

Best Meatloaf- DeVine Café

Best Chicken-Fried Steak- Chili’s

Best Biscuits and Gravy- The Black-Eyed Pea

Best Jell-O- Hoover’s

Best Apple Pie- Apple Tree Shanty

Best All-American Restaurant- Brick Oven Beanery

Best Bagels- New York Bagel Boys

Best Cream Cheese- The Bagel Deli

Best Chopped Liver- The Plaza Deli

Best Free Side Order- Zaidy’s Deli

Best Delicatessen- Goldie’s Delicatessen

Best House Cocktail- The Fort

Best Frou Frou Drinks- Victor’s

Best House Wine- Le Central

Best Beer Selection- Old Chicago

Best Reason to Sing “100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall”- The Manhattan Café

Best Martini- The Chrysler

Best Wine List- Café Promenade

Best Cup of Coffee- The Brown Bag

Best Ice Cream- Lickety Split

Best Mix-In Ice Cream- Steve’s Ice Cream

Best Frozen Yogurt- Penguin’s Place

Best Desserts- Pour La France

Best Diabetic Dessert- House of Pies

Best Indian Restaurant- Viceroy India Restaurant

Best German Restaurant (Low End)- Ohle’s Deli

Best German Restaurant (High End)- Heidelberg

Best Scandinavian Restaurant- Tivoli Deer

Best French Restaurant- Sebanton’s

Best Greek Restaurant- It’s Greek to Me

Best Italian Restaurant (Low End)- Colacci’s

Best Italian Restaurant (High End)- al Fresco

Best Overdose of Italian- Via Veneto Ristorante

Best Meatball- The Saucy Noodle

Best Caribbean Restaurant- Carribbean Fast Foods and Pastries

Best Russian Restaurant- Little Russian Café

Best Afghani Restaurant- Khyber Pass

Best Hungarian Restaurant- Csardas Hungarian Restaurant

Best Ethiopian Restaurant- Ethiopian Restaurant

Best Vietnamese Restaurant- The Unicorn

Best Thai Restaurant- Siamese Plate

Best Japanese Restaurant- Naoki’s Place

Best Sushi Bar- Sushi Den

Best Diversion at a Sushi Bar- Sushi Zanmai

Best Dim Sum- Mandarin Gardens

Best Egg rolls- T-Wa Inn

Best Hot and Sour Soup- The China Sun

Best Show Boat to China- Tang’s Garden

Best Chinese Restaurant (Low End)- The Lotus Room

Best Chinese Restaurant (High End)- Imperial

Best Mutt Restaurant (Mix of Cuisines)- Rose’s Café

Best Salsa- Monterrey House

Best Guacamole- The Fort

Best Chips- Blue Bonnet Café & Lounge

Best Huevos Rancheros- Breakfast Palace

Best Nachos- La Nueva Poblana

Best Menudo- Joe’s Mambo Club

Best Chicken Soup- Jose O’Shea’s

Best Green Chile- Brewery Bar II

Best Beans- El Bronquito Café

Best Burrito- Rosa Linda Mexican Café

Best Smothered Burrito- La Casa de Manuel

Best Taco- Tosh’s Hacienda

Best Tamales- Alamos Verdes

Best Tamales to go- Betty’s Take-Out

Best Mexican Steak- Senor Pepe’s

Best Mexican Chicken- La Loma

Best Fajitas- Hoffbrau Steaks

Best Chile Relleno (Egg roll Style)- La Fiesta Supper Club

Best Chile Relleno (Authentic)- El Noa Noa

Best Margaritas- Just Binky’s

Best Mexican Drive-In- La Paloma Blanca

Best Décor in a Mexican Restaurant- Don Quixote

Best Southwestern Restaurant- Gringo’s

Best Mexican (Overall)- Las Delicias II