Sauk Valley's favorite businesses honored at Mad Water Saloon
May 16—DIXON — Business owners and members of the Shaw Local team gathered at Dixon's Mad Water Saloon on Thursday to celebrate the Sauk Valley's favorite businesses of 2025.
Shaw Local's Sauk Valley Favorites 2025 contest drew more than 67,000 votes, resulting in 5,166 nominations for more than 1,400 businesses in 100 categories, as residents across the Sauk Valley region cast their ballots to honor their favorite local businesses and services.
"When we first envisioned Sauk Valley Favorites, we had hoped that it would become a way to spotlight the incredible local businesses that make this community special, but the response that we received was bigger than our wildest expectations," Sauk Valley Media's Publisher Jennifer Heintzelman said.
Shaw Local held a similar "Reader's Choice" contest in the past, but decided to harness the power of its combined news and radio audience to create an all-encompassing contest highlighting the community's "hidden gems."
The process began last November, when nominations were opened across more than 110 categories through January, including Home Services, Auto Service, Food & Beverage, Professional Services, Health & Beauty, Local Arts, Leisure & Entertainment and Local Retail.
Each category featured a top-voted 'Favorite' business, with additional honorees recognized as 'One of the Favorites.' The following is a list of the 'Favorite' businesses:
Auto Sales Service & Equipment
Favorite Auto Body Shop: Slim-N-Hanks
Favorite Auto Repair: Moore Tires
Favorite Car Wash: Huffman Car Wash
Favorite Farm Equipment Dealer: Peabudy's
Favorite Gas Station: Casey's
Favorite Lawn/Yard Equipment Dealer: Ace Hardware & Outdoor Center — Dixon
Favorite Place for an Oil Change: Palmyra Pines Auto Service
Favorite Place to Buy Tires: Moore Tires
Favorite Wrecker/Towing Service: Dabney Services LLC
Food & Beverage
Favorite Bakery: Aurelio's Bake Shop
Favorite Banquet Facility: Deer Valley Banquets
Favorite Bar/Tavern: Lisa's Brick House Bar & Grill
Favorite Bartender: Mateo Martinez — LUXX The Restaurant
Favorite Caterer: Back Road Bar-B-Q
Favorite Deli: Arthur's Garden Deli
Favorite Food Truck: Main Squeeze
Favorite Liquor Store: Liquor 'N' Wine
Favorite Place for a First Date: LUXX The Restaurant
Favorite Place for a Shake: Culver's
Favorite Place for a Steak: LUXX The Restaurant
Favorite Place for Bloody Mary: Lisa's Brick House Bar & Grill
Favorite Place for Breakfast: Eggs in Paradise
Favorite Place for Brunch: Fresco on First
Favorite Place for Chicken: Candlelight Inn
Favorite Place for Coffee: Coffee Crush
Favorite Place for Dessert: Meusel's Dairy Delite
Favorite Place for Hamburgers: Shamrock Pub
Favorite Place for Ice Cream: Meusel's Dairy Delite
Favorite Place for Lunch: Kelly's
Favorite Place for Margarita's: Kelly's
Favorite Place for Martinis: Bartini's
Favorite Place for Mexican Food: Kelly's
Favorite Place for Pizza: Angelo's
Favorite Place for Seafood: Luxx The Restaurant
Favorite Place for Tacos: La Laguna
Favorite Place for Wings: JW's 3rd Base
Favorite Place to Buy Meat: The Butcher Shop
Favorite Restaurant: Kelly's
Favorite Salad Bar: Angelo's
Health & Beauty
Favorite Assisted Living Facility: Resthave Care & Rehabilitation
Favorite Barbershop: Ben's Phresh Kutz
Favorite Beauty Salon: B'lush Salon
Favorite Chiropractic Clinic: Kirkland Family Chiropractic Center
Favorite Dental Clinic: Amboy Dental Group
Favorite Fitness Center: Grit & Grace Fitness
Favorite Home Health Care Agency: Rock River Hospice & Home
Favorite Massage/Day Spa: Relax with Sarah
Favorite Nursing Home: Heritage Square
Favorite Place to get a Manicure/Pedicure: Nails By Victoria Garcia
Favorite Place to Purchase Eyeglasses: CGH Vision Center
Favorite Yoga Studio: Rhuomai Studio
Home Services
Favorite Contractor/Carpenter: Boss Roofing — Siding Experts
Favorite Electrician: Weaver Electric
Favorite Fencing Company: Sterling Fence & Deck
Favorite Flooring Company: Brothers Flooring
Favorite Garage Door Installer: Grizzly Garage Door
Favorite Greenhouse/Nursery: Selmi's
Favorite Heating/Cooling Contractor: Farley's Appliance Sales and Services
Favorite Landscape Contractor: Dravis Landscape
Favorite Lumber Company: Frary Lumber
Favorite Pest Control: Pest Control Consultants
Favorite Plumber: SPK Plumbing & Heating
Favorite Roofing Company: TCS, Total Construction Services
Favorite Tree Service Provider: Cole's Complete Tree Service
Local Arts, Leisure, & Entertainment
Favorite Campground: Crow Valley Campground
Favorite Church and Where: Immanuel Lutheran Dixon
Favorite Community Event: Petunia Fest
Favorite Dance Studio: Eastman School of Dance
Favorite Event Venue: Dixon Elks Lodge 779
Favorite Golf Course: Deer Valley Golf Club
Favorite Local Politician: Joe McDonald
Favorite Local Radio Personality: Sam Ramirez — River Country
Favorite Local Radio Station: River Country 101.7
Favorite Park: Lowell Park
Favorite Photographer: You In Photos By Nanc Inc.
Favorite Place for Lotto Tickets: Casey's
Favorite Place to Play Slots: Abby's
Favorite Place to Take Kids: Selmi's
Favorite Recreation Spot: Plum Hollow Family Center
Local Retail
Favorite Antique Shop: Showplace Antiques & Treasures
Favorite Appliance Store: Farley's Appliance Sales and Services
Favorite Convenience Store: Casey's
Favorite Furniture Store: Harold's Furniture
Favorite Gift Store: Golden Key Gifts & Candle Co.
Favorite Hardware Store: Ace Hardware & Outdoor Center — Dixon
Favorite Jewelry Store: Venier Jewelers Inc.
Favorite Pet Supply Store: PetSmart — Sterling
Favorite Place to Buy Flowers/Plants: Lundstrom Florist
Favorite Place to Buy Men's Clothing: Kaleel's Clothing & Printing
Favorite Place to Buy Shoes: Shoe Sensation
Favorite Place to Buy Women's Clothing: Mud & Moo Boutique
Favorite Second Hand/Resale Shop: Angel Treasures
Professional Services
Favorite Auctioneer: Youngs Auction Service
Favorite Bank: Sauk Valley Bank
Favorite Children's Daycare: Dixon Family YMCA, Lovett Child Development Center
Favorite Credit Union: Select Employees Credit Union
Favorite Divorce Attorney: Darla Foulker — Ehrmann Gehlbach Badger & Considine, LLC
Favorite Financial Planner: Edward Jones
Favorite Funeral Home: McDonald Funeral Home & Crematory
Favorite Insurance Agency: State Farm
Favorite Insurance Agent: Chris Hammitt — State Farm
Favorite Law Firm: Law Office of Paul Whitcombe
Favorite Pet Groomer: Furology Pet Spa
Favorite Real Estate Agent: Shawney Evans — Sauk Valley Properties
Favorite Real Estate Company: Sauk Valley Properties
Favorite Tanning Salon: Westwood Fitness & Sports Center
Favorite Tattoo Shop: Raven Tattoo
Favorite Tax Preparer: Wiemken's Tax Service
Favorite Travel Agency: Destinations Travel Services
Favorite Veterinary Clinic: River Ridge Animal Hospital
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