BEST LIQUOR STORE BEST RETAIL WINE STORE

Friar Tuck 3080 Mercantile Drive, 698-1116

You want booze? Friar Tuck has it. Lots and lots and lots of it. More than you can possibly imagine, and then some. They also have beer – we are especially fond of the pick-your-ownsix-pack option that allows you to choose from a veritable wall of beers from around the country and around the world, and if you can’t find anything you fancy (unlikely) they also sell brewing supplies so you can make your own. With eight other locations in Missouri and Illinois, Friar Tuck is more a booze hound’s Amazon than a local momand-pop where the proprietor sometimes must poke around in back to see if there is still a bottle of Barenjager sitting around. Friar Tuck keeps track of inventory like no one else. All you have to do is enter the beverage of your choice into their website’s search engine to see if they have it (and they probably do), press the “buy” button and they’ll give you a call when it’s ready for pick up. While Friar Tuck has stores elsewhere, they pay careful attention to local tastes, and so you can get Rolling Meadows and other locally produced beers and wines. Liquor store runners-up: Hy-Vee, Famous Liquors Retail wine runners-up: The Cork Screw, It’s All About Wine

BEST MEAT MARKET

Humphrey’s Market

1821 S. 15th St., 544-7445

Founded in 1932, Humphrey’s is simply the best when it comes to meat. Places like this were once ubiquitous – small neighborhood joints jam-packed with produce, canned goods, bread and all other manner of foodstuffs. One by one, they have, sadly, fallen by the wayside. Why go to some tiny grocery store when you can shop at a mega-chain that carries more stuff and sells it cheaper owing to economies of scale? Problem is, that’s not true when it comes to Humphrey’s meats, which don’t necessarily cost more than at the Acme Supermarket headquartered in who knows where. Consider fresh chicken legs, which were recently selling for 59 cents a pound for a five-pound bag. Freshly ground round was going for $3.29 a pound for five pounds. Sliced deli ham? Just $5.49 per pound. Bottom line, you can actually save money by buying meat at Humphrey’s, particularly if you have lots of mouths to feed. The butchers behind the counter know what they’re talking about, and if they don’t have what you’re looking for, they’ll order it for you. In an age where mass-produced beef can often taste bland, you really can taste the difference when you bite into a Humphrey’s steak. And if you have a taste for the exotic, they carry elk, alligator, ostrich and other critters that never saw the inside of a feed lot. Runners-up: Country Market, Hy-Vee

BEST SEAFOOD MARKET

Robert’s Seafood Market

1615 W. Jefferson St., 546-3089

The thing is, with fish, you really have to care. No source of protein on the planet is more unforgiving than fish of not being kept at the right temperature, not being quickly and competently cleaned and not going from alive to either the dinner plate or freezer without delay. Few things are less appetizing than sea bass that spent four days traveling from the ocean to Springfield, then went four days in a display case before some unfortunate buyer came along and plunked down $20 for a fillet that, by this point, is barely fit for a cat. These sorts of things do not happen at Robert’s Seafood, which remains the goto place to buy fish in Springfield despite supermarkets that today have vastly fresher, and better, offerings than they had just a few years ago. Several places now offer fresh wild salmon during the season for $10 a pound, and it is often fine stuff, but we have been disappointed more than once. We have never been disappointed with Robert’s. They don’t always have it, but when they do, halibut from Robert’s is, hands down, the best in town. Their selection of fresh offerings, and that’s what we crave, isn’t necessarily huge, and that’s OK by us. If it isn’t top notch, Roberts won’t sell it, and that’s why they’ve been in business for 99 years and keep winning top marks from readers. Runners-up: Carter’s Fish Market, Hy-Vee

BEST MOTORCYCLE DEALER

Hall’s Harley-Davidson

2301 N. Dirksen Parkway, 528-8356

We love it when a place like Hall’s is deemed best in the business by readers. It hasn’t been around forever, but almost, and it’s still in the same hands as it was in 1962, when Stan Hall and his wife, Pat, bought Crawford’s Cycle Shop in downtown Springfield. Back then, they also sold bicycles, but along the way they’ve ditched Schwinns in favor of Ducatis and Husqvarnas, which they sell from a separate shop a few blocks away called Hall’s Cycles. Motorcycles are in Stan Hall’s blood, and through the years he has collected plenty of pictures of himself piloting bikes to prove it. We were privileged to spend time with him a few years back prior to a Springfield Mile, talking about motorcycles and racing, and his knowledge goes beyond encyclopedic. He may be getting on in years, but he still knew the sport, and he had his opinions, not all for publication, about which racers were gentlemen and which were prima donnas. The two-story dealership is state-of-the-art, complete with carpeted showroom and all manner of baubles and trinkets that reflect the evolution of Harley from the bike of bad boys to toy of the wealthy. But the place still has soul. Thanks, Stan. Runners-up: Capital City Motorsports, Overturf Powersports

BEST PET GROOMER 

Suds and Pups

235 N. English Ave., 546-3686

Getting a haircut can be so traumatic. There’s always all kinds of excitement and other pooches around that may or may not be on their best behavior. Your dog deserves the calmest experience possible, and that includes the trip to the barber. Plopped at the edge of a neighborhood with houses and grass and fire hydrants all around, Suds and Pups is the kind of place that Fido can walk to, which can help set the canine mind at ease. If you can’t make the trip yourself, Suds and Pups will pick your pet up and drop it off when they have it looking its best. And they don’t stop at dogs. Suds and Pups also welcomes cats. For dogs that know how to play well together, they have a play area so your best friend can make new friends. Runners-up: Bow Wow Barber Shop, Bubbles of Fun

BEST PLACE TO FURNISH YOUR HOME

Hendricks Home Furnishings 217 North Springfield St., Virden, 965-3337

Want your house to look like it belongs on the glossy pages of House Beautiful? Hendricks Home Furnishings in Virden, 30 minutes south of Springfield, has the goods. They’ve been open for 60 years, and they carry snazzy furniture to match every style from contemporary to minimalist to country chic. Their website features a neat application which allows you to draw up the rooms of your house and see what different decorating motifs would look like, as well as a separate application to customize furniture. (Warning: It’s kind of addicting.) As a bonus, their commercials aren’t annoying, which can’t be said of some furniture stores. Runners-up: Magnolia Lane, Flea Market to Fabulous

BEST PET BOARDING

Laketown Animal Hospital

1115 Stevenson Drive, 529-4211

Going away for a bit? Give your pet a vacation as well. Even though going to a hospital doesn’t sound like a getaway, the staff at Laketown Animal Hospital go out of their way to make pets feel comfortable while they’re boarded. Laketown is more than a hospital; it’s a one-stop-shop for veterinary care, grooming, boarding, diet planning and more. Dr. Joseph Curry opened the animal hospital in 1961 and sold it to his son, Dr. Chris Curry, in 1985. Cathy Curry, wife of Chris Curry, says that whatever routine your pet is used to at home, they’ll get at Laketown, which helps animals feel less anxious and more at home while their parents are away. “We have great employees, and we all care about dogs, cats and pets in general,” she said. “Our clients come first. We want to take the best care of pets we can.” Runners-up: Dal Acres, Kinner Kennels

BEST EVENT VENUE

Erin’s Pavilion

Southwind Park, 585-2941

Whether you’re looking for a place to celebrate a wedding, an anniversary or the reuniting of long-lost kin at a family reunion, Erin’s Pavilion has it all. It’s just five years old but already a reader favorite, and no wonder. There’s plenty of space for kids to play tag outside while older folks mingle and enjoy adult beverages. You won’t feel cramped, given the high ceilings and huge windows that afford views of the park. While you probably won’t notice it, the pavilion is also one of the most environment-friendly public spaces in Springfield, having been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council for its energy efficiency, wise use of water and other green touches. Runners-up: Boondocks, Arlington’s