BUSINESS PRODUCTS
Best Auto Dealer (Domestic)
Dick Smith Ford in Raytown pulls off the hat trick by securing Gold for a third straight year as our readers’ favored domestic car dealer, building on its reputation as the price and selection leader in this market. Molle Chevrolet, based in Blue Springs, represents General Motors in this lineup, claiming Silver, but Ford scores again with two dealerships, Bob Allen Ford of Overland Park and Olathe Ford, sharing Bronze honors.
Best Auto Dealer (Foreign)
Mercedes, Jaguar, Maserati, Porsche—and the Smart Car? Just goes to show you that the gang at Aristocrat Motors in Merriam is open-minded when it comes to high-end personal transportation—there’s more to life behind the wheel than raw muscle. That kind of selection, and the sales staff and service that support it, make Aristocrat this year’s Gold winner for foreign auto dealers. Just across the interchange on I-35 sits Baron Automotive Group, which also gets it when it comes to selection: Yes, you can buy a 414-horse 3 Series Coupe, but you can give those Smart Car upstarts a run for their money in a Mini Cooper from Baron, and that’s good for Silver this year. The Bronze goes to Jay Wolfe Acura, the leading dealership for that model in Kansas City and part of an auto group that also deals with the Toyota, Honda and Scion lines.
Best Corporate Gifts
Sometimes, you just look at the returns not from just the current perspective, but over time. That’s when it hits you: These guys are in a league of their own. That’s the case with Halls Kansas City, which stands alone with Gold in this category—no Silver or Bronze are awarded this year. Elegance on display throughout the store, distinctive wrapping and top-tier customer service have made Halls the clear leader in that field. From jewelry to watches, clothing to accessories, there’s an element of truth in advertising at work when Halls bills itself as “your access to the exceptional.”
Best Electronics Store or Chain
The big-box store concept is undergoing a dramatic transformation, but don’t try to tell Best Buy’s customers in Kansas City that the model is broken: They’ve made the electronics retailer the Gold winner yet again; its broad range of computers, accessories and entertainment electronics sets Best Buy apart from competitors, on-line or not. Silver goes to Nebraska Furniture Mart, the Village West behemoth [and a part of the Warren Buffet empire] that anchors retail sales in Wyandotte County. Ringing in with Bronze is the Apple Store, which demonstrates that there is indeed an “i” in s-a-l-e-s.
Best Florist
Yes, they do indeed sell flowers at the Fiddly Fig. Lots of ’em. But the Brookside retailer also offers gifts, all-occasion decorations, complex consultations, designs, delivery, and on-site setups. The readers’ reaction to all of that has been predictable: At least a share of Gold for seven straight years. Not far away, by geography or fan favoritism, is Trapp & Co., the Westport-area concern that again wraps up Silver honors. Splitting the vote for Bronze are Tobler’s Flowers, based in Overland Park, and Downtown-based Studio Dan Meiners.
Best Jeweler
Sure, the national chains sell here, but Kansas City loves the locals when it comes to jewelry, and this year, the balance of favoritism tilts toward Tivol for Gold. More than a century old, but with just three locations, Tivol oozes exclusivity, and delivers with pearls, precious stones and high-quality timepieces. Helzberg Diamonds, another century-old firm founded in Kansas City, took a different approach to growth before the company was sold to Warren Buffett, and now has hundreds of stores nationwide. It’s good enough for Silver this year. And fans of Meierotto Midwest Jewelers, a family-owned independent jeweler founded in 1979, award it the Bronze.
Best Liquor Store/Wine Seller
Lukas Liquor Superstore continues to dazzle our readers with its vast selection of premium wines and spirits, but don’t overlook its surprisingly broad collection of domestic, craft and imported beers. Combined, Lukas’s stores in Overland Park and south Kansas City have everything going for them to repeat last year’s Gold endorsement. Also duplicating last year’s finish here, Gomer’s and its four locations, albeit separately owned, earns the Silver award. Not to be outdone when it comes to impressive selections, Rimann Liquors, in Prairie Village and Lenexa, claims the deserving Bronze award.
Best Men's Apparel
Whether you’re looking for that business suit and shoes or the right combination of jeans and sneakers for that hard-earned weekend, Nordstrom delivers. So say our readers, who accord Gold status to the retailer with but one location in Kansas City—Oak Park Mall [a separate Nordstrom Rack is across the street] Pinstripes, with a store on the Country Club Plaza, bills itself as your fashion answer for everything from the boardroom to the ballpark, and checks in with Silver. And since the perfect suit requires a perfect tie, we have one, with both Halls Kansas City and Jack Henry sharing the Bronze honors.
Best Women's Apparel
Did we mention Nordstrom? Why, yes, we did—but that was one full gender ago. This time, readers register a Gold sweep for the Seattle-based retailer based on its line of women’s clothing, shoes and accessories. Standard Style, the up-and-coming locally based company with two locations [on the Country Club Plaza and in Leawood] again draws high praise in this year’s balloting, earning Silver. And Halls Kansas City, on the Country Club Plaza, cashes in with the Bronze with its range of career and casual clothing, as well as beauty lines and its wedding-registry services. 
Wining & Dining :: Entertainment & Culture :: Business Services :: Business Products :: Leadership