Illustration by Shane Rebenshied
Best Accounting Firm
First place: Dehnert, Clarke & Co., P.C., Irvington, DCCOCPA.com, 804-438-5656
Providing services to private individuals and businesses alike, Dehnert, Clarke & Co. offers financial guidance for filing taxes, budgeting accounts and cash flow, managing payroll, planning for retirement and preparing estates or trusts.
Second place: Hughes & Basye, Warsaw, 804-333-3316
Third place: Basic Accounting, Kilmarnock, 804-436-1096
Best Architecture Firm
First place: Randall Kipp Architecture, Inc., Irvington, KippArchitecture.com, 804-438-6287
Known as the “modern guy,” Randall Kipp specializes in functional residential and commercial spaces, which integrate into and improve the landscape on which they are built. Kipp’s Irvington-based studio provides services from schematic design through construction.
Second place: Guernsey Tingle, Williamsburg, GuernseyTingle.com, 757-220-0220
Third place: Hanbury, Norfolk, HEWV.com, 757-321-9600
Best Concierge Doctor
First place: Dr. Patricia Monge-Meberg and Dr. Kevin McGrath, Bay Internists, Inc., Kilmarnock, BayInternistsVa.com, 804-435-3103
Serving all of the Northern Neck, from Kilmarnock to Essex County, Drs. Monge-Meberg and McGrath provide options for women’s health, preventative care, chronic care and even wellness coaching, including nutrition and sleep consultation. The concierge membership program allows internists to spend more time with patients during longer appointment times, ensuring personalized and comprehensive treatment.
Second place: Dr. Ronald Haggerty, Direct Access Internal Medicine, Gloucester, Concierge-Medicine-Virginia.com, 804-824-9153
Third place: Dr. Christian Wathen, Middle Peninsula Medical Center, Inc., Mathews, MiddlePeninsulaMedical.com, 804-725-0100
Best Cosmetic Surgery Practice
First place: Dr. David Mueller, Virginia Facial Surgery, Virginia Beach, VaFacialSurgery.com, 757-496-8066
Dr. Mueller isn’t just a surgeon—he’s also an accomplished painter. With his expertise and a keen eye for detail, Mueller’s practice offers patients a variety of services, including laser skin resurfacing and cosmetic enhancement, as well as corrective jaw surgery and facial reconstruction for trauma patients.
Second place: Coastal Aesthetic Facial Surgery, Newport News, TheAestheticFace.com, 757-596-1200
Third place: Plastic Surgery Center of Hampton Roads, Newport News, PSCHR.com, 757-873-3500
Best Day Care
First place: Little Spats Preschool, Kilmarnock, LittleSpats.com, 804-824-6192
Providing day care and preschool services for children aged 16 months to five years old, Little Spats moved to a new building in April. Students are engaged in creative and group activities, and learn skills ranging from colors and shapes to numbers and even good recycling habits.
Second place: The Learning Center, Kilmarnock, TheLearningCenterKids.com, 804-435-6221
Third place: Little Eagles Child Development Center, Montross, Facebook.com/LittleEaglesChildDevelopmentCenter, 804-493-0460
Best Day Spa
First place: LaSource Spa, Kilmarnock, MyLaSource.com, 804-436-2985
Specializing in alternative and holistic care, LaSource Spa offers a menu of cosmetic services that includes BioElements depigmentation, a non-surgical facelift, and dermaplaning, which uses a surgical scalpel to remove dead skin cells and vellus hair from the face, allowing for clearer skin and smoother makeup application.
Second place: Destress Express Massage & Spa, Newport News, DestressExpress.com, 757-873-8968
Third place: Bridgewater’s Salon & Spa, Hayes, BridgewatersSalon.com, 804-693-6272
Best Dental Practice
First place: David A. Newman, DDM, Kilmarnock, DavidNewmanDMD.com, 804-435-1220
Since 1984, Dr. Newman has provided dental services, including corrective treatments for the gums and jaw bone, oral cancer examinations, oral reconstruction for patients with facial trauma and orthodontic treatment for teens and adults.
Second place: Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, Virginia Beach, ANiceSmile.com, 757-425-2794
Third place: Midgette Family Dentistry, Chesapeake, MidgetteFamilyDentistry.com, 757-483-4700
Best Dermatology Practice
First place: Pariser Dermatology, Newport News, PariserDerm.com, 757-595-8816
Founded in Norfolk in 1946 by Dr. Harry Pariser, the practice is now one of the largest in the country, with six locations serving patients around Hampton Roads. Brothers Robert and David Pariser have since taken over from their father as senior physicians, and are dedicated to providing effective treatment for patients suffering from psoriasis, skin cancers, acne and other conditions.
Second place: Associates in Dermatology, Hampton, AIDerm.com, 757-838-8030
Third place: EVMS Health Services-Dermatology, Norfolk, EVMS.edu, 757-446-5629
Best Eye Care
First place: Beach Eye Care, Virginia Beach, VBEye.com, 757-425-5550
Led by Dr. Samuel Garrett since 1991, Beach Eye Care has grown to a 12,000-square-foot, full service eye care center. Along with Dr. Garrett, Drs. Christopher Kurz and Joy Tomko and their surgical and clinical teams, provide care and treatment for patients with glaucoma, dry eye, impaired vision and even eyelid damage.
Second place: Hampton Roads Eye Associates, Newport News, HREA-Op.com, 757-643-8800
Third place: Virginia Eye Consultants, Norfolk, VirginiaEyeConsultants.com, 757-622-2200
Best Financial Planning Firm
First place: Virginia Asset Group, Virginia Beach, VirginiaAssetGroup.com, 757-747-2556
Using what they call a Toolkit Approach with each client, Virginia Asset Group emphasizes the importance of relationship building and precise financial planning. Offering a range of services—from building an investment portfolio to planning for retirement—firm advisors are committed to providing a customized and personalized action plan.
Second place: Wells Fargo Advisors, Kilmarnock, WellsFargoAdvisors.com, 804-435-1636
Third place: Chesapeake Wealth Management, Kilmarnock, ChesapeakeWealth.com, 804-435-3652
Best Funeral Home
First place: Currie Funeral Home and Crematory, Kilmarnock, CurrieFuneralHome.net, 804-435-1077
Since 1924, Currie Funeral Home and Crematory has provided an array of services, including options for burial and cremation, funeral pre-planning services, online memorial sites and bereavement counseling for loved ones.
Second place: Faulkner Funeral Homes and Cremation Services, Saluda, Bristow-Faulkner.com, 804-758-2315
Third place: Welch Funeral Home, Warsaw, WelchFuneralHomeVa.com, 804-333-3770
Best Hair Salon
First place: Sara Brown Salon, Kilmarnock, SaraBrownSalon.com, 804-435-0373
A native of Kilmarnock, owner and stylist Sara Cockrell opened her own salon in 2008. In celebration of the salon’s 10th anniversary, Cockrell recently renovated the space, which she describes as “a city-like salon in the country.” Services include cut and color (and balayage), as well as a menu of massages with therapist Brenda Snowdon.
Second place: Trend Masters Salon, Mathews, TrendMastersSalon.com, 804-654-9547
Third place: Heads Up Hair Works, Kilmarnock, Facebook.com/HeadsUpHairWorks, 804-435-7507
Best Home Builder
First place: Virginia Building Solutions, Tappahannock, VaBuildingSolutions.com, 804-443-4663
Started in 2004 in Williamsburg by owner John Garrett, Virginia Building Solutions now serves the whole Eastern Shore region. Garrett specializes in customized modular homes with floor plans ranging from Cape Cod to townhouse styles, with square footage and finishes suited to the buyer’s needs.
Second place: Charles Ross Homes, Williamsburg, CharlesRossHomes.com, 757-565-5630
Third place: Connemera Corporation, White Stone, ConnemaraCorp.org, 804-435-1551
Best Hospital
First place: Riverside Regional Medical Center, Newport News, RiversideOnline.com, 757-594-2000
Riverside Regional Medical Center has the largest and most highly specialized team of neuroscience providers in the region, offering services including minimally-invasive spinal and cranial surgical procedures, physical and cognitive rehabilitation programs and long-term treatment plans for patients affected by stroke, aneurysm and other conditions.
Second place: Sentara Regional, Williamsburg, Sentara.com, 757-984-6000
Third place: Rappahannock General, Kilmarnock, RappahannockHealth.com, 804-435-8000
Best Independent School
First place: Chesapeake Academy, Irvington, ChesapeakeAcademy.org, 804-438-5575
Originally founded in 1965 as a boarding school—and previously occupying what is now the Hope and Glory Inn—Chesapeake Academy moved to its current campus in Irvington in celebration of its 50th anniversary in 2015. The school serves students pre-K through eighth grade, and emphasizes supportive cooperation among students, faculty, parents and alumni.
Second place: Hampton Roads Academy, Newport News, HRA.org, 757-884-9100
Third place: St. Margaret’s School, Tappahannock, SMS.org, 804-443-3357
Best Interior Design Firm
First place: Pillar & Peacock, Irvington, PillarAndPeacock.com, 804-306-3275
Adrianne Bugg and Brandeis Short lead a team of five that provides a full range of interior design services from its office on the Northern Neck. They serve clients near—having just completed work on an 8,000-square-foot home at Crab Point on Carter’s Creek—and far, including residences in the Bahamas. Last year, they also opened a third office, in Richmond.
Second place: The Pedestal, Kilmarnock, ThePedestal.net, 804-435-1783
Third place: Feather Your Nest & Cindy Lloyd Design, Warsaw, CindyLloydFeatherYourNest.com, 804-333-6463
Best Kitchen Design Firm
First place: Jim’s Cabinet Creations, White Stone, Facebook.com/JimsCabinetCreations, 804-435-2061
Opened in 1984, Jim’s installs both cabinets and countertops—offering full custom, semi-custom and builder’s-grade cabinets and quartz, granite and laminate countertops. Owner Jim Felthouse also performs remodels and provides free estimates and consultations.
Second place: Dee David & Co, LLC, Lottsburg, DeeDavidAndCo.com, 804-724-0829
Third place: The Cabinet Works, Montross, CabinetWorks.org, 804-493-8102
Best Landscaping Company
First place: Ransone’s Nursery & Maintenance, Inc., Weems, RansoneLandscape.com, 804-435-3788
With more than 40 years of experience working in the Northern Neck, owner Drew Ransone is well-versed in the area’s landscape. The family-operated business offers full landscaping, hardscaping and nursery services, including design, irrigation and tree planting, trimming and removal.
Second place: River Birch Nursery & Landscaping, Locust Hill, RiverBirchFlorist.com, 804-758-2316
Third place: Organic Green Lawn Care, Topping, OrganicGreenLawn.com, 804-758-4585
Best Law Firm
First place: Rumsey & Bugg, Irvington, RumseyandBugg.com, 804-438-5588
Established by Albert Davis Bugg, Jr. and Dexter C. Rumsey in 1994 primarily to create and safeguard estate plans, the firm also works as fiduciaries and represents clients in personal injury cases for construction, fire, maritime, real estate and business disputes.
Second place: Hubbard, Terry & Britt, Irvington, Irvington-Law.com, 804-438-5522
Third place: Kaufman & Canoles, P.C., Norfolk, KaufmanAndCanoles.com, 757-624-3295
Best Massage Therapy Group
First place: Destress Express Massage & Spa, Newport News, DestressExpress.com, 757-873-8968
This group of 25 therapists, including three master therapists, offers clients specialty techniques such as Swedish massage and bamboo, warm stones and neuromuscular treatments, which target soft tissues suffering from long-term injuries. Each room in the 4,000-square-foot spa has a different theme—one inspired by the heavens has star-shaped lights in the ceiling and blue décor.
Second place: Urbanna Theraputic Massage, Urbanna, UrbannaMassage.com, 804-654-0271
Third place: Heartfelt Touch Massage Therapy, Gloucester, HeartFeltTouchMassage.com, 804-693-9000
Best Med Spa
First place: Williamsburg Salt Spa, Williamsburg, WilliamsburgSaltSpa.com, 757-229-1022
The spa, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, offers 45-minute therapeutic breathing sessions in its salt cave, which consists of more than 15 tons of natural salt imported from Poland and the Himalayas. The treatment most benefits those with respiratory problems or weakened immune systems.
Best Orthodontic Practice
First place: Faber Orthodontics, Tappahannock, BracesByDrBeth.com, 804-443-6419
A graduate in dental surgery of the Medical College of Virginia, Dr. Beth Faber has practiced orthodontics for more than 30 years. At her two offices in Tappahannock and Kilmarnock, she provides a wide range of treatment, including traditional braces, SureSmile lingual braces and Invisalign.
Second place: Williamsburg Orthodontics, Williamsburg, WilliamsburgOrthodontics.com, 757-253-1200
Third place: Parks Orthodontics, Yorktown, ParksOrthodontics.com, 757-874-6655
Best Orthopaedic Practice
First place: Tidewater Physicians Multispecialty Group, Newport News, MyTPMG.com, 757-232-8764
The practice, which has served patients of Hampton Roads for more than 10 years, comprises an imaging center—where diagnoses are performed in-house—physical therapy spaces and a specialized foot and ankle surgery center. Other areas of expertise include spinal care and sports medicine.
Second place: Orthopaedic & Spine Center, Newport News, OSC-Ortho.com, 757-596-1900
Third place: Tidewater Orthopedics, Williamsburg, TidewaterOrtho.com, 757-206-1004
Best Pediatric Practice
First place: Riverside Fishing Bay Family Practice, Deltaville, RiversideOnline.com, 804-776-8000
Physicians provide comprehensive care for the entire family, all under one roof—an easy, one-stop-shop for back-to-school check-ups, physicals and immunizations. As part of Riverside Medical Group, the practice can also coordinate care within its network of more than 300 specialists.
Second place: CHKD Newport News Pediatrics, Newport News, CHKD.org, 757-668-6300
Third place: James River Pediatrics, Newport News, MyTPMG.com, 757-595-3570
Best Pet Boarding
First place: Bayside Pet Emporium, White Stone, Facebook.com/BaysidePetEmporium, 804-435-3548
The full-service boarding, grooming and veterinary facility, opened in 1987, is in the process of expanding with the addition of 1,000 square feet of space for indoor play and new boarding spaces. During their stay, dogs occupy their own sleeping space, but participate in a group daycare program for socialization.
Second place: Sandy Creek Pet Resort, Gloucester, SandyCreekPetResort.com, 804-693-2311
Third place: Wingmont Stables & Kennels, Aylett, Wingmont.com, 804-994-2712
Best Physical Therapy Group
First place: Carousel Physical Therapy, Kilmarnock, CarouselPT.com, 804-435-3435
The practice focuses on patient’s bodies and health as a whole, with specialists in women’s health, hand therapy and lymphedema. Treatments include cardiac rehab as well as LSVT BIG, which increases the amplitude of limb movements to minimize the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Second place: Belfield Physical Therapy, Warsaw, BelfieldPT.com, 804-333-8222
Third place: TPMG Physical Therapy, Newport News, MyTPMG.com, 757-223-9403
Best Pool Company
First place: River Pools & Spas, Warsaw, RiverPoolsAndSpas.com, 888-358-7665
Partners Jason Hughes, Jim Spiess and Marcus Sheridan design, manufacture and install fiberglass pools. The manufacturing process uses cross-lynx composite technology, which maximizes polymerization to ensure a strong and durable product. Customers can visit the firm’s pool park and see its lines of fiberglass pool shells first-hand to help them select the right one.
Second place: Sevarg Pools, Kilmarnock, 804-435-2770
Third place: Anchor Pools, Yorktown, AnchorPools.com, 757-865-1700
Best Private Air Service
First place: Coastal Sky Taxi, White Stone, CoastalSkyTaxi.com, 804-436 3128
Pilot Davy Nichols aims to give his passengers a first-class experience in his 4-seat Cessna 182RG, which he regularly charters to Tangier Island and the Eastern Shore. In his two years of operation, he has also taken longer trips to places such as the Outer Banks, Atlantic City and New York City.
Second place: Williamsburg Flight Center, Williamsburg, WilliamsburgFlightCenter.com, 757-223-1488
Best Real Estate Firm
First place: Isabell K. Horsley Real Estate, White Stone, HorsleyRealEstate.com, 804-435-2644
Started in 1975 in an old gas station, the third-generation family-owned firm has grown to comprise more than 35 agents in four offices. Natives to the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, the team is familiar with waterfront properties and the area’s waterway regulations and restrictions, and can lend expert advice informed by intimate experience with the region.
Second place: Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Bay Properties, Kilmarnock, ChesapeakeBayConnection.com, 804-436-9145
Third place: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Towne Realty, Chesapeake, BHHSTowneRealty.com, 757-549-2000
Best Veterinary Hospital
First place: Kilmarnock Animal Hospital, Kilmarnock, 804-435-6320
Treating dogs, cats, reptiles and more, services include surgery, spay and neuter, x-ray and ultrasound, as well as wellness examinations for preventative care. The practice has been in business for more than 40 years, and today has three offices in Kilmarnock, Heathsville and Warsaw.
Second place: Heathsville Animal Hospital, Heathsville, 804-580-5135
Third place: Bayside Animal Hospital, White Stone, AnimalHospitalBayside.com, 804-435-2896
Best Wedding Venue
First place: Belle Grove Plantation Bed & Breakfast, King George, BelleGrovePlantation.com, 540-621-7340
An all-inclusive wedding package includes a coordinator who assists in all aspects of planning from the rehearsal dinner and reception floor plan to the couple’s send-off. The property features a bridal suite with a makeup station and a groom’s library with a bar. Couples have the option to use vendors recommended by the venue, or outside vendors they hire themselves.
Second place: Hope & Glory Inn, Irvington, HopeAndGlory.com, 804-438-6053
Third place: Inn At Tabbs Creek, Port Haywood, InnAtTabbsCreek.com, 804-725-5136
Wild Card - Best Detour
First place: Merry Point Ferry, Lancaster County, VirginiaDot.org/Travel/Merry_Point_Ferry.asp
There were more than 100 ferries operating in Virginia in the early 20th century. Today there are just a handful left, among them the Merry Point Ferry. Located on the scenic byway Route 604, this free ferry service crosses the western end of the Corrotoman River in Lancaster County, providing a leisurely way to travel. Get out of your car, breathe in the fresh air and relax as the ferry cruises the swells.
