You voted, and the results are in! Get to know the best of the Kalkaska, Gaylord & Grayling region. From golf courses to restaurants, here are your 2022 Red Hot Best winners in Kalkaska, Gaylord and Grayling.
Take a Red Hot Best Road Trip! Grab the June issue with ALL the Red Hot Best winners and take the list with you as you make your way across Northern Michigan this summer. Find out what makes each winner RED HOT BEST! Available for a limited time only, grab your RHB issue here.
ART GALLERY
1. AuSable Artisan Village
2. Gaylord Area Council for the Arts
3. Main Branch Gallery
ATTORNEY
1. Jason R. Thompson, Jason R. Thompson Law Office PLC
2. Linda Miller Atkinson, Atkinson Petruska Kozma Hart & Couture
3. David Delaney, David M. Delaney PLC (Tie)
3. Miranda Bailey-Quick, Harris Law (Tie)
BAKERY
1. Goodale’s Bakery
2. Cops & Doughnuts, Jay’s Precinct
3. D.A.M. Good Baking (Tie)
3. Sugar Me Sweet Cake Shop (Tie)
BANK/FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
1. Forest Area Federal Credit Union, Kalkaska
2. 4Front Credit Union, Kalkaska
3. Huntington Bank, Grayling
BEACH
1. Otsego Lake State Park
2. Lake Margrethe
3. Log Lake
BED AND BREAKFAST
1. Hanson House Bed & Breakfast
2. Borchers AuSable Canoe & Kayak
BREAKFAST SPOT
1. Moose & Stella’s Cafe
2. Grayling Restaurant
3. Shirley’s in the Woods Cafe
BREWERY
1. Big Buck Brewery
2. Rolling Oak Brewing Co.
3. Paddle Hard Brewing
CHIROPRACTOR
1. Pete Jenema, The Chiropractic Center
2. Brandon Suchey, Suchey Chiropractic
3. Robert Gaston, Gaston Family Chiropractic, Kalkaska
COFFEE SHOP
1. Moose & Stella’s Cafe
2. Coffee by Steph
3. Biggby Coffee, Gaylord
DENTIST
1. Ralph Oppermann, AuSable Family Dental
2. Dan F. Soenen, Birch Street Dental Care
3. Troy Stobert, Stobert Dental
DISC GOLF AREA
1. Log Lake Park Disc Golf
2. Hanson Hills Recreation Area
3. Gaylord Disc Golf Course
DOG-FRIENDLY BUSINESS
1. Rolling Oak Brewing Co.
2. Moose & Stella’s Cafe
3. Pine Squirrel
EVENT
1. National Trout Festival
2. AuSable River Festival
3. Alpenfest
FINANCIAL SERVICE ADVISOR
1. Dawn Moses, Sensible and Hourly
2. Mark Sloan, Ameriprise Financial Service
3. Bill Forreider, Edward Jones
FISHING CHARTER COMPANY
1. Gates Au Sable Lodge
2. Old AuSable Fly Shop
3. True North Trout
Photo by True North Trout
FLOOR COVERING (TILING, CARPETING, WOOD FLOORING)
1. McLean’s Home Center Inc.
2. Hickerson Floor & Tile Haus
3. Dubois Lumber & Rental Center
GOLF COURSE
1. Grandview Golf Club
2. Twin Birch Golf Course
3. Grayling Country Club
GYM OR HEALTH STUDIO
1. Kaliseum Recreation Complex
2. Powerhouse Gym of Gaylord
3. FitNorth
HAPPY HOUR
1. Rolling Oak Brewing Co.
2. Kal-Ho Lounge
3. Bennethum’s Northern Inn
HEATING & COOLING BUSINESS
1. Kalkaska Plumbing & Heating
2. Quality Plumbing & Mechanical
3. Dan’s Plumbing & Services (Tie) 3. MD Heat (Tie)
HIKING TRAIL OR AREA
1. Hartwick Pines State Park
2. Upper Manistee Headwaters: The Milock Family Preserve
3. Hanson Hills Recreation Area
HOTEL, INN OR RESORT
1. All Seasons Resort
2. Otsego Resort
3. Treetops Resort
Photo by Otsego Resort
INTERIOR DESIGNER
1. Annie Helsel
2. Rustic Den
3. Your Designs LLC
LOCAL ARTIST/MAKER
1. Darrell Boger, Musician
2. Brianna Nelson, Shoot Me Photography
3. Heather Hammond Photography
LOCALLY MADE HARD BEVERAGE
1. Rolling Oak White, Rolling Oak Brewing Co.
2. Fall Harvest Cider, Big Buck Brewery
3. Staycation Hard Lemonade, Rolling Oak Brewing Co.
NONPROFIT
1. 22 2 NONE
2. Kalkaska County Agricultural Fair
3. Otsego County Animal Shelter
OPTOMETRIST
1. Clayton Skrzypczak, Kalkaska Family Vision
2. Robert Aubrey, Ausable Eye Care
3. Peter J. Oppermann, Gaylord Eye Care Center
OUTDOOR DINING
1. Ray’s – BBQ, Brews & Blues
2. Billy Bob’s Boneyard
3. Alpine Tavern & Eatery
PEST CONTROL
1. Environmental Pest Control
PLACE FOR A WEDDING
1. Mill Pond Event Center
2. Sonshine Barn Wedding & Event Center
3. Otsego Resort
PLACE TO BUY A BOOK
1. Saturn Booksellers
2. Tip’n the Mitten
PLACE TO BUY A GIFT
1. Old Spud Warehouse
2. Cherry Street Market
3. Tip’n the Mitten
PLACE TO BUY JEWELRY
1. Hogan’s Jewelers
2. AuSable Artisan Village
3. Tip’n the Mitten
PLACE TO BUY PET ITEMS
1. Natural Farm Store / Lodi Trading Company
2. Kalkaska Feed & Supply
3. Tractor Supply Co., Gaylord
PLACE TO BUY TIRES
1. 258 Tire & Auto Service Center
2. Upper Lakes Tire of Grayling
3. Express Tire
PLACE TO GET YOUR ACTIVE / OUTDOOR WEAR & GEAR
1. Northbound Outfitters
2. Natural Farm Store / Lodi Trading Company
3. Jay’s Sporting Goods
PLACE TO KAYAK/CANOE/SUP
1. Shel-Haven Canoe Rental
2. Au Sable River Public Access
3. Penrod’s Au Sable Canoe & Kayak
Photo by Beth Price
PLUMBER
1. Nate Spencer, Air North Heating & Plumbing
2. Dan’s Plumbing & Services
3. Family Plumbing and Heating
REAL ESTATE AGENT
1. Chet Wheeler, ReMax of Grayling
2. Jeff Fitch, Coldwell Banker Schmidt, Realtors
3. Craig Hinkle, RE/MAX of Grayling (Tie)
3. Paig Switalski, Smith Realty Group (Tie)
RESTAURANT
1. Big Buck Brewery
2. Moose & Stella’s Cafe
3. Trout Town Tavern & Eatery
SALON
1. Timberlie’s Salon Studio
2. Bliss Salon & Spa
3. Salon Rue
TEACHER
1. Nick Nowak, Gaylord Intermediate School
2. Ali Bridson, Kalkaska Public Schools
3. Carrie Wilkinson, Grayling Middle School (Tie)
3. Laura Kirchofer, Birch Street Elementary (Tie)
U-PICK FARM
1. Strawberry Fields Farm Market
2. Estelle Farms
3. Up North Blueberry Farm
VETERINARIAN PRACTICE
1. Kalkaska Animal Hospital
2. Grayling Hospital for Animals
3. Alpine Animal Hospital
XC SKI TRAIL OR AREA
1. Hanson Hills Recreation Area
2. Twin Birch Golf Course
3. Forbush Corner