The Baltimore Sun’s readers have voted on what’s the best in the region, from acupuncturist and garden center to wedding venue and bike shop. This year’s winners include people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction over the last year.
The poll includes nearly 200 categories in six areas — Activities & Arts, Home & Garden, Food & Drink, Lifestyles & Shopping, Personal services and People & Media. More than 80,000 ballots were cast cultivating a list of your favorite museums, pizza joints, boutiques, TV anchors, radio hosts and more.
For more categories, go to baltimoresun.com/best.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/RFH3TEH2BBBVVFQPKTV66ZF2WM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/PG73CS2XTVH67E4DOF7GXSUGLE.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/HESQFN62OVDELERHE3Z2PFMKNM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/5J3YABAWU5F6HLEBKFS64YTVFU.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/LA6O2WAQDJDTPEFH6YSY2Z75CI.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/YELYFNMI6NB65I2R5CRZW7RAIU.jpg)
Best Antiques, Thrift store
Second Chance Inc.
1700 Ridgely St., Baltimore. 410-385-1700. secondchanceinc.org
Inside Second Chance Inc.’s 250,000-square-foot retail warehouse, there are clothes, doors, windows, appliances, spare lumber, art and trinkets for sale.
The pre-loved finds come from homes and commercial buildings up and down the East Coast, including Baltimore, where local landmarks — like the letters from the old Domino Sugars sign — have ended up in the shop’s care.
“[There’s] yard sale stuff all the way up to the very expensive art” is how Mark Foster, the president and CEO of Second Chance Inc., described it. “We say pack a lunch if you’re gonna walk the whole warehouse, because it’s a journey.”
Prices range from two cents all the way up to $20,000, he added.
Founded two decades ago by Foster, 66, Second Chance Inc. offers training and work opportunities to people facing unemployment — whether because they have been formerly incarcerated or hit other hurdles in search of a job.
At Second Chance Inc., workers deconstruct donated homes to fill the warehouse with items of all different design styles.
“You’re looking to remove the materials carefully enough that somebody else would be able to reuse them,” Foster explained. “That’s obviously going to benefit the environment, it’s going to benefit the ability for people to learn new skills.”
Traveling to collect items for the warehouse also opens employees’ minds, according to Foster.
“If you want people to grow and seek a future for themselves, they have to be able to think of it in bigger terms than their current surroundings,” he said.
When warehouse visitors learn about the group’s mission and the background of its employees, “they’re surprised, because they may have stereotyped them in some way,” Foster said.
The way he sees it, that’s part of Second Chance Inc.’s success.
“It’s a combination of appreciating the efforts we’re making for the people in the community who need the most help, as well as the fact that there’s such an eclectic blend and such a massive amount” of goods in the warehouse, he said.
— Abigail Gruskin
Antiques: Second Chance Inc.
Honorable mentions:
Belle Patri
Charlotte Elliott and The Bookstore Nextdoor
The Shabby Button, LLC
Barbershop: Old Line Barbers
Honorable mentions:
Signal Barbershop
Brian Bunce Barbers
Route 1 Barbershop
Barre class: INLINE Barre - Perry Hall
Honorable mentions:
Merritt Clubs
The Mine
The Arena Club
Bicycle shop: Bicycle Connection
Honorable mentions:
Joe’s Bike Shop
Baltimore Bicycle Works
Bike Doctor Bel Air
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/UFJBSGKSFVBP7DLHXJKEEGUU7I.jpg)
Bookstore: The Ivy Bookshop
Honorable mentions:
Greedy Reads
Atomic Books
Snug Books, LLC
Braiding: Queen Aisha African Hair Braiding
Bridal shop: K & B Bridals, Bel Air
Honorable mentions:
Betsy Robinson’s Bridal
Gamberdella
Jill Andrews Gowns
Brow threading: Charm City Skin
Honorable mentions:
Richa’s Threading
Dipa Threading & Spa
Car dealership: Jones Junction
Honorable mentions:
Heritage Honda Bel Air
Bill Kidd’s Timonium Toyota
Honda of Owings Mills
Children’s clothing: The Pied Piper
Clothing boutique: Bray & Em Boutique
Honorable mentions:
The Teal Antler Boutique
Poppy & Stella
Brightside Boutique
Consignment/resale shop: The Shabby Button, LLC
Honorable mentions:
Second Chance Inc.
Turnover Shop Inc.
Uptown Cheapskate Timonium
Day spa: Eeyah Holistic Spa
Honorable mentions:
BRIGHTWATER | The Spa at Skin Care Institute
B’More Wellness Studio
Titanium Medspa
Gifts: Bmore Bomb Bath & Skincare, LLC
Honorable mentions:
Sideshow at the American Visionary Art Museum
The Nest on Main
Found Studio | Shop
Grocery store: Wegmans
Honorable mentions:
Trader Joe’s
Eddie’s of Roland Park
MOM’s Organic Market
Gym: E.A. Fit Club
Honorable mentions:
Merritt Clubs
INLINE Barre - Perry Hall
Onelife Fitness - Hunt Valley
Hair salon: Vibe & Co. Salon
Honorable mentions:
Posh Hair Studio
Rock Paper Scissors The Salon
About Faces Day Spa & Salon
Health food/supplement store: MOM’s Organic Market
Honorable mentions:
David’s Natural Market
OK Natural Food Store
The Vitamin Shoppe
Jeweler: Smyth Jewelers
Honorable mentions:
Saxon’s Diamond Centers
Meritage Jewelers
Charles Nusinov & Sons Jewelers
Liquor store: Total Wine & More
Honorable mentions:
The Wine Source
Wells Discount Liquors
Rocks Liquors
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/U6C3GNUKFRCK5ALDE5QULYCRIE.jpg)
Martial arts: Krav Maga Maryland
Honorable mentions:
Perry Hall White Tiger Martial Arts
Empire Dojo
Guardian Baltimore
Medispa: Seidenberg Protzko Eye Associates
Honorable mentions:
Titanium Medspa
LifeMed Institute
The BodyPlace of Maryland
Menswear: John’s Men’s Clothing
Honorable mentions:
Macy’s
The Dapper Luq, Custom Clothier
Different Regard (tie)
HLK Custom (tie)
Music lessons: Baltimore School of Music
Honorable mentions:
Katy’s Music Studio
School of Rock
Music Land
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/SRWLC43Q55DEBJONIZPMUVCKAE.jpg)
Pet goods store: Howl
Honorable mentions:
The Mill of Bel Air
Baron’s K-9 Market
Petco
Pool: Merritt Clubs
Honorable mentions:
The Arena Club
Eagle’s Nest Country Club
Fountain Green Swim Club
Retirement community: Broadmead
Honorable mentions:
Lorien Health Services
Residences at Vantage Point
Oak Crest
Shoe store: Van Dyke & Bacon Shoes
Honorable mentions:
Ma Petite Shoe
Holabird Sports
Poppy & Stella
Spin class: REV Cycle Studio
Honorable mentions:
Merritt Clubs
The Mine
Kore Bootcamps and Cycle Studio
Thrift store: Second Chance Inc.
Honorable mentions:
Savers
The Shabby Button, LLC
Dish Baltimore
2nd Ave Thrift Superstore
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/TINMVUPXI5HNXFTEQ5A3ASJJKM.jpg)
Yoga studio: Shift Yoga Studio
Honorable mentions:
The Yoga Center of Columbia
BreakAway Yoga Studio
Breathing Dragon Yoga Harbor Point
Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to June. The results are generated solely by readers’ votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.