The Best of Ashland

Excerpted from January 2017 article in the Sneak Preview, Ashland

Another year, another “Best of Ashland.” It was 27 years ago that we introduced this popular readers’ survey to Ashland, drawing off the success of the “Best of the Rogue Valley,” our sister publication in Grants Pass, which began in 1986. I had modeled the whole concept on a couple of free weekly newspapers in Denver, Colorado, and wondered if Southern Oregon would even care.

Apparently they did, as this readers’ survey has grown in popularity every year. We even put a “Collector’s Edition” on the stands for the tourists to enjoy from April through December. Now there are about four or five copycats that spring their own surveys on an unsuspecting public, but I suppose imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. And I’m sorry, call me old-school, but we don’t allow our readers to vote online because that system makes ballot stuffing way too easy and distorts the results.

The first “Best of Ashland” in January 1991 contained 76 categories, and the results were printed in one issue (unlike today, which is broken down into two parts). Some notable winners back then were Annie Hoy as “Favorite Disc Jockey” (she was at KSOR then and is at the Ashland Food Co-op now); Mike Bianca as “Favorite Policeperson”; Allen Drescher as “Favorite Attorney”; John Gaffey as “Favorite Bartender” (John also did the artwork for the front cover that issue); Gary McGraw as “Favorite Dentist”; Susan Reid as “Favorite City Councilor”; Brian Freeman as “Favorite Local Folk Musician”; and Judy Howard as “Favorite Local Artist.” Of the six “Best New Restaurants” listed, only one—Mihama’s—is still around.

We would like to thank the 417 people who mailed in ballots, and the 30 people who emailed them. This survey is meant to be fun and all-inclusive as we try to mention as many people, businesses and organizations as possible. And when the top vote-getters were close, we went with ties, even multiple ties, which is the only fair way to do it.  We realize that reader surveys can be a bit un-scientific, and these results could be entirely different if another set of 417 people responded. But I would be willing to bet that it would be close.

Anyway, without further ado, the 2017 “Best of Ashland,” our 27th annual readers’ survey …

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Favorite Local Restaurant Owner

Back in 1970, there were about four restaurants in Ashland. Now there’s something like a hundred! What exactly happened? It’s pretty simple. The Angus Bowmer Theater was constructed and it turned the Oregon Shakespeare Festival into a world-class operation, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors and rejuvenating the restaurant and nightlife scene in Ashland. We should count ourselves lucky.

You’ve got to hand it to the local restaurant owners, though. It’s a tough, competitive market and they work overtime to provide excellent food and service. In this survey by the local Sneak Preview, 30 different owners were named, and the top spot went to Julie Gurwell, owner of Hearsay Restaurant below Oregon Cabaret Theatre at 1st and Hargadine.

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Original article in Sneak Preview