The votes have been counted and the results are in for your Red Hot Best winners in Kalkaska, Gaylord and Grayling. Explore the full winners list below or view our full 2023 RHB list for all winners across Northern Michigan.

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ART GALLERY
1) AuSable Artisan Village Art Center
2) Main Branch Gallery
3) Gaylord Area Council for the Arts

BAKERY
1) Goodale’s Bakery
2) Sweet Shannon’s
3) Cops & Doughnuts Jay’s Precinct

BANK/FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
1) Forest Area Federal Credit Union
2) Union Home Mortgage, The Huber Lending Team
3) 4Front Credit Union, Kalkaska

BEACH
1) Lake Margrethe
2) Log Lake
3) Manistee Lake
3) Otsego Lake State Park

BREAKFAST SPOT
1) Moose & Stella’s Cafe
2) Yankee Boy Restaurant
3) Grayling Restaurant

BREWERY
1) Rolling Oak Brewing Co.
2) Paddle Hard Brewing
3) Big Buck Brewery

Paddle Hard Brewing

Photo by Jesse Green

CHIROPRACTOR
1) Peter Jenema, DC, The Chiropractic Center
2) Brian Herron, DC, Gaston Family Chiropractic
3) Brandon Suchey, DC, Suchey Chiropractic

COFFEE SHOP
1) Moose & Stella’s Cafe
2) Biggby, Kalkaska
3) Michigan Brew

DENTIST
1) Ralph Oppermann, DDS, AuSable Family Dental
2) Robert Stobert, DDS, Stobert Dental
3) Carrilyn Stobert, DDS, Stobert Dental

DISC GOLF AREA
1) Log Lake Park Disc Golf
2) Hanson Hills Recreation Area
3) Gaylord Disc Golf Course

EVENT
1) National Trout Festival
2) AuSable River Festival
3) Alpenfest

FINANCIAL SERVICE ADVISOR
1) Larry King, Edward Jones
2) Dawn Moses, Sensible Financial Solutions
3) ATS Advisors, A Certified Public Accounting Firm

FLOOR COVERING (TILING, CARPETING, WOOD FLOORING)
1) Jarrad’s Carpet Direct
2) McLean’s Home Center
3) Dunckley Floor Covering

GYM OR HEALTH STUDIO
1) Kaliseum Recreation Complex
2) Grayling Fitness Center
3) FitNorth

HAPPY HOUR
1) Kal-Ho Lounge
2) Rolling Oak Brewing Co.
3) The Iron Pig Smokehouse

HEATING & COOLING BUSINESS
1) Kalkaska Plumbing & Heating
2) Air North Heating & Plumbing
3) Dan’s Plumbing & Services

HIKING TRAIL OR AREA
1) Hartwick Pines State Park
2) North Country Trail & Sunset Trail Road Loop
3) Hanson Hills Recreation Area

Hartwick Pines State Park

Photo by Dave Weidner

HISTORICAL LANDMARK
1) Hartwick Pines Logging Museum
2) Gaylord Elk Park
3) Call of the Wild

LOCALLY MADE HARD BEVERAGE
1) Rolling Oak White, Rolling Oak Brewing Co.
2) Fall Harvest Cider, Big Buck Brewery
3) C1 Cider, Rolling Oak Brewing Co.

LODGING: HOTELS, MOTELS & RESORTS
1) All Seasons Resort
2) Gates Au Sable Lodge
3) Treetops Resort

LODGING: NO HOTELS, MOTELS OR RESORTS
1) Hanson House Bed & Breakfast
2) Borchers Bed & Breakfast
3) Otsego Lake County Park

NONPROFIT
1) 22 2 None
2) Friends of the Kalkaska County Library
3) AuSable Valley Animal Shelter

OUTDOOR DINING
1) Billy Bob’s Boneyard
2) The Dig’s Food Truck
3) Ray’s BBQ, Brews & Blues

PHYSICAL THERAPIST
1) Pursuit Physical Therapy, Kalkaska
2) Dynamic Physical Therapy, Grayling
3) Northsport Physical Therapy, Gaylord

PIZZA
1) B.C. Pizza Kalkaska
2) G’s Pizzeria & Deli
3) Kal-Ho Lounge

PLACE FOR A WEDDING
1) Mill Pond Event Center
2) Sonshine Barn Wedding & Event Center
3) Sojourn Lakeside Resort

PLACE TO BUY A BOOK
1) Hidden Treasures
2) Tip’n the Mitten
3) The Shopping Basket Gifts & More

PLACE TO BUY A GIFT
1) Cherry Street Market
2) Hidden Treasures
3) Rooted

Strawberries from Cherry Street Market.

Photo by Cherry Street Market

PLACE TO BUY HOME FURNISHINGS
1) Woodland Creek Furniture & Gallery
2) Great Rooms Furniture & Mattresses
3) Past to Present Emporium

PLACE TO BUY JEWELRY
1) Hidden Treasures
2) Hogan’s Jewelers
3) Kay Jewelers of Gaylord

PLACE TO BUY ORGANIC & NATURAL FOODS
1) Earth’s Garden Natural Foods
2) Nature’s Nest
3) Jo Jo’s Natural Market

PLACE TO BUY PET ITEMS
1) Natural Farm Store/ Lodi Trading Company
2) Pets & Things
3) Tractor Supply Co. Gaylord

PLACE TO GET ACTIVE/ OUTDOOR WEAR & GEAR
1) Natural Farm Store/ Lodi Trading Company
2) Northbound Outfitters
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

PLACE TO WALK YOUR DOG
1) Kalkaska Area Recreational Transportation (KART) Trail

PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER
1) Andrew J. Long, DO
2) Natalie Okerson-Sparks, MD
3) Vincent E. Schultz, MD

PROJECT HANDYPERSON
1) RV Doctor of Grayling
2) Jerry Stapleton, Rapid City

REAL ESTATE AGENT
1) Michael McGuire, Century 21 Northland
2) Chet Wheeler, RE/MAX of Grayling
3) Laura Grezner, Coldwell Banker Schmidt, Realtors

RESTAURANT
1) Trout Town Tavern & Eatery
2) Moose & Stella’s Cafe
3) Yankee Boy

SALON
1) Timberlie’s Salon Studio
2) Las Vegas Tan & Salon
3) From Head to Toe

SPOT FOR PICKING (THRIFTING/CONSIGNING)
1) Hidden Treasures
2) Past to Present Emporium
3) St. Francis Thrift Shop

TEACHER
1) Ms. Kirchofer, Birch Street Elementary
2) Tawni Deike, Forest Area High School
3) Ali Bridson, Cherry Street Intermediate

THERAPIST/COUNSELOR
1) Annette Goodyear, LPC
2) Marne March Olli, LPC, MA
3) KaLeigh Shepard, LMSW

WINTER HIKE OR SNOWSHOE TRAIL
1) Upper Manistee Headwaters: The Milock Family Preserve
2) Michawyé Cross Country Ski/Hiking Trails

XC SKI TRAIL OR AREA
1) Hanson Hills Recreation Area
2) Upper Manistee Headwaters: The Milock Family Preserve
3) Twin Birch Golf Course

Photo(s) by Todd Zawistowski