Sauk Valley’s favorite businesses honored at Mad Water Saloon

DIXON — Business owners and members of the Shaw Local team gathered at Dixon’s Mad Water Saloon on Thursday to celebrate the Sauk Valley’s favorite businesses of 2025.

Shaw Local’s Sauk Valley Favorites 2025 contest drew more than 67,000 votes, resulting in 5,166 nominations for more than 1,400 businesses in 100 categories, as residents across the Sauk Valley region cast their ballots to honor their favorite local businesses and services.

“When we first envisioned Sauk Valley Favorites, we had hoped that it would become a way to spotlight the incredible local businesses that make this community special, but the response that we received was bigger than our wildest expectations,” Sauk Valley Media’s Publisher Jennifer Heintzelman said.

Shaw Local held a similar “Reader’s Choice” contest in the past, but decided to harness the power of its combined news and radio audience to create an all-encompassing contest highlighting the community’s “hidden gems.”

The process began last November, when nominations were opened across more than 110 categories through January, including Home Services, Auto Service, Food & Beverage, Professional Services, Health & Beauty, Local Arts, Leisure & Entertainment and Local Retail.

Each category featured a top-voted ‘Favorite’ business, with additional honorees recognized as ‘One of the Favorites.’ The following is a list of the ‘Favorite’ businesses:

Auto Sales Service & Equipment

Favorite Auto Body Shop: Slim-N-Hanks

Favorite Auto Repair: Moore Tires

Favorite Car Wash: Huffman Car Wash

Favorite Farm Equipment Dealer: Peabudy’s

Favorite Gas Station: Casey’s

Favorite Lawn/Yard Equipment Dealer: Ace Hardware & Outdoor Center - Dixon

Favorite Place for an Oil Change: Palmyra Pines Auto Service

Favorite Place to Buy Tires: Moore Tires

Favorite Wrecker/Towing Service: Dabney Services LLC

Food & Beverage

Favorite Bakery: Aurelio’s Bake Shop

Favorite Banquet Facility: Deer Valley Banquets

Favorite Bar/Tavern: Lisa’s Brick House Bar & Grill

Favorite Bartender: Mateo Martinez - LUXX The Restaurant

Favorite Caterer: Back Road Bar-B-Q

Favorite Deli: Arthur’s Garden Deli

Favorite Food Truck: Main Squeeze

Favorite Liquor Store: Liquor ‘N’ Wine

Favorite Place for a First Date: LUXX The Restaurant

Favorite Place for a Shake: Culver’s

Favorite Place for a Steak: LUXX The Restaurant

Favorite Place for Bloody Mary: Lisa’s Brick House Bar & Grill

Favorite Place for Breakfast: Eggs in Paradise

Favorite Place for Brunch: Fresco on First

Favorite Place for Chicken: Candlelight Inn

Favorite Place for Coffee: Coffee Crush

Favorite Place for Dessert: Meusel’s Dairy Delite

Favorite Place for Hamburgers: Shamrock Pub

Favorite Place for Ice Cream: Meusel’s Dairy Delite

Favorite Place for Lunch: Kelly’s

Favorite Place for Margarita’s: Kelly’s

Favorite Place for Martinis: Bartini’s

Favorite Place for Mexican Food: Kelly’s

Favorite Place for Pizza: Angelo’s

Favorite Place for Seafood: Luxx The Restaurant

Favorite Place for Tacos: La Laguna

Favorite Place for Wings: JW’s 3rd Base

Favorite Place to Buy Meat: The Butcher Shop

Favorite Restaurant: Kelly’s

Favorite Salad Bar: Angelo’s

Health & Beauty

Favorite Assisted Living Facility: Resthave Care & Rehabilitation

Favorite Barbershop: Ben’s Phresh Kutz

Favorite Beauty Salon: B’lush Salon

Favorite Chiropractic Clinic: Kirkland Family Chiropractic Center

Favorite Dental Clinic: Amboy Dental Group

Favorite Fitness Center: Grit & Grace Fitness

Favorite Home Health Care Agency: Rock River Hospice & Home

Favorite Massage/Day Spa: Relax with Sarah

Favorite Nursing Home: Heritage Square

Favorite Place to get a Manicure/Pedicure: Nails By Victoria Garcia

Favorite Place to Purchase Eyeglasses: CGH Vision Center

Favorite Yoga Studio: Rhuomai Studio

Home Services

Favorite Contractor/Carpenter: Boss Roofing - Siding Experts

Favorite Electrician: Weaver Electric

Favorite Fencing Company: Sterling Fence & Deck

Favorite Flooring Company: Brothers Flooring

Favorite Garage Door Installer: Grizzly Garage Door

Favorite Greenhouse/Nursery: Selmi’s

Favorite Heating/Cooling Contractor: Farley’s Appliance Sales and Services

Favorite Landscape Contractor: Dravis Landscape

Favorite Lumber Company: Frary Lumber

Favorite Pest Control: Pest Control Consultants

Favorite Plumber: SPK Plumbing & Heating

Favorite Roofing Company: TCS, Total Construction Services

Favorite Tree Service Provider: Cole’s Complete Tree Service

Local Arts, Leisure, & Entertainment

Favorite Campground: Crow Valley Campground

Favorite Church and Where: Immanuel Lutheran Dixon

Favorite Community Event: Petunia Fest

Favorite Dance Studio: Eastman School of Dance

Favorite Event Venue: Dixon Elks Lodge 779

Favorite Golf Course: Deer Valley Golf Club

Favorite Local Politician: Joe McDonald

Favorite Local Radio Personality: Sam Ramirez - River Country

Favorite Local Radio Station: River Country 101.7

Favorite Park: Lowell Park

Favorite Photographer: You In Photos By Nanc Inc.

Favorite Place for Lotto Tickets: Casey’s

Favorite Place to Play Slots: Abby’s

Favorite Place to Take Kids: Selmi’s

Favorite Recreation Spot: Plum Hollow Family Center

Local Retail

Favorite Antique Shop: Showplace Antiques & Treasures

Favorite Appliance Store: Farley’s Appliance Sales and Services

Favorite Convenience Store: Casey’s

Favorite Furniture Store: Harold’s Furniture

Favorite Gift Store: Golden Key Gifts & Candle Co.

Favorite Hardware Store: Ace Hardware & Outdoor Center - Dixon

Favorite Jewelry Store: Venier Jewelers Inc.

Favorite Pet Supply Store: PetSmart - Sterling

Favorite Place to Buy Flowers/Plants: Lundstrom Florist

Favorite Place to Buy Men’s Clothing: Kaleel’s Clothing & Printing

Favorite Place to Buy Shoes: Shoe Sensation

Favorite Place to Buy Women’s Clothing: Mud & Moo Boutique

Favorite Second Hand/Resale Shop: Angel Treasures

Professional Services

Favorite Auctioneer: Youngs Auction Service

Favorite Bank: Sauk Valley Bank

Favorite Children’s Daycare: Dixon Family YMCA, Lovett Child Development Center

Favorite Credit Union: Select Employees Credit Union

Favorite Divorce Attorney: Darla Foulker - Ehrmann Gehlbach Badger & Considine, LLC