Where’s my room??
Everyone loves lists, and I’m sure the North Coast business community pays close attention to the Times-Standard’s annual “Best of the North Coast” supplement that was just published.
I find the list fascinating but everyone wonders the same thing: do these choices really reflect public opinion or is this more like when you were running for prom king or queen in high school and you had to go around and get your friends to vote for you. Do the winners really represent “the people’s choice” or do they merely reflect organized campaigns in which employees and friends are “reminded” to cast their ballots? The editor states that “We hand-counted thousands of votes”. I wonder why, the next time they do this, couldn’t they publish the actual counts? Then we’d know if the Kabob Cafe won the title “Best Place for a Business Lunch” by a margin of 3 votes or 40. That was one of the weirder choices, to me. I love their food but I can’t see having a business lunch there, not if you need privacy.
Their winner in the “Hotel” category was very strange. They listed the Holiday Inn at 2223 4th Street in Eureka although that property has been a Clarion for at least twelve years and the pleasant ladies at the front desk informed me there are no plans to revert to Holiday Inn status. Even more bizarre, they included, as a winner, the construction site on Broadway and Wabash where a Holiday Inn IS under construction but I find it hard to believe that it garnered votes as anyone’s favorite place to stay, considering there’s no roof yet. Still, when you’re “hand counting thousands of votes” I suppose a few anomalies slip in.
I was pleased to see that a few of my favorite establishments were recognized. The AA does have the best steaks, Hole in the Wall does have the best sandwiches, C&C Market does do a remarkable job of catering and McCrea Nissan where I have received the best service in my experience was honored, although paired with Mid-City Motors where I received the worst. They shouldn’t have categories where there are only one or two providers. St. Joseph’s vs Mad River? Apples and oranges.
Anyway, thanks to the Times-Standard for the supplement, which I always save for incoming visitors. Next year, let’s see the actual counts. Might be interesting.
Just to clarify the “Best Hotel” topic, the actual winners were our Holiday Inn Express in McKinleyville (where I am the General Manager) and the Holiday Inn Express, Fortuna. It was an unfortunate typo from Times Standard. We have an ad published later in the publication that shows our property and actual address and phone number. Hope this helps to clarify it up.
Sincerely,
Calder Barnard
Holiday Inn Express McKinleyville
Well, that’s a relief! Thanks for clarifying.
Agreed. Some of the contenders I’ve never heard of. I should have been clearer that my experience with McCrea’s involved purchasing, not service. The last time I had a dealer service my car, it was MidCity. That was the LAST time and it was ten years ago. Since then I’ve been a happy customer of Wally Cunningham at Old Town Brake. Thanks for visiting.
I’ve gotten the impression those voting do so as at least a semi- organized effort if for no other reason than I often haven’t heard anything about the winners I’ve seen in the past.
If they were so good at something, I should think I’d have heard at least one acquaintance mention the business at some point in time. As it is, I’ve often heard nothing- aside from advertisements- from some of the winners.
Not that there’s anything insidious going on. Some might call it poll stuffing. I’d simply suggest people in some circles pay more attention and thus participate more by voting in such polls.
Oh, btw, I would never take my car to a dealer to have it serviced if I had the choice.