Best of Howard County 2023: Residents’ favorite people, places and things to do
Need a roofer or dentist? Looking to join a gym? What about a recommendation for kids’ activities?
The Best of Howard County can help. More than 57,000 votes were cast in this year’s readers’ poll, culling a list of the 77 top people to know, places to go and things to do.
Health & Wellness
Alternative wellness: Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine of Maryland
Honorable mentions:
Eeyah Holistic Spa
Jennum O’Hara Acupuncture
Morrison Chiropractic
Audiologist: Alicia Spoor
Chiropractor: Morrison Chiropractic
Honorable mentions:
Elite Chiropractic & Sport
Howard County Chiropractic Spine & Sports Rehabilitation
Muneses Chiropractic Center
Day spa: LaRaydiance Wellness Spa
Honorable mentions:
BRIGHTWATER | The Spa at Skin Care Institute
Luna’s Day Spa
Mason & Friends Salon . Spa
Dental practice: RZ Dental Group
Honorable mentions:
Columbia Smiles Family Dentistry
Dobbin Dental Suite
Menton Family Dental Care, Ellicott City
Eye care: Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Honorable mentions:
Physicians Eye Care Center
Medical Eye Center
Professional Vision
Medispa: Dr. G Laser & Med Spa
Honorable mentions:
Between the Lines Medispa
ProMD Health Columbia
BRIGHTWATER | The Spa at Skin Care Institute
OB/GYN: Capital Women’s Care
Honorable mentions:
Signature OB/GYN
Ascension Saint Agnes OB/GYN Columbia
Dr. Jeri Shuster, Mercy Physicians
Orthodontist: OX ORTHODONTIX
Honorable mentions:
Baltimore Orthodontic Group
Eric Wu, NuSmiles Orthodontics
Smiles4Children
Pediatric practice: Kenneth M. Klebanow, MD & Associates P.A.
Honorable mentions:
Howard County Pediatrics
The Pediatric Center
Ellicott City Pediatric Associates
Physical therapist: Performance Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation
9194 Red Branch Road, Suite J, Columbia. 410-997-2585. performanceptandsport.com/
For Tom Perone and Kerry Hite, co-owners of Performance Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation, an interest in helping people heal grew from their own experiences as physical therapy patients: Perone after shoulder surgery, Hite after surgery for a hip injury during college.
Since opening their Columbia clinic in 2018, the business partners along with three other physical therapists see baseball players, dancers and gymnasts come through their doors.
“We have patients who want to play sports, or they want to run a marathon or they want to get back to doing these bigger things,” Hite, 37, said. They also work with “weekend-warrior athletes,” added Perone, 44.
The key to their success, the pair said, has been dedication to each patient.
“We make sure that we’re actually physically working with our patients: correcting, modifying, treating them,” Hite said. “We want everyone to get the attention that they need and have the individual type of care that they want.”
Honorable mentions:
Revive Physical Therapy
Glackin Physiotherapy: Informative Physical Therapy and Recovery
Elite Chiropractic & Sport
Plastic surgeon: Kanter Plastic Surgery Professionals
Honorable mentions:
Columbia Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
Dr. Kalpesh Vakharia
George T. Grace, Ascension Saint Agnes MD Institute of Plastic Surgery Baltimore
Therapist/counselor: Wrenn Skidmore, LLC
Honorable mentions:
Together Couples Counseling: Risa Ganel & Associates
Anchor Counseling Centers
Congruent Counseling Services
Urgent care: Patient First Primary and Urgent Care
Honorable mentions:
FirstCall Urgent Care
University of Maryland Faculty Physicians, Inc. in Columbia
Ouch! Urgent Care
Veterinary practice: Countryside Veterinary Clinic
Honorable mentions:
Triadelphia Veterinary Clinic
Cat & Dog Hospital of Columbia
Dunloggin Veterinary Hospital
Home
Apartment/condo: The Elms At Montjoy
Floor and carpeting: The Vertical Connection Carpet One Floor & Home
8895 McGaw Road, Columbia. 443-393-6421. verticalconnection.com
The flooring products offered at The Vertical Connection Carpet One Floor & Home are modern, but the service is still old-fashioned.
“Instead of treating everything as a transaction, we really look to build relationships,” said Adam Joss, 43, the owner of the family business that got its start almost 46 years ago when his parents, Kathy and Steven, needed a vertical blind for their new home in Columbia.
Joss said that as a young couple, his folks were looking for something affordable. They reached out to a family member in New York who manufactured vertical blinds and could ship them directly for a fraction of the retail cost. The entrepreneurial light bulb went off for the couple.
His mother was at that time a proofreader for the Columbia Flier, the local newspaper, where as an employee she was able to place a free ad.
“They ran a classified ad for discount vertical blinds in 1977 and that’s how they started,” Joss said, adding that his mom still works in the business today.
The company prides itself on making customers happy.
“It goes back to our genuine commitment to service and satisfaction,” said Joss, who grew up in Long Reach.
“We’ve earned over 1,000 5-star reviews and we’re really proud of that.”
Honorable mentions:
Bode Floors
ProSource of Columbia
Andonian’s Carpet Warehouse
Garden center/nursery: Frank’s Produce & Greenhouse
Honorable mentions:
Sun Nurseries
Clarks Ace Hardware Ellicott City
Lauren’s Garden Service and Native Plant Nursery
Homebuilder: Allan Homes
Housecleaners: Good Life Custom Cleaning
Honorable mentions:
J&K complete services
Teresa Cleaning Service
The Cleaning Authority, Columbia
HVAC: Environmental Systems Associates
Honorable mentions:
Clarksville Heating and Air, LLC
Ron Air Heating & Air Conditioning
No-Frost A/C & Heating
Landscapers: Rhine landscaping
Honorable mentions:
Lauren’s Garden Service and Native Plant Nursery
Oaklawn Landscaping
Eos Outdoor Services
Plumber: Bryan Moberly Plumbing Services
Honorable mentions:
Ken Griffin Plumbing Services Inc.
Ehrhardt Brothers Quality Plumbing Inc.
Mark Brew Plumbing & Heating
Real estate agent: The Wendy Slaughter Team of Elevate Real Estate Brokerage
Honorable mentions:
Charlotte Savoy & The Savoy Team at Keller Williams Integrity
Jennifer Hurley, Coldwell Banker
Allan Waschak, Le Reve Real Estate
Remodeler: Clarksville Construction Services
Honorable mentions:
Cornerstone Remodeling
Allan Homes
Main Street Remodeling
Senior housing community: Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant
Honorable mentions:
Residences at Vantage Point in Columbia
Brighton Gardens of Columbia
Sunrise of Columbia
Out & About
Annual festival/event: Festival of India
Honorable mentions:
Howard County Fair
Wine in the Woods
Columbia Festival of the Arts
Art gallery: HorseSpirit Arts Gallery
Honorable mentions:
Bohemian House
Columbia Art Center
Artcraft Collection
Kids’ activity: Clark’s Elioak Farm
10500 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, April through early November. 410-730-4049, clarklandfarm.com
There’s a petting farm, a pumpkin patch, a fresh vegetable market and an enchanted forest full of storybook creatures.
No wonder this Ellicott City attraction has become a family favorite.
In 2002, Martha Clark was distressed when the only pumpkin patch and petting zoo in the area shut down. So she set aside about 25 acres from the cattle farm that had been in her family for six generations and opened it to the public.
Soon, it was stocked with 80 critters, including ponies, goats, sheep, a donkey, rabbits and even an emu.
Two years later, when she learned that the Enchanted Forest — a once-popular storybook farm — had closed and was falling into disrepair, she acquired all the exhibits and moved them to the family farm: Cinderella’s Pumpkin Coach. The Old Woman’s Shoe. Willie the Whale.
“A lot of people had their pictures taken sitting in Willie’s open mouth 40 years ago when they were kids,” Clark said. “Now they photograph their grandchildren sitting in Willie’s mouth, and post it on their Facebook page.”
Honorable mentions:
Howard County Library System, Central Branch
Terrapin Adventures
Columbia Association Pools
Performing arts group: Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Honorable mentions:
Columbia Orchestra
Columbia Pro Cantare
Candlelight Concert Society
Special event venue: Merriweather Post Pavilion
Honorable mentions:
Turf Valley Resort
Howard County Fairgrounds
The Collective - Offshore & Encore
Volunteer organization: Zaching Against Cancer Foundation
Honorable mentions:
Indian Cultural Association of Howard County
Special Olympics Howard County
Grassroots Crisis Intervention
Personal services
Accountant: Dembo Jones
Honorable mentions:
Frank Giarratano
Deborah Herman, Ellicott City
Butler, Lavanceau & Sober, LLC
Auto repair: BA Auto Care
Honorable mentions:
Ken’s Service Center
Hillmuth Certified Automotive
Foreign Auto Experts Co.
Bank/credit union: APL Federal Credit Union
Honorable mentions:
Tower Federal Credit Union
SECU Credit Union
Sandy Spring Bank
Barbershop: Rob’s Barber Shop
Honorable mention:
HalfPenny’s Tonsorial and Shave Parlor
Child care: Bet Yeladim Preschool
Honorable mentions:
Tamala Reid Daycare
Kid’s Time Out
The Goddard School of Ellicott City
Computer repair: Dresner Group
Honorable mentions:
Computer Installations Etc.
PercWorks
Doggie day care: Wagging Lounge Dog Resort
Honorable mentions:
Club Pooch
The Coventry School Inc.
Countryside Veterinary Clinic
Family lawyer: MLO/Mulinazzi Law Office
Honorable mentions:
Weinberg & Schwartz, LLC
Alisa G. Cummins - Davis, Agnor, Rapaport & Skalny, LLC
Jacobson Family Law
Financial advisor: Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors
Honorable mentions:
Williams Asset Management
Michael Havlik, Tide Creek Financial Group
Dan Flavin Mortgage Advisor
Florist: The Flower Basket
Honorable mentions:
Raimondi’s Florist
Indigo and Ivy
Ellie’s Arrangements Inc.
Interior decorator/designer: Ellen Virden, Get a Room Interiors
Honorable mentions:
LS Interior Design Group
The Decorating Therapist
L’Image Design Studio
Pet groomer: Preston Country Club For Pets
Honorable mentions:
Dogtopia of Clarksville
Barks & Bubbles
All Paws Pet Salon
Salon: Thirty Hair
Honorable mentions:
Gloss Hair Studio
Looks Salon and Spa
Mason & Friends Salon . Spa
Tattoo shop: Raven and Rose Studios
8600 Foundry St. Unit 217F, Savage. 202-539-6779. @ravenandrosestudios. hannahjoaneverhart.wixsite.com/mysite-1
When Hannah Everhart got her first tattoo, in College Park, she recalled “feeling really intimidated.”
At Raven and Rose Studios, the tattoo shop she opened in 2021, Everhart’s aim is to create a different environment for her customers, many of whom she said are women or part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“We want to make this space feel as safe and comfortable for our clients as possible,” Everhart, 32, said. “Getting tattoos is a very vulnerable thing.”
The studio boasts four tattoo artists, including Hannah Everhart and her sibling Ray Everhart, plus an apprentice, with specialties ranging from pop culture and horror designs to hand-poked tattoos.
Everhart, who started tattooing in 2013 and had also worked as a maître d’, a 911 dispatcher and a model, finds satisfaction pulling off technical, fine-line tattoos — especially those involving florals.
“I could tattoo flowers all day long,” she said. “Even my worst day tattooing is a thousand times better than my best day at any one of those other jobs.”
Honorable mentions:
Konkrete Jungle Kustom Tattoo & Body Piercing
Rose Red Tattoo Studios
Travel agent: Danielle Peterson, Cruise Planners
Personalities
Blog: Justin Berk Meteorologist
Honorable mentions:
The Merriweather Post
HoCo WatchDogs
Scott E’s Blog
Clergyperson: Michael Deascanis, St. Louis Catholic Church
Honorable mentions:
Paige Getty, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia
Craig Axler, Temple Isaiah
Ginny Price, New Hope Lutheran Church (tie)
Stephen Hagerty, St. John’s Episcopal Church (tie)
Elected official: Congressman Jamie Raskin
Honorable mentions:
Calvin Ball, County Executive
David Yungmann, Howard County Council
Liz Walsh, Howard County Council
Personal trainer: Jill Kitko Bernard
Honorable mentions:
Antonio Beasley, Elkridge Athletic Club
Nick Ott, NovaCare Columbia
Paul Phister, Columbia Association
Police officer: Tom Trodden, Howard County Police
Honorable mentions:
Jason Kindel, Howard County Police
Roberto Lopez, Howard County Police
Raymond Peele, Howard County Police
Principal: Dan Notari, St John’s Lane Elementary
St. John’s Lane Elementary School, 2960 St. Johns Lane, Ellicott City; sjles.hcpss.org
For Dan Notari, being principal means being present — sometimes in all things and at all times.
The St. John’s Lane Elementary School principal keeps his finger on the pulse of the school community, including students, teachers and families.
“I’m not shy to go down the slide. I’m not shy to be at the bus or the car loop, lunch recess or in classrooms,” Notari, 48, said. “I think my families know that I’m a pretty accessible guy.”
About 25 years ago, Notari moved from Scranton, Pennsylvania, to take a job teaching fifth grade at Stevens Forest Elementary School in Columbia. He soon became a team leader and was motivated to make a difference beyond his classroom. He is now in his fifth year as principal.
“The biggest thing is always going to be relationships and being connected to all aspects of this work … and connected to our kids,” said Notari. He and his wife Laurie have two teenage sons, Luke and Drew.
“I frame a lot of my day around culture, structure and instruction,” he said. “And we’re gonna make a difference in all three of those buckets every single day for my community.”
Honorable mentions:
Rachel Edoho-Eket, Waverly Elementary
Marcy Leonard, Wilde Lake High School
Ed Cosentino, Clemens Crossing Elementary
Recreation
CrossFit: Top Tier Columbia
Honorable mentions:
12 Labours CrossFit Columbia
Progressive Athletics
Dance lessons: JMD Studios
Honorable mentions:
Backstage Dance Studio
Studio Dans
Arabesque Dance Studio
Golf course: Turf Valley Resort
Honorable mentions:
Waverly Woods Golf Club
Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club
Fairway Hills Golf Club
Gym: The Dancel Y
Honorable mentions:
Emilia’s Acrobatics, Gymnastics & Cheerleading
Columbia Athletic Club
Supreme Sports Club
Martial arts: Okinawan Karate Dojo
Honorable mentions:
Krav Maga Maryland
Klotz Institute of Karate
Maryland Jeet Kune Do Academy
Music lessons: Mike’s Music
4872 Montgomery Road, Ellicott City. 410-465-0700. mikesmusicmd.com
Mike’s Music is a frequent “Best of Howard County” winner, and owner Mike Gordon has a few guesses as to why.
“We just really care,” he says.
Gordon and his wife, Haley Gordon, opened their Ellicott City music shop in 2008.
The couple, who both have a background in retail, took out equity on their home and maxed out 10 credit cards to finance the venture. The gamble paid off: Mike’s had a list of 100 music students before it even opened its doors. The store has more than doubled in size over the past 15 years, expanding its footprint from 2,400 to 5,400 square feet and hiring 50 music teachers.
Individual music lessons are the store’s bread and butter, but Mike’s Music also rents and sells instruments and offers instrument repairs. The shop hosts group lessons, too, assembling students to form a jazz band, rock bands and chamber string quartets.
The shop offers the kind of personal touch that chain stores lack, Mike says.
“We’re not just a cookie-cutter place,” he says. “We really put our heart and soul into it.”
Honorable mentions:
Damon Foreman Music Academy
Olenka School of Music and the Arts
Redbridge Studios
Pool for kids: North St. John’s Swim and Tennis Club
Honorable mentions:
Forest Hill Swim & Tennis Club
Swansfield Pool and Mini Water Park
Columbia Gym
Speciality gym: Dill Dinkers Pickleball
Honorable mentions:
Emilia’s Acrobatics, Gymnastics & Cheerleading
Progressive Athletics
The Gardens Ice House
Yoga studio: The Yoga Center of Columbia
Honorable mentions:
SHIFT YOGA
THE pearl
YogaSix Columbia
Shopping
Antiques: The Antique Center at Historic Savage Mill
Honorable mentions:
Antique Depot
Westwood Unique Furniture, Home & Garden Decor
Bike shop: Trek Bicycle
Honorable mentions:
The Cycle Mill
Patapsco Bicycles, Maple Lawn
90+ Cycling
Bookstore: Barnes & Noble
Honorable mentions:
Backwater Books
The Last Word
Bridal shop: Cherie Sustainable Bridal
Car dealership: O’Donnell Honda
Honorable mentions:
Apple Ford
CarMax
Miller Brothers Chevrolet of Ellicott City
Clothing boutique: Sweet Elizabeth Jane
Honorable mentions:
Charity’s Closet/First Picks
Bra La La
Talbots
Consignment shop: Success In Style, Inc.
Honorable mention:
Once Upon A Child Ellicott City
Furniture store: Havertys Furniture
Honorable mentions:
Artcraft
Sofas Etc.
Ethan Allen
Jeweler: St John’s Jewelers
Honorable mentions:
Sergio’s Fine Jewelers
HorseSpirit Arts Gallery
Edward Arthur Jewelers
Pet supplies: Clipper’s Canine Cafe
8407 Main St., Ellicott City. 410-465-3200. clipperscaninecafe.com
Kate Bowman opened her all-natural pet food store in 2004 after an all-raw diet saved her dog’s life.
Doodad, a young golden mix, suffered from inflammatory bowel disease so severe that his weight dropped from 60 pounds to 32. He was so miserable, Bowman considering euthanizing him.
Then, in desperation, she switched Doodad to a raw foods diet.
“It changed everything,” she said. “I had him with me for another 14 years.”
Instantly, Bowman put all her pets — dogs, chickens, cats, horses — on a raw foods diet. Her animals thrived, and friends began asking where they could buy raw food.
“It became easier to just open my own store,” she said.
Clipper’s — named after a yellow lab that Bowman later owned — sells all-natural foods (including some raw foods), supplements and gourmet pet treats.
Bowman also does diet consultations in her store. Formerly employed as a vet tech, she has become skilled at diagnosing potential allergies based on an animal’s symptoms.
“It doesn’t take people long to see the difference an all-natural diet can make for their pets,” she said.
Honorable mentions:
PetSmart
My Pet Store and More
Dogtopia of Clarksville
Food & drink
Beer, wine and/or liquor store: Pine Orchard Liquors
Honorable mentions:
Total Wine & More
The Perfect Pour
Jason’s Wine & Spirits
Caterer: Tino’s Italian Bistro & Wine Bar
Honorable mentions:
Putting on the Ritz
Cured 18th & 21st
Farmers market/stand: Frank’s Produce & Greenhouse
Honorable mentions:
Jenny’s Market
Breezy Willow Farm & CSA
Howard County Farmers’ Market
Health food/supplement store: David’s Natural Market
Honorable mentions:
Roots Market
MOM’s Organic Market
Places to buy seafood: Today’s Catch
Honorable mentions:
Wegmans
Wild Seafood
Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online in June and July.
