Best of Jax

[uptowngirl]

I always love the Best of Jax in the Folio, in fact it is about all I read the Folio for. I was really discouraged to see yet again this year so many chains listed. What is so special about a chain? If a chain is the best damn thing in Jax then we are no different than anywhere else.

Starbucks, Barnes and Noble (at least they added "best independent bookstore", Mellow Mushroom, PF Changs (people do know this is NOT really chinese right?!) the list goes on and it was rather sad.

Are places like SJTC killing our creativity and uniqueness???

Note to Folio, best of Jax should be stuff unique to JAX, not common to any ole strip mall.

[Bativac]

That is kinda sad. I know PF Chang's, Mellow Mushroom and Starbucks certainly aren't the best anything in Jax. Barnes and Noble is okay, I guess, if you want someplace to roam around and browse mainstream literature.

Are these places voted on by Folio readers? If that's the case, then you can't really blame Folio. You'd have to blame their readers...

[Singejoufflue]

This is a reader's poll, and to be honest, I am surprised that there weren't MORE chains listed.  I mean, Eddie Farah is listed as the best lawyer. Really?  When asked to make a decision about something one doesn't use, familiarity wins out. Hence, B&N, PF Changs, etc.

[Charles Hunter]

Which may be an outcome of having to vote on a certain number of categories or they don't count your ballot.

[uptowngirl]

If it is a best of JAX, it should be JAX stuff, I mean similar polls are held for a ton of cities in America, and while I am not trying to put down any particular chains (I eat at PF Changs once in a while), I think the best of should be particular to that city, so votes for chains should be discounted altogether. I appreciate they added independent book seller, but hey get rid of the chain votes and see who wins for JAX specific businesses. I want to know the next best neighborhood cafe to try, not the national chain in SJTC!

[Miss Fixit]

How 'bout Metro Jacksonville starts a best of Jax local businesses poll?

[Glenn VL]

How can anyone not like Barnes & Noble???

[aj_fresh]

Books-A-Million

[tufsu1]

If it is a best of JAX, it should be JAX stuff, I mean similar polls are held for a ton of cities in America, and while I am not trying to put down any particular chains (I eat at PF Changs once in a while), I think the best of should be particular to that city, so votes for chains should be discounted altogether. I appreciate they added independent book seller, but hey get rid of the chain votes and see who wins for JAX specific businesses. I want to know the next best neighborhood cafe to try, not the national chain in SJTC!

I 100% disagree....if people think a chain place is better, let them vote for it...now maybe you could have a category for local chains or independents (like with bookstores).

[stjr]

Congrats to MJ for this mention.  Hmmm... what discussions here qualify as "infantile"? 

BEST LOCAL POLITICAL BLOG
Metro Jacksonville
The bloggers of Metro Jacksonville are a
tenacious bunch. They claim a subject, then
report on it, link to other media stories about it,
and discuss it in sometimes pugilistic,
sometimes infantile and sometimes insightful
forums. The content reflects the particular
obsessions of the core bloggers. There’s usually
a thread on mass transit, a series of articles on
local history and an ongoing series on urban
design in other cities. Metro Jacksonville also
breaks news. It was the first media to report on
the fight of the Springfield group Preservation
SOS to stop the demolition of historic houses, a
bit of publicity that prompted the city to put 139
scheduled demolitions on hold.

Urban Jax took best "Local Blog". 

[grimss]

Lots of winners in Riverside Avondale--here's the list from the "RAP Blog"http://riverside-avondale.blogspot.com/2010/10/congratulations-to-our-local-best-of.html:

Best Graffiti: Shaun Thurston's Five Points Mural
Best Farmers Market AND Best Neighborhood Event: The Riverside Arts Market
Best Place to Bag a Hipster: Five Points
Best Local Political Blog: MetroJacksonville (okay, okay, we know some of the folks behind MetroJAX live in Springfield, but one of the owners lives in Riverside--plus he's on RAP's board!--so we're claiming an equal share of the glory)
Best Local Artist: Cryface (a.k.a. Riverside's Stephen Bunnel)
Best Museum: Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens (Riverside)
Best Restaurant to Impress a Date: Orsay (Avondale)
Best Waiter/Waitress: Amber Linksy-Rhodenberry at The Fox (The Shoppes of Avondale)
Best Middle Eastern Cuisine: Casbah Cafe (The Shoppes of Avondale)
Best Tapas: 13 Gypsies (Five Points)
Best Burger in Jacksonville: Five Guys (Five Points)
Best Dessert: Biscotti's (The Shoppes of Avondale)
Best Beer Selection AND Best Bar Food: Kickback's Gastropub (Park & King)
Best Consignment/Vintage Clothing: The Clothing Warehouse (Five Points)
Best Indie Clothing Line: Tact Apparel (Park & King)
Best Jewelry Store: Underwood's (The Shoppes of Avondale)
Best Bike Shop: Open Road Bicycles (The Shoppes of Avondale)
Best B&B in Jacksonville: Riverdale Inn (Riverside)
Best Plastic Surgeon: Dr. Loren Clayman (St. Vincent's)
Best Day Spa: Dr. Clayman's Miracle Day Spa (Park & King)

[SeasonedNative]

I always love the Best of Jax in the Folio, in fact it is about all I read the Folio for. I was really discouraged to see yet again this year so many chains listed. What is so special about a chain? If a chain is the best damn thing in Jax then we are no different than anywhere else.

Starbucks, Barnes and Noble (at least they added "best independent bookstore", Mellow Mushroom, PF Changs (people do know this is NOT really chinese right?!) the list goes on and it was rather sad.

Are places like SJTC killing our creativity and uniqueness???

Note to Folio, best of Jax should be stuff unique to JAX, not common to any ole strip mall.

It may be a case of who has more advertising dollars...my bet would be that, right now, chains have more than a lot of the smaller businesses...that may be driving the results...

[ben says]

Best desset, Biscotti's?! Are you guys serious....

The don't even MAKE their own dessert. Not...a...single...one....

Pfui! Disingenuous at best.

[ben says]

And for those who say 'who doesn't like Barnes and Noble, or Books-A-Million'....

OY, explore a little. We are very, and I mean verrrrry lucky to be in a city with a business like Chamblin's Bookmine. I mean I've been all over, and this is a world class independent bookstore. Try it!

[stephElf]

If it is best of JAX... then the answers or options need to be local/native to the area.  No national chains.
I 100% agree. 

I thought the same thing when I read that edition of the Folio, very disappointing.