Since I relocated to downtown Niles a few months ago, one of my favorite hobbies has been watching people circle the block looking for a parking spot to get into town.

Sure, that exercise is frustrating for patrons looking to frequent a local business, but the silver lining is just that — patrons are looking to frequent a local business! In fact, they are so determined to spend their money locally, that they drive around the block until they find a place to park.

This proverbial goose chase is a shining example of the growth Michiana continues to experience. Each month, new businesses open their doors and welcome the community in to try their food, purchase their wares, or take advantage of their services — and the opportunities keep on coming.

This year, as we counted ballots for Best of the Best, I was more in awe than ever before at just how many different businesses were entered in each category. If you voted, you know that our ballots are completely free form. There are no multiple choice questions. Any business voters feel is worthy of recognition may be entered in the blank beside each respective category. This year, no less than 1,000 businesses and individuals were nominated for that recognition.

With just shy of 6,000 votes cast, it is clear that the people who reside in Berrien, Cass and St. Joseph counties fully support local business and the shop local movement.

The diverse selection of businesses is evident in this contest. We have such a wide variety of businesses that there are more than 100 categories to vote in — enough to give all business owners a chance at earning the recognition they so deserve.

Those businesses listed in this section are represented because of outstanding customer service, great products or services, good prices and quality experiences.

In addition to the long list of local businesses receiving awards this year, hundreds of other Michiana businesses were nominated for recognition. Whether they took home a medal this year or not, any individual who chooses to invest in this community by opening a business is a winner in my book.

In addition to local businesses, several individuals who help operate those establishments are recognized in this year’s Best of the Best results section.

In this section, you’ll find who was voted Best Boss, Best Server, Best Doctor, and a variety of other categories.

We could not have chosen our judges for this contest any better. The results that follow are solely the result of the best judges around — the people who know them best because they choose these businesses. These winners are based 100-percent on votes from the community. The Leader Publications staff simply tallied up ballots cast on paper or on our website.

We hope you will join us in congratulating all of these businesses and thanking them for their service to the community by continuing to spend your hard earned dollars right here in Michiana.

Ambrosia Neldon is the general manager at Leader Publications. She can be reached by phone at (269) 687-7700 or by email at ambrosia.neldon@leaderpub.com