Veterinarian
Northampton Veterinary Clinic
227 South St., Northampton
(413) 584-6309 www.northamptonvetclinic.com
The clinic is best known for having a compassionate staff as well as providing the highest quality medicine and diagnostics. The secret to the business’ success is striving to provide patients and clients with the best veterinary medicine has to offer, says Shana Petit, practice manager. “We feel fortunate to work in the Valley and being in a community of such well educated and caring owners.”
2nd: Valley Veterinary Hospital
320 Russell St. (Rte. 9), Hadley
(413) 584-1223 www.valleyvethospital.com
3rd: North King Animal Clinic
436 N. King St., Northampton
(413) 584-9178 www.northkinganimalclinic.com
Pet groomer
Furs’-A-Flyin’ Pet Grooming
155R Northampton St. (Rte. 10) Easthampton
(413) 529-2275 www.furs-a-flyin.com
If you’re a dog groomer, being friendly toward the pooches is important — but Mary Kate Murray founded her pet grooming service and doggy day camp in 2008 because she knew she could do something that some other groomers weren’t good at: customer service. “We want to make the owners feel comfortable,” she explains, “because it’s a big deal to leave your dog with us. We really try to build relationships with people.” The company recently purchased a new grooming tub, and Murray and her team are in the process of expanding day camp and grooming services in the coming months.
2nd: The Green Groomer
123 Hawley St., #5, Northampton
(413) 387-8129 www.thegreengroomer.com
3rd: Amherst Dog Wash
321 Main St., Amherst
(413) 253-WASH www.amherstdogwash.com
Pet day care/boarding
Valley Inn For Pets
320 Russell St. (Rte. 9), Hadley
(413) 584-5252 www.valleyinnforpets.com
With the Valley Veterinary Hospital in the same building, along with a staff dedicated to providing the same level of love and care your pets receive at home, the Valley Inn for Pets aims to give pets a vacation while their owners are away. A full schedule of indoor and outdoor play will make the time spent away from their humans pass speedily by.
2nd: The Good Dog Spot
35C N. Chicopee St., Chicopee
(413) 534-1333 www.gooddogspot.net
3rd: Bow Wow Bathhouse Resort & Daycare
203 Long Plain Rd., South Deerfield
(413) 397-9792 www.thebowwowbathhouse.com
Place for dog training
Animal Alliances
137E Damon Rd., Northampton
(413) 585-5868 www.animalalliances.com
Animal Alliances is best known for running useful, fun classes that are small enough to provide students with personal attention, says owner Kelley Bollen. “We strive to educate our clients and their dogs using science-based, positive reinforcement training techniques.” Bollen’s precision and schooling style should come as no surprise: she has 17 years of experience treating animals and has worked in zoos for many years with elephants, lions, giraffes, and primates. “The people of the Pioneer Valley are so dedicated to their four-legged companions,” she says, “that it makes our job fun.”
2nd: It’s PAWSible! Dog Training Center & Day Camp
60 Main Rd., Westhampton
(413) 527-7364 www.itspawsible.com
3rd: Sandy Meadow Farm
342 Union St., Westfield
(413) 572-4936 www.sandymeadowfarm.com
Hotel/inn
Hotel Northampton
36 King St., Northampton
(413) 584-3100 www.hotelnorthampton.com
Since 1927, the Hotel Northampton has drawn tourists and travelers to downtown. Famous guests have included presidents Coolidge, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt; David Bowie; the Dalai Lama; and novelist Stephen King. In addition to the Wiggins Tavern restaurant and the Coolidge Park Cafe, this historic redbrick building also offers banquet and meeting space.
2nd: The Lord Jeffery Inn
30 Boltwood Ave., Amherst
(413) 256-8200 www.lordjefferyinn.com
3rd: D. Hotel
1 Country Club Rd., Holyoke
(413) 533-2100 stayatthed.com
Bed & Breakfast
Brandt House
29 Highland Dr., Greenfield
(800) 235-3329 www.brandthouse.com
New owners George and Angela Burwick purchased the historic 1890s Brandt House just a few weeks ago, but they have worked as innkeepers for years, including at The Old Mill Inn in Hatfield. George explains that when people come to The Brandt House, which is situated on the hill at Highland Avenue with great views, “people are walking into a welcoming and warm home.” The nine-room B&B’s staff, many of whom have worked there for 20 years, play an integral role. “We’ve been warmly received in Greenfield,” George says. “This is one of the quirkier jobs you can have, but it’s an amazing experience.”
2nd: The House on the Hill Bed & Breakfast
330 Leyden Rd., Greenfield
(413) 774-2070 www.thehouseonthehillbnb.com
3rd: Black Walnut Inn
1184 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
(413) 549-5149 www.blackwalnutinn.com
Two-year college
Holyoke Community College
303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke
(413) 538-7000 www.hcc.edu
Holyoke Community College has always been a place to get a good, affordable education in fields such as nursing, liberal arts, environmental sciences, culinary arts, and more, but now HCC is investing even more in helping students pursue a degree in the life sciences with the opening of the new Center for Health Education and the health career pathways program. “Careers are growing in health care and we felt like that’s what made sense for us; to expand the degree options students could earn in health care here,” says JoAnne Rome, HCC’s director of marketing and communications.
2nd: Springfield Technical Community College
1 Armory Sq., Springfield
(413) 781-7822 www.stcc.edu
3rd: Greenfield Community College
One College Drive, Greenfield
(413) 775-1000 www.gcc.mass.edu
Local bank
Florence Bank
85 Main St., Florence
(413) 586-1300 and various locations www.florencebank.com
Over 143 years, Florence Bank has cultivated a local persona — taking pride in their never-automated customer service, integrity, and involvement in the community. The company is proud of their Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program, in which customers vote for their favorite nonprofit to receive a grant on behalf of Florence Bank and its customers. “We handle people’s money with integrity and respect and I think that’s our secret to success,” says vice president Nancy Mirkin.
2nd: Easthampton Savings Bank
36 Main St., Easthampton
(413) 527-4111 and various locations www.bankesb.com
3rd: Greenfield Savings Bank
400 Main St., Greenfield
(413) 774-3191 and various locations www.greenfieldsavings.com
Credit union
UMassFive College Federal Credit Union
200 Westgate Center Dr., Hadley 243 King St., Northampton
(413) 256-5500 www.umassfive.coop
UMassFive is a nonprofit credit union that thrives off its cooperative financial structure. Earnings go right back to members in the form of better rates and lower fees. The credit union is enrolling an ITM at the flagship branch in Hadley — the new tech does everything an ATM does, plus has a screen that enables live video chats with local UMassFive employees. The credit union is also working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Energy and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center on a unique benefit called the Mass Solar Loan program, which provides low-interest loans to homeowners for solar installations.
2nd: Freedom Credit Union
1976 Main St., Springfield
(413) 739-6961 and various locations www.freedom.coop
3rd: Polish National Credit Union
46 Main St., Chicopee
(413) 592-9495 and various locations www.pncu.com
Local insurance agency
Finck & Perras Insurance Agency
63 Main St., Florence (413) 584-1970 6 Campus Ln., Easthampton (413) 527-3000 www.insuringyourway.com
After 80 years of insuring the Valley, Finck & Perras is near synonymous with insurance. By treating clients with respect and kindness, says new Finck & Perras owner Genevieve Brough, the agency’s employees forge lasting relationships with clients. “It’s not uncommon that fires are still going on and we’re showing up to make sure that our customers are taken care of,” says Brough.
2nd: Webber & Grinnell Insurance
8 N. King St., Northampton
(413) 586-0111 www.webberandgrinnell.com
3rd: Whalen Insurance Agency
71 King St., Northampton
(413) 586-1000 www.whaleninsurance.com
Local tax service
Liberty Tax Service
362 College St. (Rte. 9), Amherst
(413) 570-3585 www.libertytax.com
Filing taxes can be frustratingly complicated, which is where Liberty Tax steps in with a variety of resources to make the process go more smoothly. Using their tax consultants as a resource when questions arise, or hand the preparation over to them entirely and breath easier.
2nd: Daniel W. Polacheck, P.C.
335 South St., Northampton
(413) 584-5809 www.dwpolachek.com
3rd: Dove Business Associates, Inc.
11 Main St., Williamsburg
(413) 268-9313 www.dovebusinessassociates.com
Law firm
Bacon Wilson
33 State St., Springfield
(413) 781-0560 and various locations www.baconwilson.com
Neighborhoods and cities have changed since Bacon Wilson was founded in 1895, but the firm prides itself on employing attorneys who live in the communities in which they work. “We pride ourselves on not just being for the community, but part of the community,” says managing partner Stephen Krevalin. “And we try and make this familial, in the sense of caring for all of our coworkers. We have lawyers, secretaries, and administrative staff who have been with us for 40 years. Our low turnover is rare for a firm our size, and we pride ourselves on that.”
2nd: Burrows Weiss Mintz & Lippiello LLP
78 Main St., Ste. 501, Northampton
(413) 586-3700 northamptonlaw.com
3rd: Parker & O’Grady
124 College Hwy., Southampton 73 Chestnut St., Springfield
(413) 527-8660 www.parkerandogrady.com
Real estate agency
Canon Real Estate
199 Northampton St., Easthampton
(413) 527-8311 www.canonre.com
Bob Canon, who founded the agency in 1983, is proud to report that the staff has expanded since last year, and now includes several younger agents, making for a total of 14. “We’ve scaled up a bit because of growth,” he says. “Last year was our best year ever.” Canon’s agent pool can now boast about 233 years worth of combined experience. “Most agents, they’ve been to five different offices,” he says, “but I’m proud to say that we have retained our agents from the beginning. Commission isn’t a big draw with us, but people don’t leave because we have a great culture within the office.”
2nd: Taylor Real Estate
87 Main St., Easthampton
(413) 527-3375 www.taylorrealtors.net
3rd: Maple and Main Realty
28 N. Maple St., Florence
(413) 584-2900 mapleandmainrealty.com
Caterer
Seth Mias Catering
P.O. Box 538, Leeds
(413) 695-4874 www.sethmias.com
Seth Mias has catered Valley events for 14 years, offering, Mias says, “local farm-to-table and fusion food techniques.” Mias says it’s fun being a chef in the Valley because people here have unique tastes and are always pushing him to be creative. “People here are kind of eclectic in what they want and it keeps me on my toes,” Mias says.
2nd: Hillside Organic Catering
219 Bald Mountain Rd., Bernardston
(413) 387-9343 hillsideorganiccatering.com
3rd: Blue Heron Restaurant & Catering
112 N. Main St., Sunderland
(413) 665-2102 blueherondining.com
Wedding/event photographer
Dani Fine Photography
150 Main St. (Thornes Marketplace), Northampton
(413) 341-3031 www.daniphotography.com
Owner and lead photographer Dani Klein-Williams prides herself on “a sassy, all-female photography team” that brings a sense of style to wedding, boudoir, and corporate work. The studio’s new book, Real. Sexy. Photography: The Art and Business of Boudoir, is now available in paperback through Amazon. Klein-Williams explains that boudoir photography celebrates feminine beauty in a way that is “empowering, body-positive, and confidence inducing. “This is you,” Klein-Williams says, “you’re beautiful, and we can capture that.” The studio’s clients, most of whom are women, “come in every size, shape, and age, and they leave feeling beautiful,” she says. “It can be really empowering and freeing.”
2nd: Jessica Marie Photography
Hatfield, (413) 247-5959 www.jessicamariephotographyinc.com
3rd: Sandra Costello Photography
4 Open Square Way, Holyoke
(413) 427-1676 sandralovesyou.com
Banquet facility/reception hall
The Log Cabin
500 Easthampton Rd., Holyoke
(413) 535-5077 www.logcabin-delaney.com
At The Log Cabin, which sits at the top of Mount Tom, beautiful Western Mass scenery becomes the backdrop for special events held in its full-service banquet halls. With customizable menus, expert bartenders and space to accommodate 450 guests, The Log Cabin has the goods to make a memorable event. If you’re booking, it’s worth trying to get the room that opens to an outdoor patio, with bar and fireplace, set on a cliff and overlooking the Valley. Gorgeous!
2nd: Garden House at Look Park
300 N. Main St., Florence
(413) 584-2220 www.lookpark.org
3rd: Quonquont Farm
9 North St., Whately
(413) 588-2028 quonquont.com
Event/Wedding DJ
Bobby C’s DJ Service
Montague, (413) 834-4222 www.bobbycdjservice.com
Bobby C has been DJing for 30 years now, specializing in weddings, anniversary parties, birthdays, school dances, and scores of occasions in-between. “I have entertained thousands of people from Keene, New Hampshire, to Springfield,” says Bobby C, who worked as a radio DJ at WHMP in Northampton, 1986-1997, before transferring to work the airwaves at WHAI in Greenfield.
2nd: Coud 9 Productions
Northampton
(413) 584-0964 www.cloud9productions.net
3rd: Steve Nagle Mobile DJ Service
(413) 519-6266 stevenagle.com
Equipment/party rentals
TJ’s Taylor Rental
301 Russell St. (Rte. 9), Hadley (413) 584-4184 577 Granby Rd., South Hadley (413) 533-5503 hampshirecountyrentals.com
Taylor Rental franchisers Jim and Tamara Falcone feel they’ve won this category e because of the fair prices they charge for quality rental products, as well as outstanding customer service. The company rents everything from bouncy houses, water slides, and party equipment to shop and home improvement tools like pressure washers, industrial vacuums, and a 45-foot boom lift for tree work. The eclectic and fun-to-browse showroom is, as Jim puts it, “as comfortable for a bride-to-be as it is for a contractor.”
2nd: Northampton Rental
59 Service Center Rd., Northampton
(413) 584-5072 northampton-rental.com
3rd: Michael’s Party Rental
409A West St., Ludlow
(413) 589-RENT www.michaelspartyrentals.com
Landscaper
Snow & Sons Landscaping
221 Leyden Rd., Greenfield
(413) 774-2604 www.snowandsons.com
Formed in 1980, Snow & Sons is now run by Ed and Kevin Snow. The company works in southern Vermont and New Hampshire, as well as the Northampton, Easthampton, and Amherst area. The business is full-service, which means full year-round maintenance on properties including spring clean-up, lawn care, mulching, autumn work, and winter snow plowing. Snow & Sons also has crews dedicated to gardening, landscape construction, lawn planting, drainage, and hardscaping projects like walkways, walls, patios, and pavers.
2nd: North Country Landscapes
1 Main Rd., Westhampton
(413) 527-7512 www.nocolandscapes.com
3rd: Treefrog Landscapes, Inc.
Northampton, (413) 586-8735 www.treefroglandscapes.com
Solar installation
Northeast Solar
136 Elm St., Hatfield
(413) 247-6045 northeast-solar.com
Northeast Solar, which has been in business since 2009, has locally-trained staff and is based solely in the Pioneer Valley. “The lifestyle choices of people living in the Happy Valley are aligned to buying local, eating local, and bringing more money back into the local economy,” says majority owner Gregory Garrison. “It’s a feel-good business. Solar is sustainable, and because you’re saving money on your electric bill, that money goes back into the local economy.”
2nd: PV Squared: Pioneer Valley PhotoVoltaics Cooperative
311 Wells St., Greenfield
(413) 772-8788 pvsquared.coop
3rd: SolarCity
604 Silver St., Unit 3, Agawam
(888) 765-2489 www.solarcity.com
Computer/electronic repair
Green Earth Computers
20A Crafts Ave., Northampton
(413) 282-8324 www.greenearthcomputers.us
This is the first Best Of win for Green Earth Computers, which has provided the Valley with affordable repairs, sales, and service on computers, smartphones, and mobile devices for over six years. The company encourages recycling and refurbishing hardware rather than disposing of it and replacing it — hence the eco-friendly moniker. “Anyone can learn how to do this stuff,” says employee Dan Cottle, “but not everyone should have to learn how to do this stuff. Give it to us — we like to geek out.” Every now and then, though, a repair visit simply becomes a teaching moment, says business owner Kiernan Gulick-Scherrill. “We’re in the business of un-making customers whenever possible,” he says. “When we can teach people how to do something themselves, and they’re comfortable with it, then we will. It’s a full-time job to keep up with changes to technology, but some fixes are actually pretty simple.”
2nd: Yes Computers
196 Pleasant St., Northampton
(413) 585-0007 www.yescomputers.com
3rd: LeftClick
15 Cowls Ln., Amherst 150 Main St. (Thornes Marketplace) Northampton
(877) 289-9820 www.left-click.us
Local green business
River Valley Co-op
330 N. King St., Northampton
(413) 584-2665 rivervalleymarket.coop
See earlier write-up under “Best Local Market/grocer.”
2nd: Cancer Connection Thrift Shop
375 South St., Northampton
(413) 587-9999 www.cancer-connection.org
3rd: Green Earth Computers
20A Crafts Ave., Northampton
(413) 282-8324 www.greenearthcomputers.us
Local nonprofit
Cancer Connection
41 Locust St., Northampton
(413) 586-1642 www.cancer-connection.org
Betsy Neisneir, executive director of Cancer Connection, says she’s thrilled the Valley has honored the 15-year-old nonprofit with the Best Of award, though, in a way, she wishes it weren’t so. “We’d love to close our doors,” Neisneir says, “but until there is no cancer we’re going to be there for people who are confused and angry and questioning and just need some support.” Cancer Connection has recently expanded its alternative service to provide cancer patients and their loved ones with acupuncture, massage, and cranial-sacral therapeutic facials.
2nd: Dakin Humane Society
171 Union St., Springfield (413) 781-4000 163 Montague Rd., Leverett
(413) 548-9898 www.dakinhumane.org
3rd: Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
97 N. Hatfield Rd., Hatfield
(413) 247-9738 www.foodbankwma.org
