Readers’ choice awards
BEST GROCERY STORE
Astoria Co-op Grocery
Astoria, Oregon
Runner-up: Fred Meyer, Warrenton
Honorable Mention: Okie’s Thriftway Market / Costco (tie)
Photo by Joshua Bessex
Matt Stanley, general manager of the Astoria Co-op Grocery, stands outside the store,
which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2014 by unveiling a new logo and hanging new
signage in front of its location at 1355 Exchange St.
Brim’s Farm & Garden
BEST HOTEL
The Cannery Pier Hotel
By RYAN HUME
Beyond earning this year’s
Readers’ Choice Award for Best
Grocery Store again, 2014 was
a big year for the Astoria Co-op
Grocery. The co-op celebrated
its 40th anniversary by unveil-
ing a new logo and hanging new
signage in front of its location at
1355 Exchange St. in Astoria.
The local grocery store also
expanded its organic deli selec-
tions and added fresh meat and
seafood, all of which is both or-
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“We really strive to make eat-
ing healthy, fun and easy,” said
General Manager Matt Stanley.
As always, the shelves re-
main free of preservatives, food
BEST GARDEN CENTER
work for them,” Stanley said.
The co-op works with over
100 individual producers to
source its unique stock of nu-
Astoria, Oregon
trient-rich foods and loves to
show off the North Coast’s lo-
Runner-up: Dennis’ 7 Dees, Seaside
cal bounty.
Honorable Mention: Basket Case Greenhouse, Long Beach
“We receive many products
directly from producers in our
community,” Stanley said. “We
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so there is no confusion when it
comes to whether an item is tru-
ly produced by local folks.”
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you’re looking for, ask — the
co-op will try and special order
it for you.
“We love that we can get
to know our owners,” Stanley
said. “Whether they are new
Photo by Joshua Bessex
to the co-op or if they’ve been
shopping there for a long time.” Established in 1986, Brim’s Farm and Garden, owned by Linda Brim, pictured, has been voted Best
Besides having a friendly Garden Center yet again in Coast Weekend’s Readers’ Choice Awards. This family owned and oper-
and knowable staff, the Asto- ated garden nursery and animal feed store is known for its customer service and quality products.
ria Co-op also offers cooking
courses, health and wellness
lectures, and a seasonal news-
letter. Stanley hopes the new
branding will mark the begin-
ning of an exciting future for
Astoria, Oregon
the store. He admits that the
Runner-up:
Adrift
Hotel, Long Beach, Washington
current location is small, but
Honorable
Mention:
Hotel Elliott, Astoria
he would like to see the co-op
expand over the new few years
to include things like a full-ser-
vice deli with hot food, a butch-
er counter and more space for
deli seating.
“People can help by signing
up to be owners and shopping
at the co-op as much as possi-
ble,” Stanley said.
Photo by Joshua Bessex
The Astoria Co-op Grocery works with
over 100 individual producers to source
its unique stock of nutrient-rich foods and
loves to show off the North Coast’s local
bounty.
coloring and hydrogenated oils,
and the co-op continues to give
preference to foods that are or-
ganic and without genetic mod-
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“So coming into the co-op
means that shoppers can trust
that we’ve done a lot of home-
T han k you
for voting us
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BOWPICKER FISH & CHIPS
1634 Duane St., Astoria
503-791-2942
The Astoria Co-op Grocery is open from 8
a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more information on
how to become an owner, board members,
current sales, upcoming events and more, call
503-325-0027 or visit www.astoria.coop
BEST ASIAN
FOOD
Nisa’s Thai
Kitchen
Warrenton, Oregon
Runner-up: Himani Indian
Cuisine, Astoria
Honorable Mention: Long
Beach Thai Cuisine
Submitted photo by Bill Blackler
The flaming beef is one of Nisa’s Thai Kitch-
en’s most popular dishes.
Owned by Nisa and Bill
Blackler, Nisa’s Thai Kitchen
opened about a year ago in the
former Kim’s Kitchen location
in Warrenton. Though relatively
new on the scene, Nisa’s swept
the Best Asian Food category
in this year’s Readers’ Choice
Awards in a landslide win.
The restaurant cooks up all
the usual Thai favorites — pad
Thai, peanut curry, Tom Yam
Goong and others — and some
specialties, including Three Fla-
vors Salmon, deep-fried sockeye
topped with onions, tomatoes,
bell pepper, pineapple chunks
and a special sauce.
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beverages such as Thai iced tea
and coffee.
Photo by Alex Pajunas
Resting on the 100-year-old pilings of the former Union Fisherman’s Cooperative Packing
Co., the Cannery Pier Hotel offers front-seat views of the Columbia River, free Wi-Fi, on-site
day spa, exercise room, authentic Finnish sauna, complimentary chauffeur service and
bicycle rental, and much more. It’s no surprise to find that Readers’ Choice voters have
named this luxury boutique hotel Best Hotel for the past eight years.
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Nisa’s can be found on Facebook and is open
from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week at 575
E. Harbor Drive. The restaurant offers a takeout
menu and can be reached at 503-861-5645.
Thank you for voting us
Best Barista
3 years in a row!!
Located in Sandpiper Square • 172 N. Hemlock, Cannon Beach
503.436.1718 • 877.511.5752 • www. maggieandhenry .com
1213 Com m ercia l St.,
A storia 5 03-325 -8265
January 29, 2015 | coastweekend.com | 11