I art directed and designed the Greatest Hits theme for the magazine’s annual readers’ choice awards. This section was so popular that we ran out of print copies in many locations, and traffic on our digital edition was double any previous issue.

1. CaryMagazine,301CascadePointeLane,CaryNC27513
January 2017
BACK TO WORK
HOW TO BRIDGE
THE RÉSUMÉ GAP
A BETTER YOU
A MIND-AND-BODY
GUIDE TO FITNESS
GREATEST
HITSThe 2017
Maggy Awards
Western Wake’s

2. CARY MAGAZINE 19
Give it up, ladies and gentlemen, for the winners of the 2017
Maggy Awards!
You voted by the thousands to name these rock stars as the
Best of Western Wake, for all the ways they keep our corner of
the world spinning.
Now it’s time to shine the spotlight on the winners within
these fun-filled pages, for a much-deserved round of applause.
MAGGY
AWARDS
Presenting
the 2017

3. CARY MAGAZINE 2120 JANUARY 2017
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
TAZZA KITCHEN
Hickory Tavern
Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar
BEST APPETIZERS
TIE: THE MASON JAR
TAVERN and
RUCKUS PIZZA,
PASTA & SPIRITS
Rudy’s Pub & Grill
Tazza Kitchen
BEST COCKTAILS
THE MASON JAR TAVERN
Ruckus Pizza, Pasta & Spirits
Rudy’s Pub & Grill
BEST BAKERY
LA FARM BAKERY
Once in a Blue Moon Bakery & Café
Stick Boy Bread Co.
BEST BARBECUE
CITY BARBEQUE
Danny’s Bar-B-Que
(Big Mike’s) Brew N Que
BEST BREAKFAST
BRIGS RESTAURANTS
Toast Café
La Farm Bakery
BEST BURGER AND FRIES
FIVE GUYS BURGERS
AND FRIES
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar
BurgerFi
BEST DATE-NIGHT RESTAURANT
LUCKY 32 SOUTHERN
KITCHEN
Peak City Grill & Bar
Rey’s
BEST SEAFOOD
DEAN’S SEAFOOD
GRILL & BAR
Bonefish Grill
The Full Moon Oyster Bar
and Seafood Kitchen
BEST STEAKHOUSE
ANGUS BARN
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Rey’s
THE WINNERSWRITTEN BY NANCY PARDUE
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONATHAN FREDIN
RESTAURANTS
Best
Jay Spungin, right, a partner at Tazza Kitchen, says the staff puts on a “rock show”
every night, entertaining customers with delicious food, great service and an open
kitchen. Introducing the rest of the band: bar manager Tony Hasanaj, left, chef Chris
Easton on drums, and pizza chef Bradley Massey, sitting on counter.
BEST COCKTAILS
The Mason Jar Tavern
BEST APPETIZERS
The Mason Jar Tavern
and Ruckus Pizza, Pasta & Spirits (tie)
You can accomplish a lot in a couple of years — just ask Jonathan Pierce. This
time last year, his Mason Jar Tavern in Holly Springs was voted Best New Restau-
rant in the Maggy Awards.
Since then, he’s expanded into an equally-successful second location in
Fuquay-Varina, with a staff steadfastly cranking out the food and drinks locals love.
“We’re so thankful for the way the community has embraced and supported
us,” said Pierce.
BEST PIZZERIA
Mellow Mushroom
Tazza Kitchen in Cary takes center stage with its win for Best
New Restaurant.
There’s plenty to please fans including a wood-fired seasonal
menu with influences from Italy and California, an all-North Caro-
lina beer tap, and innovative cocktails.
But the restaurant’s biggest asset is its staff, including partner
and general manager Jay Spungin and bar manager Tony Hasanaj,
says Tazza chef Chris Easton. Nightly they
create a great atmosphere that resonates with
customers, he says.
“We like to imbue our staff with the
idea that every time somebody comes in our
door, they’re coming into our home — that
we’re throwing a party for them,” Easton
added. “That’s the ‘rock show’ that we talk about. We want people to
have fun; we want people to feel entertained.”
— AMBER KEISTER
Find a recipe inspired by Tazza’s Brick Oven Cauliflower on page 52!
➨ Tazza Kitchen
also won honor-
able mentions for
Best Appetizers
and for Best
Outdoor Dining.
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
TAZZA KITCHEN
Blood Orange
Margarita, left, and
the Loaded Bloody
Mary from The
Mason Jar Tavern.
Rock bands have groupies. Mellow
Mushroom has Shroomies, the dedicated
fans who have voted it Best Pizzeria every
year since 2011. We reached out to market-
ing director Sid-
ney Julich, to see
what feeds that
popularity.
“We try
to provide a
fun, groovy vibe that appeals our Cary
Shroomies,” she said. “We also feel strongly
about being an integral part of our commu-
nity. We have fundraisers for the YMCA,
SPCA, March of Dimes and local charities,
and sponsor school teams like Green Hope
basketball and Panther Creek football.”
What’s new? The Ribeye Pie, with an
olive oil and garlic base, all-natural grilled,
shaved ribeye steak, Portobello mushrooms,
artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, provolone,
feta and mozzarella.
And The Great White, with sun-dried
tomatoes, provolone, feta, seasoned ricotta,
fresh basil and mozzarella, Roma tomatoes
and onions.
What’s coming in 2017?
“We have a really cool menu that we’re
launching in the New Year. But don’t worry,
you’ll still be able to get all your old Mellow
favorites! We’re making a few tweaks to keep
our food the freshest and highest quality you
can get.
“Mellow Mondays are going to be huge
in 2017 as well,” Julich said, with pizza, kids’
meal, and craft beer specials.
➨ Mellow Mushroom
also earned honor-
able mention as
Most Kid-Friendly
restaurant.

4. 22 JANUARY 2017 CARY MAGAZINE 23
THE WINNERS
BEST PIZZERIA
MELLOW MUSHROOM
Ruckus Pizza, Pasta & Spirits
Anna’s Pizzeria
MOST KID-FRIENDLY
RUCKUS PIZZA,
PASTA & SPIRITS
Chick-fil-A
Mellow Mushroom
BEST ASIAN RESTAURANT
SUSHI-THAI
Àn Asian Cuisine
Yuri Japanese Restaurant
BEST MEDITERRANEAN
RESTAURANT
GREEK FIESTA
Sassool
Neomonde
BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT
DANIEL’S RESTAURANT
& CATERING
Lugano Ristorante
Enrigo Italian Bistro
BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT
CILANTRO INDIAN CAFÉ
Nazara Indian Bistro
Kababish Café
BEST MEXICAN/LATIN AMERICAN
RESTAURANT
LOS TRES MAGUEYES
RESTAURANTE MEXICANO
Totopos Street Food & Tequila
Fiesta Mexicana
Restaurante Mexicano
BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR
RUCKUS PIZZA,
PASTA & SPIRITS
Doherty’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
Rudy’s Pub & Grill
BEST OUTDOOR DINING
RUCKUS PIZZA,
PASTA & SPIRITS
Tazza Kitchen
Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen
BEST CRAFT BREWERY
BOND BROTHERS
BEER COMPANY
Aviator Brewing Company
Fortnight Brewing Company
BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT
Cilantro Indian Café
BEST CRAFT BREWERY
BOND BOND BROTHERS
BEER COMPANY
Cary may not have
an Abbey Road,
but Bond Brothers
brewers, from left,
Andy Schnitzer, Jay
Bond, Whit Baker and
Jeremy Bond, would
still like everyone to
come together for
good beer.
Meet the Bond brothers, mak-
ing their first appearance on the Maggy
Awards list!
What began as a group of brewers
competing in homebrew competitions
has become a brewery, taproom and beer
garden hit that’s part of Cary’s downtown
revitalization.
The brewers?
➨ Jay Bond, former Yadkin Valley
vineyard manager and “compost wran-
gler” at Compost Now;
➨ His twin brother Jeremy Bond, a
freelance illustrator and former foreman at
a gasket company;
➨ Whit Baker, once upon a time a
high school chemistry teacher, a certified
beer judge, and beer Cicerone; and
➨ Andy Schnitzer, bon vivant about
Western Wake, aka a sociable guy of good
taste.
“We love providing a taproom that
helps to bring the community together,”
said Jay. “We also enjoy the development
and the ‘market research’ involved in the
process of making beer.”
Bond Brothers offers a variety of
unique beers on tap, from IPAs and stouts
to Berliner Weisse and cream ales; a ro-
bust barrel sour program; guided brewery
tours; and a kid- and dog-friendly envi-
ronment. There’s even a running club!
“Our slogan is Old School Classics,
New School Originals,” Jay said. “To
complement our traditional-style ales, we
apply the science of brewing in new and
unique ways to produce the most innova-
tive, forward-thinking brews in the area.”
BEST BAKERY
La Farm Bakery
La Farm Bakery put Cary’s food scene
on the map, and our readers know it: The
bakery’s been on every Maggy list since we
started this fun in 2006, even as it’s garnered
national fame.
Of all the
yummy joy that is
La Farm, owners
Lionel and Missy
Vatinet say its most
popular products are still the breads, from
the signature La Farm Bread to the tradi-
tional crusty baguette.
Master baker Lionel uses locally-grown,
organic flours, giving his breads the best in
flavor and nutrition.
“We’re really excited about all this from
every perspective; by working with these
grains we’re able to share the most nutrition-
al and flavorful bread with our community,”
Missy said. “We feel a sense of honor to be
able to showcase the best, in each loaf, that
represents the same passion for great quality
grains our farmers, millers and science com-
munity have strived for, for all of us.”
Great news for La Farm lovers is a new
production bakery in downtown Cary; Mis-
sy adds, “And soon we’ll have more to an-
nounce about our growth in the Triangle in
the coming year.”
➨ La Farm Bakery
also earned honor-
able mentions for
Best Breakfast and
Best Coffeehouse.
“And many are
addicted to our white
chocolate mini
baguette!”
— Missy Vatinet
After earning a few Maggy honorable
mentions along the way, this year Cilantro
takes the lead as Best Indian Restaurant,
thanks to readers in love with its chicken tik-
ka masala, butter chicken, Moroccan hum-
mus, and karahi dishes.
The food hails from the Northeast region
of India, particularly the state of Bihar, and
is full of fresh vegetables and herbs purchased
from local farmers markets.
What makes the Cilantro story even bet-
ter is the struggle behind it for husband and
wife team Mustafa Ansari, who holds a degree
in business management, and Tabassum Rah-
men, with a master’s degree in education.
Cooking their personal meals on the
grill at a between-jobs gas station gig, the
duo began fielding requests from customers
wanting to sample the chicken biryani.
Income-less for months, feeding their
children leftovers from the gas station, they
opened the restaurant in February 2014
without enough cash to even make change.
“Our customers are the reason we
feel that it was all worth it,” said Rahmen.
“When we see them satisfied, we look at each
other and smile.
“We love to cook, we love to invent new
dishes, we love to see our customers content.
We’ll continue to devote ourselves to Cilan-
tro as long as our customers love it.”
Contributedphoto

5. 26 JANUARY 2017 CARY MAGAZINE 27
WRITTEN BY NANCY PARDUE
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONATHAN FREDIN
STYLED BY AMBER KEISTER
BEST CHIROPRACTOR
TODD STAKER, STAKER
CHIROPRACTIC CENTER
Ira Rubin, Rubin Chiropractic
Donna King, Apex Family
Chiropractic and Wellness Center
BEST BANK
STATE EMPLOYEES’
CREDIT UNION
Coastal Federal Credit Union
BB&T
BEST MORTGAGE OFFICER
KENDRA MCCORMICK,
PARKMONT LENDING
Anthony Pellegrino, FM Lending
Services
Andrew McCauley, SunTrust
BEST INSURANCE AGENT
TERI LAROCCA, STATE FARM
Sally Cox, State Farm
Lisa Garrity, Allstate
BEST REALTOR
SCOTT KORBIN, HPW
Mike Wolgin,
Wolgin Real Estate Group
Renee Hillman, RE/MAX
BEST ORTHODONTIST
TODD BOVENIZER,
BOVENIZER & BAKER
ORTHODONTICS
Kelly Ritter,
Dr. Kelly Ritter Orthodontics
Reid Brogden, Brogden Orthodontics
BEST ATTORNEY
JACKIE BEDARD, CAROLINA
FAMILY ESTATE PLANNING
Linda Ward, Ward Family Law Group
Paul Yokabitus, Stephenson Law
BEST DENTIST
BOBBI STANLEY,
STANLEY DENTISTRY
Allan Acton, Cary Family Dental
Amit Patel, West Cary Dental
BEST EYE DOCTOR
KEN ROUSSELO, PRESTON
OPTOMETRY CENTER
Don Cloninger, EyeCareCenter
Phil Vito,
Holly Springs Eye Associates
THE WINNERS
SERVICES
According to
our readers, Teri
LaRocca of State
Farm Insurance
is the person to
call when things
go wrong. Her
team leaders
Morgan Hedderich,
Financial Service
Specialist, left,
and Justin Wright,
Property and Casu-
alty, help LaRocca
toot her horn.
Best
WHEN WE CREATED this new
Maggy category, who knew we’d find
an agent who’s been asked to insure a
World War II cannon, a card game, dogs
and wrecked cars?
Teri LaRocca, a State Farm agent
since 2001 and longtime Cary resident,
says a day in her life is never dull, but
underscores the serious side of her
business:
“Insurance is truly meant to protect
you and the assets you have worked so
hard for,” she said. “It’s not something
you want to skimp on because when —
not if but when — you have a claim, you
want to be 100 percent sure that you,
your family and your assets are pro-
tected appropriately. We make sure our
clients understand how they should be
protecting themselves through our cov-
erage and product recommendations.”
As for landing the Maggy vote,
LaRocca credits her staff: “We truly
care. We have very detailed conver-
sations with every client about their
individual situation and how we can help
protect them. We always try to go the
extra mile by accommodating schedules,
calling with reminders and being sure we
are offering top customer service.”
BEST INSURANCE AGENT
TERI LAROCCA, State Farm
BEST REALTOR
Scott Korbin,
Coldwell Banker
Howard Perry and Walston
Happy homeowners utter endless praise for
the work of Scott Korbin, who closed the deal in yet
another new Maggy category, Best Realtor. In their
words: “Attention to detail.” “Patient.” “True blue.”
“Knowledgeable.”
BEST ATTORNEY
JACKIE BEDARD,
Carolina Family Estate Planning
Stealing the show? Jackie Bedard is guilty as charged,
claiming the No. 1 spot as Best Attorney for the first time,
following an honorable mention last year.
What’s the best part of her job?
“The people,” said Bedard, who was also a CM
Mover & Shaker in 2015. “We have a great team in
our office and we’re all passionate about doing good
work. We’re really blessed to have great clients, and I en-
joy hearing their stories and learning about their families.”
Bedard is passionate about bringing peace of mind to
her clients, whether it’s simply knowing they’ve taken steps to
protect their families, or relieving a wife’s fear that her financial security will be jeop-
ardized by the costs of her husband’s long-term care.
Outside the office, Bedard negotiates her own peace of mind through reading,
cooking, CrossFit, learning new things, and spending time with her family and dogs.
Jackie Bedard
Scott Korbin
Contributed photo

6. 32 JANUARY 2017 CARY MAGAZINE 33
BEST NONPROFIT
DORCAS MINISTRIES
WRITTEN BY NANCY PARDUE
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONATHAN FREDIN
STYLED BY AMBER KEISTER
THE WINNERS
LIFESTYLES
Best BEST PUBLIC SCHOOL
GREEN HOPE
HIGH SCHOOL
Cary High School
Panther Creek High School
BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL
CARY ACADEMY
Cardinal Gibbons High School
St. Michael the Archangel
Catholic School
BEST ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITY
SEARSTONE
Carolina Preserve at Amberly
Glenaire
BEST NONPROFIT
DORCAS MINISTRIES
The Carying Place
Brown Bag Ministry
BEST COFFEEHOUSE
THE WAKE ZONE ESPRESSO
Crema Coffee Roaster & Bakery
La Farm Bakery
BEST PRESCHOOL
PRIMROSE SCHOOLS
Kids R Kids Learning Academies
Greenwood Forest Children’s Center
BEST GOLF COURSE
PRESTONWOOD
COUNTRY CLUB
MacGregor Downs Country Club
Knights Play Golf Center
BEST INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM
SOUTHERN STUDIO
INTERIOR DESIGN
Lauren Burns Interiors
Ivy Cottage Collections
BEST MUSIC VENUE
KOKA BOOTH
AMPHITHEATRE
Red Hat Amphitheater
Coastal Credit Union Music Park
at Walnut Creek
BEST LOCAL EVENT OR FESTIVAL
LAZY DAZE ARTS AND
CRAFTS FESTIVAL
Apex PeakFest
Beericana Craft Beer
& Music Festival
Bet you didn’t know that the original
Green Hope School was established in 1927,
less than a mile down the road from its pres-
ent-day site, with the same school colors of
burgundy and green.
With a 2015-16 graduation rate of 94.8
percent and alumni who include PGA golfer
Brendon Todd and two-time Olympian Hec-
tor Cotto, Principal Karen Summers said,
“We are fortunate to have well-rounded stu-
dents who excel in three key areas: academ-
ics, athletics, and fine and performing arts.
“Our student body is comprised
of many nationalities, religions and cul-
tures. This diversity leads to enriching con-
versations in the classrooms, and encourages
tolerance and ac-
ceptance through-
out our school
community.”
Summers also
says Green Hope’s
100-plus clubs are
a testament to the student body and their
passion for service in the school and com-
munity, and to the dedication of the teachers
who serve as club advisors.
Go, Falcons!
➨ Green Hope
High’s Karen
Summers earned
an honorable
mention this year
as Best Principal.
BEST PUBLIC SCHOOL
GREEN HOPE HIGH SCHOOL
Green Hope High Principal Karen Summers, left, is our idol,
because she’s willing to do most anything for her students, even
posing with a sousaphone. Our student judges are, from left,
Samantha McNeill, 17, Younggil Chang, 17, and Naiya Banks, 15.
BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL
Cary Academy
In a new Maggy category this year, readers
were quick to click for Cary Academy as Best Private
School.
Celebrating its 20th year in Cary, the co-ed, college-
preparatory school is home to nearly 800 students in grades
six through 12. The school recently launched its Discovery Studio,
and held its first TEDxCary Academy.
Cary Academy alumni include researchers and policy setters in
medicine and government, attorneys, software engineers, entrepreneurs and more,
living and working around the world.
Of all the Maggy Award winners, only
one can claim both Best Nonprofit and
Best Resale Shopping: Dorcas. Its popu-
lar thrift store, locals know, helps fund the
organization’s food, housing and jobs out-
reach services.
So what’s new at this community-mind-
ed hotspot? A full-time caseworker to man-
age Dorcas’ emergency housing program.
“Of the 34 families she worked with,
at the end of the year 32 of those families
had remained stable for the entire year,” said
Executive Director Howard Manning. “Our
role at Dorcas is one of encourager and mo-
tivator; all of the goal setting, planning and
execution are being performed by the fami-
lies. We’re helping them to fulfill their calling
of glorifying God by working and support-
ing themselves and their families with the
fruits of their work.”
At Dorcas Plaza a new primary care
clinic offers health care on a sliding fee scale,
in partnership with Advance Community
Health, the Town of Cary and Wake County.
And community donations enabled
Dorcas to deliver two truckloads of materials
and more than $2,000 in Lowe’s gift cards to
those impacted by Hurricane Matthew.
Keep it coming, Manning says: “We
are always in need of volunteers and mate-
rial donations. And we’re looking for more
exposure along the N.C. 55 corridor and the
far west regions of Cary and Morrisville; we
see that as an untapped geographical area.”
Volunteers make good things happen at Dorcas Ministries.

7. 34 JANUARY 2017 CARY MAGAZINE 35
Tondalaya Pearson started dancing at age 3, and she has no plans to stop.
Founder of Cary Dance Productions, she helps students discover the
benefits of dance both on and off the floor, earning CDP a second straight
Maggy Award.
“Dance promotes balance development, enhanced agility, coordination
and stronger bones,” Pearson said. “Dance also improves and reduces depres-
sion and anxiety, while boosting self-esteem and confidence.”
She points to studies that also link dancing to creativity and emotional
intelligence.
“Research aside, dancing is fun!” Pearson said, from tap to ballet, jazz
to hip-hop.
As the art of dance evolves, CDP constantly tweaks its offerings to better
serve students by incorporating current music, activities and movement into
lessons. And just like the pros, CDP dancers enjoy colorful studios equipped
with floating hardwood floors that reduce stress on joints, permanently-in-
stalled barres, and floor-to-ceiling mirrors.
BEST KIDS’ PROGRAM
CARY DANCE
PRODUCTIONS
BEST KIDS’ PROGRAM
CARY DANCE
PRODUCTIONS
Premier School of Dance
Starpath Dance Academy
BEST FITNESS CLUB
YMCA
Orangetheory Fitness
O2 Fitness
BEST PLACE FOR OUTDOOR
RECREATION
FRED G. BOND METRO PARK
William B. Umstead State Park
Cary Greenway System
BEST YOGA/PILATES STUDIO
STUDIOVIBE
Republic of Yoga
Pure Barre
BEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
PRINCIPAL
ROD
STANTON,
CARY
ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL
Michael Regan,
Mills Park
Elementary
School
Raleigh Bame,
Laurel Park Elementary School
BEST MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
H. TRENT EVANS,
REEDY CREEK MAGNET
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Rick Williams,
Davis Drive Middle School
A. Elaine Hofmann,
Salem Middle School
BEST HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
MATT WIGHT, APEX
FRIENDSHIP HIGH SCHOOL
Karen Summers,
Green Hope High School
Nolan Bryant, Cary High School
BEST HIGH SCHOOL COACH
ROY COOPER,
APEX HIGH SCHOOL
Alex Buckley,
Cardinal Gibbons High School
Jeb Hall, Fuquay-Varina High School
Cary Dance Productions team, from left, Ashley
Wade, Andrea Crews, Tondalaya Pearson, Jessica
McMillan and Kathryn Hamrick.
THE WINNERS
BEST HOTEL OR RESORT
IN NORTH CAROLINA
The Umstead
Hotel and Spa
BEST SPA
The Umstead Spa
Celebrities and high-profile VIPs are among the
55,500 guests welcomed by The Umstead Hotel and
Spa each year, but who they are is anyone’s guess.
That same level of privacy is afforded to less
famous guests as well, at this five-star crown jewel of
hospitality set in Cary’s own wooded backyard.
Coming in 2017 are new artists in The Umstead
gallery, hand-blended chocolate straight from Paris,
and additions to the Herons menu from the hotel’s
own culinary One Oak Farm — last year the restau-
rant introduced its own grits milled in-house from
heirloom corn grown at the farm.
The Umstead Spa is also beloved by CM read-
ers, topping the Maggy list since 2010.
Our readers know that fitness can be fantastic! So does Beth Blount, group
exercise director for the Cary Family YMCA.
“There are too many benefits to list, but here are a few: Relieve stress, sleep
better, and move better,” Blount said.
She and the pros at the Y have all the advice you need for setting and reaching
your fitness goals. Read more in A New & Improved You, page 56!
BEST FITNESS CLUB
YMCA
BEST RADIO PERSONALITY
Bob Dumas, G105
Some people love him. Some, not so
much. But one thing’s for sure about Bob
Dumas: He gets
the votes year after
year, dating back
to the first Maggy
Awards in 2006.
The host of G105’s “Bob and the Show-
gram” for more than two decades, perhaps
Dumas’ least controversial work is the an-
nual Bob’s Buddies radiothon, held each No-
vember to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor
Foundation.
BEST YOGA/PILATES STUDIO
StudioVIBE
Patty Geiger, founder of StudioVIBE,
has seen many trends come and go during
her 33 years in the wellness industry. Know-
ing how to navigate them is part of what
makes her so popular with the CM readers
who vote for her studio year after year.
“Right now there is such an amazing
movement toward mind-body exercise and
functional movement. I hope this contin-
ues; it just plain makes sense,” Geiger said.
“When your body is flexible and strong, so
is your mind.”
Read more of her advice in
A New & Improved You, page 56.
➨ G105 earned an
honorable mention
as Best Radio
Station this year.
Patty Geiger
Rod Stanton

8. CARY MAGAZINE 39
BEST HOME FURNISHINGS AND DÉCOR
Ivy Cottage Collections
WRITTEN BY NANCY PARDUE
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONATHAN FREDIN
STYLED BY AMBER KEISTER
SHOPPING
BEST GIFT STORE
HALIE’S BOUTIQUE
Swagger
Ivy Cottage Collections
BEST NEW CLOTHING
PINK MAGNOLIA BOUTIQUE
Swagger
Peachy Keen
BEST RESALE SHOPPING
DORCAS SHOP
Adore Designer Resale Boutique
Once Upon a Child
BEST HOME FURNISHINGS
AND DÉCOR
IVY COTTAGE COLLECTIONS
The Perfect Piece
Cooper’s Furniture
BEST NEW BUSINESS
(NON-RESTAURANT)
PINK MAGNOLIA BOUTIQUE
Proactive Accounting & Tax Services
Azura Skin Care Center
Best
38 JANUARY 2017
Best New Business
Best New Clothing
PINK
MAGNOLIA
BOUTIQUE
LAST YEAR, a newly-
opened Pink Magnolia Boutique
edged its way into the Maggy
Awards with two honorable men-
tions. This year the shop grabbed
two top-honors spots, to the de-
light of owner Samantha James.
“I attribute our success to
three things: Our employees,
merchandise and customers,”
she said. “One, our stylists’ goal
is to make sure every customer
leaves feeling fantastic about
her new outfit. Two, you’ll find
something for everyone in our
store, from teenagers to grand-
mothers. We get limited quanti-
ties of all our items and don’t
reorder, which allows us to get
new merchandise every week.
And three, our customers are the
most amazing women. We build
real relationships.”
James opened a second
Pink Magnolia location, in Mor-
risville’s Park West Village, ex-
actly one year after the first store
opened in Cary. In 2017 she’s
working on an e-commerce store
concept and franchising opportu-
nities, and adding brands that are
new to our area.
“And you might see a Pink
Magnolia logo in some of our
new lines!” she added.
FUN FACT: One name jokingly
considered for the boutiques was
Pink Magnolia Tree, to reflect the
tree common to both Cary and
James’ Texas upbringing.
BEST RESALE SHOPPING
Dorcas Shop
The “shop for a cause” concept is lived out every day at Dorcas Shop, where
proceeds help fund the community outreach work of Dorcas Ministries, voted Best
Nonprofit.
You also never know what treasures you’ll find here, among the new and
gently-used donated goods: A name-brand jacket. A great painting. The perfect
armchair.
The thrill of the hunt, and the feel-good mission behind it, keep CM readers
coming back for more.
For 20-plus years, home decor aficiona-
dos from across the region have sought the
advice of designer Lisa Allen at Ivy Cottage
Collections ... and she’s delivered.
“When you buy a piece here, you will
love it for a long time,” Allen said. “We try to
stay eclectic in our of-
ferings. I like that style
best, because it looks
as though it’s been col-
lected over time.”
Here’s a bit of ad-
vice from Allen for the
New Year:
What inspires your work?
“My customers inspire me. They really
appreciate the effort we make to have each
shopping experience be exciting and fresh. I
love how excited people get when they shop
in the store.”
What are 2017’s must-haves?
“Fresh, colorful porcelain lamps, pil-
lows, and artwork to accent your space.”
What’s new in home décor?
“More color, and a return to more de-
tail in design. For a few years at market there
was very little color, ash gray woods and at
most a slate blue-gray for accent color. Clean
lines in all case goods, with a modern aes-
thetic, was driving the design world for quite
a while. We’re really seeing more color and
detail, shabby chic and painted wood in the
marketplace.”
➨ Ivy Cottage
also earned
HMs as Best
Gift Shop and
Best Interior
Design Firm.
Lisa Allen
Samantha James, owner of Pink Magnolia
Boutique, may not play guitar, but she knows
how to strike the right note with shoppers of
all ages. Affordability “was a key point of our
business model,” she says. The only items
priced more than $50 are shoes and boots.
THE WINNERS
Contributedphoto