2025 winners – Baltimore Sun

We asked, you answered.

In The Baltimore Sun’s Best: Readers’ Choice 2025 poll, our readers voted on what’s best in the region, from wedding venues and roofers to pediatricians and hair salons. This year’s winners highlight people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction over the last year.

The poll includes more than 550 winners in nearly 200 categories in six areas — Arts & Entertainment, Home & Garden, Food & Drink, Lifestyles & Shopping, Personal Services and People & Media.

More than 47,000 ballots were cast, cultivating a list of your favorite museums, pizza joints, boutiques, TV anchors, radio hosts and so much more.

Best Hardware store: Costello’s Ace Hardware

4167 Mountain Road, Pasadena. 410-437-4300. costellosace.com

Customer service puts this hardware store over the top, its manager says. That’s the nuts and bolts of it.

“If someone comes in with a broken plumbing part, or a faucet stem that’s not working, we have people with the experience to show them how to fix it, step by step,” said Brian Fleshman, who oversees a staff of 32 at Costello’s Ace Hardware. “We might spend an hour replacing a key fob in the parking lot. You can’t get help like that in big box stores.”

With 14,000 square feet of space, Costello’s is packed with paints, tools, pipes and wires. So are the chain stores. Here, the staff listens straight-faced (“You won’t believe what got flushed down the toilet”) and walks folks through each step of repairs.

Did the cat shred a screen? Did a ball bust a window? Bring them in for a fix.

“There’s a Home Depot two miles down the road, so good service is a must,” Fleshman said.

Barbecue grills are big sellers; ditto, the sauces and rubs that go with them. Garden supplies move briskly; there’s stuff for all ages, like in an old-time general store.

“Kids come in and head straight for the hot tubs,” the manager said. “We’re family-oriented here.”

Civic-minded, too. Costello’s donates products to community raffles and fundraisers, allowing chosen charities to select any item in the store worth up to $100 for their events.

There are new products to come, the manager says:

“We want to get some sporting goods in here, like fishing rods and tackle, because we’re only three miles from [the Patapsco River].”

After 42 years, the business hasn’t slowed.

“Stuff at home is always breaking,” Fleshman said. “That’s one thing that Amazon is not going to be able to conquer.”

Have a news tip? Contact Mike Klingaman at [email protected] and 410-332-6456.

---

Cleaning service: Dave’s Cleaning Consultants

Honorable mentions:

Ivania’s Cleaning Service
Cornerstone Cleaning
Keona’s Cleaning and Janitorial Services

Electrician: Tim Kyle Company

Honorable mentions:

Haas & Sons Electric
Tag Electric

Fence installation: Fence & Deck Connection

Honorable mentions:

C & C Fencing Inc.
Freedom Fence & Deck
Mid-Atlantic Deck & Fence

Flooring and carpeting: Baltimore Floor Supply

Honorable mentions:

Lady Baltimore Floors
Fishman Flooring Solutions

Furniture store: Wolf Furniture

Honorable mentions:

Sofas ETC
Twin Brook Furniture
Mattress Firm

Garden center: Valley View Farms

Honorable mentions:

The Mill
Poor Boy’s Garden Center
Homestead Gardens

Handyman: Today’s Home Renovations

Honorable mention:

Rotondo Construction Company

Hardware store: Costello’s Ace Hardware

Honorable mentions:

Atlantic Tractor
ACE Hardware Canton
Falkenhans Hardware

Home staging: Kate Wunder Interiors

Honorable mention:

Studio A Staging

Homebuilder: Sage Homes

Honorable mentions:

Bob Ward Trademark Homes
Beazer Homes
Huskins Builders

HVAC repair: SM Mechanical

Honorable mentions:

Clarksville Heating and Air
Perry Hall Heating & Air Conditioning
AJ Michaels (tie)
Environmental System Associates (tie)

Interior design: Cornerstone Remodeling

Honorable mentions:

Kate Wunder Interiors
Home by Heather