BEST PRIVATE CLUB

Des Moines Golf and Country Club

A little over a year since the new facility opened, Des Moines Golf and Country Club’s social membership has reached its 375-person capacity for the first time, said Jim Cutter, the club’s general manager and chief operating officer.

An Olympic-sized swimming pool and aquatic center with splash and wading areas surrounded by lawns and sunbathing areas, along with new indoor tennis courts and strong junior tennis and aquatics programs, help position the club as the best family facility in the area, said Cutter.

“We looked at the facilities we had at time and saw we really didn’t measure up to other clubs,” said Cutter, referring to two aquatic centers built in the West Des Moines area before Des Moines Golf and Country Club’s renovation. Now they can’t keep swimmers away, setting a record attendance of 1,300 people in one day this year.

Club improvements have been on a smaller scale since the major improvements a year ago. The club has added new shade areas and continued to offer more social events, which has attracted greater numbers as well. “There’s just a great level of excitement around here,” Cutter said.

Runners-up: Des Moines Embassy Club; Glen Oaks Country Club

BEST CLOTHIER FOR MEN’S FASHIONS

Mr. B

The staff at Mr. B tries to hook its customers early with personalized service that leaves a lasting impression, according to Tim Sitzmann, who manages the store and co-owns it through Midwest Clothiers, a group of high-end clothing stores in Greater Des Moines.

“We start off with young college graduates looking for that first nice suit, and we hope we can keep them all the way through as they become successful executives,” Sitzmann said. “We like to sell everyone, but what we really want to do is develop a relationship with our customers so we can continue to sell to them over the years.”

Mr. B’s salespeople offer several special services for their regular customers, Sitzmann said, such as calling them when a particular item arrives that they might be interested in, or offering private trunk shows so they can preview a designer’s collection.

Mr. B offers free alterations on any items it sells. The store also carries a large variety of extended sizes.

Runners-up: Reichardt’s Clothing; Sarto

BEST PLACE TO BUY WINE

The Wine Experience

Buying wine at The Wine Experience is often more than an in-and-out visit. Classes, dinners, wine tastings and even a four-day trip to California may be just some of the reasons Business Record readers voted it the best place to buy wine again this year.

With a chef on staff, The Wine Experience hosts dinners, which included two this summer that taught patrons how to match red wines with different grilled meats. Occasional wine-tasting events also teach customers about a different winery each time; the event on Aug. 23 will feature Torres wines from Barcelona, Spain. Several classes go on throughout the year as well, including a cheese and wine course taught by a cheese expert on staff.

Since Kyl Cabbage founded the business more than 10 years ago, the Certified Wine Specialist has focused on educating customers that wine is something that can be enjoyed by everyone every day, not just the elite. Cabbage’s wine suggestions for this season include Penfold’s Thomas Hyland Cabernet, Sauvignon Republic “Russian River,” Villa Mt. Eden “Fox” Zinfandel, Zardetto “Zeta Prosecco” and Sebastiani “Russian River” Pinot Noir.

Runners-up: JT’s Wine & Spirits; Ingersoll Wine & Spirits

BEST DRY CLEANER

French Way Cleaners

French Way Cleaners has been a Des Moines tradition since 1909. Mike McBroom, who has owned the business for the past 30 years, attributes a lot of his success with French Way to his “quality, conscientious staff.”

French Way operates more than 20 shops in Greater Des Moines, about half of which are inside Hy-Vee supermarkets. In the past nine months, it has added two new stores in West Des Moines: one inside the new Hy-Vee store on Mills Civic Parkway and one at West Glen.

“We’re always looking for new locations to make it as convenient as possible for our customers to get to us,” McBroom said.

Another way French Way tries to be convenient for its customers is by offering three home pickup and delivery routes that cover Greater Des Moines.

French Way’s headquarters are in Highland Park in a building that also serves as the company’s main cleaning location. About a year and a half ago, McBroom installed new dry cleaning machines to make sure his equipment is in top condition for his customers.

Runners-up: Victoria Cleaners; Hillyer Cleaners

BEST PRIVATE GOLF COURSE

Des Moines Golf and Country Club

It’s not just the well-conditioned and challenging holes that make Des Moines Golf and Country Club’s two golf courses the best private courses in Greater Des Moines, but also the overall experience, said Jim Cutter, general manager and chief operating officer.

“I think [members and guests] are always pleased with the service they receive from the time they drop their clubs off to the time they put then in the car,” he said. “They like the layout of the golf course, but the staff also treats them very well.”

The club’s golf membership rolls have been full with a wait list for years, but Cutter said the 750 members have no problems getting tee times.

Although there won’t be major changes to the courses this year beyond regular improvements, Rick Tegtmeier will replace Bill Byers as director of grounds in January. Byers will retire after 46 years with the club. Tegtmeier was chosen from 175 applicants because of his management skills, agronomy skills and personality, Cutter said.

Runners-up: Wakonda Club; Glen Oaks Country Club

BEST FLORIST

Boesen the Florist

Boesen the Florist uses a combination of the latest technology and customer service principles that date back several generations to increase its business in Greater Des Moines.

“We try to offer the best and freshest products made with the most tasteful design with the best service and prices we can possibly do,” said Ed Boesen, who runs the business with two of his brothers, Tom and Frank. “Those foundations date back to my grandfather’s day.”

Boesen said his company is always looking for new technology to get flowers to customers as quickly as possible after harvest. About a year ago, Boesen’s launched a system that provides an e-mail confirmation to customers as soon as their order is delivered, which has been a popular service.

Boesen’s operates seven full-service floral kiosks at area Dahl’s Food Marts, and the company will open a store at West Glen next month, its seventh free-standing location. Construction is also under way on a production facility in Urbandale, an investment the company is making to better serve its customers in the western suburbs.

Runners-up: Hy-Vee Floral Shop; Flowers by Anthony Inc.

BEST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE

The Legacy Golf Club

For the second consecutive year, the Legacy Golf Club in Norwalk has for a second year been chosen as the best public golf course by Business Record readers, out of a field of more than 20 public links in Greater Des Moines.

“I think not only do we have a great golf course, but the customer service that we try to provide is what hopefully sets us apart from everyone else,” said Travis Manning, general manager.

The 18-hole, par-72 course, built four years ago by former Beaver Run Golf Course owners Matt and Sharon Manning and their children, is designed to appeal to players of all abilities. It was ranked by Golf Digest magazine in 2003 as one of the 10 best new affordable public golf courses in America, and also received an honorable mention among new courses by Golf magazine.

The course was the first in Greater Des Moines to offer global positioning system equipment on its carts, which allows players to determine the exact distance to the hole for each shot.

Monday through Thursday, an 18-hole round costs $30 without a cart or $45 with a cart. Friday through Sunday, the prices rise to $34.50 and $49.50.

Runners-up: Waveland Golf Course; Briarwood Golf Course

BEST EXERCISE FACILITY

Aspen Athletic Clubs

Between Aspen Athletic Clubs’ three fitness centers in Greater Des Moines, the company has the equipment and services to help its members achieve nearly any fitness goal, according to Rod Sears, Aspen’s CEO.

Aspen’s 95,000-square-foot fitness center on Hickman Road in Urbandale includes nine indoor and three outdoor tennis courts and the 40,000-square-foot center on Southeast 14th Street has a large swimming pool. The 8,000-square-foot Aspen Active club at West Glen in West Des Moines has all-new cardiovascular equipment with personal flat-screen TVs.

Aspen Active, which opened this past winter, has been a popular among young professionals and empty-nesters who do strength and cardiovascular workouts. Aspen hopes to build off the success of this smaller neighborhood fitness center as it develops plans to open new locations in Greater Des Moines. Any new health clubs in the area will probably be between 10,000 and 20,000 square feet, Sears said.

“Des Moines has been a good market for us, and that’s one of the reasons we want to continue to expand in the metro area,” Sears said.

Runners-up: 7 Flags Fitness & Racquet Club; Prairie Life Fitness Center

BEST CLOTHIER FOR WOMEN’S FASHIONS

Sahar’s Continental Shops

If Sahar Al-Shash discovers that another store carries the same line as her boutique, she replaces the line with something new, in addition to bringing the latest styles she finds during her frequent trips to New York and Los Angeles. Currently she is expanding into business fashion with a new line called Zelda, which Al-Shash says appeals to women ages 25 to 55 with fun and fashionable skirts, pants and suits.

“I always try to bring things that are unique and different,” she said. “There are a lot of trendy women here in town. I see it more and more.”

Al-Shash also continues to increase Sahar’s spa services, including medical procedures such as Botox injections, fillers and hair removal. She recently added more space to that section of her Westown Parkway store.

“People like [the medical spa] because they don’t have to walk into a doctor’s office,” she said. “It feels more like home than office style. It offers more privacy for them.”

In September, she will open a second spa in the Hilton Garden Inn across from Jordan Creek Mall, which will be connected to medical offices, a gym and nutritional center.

Runners-up: White House/Black Market; Chico’s

BEST JEWELRY STORE

Josephs Jewelers

The success of Josephs Jewelers’ West Glen store caused at least one reaction from customers that the owners hadn’t expected: People started suggesting that the owners use some of those same aesthetics at the other two stores.

A few weeks ago, Josephs completed a remodeling of its Valley West Mall store, incorporating lighting, display cases and interior décor similar to those at the 14-month-old West Glen store. A remodeling project at the downtown store in the Equitable Building recently started as well. Customers aren’t the only people who have responded well to Josephs’ newest store. Recently, InStore magazine rated the store No. 2 on its list of the Top 10 Coolest Jewelry Stores in America.

But the success of Josephs runs deeper than what meets the eye when you walk into one of its stores, according to Toby Joseph, president of the 135-year-old family-owned business.

“Integrity is very important,” Joseph said. “As we receive this wonderful accolade from (Business Record) readers, we are not sitting on our laurels. We are always looking to improve and make everything as right as it can be for the customers.”

Runners-up: Jared the Galleria of Jewelry; M.C. Ginsberg

BEST PLACE TO BUY BUSINESS BOOKS

Barnes & Noble Booksellers

Nationwide, Barnes & Noble Booksellers’ innovations have established it as the No. 1 retail brand for quality, according to a 2003 Harris Interactive study. A membership program invites customer loyalty with a 10 percent discount off virtually every product in the store, plus a 5 percent savings on already reduced online merchandise.

In addition to those discounts, Barnes & Noble offers a 15 percent corporate discounts for bulk orders.

The book behemoth has two locations in West Des Moines, one at Jordan Creek Town Center and the other at 4450 University Ave. Each store stocks close to 200,000 books, music, DVD and magazine titles. A café featuring Starbucks coffee invites customers to stay awhile and peruse all the bookstore has to offer.

Runners-up: Borders Book Store