2024 The Times Best of the Region
Welcome to The Times Media Company’s Best of the Region for 2024.
Thanks to the entrepreneurs who have been in operation for years and those just getting started, we are pleased to again present our annual look at the best businesses, restaurants, services, places to live and more in the Region.
This contest is the culmination of another year of engaging our readers, telling stories about people and places that make a difference in our communities and championing the local businesses that form the backbone of the Region.
This is a process our readers take seriously. More than 28,000 voters cast 651,588 votes in more than 200 categories. Nearly 60% of the votes were cast by text, another indication of the relevance of Best of the Region.
What accounts for this staying power?
Perhaps it's how we recognize the value of hard work and the chance to applaud individuals and businesses that consistently exceed our expectations. A Best of the Region nod is not only a well-deserved “thank you” to those who truly care for their customers, but it also reinforces those efforts.
These pages contain a number of first-time winners, including Morkes Chocolates of Cedar Lake, Lake Dale Ale, Viva Chiropractic & Wellness, Ruff N Tuff Country Store and Cut Up & Dye Hair Studio. They join perennial favorites such as Albert's Diamond Jewelers, Centier Bank, Schillings and Strack & Van Til. But whether the business is big or small, time-honored or new, all have excellence in common.
So on behalf of The Times, I’d like to thank the readers who took the time to thoughtfully complete the ballot and offer our congratulations to the winners. Here’s to another year of “the best” of the Region!
Thomas Schager
The Times Media Company president
No busloads of migrants have arrived in Cedar Lake, and it's not certain that any will. Town Council President Nick Recupito defended the ordinance, however, as a precautionary step.
The Hard Rock Cafe at Northern Indiana's casino will be getting a major menu update later this month, complete with new regional items like the "Hoosier" pork sandwich.
Wwinners from The Times Media Company’s Best of the Region project, published May 19, gathered at County Line Orchard in Hobart to recognize their accomplishments in 31-year-old contest.
Hard Rock recently was voted "Best Casino," "Best Casino Dining" and "Best Place for Lunch," among other accolades, in The Times Best of the Region awards.
Hard Rock tallied $36.7 million in win last month — a 7.2% increase compared to its June 2023 win of $34.3 million, according to the Indiana Gaming Commission.