The only thing that sucks about Aaron Burkett is that you might have to get in line to have him work on your busted-up shit. The Tampa-based handyman has left a lot of shimmering home improvement projects in his wake, which means everybody wants Burkett and his posse of reliable fixers and builders to come to their house for a project. Burkett and crew work fast and clean, and play some good music while they do it. 813-732-1085. —Ray Roa
Previous Winners
Goods & Services: Tampa Bay businesses that did it right.
Tampa Bay businesses that did it right.
RUNNERS-UP: AER Apartments, Post SoHo Square Apartments
Wood wizard Jon Stine is known for crafting beautiful longboards, beer taps and very-high-end custom furniture, but countertops — who knew? When my boyfriend and I went searching for wood countertops that didn’t look like 1985-married ScanDesign, we ran into Stine working in the back room of Anderson Lumber and learned, shockingly, that we could afford him. He added artistic touches — tying together the tones of wood between the high-top and the work surface, carving out space for a mermaid compass rose, and using his power tools to add creative weathering to the cypress — all without calling attention to itself as “art.” Facebook: Stine Custom Woodworks, LLC. —Cathy Salustri
RUNNERS-UP: Autoworks of Tampa, Big John’s Brake & Alignment Service
RUNNERS-UP: Grow Financial Federal Credit Union, Suncoast Federal Credit Union
