By Shawn Crooks
Signal Staff Writer
For nearly two decades, Santa Clarita Valley residents have been asked to name their “Best Of,” when it comes to a variety of topics, from auto repair to window cleaning.
As the SCV’s oldest and most trusted news source, The Signal compiles these answers and prints its annual Best Of publication each year, to share with the community who’s the highest-rated home care service if you’d like give mom and dad a little help, or if you want to know who your neighbors consider to be the most trusted services to invite into your home for an installation.
As Santa Clarita has grown, so have the options, as well as the balloting, from a small group to more than several dozen categories — but the best part for residents is that every location listed is right here in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The Signal announced this year’s winners in our annual Best Of guide that printed in this weekend’s edition, and in recognition of several of our perennial winners, we asked them a few questions about their thoughts as to why they’re able to connect so well with our community year after year with such success, through rain, shine or even a world-changing pandemic.
Best Carpet/Flooring Store
Brent’s Carpet One might have a presence around the world, but local proprietors Brent and Ben Griffiths take tremendous pride in ownership of the Santa Clarita location. The rest of the community regularly shows an appreciation for that, evidenced in the regularity that the home flooring shop appears on the Best Of list.
The father-and-son team understands the importance of connecting with their local community, said Ben Griffiths, who runs the location with his dad.
“(The recognition) is confirmation that our values matter to our customers,” Ben said. “First and foremost, it’s integrity. We’re not trying to ‘make a score’ when a customer walks in the door. Our job is to educate them so they can make the right decision.”
The team at Brent’s Carpet One backs up this talk with the company’s service guarantee for installation, which is why they offer a lifetime warranty on installation, he added.
“It’s the small-town feel from the people here,” Griffiths said, when asked what he really enjoys about the area. “They’re raising their kids, they have families, they’re reaching people to make connections and it’s just good to be a part of this community.”
Brent’s Carpet One is located at 24220 Lyons Ave. The phone number is (661) 388-0687.
Best Cosmetic Surgery
A board-certified plastic surgeon who studied at Yale but whose practice is based in Valencia, Heller also mentioned that he enjoys working in such a friendly community, which was a recurring theme from our Best Of winners.
“I love the feeling of Santa Clarita as a whole,” Dr. Heller said. “It’s a very family-friendly environment, very business-friendly environment. I love the people of Santa Clarita, the attitudes, just the overall feeling you get when you live in Santa Clarita. I’m a local — so for me, it’s home.”
The man who tries to help SCV residents feel better about self-image through surgery said he was flattered by the praise of winning Best Of yet again in his hometown.
“It’s tremendously flattering, and it means a lot simply because I continuously work to always make sure that we’re doing better, and bringing the best kind of results to everyone that we can,” Heller said. “I go and do house calls on patients, I make sure to see everybody, and that stems from a desire to make sure the patients are comfortable and know that I’m always there for them. To get recognized for all the efforts I do throughout the year is flattering and really nice.”
Heller’s practice is located at 23838 Valencia Blvd., No. 260. The phone number is (661) 233-4949.
Best Senior Care
While the “sandwich generation” — parents with children in schools or living at home, who are also taking care of parents — is faced with unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19 and quarantine restrictions, time and again, the SCV has counted Comfort Keepers as the company they turn to in finding familial help.
“First and foremost is customer service,” said Comfort Keepers owner Myles McNamara, reiterating another common theme among the perennial winners. Part of the service McNamara provides is helping his customers understand when and how his services might be appropriate, which is why he offers free consultation, he said.
McNamara ideally likes to be there for the families he helps before anyone gets hurt and can’t do without his help, which can then require costly inpatient care or an assisted living facility. Explaining to his clients that his services are also similar to a concierge, as opposed to a nurse, helps make families more comfortable with the decision to be proactive about the care, he added.
“It’s a good feeling, to know that it’s paying off,” McNamara said, regarding his efforts at community outreach, which he sees as part of his formula for being a Best Of winner 10 years in a row. “That’s trying to give the best service and be involved in the community.”
Comfort Keepers is located at 23900 Lyons Ave. The phone number is (661) 287-4200
