Now Magazine Launches 25th Annual Readers’ Choice Edition

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Magazine highlights top businesses and people in Toronto, announcing winners of the 2020 awards

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 19, 2020 / Media Central Corporation Inc. (CSE:FLYY)(FSE:3AT) ("MediaCentral" or the "Company") today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, NOW Magazine ("NOW"), has published its annual edition of the annual Readers' Choice Awards, marking 25 consecutive years of the awards.

Media Central Corporation Inc., Thursday, November 19, 2020, Press release picture

NOW's annual Readers' Choice is a chance for readers to share what they love about Toronto - from restaurants and retail stores to drag performers, parks and politicians. With the negative impact of COVID-19 on small and local businesses, this issue is more important than ever, as it draws attention to the city's best loved businesses and people. The voting process is not only great exposure for the winners and runner-ups, but the nomination and polling periods give all local people, places and businesses increased visibility across the millions of readers who rely on NOW in print and online.

A Canadian Federation of Independent Business survey found that one in seven Canadian businesses may not survive the COVID-19 pandemic. NOW recognizes the impact of the pandemic on its city's local businesses, big and small, and knows that this year's awards bring much needed attention to ones that are excelling in their speciality. Acknowledging the nuances of 2020, NOW added new categories to reflect the ways life has changed during COVID-19, including Best Drive-In Venue, Best Virtual Fitness Instructor, Best Online Party Series and Best Face Mask Designer.

"This year, the pandemic forced us to push the Readers' Choice issue back a bit later than we normally run it, but we felt it was more important than ever to highlight businesses and cultural organizations struggling during the financial crisis," said Kevin Ritchie, Editor, NOW Magazine. "We've added new categories to ensure each poll reflects the changing ways people interact with local culture and business. In the spirit of the poll, we definitely welcome reader suggestions for new categories to add in next year. NOW Magazine has always been the voice of the city and this issue is a way of celebrating our readers' and their favourite places, people and things across Toronto."

Winners are typically a mix of independent and mainstream businesses and people. Although NOW has added new categories over the past 25 years, its readers' tastes can be consistent. For example, Ikea was voted Best Furniture Store in 1995 and again in 2020. Voters are also always on the cusp of trends. In 2019, NOW readers picked Priyanka as Toronto's best drag performer and she was featured on the cover. This year she won the reality competition TV series Canada's Drag Race.

The 25^th edition of NOW Readers' Choice awards will be on stands from November 19 to November 25, 2020.

The 2020 NOW Readers' Choice winners and runners up are:

ART & BOOK

Best Artist Instagram
1. @Yovska
2. @ethanhanzelart
Best Book Store
1. Glad Day Bookshop
2. Book City
Best Independent Gallery
1. Black Artists' Network in Dialogue (BAND)
2. Blue Crow Gallery
Best Museum
1. AGO
2. ROM
Best Virtual Event
1. Queen West Art Crawl Virtual Online Festival 2020
2. The Cloth That Changed The World: India's Painted And Printed Cottons (ROM)

FILM & TV & STAGE

Best Canadian Web Series
1. Queens
2. The Ninth
Best Comedy Club
1. Comedy Bar
2. The Second City
Best Drive-In Venue
1. Ontario Place Drive-In
2. 5 Drive-In
Best Independent Film Venue
1. Revue Cinema
2. Fox Theatre
Best Local Drag Performer
1. Halal Bae
2. Ivory Towers
Best Site-Specific Theatre Company
1. Shakespeare In High Park (Canadian Stage)
2. Outside the March
Best Theatre Company
1. Buddies in Bad Times
2. Soulpepper Theatre Company
Best Small/Indie Film Festival
1. imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
2. Regent Park Film Festival
Best Streaming Service
1. Netflix
2. CBC Gem
Best Virtual Cinema Platform
1. Hot Docs at Home
2. Bell TIFF Digital Cinema
best virtual film festival
1. Hot Docs
2. TIFF

MUSIC

Best Label
1. Dine Alone Canada
2. Universal Music Canada
Best LGBT Bar
1. Glad Day Bookshop
2. Crews & Tangos
Best Live Music Venue -
1. Danforth Music Hall
2. The Horseshoe
Best Local Online Concert
1. Great Canadian Dueling Pianos
2. Donavon's Anti-Social Gathering
Best Music Streaming Service
1. Bandcamp
2. Spotify
Best Online Party Series
1. Club Quarantine
2. Lavender
Best Radio Station
1. CBC 99.1
2. Indie88
Best Record Store
1. Sonic Boom
2. Rotate This

CITYSCAPE

Best Activist
1. Paul Taylor - FoodShare
2. Desmond Cole
Best Activist Campaign
1. Black Lives Matter
2. Not Another Black Life
Best Activist Group
1. Black Lives Matter -Toronto
2. Parkdale Organize
Best Beach
1. Hanlan's Point Beach
2. Woodbine Beach
Best Campground
1. Killarney Provincial Park
2. Bruce Peninsula
Best City Councillor
1. Kristyn Wong-Tam
2. Gord Perks
Best College
1. George Brown College
2. Humber College
Best Continuing Education School
1. The Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University
2. George Brown College School of Continuing Education
Best Enviro Group
1. Climate Justice Toronto
2. Toronto Environmental Alliance
Best Library
1. Toronto Reference Library
2. Bloor Gladstone
Best Local Podcast
1. Do You Queer What I Queer?
2. JazzCast
Best MP
1. Nathaniel Erskine-Smith
2. Arif Virani
Best MPP
1. Bhutila Karpoche
2. Jill Andrew
Best Neighbourhood
1. Parkdale
2. Roncesvalles
Best Park
1. High Park
2. Christie Pits
Best Pool
1. Sunnyside
2. Christie Pits
Best Radio Personality
1. Matt Galloway- CBC
2. Heather Bambrick - JAZZ.FM
Best Skating Rink
1. Nathan Phillips Square
2. Greenwood
Best University
1. University of Toronto
2. Ryerson University
Best Youth Organization
1. LGBT Youth Line
2. Fridays for Future

SHOPPING & SERVICES

Best Accountant
1. Artbooks
2. D. Jae Gold
Best Animal Hospital
1. Bloorcourt Veterinary Clinic
2. Roncy Village Veterinary Clinic
Best Art Supply Store
1. Above Ground Art Supplies
2. Curry's
Best Bank or Credit Union
1. TD
2. Tangerine
Best Barber Shop/Men's Salon
1. Hagen Hair & Barber
2. Glassbox
Best Bicycle Store
1. Sweet Pete's Bike Shop
2. Batemans Bicycle Company
Best Car Service
1. Master Mechanic High Park
2. Sunny's Auto Clinic
Best Cell Phone Provider/Data Plan
1. Freedom Mobile
2. Telus
Best Cleaning Service
1. Spotless in the 6ix
2. The Clean Clique
Best Consignment Clothing and Accessory Store
1. Courage My Love
2. Common Sort
Best Contractor
1. Nailed It! Toronto
2. Those Repair Guys
Best Courier Service
1. Canada Post
2. Send-it Courier
Best Developer
1. The Daniels Corp.
2. Streetcar Developments
Best Dentist
1. Dr. Judy Sturm & Associates
2. St. Clair Dental Associates
Best Design Firm
1. ERA Architects Inc.
2. AJ's Antique Revival
Best Dispensary
1. CAFE
2. Tokyo Smoke
Best Flea/Local Market
1. Leslieville Flea
2. Arts market
Best Florist
1. Wild North Flowers
2. Sweetpea
Best Furniture Store
1. IKEA
2. Structube
Best Grocery Store
1. Fiesta farms
2. No Frills
Best Hair Salon
1. Grateful Head
2. Civello
Best Independent Jewellery Store
1. Made You Look
2. Edwards and Davies Jewellers
Best Indie Men's Clothing Store
1. GotStyle
2. Uncle Otis
Best Indie Women's Clothing Store
1. Coal Miners Daughter
2. Poa Studio
Best Internet Provider
1. Teksavvy
2. Beanfield
Best Jeans Store
1. Over the Rainbow
2. Body Blue
Best Language School/Classes
1. George Brown College School of Continuing Education
2. Goethe-Institut Toronto
Best Local Etsy Crafter
1. Sudsatorium
2. Ave Mariabell Designs
Best Local Face Mask Designer
1. Peach Berserk
2. Peace Collective
Best Local Jewellery Designer
1. Jenny Bird
2. Michelle Ross
Best Manicure & Pedicure
1. The Ten Spot
2. Poa Studio
Best Cannabis Strain
1. Girl Scout Cookies
2. Northern Lights
Best meal kit service
1. Good Food
2. Hello Fresh
Best Men's Shoe Store
1. Getoutside
2. The Australian Boot Company
Best Nutritionist
1. Julie Daniluk
2. Joy McCarthy
Best Online Only Local Retailer
1. Well.ca
2. Flamingo Market
Best Optical Store
1. Eye Candy Opticians
2. Dresden Vision
Best Organic Food Store
1. The Big Carrot Community Market
2. The Sweet Potato
Best Pet Store
1. Pet value
2. The Dog Market
Best Photography Store
1. Henry's
2. Downtown camera
Best Piercing/Tattoo Store
1. Black Widow Tattoo
2. Bellwoods Tattoo
Best Real Estate Agent
1. Alexandra Cote
2. Mia MacDonald
Best Sex Supplies Store
1. Good For Her
2. Come As You Are Co-operative
Best Spa
1. Body Blitz Spa
2. Poa Studio
Best Sporting Goods Store
1. MEC
2. Sporting Life
Best Tattoo Artist
1. Alanna Mule - Bellwoods Tattoo
2. Psych Young - PunkAssPiercing
Best Therapist
1. Justin La Rose
2. Bronwyn Singleton
Best Unique Gift Store
1. Outer Layer
2. Arts Market
Best Vintage Clothing Store
1. Black Market
2. Public Butter
Best Virtual Fitness Teacher
1. Jennifer Hicks- Nia Dance
2. Julie Sawchuck - bomb fitness
Best Virtual Workout Studio
1. Bomb Fitness
2. The Pink Studio
Best Women's Shoe Store
1. gravitypope
2. Getoutside

FOOD & DRINK

Best African Restaurant
1. Lalibela
2. Ethiopian House
Best Bakery/Bread
1. Blackbird
2. Mabel's Bakery
Best Bar
1. Bar Raval
2. Shameful Tiki Room
Best Barbecue
1. Beach Hill Smokehouse
2. Barque
Best Barista
1. Maurice Hriech - Pilot Coffee
2. Camille Blott Pamarosa
Best Bartender
1. Greg Howard - beerbistro
2. Sam Dobie - Round the Horn
Best Beer Bar
1. The Only
2. Bar Volo
Best Breakfast/Brunch
1. Maha's
2. Lady Marmalade
Best Burger
1. The Burger's Priest
2. Rudy
Best Burrito
1. Burrito Boyz
2. Fat Bastard Burrito
Best Butcher
1. Sanagan's Meat Locker
2. The Healthy Butcher
Best Caesar
1. Barque Smokehouse
2. Three Speed
Best Cafe
1. Rooster Coffee House
2. Lazy Daisy's Café
Best Caribbean Restaurant
1. The Real Jerk
2. Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen
Best Cheap Eats/Meals Under $10
1. The Momo House
2. Fearless Meat
Best Cheese
1. Cheese Boutique
2. Alex's Farms
Best Chef
1. Aki Urata - Kinton Ramen
2. Patrick Kriss - Alo Bar
Best Chicken Wings
1. Sneaky Dee's
2. Crown & Dragon
Best Chinese Restaurant
1. Buddha's Vegetarian
2. Rol San
Best Chocolate
1. Soma
2. ChocoSol Traders
Best Cocktail Bar
1. The Shameful Tiki Room
2. Civil Liberties
Best Deli
1. The Big Carrot Community Market
2. Fearless Meat
Best Delivery Service
1. Fresh City Farms
2. Uber Eats
Best Dessert
1. Heirloom Toronto
2. Nadege Patisserie
Best Dim Sum Restaurant
1. Mother's Dumplings
2. Rol San
Best Diner
1. The Lakeview
2. Skyline Restaurant

Best Donut
1. Glory Hole Doughnuts
2. Bloomer's
Best Dumplings
1. Mother's Dumplings
2. Momo Hut and Gardens

Best Falafel
1. Maha's
2. Ghazale
Best Fish
1. Hooked Inc.
2. De La Mer
Best Fish & Chips
1. Harbord Fish and Chips
2. Off The Hook
Best Food Truck
1. Heirloom Toronto
2. The Food dudes
Best French Restaurant
1. Le Select Bistro
2. Alo
Best Greek Restaurant
1. Mezes
2. Mamakas Taverna
Best Ice Cream/Gelato
1. Ed's Real Scoop
2. Bang Bang
Best Independent Brewery
1. Collective Arts
2. Left Field Brewery
Best Indian Restaurant
1. Banjara
2. Lahore Tikka House
Best Italian Restaurant
1. Terroni
2. Sugo
Best Japanese Restaurant
1. Kinton Ramen
2. Kinka Izakaya
Best Juice Bar
1. The Big Carrot Community Market
2. Village Juicery
Best Korean Restaurant
1. Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu
2. Korean Village
Best Latin Restaurant
1. Pomarosa
2. Tacos el Asador
Best Mexican Restaurant
1. Tacos El Asador
2. El Catrin
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant
1. Tabule
2. Maha's
Best Patio
1. El Catrin
2. The Three Speed
Best Pizza
1. Libretto
2. North of Brooklyn Pizzeria
Best Poutine
1. Smoke's Poutinerie
2. Rudy
Best Pub
1. House on Parliament
2. The Caledonian
Best Ramen
1. Kinton Ramen
2. Ramen Isshin
Best Restaurant
1. Lake Inez
2. Papyrus
Best Roti
1. Mother India
2. Pam's Roti Shop
Best Sandwich
1. California Sandwiches
2. Black Camel
Best Seafood Restaurant
1. Rodney's Oyster House
2. Oyster Boy
Best Server
1. Scotty Stiles - Mildred's Temple Kitchen
2. Charlie Nielsen - Mill Street Brewery
Best Splurge Restaurant
1. Bar Isabel
2. Alo
Best Sports Bar
1. The Dock Ellis
2. Real Sports
Best Steakhouse
1. Barberian's Steakhouse
2. The Keg
Best Thai Restaurant
1. Pai
2. Sukhothai
Best Tea
1. Genuine Tea
2. David's Tea
Best Tibetan
1. Momo Hut and Gardens
2. Tibet Kitchen
Best Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant
1. Fresh
2. Planta
Best Wine Bar
1. Le Select Bistro
2. Lake Inez
Best Toronto Beer
1. Left Field Brewery
2. Blood Brothers

APPS & GAMING

Best Dating app
1. Bumble
2. Hinge
Best Financial App
1. PC Financial
2. Mint

Best Instagram Account - Personality
1. @parkdalelife
2. @shedoesthecity

Best Instagram Account - Photography
1. @_qweenton
2. @wademuir

Best Instagram Account - Pet
1. @estherthewonderpig
2. Miss.picklesthepug

Best LGBTQ Dating App
1. Grindr
2. Scruff

Best Local TikTok
1. oridaganjazz
2. Snarky Marky

Best Local Twitch Streamer
1. Speakeasy Tattoo
2. Dungeon Dudes

Best Local YouTube account
1. The Edgy Veg
2. Matty Matheson

Best Organization App
1. Asana
2. Workday

Best Recipe App
1. All Recipes
2. Forks Over Knives

Best Self-Help App
1. Calm
2. Better Help

Best Video Game
1. Animal Crossing
2. The Sims 4

Best Virtual Learning App
1. Duolingo
2. Google Classroom

About Media Central Corporation Inc.

Media Central Corporation Inc. (CSE: FLYY, FSE: 3AT) is an alternative media company situated to acquire and develop high-quality publishing assets starting with the recent acquisition of Vancouver Free Press Corp., the purchase of NOW Communications Inc. and the launch of digital cannabis platform CannCentral.com. MediaCentral is consolidating and digitally monetizing the over 100 million coveted and premium consumers of the approximately 100 alternative urban publications across North America, creating the most powerful audience of influencers.
www.mediacentralcorp.com
Instagram: @mediacentralcorp
Twitter: @mediacentralc
Facebook: Media Central Corp.

About NOW Central Communications Inc.

NOW Central owns and operates NOW Magazine and nowtoronto.com. Since 1981 NOW has been Toronto's news and entertainment voice, published in print every Thursday, and daily at nowtoronto.com. Reaching over 25 million annual readers, NOW has been a leading publication, defining and pioneering the independent and alternative voice for more than 38 years. NOW Central Communications Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Central Corporation Inc. (CSE: FLYY, FSE: 3AT).

www.nowtoronto.com
Instagram: @nowtoronto
Twitter: @nowtoronto
Facebook: facebook.com/nowmagazine

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

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Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive and should carefully review the various risks and uncertainties identified in the Company's filings on SEDAR. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.

The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.