In early March, a fire in a business next door caused the newly-opened Ladybird Diner, 721 Massachusetts St., to close its doors to repair smoke damage and replace interior furnishings.

Staff of the Lawrence Humane Society cheer when they are announced as the winner of the best local non-profit at the Best of Lawrence awards Thursday night. The annual BOL awards were handed out to community, health and fitness, shopping, services and food and dining businesses winners.

The diner’s owner, Meg Heriford, said the untimely closure made her nervous. But Heriford’s worst fears were washed away Thursday night at the annual Best of Lawrence awards ceremony at Abe & Jake’s Landing in downtown Lawrence.

Taking five categories, Ladybird Diner was named Lawrence’s best new restaurant, best diner, best place to get a pie, best restaurant for kids and best new business.

“It feels a little bittersweet because I don’t get to get up and go to work tomorrow,” Heriford said. “But it’s also really encouraging. I was worried people weren’t going to come back, but now I’m really not worried anymore.”

Thursday night’s event was the celebration of the annual Best of Lawrence contest, created and hosted by Lawrence.com, Lawrence Magazine, Sunflower Publishing and The World Company. More than 400 unique businesses and organizations were honored in 165 different categories in 2015. Winners were selected from more than 257,000 votes. All three were record numbers for the contest.

From hamburgers (The Burger Stand) to hotels (The Eldridge), hardware stores (Westlake Ace Hardware) to hairstylists (Brad Hestand, Bzar Salon), voters were put to work in selecting the finest the city has to offer.

After Nick Lerner, of McGrew Real Estate, 1501 Kasold Drive, was named Lawrence’s best realtor, things became a little emotional, he said.

“I’m so proud. I’m in shock,” Lerner said. “Ya know, this really is the best of Lawrence. These are the coolest people in Lawrence, here, right now.”

Trina Baker, bar manager at the Red Lyon Tavern, said the event is always a great indicator of what Lawrence has to offer.

Red Lyon, 944 Massachusetts St., was voted Lawrence’s third best bar, after Free State Brewing Company and the Sandbar, which won first and second place, respectively.

“We’ve always been in the running and we love Free State and Sandbar so we’re not mad at all,” Baker said. “It means we’re doing something right, and it’s exciting to get that recognition from the community.”

Community recognition is also encouraging, added Heriford. Although there is no set date for Ladybird Diner to reopen its doors, she said, she hopes to return to business before the end of summer.

“We’re coming back strong and with a much-improved menu,” she said. “We’re going to be better, faster and stronger. It’s going to be Ladybird to the Nth degree.”

See all the winners at Lawrence.com/bestoflawrence.

— Pick up Sunday’s Journal-World for the 112-page Best of Lawrence magazine.