LONG SAULT, Ontario – The South Stormont Chamber of Commerce held their annual Mayor’s Breakfast on Friday, April 26 at the Township Hall in Long Sault.
Two awards were presented this year. The annual Business of the Year Award and the newly created New Business of the Year Award.
The former went to the Encore Shoppe while the latter was presented to Humble Beginnings Brewing Co.
Humble Beginnings have been in business for one-year and are celebrating their anniversary on Saturday, April 27 at their shop in Ingleside.
“We’re excited to have won and it is going timing because it coincides with our one-year anniversary,” said Susan Wallwork who co-owns Humble Beginnings with her husband Pierre Doucette.
Wallwork said that they have received great support from the South Stormont Chamber of Commerce in their first year and have themselves hosted Chamber Pub Nights and Social Media nights.
Terry and Brenda Tinkess are the owners of the Encore Shoppe and were delighted to be recognized by the South Stormont business community as Business of the Year.
“It’s an honour,” said Terry Tinkess. “There are a lot of experience businesses in South Stormont.”
The Encore Shoppe has been in business for four years, and went through a large expansion this past year, growing from 1,200 sq. ft. to 3,000 sq. ft.
Terry Tinkess himself has also become a certified photographer, which he says there are only 2,500 of in the world.
South Stormont Mayor Bryan McGillis also gave a brief update on economic development in the Township.
He pointed to South Stormont’s involvement in the Upper Canada Region map and the soon to be published Upper Canada Region magazine as new ways that the Township is working to attract consumers to the area.
McGillis also said that in the coming year, South Stormont will be undertaking a business retention study to identify any red flags that might hurt economic growth.
