On November 16, the Neighborhood Business Alliance (NBA) honored 11 neighborhood businesses for excellence in areas ranging from Best Window Display to the coveted Gerald R. Helmholdt Grand Award. The awards ceremony drew nearly 300 local business owners and their families, city officials, and neighborhood residents to Grand Valley State University’s Loosemore Auditorium.
“[The honorees] are nominated by people in their business district,” said Philip Chaffee, NBA Board President. “There were 100 businesses considered for the award. A selection committee toured all the nominees, and then spent a day deliberating. Every nominee got a certificate of excellence, and the first place winners got a trophy.”
First Place winners are:
- Best Exterior Renovation: Café Aromas
- Best Interior Renovation: (Tie) Kitchen Design Studio, Inc., and Grand Woods Lounge
- Best Window Display: Imagination Creations
- Best New Construction: David D. Hunting YMCA
- Best Exterior Maintenance: Belden Brick
- Best Sign/Awning: Blue Door Antiques
- Best Reuse of a Building: DeVries Properties for Clearwater Place
- Best Promotional Event: Poetry Night at the Urban Beanery
- Best New Business: City Knitting
- Best Longstanding Business: DeVries Jewelers
- Gerald R. Helmholdt Grand Award: Dwelling Place for Martineau Apartments
- John H. Logie Neighborhood Business Champion Award: Bob Israels
The Neighborhood Business Alliance is a volunteer organization started by former Mayor Gerald Helmholdt to advocate on issues that affect neighborhood business and to promote the economic vitality of the city.
Over the past 20 years, the alliance has grown to 600-plus member businesses from each of the city’s 20 local business associations. One of the its more recognized marketing campaigns is Shop Outside the Box.
“We basically act as a voice for the neighborhoods,” Chaffee said. “We have committees that are looking at ways to promote the message about local business, the diversity they offer and that they’re unique businesses.”
Source: Philip Chaffee, Neighborhood Business Alliance
www.shopgr.org
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.