Small Businesses of Year to be Named Tonight

In what's become one of the most-anticipated events of the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, 15 small business owners from Brandon, Valrico, Tampa, Seffner, Riverview, Ruskin and Lithia will gather Thursday, Oct. 18 to see which of them will be named this year's Small Business of the Year.

The Small Business of the Year Awards Gala will be held at the Sheraton Tampa East Hotel, 10221 Princess Palm Ave., Tampa, starting with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. followed by the dinner at 7 p.m.

The Small Business of the Year Awards recognizes and honors small businesses that have demonstrated leadership, positive growth and development, creativity and integrity in operating a business, as well as a commitment to community service.

Individual reservations for the gala are $35.

This year’s finalists for businesses with one to five employees are:

Ivey Carpet & Flooring, 333 N. Falkenburg Rd., Tampa

The Mary and Martha House/Second Hand Rose Boutique, 100 E. Shell Point Rd., Ruskin

Moon Law Group, 705 N. Parsons Ave., Brandon

Finalists for businesses with six to 15 employees are:

ACE Heating & Cooling,of Brandon

Bivins & Hemenway, P.A., 1060 Bloomingdale Ave., Valrico

Cox Electric, 11611 E. Old Hillsborough Ave., Seffner

Finalists for businesses with at least 16 employees are:

The Original Beef O’ Brady’s, 210 S. Kings Ave., Brandon

Ed Morse Cadillac of Brandon, 11020 Causeway Blvd., Brandon

The Rack Sushi Bar and Billiards Lounge, 1025 W. Brandon Blvd., Brandon

Finalists for home-based businesses include:

Ion Apparel & Advertising Specialties of Brandon

Morningstar Electric of Brandon

Yard Guards on Doody of Riverview

And finalists for minority or women-owned businesses are:

A Touch of Wellness, 915 Oakfield Dr., Brandon

The Waiting Game Publication, of Lithia

Tutoring Club, 4385 Lynx Paw Trail, Valrico

For information, contact Laura Simpson at 813-689-1221, ext. 8821, or email lsimpson@brandonchamber.com.