The Greater East Dallas Chamber presented its annual Business of the Year Awards on August 20 at the Lakewood Country Club. Congressman Jeb Hensarling was in attendance and presented the Hensarling Award given to the top business of individual of the year.
The Hensarling Award for Business of the Year went to Times Ten Cellars, a unique combination of a winery, tasting room, lounge and event space. Times Ten sets the bar very high for excellence, profitability, high integrity, outstanding customer service and community partnerships. From the time they opened their doors they started to put down roots in East Dallas. Times Ten was a founding member and hosted many of the Live Local East Dallas events, they are active in the Lakewood Neighborhood Association, Lakewood Business Association and generously donate their amazing wines and space to numerous local charitable organizations.
There was a tie with two exceptional recipients for the Chairman’s Award. The first Chairman’s Award went to John Cobb of Minuteman Press-East Dallas. John Cobb always steps forward and takes on every challenge given him. He always says, “If you think this is the best thing for the chamber then I will do it.” He has provided the Chamber with outstanding printing services, at or often below his cost. As Treasurer of the organization, he and his wife have spent hundreds of hours working on the chamber’s financial statements. He is an all-around good guy who continues to tirelessly promote the chamber and the community.
The second recipient of the Chairman’s Award was Jesse Simmons of Jesse’s AC & Appliance Service, a family run business in East Dallas for more than 25 years. Jesse is described as one of the most community-minded business owners in East Dallas. He never turns down a request for help. In fact He often steps in and volunteers to take on a task without being asked. He is consistently, and has for many years been a loyal, trustworthy and reliable advocate for all things East Dallas. The greatest achievement for any business owner is to earn the trust of satisfied customers who in turn refer business to others.
The winner of Entrepreneur of the Year was The Lot, with John McBride accepting the award. John McBride and the neighborhood entrepreneurs helped clean up the Garland/East Grand/Gaston Triangle and brought The Lot to our community. The Lot is a restaurant/playground/beer garden and is a catalyst for the revitalization of this part of East Dallas. The Lot is all about taking risk & finding ways to succeed. From the location to the menu adjustments to the use of space (eating area, play area, adult area). All of the entrepreneurs involved give back tremendously in money and time to our neighborhood. Building a successful new business that is unique to the market is a risk. John is great about taking that risk in stride, listening to his customers, and using trial and error to create the perfect neighborhood spot to eat, drink and socialize.
A new award was presented this year: the Live Local Award. It too had exceptional candidates and it was a tie. The first recipient was given to White Rock Lake Weekly. The White Rock Lake Weekly is a neighborhood newspaper that is professionally written and presented, and is a strong voice for the community that it serves. It not only delivers human interest stories that the larger city paper does not cover, it builds pride in the neighborhood among the citizens in the area. It advocates growth and strength for East Dallas, and encourages action to improve any area that is in need of change. The White Rock Lake Weekly is in the business of spreading the word about all that is east Dallas. Newspapers serve a unique function in building and maintaining the health and growth of a city, and this one is a strong voice for the people of the White Rock Lake community.
The second Live Local Award went to White Rock Local Market. Over the past 5 years they have generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue for their vendors and helped bring healthy local foods to East Dallas. White Rock Local Market also presents some of our region’s top makers of clothes, jewelry, furniture, fine art, toys and more, handmade by North Texans. The market now serves to connect local farmers, food producers and craftsmen directly to our community. WRLM is a juried market that attracts growers and artists from a 150-mile radius of our community. No middlemen: our vendors directly raise, grow, and/or produce what they sell. The marketstrengthens the local food economy and creates awareness of the social, environmental, and health benefits of growing and eating local food.