Efforts to promote and encourage existing and new businesses in town are being recognized.
At council’s Feb. 22 meeting, business and economic manager Belinda Wick-Graham, reported on two awards: Minto’s Tour the Town downtown property tour received provincial recognition and Harriston’s South Street Cafe won Minto’s Pitch It business plan competition.
“In an effort to grow small businesses in Minto and increase awareness of the resources available… Minto, in partnership with local sponsors launched the Pitch-It Minto business plan competition,” Wick-Graham said.
The competition is a project of the Minto downtown revitalization committee and is geared to entrepreneurs who wish to open a new business, purchase an existing business, expand an existing business or re-locate an existing business in one of the downtowns.
Since 2009, Minto has set aside $12,000 to assist businesses revitalize store exteriors.
Four business plans were entered in the competition that started in January. Applicants submitted an executive summary and all four entries were deemed worthy, Wick-Graham said.
Full business plans were submitted and presentations were made to judges in mid-February.
“We received four great business plans, which made judging very difficult for our panel of judges,” she said.
The winner of the Pitch-It competition is South Street Cafe´ owned by Jake Tyson in downtown Harriston.
It opened in May last year and is planning to expand its hours and products offered to include products that can be sold in other retail outlets. Plans call for purchasing more equipment and hiring of more staff. South Street Cafe´ supports local food suppliers and the expansion is expected to have a positive impact for other businesses in Minto.
“Jake Tyson had the most complete plan from where he’s been to where he is going and how he was going to obtain his goal,” Minto Chamber of Commerce president and judge John Mock said.
“We are very happy with the results of our first Pitch-It business plan competition and look forward to expanding the program later this year,” Wick-Graham added.
The town’s provincial recognition came when Mayor George Bridge and councillor Rick Hembly attended the 2011 Ontario Economic Development Marketing awards where Minto was a finalist in the product development category for redevelopment initiative. Five entries were in that category, with the winner being St. Catharines.
“We were thrilled to receive an award of merit,” Bridge said.
Entries are scored by a panel of judges and typically award winners and finalists must at least score 75 and usually in the 80% range to get an award.
The local competition was rated by one of the judges as “a deceptively simple and highly focused initiative that made excellent use of a range of marketing resources and achieved higher than anticipated results.”
