June
9, 2004: Oswego County Businesses Win Small Business Excellence
Awards
Advantage Carpets of Oswego Inc. and WiseBuys
Stores Inc. were honored for the Small Business Administration’s
(SBA) annual Small Business Excellence Awards luncheon held in Syracuse
recently.
 Operation
Oswego County (OOC) and the SUNY Oswego Small Business Development
Center nominated Advantage Carpets for the award in recognition
of their continuing commitment to provide quality products and services
at reasonable prices to both residential and commercial customers
throughout Oswego County. Since 1994, Advantage Carpets has offered
its customers a large selection of flooring products including carpet,
vinyl, laminates, hardwood and ceramic tile, all installed with
the utmost attention to detail and personalized service.
Because their showroom and warehouse were
separately located, owners Judy and Thomas Kells combined both facets
of the business and relocated within the city of Oswego in 2002.
Since their expansion, the Kells have hired two additional employees
and plan to add two more within the next few months which will bring
Advantage Carpets’ total employment to nine.
“Throughout the site selection and
expansion process, the Kells’ perseverance and positive attitude
combined with a clear understanding of their customers’ needs
as well as a commitment to the community reflect their true entrepreneurial
spirit and determination to succeed as a small business in Oswego
County, “ said L. Michael Treadwell, CEcD, executive director
of OOC. Financing for the expansion included a SBA 504 loan from
OOC.
Also recognized for business excellence was
WiseBuys Stores Inc., a new northern New York department store chain
offering discounted and branded merchandise such as food, clothing,
footwear, home entertainment equipment, toys, hardware, furniture,
appliances, sporting goods and house wares at every day low prices.
WiseBuys recently opened one of its department stores in the former
59,600 square-foot Ames building in Pulaski. The $1 million Pulaski
store will create 55 local jobs. Stores have also been opened in
Gouverneur and Tupper Lake with two more planned in 2004.
WiseBuys Stores, Inc. founder Thomas Scozzafava
said, “WiseBuys was formed to proactively address the recent
loss of Ames Department Stores throughout northern New York. Ames
represented a vital retail destination in the larger, key shopping
centers and filled an important role of providing a variety of affordably
priced and much-needed merchandise. It is our goal to replace and
expand on the concept of Ames.”
“We are fortunate that WiseBuys realized
the potential of the Pulaski location as a viable and profitable
retail outlet,” said Treadwell. “The project will not
only create additional job opportunities, but will also have a positive
economic impact on surrounding businesses and vendors in the Pulaski
area.” Financing for WiseBuys included a loan from the County
of Oswego Industrial Development Agency.
The SBA 504 program is designed to promote
economic development growth and job creation in small businesses
and make the overall financing structure for a new business or project
more attractive and affordable. OOC, a SBA Certified Development
Company, is authorized to finance projects using the SBA 504 loan
program.
The 504 loan program offers accessible,
fixed rate, long term financing for land, buildings and equipment.
Businesses eligible for SBA 504 loans are independently-owned, for-profit
businesses that are ready to expand and create jobs. They must have
a net worth less than $6 million and annual after-tax profit of
less than $2 million.
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