This year, LocalShops1 — run by Ester Venouzio — nominated Olga Bof, who founded Keep St. Pete Local, for a LocalShops1 award. Olga then asked that she be removed from the list of nominees. This is only the latest in the “As the ’Burg Turns” saga of local group vs. local group. Apparently each one wants bragging rights to loving local more. We get sucked in with emails and phone calls Every. Damn. Time. Look, if we have to come back there, we’ll turn this car around. Is that what you want? —Cathy Salustri
Goods & Services: Tampa Bay businesses that did it right.
Tampa Bay businesses that did it right.
RUNNERS-UP: AER Apartments, Post SoHo Square Apartments
Wood wizard Jon Stine is known for crafting beautiful longboards, beer taps and very-high-end custom furniture, but countertops — who knew? When my boyfriend and I went searching for wood countertops that didn’t look like 1985-married ScanDesign, we ran into Stine working in the back room of Anderson Lumber and learned, shockingly, that we could afford him. He added artistic touches — tying together the tones of wood between the high-top and the work surface, carving out space for a mermaid compass rose, and using his power tools to add creative weathering to the cypress — all without calling attention to itself as “art.” Facebook: Stine Custom Woodworks, LLC. —Cathy Salustri
RUNNERS-UP: Autoworks of Tampa, Big John’s Brake & Alignment Service
RUNNERS-UP: Grow Financial Federal Credit Union, Suncoast Federal Credit Union
