Two Power Equipment Dealerships Among the Finalists

The national small business movement Independent We Stand announces the quarter-finalists from the 2014 Independent We Stand Independent Small Business of the Year Award. This announcement precedes Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29, encouraging holiday shoppers to support these businesses; instead of big boxes and national chains.

Voting is now underway at www.IndieBizAward.com through Dec. 14 giving local communities a chance to support small businesses making a big difference.

 More than 12,000 votes were made for 302 nominees during the nominations phase. The quarter-finalists in alphabetical order are:

•  A. Dodson's, a retail gift shop in Suffolk, Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Va.
• Afterwords Books, a bookstore in Edwardsville, Ill.
• Artsy Fartsy Art Gallery, an art gallery in Carson City, Nev.
• BSR Used Books, a used book store in Granite City, Ill.
• Califon Book Shop, a bookstore in Califon, N.J.
• Copperhead Lodge, a mountain cabin resort and lodge in Blairsville, Ga.
• Cornells True Value Hardware, a hardware store in Eastchester, N.Y.
• Cynwyd Station Cafe and Tea Room, a green community center and Victorian ice cream parlor in Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
• D'Arcy's grocery store in Westfield, Ill..
• For The People, a designer household goods retailer in Phoenix, Ariz.
• Grolier Poetry Book Shop, a poetry book shop in Cambridge, Mass.
• Illustrated Beauty, a hair and beauty salon in Somerville, N.J.
• Jan's Paperbacks, a bookstore in Aloha, Ore.
• Lead In The Window, a stained glass art studio in Las Vegas, Nev.
• Life's Memories & More, a scrapbook store in Palmer, Mass.
• Matt's Building Materials, a lumberyard and hardware store in Pharr, Texas
• Mike's Community Cup, a coffee shop in SeaTac, Wash.
• Monkitree, a fine art and craft gallery in Gardiner, Maine
• Mower Man Lawn Service, a landscaping business in Lakeside, Calif.
• Prairie View Farm Market, a garden center and farm market in Hampshire, Ill.
• Superior Outdoor Power, an outdoor power equipment dealer in Superior, Neb.
• The Cross Eyed Owl, gift shop in Valatie, N.Y.
• The Ginger Armadillo, a food truck from Austin, Texas
• Vickery Hardware, a Do It Best hardware store in Smyrna, Ga.
• Wagoner Power Equipment, an outdoor power equipment dealer in Englewood, Ohip

The Indie winner will receive prizes with a combined value of more than $10,000, including:

• $5,000 grand prize
• $1,000 STIHL equipment certificate. STIHL products are sold exclusively through local dealers, and support more than 8,000 STIHL dealers in communities nationwide.
• "Small Business Web Starter Package" from independent web design firm Launch Interactive that includes custom website layout design and programming with a location page with Google map integration and web traffic reporting
• Three-day/two-night stay at an independent resort hotel in Virginia Beach, Va., that includes a tour of the STIHL Inc. headquarters and dinner with the Independent We Stand team
• Plaque to display at winner's business
• Public relations and social media recognition

The winner of the Indie will be announced Dec. 17. 

For more information on the "Indie" or to vote for a business, visit www.IndieBizAward.com.

About Independent We Stand

Independent We Stand is a movement of independent business owners across the country to inform their communities about the importance of "Buying Local" and how these efforts bolster their local economy. This movement supports all local and national causes committed to boosting local economic development projects. The Independent We Stand movement is sponsored in part by STIHL Inc., Chrysler Group and Devoe Paint. www.IndependentWeStand.org.