Business & Finance

Joy Beauty Salon opens in Westlake

It was a beautiful day in October as the Joy Beauty Salon owners officially opened their business in Westlake. Angela Tempest, her husband, Paul, together with Angela's business partner, Mandy Smith, welcomed the public to an open house on Oct. 26. Angela and Mandy celebrated the open house with a ribbon cutting as Angela’s twin 4-year-old boys, Ansel and Bram, dutifully held the ribbon.

The city of Westlake marked the occasion with a proclamation from Mayor Dennis Clough that was presented by Westlake City Council President David Greenspan. The proclamation in part welcomed the new female entrepreneurs and congratulated them on their new business, as the mayor proclaimed it "Joy Beauty Day" in the city of Westlake. Council representatives Amy Havelka and Michael O’Donnell, along with Director of Building Donald Grayem and Diane Birchard from the Department of Recreation, also shared in the warm city welcome.

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Volume 15, Issue 21, Posted 8:26 AM, 11.21.2023

O’Neill Healthcare celebrates 60 years in Bay Village

O’Neill Healthcare celebrated 60 years serving the Bay Village and surrounding communities on May 18 and 19 with events for the staff, residents, residents’ families, medical professionals, and government officials that made this milestone possible. The private party and open house featured live music, games, activities, food/drinks, prizes, and tours of the newly renovated facility.

A proclamation given by Mayor Paul Koomar recognized the milestone stating, “The O’Neill family has proven not only to be compassionate to their residents and their families but good neighbors and a vital part of the Bay Village community.”

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Volume 15, Issue 10, Posted 8:39 AM, 06.06.2023

Westlake restaurant celebrates 18 years

Mezza Mediterranean Cuisine is so excited to be celebrating our 18th anniversary in the city of Westlake! There have been plenty of ups and downs due to the pandemic but thanks to our loyal customers and wonderful community, we are still going strong. In fact, we recently renovated our dining room at 28743 Center Ridge Road to give Mezza a fresh new look and feel.   Along with the warm and inviting atmosphere, there have been new additions to our menu such as Greek Fries, Mediterranean Rice Salad, Kafta, Warm Cinnamon Pita Chips, and more. Be sure to warm up with one of our homemade soups as well. We offer dine-in, take-out, and delivery. All this and more can be found on our website mezzaonline.com.

We will be hosting a celebration of our 18th anniversary on Saturday, Nov. 19, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with 18% off your entire order! Also one lucky guest will be the winner of a $50 Mezza gift card. In addition we will have acoustic music performed by Mark Hunter, lead singer of the Ark Band, from 4-6 p.m. No reservations necessary.

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Volume 14, Issue 21, Posted 10:10 AM, 11.01.2022

Home improvement firm waltzes into Westlake after renovating showroom

Window and Bath Depot have found a new home on Sperry Drive in Westlake and the beautiful renovation they have completed to the old Starz Ballroom is really starting to get some attention. The building's new look has made it abundantly clear that the team at Window and Bath Depot have an eye for design and the ability to perform an incredible transformation.
 
The previously outdated dance studio had fallen into a sad state of disrepair, as the prior owner had other business interests that would require significant capital. As a result, the building was sold in the fall of 2021 to home improvement entrepreneur Tony Hoty.

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Volume 14, Issue 17, Posted 9:56 AM, 09.07.2022

Goodwill opens bookstore, donation center in Westlake

Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio Inc. opened a new retail bookstore and donation center in Westlake on March 4.

The new store is located at 30655 Detroit Road and is the first bookstore for Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio. This unique bookstore provides an opportunity for members of the community to shop thousands of books and specialty wares for a fraction of retail prices, as well as donate clothing and housewares at the convenient drive-up donation center. 

The bookstore and donation center is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

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Volume 14, Issue 6, Posted 10:40 AM, 03.15.2022

Giving thanks for Bay merchants

It’s the season of giving thanks: Time to shine a light on some Bay Village merchants that improve my life all year long.

  1. I would not be here sitting upright, typing without pain, were it not for one of Bay’s newest arrivals, Young Wellness, just steps away from Dairy Queen. Until I met Dr. Aliann Young, I was a non-believer in the Church of Chiropractic Arts. Thanks to her knowledge and skill I’m a convert, and always enjoy my appointments, after a brief chat with her pal Theresa.
  2. Another relative newcomer, Boss Chick N Beer, is way more than outrageously delicious wings and an inspired, ever-changing beer list. I watched half a bad Browns outing there recently and was so entertained by the behind-the-bar staff I barely felt the pain of the game. A non-Bay place right across from City Hall. Great for takeout.
  3. Right next door is Ross Wine and Liquor – fully stocked, well-organized and open all the time. The people running Ross are knowledgeable, polite, and always willing to carry a box to your trunk. Its beer and wine inventory are stellar. Every town should have a Ross location, run by these friendly gentlemen.
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Volume 13, Issue 23, Posted 10:30 AM, 12.07.2021

Westlake Music Academy announces expansion

What began with a single guitar teacher operating from his own home has grown to a music academy with 20 teachers offering lessons in 12 instruments. Director James Flood opened the Westlake Music Academy in April of 2019, transferring 40 students from his previous home business. Now, only a little more than two years later, WMA has grown to 325 students.

“I had been teaching guitar at various places: colleges, music schools and from home," Flood recalled. "Eventually I put together a home-grown business, James Flood Guitar Lessons, where I taught exclusively from my home and a couple of satellite locations. Starting a full-service music school was something that had never occurred to me until I joined a Facebook group and started talking to music school owners. In 2017 the guy leading the group persuaded me to attend a conference. I left that conference absolutely convinced that I was going to start a music school, and I never looked back.”

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Volume 13, Issue 15, Posted 9:55 AM, 08.03.2021

New owner seeks to continue Greenisland's charm

After years of managing an IT company, Bob Weishampel decided to pursue his passion for the restaurant industry by purchasing Greenisland from longtime owners, Connie and Sean McConnell. With his heart set on bringing fantastic food and an inviting pub environment to the residents of Bay Village, Weishampel re-opened the popular Irish restaurant in October 2020.

Weishampel's staff interviewed residents about what they missed most about Greenisland, which had closed months earlier due to the pandemic, to ensure he brought back customers' longtime favorites. The No. 1 item residents looked forward to were the ever-so-popular Irish Nachos and the neighborhood friendly Irish pub atmosphere.

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Volume 13, Issue 9, Posted 9:59 AM, 05.04.2021

Westlake business leaders graduate from Tri-C’s Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program

Three Westlake business leaders took a step toward greater success by completing the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Cuyahoga Community College. 

Emily Kloos of OCS Process Systems, Nicole Ponstingle of Pandata and Laura Sherman of Sustainable Energy Services are among the 26 small-business operators in the program’s latest graduating class. 

Each spent three months at Tri-C studying a specialized business and management curriculum for entrepreneurs. Previous graduates have seen their business outperform the broader economy while exceeding national and local averages in revenue growth and job creation.

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Volume 13, Issue 1, Posted 9:44 AM, 01.05.2021

Tri-C Westshore program offers personal finance tips

Learn how to better manage your money during an upcoming dollars-and-cents discussion at the Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College.

The topic is the focus of the latest “Learning for Life” lecture series event at the campus. The free program – "Financial Literacy: A Guide to Personal Finance" – takes place Wednesday, Feb. 26.

The discussion will be led by Johnie L. Reed, an assistant professor of business at Tri-C who has been counseling people on their finances for more than a decade.

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Volume 12, Issue 4, Posted 10:07 AM, 02.18.2020

Bay resident named to Three Arches board

Three Arches Foundation, a community-focused grant making foundation based in Lakewood, announced the election of Ellen C. Ospelt  to its board of directors.

Ospelt, a resident of Bay Village, brings extensive experience as a professional health administrator and educator. She is Regional Care Coordinator for Paladina Health, working collaboratively with providers and care teams across Ohio to address the health management needs of patients.

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Volume 11, Issue 13, Posted 9:57 AM, 07.02.2019

Westlake resident appointed to Menlo Park Academy board

On May 16, Menlo Park Academy in Cleveland welcomed Westlake resident Cindy Wang to its board of directors. Her term begins July 1, 2019, and run through June 30, 2022.

As the current finance manager for MetroHealth System, Wang is an experienced finance and accounting professional. Her work experience includes: accounting reporting, audits, general ledger work, risk assessment, financial planning, analytics and budget planning for nonprofits to publicly traded Fortune 500 companies. She and her husband, Dennis Cole, live in Westlake and have  a current fourth-grader at Menlo Park Academy. Wang enjoys traveling and going to concerts and shows with her family, and serving as an owner of Cleveland Studio for Music and Arts.

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Volume 11, Issue 11, Posted 10:28 AM, 06.04.2019

Westlake car wash resurrected

After many months hidden behind tall grass and dead branches, a beautiful brick building got a new lifeline. In 2017 the Westlake Laser Wash, at the corner of Center Ridge and Bradley roads (behind the beverage store) started accumulating garbage in its cans and showing lack of soap quality in its washes.

It wasn’t long after that the city cleaned up the garbage, cut the grass and closed off the apron with orange barrels. The reality was that the owner had sadly passed away.

This past summer, a neighboring Westlake resident, Michael Boukzam, became determined to bring life back to the property. After a long process with the courts, the transfer occurred on Dec. 26, 2018; it was a nice Christmas. Since then, the equipment went through an overhaul and all of the previous products were replaced with the best available.

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Volume 11, Issue 3, Posted 9:50 AM, 02.05.2019

AARP Tax-Aide sites offer free tax preparation

The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program will be getting underway again this year starting the first week in February and ending on April 17. This IRS-supported free tax service is offered on a non-discriminatory basis without consideration of race, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation. We give special attention to those with low or moderate incomes and/or aged 60 and older. Taxpayers do not have to be retired or a member of AARP.

There are Tax-Aide locations throughout western Cuyahoga County; the local sites are:

  • Westlake Center for Community Services, 29694 Center Ridge Road. Open Mondays from noon to 4 p.m. Call 440-899-3544 for an appointment.
  • Bay Village Branch Library, 502 Cahoon Road. Open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 440-871-6392 for an appointment.

A photo ID and Social Security card are required at the time of visit. It’s also advisable to bring last year’s tax return if possible.

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Volume 10, Issue 1, Posted 9:34 AM, 01.09.2018

Westshore business leaders graduate from Goldman Sachs program at Tri-C

Four business leaders from Bay Village and Westlake took a step toward greater business success by completing the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C).

The program’s latest graduating class includes John Butler of Partners Riley in Bay Village; Lori Inks of Blossom Hill in Westlake; Cody Miller of RAM Sensors in Westlake; and Tony Nasrallah of Ground Works Land Design in Westlake.

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Volume 9, Issue 24, Posted 10:01 AM, 12.19.2017

Rae-Ann facilities named to US News best list

Two Rae-Ann skilled nursing facilities in Westlake – Rae-Ann Suburban and Rae-Ann Westlake, as well as a third Rae-Ann facility in Geneva – have been named to the prestigious 2017-18 list of “America’s Best Nursing Homes” by U.S. News & World Report.

This is the seventh time Rae-Ann Suburban has received this honor, and the third time for Rae-Ann Westlake.

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Volume 9, Issue 22, Posted 9:52 AM, 11.21.2017

Become an AARP Tax Aide volunteer and help make a difference

The IRS-sponsored AARP Tax Aide Program is looking for volunteers for the 2017 tax filing season. AARP Foundation Tax Aides provide free personal income tax assistance and tax form preparation for low and moderate income taxpayers, with special attention to those over age 50.

During tax season, we set up tax preparation sites, many of them at public libraries and senior centers in the area. Last year, about 34,600 volunteers across the country helped prepare more than 1.5 million free federal tax returns. There are a number of volunteer sites on the west side of Cleveland and the western suburbs, including the Westlake Senior Center, 29694 Center Ridge Road, and the Bay Village Branch Library, 502 Cahoon Road.

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Volume 9, Issue 21, Posted 9:59 AM, 11.07.2017

The Bay Village Foundation kicks off Legacy Society

The Bay Village Foundation President Al Paulus and his wife, Julie, hosted a gathering of current and former board members, community leaders and others on Sept. 24 at their home in Huntington Woods. Their primary objective was fellowship, but also to provide an update on the activities of The Bay Village Foundation and kick off the Legacy Society.

Mayor Paul Koomar and City Council President Dwight Clark, among others, were in attendance to talk about ideas for a next project, coordinating the Foundation's activities with the city and potentially taking on something included in the city's new Master Plan.

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Volume 9, Issue 20, Posted 9:59 AM, 10.17.2017

Power of More business expo a success at Market Square

Over 100 Power of More members from seven different chambers of commerce set up shop at Market Square in Crocker Park on Sept. 28 for the Business Expo. This trade show event has been held for the last five years at the Gemini Center in Fairview Park. Originally, it was a showcase of businesses in the Fairview Park chamber.

Over the past few years, as the Power of More has grown from four chambers to seven, the show had outgrown the space. When the offer to use the new Market Square was made available through the city of Westlake, a new home for the show was found.

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Volume 9, Issue 19, Posted 10:02 AM, 10.03.2017

Citizens Bank opens branch in the Promenade

The opening of a new Citizens Bank branch in Westlake's Promenade was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting on Friday, Sept. 8. Members of the West Shore Chamber of Commerce, Crocker Park's Dan Crandall, and branch manager Jason Nye joined employees and customers in the festivities.

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Volume 9, Issue 18, Posted 10:19 AM, 09.19.2017

New Westshore business helps retirees thrive

On Sept. 5, Thrive Westshore arrived in Cleveland's western suburbs.

Headquartered in Bay Village, Thrive Westshore's mission is to provide the services, activities and social opportunities of a retirement village to residents who have chosen to remain in the houses and neighborhoods they love.

Essential services provided include: help with errands; fresh, delicious dinner delivery; regular check-ins; and – importantly – note-taking at doctors' appointments. Volunteering and activities at BAYarts, Westlake Rec Center, and other local resources are encouraged and arranged by company staff.

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Volume 9, Issue 17, Posted 9:40 AM, 09.06.2017

Westlake business operator graduates from Tri-C’s Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program

Nikola Dzodzo of Woolino in Westlake took a step toward greater business success by completing the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C).

Dzodzo is one of 26 small-business operators in the program’s latest graduating class. He spent 14 weeks at Tri-C studying a specialized business and management curriculum for entrepreneurs.

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Volume 9, Issue 17, Posted 9:45 AM, 09.06.2017

Westlake company is first to bring toilet technology to U.S.

There seems to be something in the human condition that makes people blush at the mere thought of a smelly bathroom. Especially when guests are visiting! A Westlake company is making it their business to solve that problem, with technology that has been used throughout Asia for 15 years.

OdorTech Distributing LLC is bringing humor and help, with its “Smell ya never!” service mark and “Pepé Le Poo” mascot, as the first U.S. distributor of a toilet odor removal technology. The product, labeled “ToiléVu: The Toilet Vacuum for Smelly Odors,” is installed inside the tank of an existing toilet.

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Volume 9, Issue 16, Posted 10:16 AM, 08.15.2017

First National Bank opens in Westlake

Aug. 1 was grand opening day for the new branch of First National Bank in Westlake at Crocker Park. The newly built structure faces Detroit Road and takes the place of the former Max & Erma's space. Branch manager Johnny Sikora, Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough and West Shore Chamber Director John Sobolewski helped cut the ribbon on the new office space, along with many guests from the community and Crocker Park.

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Volume 9, Issue 16, Posted 10:11 AM, 08.15.2017

Local doctors bring new, life-changing treatments to Westlake

NGI Clinics has announced the opening of a new regenerative medicine clinic in Westlake. Regenerative medicine provides safe, effective and minimally invasive treatments that promote the ability of the body to heal itself. NGI Clinics will provide several highly effective medical treatments that are new to Ohio.

The new headquarters of its clinics will be located at the Gemini Towers, 1991 Crocker Road, Suite 500 in Westlake, just across from Crocker Park. The clinic will open its doors in early August.

NGI Clinics treats patients with many types of painful conditions, including arthritis, joint injuries, fibromyalgia, neuropathies, among others. They provide advanced stem cell therapies, neurostimulation, and will soon be offering an FDA-approved infusion service for diabetes care which is new to Ohio.

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Volume 9, Issue 15, Posted 9:27 AM, 08.01.2017

Flexibile childcare center coming to Westlake

Sweet Kiddles flexible childcare center is opening two new locations later this summer in Westlake and Avon Lake. The Westlake center will be located at 2211 Crocker Road and the Avon Lake center will be at 32900 Pin Oak Parkway.The company already has existing centers in Strongsville and Medina.

Sweet Kiddles provides high-quality, flexible childcare by the hour, day, part-time or full-time, as well as traditional preschool, pre-K and kindergarten in select locations. They serve children from ages 6 weeks to 12 years and are open until 9 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

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Volume 9, Issue 14, Posted 9:56 AM, 07.18.2017

Crocker Park hosts outdoor chamber networking event

Instead of watching a concert on the lawn outside of the Raymond James Pavilion in Crocker Park, 40 members of the local chambers of commerce participated in a speed networking breakfast on June 22. The Westshore Chamber and Power of More organize these quarterly networking events to allow the members to meet new contacts on their way to work. 

Each person got one minute to introduce themselves and their business before one side moved down to the next person. Within an hour, everyone has talked with every person at the event. This was the first time this event has been held outdoors and the weather did not disappoint. Crocker Park's Lisa Pienicki and Raymond James' Ryan Roche set up the outdoor space with colorful seating and Panera provided coffee and bagels.

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Volume 9, Issue 13, Posted 9:30 AM, 07.05.2017

Westshore entrepreneurs graduate from Tri-C’s Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program

Three Westshore business owners took a step toward greater success by completing the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Cuyahoga Community College.

Ben Gertz of J&D Development in Bay Village, Dave Goerlich of The Refinery in Rocky River and Matt Siebert of CertaPro Painters in Westlake are three of 36 small-business owners in the program’s latest graduating class. They spent 14 weeks at Tri-C studying a specialized business and management curriculum for entrepreneurs.

Previous graduates have seen their businesses outperform the broader economy while exceeding national and local averages in revenue growth and job creation.

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Volume 9, Issue 10, Posted 9:41 AM, 05.16.2017

Plant Crafters' last sale: Liquidation auction to be held April 1

The Plant Crafters era in Westlake is over. After 30 years on Center Ridge Road, the Burnett family decided to close their garden center and retire.

Known for their high-quality home decor and gift items, owners Molly and Bruce Burnett will miss the generations of customers they served. "Plant Crafters was a labor of love," said Bruce. "We truly enjoyed providing our buyers with items you couldn't find in the big box garden stores."

A live public auction will be held on Saturday, April 1, 10 a.m., to liquidate everything remaining in the Westlake store. Items include nursery stock and related horticultural items, firewood, a forklift, vintage and antique furniture and thousands of home and gift items.

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Volume 9, Issue 6, Posted 10:09 AM, 03.21.2017

Extended-stay hotel opens in Westlake

After a multi-million dollar renovation the "reimagined" Sonesta ES Suites is now open for business in Westlake. Mayor Dennis Clough and the West Shore Chamber of Commerce participated in their grand opening and ribbon cutting event held on Jan. 12. The 104-suite extended stay hotel offers all the comforts of home for an affordable price. With studio and two-bedroom loft suites to choose from with full kitchens, wifi and free parking, these rooms are perfect for long-term visitors. A complimentary daily breakfast, evening social hours three nights a week and barbeque grills are just some of the added bonuses available to the guests.

Companies bringing in people for training, families building a home or anyone looking for a weekend away will find this complex inviting. Catrenta Davis, director of sales, said, "Our team is so excited to show off our beautiful new suites!" After the ribbon-cutting, tours of the property were given and lunch was available to all the guests. Staff from the Sonesta ES Suite Cleveland Airport, also newly renovated, helped welcome visitors to the open house. The Westlake property can be found at 30100 Clemens Road.

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Volume 9, Issue 2, Posted 9:38 AM, 01.24.2017

Burntwood Tavern holds guest bartender fundraiser

Burntwood Tavern in Crocker Park has a very giving relationship with Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital. It wasn't enough to make a donation to the Clinic for every gift card that is sold this holiday season; they also held a special night of guest bartenders to give more.

Crocker Park's vice president, Tina Roberts, and their marketing director, Dan Crandall, joined the West Shore Chamber of Commerce's executive director, John Sobolewski (aka Santa), as the guest bartenders for the Dec. 8 event. All tips brought in during the two-hour event went directly to the Children's Hospital fund.

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Volume 8, Issue 24, Posted 9:59 AM, 12.13.2016

Oral surgery practice develops vacant land on Crocker Road

North Coast Jaw & Implant Center, the longtime practice of Dr. John Blakemore and Dr. William Blood, will move to Westlake after 39 years of practicing in North Olmsted. Dr. Raymond Plona joined the practice in 2013 and Dr. Gregory Plona joined in 2015.

“The practice has grown and we were in need of a larger space,” said Dr. Blood. “The new location will give us the opportunity to build a state-of-the-art facility, while focusing on providing the quality patient experience that our office strives for and that all of our patients deserve.”

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Volume 8, Issue 23, Posted 9:42 AM, 11.29.2016

Year-end tips for financial housekeeping

As we enter the end of the year, there are many things on people’s minds. Sure, there are the upcoming holidays, but there are many financial decisions that must be addressed. I’ve put together just a few for you to consider:   

  1. Make sure your tax payments are done.
 Believe it or not, if you have to pay estimated income tax, many communities will penalize you if it’s not paid by Dec. 31.

  2. Review your wills, trusts, and beneficiaries on accounts
. You want your money going to the people or organizations you choose, right? This is especially important if you have children under the age of 18, because you want to make sure money and belongings you leave for them isn’t caught up in the courts. In a trust or will, you can also make sure the money is spent the way you want it spent and when you want it spent. 


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Volume 8, Issue 21, Posted 10:09 AM, 11.01.2016

Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty opens flagship office in Westlake

Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough joined the West Shore Chamber of Commerce to participate in a ribbon cutting and grand opening party for the new Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realty office last month. Invited guests participated in group tours of the office in The Atrium building on Detroit Road and enjoyed a champagne toast and catered buffet.

Coldwell Banker Schmidt Family of Companies merged operations with Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty in January 2015 and this marks the second namesake office in Westlake this month. This location will be home to the Relocation Department, Luxury Division, Commercial Division, Corporate Administration and the Westlake agent base.

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Volume 8, Issue 21, Posted 10:09 AM, 11.01.2016

Business is booming in Westlake

The West Shore Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed several new businesses to the city of Westlake, all offering something new to the residents. Our first event was Sept. 22 at the Holiday Inn Express on Clemens Road, with residents and guests enjoying a lovely grand opening party and ribbon cutting. Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough, Chamber Executive Director John Sobolewski and General Manager Cynthia Eckrich joined the hotel owners in a champagne toast to the new hotel and then officially opened the doors. This full-service hotel offers a variety of room sizes, swimming pool, exercise area and a full breakfast.

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Volume 8, Issue 19, Posted 8:59 AM, 10.04.2016

West Shore Chamber enjoys perfect day for golf outing

Aug. 8 turned out to be a picture perfect day for golf for the members of the West Shore and Fairview Park chambers of commerce. This year's event, benefiting the scholarship funds for the Westlake, Bay Village and Fairview Park school districts, was held at the Avon Oaks Country Club.

Since 1979, the West Shore Chamber has been supporting the school district education fund through their golf outings. Five years ago they joined forces with the Fairview Park Chamber to hold a joint annual event to fund a college scholarship for three students. The school districts served by the chambers – Westlake, Bay Village and Fairview Park – each receive a donation to their education fund in order to offer scholarships. Tens of thousands of dollars have been donated over the last 35 years.

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Volume 8, Issue 17, Posted 11:15 AM, 09.07.2016

Westlake business owner graduates from Tri-C’s Goldman Sachs program

Rachael Ekey of The Markey Group in Westlake took a step toward greater business success by completing the Goldman Sachs "10,000 Small Businesses" program at Cuyahoga Community College.

Ekey is one of 31 small business owners in the program’s latest graduating class. She spent 14 weeks at Tri-C studying a specialized business and management curriculum designed for entrepreneurs.

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Volume 8, Issue 17, Posted 11:14 AM, 09.07.2016

GK's Custom Polishing hosts networking event

Grant Alexander, owner of GK's Custom Polishing, hosted his fifth Power of More after hours social in as many years for over 200 chamber of commerce members. The event offered a variety of food from local restaurants from Panera Bread and Famous Dave's to Jersey Mike's subs and Chick-fil-a North Olmsted. Bartenders attended to the liquid refreshments and there were several opportunities to win prizes and cash. Music and MC duties were handled by Kenny Gilder and the DJ Company.

Alexander is an active member of the West Shore Chamber of Commerce and hosts this free event each year in his large showroom. When he is not hosting a party this temperature controlled area is used to take quality care and maintenance of Natural Stone, Tile & Grout, Autos, Boats, Motorcycles, Jet Skis and RVs.

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Volume 8, Issue 8, Posted 9:46 AM, 04.19.2016

Chamber of commerce business showcase April 21

The West Shore chamber, part of the Power of More chamber networking group, will take part in the 2016 Business Showcase on Thursday, April 21, from 2:00-6:00 p.m. at the Gemini Center in Fairview Park. The Fairview Park chamber will host this year's Showcase with 70 businesses from the six local chambers in the Power of More. 

This annual show will highlight many of the local businesses that are part of the Chamber of Commerce and offer lots of information, advice and freebies. Several local restaurants will also be on hand to offer food samples and prize opportunities from the vendor donations.

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Volume 8, Issue 8, Posted 9:45 AM, 04.19.2016

Cleveland Water quality report is available

At Cleveland Water, we know our drinking water is essential to the quality of life of more than 1.4 million people in 80 communities. That’s why we are committed to providing our customers with safe, high-quality, drinking water that is available at the turn of a tap any hour of the day.

Our water is constantly monitored and tested. In fact, Cleveland Water consistently exceeds the most stringent water quality standards mandated by Federal and State water regulations, and last year was no exception.

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Volume 8, Issue 7, Posted 10:12 AM, 04.05.2016