The Bayside Business Association (BBA) unveiled a brand new awards program — “The BBA’s Best of Bayside” — to highlight and commemorate establishments across the neighborhood.
Community members are now able to nominate their favorite businesses, including eateries, shops, nightlife spots and fitness enterprises from over a dozen categories. During the nomination phase, which commenced on Oct. 3 and will run until Nov. 30, you can nominate your favorite business online. The nomination form asks you to provide the name, address, number and website of the business along with a short message explaining why you chose them.
“The BBA’s Best of Bayside serves as yet another compelling avenue for our association to place a spotlight on our local businesses, underscoring their invaluable contributions to making this the great community that it is,” said BBA President Ed Probst. “With this initiative, we have the opportunity to bolster and showcase the exceptional businesses that define Bayside’s distinct character.”
The full list of categories includes: automotive, education, restaurants, deli, banks, insurance, home & garden, arts & entertainment, special event services, sports & activities, bars & nightlife, shopping, fashion & clothing, pets, health & wellness and professional.
Baysiders can nominate four businesses, or one business four times, each day during the nomination phase. Once the nominations are in, the voting period will take place throughout the entire month of December to select a winner from the top nominated businesses. The BBA encourages locals to rally their friends, family and neighbors to cast their votes for those nominated.
“We have really been through quite a revival in the past few years,” Alison La Ferlita, executive director of the BBA, told QNS. “Part of what we want to do is really try to put a spotlight on our local businesses and drive business to them.”
The BBA, founded in 1997, is a networking organization designed to help local businesses grow by providing them with a range of supportive resources. Membership with the organization comes with various forms of business promotion, as well as participation in educational seminars, networking events and monthly business meetings. Despite their 26 years in the community, this is the first time they’re hosting a contest to spotlight Bayside’s most popular establishments.
Unlike the Bayside Business Improvement District, which oversees and funds the maintenance, improvement and promotion of commercial spaces within Bayside, the BBA focuses on supporting the owners themselves. They currently have 54 members.
During the annual BBA membership meeting, planned for early March 2024, the winners will be announced to the public. Results will also be published online shortly after.
“This is the public voting for their favorite businesses,” added Ferlita. “It’s not our panel of judges. It’s a community that’s voting for them.”
