Herald Neighbors

Local business owners honored at Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce installation ceremony

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Four local business owners were honored and officers and directors were installed at the Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner at McQuade’s Grill on Jan. 25.

McQuade’s owner James McQuade, Barry and Joan Kornblun of C&L Plumbing Supply and Allison Shapiro Winterton of Sweet Peace Specialty Cakes were honored for their contributions to Lynbrook’s business district.

“I do appreciate the honor from the town,” said McQuade, who was recognized as Humanitarian of the Year. “It’s a great community. It makes you feel really good that people appreciate what you try to do for them.”

McQuade has owned the restaurant, at 275 Merrick Road in Lynbrook, for more than 10 years.

Barry Kornblum opened C&L Plumbing Supply — named after his mother Carol and father Leonard — in 1980 alongside his father. Barry and his wife, Joan, now run the business, at 196 Merrick Road, and their daughter, Stephanie Kornblum Knight, serves as the marketing director. It has been operating in Lynbrook for 37 years, and was named Small Business of the Year by the chamber members.

“When you start from scratch and you build a business from nothing and you start from where you are, it’s kind of like the American dream,” Barry said. “It really is something special. And to be honored by your peers and everybody in town, it’s really special. And we’re really proud of it.” Joan added that the couple was “very appreciative” of the honor.

Shapiro Winterton was awarded the Community Advocate of the Year plaque. She grew up in Lynbrook, and graduated from the French Culinary Institute in New York City in 2008. Her shop, at 26 Atlantic Ave., offers specialty cakes for any occasion and other baked goods.

“It’s actually a little bit more exciting and a little bit more surreal than I realized until I was here,” Shapiro Winterton said of the recognition. “I pretty much know every face that’s in here, so it’s nice to be honored by the people that I look up to.” She added that even though she now resides in Queens, it means a lot to her to operate a business in the village she grew up in.

In addition to the honorees, Mayor Alan Beach swore in the officers and directors for the chamber at the event, including Carol Burak, who enters her second year as president.