News

Tuesday, October 07, 2008
BY CHRIS STURGIS
Special to the Times

When Garces and Grabler initially took over a run-down storefront with plans to make it into a law office, Mayor Douglas Palmer saw the site looking worse, not better.

"I have to tell you, I'm not an architect, but when they first started to build, I thought, that's ugly. What are they doing over there? I'm going to have to ask Len Pucciatti (director of inspections) to go over there, " Palmer recalled.

It was a little too early for a peak at the final product, though. With the passage of more time, the building began to blossom.

Garces and Grabler, one of the largest Spanish-speaking law firms in New Jersey, actually had a very grand plan for the former thrift shop at 253 Front St., including new windows, a new interior, a stucco façade and a new parking lot.

"It's a great building," Palmer said yesterday, as he presented the business with the Most Improved Appearance Award, in ceremonies for 2008 Trenton Small Business of the Year Awards.

"The firm currently has 10 employees in Trenton, and they plan to grow with the community as they have done in other parts of New Jersey -- always with an emphasis on hiring local talent," he said.

Palmer also praised Kevin Gilmore, owner of Gilmore's Café, 118 S. Warren St., for creating what he named the city's Most Successful New Business. He said Gilmore researched the city's demographics and checked on the ambience of South Warren Street.

"He credits the City of Trenton's Urban Enterprise Zone status as a positive factor in his decision (to locate in Trenton). The city's ETI (Entrepreneurial Training Institute) also contributed to the creation of his overall business plan," Palmer said.

Palmer named City Beef, 246 N. Willow St., Small Business of the Year. Palmer said sole proprietor Peter Diaz, was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in the Mill Hill section of Trenton. In 1971, Diaz returned from a four-year enlistment in the Air Force and was offered a partnership in the Trenton meat company, which he now owns.

"Peter is committed to hiring local minority citizens right out of high school and teaching them the art of meat cutting and processing and the importance of good customer service," Palmer said. "With a full-time staff of 13, Peter has very little employee turnover, a testament to the investment he makes in them."

The ceremony also gave Palmer and the city's economic development team, Anthony P. Carabelli Jr. and Jerome Harris, a chance to generate interest in Getting Down 2 Business, the 15th annual small business conference, which will be held Oct. 20 through 24 at various locations throughout the city. More information on the conference is at www.smallbizweek.com

Also speaking about the need to nurture small businesses were Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, Michele Siekerka, president and chief executive officer of the Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Karen Colimore, president and CEO of the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Ceremonies yesterday were held at the newly-renovated Trenton Train Station.

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