Setting a New Benchmark in Professional Hair, Skin, and Nail Care Services - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: In the mid 1980s Sandy Vargo owned a beauty supply store where she sold combs, brushes, and a variety of hair care products. She then opened a service with two assistants to provide hair cutting and perms to shut-ins in the comfort of their own homes. In 1989, Sandy founded V.I.P Beauty Salon Inc. on the north end of Medina, and in 2002 moved her salon to its present location at 120 N. East Street. We met with Sandy and Salon Managers Gina Joyce, Jackie Lucas, and Belinda Senick recently, and listened as they provided this overview of V.I.P Beauty Salon's services; - read more...

Peace of Mind, Each Step of the Way - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: During her fifteen year career with the FBI, Bridgett Maynard-Dennis learned the importance of having high expectations of herself, being 100% accurate all of the time, and being ready to go anytime, anywhere. Although the work was very rewarding, the demanding lifestyle left Bridgett feeling torn between her dedication to her job and her responsibilities to her two young children. Seeking a career that would provide a better balance between work and family, Bridgett accepted a position with a title and escrow company where she became a licensed Title Agent. In 2007, she coupled her title experience with her people skills and her penchant for accuracy to found Maynard &Dennis Title with her husband, Ken, and her son, Jeff. We met with Bridgett recently, and listened as she provided this overview of Maynard &Dennis Title's services; - read more...

A Big Store Experience with a Mom and Pop Atmosphere - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Working as a sales manager for a motorcycle dealership, Kirk Compton got the surprise of his life when a couple customers asked how much it would cost to buy all of the used motorcycles he had on hand. Not your typical customers, these European gentlemen were purchasing container loads of used American and Japanese motorcycles they could ship to Holland, Germany, Belgium, and England for resale at higher prices. Sensing an intriguing business opportunity at hand, Kirk, his brother Paul, and their father, Gar founded Wholecycle, Inc. in 1992 buying used motorcycles and shipping them forty at a time to Europe. - read more...

Improving Both Your Health and Your Life - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: As a Registered Nurse and Certified Yoga Instructor, Shirley Weimer has a deep appreciation for health and wellness. She first began to practice yoga in 1973 and quickly realized the vital role this centuries-old science can play not only as a great stress reliever, but in building strength and flexibility of both mind and body. In 1997 Shirley founded Northern Ohio Yoga to help local residents seeking inner peace, a quieted mind, and a more comfortable body. We met with Shirley Weimer recently, and listened as she provided this overview of Northern Ohio Yoga's offerings; - read more...

A Unique Learning Experience - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: An accountant by trade, Debbie Destro has always had a passion for children and education. Realizing that Brunswick needed another alternative, Debbie and Joe founded Kids Town Child Development Center in February 2004. At that time, there were only four other childcare centers in Brunswick, all operating under the same "big room" concept. We met with Debbie recently, and listened as she provided this overview of Kids Town's unique concept and services; - read more...

Top Quality Appliance Repairs Since 1986 - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: As a small child, Tony DiMassa could frequently be found taking things apart, seeing how they worked, and then putting them back together again. He attended the Cuyahoga County Vocational School during his junior and senior years in high school where he quickly learned the ins and outs of appliance repair. In 1986 Tony founded Total Appliance Service in a small space behind his father's barber shop and his father was often the source of his earliest customers. His father would come back to where Tony had a little desk and one telephone, and say, "I have a customer that needs his washing machine fixed." Tony then got the customer's address, went to his house, and fixed the washer. From these humble beginnings, Total Appliance Service has since grown into being one of the top appliance service companies in the entire northeast Ohio community. We met with Tony recently, and listened as he provided this overview of Total Appliance Service's services and offerings; - read more...

If Anything Leaks, Squeaks, Rattles, Thumps, or Bumps - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Brad Leyda's career in the automotive repair industry began with a job at a local muffler shop when he was in 9th grade. By the time he graduated from high school, Brad was already on his way to becoming a highly skilled mechanic. Wanting to own his own business, Brad founded Brad's Auto Service in Medina, Ohio in 1993. We met with Brad recently, and listened as he provided this overview of the services he provides; - read more...

Come Home to Brookpoint Apartments - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Don and Elizebeth Williams met in Tampa, Florida where they embarked on a successful career in apartment ownership and management. They sold their properties in 2002, traveled extensively, and played a bit with antique automobiles. After moving back to Medina, Ohio, Don's hometown, Don and Liz discovered Brookpoint Apartments, built in 1979, was for sale, and they purchased the property in February 2008. We met with Don recently, and listened as he provided this overview of the lifestyle and amenities available at Brookpoint Apartments; - read more...

Clean, Secure, and Convenient Local Storage Facilities - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Searching for a solution to his own storage needs, Russ Green realized that constructing a large enough building would not only satisfy his own requirements but would also provide extra space that could be rented to others. In 1987 Russ founded All Purpose Storage, a two building facility with a total of forty-five individual storage units. Located at 5420 Lake Road in Medina, Ohio, All Purpose Storage has expanded their available storage space with the addition of a second forty-five unit facility located at 7417 Lake Road in Chippewa, Ohio. We visited with Russ and his wife, Joanne, recently, and listened as Russ provided this overview of All Purpose Storage's offerings; - read more...

Maintaining Your Child's Healthy, Happy Smile - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Arlene J. Coloma, D.D.S., M.S. was always interested not only in finding a career that would enable her to be involved in the health care industry, but one that would also enable her to work with children. Soon after her dentist encouraged her to consider the dental profession, Arlene quickly realized that pediatric dentistry would allow her to combine both of these interests. - read more...

Quality Workmanship That Is Guaranteed! - Sal and Tom Manera, owners of Sal's Landscaping Co., grew up working along side their father where they learned the landscaping and concrete trades. Using the knowledge handed down from father to sons, Sal and Tom Manera have spent nearly three decades introducing Northeast Ohio residents to outdoor living at its finest. We met with Tom and Sal recently, and listened as they provided this overview of the services Sal's Landscaping Co. has to offer; - read more...

Helping Families Flourish - Friends and neighbors of Strongsville resident and therapist Leneigh White, NCC, LPCC-S would often speak of the difficulty they faced in finding therapists nearby for their children. Knowing how inconvenient traveling to the east side for counseling sessions could be, Leneigh founded Strongsville Family Counseling in 1996 to provide those living or working in the Strongsville area with a local option to their counseling needs. We met with Leneigh recently, and listened as she provided this overview of Strongsville Family Counseling's services;- read more...

Keeping Your Body Healthy Naturally - After being in an automobile accident that totaled his car, Dr. Michael Masterson felt that the accident had just about totaled him, too. Under the care of medical doctors for three months, his condition continued to deteriorate. At the suggestion of a friend Dr. Masterson made an appointment with a chiropractor, and within one month he was 100% better. Due to these impressive results, Dr. Masterson chose chiropractic as a profession and began to introduce others to the wonders of chiropractic. He opened his practice in the Strongsville Medical Center in 1978, and in 1989 moved his practice to its present Pearl Road location. We met with Dr. Masterson and his wife, Rosemary, and listened as Dr. Masterson provided this overview of Strongsville Chiropractic Health Center's services;- read more...

A Cross Stitcher's Paradise - Due to her lifelong interest in crafts, sewing, and needlework, Shelly Hronec was told by her friends in college that they were sure she would eventually own some type of retail shop. Shelly had worked for a national fabric retailer and was approached by a customer who owned a gift shop and was looking for someone to share the rent. Still in graduate school, Shelly founded Just Stitching on September 15, 1988 in the back of her friend's shop, and four years later moved her growing business to its current Prospect Plaza location in Strongsville. We met with Shelly recently, and listened as she provided this overview of Just Stitching's products and services;- read more...

Clean, Safe, & Secure Self Storage - Bradley (Brad) N. Chill, owner of Fox Fire Protection, was searching for another business that would take advantage of the property he owns on W. Lunn Road in Strongsville. Located across the street from the Strongsville Service Center, the property not only was always under the watchful eye of local law enforcement personnel but could also be observed by Brad's existing full-time staff. Deciding that the property's secure location would be perfect for a storage facility, Brad founded Lunn Road Storage in 2004 to provide climate controlled storage for local residents. We met with Brad recently, and listened as he provided this overview of Lunn Road Storage's offerings;- read more...

For All Your Embroidery, Screenprinting, & Promotional Product Needs - Serving Brunswick, OH: After three decades in the graphics industry, Peter (Pete) Sturtevant sold his company and founded Elegant Embroidery in 2003. In 2007, Pete was joined in business by his friend of thirty years, Jim Hollingsworth, who had a vision of building a web site named ClassicAutoGear.com to sell apparel emblazoned with Chevy, Pontiac, Buick, and Oldsmobile logos to classic car enthusiasts. Pete and Jim secured the needed licensing from General Motors and their web site went live in November 2007. In June 2008, they moved their company from its original Puritas Avenue location to their current Prospect Road facility in Strongsville, Ohio. We met with Pete and Jim recently, and listened as they provided this overview of Elegant Embroidery's products and services;.- read more...

One Client, One Trainer, One Goal - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Theresa and Dave Saunders have over twenty years experience helping people reach their health and fitness goals. In December 2008, Dave and Theresa opened Fitness Together to provide personal training services to Strongsville area residents. Fitness Together is part of the world's largest wellness organization with over 500 Fitness Together franchises throughout the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Ireland, and Israel. Since 1983, hundreds of thousands of clients have experienced the positive results of working with a Fitness Together personal trainer. We visited with Theresa recently, and listened as she provided this overview of how Fitness Together can help you reach your fitness goals;- read more...

Values, Academic Excellence, Service - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: In September of 1950, four years after the Parish of Saint Joseph was established, Sister Marguerite, three Sisters of Saint Joseph, and one teacher welcomed students to the four classrooms of the new Saint Joseph Elementary School. Saint John Neumann Parish was established in 1977, and in 1978 Saints Joseph and John Interparochial School was formed when Cardinal Hickey and the Diocesan Catholic School Building Committee made the decision to create an interparochial school to accept and serve students from both parishes. We met recently with Principal Darlene (Dolly) Thomas, and listened as she provided this overview of Sts. Joseph & John School's mission to educate, enlighten, and inspire; - read more...

The Permanent Waterproofing Solution - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Douglas (Doug) B. Kern has always been interested in the construction industry. After meeting the founder of B-Dry Waterproofing System, Doug was so impressed with B-Dry's unique approach to waterproofing basements he purchased the original B-Dry franchise in 1992. We visited with Doug recently, and listened as he provided this overview of B-Dry's services and their remarkable history as the undisputed leader in the waterproofing industry; - read more...

Complete Car Care Experts - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: For Michael (Mike) and Beth Kowalsky's family, automobiles have been a central focus of their lives for decades. Although Mike was employed as a chemist for twenty-three years, he and son Tom were dedicated automobile racing enthusiasts. When Mike's employer decided to move their operations to Nashville, TN, the Kowalsky family chose to remain in Northeast Ohio and open their own business. Researching available opportunities, they quickly discovered that AAMCO Transmissions had been a leader in the automotive repair industry for over forty years. On January 2, 2007, Mike, Beth, and Tom opened the doors to AAMCO of Medina where they stake their reputation on their award-winning customer service. We met with Mike, Beth, and Tom recently, and listened as they provided this overview of the services AAMCO of Medina offers; - read more...

Healthcare At Its Finest - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Willowood Care Center of Brunswick, founded in 1993 and owned by Ed Telle, has established itself as the premier nursing and rehabilitation center in the Greater Cleveland Community. With a mission of providing an atmosphere where each resident's quality of life is enhanced by focusing on their individual uniqueness, Willowood Care Center strives to provide residents with quality care while enabling them to retain the freedom to make the choices that affect their daily lives. We met recently with Administrator Emily J. Muscatello, LNHA and Director of Nursing Connie Monachino, RN, and listened as they provided this overview of Willowood Care Center's services and offerings; - read more...

Your Local Heating & Air Conditioning Experts - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Starting from a very young age, Frank Staron helped his father in the heating and air conditioning business. Wanting to start their own company, Frank and his wife Cheryl coupled the first four letters of her maiden name with the first four letters of their last name and in 1986 founded Kamm Star Contractors Inc. We met with Frank and Cheryl recently, and listened as they offered this overview of the products and services Kamm Star Contractors provides; - read more...

The Only Lawn Care Company You'll Ever Need - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: You would be hard pressed to find any in the Brunswick, Ohio area who appreciate a finely manicured lawn more than the Jeffers family. A close-knit family, they always dreamed of owning their own business, and in 2001 combined their talents to found Jeffers Lawn Maintenance. We visited recently with co-owners Gail, Scott, and Tabitha Jeffers and crew leader Nathan Hess, and listened as they described the services Jeffers Lawn Maintenance provides; - read more...

Where Quality and Customer Service are the Number 1 Priority - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: After serving his tour of duty with the U.S. Army, John Rocha took an office equipment repair course through the Veteran's Administration. He and his wife, Barb, founded Rocha Enterprises in 1970 and have watched their business grow from offering office equipment repair to sales of office equipment, toner cartridge refills, and limousine service and sales. We met with John recently, and listened as he provided this overview of Rocha Enterprises' many products and services; - read more...

The Total Solution for All of Your Golf Car Needs - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Craig Crissinger began working for golf cart companies in 1989. In 2003, Craig decided to become self-employed and founded Liberty Golf Cars, LLC in Brunswick, Ohio. We visited with Craig recently, and listened as he provided this overview of Liberty Golf Cars' products and services; - read more...

Lifestyle. Quality. Philosophy. - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Devon Oaks assisted living is proud to be part of Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network, a non-profit organization caring for older adults in the Cleveland area for 120 years. Devon Oaks opened its doors in 2000 in the heart of Westlake on Crocker Road, across from (what is now known as) Crocker Park. We met recently with Executive Director Danielle Maur, Director of Marketing Carrie Cuadrado, and Administrator of Clinical Services Melissa Foldi, and listened as they provided this overview of Devon Oaks: - read more...

Building Customers for Life - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Barbara J. Pack began her career in the construction industry in the early 1990s. From the very beginning, everyone she worked with recognized her exceptional abilities. She received her Associate of Arts Degree in 1997 and continued to complete her education at the American School of Paperhanging Arts. Barbara started her own paint and wallcovering company in 1997 with continuing success. We visited with Barbara recently, and listened as she provided this overview of Quality Paint & Wallcoverings' services; - read more...

Teaching the Three Practical Essentials for Life - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Mike Cunningham had been fascinated by Bruce Lee since he was six years old. By the time he reached his freshman year in high school in 1989 he weighed 265 pounds and joined a martial arts program to help him lose weight while learning some self defense skills. In 1995 Mike was offered the opportunity to run a Brunswick martial arts school, which he did until 2005. Over the years Mike obtained his 5th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo, a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Hapkido, a 1st Degree Black Belt in Kumdo, and a Black Belt in Kickboxing. In 2006 Master Mike opened his own school with the founding of Practical Martial Arts in Brunswick, Ohio. We met with Master Mike recently, and listened as he provided this overview of his school's offerings; - read more...

Always Fresh, Always Healthy, Always Beautiful - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Diane and David Benigni had been searching for the perfect business opportunity for many years. They knew that opening their own company would require a sizable investment, but could never find a business that they felt offered the right risk to reward ratio. Diane was always drawn to the floral industry, although the number of local florists left her feeling that the market for floral products might already be met. Finally they discovered Edible Arrangements®, a franchise concept launched in East Haven, Connecticut in 1999 that was growing by leaps and bounds. Realizing that they had found the opportunity they sought, Diane and David opened their own Edible Arrangements® franchise in October 2007. We visited with Diane and David recently, and listened as they provided this overview of Edible Arrangements' unique offerings; - read more...

Home Cooked American and Lebanese Cuisine - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Dib Azar lived in Cannes, France for six years while attending high school and college. Like many high school students, he was eager to find a job where he could earn some extra money. Dib found employment in a local restaurant starting first as a bus boy and dishwasher, then working his way up as his knowledge increased. After immigrating to the United States, Dib founded the Brunswick Family Restaurant on February 2, 2003. We met with Dib recently, and listened as he described his restaurant's offerings; - read more...

Making Your Next Construction Project a Success - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Brunswick, Ohio resident Michael Cangemi began working in the construction industry shortly after graduating from high school. His experience encompasses all facets of the industry from excavating to building houses. In February 2000, Michael purchased an existing construction business and renamed his new company Around the Clock Trenching/Concrete, Inc. We visited with Michael recently, and listened as he provided this overview of the services Around the Clock Trenching/Concrete provides; - read more...

You Call - We Haul - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: In the early 1990s Len Julio used his pickup truck to haul away some scrap aluminum siding for a friend who was doing a siding job. After helping on a few more jobs, Len realized that if he had a larger truck he could handle more jobs and might be able to earn a living hauling trash. He purchased a twenty-five yard truck, had it outfitted with a hoist, and founded L.J. Hauling, Inc. in 1993. Len began to haul construction debris for Pulte homes, in addition to handling a wide variety of residential clean-ups. We visited with Len recently, and listened as he described the services L.J. Hauling offers; - read more...

To Celebrate Your Occasion - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: Darrell L. Waite began his career in the floral industry when he was only fifteen years old. His first job was working for Morgan's Greenhouse in Medina. As soon as he was old enough to drive, he began handling the deliveries of flowers for Morgan's Flower Shop which was owned by Bob and Irene Johnson. In addition to driving Morgan's pink delivery van, Darrell also began to learn the art of preparing floral arrangements. - read more...

Giving You More Time to Build Your Business - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: As working professionals, Julie and Len Zevchek faced long commutes and extensive travel on a daily basis. Julie had been organizing workflow and improving office processes in the banking, advertising, and manufacturing industries for over twenty years. Len spent twenty-five years in the travel industry where he worked with United Airlines in the automation field. In February 1996 Julie founded Executive Office Solutions, Inc. so she could work closer to home and have more time with their children. In 1999 Len joined the company to help keep pace with the company's steady growth. We met with Julie and Len recently, and listened as they provided this overview of the services Executive Office Solutions offers; - read more...

Your One-Stop-Shop for All Your Landscape Needs - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: After working for two years helping a gentleman start a landscape supply company in Westlake, Bill Lattner came across a piece of property in Brunswick that needed a new lease on life. After Bill cleaned up the property and made a few improvements, in May 1992 it became the location for what would become Earth Plus, Inc. Bill would take a load of mulch and topsoil on consignment. With little more than a pickup truck and a shovel, he would deliver it to his customers by the yard or half yard, and unload it by hand. As he collected from each customer, he would pay his supplier for the previous load and pick up another. Before long, he was purchasing larger loads in advance and clearing the property of trees to make more room. Today Earth Plus, Inc. has grown to five trucks, four drivers, five office personal, and Bill working in the yard handling the loading. We visited with Bill recently, and listened as he provided this overview of Earth Plus' offerings; - read more...

A Neighborhood Treasure - Serving Brunswick, Ohio: For the past twenty years, The Red Onion has provided the Brunswick community with a nice, family owned and operated neighborhood eatery where local residents could meet and enjoy some great food, a casual drink, some conversation, and some of the most innovative entertainment in the area. Now owned by Don (one of the original owners) and Donna Cash and Don and Patty Wcislo, The Red Onion has become well known not only as an entertainment center but also for their continuing involvement in local fundraising and community affairs. - read more...