Chocolatiers launch website
Covered in Chocolate, Theresa, has launched its online home and e-commerce site at www.covered-in-chocolate.com.
Covered in Chocolate is owned by mother-daughter team Jennifer L. Mc- Connell and Susan M. Tanner. They have a storefront at 125 Commercial St. in Theresa and now sell several of their chocolate covered treats through their website.
For more information, contact coveredinchoc@aol.com or 767-5006.
GWNCC receives accreditation
The Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce received its first five-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in November.
The chamber is the only five-star accredited chamber in the state and one of only 75 in the country. There are about 7,000 chambers in the country, but only 234 reach the first level of accreditation.
The chamber received four-star accreditation in 2002 and 2006. This time around, the chamber made improvements in government advocacy, according to former chamber CEO Peter J. Whitmore.
The chamber was examined by the U.S. chamber’s accreditation program on its governance, finance, human resources, government affairs, program development, technology, communications facilities and benchmarking.
Afgritech LLC open for business
The Afgritech LLC feed mill at 200 Willow St. in Watertown began full production in mid-November. The mill produces protein meal that is easier for cows to digest and nutrients from more than traditional sources.
Afgritech, a joint venture of Carrs Billington Agriculture, Stanwix, England, and Afgri Operations Ltd., Centurion, South Africa, bought the former Blue Seal Feeds facility a year ago and has spent about $5 million to upgrade it into what company officials called the most technologically advanced plant in North America.
This is Afgritech’s first plant in the U.S. Other plants are in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Argentina. Long-term goals include plants in California and the Midwest.
New flower shop makes home in Watertown
Mother-daughter team Rhonda Hall- Allen and Lori L. Allen have opened Allen’s Florist and Pottery Shop at 1092 Coffeen St. in Watertown. The shop offers fresh arrangements, flowers, plants and pottery to be painted.
Ms. Hall-Allen, a retired Indian River Central School District art teacher, sells her artwork and ceramics. The shop has a pottery painting room for parties and group events, where customers can choose from a wide variety of figurines and designs. Ms. Hall-Allen’s paintings, a friend’s jewelry and gifts such as fairy and angel figurines are also for sale. Ms. Allen makes fresh arrangements and custom arrangements, including Christmas wreaths of different colors.
Ms. Allen has a bachelor’s degree in psychology. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. The telephone number is 786-6300.
Coughlin lauded
Watertown’s Downtown Business Association named Coughlin Printing Group its member of the month for October.
The company has consistently promoted and supported the DBA. Over the past year, Coughlin Printing expanded, moving to 210 Court St., Suite 10.
The business has been in operation for more than 100 years. It offers commercial printing, automated mailings, promotional products and professional website design from three locations, which also include Lowville and Carthage.
More information about Coughlin Printing and its services are available at www.coughlinprinting.com. The group was chosen as member of the month because of its downtown spirit, support and business achievement.
Advanced Business Systems marks 20 years
For more than 20 years, Advanced Business Systems, Murrock Circle, Watertown, has been a well-known commodity for office technology solutions. Now owner Ed Jones is taking his team to new heights and moving the company closer to a full-line solutions provider in the world of office equipment.
The company has added a full line of postage machines and has expanded their territory to include Oswego and Onondaga counties. Advanced Business Systems employs 27 people after adding three new hires over the past six months and expects to add to that total over the next year.
For more information about ABS, visit www.abscopiers.com.
