Small Business News
Barclays Reveals Winners of Third “Small Business Big Wins”
Earlier this year, Barclays announced that it was launching its third annual “Small Business Big Wins” promotion — which was also set to be its largest yet. After the bank selected 10 finalists, the public had the chance to vote for the business they thought should take the top prize. Now, just in time for National Small Business Week, Barclays has revealed the slate of winners.
With the results of the vote tallied, this year’s grand prize winner was Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen. The Troy, New York-based restaurant serves authentic Korean cuisine via dine-in, take-out, and catering. Moreover, as Barclays notes, Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen not only employs immigrant Americans but also offers free virtual English classes for adults. As the winner of the contest, Sunhee’s will be awarded a $60,000 grant.
Taking home the $40,000 second prize was the unique grocer Dixon Cooperative Market in Dixon, New Mexico, while Atlanta’s own Beautiful Curly Me custom doll shop was awarded the $20,000 third-place prize. Additionally, Pittsburgh-based Happy Day Dessert Factory, D.C.’s KnoNap, Memphis’s Mickey’s Popcorn, Brooklyn’s Rose Sisters Clips, and Wowzitude of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey were all presented with $5,000 grants as finalists. Another 50 randomly-select small business entrants were also awarded $2,000 each, bringing the total prize money to $255,000.
Speaking to the impact of this year’s promotion, Barclay’s Director of US Business Cards Jill Neilson said, “Small businesses were forced to adapt during the pandemic and now face tough economic conditions. Our annual contest supports and provides capital to small businesses who play a critical role in fueling our economy and providing jobs and services to our communities.”
Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen owner Jinah Kim commented on what the award means to her, stating, “We are incredibly grateful to our supporters in the community who rallied behind us during the voting process. A big mission for us is working with immigrants and providing educational programming and professional development. This cash influx from Barclays will enable us to bolster these programs and reach more people in our community.”
All in all, it looks as though the third annual Barclays Small Business Big Wins contest was a success. Surely the grant money awarded to the 10 finalists as well as the other selected winners will go a long way in helping them grow and sustain their businesses. Hopefully, the enthusiasm surrounding this latest promotion will also mean that Barclays will unveil a fourth edition soon (or next year). In the meantime, to learn more about each of the awarded businesses, profiles for each can still be viewed on the Small Business Big Wins site.
