Songbird Station wins Small Business of the Year
Songbird Station, which caters to the needs of local bird enthusiasts, received the award during a luncheon at the Courtyard by Marriott on May 6 after competing with four other finalists: Bucket Media, Columbia EDP Center, Frameworks Gifts and Interiors and Midwest Computech. About 100 people attended the luncheon.
“We were very surprised, very humbled and appreciative,” Toellner said after the event, speaking on behalf of he and Bev Toellner, his wife and co-owner. He said winning the award would not have been possible without his loyal customers in mid-Missouri.
He also found the process itself helpful to his business. “Going through the application process, I found it to be very beneficial in two ways,” he said. “It caused you to reflect on where you’ve been, which of course made you think even more about what worked, didn’t work and then where are you going to go.”
In business for 15 years, Songbird Station sells products for the enjoyment of wild birds such as bird feeders, houses, birdbaths and fountains. In addition, the store sells organic lawn and household products, outdoor furniture, garden items and products for kids and pets.
The award luncheon marked the end of the Chamber’s annual Small Business Week, which included seminars given by each finalist a few days prior to the award presentation.
Keynote speaker Kurt Mirtsching, the manager of Shakespeare’s Pizza, told how the pizza place won Good Morning America Weekend’s Best Bites competition and said the keys to small business success include doing the “boring” things right, offering a good product and balancing business and fun. Mirtsching displayed the fun side by sharing photos of a youngster who picked his nose on national TV during the GMA broadcast.
