In 1958, Daniel and Leo O’Brien had a vision of community that became O’Brien Brothers Agency, a real estate development and management company with roots in the Greater Burlington area. For half a century, they’ve provided people with places to live and run their businesses. In addition to rental housing and apartments for seniors, low-income, and disabled persons, O’Brien Brothers offers lots for building your dream home. Committed to excellence, personalized service, and environmentally sound development, they care about how their projects are built and maintained. O’Brien Brothers and their skilled team are all about quality real estate, professional management, and strong tenant relationships; their properties have received  awards from the Vermont Homebuilders & Remodelers Association of Northern Vermont. Among other projects that give back to the community, O’Brien Brothers Agency sponsored cruises on Lake Champlain for the first-ever Kids Day in August 2011 put on by the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival.

Visit on-line at www.obrienbrothersagency.com

CEO/founder Rich Tarrant, entrepreneur in the retail, real estate, and health care industries, started MyWebGrocer in 1999. A University of Vermont graduate and early believer in the on-line grocery business, Rich developed the company’s first generation eCommerce Platform— MyWebGrocer now ranks among Vermont’s fastest-growing companies, leading the way in digital solutions for retail groceries.

You can save time and money by shopping on-line for groceries. Search for local retailers, make your selections, place your order on-line, and MyWebGrocer’s shoppers will fill and pack your order. Depending on the retailer, pickup and delivery services are available. With headquarters in Winooski, the company employs a dynamic team of over 100 professionals from backgrounds including database and development, customer service, web design, sales, marketing, graphic design, and account management. MyWebGrocer supports regional nonprofits, including Lund Family Center, March of Dimes, Vermont Foodbank, the Joshua Frase foundation, Dragonheart, and Camp Takumta, through monetary donations and volunteering, plus participation in fundraising.

For more information, go to mywebgrocer.com.

“Every business needs a small dog to help it grow.” That’s Small Dog Electronics’ motto. The Waitsfield, Vermont company, started in Don Mayer’s house in 1994, now employs 60 Mac lovers in two Vermont stores and one in Manchester, New Hampshire. Small Dog is the top Apple Specialist in New England—# 3 nationwide—and can fix any problem with your Mac, iPhone, iPod, or iPad.

Whether your business needs on-site IT professionals or your home pc is ailing, Small Dog’s certified technicians offer expertise, products, and services. Led by father and son Don and Hapy Mayer, the social mission of Small Dog focuses on multiple bottom lines—their effect on the environment, community, and employees is as important to them as profitability. From Macs to PCs, servers to printers, setup to troubleshooting, Small Dog is “best in show.”

Visit on-line at www.smalldog.com, check out the dog photos, and sign up for Kibbles & Bytes, a Mac newsletter full of tips and how-to guides.

Try one of our favorite desserts for the holidays.

• 4 fresh eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 can pureed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup white flour
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3-1/2 oz shaved coconut
• 2 cups grated carrot

1. In a bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. When all ingredients are incorporated, add pineapple.

2. In separate bowl, combine flours, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix well. Add coconut and carrots. Fold wet into dry and mix.

3. Spray two 9×13-inch baking pans with spray release cooking spray. Pour half of the mixture into each pan. Bake at 350° for roughly 25 minutes. (Poke a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean and warm, it is done). Let cool.

4. When cool, frost with cream cheese frosting and garnish with candied carrots.

Frosting

• 34 oz softened cream cheese
• 1/4 lb softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1. Slightly soften cream cheese and butter in microwave.

2. Whip all ingredients in a standing mixer.

3. Spread on cooled cake.

Candied Carrot Garnish

• 3 cups thinly julienne carrots, 3 inches long (use a mandoline if you have one)
• 3 Tbsp sugar

1. Toss carrots in sugar and coat well.

2. In a small saucepot or tall sauté pan, bring 1-1/2 inches of oil to 300°. Add carrots and fry until they’re light orange (about 3 minutes). Drain carrots on paper towels or a cloth and pull apart with tongs or a fork to shape the carrots as desired. Place on individual portions of cake.

Local business named one of the Top 100 Bicycle Stores by Bicycling Magazine

Earl’s Cyclery & Fitness, founded in 1953, is a specialty retailer of bicycles and fitness equipment. Earl’s has been selected as one of the “Top 100” Bicycle Dealers in America. Stores were chosen based on customer service, inventory, and advocacy, among other criteria. For the last three years Earl’s has been chosen “Best Place to Buy a Bicycle” by Burlington Free Press Readers’ Choice Awards. Our service department, nicknamed “Home of the Bike Doctors” is certified in the most difficult of bicycle and fitness equipment repairs. Earl’s is counted on by various hotels, fitness clubs, and schools for fitness equipment repairs, including maintaining the University of Vermont fitness equipment.

Show your loved ones how special they are this holiday season with a Bear-Gram from the Vermont Teddy Bear Company. Every Bear-Gram includes the handmade Vermont Teddy Bear you’ve chosen, a gourmet candy treat (chocolate November through April), your own message printed on a colorful gift card, and a gift box printed with travel games inside—complete with an air hole so your bear gets plenty of fresh air. Unconditionally guaranteed for a lifetime, Vermont Teddy Bears are available in many varieties for every holiday.

If you’re looking for the ultimate holiday gift, go for a Bear & PJ Combo! Each features a Vermont Teddy Bear plus a pair of fun and comfy pajamas by Pajamagram. Your child will be thrilled to discover that she and her furry new friend have matching pajamas. (Women’s sizes are also available, so you can order a combo for yourself or surprise a special woman in your life as well!)

Visit www.vermontteddybear.com to browse the wide variety of bears and pajamas, and be sure to visit the factory and Bear Shop at 6655 Shelburne Road in Shelburne, Vermont. The factory is open year-round, seven days a week (except for holidays) and tours are popular with kids and parents alike. For more information on the Factory Tour and Bear Shop, visit the website or call (802) 985-3001 ext. 1700.

Local business recognized as Dealer of the Year

Williston-based Windows & Doors by Brownell has been named a 2011 Dealer of the Year by Windows & Doors magazine. The company was recognized for Excellence in a Retail Program for their outstanding showroom.

When he formed Windows & Doors by Brownell more than 20 years ago, Les Brownell married his past experiences and set a goal to build a window and door specialty business with a strong retail presence. The company has built three thriving showroom locations to highlight the flexibility and creative options consumers can find in the Marvin and Therma-Tru products it carries. The displays are true-to-life, with window and door products built into simulated walls, and the company frequently updates its displays to reflect its manufacturers’ most recent offerings.

“From day one, I’ve had the philosophy that a piece of literature is only a piece of literature,” Brownell says. “With people making this kind of investment, they need to touch it, feel it, see it.”

In the beginning, Windows & Doors by Brownell featured a small showroom, but Brownell quickly realized additional space would be necessary to make the facility an integral component of the business model. The company’s flagship showroom, located in Williston, Vermont, was built in 1998 with an innovative approach to displays, and expanded in 2006 to include even more products and displays. Today, the dealer displays various product lines as they would appear built into a wall—showing size, shape, and color combinations as they would look in actual home settings.

With a successful recipe of real-life displays, a flexible product line, and well-trained sales associates, Windows & Doors by Brownell expanded its retail strategy to other nearby markets. In 2007, the company opened a Plattsburgh, New York, showroom, and in 2010 added a third retail location in West Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Brownell believes his company’s welcoming and inspiring showrooms have become an important resource for area home improvement shoppers. “We’re well known here in this marketplace,” he says. “A husband and wife might wake up on a Saturday and decide they want to put a new patio door in. Most will then say, ‘Let’s go to Brownell’s.’”

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.wdbrownell.com.