Holly DDA director and Holly Candle Shoppe receive top honors

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Holly Candle Shoppe is open 10...

HOLLY, Michigan – Holly residents have a reason to cheer as one local business and the director of Holly’s Downtown Development Authority were recognized for their good work at Main Street Oakland County’s Main Event on Oct. 23 in Royal Oak.

Suzanne Perreault, the DDA director, was this year’s recipient of the “Guts and Determination” Award. Principal planner for MSOC, Bob Donohue, presented the award.

“Suzanne has consistently shown her professionalism, diplomatic skills and leadership qualities to further the objectives of Holly’s DDA,” he said. In 2008, Holly’s Main Street Program received National Accreditation from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a real feather not only in Perreault’s cap, but also Holly’s DDA.

“I was really surprised,” Perreault said of her win. “I really wasn’t expecting to win, but am certainly honored and humbled.”

Joining her were Dan and Holly Jablonski, owners of The Holly Candle Shoppe, 211 S. Saginaw. Receiving the “Outstanding Sign Award,” the Jablonskis were nominated by the Holly DDA Board earlier this year.

The award honors top quality new or restored signs that project an appropriate business identity. In their nomination, the DDA noted that the Holly Candle Shoppe had taken their logo outside and utilized a hanging projecting sign and sandwich board design to deliver their image.

“We were excited to be nominated for the award in the first place, let alone to actually win it,” Holly said. “It’s just a clear indication that we’re headed in the right direction on making the Holly Candle Shoppe everything that we want it to be.”

“Pure and simply, they deserved the award,” Perreault said. “They have truly set a new standard regarding signage in the downtown and we’re very proud to call them our own.”