A Week In Business

Flooring System, Employee Announced

SALISBURY — R&R Coatings, Inc. recently made two announcements.

The company reported the addition of Dur-A-Flex’s New Designer ReflexionsTM flooring system to its decorative line of seamless flooring systems. Reflexions flooring attracts the attention of designers with its breath-taking looks. Great for commercial applications requiring a designer option, this flooring system has UV-stability and substantial maintenance cost-savings of up to 85 percent when compared to traditional flooring options. R & R Coatings, Inc. is a local certified applicator for the Dur-A-Flex Reflexions Designer system and customers are invited to stop by the shop to see the Reflexions in person or call 877-548-0700.

Additionally, R & R Coatings, Inc., is announced that Michael “Shawn” Ralph has joined the firm. He will head up the floor division, which includes Epoxy Floors and Polished Concrete.

New Berlin Store Open

BERLIN — William Outten, who manages Town Center Antiques and Pitt Street Antiques, has recently opened UpTown Antiques at 13 S. Main Street where the Donaway Furniture Company was located.

The new store is having a grand opening, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. The store specializes in antiques, gifts, and collectibles with a flair for the unique.

Outten is no stranger to the Eastern Shore. His family has been here since the 1600s and his grandmother and father grew up in Ocean City. He relocated to Berlin about 15 years ago and has been active ever since. He joined the Berlin Chamber of Commerce, took on the chairmanship of several of the events like the Village Fair and started the cruiser event. He is a former president of the chamber. Outten has worked at the family business, Town Center Antiques.

Uptown Antiques will rent spaces to licensed antique dealers, who want to make a little extra cash and not open their own store.

“In today economy there are not a lot of avenues for people to make extra income or even start a business of their own. The big box corporate world has pretty much halted the mom and pop places of all local communities which have left Main Street nearly empty,” Outten said. “Antiques are one of the venues the big box corporations struggle with and that leave a niche for local entrepreneur to fill. I would like to see Berlin be known as the antique capital of the Eastern Shore, which will gives us a nice alternative to the big box experience as people strolls the streets of Berlin. When they enter our friendly shop, people will start reminiscing of days gone by. They will find things that spark the memories of their younger life. Our store will carry furniture, glassware, nautical items and so much more.”

Those looking to rent space should call  Outten at 410-629-1895. He is looking for a coin dealer, estate jewelry dealer, and a vintage clothing dealer to round out the venders in the new store.

Bureau Wins Award

OCEAN CITY — The publishers and editors of ConventionSouth, the national multimedia resource for planning events in the South, recently named the Ocean City Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) with a 2013 Readers’ Choice Award.

Nominated for providing exemplary service for group events, Ocean City is among 160 CVBs, meeting facilities and hotels located across the South to receive this year’s Readers’ Choice Award.

ConventionSouth readers and fans have voted to decide the best meeting sites in the South, and it is no surprise to us that Ocean City Convention and Visitors Bureau has been selected to receive our annual Readers’ Choice Award,” said ConventionSouth publisher J. Talty O’Connor. “The value in receiving this prestigious recognition is that it comes from the United States’ top meeting professionals who hold events in the South. These planners demand the highest level of customer service and quality facilities and they have contributed in determining that Ocean City Convention and Visitors Bureau indeed displays the commitment to professionalism, creativity and service that they require.”

Throughout the year, meeting professionals nominated the meeting sites they believe provide exemplary service for group events. The nominated sites were then compiled onto an online ballot where meeting professionals and fans are asked to vote for the best of the best. According to ConventionSouth , more than 6,500 voters participated this year in the election process, which was the highest vote count ever recorded.

“We are truly honored to receive ConventionSouth’s Annual Readers’ Choice Award,” said Convention Center Director Larry Noccolino. “We have always believed that we have one of the best Convention and Visitors Bureaus on the east coast, but it is very flattering to have the readers of ConventionSouth agree that we are one of the best.”

Firm Adds Employee

OCEAN CITY — Kerry Runkles has joined the staff of Insurance Management Group, Inc. an independent insurance agency located at 77th Street in Ocean City.

Runkles joined Insurance Management Group on July 16 as the Administrative Assistant for Personal Lines.

Originally from Baltimore, she and her husband, Jimmy, moved to Berlin in 2007. Her husband started his career at the Ocean City Police Department and was just named the 2013 Police Officer of the Year.