Coccia House, Weaver Custom Homes are Small Businesses of the Year
By Tami Lange Mosser
June 27, 2015
923
Two long-time Wooster businesses got their due Wednesday, June 17 as they were honored by the Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce during its annual Small Business Reception.
The event, sponsored by Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnston and Rea & Associates, honors the top small businesses in two categories, those with 15 or fewer employees and those with more than 15 employees.
Coccia House Ristorante and Pizzeria was chosen in the smaller category, which also included nominees Briggs Financial Group, Canaan Meats and Jackwood Law Office. Among the larger small businesses, Weaver Custom Homes took the top prize, besting nominees Built-Rite Box & Crate, the City Square Steakhouse and Nick Amster Workshop.
Coccia House, whose pizza is well known far beyond Wooster, was founded in 1958 by Domenica Minnie Coccia, along with her daughter Jeannette and son-in-law Joe Calabria and has remained for more than a half-century at its original location on Pittsburgh Avenue. Jeannette Calabria died in April. The award was accepted by Joe Calabria, who will be 92 in July. He now runs the restaurant along with his children, Steve and Karen Calabria.
Weaver Custom homes began with Ben and Ada Mae Weaver building homes in the 1960s and was incorporated under its current name in 1979. The business is responsible for some of Woosters best-known housing developments and in 2009 moved into the Columbus market and the St. Clairsville market. It builds custom designs throughout communities within a two-hour radius of Wooster, including Cleveland and the citys suburbs.
Most recently, Weaver opened a design center in downtown Wooster.
Company President Merle Stutzman, who has been with the company since 1989, accepted the award.
All of the finalists were praised by the events sponsors. Speaking for Rea & Associates, principal and director of tax services Lesley Mast lauded the group on being brave and taking chances. Whether an established business or a newcomer, she said, each of them started with passion and a dream that they could offer a product or a service to consumers in a better way than anyone else could. They created jobs, they sparked innovation and they provided opportunities.
