A pair of Northwest Indiana businesses are among those being honored, as part of the state's recognition of Small Business Week.
J's Breakfast Club in Gary has been named the Community Impact Small Business of the Year by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. It was recognized for its outreach activities, like providing resources to seniors on Mondays and spotlighting other local small businesses on Saturdays.
Meanwhile, Paradise Spreads in Schererville was named the Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year. It was founded in 2018 by a former social worker, who says she "used the memories from her mother’s kitchen and desire to help others, to create a food that can be enjoyed by everyone."
Each of the seven businesses recognized by the IEDC have worked with the Indiana Small Businesses Development Center.