Two Family-Owned Greenwich Restaurants Recognized as Outstanding Businesses
For the third year, Westfair Communications recognized outstanding family-owned businesses in Westchester and Fairfield counties. Approximately 250 attendees, including past winners, came to celebrate the 20 winners at a formal event Feb. 25 at 1133 Westchester Avenue in White Plains.
Two restaurants on Greenwich Avenue owned by the Penvenne family were selected as winners, Meli-Melo a creperie and juice bar with catering division specializing in international cuisines and Bistro V (formerly Versailles) known for having casual food inspired by French recipes. Marc Penvenne and his two daughters, Anne-Laure and Anne-Charlotte were in attendance to receive the award for both restaurants. Also in attendance was Marcia O'kane, President and CEO at Greenwich Chamber of Commerce. O'kane was one of the judges for the Family Owned Business Award and presented Fairfield businesses with plaques on stage during the awards program. Val’s Putnam Wines & Liquors supported the event during the reception with wine tastings.
Winners were asked to answer one of two questions when receiving his award on stage.
What is the biggest transformation your company has gone through?
What do new generations bring to the family business, and how do you balance that with tradition?
"Both of our daughters have helped us throughout the years" said Marc Penvenne, he continued "customers know them, their friends support our restaurants. Our daughter Anne-Charlotte is now leading the team at Meli-Melo so that we can build up our clientele at Bistro V. Both of our daughters help us evolve with the times, they bring a youthful perspective. Our eldest daughter, Anne-Laure has helped us grow our catering division in New York City and attends marketing events with us. Eventually they'll become the face of Meli-Melo and Bistro V for future generations."
Because family-owned businesses are the backbone of the local and national economy, the Business Awards program recognizing our local family owned businesses is long overdue explained a representative from Fairfield County Business Journal and Westchester County Business Journal.
Some statistics presented in the FOB awards event program book:
- About 1.2 million husband and wife teams are running companies. (Harvard Business Review, 2015)
- Family business leaders focus on the next generation, not the next quarter. They tend to embrace strategies that put customers and employees first and emphasize social responsibility. (Harvard Business Review)
- Women are increasingly participating in family business leadership. Currently, 24% of family businesses are led by a female CEO or President, and 31.3% of family businesses surveyed indicate that the next successor is a female. Nearly 60 percent of all family-owned businesses have women in top management team positions. (University of New Hampshire Center for Family Business, 2007)
Michael Harney, Vice President and tea taster at Harney & Sons Teas, headquartered in Millerton, N.Y., opened the program, speaking about his experience working at his family-owned business started by his late father. Harney, who worked his first year without a salary, now owns the company with his brother. His wife runs the Millerton shop and his son runs the company’s shop in SoHo.
Bryan Mellick, the president and CEO of Norwalk-based Hatch & Bailey Co., a building supply distributor with a second location in Stamford, said he started as an “outsider” as a non-relative working at the family-owned business founded in 1872. Now an “insider,” he said he gets to be part of something enduring and see the impact of his contributions.
The Awards event was presented by the Westchester and Fairfield County Business Journals. Each attendee received both publications along with WAG magazine.