Artisan Custom Closets named Cobb Chamber's Small Business of the Year

CUMBERLAND — The Cobb Chamber of Commerce named Artisan Custom Closets, a Marietta-based closet contracting company, as the 2022 Small Business of the Year on Monday.

The company was chosen as the top business from a list of 25 finalists across the county. Founded in 2011, Artisan Custom Closets designs, manufactures and installs custom storage solutions in residential homes in Atlanta and Nashville. A woman-owned business, the company focuses on organizing closets, pantries, offices, laundry rooms, garages and additional spaces within the home.

“This business is an award-winning leader within the industry, building a brand and culture that boasts the qualities of innovation, integrity and quality,” said Kim Gresh, owner and president of S.A. White Oil Company, just before the announcement. “This small business winner impressively stays committed to professional service and client satisfaction. And this focus is reflected in their nine years of consistent growth.”

John Loud, former chamber chairman, who presented the award alongside Gresh, said Artisan Custom Closets experienced 37% growth and hired 15 new employees from 2020 to 2021. After the winner was announced, Lisa Carlquist, president and master storage designer of Artisan Custom Closets, took the stage with her team members at the Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre.

“This is such an honor,” she said. “If you own a business, you know there is no way you do this alone.”

As the 2022 Small Business of the Year, Artisan Custom Closets will continue to represent Cobb County at Georgia’s Small Business Competition.

This year, the chamber announced two new special award categories: the Minority-Owned Business of the Year and the Woman-Owned Business of the Year. The 2022 Minority-Owned Business of the Year was awarded to HR Knowledge Source, a human resource consulting firm in Marietta. The award recognizes a small business that has attained outstanding business achievement and exemplifies the significant contributions made by minority-owned businesses.

The 2022 Woman-Owned Business of the Year award, which recognizes a small business that has attained outstanding business achievement and exemplifies the significant contributions made by women-owned businesses, was presented to Proda Technology, LLC, an IT consulting firm.

In addition, the chamber inducted Croft & Associates, last year’s Small Business of the Year, into its Small Business Hall of Fame.

Sundial Pools, LLC, a custom pool builder, was named the Top 2022 Business to Watch. Other businesses to watch were Gaston Street Eats Co., a Kennesaw food and drink caterer, and Maidpro Smyrna, a home cleaning service.

North Georgia Staffing, a human resources consulting and staffing firm, won the 2022 Next Level of Excellence award. The chamber also recognized Cortavo by Aventis Systems, an IT management company, and Liberty Furniture, a furniture company, in the Next Level of Excellence category.

Three local companies were presented the Community Service Excellence Award: SpeedPro Marietta, a custom sign shop; Peach Tree Commercial Capital, LLC, a commercial loan brokerage; and Poultry Partners, LLC/Zaxby’s, a locally owned Zaxby’s franchise.

The full list of the chamber’s Top 25 Small Businesses is as follows:

♦ 41 South Creative

♦ Artisan Custom Closets

♦ CDH Partners

♦ CFO Navigator

♦ DeNyse Companies

♦ Digital Yalo

♦ The Dwell Collective

♦ DynamiX Web Design, LLC

♦ Eclipse Networks

♦ Four Hats, Inc.

♦ Georgia Trade School

♦ Governors Gun Club Kennesaw

♦ GreenMellen

♦ Honeysuckle Biscuits & Bakery

♦ HR Knowledge Source

♦ InPrime Legal

♦ The Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team

♦ Manay CPA, Inc.

♦ The Partnership

♦ Peach State Lumber Products

♦ PLAY, LLC

♦ Poole’s Pharmacy

♦ Proda Technology, LLC

♦ Southeastern Computer Associates

♦ Stablegold Hospitality