David Miller

Co-owner, Cannons Marina

“August was one of our best months ever in terms of both boat rentals and new boat sales. The increase in tourism last summer affected rentals; also, we offer a package that if you pay upfront for five days you get to use the boat for seven days over the course of a year and that’s very popular.

“A year ago we took on a new boat line made in Palmetto, Jupiter Boats, and we’re doing very well with them. They make offshore boats from 26 to 41 feet. And we’ve been selling Grady Whites for 35 years and that’s been very good to us, too. There are a lot of people here with a lot of money, and they didn’t lose it all.”

 

Robert Langdon

Co-owner, EarthFruits Frozen Yogurt

“We opened June 16 in the Fresh Market plaza off University Parkway, and we’re very happy so far. We had a business in the Memphis, Tenn., area and sold it, then decided we were too young to retire. We bought the EarthFruits Sarasota and Manatee counties franchise territory because we’ve had a second home in Lakewood Ranch since 2002 and always intended this would be our home.

“We looked at that area as the new shopping mecca, and we felt that was the right place to be. We’re expecting to open a second location in the Sarasota Pavilion shopping center off Stickney Point Road in late October, and we’ve got our eye on other locations as well.”