Oct. 15. By Jon Show. If you’ve never been to the Lake Norman Chamber Business Expo—which I hadn’t attended until yesterday—you’re missing out.

The event, large in numbers but quaint in feel, is like a homecoming for local business owners and residents—a chance to say hi to people you know and an even better chance to shake hands with someone you’ve never met.

I’ve lived in Cornelius for 11 years and have been a business owner for 16. This, however, is my first year as a local business owner, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised—probably more like comforted—by how tight-knit and supportive the Lake Norman business community is. The expo is a great way to meet the people who own and operate our local retailers, service providers and more.

On a personal note, thanks to the many readers and businesses who stopped by to say hi to me and Jason yesterday. And in case you’re a business owner who saw someone in a Cornelius Today T-shirt strip-mining Milk Duds and Kit Kats out of your candy bowl, that was my mom, Melinda—our newly appointed distribution manager—who was also there for a while.

This is not a comprehensive look at the expo. It’s not a review. What we saw was endless enthusiasm and impressive layouts by nearly every business in attendance. I didn’t make it to every booth—not even close—but I do want to highlight a few that caught my eye as I darted around dropping off print issues and business cards.

In the interest of preserving our mission to maintain your trust when it comes to editorial content, none of the businesses mentioned below are current advertisers.

Snooze Mattress Company — Anyone who’s stood on a convention floor for hours knows fancy clothes get uncomfortable quickly. The Snooze team wore pajamas—a master move in comfort and a perfect on-brand choice for a business that peddles sleep and relaxation.

Jimmy John’s — We’re Double J fans in my household, and while the food sold at the event was great, there was something nice about grabbing a free mini Turkey Tom between conversations. Melinda had one after wrapping up her candy hunt, and I’ll be cashing in my coupon for a free toasted sandwich later today at our local franchise.

Boat Doctor — I met a ton of nice people yesterday, but Boat Doctor owner Alex Kuz was among the most friendly and, like me, he was a first-time attendee. Cool logo, too.

Massage Heights — Offering chair massages is not only a smart way to authentically demonstrate your services, but it also gives you a chance to interact longer with potential customers. My back was killing me, so I can attest that they were busy all day.

Nothing Bundt Cakes — Little bundt cakes are delicious, so why not sell them on the trade show floor? We shared a back curtain, so I got to listen to people order them all day long.

United Community Bank — You might look at a stack of little blue plastic piggy banks and ask, “Why would anyone want one of those?” But they were among the most in-demand items on the expo floor. Great pens, too—which says something when there are a lot of pens at a convention.

Vine Society — The variety of food at the expo was impressive, but Mariano’s spread of charcuterie, paired with wine tastings to promote an upcoming Cain Center event, looked the tastiest.

Smiles all around — Freedom Boat Club and Charlotte Independence Soccer Club are in the fun business, and their enthusiasm was as contagious at the end as it was in the beginning. Sometimes it’s also just great to meet new people and catch up with familiar faces.

In reality, the energy of all the business owners and representatives was infectious, and I wish we could recognize them all. In a time when cynicism abounds and we often think of corporations as soulless entities, there’s something reassuring about shaking hands with local printers, HVAC repair techs and fellow media folks.

Finally, a tip of the cap to Bill Russell, who leads the Lake Norman Chamber, and his team. They deserve a ton of credit for putting on such a great event and for their never ending support and promotion of local businesses.

We hope to see you out there next year.