East Windsor Chamber Of Commerce Honors Businessman Tuesday

Tom Kuhns was surprised to be named Business Person of the Year by the East Windsor Chamber of Commerce.

“I’m not the type of person who seeks recognition, but I am honored to be named,” Kuhns said. “I hope to continue to be involved in the town for many years to come.”

“We usually ask the public for nominations, but once Tom’s name came up this year, the East Windsor Chamber Board of Directors decided to unanimously honor him for his community service and involvement in the revitalization of Broad Brook Village,” said Jim Richards, executive director of the chamber.

On Tuesday, the East Windsor Chamber of Commerce will host its annual meeting, and honor Tom Kuhns as Business Person of the Year.

After the October 2011 snowstorm, Kuhns hosted two free meals at Merlot on the Water for East Windsor residents.

“He really has gone above and beyond with his response to the needs of the people after the storm,” Richards said.

In East Windsor, many residents lost power for a week or longer due to the storm. Schools were closed for a week as well. Kuhns had a generator and advertised with signs around town offering free dinners at Merlot.

One night they had spaghetti and salad, and another night they had Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and salad. More than 400 people came the first night.

“The power had been out for a couple days, and just driving around you could tell it would be longer,” Kuhns said. “I decided we could do a dinner for people. The looks on people’s faces when they came in, you could tell they were distraught.”

He said by counting plates he thinks they served almost 1,000 meals over the two nights. “With this economy, you can’t take a family out for dinner every night over a week,” he said. “We were happy to provide a service for people.”

“Tom is a business man with a vision,” First Selectman Denise Menard said of his involvement in Broad Brook. She said the Opera House is a credit to the area and Merlot on the Water is a beautiful facility.

“He came to us during the power outage and offered to host meals out of the goodness of his heart,” Menard said.

Kuhns has been a landlord in Broad Brook for about 14 years. He originally bought the shopping center on Main Street, across from the Broad Brook Post Office, 14 years ago. Different tenants came in and out, including a restaurant and a convenience store.

He bought the about 10 years ago, and helped revitalize it, with renovations and by inviting the St. Martha’s Players, now the Opera House Players, to make it their home theater. His daughter, Liza, runs the hair salon, Beauty Mark Salon and Spa, on the first floor.

He then sold the shopping center about five years ago and two years later bought the former Knights of Columbus building on Depot Street, renovating the building and opening Merlot on the Water, a banquet hall, which is run by his other daughter, Victoria Kuhns.

“Broad Brook is a destination location,” Kuhns said. “I like the feel of it. People come from all over the country to go to weddings at Merlot and we have had brides from out-of-state as well.”

He said the exposure is good for the community and he hires local people to staff events. Also, the event guests use local hotels and visit local restaurants during their stay.

“It is a win-win for the town and everyone involved,” Kuhns said. He lives in South Windsor, but said he recently bought land in East Windsor and plans to build a home.

He also runs Capitol Sweeping Services with his wife Lesa. The South Windsor company offers street sweeping, snow removal, hauling and construction services.

The East Windsor Chamber of Commerce will host its 17^th annual meeting on Tuesday, June 26 to honor Kuhns, elect officers and hear the annual report. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail hour, followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. at the Nutmeg Restaurant, 297 South Main St., East Windsor. Contact Jim Richards at jim@eastwindsorchamber.com or 860-292-6776 for more information.