Winners are grinners, and Saturday night's 2012 Douglas Business Awards brought smiles to the faces of dozens of local businesses and business people recognised for their efforts over the past 12 months.

In a town which attracts coffee connoisseurs from the cafe culture capitals of Melbourne and Sydney, the Best Coffee award was hotly contested with Whileaway Bookshop & Cafe receiving the most votes from customers.

Whileaway's Anna Vigliocco was beaming with delight after the announcement and said it was important to live up to expectations of those in the know.

"People from cities where the coffee is already known as good quality, and they're coming up here and telling us what we have here is better than in Melbourne and Sydney.

"In Australia they give you good feedback...here people will say if it's good or bad," she said.

It was a big night for Whileaway who was also a finalist in the Best Friendly Restaurant/Café Service, Best Retailer, and Best Friendly Retail Service categories.  

"Everyone was there and it was beautiful. We had fun and the food was good and the place was really well set up," Anna said of the gala event at Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas.

"It's good for businesses, it's good for us, it's good for everyone to catch up with other businesses."

Attitudes Boutique was awarded Best Retailer in the Douglas region, and representative Rachel Fisher thanked her customers for their support.

"We were very happy for the store to be recognised for the service. We've got a great local following and we're just happy that they voted for us," she said.

"It's a good award because it comes from the customers, the people that shop with us."

Pictured above: The team at Whileaway Bookshop & Cafe celebrate their Best Coffee success. Below: LJ Hooker's sales team were voted best in the region.



Real Estate awards were also up for grabs with LJ Hooker Port Douglas and Century 21 Port Douglas recognised as Best Real Estate Sales Agents and Best Rental Property Agents respectively.

LJ Hooker principal Michael Sampson said the award was welcome recognition for his staff in a challenging period for real estate in Port Douglas.  

"I think it's great for our team. They've worked hard over the last 12 months especially, it has been a tough real estate market," he said.

"All the team has put in a huge effort and it's good to see them get a smile on their face and receive the award.

"It's a competitive industry so we're wrapped to get the award."

Century 21 partner Narelle Johnson spoke highly of her property managers Christina Serjeant and Megan Newman.

"I get a lot of good feedback about what they do. We're told we're the friendliest place in Port, that nothing's too much trouble and the girls jump to every time someone rings," she said.

Christina said that the customer-voted format meant that businesses could be rewarded for how they operate on a day-to-day basis.

"I think the Awards are a good thing for the town. The good thing about it was that we didn't even know we were nominated...It's good to be appreciated for what you do."

Pictured below: Narelle Johnson with her award winning property managers, Megan Newman and Christina Serjeant.