By Tom Dalton
SALEM — The owner of a store that sells natural and organic products for babies was named Businesswoman of the Year for 2007 by the Salem Chamber of Commerce.
Jennie Cudmore of Crunchy Granola Baby received the award last night at the Chamber's annual Celebrate Salem Awards at the Peabody Essex Museum. The store opened almost two years ago on Washington Street.
A crowd of 250 attended the dinner in the museum's atrium. There were small wedding cakes at each table to mark "Wedded Bliss," an upcoming exhibit at the PEM.
Rob Lutts, chef investment officer of Cabot Money Management, was named Businessman of the Year. This is the second award for the Salem resident in recent months. In January, he was named Stockpicker of the Year for 2007 by MarketWatch, a popular Dow Jones Web site.
Salem State College President Patricia Maguire Meservey was scheduled to present the Community Service Award to the Salem Rotary, which donated $20,000 this winter to help bail out the financially troubled public schools.
Rob Liani, the owner of Coffee Time Bake Shop, a Bridge Street landmark, won the Long-Term Achievement Award.
Gulu-Gulu Café was named New Business of the Year. Steven Feldmann, who opened his first Gulu-Gulu in Lynn, opened the Salem coffeehouse and restaurant a year ago. In addition to serving food, Gulu-Gulu shows films and cartoons and took part in this year's inaugural Salem Film Festival.
Another relatively new business, A&J King Artisan Bakers, won the award for Excellence in Retail.
