The Mate Street, Albury, business is a finalist in four categories including best small/medium business, excellence in marketing, excellence in retail and staff development.

Owners Garry and Michelle Rutland were thrilled with the results, announced last night.

“We knew that we’d done the work, we’re very happy and the team’s going to be happy too because they’ve all contributed,” Mr Rutland said.

The Rutland family took over the business 11 years ago and resurrected its catchy jingle, “Mr Stoves Pool World has got it all for you. Oi!” soon after.

“Our jingle was probably one of the best bits of equipment we bought, it came with the business,” Mr Rutland said.

“It had sort of died, the previous owner wasn’t using it much but we’ve just pumped it.

“I walked into a charcoal chicken after work one night, not long after we had bought the business and the girl behind the counter saw the Mr Stoves badge on my shirt and she said ‘now I’ve got that song in my head’.

“From that moment I knew it was really powerful.”

The business was a finalist in three sections last year.

The awards are run by the Albury Northside and Wodonga chambers and winners will be announced on October 7.

For the full list of finalists see page 10.