Damian and Silvia Roberti opened Amadeo’s Italian Cookies on Nix Bridge Road about six months ago, and aside from their regular customers, it’s taken some time to get the word out.

Admitting the shop is a “little off the beaten path,” Damian Roberti said every bit of publicity helps.

The Roberti’s were one of a handful of local caterers showcasing their most popular treats and dishes at the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce’s annual business expo last week.

“As a small business that is new to the area, the expo was very beneficial,” he said. “We were able to exchange quite a bit of business cards and have seen new faces at the shop from the expo.”

Now in its 10th year, the mini-trade show shined a spotlight on more than 70 local companies.

Chamber officials said the event promotes shopping local and showcases the businesses that shoppers may not realize are available in Dawson County.

“It’s so important to shop locally. It fuels the local economy,” said Linda Williams, president of the chamber.

The expo featured a variety of local businesses, ranging from banks and financial services, to real estate professionals and non-profit organizations, among others.

Amerivap’s Herman Thompson offered free jewelry cleaning to showcase the company’s dry steam concept.

“We cleaned a lot of watches and rings that night, and did a lot of education as well,” he said. “Cleaning the jewelry is an example of how you can use our dry steam to clean just about anything at home and at the office.”

Williams said the expo, which brought several hundred visitors to the Lakeview Center, was “a big success.”

“We’ve received a lot of good feedback from the vendors and from the public. I saw a lot of new faces I had not seen before,” she said. “This was a real positive experience and a good opportunity for our members and the community.”