Four Forest Lake businesses have won category honours in the 2026 Inala Electorate Small Business Awards, with ProNail Bar also named the electorate’s best small business.
ProNail Bar secured the awards’ top honour, Small Business of the Year, after also winning the Health and Beauty category.
The Forest Lake Shopping Centre salon said it was honoured and grateful to receive both awards and thanked its customers for their trust and support.
“Thank you for believing in us,” the business posted to Facebook following the announcement.
“We promise to continue providing the highest quality service and making every visit to ProNail Bar a wonderful experience. … We truly couldn’t have done it without you.”
Ray White Forest Lake was named the electorate’s best real estate business, while Mister Minit Forest Lake won the franchisee category.
IGA Local Grocer Forest Lake also took out the Retail and Sales award, giving Forest Lake businesses four of the eight category victories as well as the overall prize.
The IGA’s latest recognition follows a major result in 2025, when the family-run Woogaroo Street supermarket was named Small Business of the Year and won the Community Support category.
It was also runner-up in Retail and Sales last year before moving into first place in that category in 2026.
Businesses from Wacol, Inala and Richlands were also recognised.
The RSPCA Op Shop Superstore at Wacol won the op shop category, while Your Choice Tyre and Mechanical at Inala was named the leading trades and services business.
Panda Recycling Inala received the Customer Service award and Thai Origin at Richlands won the food category.
Panda Recycling’s recognition comes less than a year after the container-refund shopfront opened at the Inala Civic Centre.
The business processed more than two million containers and returned more than $200,000 in refunds to residents during its first six months.
It also introduced cash refunds, multilingual assistance and free home collections for residents with limited mobility or transport.
“We believe recycling should be accessible to everyone,” Panda Recycling founder and director Jianming Su said.
“If a resident walks into our shopfront, we will always try to find a way for them to participate and benefit from the scheme.”
Member for Inala Margie Nightingale announced the winners after residents were invited to nominate local businesses and vote for finalists.
Ms Nightingale, who is deputy chair of Queensland Parliament’s Local Government, Small Business and Customer Service Committee, congratulated the winners, runners-up and residents who participated in the awards.
No large awards ceremony will be held this year.
Ms Nightingale’s office said a smaller drinks event would instead be hosted for all finalists later this month, while the MP had begun visiting winning businesses to present their awards.
