they bet on locals, not tourists

And it just made them Alaska's small business of the year.

Firebrand BBQ down in Seward got the nod from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The owners, Chad and Stephanie, flew all the way to Washington for the ceremony. This annual national event brought the spotlight to a town of about 3,000 people.

And here's the best part. It wasn't the summer crush of tourists piling off the boats. The owners say it's the locals who turned them into what they are.

Year round regulars, hotel crews, and folks working the harbor kept sending people their way. That word of mouth built the whole place.

It's proof a small Alaska shop can stand with the best in the country. For Seward and the whole peninsula, that's worth being proud of.