Winterville Magazine - November 2021

A SLICE OF THE GOOD LIFE.

Winterville NORTH CAROLINA

NOVEMBER 2021

Winterville Wonder DEBBIE AVERY TRANSFORMED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

THE ALLEY ON COOPER

GUITARIST J.D. JOYNER

MR. MAYOR

THE VILLAGE MARKET

Of the HGTV Show “Home Town”

hardysappliancefurniture.com

IN THIS ISSUE 6 More than an antique store

10

20

Winterville wonder takes leave of the chamber

Town leaders offer accolades for Doug Jackson

THE COVER A SLICE OF THE GOOD LIFE.

Winterville NORTH CAROLINA

NOVEMBER 2021

16

J.D. Joyner makes his guitar sing

26

Village Market connects farmers, artisans with customers

Winterville NOVEMBER 2021

Bobby Burns Editor Willow Abbey Mercando Photography

Winterville Wonder DEBBIE AVERY TRANSFORMED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Donna Davis Melissa Glen Kayla Green Donna Marie Williams Writers Restoration Newsmedia Layout & Design

THE ALLEY ON COOPER

MUSICAL MAGICIAN

MR. MAYOR

FRESH FROM THE FARM

Retiring Winterville Chamber of Commerce Director Debbie Avery kept the organization on track for 15 years.

WINTERVILLE© is published annually by The Standard newspaper. Contents are the property of the newspaper and the Town of Winterville and may not be reproduced without consent of the publisher. To advertise in the publication, contact The Standard at (252) 329-9513.

Winterville Magazine 2021

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MORE THAN AN ANTIQUE STORE

Jeff and Anita Cox and Marianna Mills are the cornerstones at The Alley on Cooper. Photos by Melissa Glen

The Alley on Cooper carries a bit of everything. And if they don’t have it, they’ll find it for you.

By Melissa Glen

“There’s something here for everybody.”

This is the sentiment co-owner Jeff Cox shared when describing his family’s antique store.

The Alley on Cooper at 171 Cooper St. in Winterville is owned by Cox and his wife, Anita.

Inside the store, visitors can find an array of antiques, including old, metal lunch boxes, cartoon drink glasses, metal signs and records. Along with antiques and furniture, the store also sells local products including homemade soaps, honey, jam, paint and peanuts straight from Bertie County.

The store also delivers.

6 | Winterville Magazine 2021

“We wanted it to have that general store atmosphere, where you can buy a little bit of necessity as well as furniture, antiques and collectibles,” Anita said. “And if we don’t have a certain piece that someone is looking for, we will be searching for it. We keep an ongoing list and when we get those items in, we call people” Anita said she and Jeff, a technician with Greenville Utilities, opened the store in December 2017. However, the two were in the antique game long before that—ever since they began dating in the mid 1980s.

“Together, we nurtured the love we both had developed for buying and selling antiques, good quality used furniture and unique collectables,” Anita

said. “After over 30 years of buying and selling items on the road and through various con-

signment shops, we decided we were ready for a storefront.”

And the two do not have any

The Alley on Cooper has an eclectic mix of antiques, North Carolina products, furniture, home goods, even vinyl records.

“The hospitality is incredible, and the prices are beyond fair.”

– Rosanne Battaglia, customer plans to slow down soon.

“When you love something it doesn’t really seem like a job,” she said. “So when he retires from his real job, this will be an everyday thing.”

For Anita, antiques have been a part of her life for as long as she can remember.

Growing up, her parents owned an antique shop in an old farmhouse in the southern Pitt County community of Black Jack.

“The back porch of the house was closed in and there was a little alley,” Anita said.

“And then when my mom and dad got ex-

Customers browse at the store on a recent Saturday. Owners Jeff and Anita Cox say there is something there for everyone.

tra stuff they didn’t want to put in the shop, I would take it and put it in my little alley and price it so I had my own little shop.”

This is where Anita said she ended up getting the idea for their store’s name.

“After much soul searching for the proper name, we realized the name had been

selected many years ago,” she said.

Even though she grew up around the business, Anita said she never planned on getting into buying and selling antiques as a career herself and, if anything, she had always actively avoided the idea.

“I said I’m not going to be around these

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The Alley on Cooper always has seasonal items in store.

old, antique furniture pieces and go to all these auctions, and then here I am doing the same thing.”

Since the opening of Alley on Cooper, Anita’s mother, Marianna Mills, has stepped up to support her daughter’s shop, making it a true family business. Mills

8 | Winterville Magazine 2021

said even the customers have become an extended family, joking that many of the regulars refer to her as “meemaw.”

“Even if you don’t have the disease we call antique-itis, when you add some pieces into the home it gives you more of a feeling of warmth and family,” Mills said.

“It connects with the past.”

Anita said the best part of owning the store is the people she comes across on a daily basis.

“We have some locals that will just sit with us in the afternoon and talk with our customers when they come in and we love that,” she said.

Jeff also noted how friendly many of their customers have been. He said Winterville has been the perfect place to run their business because it has a small town feel and yet is a heavily traveled area. Jeff said many people stop in on their way in and out of town.

“Most people are surprised by the size.

They see it and say it looks small, but it’s deep and there’s like five or six rooms in here,” he said.

He said people should appreciate antiques for their history and how durable they are compared to today’s pieces.

“Back in the day, just about everything we had was made in America and it was made with quality and people took pride in what they did,” Jeff said. “Sometimes you can just feel the story emitting from it.”

Jeff said that one of the most interesting pieces they have come across at the store was an old milk bottle from a dairy business near Chocowinity.

The company was bought out

by Carolina Dairies which was located in Greenville in 1953.

“We knew a guy personally whose grandfather started the company, so we actually gave him that bottle,” he said.

Rosanne Battaglia, a new customer at Alley on Cooper, said she has had a great experience so far with the store. She said she read about the place online, but decided to try it out after getting a recommendation from someone at Lowe’s while shopping.

“The hospitality is incredible, and the prices are beyond fair,” she said “We have been to tons of these places, even up North where we are from. And just the idea of being able to give them an idea of what you are

Karen and Cleve Haddock shop for antiques at the story. Owners Jeff and Anita Cox say if they don’t have it, they will find it.

looking for and they call you when stuff comes in makes it a lot easier to find what you are looking for.”

The Alley on Cooper, 171 Cooper St., at the corner of Railroad Street, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through

Saturday. Call 242-714-2177 or visit the-alley-on-cooper. business.site and facebook.com/ thealleywintervillenc/.

Winterville Magazine 2021

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Winterville wonder Debbie Avery was town’s biggest cheerleader, transformed the Chamber of Commerce with 15 years of growth.

By Donna Marie Williams

F

or 15 years, Debbie Avery has sat at the helm of the Winterville Chamber of Commerce, welcoming in new businesses and residents while helping to meet the needs of existing businesses.

In December, Avery will pass the torch, leaving the Chamber as director to begin another adventure.

Prior to joining the chamber, Avery filled her days teaching the wonders of science to young minds. She gathered 30 years of experience under her belt with 18 of those at A.G. Cox Middle School as a science teacher.

After retirement, Avery immediately began searching for things to fill her time.

“I had just retired from teaching and was looking for something different to do.

After you’ve done the same thing for 30 years, I wanted to do something completely different,” Avery said.

Her search soon landed her with the Winterville Chamber of Commerce, which was in need of a director to oversee the everyday operations and promote excellence in business and community.

“It started out as a small, part-time job doing two to three things per week. Over time it grew to be a little bit more and then a little bit more,” Avery said.

“Over time it really grew.

Of course, Winterville was growing, so the job grew from being just a few hours a week to being much more.

I loved every

10 | Winterville Magazine 2021

minute of it.”

Avery was named director in November 2007. With only 17 members, no home office, and no regular activities, Avery was up for the challenge set before her.

“At the time I started, they didn’t have a paid employee. It was the volunteers trying to keep up with everything. Lots of times, they were busy with their families or careers or running their own businesses.

When it came to civic organizations such as the chamber, a lot of the officers didn’t have the time to do all the work as far as collecting dues or keeping up with whose dues are due when,” Avery said.

Avery implemented a system of collecting and receiving dues to ensure the chamber operated smoothly.

She also grew to be a voice for business inside and outside the chamber. No new enterprise would open in town without a ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome it after she took over.

Through time, relationships developed, creating unity among Winterville merchants and employers. Membership also grew and now encompasses more than 130 businesses

Avery rides in the Winterville Watermelon Festival parade. The chamber took an active role in the festival after she became the director.

“It’s been an easy job, I think, because we’ve had so much growth.

If this was a town that wasn’t having growth and people were moving out of town instead of in it, that would be a hard place to promote.

But with Winterville constantly having something new come along, it made it easy to promote and easy to get new members … I think it will continue to grow. I don’t think we’ve hit our max yet.”

– Debbie Avery, Retiring Winterville Chamber of Commerce Director and organizations.

Avery also began to implement programs and activities and strived for the chamber to be a resource both for the town and businesses. Events such as Business After Hours and quarterly membership meetings allowed for business owners and community members to interact and create stronger bonds.

“This allowed people to meet and greet.

When you have over 100 members they don’t all know each other. We want the Winterville business owners to do business with each other as well,” Avery said.

PATS ON THE BACK Increasing membership wasn’t enough for Avery, who sought a way to show her appreciation for those helping to improve the community.

This meant reinstating the chamber’s annual awards banquet. The banquet serves as a way to recognize chamber members and citizens for their outstanding performances.

“This hadn’t been done in 10 years,” Avery said, adding it was important for her to recognize those working hard to make Winterville a better place.

“Anytime you can recognize someone for what they have done, it’s a good thing.

Some people, if you just give them a pat on the back they will work harder. We have a lot of people who do a lot of things in the community and they deserve the recognition for what they do.”

Knowing first-hand the dedication it takes to serve in education, Avery also set forth a way to thank and encourage teachers in Winterville schools by hosting an annual teachers’ breakfast.

Held at the beginning of each school year, the chamber began serving the staff at Winterville schools with a hearty breakfast.

“That’s certainly grown over the years.

We went from going to three schools. We added Creekside elementary and Christ Covenant and their high school. Now when we do those breakfasts we go around to nine schools that are serving the area,” Avery said.

Avery is proud this annual event has continued despite COVID-19 with the chamber providing pre-packaged meals for the teachers.

Her work with the schools extended further with the chamber helping to establish the Milton and Sue May Scholarship. Each year, this scholarship is given to one senior from the Winterville schools.

WINTERVILLE BOOSTER A large portion of Avery’s job included spreading the word about Winterville, its

businesses and the community.

Avery took this job to heart, creating a monthly newsletter to inform members and the community of new businesses and other important information.

“I think that was good for members to see the newsletter. They were able to see what was going on. It was nice too. We had a new member or business coming to town just about every month,” Avery said.

She also created a brochure for Winterville and revived the chamber’s website.

“We were coming home from vacation and stopped at one of the visitor centers.

I noticed Greene County, Wilson and all these communities around us had brochures at the visitor’s center,” Avery said.

After creating the brochure, Avery sent many to visitor’s centers across the state, ensuring the town’s presence.

When visitors and potential homeowners did visit the town, Avery would host tours, showing Winterville’s highlights.

She remembers fondly a father and daughter visiting from Nebraska. The daughter was considering attending East Carolina University. Uneasy about the move, the student and her father toured Winterville with Avery as their guide.

The tour helped quell fears and the family chose East Carolina University.

During this year’s Watermelon Festival, Avery sold an out of state visitor on moving to town, she said.

“She was looking for somewhere to retire and she wanted to get away from the snow and the crime,” Avery said.

Winterville Magazine 2021

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Avery was also instrumental in finding the chamber a place it could call home.

“When I first started, I had one little notebook and that was my chamber office.

As the chamber continued to grow, and I continued to accumulate things, I needed space. Plus when people wanted to come to learn more about the town or chamber, or needed to pay their dues, I needed a space for that,” Avery said.

“When they built the Town Hall and Operations Center, they built it for future use. There were some extra offices that weren’t being used. We rented out one of the offices for a penny a year.”

The first office was in Town Hall; now it’s in the Operations Center.

“I would love to have it separated and not inside the town buildings. Maybe one day we’ll have enough money,” Avery said.

EXPANDING POSSIBILITIES As a founding member of the Winterville Watermelon Festival, Avery helped incorporate the festival into the chamber expanding upon its possibilities.

“I brought the Watermelon Festival into

12 | Winterville Magazine 2021

Avery with then-chamber president Tim Emanuel and County Commissioner Jimmy Garris in 2011.

Avery said building relationships was central to her job.

the chamber. It’s easier for me sometimes to greet businesses and ask for donations for the Watermelon Festival over someone who does not have that relationship with the chamber,” Avery said.

Under her leadership, the chamber also hosted its first Chamber Brew Walk, which led participants from Naughty Dog brewery to Local Oak. Walkers were able to experience both of the relatively new

businesses and see what else downtown had to offer.

Avery also was instrumental in promoting the arts in Winterville. Each year, in partnership with the Pitt County Arts Council, the town receives three sculptures to place around the town.

They currently are at the police department, library, and Town Hall.

To ensure the chamber’s success and promote the town as much as possible, Avery also worked behind the scenes and was influential in the town’s designation as a retirement community.

“I pushed them into becoming a retirement community, particularly with our golf cart rules,” Avery said.

“Our elderly might not be able to drive a car, but they can drive a golf cart a few miles down the road to get what they need.”

The designation of a retirement community as well as being named one of the safest cities in North Carolina have helped attract people to the area, Avery said.

Recently, Winterville was ranked No. 8

on North Carolina’s safest places to live, she stated.

These designations help attract people to visit and relocate, Avery said.

“I have just met the nicest people. People come to Winterville wanting to find out about its designation as a North Carolina retirement community,” Avery said.

GROWTH IS GOOD Now 15 years later, Avery is proud of her accomplishments with the chamber.

“I feel like I have helped Winterville grow,” Avery said.

She has enjoyed getting to know the business owners, community and Winterville’s visitors over the years.

“I loved every part of it. My favorite part of the job is meeting new business owners and seeing what the new businesses are when they come to town,” Avery said.

The job also has allowed her to see her former students grow in their careers, and she has been able to work along some of them including Winterville Parks and Recreation director Evan Johnson and Fire Chief David Moore.

She will also never forget a ribbon cutting at Uniquely Yours. Avery had met one of the owners before the event. During the ribbon-cutting, she discovered a former student of hers also owned the business.

“I had taught him at Bethel Elementary and Randy (Avery’s husband) had him at North Pitt. Several of his friends who we had also taught attended. It was like a reunion,” Avery said.

Avery is not surprised at the growth of the chamber or of the town. She believes its proximity to Greenville, great schools, and recreation department, along with

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JOINING THE CLUB

The Winterville Chamber of Commerce grew to more than 130 members during the tenure of director Debbie Avery. The following business and organizations are now part of the organization.

A.G. Cox Middle School Acculink Aspen Tops East Inc. Barbers Rentals BB&T Beacon Dental Boneyard Harley-Davidson Brian C. Vinson, DMD Family Dentistry C. D. Rouse & Co., Inc. Capital to Coast NC Law Group Caremaster Caveness Decor Champions Health & Fitness Center Chick-fil-A of Winterville Christ Covenant School Clerical Support Services Coldwell Banker Coastal Rivers Realty Creative Dezigns Event Center Creative Gardens Creekside Elementary School Cross & Crown Christian Store Dixon Foods Group, Inc. Domino’s Pizza Down South Accounting & Tax E & S Hemp Company E & S Homes Construction

Edward Jones Investments Edward Jones Investments Elite Flooring & Interiors EXP Realty - Broker Brad Famiglia Farm Bureau Insurance First Bank First Citizens Bank Full Service Flooring G & N Mini Storage Greenville Auto World Greenville Choral Society Greenville Vacuum and Sewing Hoffman-Haus Pet Resort Holloman Construction Horowitz Insurance and Financial Services Inner Banks Media Group Jaac and Jill, LLC - Academic Enrichment Program Koinonia Christian Center Church Law Office of E. Keen Lassiter Legacy at Firetower Level Up Gaming Local Oak Brewing Co. Main & Mill Restaurant Marabella Old World Pizza McCabe’s Costumes

its designations help provide the perfect marketing opportunities.

“It’s been an easy job, I think, because we’ve had so much growth. If this was a town that wasn’t having growth and people were moving out of town instead of in it, that would be a hard place to promote.

But with Winterville constantly having something new come along, it made it easy to promote and easy to get new members,” Avery said.

“I think it will continue to grow. I don’t think we’ve hit our max yet.”

Winterville’s greatest asset lies within its community and people, she said.

“When people come to Winterville one of the things they say is they like the community. They like the pace of the community. But they say we are the nicest people in the world,” Avery said.

“Here, if you meet someone on the street and they don’t know you, they will say good morning to you. They will speak to

14 | Winterville Magazine 2021

McCloud & Associates, Inc. Moore’s Olde Tyme Barbecue Morgan Printers, Inc. Nauti Dog Brewing Co. NC Driving School Opendoor Church Opendoor Education Pestech of Greenville Pirate’s Convenience Store Pitt Community College Pitt County Government Pitt County K9 Academy Pitt County Shrine Club Pizza Hut Postal Annex Quality Collision Repair Red Door Homes Ridgewood Elementary School RJL Consulting, Inc Rodan & Fields Sam’s Club Sascorp, Inc. Service Sales Digital, LLC, DBA Web Badger Smith Funeral Service & Crematory South Central High School Southern Bank and Trust Co. Southridge Self Storage

you and hold the door for you.”

MOVING AHEAD She leaves the chamber in December to pursue a new adventure, or maybe adventures.

“I just wanted to do something different.

I want to do a lot of things before I am too old to do them,” Avery said.

“As I look into the future, I have some other things I want to do. I have always loved to wrap Christmas presents. I would love to get a job at Belk’s wrapping presents at Christmas time. I’ve always wanted to volunteer and go rock the babies at the hospital.”

While sad about leaving as director, Avery is open and excited for the opportunities before her. She recently accepted a position teaching third-graders.

“I have so many things I want to do that sometimes I have to stop something I love doing to do something else. That way when

Strawberries on 903 The Standard Town Of Winterville Tru Image Hair Salon Tyndall Stroud CPA’s, P.C. Tyndall Stroud Wealth Management, LLC Uniquely Yours US Health Advisors Uncle Dave’s Kettle Korn Vanessa’s Sewing and Alterations W. H. Robinson Elementary School Waters Flooring Center Waters HR Consulting Wintergreen Mini Storage Winterville Baptist Church Winterville Christian Church Winterville Civitan Club Winterville Flower Shop Winterville FWB Church Winterville Historical And Arts Society Winterville Insurance Agency Winterville Kiwanis Club Winterville Machine Works Winterville Ruritan Club Winterville Watermelon Festival Zaxby’s of Winterville

you look back at it all there are no regrets,” Avery said.

She also is looking into designing flower arrangements and may become in more involved in politics one day, she said.

“I’ve had two positions with the county serving on boards. One was the Pitt County Development Commission. I served there for two terms. I am on my second term with the Pitt County Election Board,” Avery said.

Avery also feels that the timing of her departure is right and is confident in Rebecca Caveness, currently assistant director, who will replace her.

“I had 15 wonderful years with the chamber. I had someone come along that would be a good fit for the position and she will be good for the chamber,” Avery said.

“Every business needs new life and new ideas. You need new blood and ideas and someone with a lot of energy.”

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J.D. Joyner said, “I’ve got to make this guitar move people.” Contributed photos

How J.D. Joyner taught his guitar to sing

Winterville resident picked up a guitar at as a boy and has never put it back down.

By Donna Davis

“Do you sing?”

When booking a venue, guitarist J.D. Joyner has been asked the question more than once. The interrogator stops short of saying, “You just play a guitar?” But Joyner has a quick comeback that silences most skeptics: “My guitar does.”

Anyone who has heard the Winterville musician play understands what he means. And

the explanation doesn’t even have to get technical: he plays all the parts.

He plays the melody of a song and manages to weave a tapestry of accompaniment around it. He’s able to make a sound that two or three instrumentalists would have trouble producing as a group.

It would be easy to be intimidated by Joyner’s sophisticated style, but his tobacco-barn-to-musical-riches

16 | Winterville Magazine 2021

story reveals a humble spirit that is deeply rooted in eastern Carolina tradition.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Growing up in Rocky Mount, Joyner lost his father at a young age. “We had very modest means,” he remembers.

“My mom was taking care of five kids. The guitar was my identity. I loved sports, but couldn’t afford to play football.

The guitar was something I

could do on my own.”

He pulls out a black and white photo of five boys dressed to the nine’s in vests and thin dark ties holding instruments or microphones. The background is a paneled wall and the floor is linoleum. The picture was taken at a friend’s house when Joyner was 14. The front of the drum reads “The Notations” but that’s just because there wasn’t room for the band’s entire name, “The Fabulous Notations.”

The Fabulous Notations, J.D. Joyner’s first band when he was 14, took this photo in preparation for playing at Mason’s Department Store’s grand opening around 1968. Joyner is second from right.

“A friend of mine, a musician I hadn’t seen in several years, was doing some research in the Rocky Mount library and ran across that picture. It was taken because Mason’s Department Store had a grand opening in the mall and The Fabulous Notations were playing for it. The bass player lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and went on to play for Ricky Van Shelton. The singer passed away. It was in the 60s, about 1968.”

The 1960s was an exciting era for a boy with a guitar, with the Beatles and all the new music emerging.

“The singer lived about a mile from me ... we were already friends, the drummer and I went to school together. The bass player, who lived close by, played better guitar than me but we needed a bass player. He would show me stuff and I was a sponge. We practiced at each others’ houses ... whoever had the biggest house and whose parents would tolerate us.”

He points to the gear in The Fabulous Notations photo. “That was a borrowed amp.”

Joyner’s first guitar was a hand-me-down from his brother. “It was a cheap Silvertone that everybody starts with. You could drive a truck under those strings. My brother had it first and he gave it to me. My DNA is all over those first three frets.”

And he still has it, hanging in his office.

But he bought his first “professional” guitar, a Fender, himself. “Growing up on a farm, I worked to buy that guitar. You know tobacco is really hard work. I was

doing that very early in my life.”

THE VALUE OF HARD WORK He remembers it vividly. The farmer would pick up workers early in the morning and they’d take the barn out that they put in the day before. The tobacco had cured and they had to make room for what they would be cropping that day. Then they’d go back for a quick breakfast before returning to work.

“I remember I made $8 bucks a day. I’d buy my school clothes ... help out because my dad died when I was very young and

there was five of us.”

During the lunch break in the work day he would put a towel in his lap and play his guitar. “I had a pocket radio ... perforated leather transistor radio with an ear plug. I listened to that radio.

There were hits coming out, new groups, and that kept me going during the day in 100-degree weather. Just dreaming of learning to play stuff like that,

J.D. Joyner with “Toad” Winstead at the Biscuit and the Bean in May 2021.

Winterville Magazine 2021

| 17

or getting a nice guitar.”

He didn’t have the benefit of guitar lessons or even a chord book in the beginning. “I would ride my bike a mile and a half to my uncle’s where he’d tune my guitar and show me a chord, and then I’d ride back.”

And he’d watch television.

“Back then you didn’t have a lot of channels like you have now. Until Ed Sullivan and The Beatles it was mostly country stuff. And they only played basic chords back then. I would watch some of those people when those shows came on and see where their fingers went.”

He also had a friend who was very talented. “He showed me the first solo ... stuff like Louie Louie.”

Looking back, Joyner acknowledges that he picked up a lot very quickly at a young age.

He said young people can do that “if they are able to corral their thoughts and channel

don’t have all the baggage of life.”

J.D. Joyner has a Christmas CD available. Visit his website www.jdjoyner.com for details.

their energy.”

Older people, he said, are “a little more worn out … we have

these other things that demand time and energy. Young people have the world by the tail and

CONSTANT COMPAINION: GUITAR AND WIFE Joyner proposed to his wife on the campus of Wesleyan College, at the fountain. “I said, ‘You realize you’re marrying not just me but my guitar.’”

He is quick to add, “She’s been a faithful advocate … and she got to meet Chet Atkins and B.B. King.”

In his 20s Joyner owned J.D.’s Guitar Shop in Rocky Mount and went to some trade shows. At one of them he got the chance to go backstage and meet B.B. King.

“He was wearing a threepiece suit, always very dapper.

I had just seen him the night before on Johnny Carson. He had a ring that had BBK in diamonds. I said something about it being a nice ring and he said, ‘I played a lot of chitlin’ joints

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to get this.’”

Joyner, who is a home appraiser, and his wife have been in the Winterville area for about 13 years, but he has been just a few degrees of separation from the area for a long time. “You know the song ‘Girl Watcher’?” he asks. “The guy who wrote that was a high school teacher of mine … and it was recorded in Greenville.”

When Joyner was still in the Nashville, N.C., area he was asked to put together an ensemble show that was loosely called “Guitars and Friends” to play at the cultural center.

That was the beginning of a show that has reprised several times through the years with different musician friends — like singer Sandy Alvin, David Mull on bass guitar and vocals and Randy Davis on percussion or vocalist Mitch Miles and keyboardist David Zenke.

He also plays in a duo with

Clay Steinwinter and sometimes in Steve Creech’s jazz ensemble. He plays a lot of corporate and private events.

PLAYING TO IMPACT, NOT IMPRESS “I like playing where people are listening because it makes me work harder. A lot of the arrangements I attempt I hear in my head, and when I see people singing or connecting with a song, I feel like I’ve achieved something.”

Joyner remembers a time he was performing in Greenville soon after moving to the area.

He was playing a song he’d learned for a Sunset Beach wedding.

The bride said she wanted to walk down the aisle to “The Feather.” It’s the theme to Forrest Gump and is played towards the end of the movie while Tom Hanks’ character is sitting on a bench having

It would be easy to be intimidated by Joyner’s sophisticated guitar style but his tobacco-barn-to-musical-riches story reveals a humble spirit that is deeply rooted in eastern Carolina tradition.

recently lost his wife, and a feather floats down. The original song is with piano, so Joyner worked out the arrangement on guitar.

“I saw this woman looking at me as I played and she mouthed ‘The Feather’ and I nodded.”

He summarizes it simply,

“I’ve got to make this guitar move people.”

And while Eric Clapton may do it by making his guitar gently weep, J.D. Joyner does it by making his sing.

Visit www.jdjoyner.com to listen to samples of Joyner’s music and to stay in touch.

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medical | COVID shots | mental health | virtual visits Call us at 252-695-6352 for an appointment, visit our clinic at 261 Belvoir Highway in Greenville or visit our website at gchcinc.org.

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This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number H80CS10607 Health Center Program, in the amount of $8,654,913 or 48% of total program costs with $8,956,453 or 50% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov. GCHC is licensed by the state of North Carolina, led by an independent Board of Directors, and is an FQHC Program grantee under 42 U.S.C. 254. GCHC receives HHS funding and has Public Health Service (PHS) deemed status with respect to certain health or health-related claims, including medical malpractice claims, for itself and its covered individuals.

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Winterville Magazine 2021

| 19

A retired Greenville police officer, Jackson is a collector of police figurines. His wife, Martha, says he has more than 200.

ACCOLADES FOR MR. MAYOR As Doug Jackson steps down after 24 years, town leaders offer praise

By Kayla Green

G

ood, honest, consistent, trustworthy, knowledgeable, forthright — these are just some of the words used to describe Winterville native Doug Jackson, who served his community for 24 years as mayor.

Jackson, after six terms in political office, chose not to seek re-election this year. His next steps are to live life and enjoy time with his family.

He said that his wife of 63 years, Martha, has always been supportive of him. The couple have three children, six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

When reflecting over his tenure as mayor, Jackson stated he was most proud of the town’s growth.

Winterville Finance Director Anthony Bowers, who has known Jackson for 22 years, said that when he started working with Jackson, Winterville’s population was roughly 3,000. Today, it is over 10,000.

Chief Ryan Willhite of the Winterville Police Department, who has known Jackson for 27 years, echoed Bowers, saying that Jackson has greatly influenced the growth of the town. He explained the town motto, “A slice of the good life!” was coined during Jackson’s time in office.

20 | Winterville Magazine 2021

Chief Willhite said, “He’s only brought good things during his tenure.”

Town Manager Terri Parker, who worked Jackson more than 12 years, said the mayor had a major role to play in the town’s growth and success.

“The mayor has championed for [commercial growth] as long as I’ve known him. We’ve seen downtown grow, change.

Successful businesses and other commercial growth is a testament to his and the council’s hard work and dedication.”

Jackson was happy to share that recently two subdivisions have been approved within the town limits. One of the subdivisions will offer 232 homes while the other will offer townhomes. Though stepping down as mayor, Jackson hopes to see Winterville continue to flourish. “We invite people to come to Winterville to live and enjoy the lifestyle here,” he said.

Winterville Town Clerk Don Harvey said that Jackson was an institution.

“When people think of Winterville, they think of Doug Jackson. He’s led the town in a positive direction in his time as mayor.”

Parker shared similar sentiments. “Mayor Jackson is a presence in and of himself.

He is leaving a legacy of service, dedication, hard work, and just what it means to be kind to other people. I think we are

Doug Jackson, shown here at home recently, chose not to seek re-election as Winterville’s mayor after 24 years.

in a precarious time in this world where sometimes things like that are forgotten or looked over.

“I will always remember my time working with him, particularly in Winterville, where I’ve seen him be all those things and

do all those things. He’s a gentleman. I’ve always been appreciative of his support over the years.”

Councilman Johnny Moye, who will have worked with Jackson for 14 years at the end of this term, said the mayor “is a mayor and a leader that has a heart for his community. He’s very dedicated and very knowledgeable of the town of Winterville, both of the history and the direction it is actually going.”

Moye recalled Jackson’s participation in town holiday celebrations, specifically the Christmas tree lighting, when he would read a story to the youth. Moye explained, “He really loved doing that. You could hear it in his voice.”

Moye said he respected the mayor.

“I consider him to be a friend. Someone very knowledgeable, very trustworthy, and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to work with him and know him.”

In addition to being mayor, Jackson worked with the Greenville Police Department for 31 years. One fun fact about Jackson is that he collects police figurines.

Martha Jackson said he has collected over

Doug and Martha Jackson with Madiline Cunningham in 2011 at a Pitt Community College banquet.

200 through the years.

During his time with police department, Jackson started CrimeStoppers, an ongoing program that offers cash rewards for tips that lead to arrests.

Parker said that some of her fondest memories of Jackson are from working on

the CrimeStoppers telethons many years ago.

Councilwoman Veronica Roberson, who has known Jackson almost her entire life, said that he is dedicated to his job and the community. “I remember him working with CrimeStoppers. He’s community

Winterville Magazine 2021

| 21

Jackson, second from left, then-PCC President Dennis Massey, left, Craig Goess and Charles Long cut a ribbon to open a new addition to the Goess Student Center at PCC in 2015.

minded. He’s done a good job guiding the community … and I applaud his service.”

Roberson also reflected on his ability to connect with people. “He knew Winterville … he could relate to the community. He could tell stories … stories of the history and the contributions of the people.”

Councilman Tony Moore said Jackson is a team player who was always good to work with and that he has always been great at giving advice. He explained that Jackson has used his knowledge from his time working with the Greenville Police Department to provide advice.

Moore fondly recollected how the mayor provided great assistance with the Veterans’ Day events for the past 19 years.

Moore said that he hopes others will learn by Jackson’s

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22 | Winterville Magazine 2021

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Jackson at the 12th Annual Winterville High School Reunion held at South Central High School in 2013.

example. “It’s tough to come behind a person with his experience and his knowledge of people and how to deal with people. I hope others will learn from him … they’ll learn from his demeanor and try to emulate his actions.”

Many staff members and employees said that Jackson will be missed. “I want to thank

the mayor for leaving a lasting impression for those that live here now and for those that will live here in the future,” Parker said. “I’m really going to miss him.”

Chief Willhite joked that he hopes the mayor will continue to give gifts of peanuts and pecans to employees for the holidays.

Whether you are searching for a new career or simply looking to enhance your current job skills, Pitt Community College can help. With over 60 curriculum programs as well as a great variety of continuing education courses to select from, your choices are numerous.

Jackson swears in Ryan Willhite as police chief.

Winterville Magazine 2021

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Fresh from the farm Village Market connects farmers, artisans with customers

By The Standard Staff

A

business that opened to connect farmers and artisans with customers is a family affair and a showplace for local agricultural and one-of-a-kind artisan pieces.

The Village Market at 5036 Winterville Parkway opened March 6 at the former location of Creative Gardens nursery. The business was created by three couples with a passion for supporting local business.

“We are trying to bring as much exposure to local artists and farmers as we can,” said Justin Lawrence, who operates the market with his wife, Sarah, his parents, David and Leigh Lawrence, brother Clark Wallace and Clark’s girlfriend, Cayla Vernon.

“It is a family affair,” said Sarah, who describes the business as a retail shop-farmers market. “It takes the whole family.

Everybody has a role, and everybody fills in when somebody else has something going on,” she added.

Agriculture is important to the three families. Justin and Sarah hold degrees in agriculture from N.C. State University.

Sarah teaches agriculture at Bear Grass Charter School in Martin County.

Sarah and Justin Lawrence are one of the three families who own The Village Market, located in Winterville at 5036 Winterville Parkway.

“We are a couple of generations removed from being farmers,” he said “We like finding local and fresh things we think everybody else will enjoy too.”

Farm-to-table foods and local artisans are featured at The Village Market in Winterville. The business opened in March.

26 | Winterville Magazine 2021

Products such as Lanoca Coffee from Farmville, Mackey’s Ferry Peanuts from Jamesville and Sam Jones and Skylight Inn barbecue sauces from Ayden line the store’s shelves. Local honey comes from two miles down the road. Pottery by Ayden artist Cindy Letchworth is found throughout the store.

They also stock treasures found from the beach to the mountains and in between — such as outdoor furniture made in Carteret County, JOY Filled Foods from Goldsboro and Ashe County Cheese from West Jefferson.

Jams and jellies made in Elizabethtown range from maple bacon jam to pineapple pepper jelly and cherry-apple bourbon jam.

“We try and get things as close to home as we can,” Justin said. “It is nice to have those products here because people who have had tried them and like them find they are not always easy to access.”

Cheese and meats sold at the market have been popular with customers. Fresh produce offerings depend on the season.

“We highlight our farmers so people can

Half of the six-person team that owns The Village Market are Sarah and Justin Lawrence, front, and Justin’s father, David. The business connects farmers and artisis with customers.

see who is behind a product.

Consumers really like to understand who they are supporting when they buy from here,” Sarah said. “It gives them a connection to where their food comes from ... We are always trying to get produce as local as we possibly can.”

Creative Gardens was a popular business and the Lawrences hope it will prove to be a great location for them.

“A lot of people still remember the nursery center,” Sarah said.

Justin added, “My dad worked at the nursery right out of high school. He just retired from the City of Greenville and is right back here working again.”

“We were excited to bring some life back here,” he said.

The nursery had been closed

for a while when the families bought the property.

“We’ve had a lot of customers tell us they are glad here is something here again,” added Justin.

David and Leigh are the heart and soul of the place, Sarah said. “They are the ones here doing all the tough stuff — although, everybody has their own role.”

She and Justin are “products of 4-H and FFA (Future Farmers of America)” she added. “We have a passion for agriculture — we just don’t live on a farm. This is one way to express our appreciation.”

Leigh said recently that the business has been thriving thanks to the community.

“We have been very, very pleased with the community support as far as shopping local

and shopping North Carolina.”

She elaborated that there is a big pull from surrounding counties including Lenoir, Greene, Martin and Beaufort counties in addition to Pitt County. She attributes that to the market’s support of local businesses such as Mamasita’s Chips, a’larita Salsa and Simply Natural Creamery. Even the beef and pork are from adjacent counties.

“I feel like that’s helped a lot because more and more people are wanting to support local businesses,” she said.

When asked about her favorite part of The Village Market, Leigh didn’t hesitate to say the people.

“Without even a thought, it’s the people that we’ve met.”

In addition to what’s in the store, the business hosts vendors most weekends and

they will be out for the holiday season every Saturday until Dec. 18.

The business also has added Amish-built storage buildings to its inventory.

For the upcoming holiday season, it will offer North Carolina grown Christmas trees for sale.

Anyone who is looking forward to meeting Santa Claus will have an opportunity on Dec. 11.

The Village Market, 5036 Winterville Parkway, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. For more information on outside vendor space (available on Saturdays), or product placement, contact villagemarketnc@gmail.com, visit villagemarketnc on Facebook, or call 252-756-7788.

Winterville Magazine 2021

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NEWS AND NOTES RESTAURANT NEWS

• The Winterville location of Tie Breakers sports bar is open and it looks great, according to visitors.

As of Nov. 10, the business known for its great burgers, wings and service was softly operating at 2582 Railroad St. A big announcement and grand opening was expected after the business obtained alcoholic beverage licenses. Call 252-439-0555 or visit Tiebreakersnc.com.

• The popular cuisine of PreVail Food Truck will soon be available from a brick and mortar location in Winterville. Chef Matthew Cole is refurbishing a storefront for his Hawaiian-inspired cuisine at 4810 Old Tar Road in the Food Lion shopping center.

Prevail has moved in and is making the front space a cozy spot to grab a panini, salad or hot soup.

A menu and hours are expected soon with an opening in early 2022.

28 | Winterville Magazine 2021

CHRISTMAS

The town will host its annual Christmas market, parade and tree lighting on Dec. 4. The market will run from 2-7 p.m. It will include craft vendors, food trucks, a bounce house and entertainment.

The parade will start at 2 p.m. at the corner of Sylvania Street and Church Street. It will end at the corner of Sylvania Street and Ange Street.

The tree lighting ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. at 252 Main St. In addition to the tree lighting, there will be performances from local schools and organizations, a reading of The Night Before Christmas and a gift card giveaway.

Call 252-756-1487 for more information.

NEWS AND NOTES LIBRARY NEWS

The Winterville Public Library’s popular outdoor story time will continue but move indoors as the weather grows colder.

The library started the outdoor reading during the pandemic shutdown. Every Wednesday at 10:15 a.m., children under 5 gathered outside the library for stories selected by theme. Recent themes included fall and dinosaurs.

“My favorite part is just getting to interact with the kids,” said children’s librarian Amber Winstead.

“Having that interaction: the face-to-face interaction, getting to see how excited they get over the stories and how excited they get over the songs and the rhymes, that’s my favorite part of it.”

Winstead said indoor story time will resume but the kids love being outside. “You can see they get excited. We did a story time where we were talking

about leaves, and we were able to see the trees right there behind the Winterville Branch … the whole connection to nature has been really great.”

Staff at the branch have taken great strides to create a safe space for the community and continue to provide services amid the pandemic, Director Greg Needham said.

“We want to make the library a home, safe and welcoming.”

Curbside service continues to allow patrons to call and have books prepped and ready to pick-up outside.

The library offers self-checkout and has spaced public computers apart to create safe social distancing.

Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 1-5 p.m.

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