Greater Fayetteville Business Journal - August 25, 2023 Issue

SERVING UP SMILES

By Stephanie Meador

Daphne Sanitz, a Veteran entrepreneur, has made quite the name for herself through her work of “preserving what most throw away” here in Fayetteville. Sanitz has developed eight properties in downtown Fayetteville including the building at 108 Person St. which now hosts the popular restaurant CIRCA 1800.

You’ve shared an evening with them, laughed over a drink with them and have seen them pretty regularly. The Greater Fayetteville Business Journal reached out to some of the area’s staple restaurants to get to know more about the people who serve our communities.

Sanitz spoke with the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal about her latest project, the Kress Lofts on Maxwell St.

Sanitz first began the steps to renovating the Kress building in 2017.

These staff members range from new to experienced and have their own share of stories from their time in the industry. Coming from all walks of life and backgrounds, they are ready to serve you. Meet some of our area’s Wonderful Waitstaff:

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: DARDEN JENKINS

An artist's rendering of the fully renovated Kress Lofts building. Daphne Sanitz has developed eight historic properties in Downtown Fayetteville.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY GFBJ

The Greater Fayetteville Business Journal got to know eight waitstaff members across four area restaurants.

ROBESON COUNTY

JUNE 2023: 5.2%

DOWN FROM JUNE 2022: 5.8%

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

SAMPSON COUNTY

JUNE 2023: 3.6%

DOWN FROM JUNE 2022: 4.2%

JULY 2023 MEDIAN HOME LIST PRICE (SINGLE-FAMILY BY COUNTY)

LABOR FORCE JUNE 2023 BY INDUSTRY (FAYETTEVILLE MSA)

MLS

Source: Longleaf Pines MLS and Mid Carolina Regional MLS

Source: NC Department of Commerce

Source: NC Department of Revenue

Cumberland Hoke

Harnett Sampson Robeson Bladen Moore

4424 Bragg Blvd, Fayetteville, NC 28303

910-240-9697

bizfayetteville.com

PUBLISHER

Marty Cayton martyc@bizfayetteville.com

EDITOR

Faith Hatton faithh@bizfayetteville.com

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Stephanie Meador stephaniem@bizfayetteville.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Kate Griffin

Diana Hansen

Kathie Harris

Suet Lee-Growney

Jenna Shackelford

Eddie Velazquez

CONTRIBUTING WRITER MARKETING CONTENT

Stacie Borrello

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER

Samantha Lowe samanthal@bizfayetteville.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Marshall Waren marketing@bizfayetteville.com

ACCOUNTING

Priscilla Nelson billing@bizfayetteville

The Greater Fayetteville Business Journal is published twice a month throughout Fayetteville and the Cumberland County region. News related to the region’s business sector is posted daily at bizfayetteville.com.

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© Copyright 2023

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

Learning lessons

Most people in the workforce today have had some experience in the food service industry. In fact, according to Restaurant Business Online, half of all adults have worked in the restaurant industry at some point during their lives and one in three Americans got their first job experience in a restaurant.

I also worked in food services temporarily as wait staff. During my service in the U.S. Navy, all enlisted personnel E3 and below had to serve at least three months in what the Navy affectionately called, “Mess cooking” or KP (Kitchen Police)

Duty if you are in the Army.

I worked in the officer’s mess hall and was one of about four other members on the wait staff. I learned a lot and discovered much about people, in general, during this time.

One very memorable experience was when I was asked by a newly minted officer to bring some cream

cheese for their bagel. Since I had no formal training in food service, I did what any kid would do if he was at home and someone asked for something; I gave them the cream cheese, still in the Philadelphia cream cheese wrapper, with a knife and I didn’t think I was going to miss a beat. Unlike yours truly, this newly commissioned naval officer obviously had experience on what proper service etiquette should be and what it should NOT be.

The Ensign chewed me up and down in front of the entire room for this delivery and presentation error. Now mind you, I was not a contestant on Chopped, I was just an E3 mess cook trying to do my best. There’s a lot more to this story and maybe one day I’ll find a way to incorporate, what Paul Harvey used to call, “the rest of the story.” For now, I leave you with the segue into this issue with a focus on “Wonderful Waitstaff.”

These waitstaff members featured are great reflections of their restaurant ownership and what good customer service is all about. They certainly know how to get the job done and they all are doing it successfully for some of the best restaurants in our area! I am sure each of them has more than one story about not so nice customers.

We hope that you enjoy learning more about these wait staff team members and the places they work. And just reflect on this quote by journalist Dave Barry who said, “A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.”

So be a nice person and be nice to the waitstaff!

God bless you and yours!

WHETHER IT’S IN THE NAVY OR IN A RESTAURANT, THERE’S MUCH TO LEARN WHILE SERVING OTHERS

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve.”

— MARTIN LUTHER KING

Nighttime Could Be the Right Time to Save.

With PWC’s New Super Off-Peak Rate

On May 1, PWC introduced a new optional Whole Business rate that features significantly lower rates (more than 46% lower than our current Off-Peak rates) for electricity used during Super Off-Peak Hours, 9:00 PM – 5:00 AM daily, all year long. Business customers who sign up for this option pay a slightly higher basic facility charge and Peak rate, while benefiting from much lower rates during the nighttime hours.

Your business may be able to lower your electric bills with this rate plan. Some of the ways you can save money with this plan include doing things like:

• Charging fleet-managed EVs, or providing managed EV charging for multi business/residential units, during Super-Off Peak hours

• Performing power-hungry tasks or running large machinery/ non-essential equipment between 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM

For more information, visit: FayPWC.com and click on the TOU Rates for Business in the business section of the website. Or call 910-483-1382 to speak with a PWC representative and learn how our new Whole Business electric rate may benefit your business

HOSPITALITY

From SERVING, page 1

NAME: Francesca “Fran” Forbes

LOCATION: Antonella's Italian Ristorante

TIME IN FOOD SERVICE: 22 Years

POSITION: Sole Bartender

MOST UNIQUE REQUEST FROM A GUEST: A plastic wrapped, microwave steak.

Francesca has been behind the counter at Antonella's Italian Ristorante in Downtown Fayetteville for three years. Since joining, she can be found stirring, mixing and shaking as the primary bartender for the restaurant. After years of working as a server for other restaurants, Fran would later meet and follow Antonella after working with her at another restaurant she previously owned.

“When I found out about this restaurant, I jumped right in because I've always liked to work for Antonella and some of the best money I've ever made, it’s always been with her,” shared Fran.

She shared that her favorite part of her job is connecting with and getting to know her customers.

“I think that's one of the best things about the industry. You get regulars and they become your family and you have something to talk about, all the time, no matter what,” shared Fran.

Owner and Head Chef Antonella Scibilia also shared that she is thankful to have Francesca as an employee and a face of her business.

“Probably one of the most important things when it comes to the restaurant business is the front house. When you walk into Antonella’s the first thing you see is the bar. And of course, Francesca is our head bartender, we don’t have another bartender she works five days a week. So she is pretty much one of the first faces people see and it’s really important to have somebody with her personality at the front,” said Scibilia.

NAME: Rudolph “Rudy” Newland

LOCATION: Highland Country Club

TIME IN FOOD SERVICE: 60+ years

POSITION: Bartender/Server

MOST UNIQUE REQUEST FROM A GUEST: Declined to comment but if you want it, he can get it.

Rudy has been the heart of Highland Country Club for 15 years. His resume includes 28 years of serving on Carnival Cruise Lines and after living in Florida and continuing to serve at StoneBridge Golf and Country Club for 19 years, he relocated to Fayetteville. Rudy shared that he was driving by the Highland Country Club and decided to apply on a whim.

“Before I leave the parking lot, they called me back. They were ready to hire me right then,” shared Rudy. “I meet a lot of very important people here, mostly lawyers, judges. That’s my favorite part, I get to know people so when I get a

joined the team. Since then she shared that she has enjoyed her time there even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We closed for about four months during COVID and Brandy took such great care of us during that time,” recalled Jess. Despite enjoying her job and meeting patrons, Jess shared she doesn't consider herself a people person.

speeding ticket I know who to go to,” Rudy shared with a laugh. “You have to be a people person, you have to smile a lot. It is rough, but you’ve got to be a people person to come into this.”

Highland Country Club General Manager Cami Blackwelder shared what an impact Rudy has at the Club.

“One thing about Rudy… I’ve never seen him have a bad day. Most people have a bad day or every once in a while, not him. That smile, that infectious laugh is always constant. And the great thing about him too is, it doesn't matter who you are,” shared Blackwelder. “He is the same to everybody and treats everyone the same. He anticipates their needs and they love him. It kind of gets a little difficult because everyone wants to sit in Rudy’s section, but he is Highland Country Club, honestly.”

and they just want to talk to you and they want to share something about themselves with you. And that just makes it a little bit more worthwhile...” shared Jess.

Owner and Host of Circa 1800 Brandy Puczylowski highlighted how Jess is the glue that holds everyone together.

LOCATION: Circa 1800

TIME IN FOOD SERVICE: 14+ years

POSITION: Bartender/Server

MOST UNIQUE REQUEST FROM A GUEST: An adult patron once asked her

Jess has been a regular face in Circa 1800 since January of 2019 after she moved to Fayetteville and

“It is a part of the job that I do like, meeting new people and hearing about their life experiences. That’s definitely it. Not every day in this job is great, it’s definitely challenging physically and mentally, and not everybody is very nice to waitstaff. But that is why that is probably the best part of it, is because you can have like four or five negative tables in a row that are just unkind or don't appreciate what you're offering them. Then you get one table

“She takes care of everything without being asked, she’s on top of it. If she’s not here, it’s completely different because we’re all a little lost. We’re all not sure how we should correct the problem in the computer or where the straws are, she’s just the mom of Circa,” shared Puczylowski. “She's dependable, she's trustworthy, she has great customer service skills, great management skills. She’s just literally the perfectly well rounded employee.”

NAME: Jessica “Jess” Minnick

to cut their steak into tiny pieces while at the table with dinner guests.

ACHIEVERS

UNCP’s Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub gets new Executive Director

The Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub at UNC Pembroke has welcomed in ELIZABETH “BETH” WILKERSON as its new Executive Director.

A Robeson County native and graduate of UNCP herself, Wilkerson has been active with the University for years, starting in December of 2007 in the Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) until May of 2018. After which, she transitioned to Fayetteville State University where she served as the Regional Director of the SBTDC until she returned to UNCP in June of 2023.

Wilkerson shared that she was raised in a family of small business owners and has a background in insurance and customer service along with her more than four years working with the SBTDC.

Along with continuing to help guide the Hub’s mission to provide resources and education to small business owners and startups, she shared that the Hub is collaborating with the Thomas College of Business and Economics to create its first ever strategic plan to set goals for the future.

“I think the Hub has done a really great job of providing resources and networking opportunities. Our goal is to help as many startups as we can possibly help get started and to help those in business stay in business,” said Wilkerson. “I’m just really grateful to the James A. Thomas family and everything they've done to support our university and community. This Hub is a prime example of their commitment to our community,” concluded Wilkerson.

FSU Graduate named as a White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities Scholar

Fayetteville State University is giving a well deserved congratulations to one of their alumni and Southern Pines native, OLIVIA BOYD after Boyd was named a 2023 HBCU Scholar by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Education,

What are you and your peers achieving? Have you reached a new goal? Have you acquired another business? Maybe your business has a new hire you would like to highlight.

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal wants to hear from you and your business to shine a spotlight on your accomplishments.

To nominate someone for GFBJ’s Achievers section, email editor@bizfayetteville.com with the subject line “Achiever.”

the Initiative is recognizing its ninth cohort of HBCU Scholars, recognizing 102 undergraduate, graduate and professional students from 29 different states and countries for their accomplishments in academics, leadership, civic engagement and much more. The 2023 HBCU scholars are the largest cohort since the inception of this recognition program in 2014 and represent a record number of institutions, with the HBCU participation rate now over 70 percent.

Currently enrolled at 70 of our nation’s HBCUs, Boyd and this group of HBCU Scholars were selected from a competitive pool of over 300 applicants. Over the course of an academic school year, HBCU Scholars will serve as ambassadors of the White House Initiative on HBCUs, the U.S. Department of Education and their respective HBCU.

FSU offered Boyd a congratulations with a LinkedIn post reading in part:

“We’re sending a big congratulations and BRONCO PRIDE to Olivia Boyd who was recently selected as one of the 2023 The White House HBCU Scholars!

Over 300 students vied for the prestigious title which includes networking opportunities, a partnership with NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration to commercialize technology that can improve their campus and an ambassadorship during the National HBCU Conference.”

HBCU Scholars will also be invited to the 2023 HBCU Week National Annual Conference, which will be held on Sept. 24-28, 2023, at the Hy-

att Regency in Crystal City, Virginia.

Fayetteville Police Department 911 Systems Analyst graduates from Certified Public-Safety Executive Program

The Association of Public-Safety Communications Professionals (APCO) International announced in late July that TRACY TROGDON of Fayetteville, NC has graduated from the prestigious Certified Public-Safety Executive (CPE) Program. Tracy serves as 911 Systems Analyst for Fayetteville Police Department 911 Communications.

The CPE Program was established in 2016 and was designed to elevate professionalism, enhance individual performance and recognize excellence in the public safety communications industry. Participants may be managers, supervisors, agency executives or others whose work and life experiences have motivated them to learn the necessary skills to successfully lead organizations within the complex and ever-changing environment in which public safety agencies operate.

“The CPE Program is designed to equip public safety communications professionals with the tools they need to face challenges and move our industry forward,” said APCO Executive Director and CEO Derek K. Poarch in a press release. “By completing this rigorous and demanding program, graduates are better prepared to meet whatever the future brings, whether it is a planned transition to Next Generation 9-1-1, a natural disaster or something as unforeseen as the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The program allows participants to explore topics that include management versus leadership, models/ theories of leadership, leadership

styles, public safety leadership issues and executing and managing change.

The program consists of two, 12week online courses and a ten-day capstone seminar at APCO headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Alexander “Sandy” Stewart steps into new role as Sandhills Community College with presidential inauguration

ALEXANDER “SANDY” STEWART, PH.D., was inaugurated as Sandhills Community College’s third president yesterday, Aug. 9. Prior to his role at Sandhills, Dr. Stewart served as the Assistant Commissioner of Agricultural Services at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The momentous occasion signifies the beginning of a new era of academic excellence, innovation and community engagement at Sandhills.

During his address, a press release reports, Dr. Stewart reflected on the college’s founders, Cliff Blue, Bob Ewing, Mary Lumen Meyer and others’ motivations.

This sentiment will guide Dr. Stewart toward the untapped potential of Moore and Hoke Counties. “Think about the potential impact of Sandhills Community College on the individual student, that student’s family and more broadly, future generations of that family.” Adding, “That’s the impact that sparks big dreams, inspires life-long learning and changes lives,” he said at the event.

As Sandhills Community College enters this exciting new chapter, Dr. Stewart is dedicated to navigating Sandhills through the ever-evolving world. “With new people, new businesses and advancing technological innovations, Sandhills Community College will grow with it, readying our students and community for the future,” said Stewart in his address.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ?

Tracy Trogdon of Fayetteville (center).

Boyd

Wilkerson

Stewart

GunBusters

COUNTRYWIDE ORGANIZATION WITH NEW FAYETTEVILLE OFFICE SEEKS TO PARTNER WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR SAFE FIREARM DISPOSAL

GunBusters, a countrywide organization headquartered in Chesterfield, Missouri, provides a safe and well-documented way of disposing of firearms for law enforcement agencies.

The company has partnered with 1,000 law enforcement agencies, including the sheriff’s offices in Wake and Durham Counties, and University of North Carolina Police at the state level. Federally, the company has also partnered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Geological Survey. All in all, the organization has disposed of 250,000 firearms.

Mack Gwinn, who oversees GunBusters’ operations in the southeast and in New England, said firearm disposal helps law enforcement in multiple ways.

“In the past, law enforcement agencies have either held on to these older weapons, which creates a problem with storage,” he said. For instance, Gwinn noted, police in Boston rent a facility with more than a million square feet in capacity to store evidence.

“As you can imagine that is an expense to the community there,” Gwinn said.

Holding on to older firearms, Gwinn said, also presents a liability risk for law enforcement.

“Legally, these law enforcement agencies are entitled to sell these weapons to federal firearms licensees, who can then sell them,” he said. “There are multiple examples of where these guns go back into the streets and into the wrong hands. That creates a liability for law enforcement and the municipalities themselves.”

Municipalities and law enforcement agencies can be sued if a gun that was used as evidence and is later sold to a certified dealer or a dealer is used to commit a crime, Gwinn said.

“Every firearm that we destroy won't end up back on the street,” he added. “A lot of the guns we destroy are not new guns. Overtime or by modification, these guns we destroy can malfunction where the safety doesn’t work, or they have a sensitive trigger. That could lead to someone getting hurt.”

There has been a significant increase in the number of firearms

seized by and surrendered to law enforcement agencies, particularly in the last year. GunBusters’ website suggests that an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives (ATF) data reflects that more than 620,000 weapons used in crimes were traced in 2022. Annually, there are more than one million guns recovered by law enforcement agencies across the U.S.

Typically, some agencies seize guns that are then stored for years before making a decision on how to dispose of them, Gwinn said. In some instances, confiscated and surrendered firearms are destroyed by sawing in-half or cutting with an acetylene torch, while others are crushed with a sledgehammer, all of which are methods considered as unsafe by GunBusters experts. The agencies that transport weapons to other shredders or foundries report significant expenses, according to the GunBusters website.

To dispose of the weapons, GunBusters use an in-house shredder dubbed the Firearms Pulverizer system. This is a six-ton paper shredder with two engines of 240 horsepower each.

“We still haven’t found anything

that it can’t grind up,” Gwinn said. “Basically, guns go in at the top of the machine, and scrap metal comes out at the bottom. The scrap metal can be recycled.”

To ensure the weapons’ destruction, GunBusters keeps meticulous records.

“We video the destruction of the weapons with a patent-protected video process. So that we can, if need be, pull up the actual video that identifies the firearm,” Gwinn said.

GunBusters is seeking to expand locally, Gwinn said. He said he wants to partner with law enforcement agencies in Cumberland County.

“We've done work with agencies across the state,” Gwinn added. “And basically, it's always a situation where new law enforcement agencies are hesitant. They feel like they are giving firearms to somebody that they may not know or haven't heard of before.”

To sell law enforcement organizations on GunBusters’ service, Gwinn has relied on a trusty comparison.

“I'm a big fan of most of the cars from the ‘60s and ‘70s, but there are certain cars that shouldn't be on the road anymore,” he said. “Those cars are just a danger to drivers on the road.”

As the local branch of GunBusters looks forward, Gwinn said he is looking to fill six new roles in Fayetteville.

“All employees have to be able to pass a background check,” he said. “Obviously because we are working with firearms, we can't hire convicted felons, as they are prohibited from being in possession of firearms.”

Another necessary qualification, Gwinn said, is maturity.

“We need people that are mature enough to interact well with police chiefs, sheriffs, and municipal officials,” he said. “And our workers need to be energetic enough to look forward to driving across the state to pick up guns to bring back to our facility.”

Gwinn added that 12-15 hour days are not uncommon for workers at GunBusters.

“We are also looking for people who have attention to detail,” he said. “We've got to be able to account for each and every firearm that we pick up and destroy.”

Law enforcement agencies interested in learning more about the Fayetteville area GunBusters and how to partner with them are welcome to call their main line at 844-486-2878.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY GUNBUSTERS

Mack Gwinn of GunBusters Southeast and New England standing next to the Firearms Pulverizer used by the organization to dispose of weapons.

ClawsByVee Nail Academy

COMING SOON TO DOWNTOWN FAYETTEVILLE, THE NEW ACADEMY WILL BE TRAINING UP THE NEXT GENERATION OF BEAUTY PROFESSIONALS

Anew Black owned school of beauty will soon be open for business in Downtown Fayetteville.

The ClawsByVee Nail Academy will be the newest addition to the area’s workforce training options brought to life by Versace Granberry, local business owner and founder of ClawsByVee Spa.

Versace, who was inspired by her mother’s 30 year career in the beauty industry, has been doing nails since 2020. Beginning as a self taught stylist, she later went on to receive official training and opened her own salon, located in Hope Mills, in 2021. She later moved to her current, larger, location at 594 S Reilly Rd. in August of 2022.

Now, she shared that she is looking forward to educating future stylists at her new Academy. After moving into her new Reilly Rd. location, she began her time as an educator by launching the ClawsByVee Mentee Program.

“I get so many people asking me ‘How to do this?’ And ‘How do you do that? How do you start? How can I start?’ So I was like, ‘You know what? Why not get a bigger salon where I can help other people and show them how to do it, show them how to do better and give them advice and uplift them,’” shared Versace. “That’s what made me get the bigger location and then throughout all of that, my goal was still to open the school. I didn’t know when or how I was gonna do it, but when God put it on my heart to go for it, that’s when I was just like, you know it’s time to do it.”

The ClawsByVee Nail Academy is a licensed state board approved school and will feature two primary programs to start with; a Natural Hair Care program and Nail Technician program, with each program being 300 hours. Versace shared that the Academy will be educating area beauticians in all aspects of the beauty industry and will eventually add on an Aesthetics program following a successful launch.

“What they can expect is a difference. What I mean by that is, typically when you think of going to cosmetology school you think of learning the bare minimum. I

plan on providing not only the state board required curriculum, but the business side and more so of the real world side, so they get a knowledge of what to do when they step out,” shared Versace. “I really want you to gain so much that when you get out of here, you’ll know how to purchase a suite, you’ll know how to go deal with clientele, how to get business cards, how to go do guerilla marketing, you’ll know how to do those different type of things to make you better.”

The new Nail Academy building is located at 403 Gillespie St. in Downtown Fayetteville. Versace shared that she’s had the building confirmed since February and is waiting on the City’s approval before construction can officially start.

“Whenever you get a building and you are planning to add from the original plan, you have to go through the City to get things approved, you have to get your layout approved. Right now we’re probably just one little tiny step away from being approved. So once that is done, we’ll be starting construction,” shared Versace.

In the meantime, Versace has continued to provide not just knowledge in her field, but also a place for independent nail artists to get their start. In her former Hope Mills salon, located at 1019 Hope Mills Rd in Ste. 110, she rents out fully furnished and supplied booths to independent nail techs looking for a stable space to meet with clients.

“I rent out to independent nail techs. A lot of people don’t like the commission salon environment, they like the independence. So I rent out that space to nail techs that just want your own kind of space. It’s pretty much equipped so that way you don’t have to worry about, ‘Well, I gotta go find a pedicure chair. I gotta go get this, I gotta go get that.’ All they need is their supplies and their product and they’re ready to work,” shared Versace.

The next step following the start of construction will be getting proper government accreditation for the Academy to be able to accept government funding and tuition assistance which Versace said is in the works.

“A lot of people are asking and that is my goal to actually offer, but people don’t understand that it’s a process that we have to go through, a whole two year process, before we can even say that we’re accredited or even accept government funding or anything like that,” said Versace. “We’re working on that, so don’t be afraid. We do have tuition plans available for you all and I’ve hooked up with a few lenders. So if their credit is good or they don’t have too bad credit, they’ll be able to apply and pay in full but they’re just focused on paying them [the lenders] back.”

A $699 non-refundable and non-transferable deposit is required to secure your seat at the time of enrollment, and tuition plans range from $3,900 – $4,800.

While an official enrollment date has not been announced yet, pre-registration for students is open and can be done online at the ClawsByVee Nail Academy website at www.clawsbyveeacademy.info.

Potential students can also learn more about the programs and look for updates on the business on the salon’s Facebook page @Claws By Vee Spa.

The Academy is also looking for instructors to add to their staff including Licensed Nail Techs, Lash Techs and Licensed Instructors.

To learn more contact 910-339-1862.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CLAWSBYVEE SPA

The new Academy will be located at 403 Gillespie St. in Downtown Fayetteville.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY GFBJ Versace Granberry, local business owner and founder of ClawsByVee Spa.

Now, more than ever, trust is the foundation of any successful relationship. More than 180 years ago, United Bank established a banking tradition guided by safe, sound and secure practices. Our commitment to building trust is deeply embedded in who we are, and it is something we will hold true for many years to come.

Reader’s Guide

BizLeads is a collection of information gathered from greater Fayetteville courthouses, state government offices and information websites. The listings are intended to help the business community find new customers and stay on top of happenings with current customers, vendors and competitors.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Serenity Mobile

Phlebotomy LLC

805 Makay Ct

Hope Mills

Agent: Nicki Nicole Leak

C.A.R.E. Coaches

Aligned Ready to Educate

404 Hope Mills Road

Fayetteville

Agent: Chadburn

Leon Baucom

THE STUDIO Group LLC

4923 Paulson

Dr.

Fayetteville

Agent: Aleah

Rosario

3P'S PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LLC

812 WEISS AVE

FAYETTEVILLE

Agent: NIMOY WHITTINGHAM

E&GPG LLC

5075 Morganton Rd #1708 Ste

10c

Fayetteville

Agent: Elisabeth

Superville-George

Gray's Creek Choral Booster

5301 Celebration Dr

HOPE MILLS

Agent: Amy Schwartz

Cross to Bear

5203 Woodpecker

Dr

Hope Mills

Agent: Tyler Andrew Paul

Art by Imelda McLaurin LLC

3516 Wyatt Court Fayetteville

Agent: Imelda McLaurin

BIZ LEADS

Bresmotif LLC

5610 Fountain Grove Circ Apt 109

Fayetteville Agent: Sebrevia D Osborne

Gardenkate LLC

1700 Telluride Ct

Fayetteville

Reagan Dr

Fayetteville

Agent: Maxwell Thomas Runion

TDE Filmz LLC

482 Corning Pl

Fayetteville Agent: Trashawn

Elmore MGR

Terracciano

PGI Yadkin LLC

2136 Cedar Creek Road

Fayetteville Agent: Daniel C.

Terracciano

Moonfish Marketing LLC

Fayetteville Agent: Clifton

Alvin Cleveland Jr

Salt & Sage

Apothecary Inc

414 Ray Ave

FAYETTEVILLE

Agent: Nicole Littell

The Faith Chapter #1141

4378 Wuycik Road

Fayetteville Agent: LaToya Smith Lane

JD Landscaping Lawncare and Grading LLC

ALB Business Group LLC

1106 LEGEND CREEK DR

Hope Mills

Agent: Leo Daniel

Banuelos

Integrity Mngmnt Consulting Inc

4222 Callery

Knoll Court

Fayetteville

Agent: Daniel Reeder

Relentless Athletics & Sports Massage LLC

7920 Fayetteville Hwy

Godwin Agent: Christa L Duncan

ELECTRIC CUT LAWN CARE LLC

1000 APPALACHIN DR

FAYETTEVILLE Agent: JAMES

ZIOBRO

Cedar Creek Auto Inc.

120 N Virginia Ave.

Fayetteville Agent: Michael J

Rothman

ONNIT Property Management LLC

128 Bow Street #D

Fayetteville Agent: Daniel DiFilippo

Momvocate 1220 Weeping Willow Way

Fayetteville

Agent: Onyx Chantrell Sledge

J. Davis Family Ventures 6562 Brookshire Street

Fayetteville

Agent: Ivana Williams

Austere Resilience LLC

9328 Creek Path Pl Linden

Agent: Christopher D Gray

FAYETTEVILE SPA

L.L.C.

5003 RAEFORD RD

FAYETTEVILLE

Agent: RYEON SOOK BALESTRIERI

Innerstood Therapeutic Art Photography LLC

6616 Brookstone Ln Apt 304

Fayetteville Agent: Rochelle J Photography

ClawsByVee Nail Academy LLC

403 Gillespie St Fayetteville

Agent: Versace D

Granberry

Agent: Katie Ann Amdahl

Carolina Wayy LLC

3615 Colonial Cove

Hope Mills

Agent: Michael Dixon

Peace By The River Coaching and Consulting LLC

2543 Ravenhill

Dr. Ste E

Fayetteville

Agent: Andrea M Hayes

The Wright Spot Paint & Body Shop LLC

5607 Islandview Drive

HOPE MILLS Agent: Erica N Hamilton

Lawn Leaders

L.L.C.

222 Heather Ridge Dr Apt G

Fayetteville Agent: Chelsea

Diane Zimmerman

Healing House of Hope LLC

5217 North Sumac Circle

Fayetteville Agent: Roxana Lynn Woolett mrs

VertexMathematics L.L.C.

1060 Ronald

CarolinaCajunCooking LLC

5075 Morganton Rd Ste 10C # 1714

Fayetteville Agent: Nathaniel Dingle

Ford5 Enterprises LLC.

1101 Sleepyhollow Dr

Fayetteville Agent: Kadeem Ford

IP fence LLC

5711 Sagamore Rd

Hope Mills

Agent: Irene Cruz

Portillo Galindo

PGI Harrells LLC

2136 Cedar Creek Rd

Fayetteville Agent: Daniel C. Terracciano

PGI Ramsey LLC

2136 Cedar Creek Road

Fayetteville Agent: Daniel C.

Terracciano

PGI Spring Lake LLC

2136 Cedar Creek Road

Fayetteville Agent: Daniel C.

Terracciano

PGI Hawleys LLC 2136 Cedar Creek Road

Fayetteville Agent: Daniel C.

424 Old Farm Road

Fayetteville Agent: Justin Daniel Grady

Robinson Pressure Washing LLC

1800 Catawba St

Fayetteville Agent: Edwin

Maurice Robinson

HOME Patriots Inc.

4151 Pecan Drive

Hope Mills

Agent: Hannah Arnett

Healing America Foundation

1017 Buckland Drive

Fayetteville Agent: Mario de la Vega

Brightway Planning Lifestyle Guidance LLC

3588 Gazella Dr

Fayetteville Agent: Clarence M Hodges

Quality Hauling

Towing & Land Management LLC

13577 NC Highway 210 S

Roseboro Agent: Katherine Hern Landreth

Brighter Days Ahead Inc

5849 Century Oaks Dr. Apt E

Citronella's Catering Services LLC

331B CONFIDENCE COURT

FAYETTEVILLE

Agent: Citronella Todd

Hart's that Truly Care LLC

5546 Hedrick Dr. Fayetteville

Agent: Mildred

Bevins

Gina's Notary and Realty Services LLC

918 Shannon Drive

Fayetteville Agent: Regina

Brady-Newland

Kingston and Queens International LLC

6085 RAEFORD RD

FAYETTEVILLE

Agent: PROLIFIC

TAX & MULTI SERVICE LLC

Safe Travel Academy LLC

8524 Cartman Drive

Fayetteville Agent: Felecia Roberts

20Degrees Logistics LLC

8435 Hereford Drive

Fayetteville Agent: Katina McGirt

2706 Brinkley Drive

Spring Lake Agent: James Chance Satima Cleaning Service LLC

5075 Morganton Road STE 10C

Fayetteville Agent: Maria Santos Aguilar

Pluton Planes LLC

1939 Shiloh Drive

Fayetteville Agent: Adrienne Ballesteros

J WILSON LLC

913 Spellman Dr FAYETTEVILLE Agent: Jerome Wilson

3A Lawncare LLC

4328 Beldford Rd

Fayetteville Agent: Alexis Aguilar Aguilar

McRara Trans LLC

1713 Merry Oaks Dr Fayetteville Agent: Rachel Wynette McNeill

Jehovah Jireh Ministry

3821 MADISON AVE

Fayetteville Agent: DEBORAH

MCGIRT CARROWAY

New Corporations lists firms from the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal region that were recently incorporated in the State of North Carolina.

By Faith Hatton

From SERVING, page 7

LOCATION: The Luigi's Italian Chophouse and Bar Team

NAME: Micah Krouse

TIME IN FOOD SERVICE: 14+ years

POSITION: Server

MOST UNIQUE REQUEST FROM A GUEST: If you want it, he’ll get it.

Micah has been a part of the Luigi’s waitstaff since 2016. After having to wait his turn due to the low turnover rate, he has continued to provide excellent service to customers, getting to know the community and looks forward to seeing his regulars and new faces every week.

“It’s the creation of memories. People come here for anniversaries, birthdays… these are memories that people are going to have with them their whole life. They may not remember who served them, or who did what, but they’re going to remember how they felt when they came here and that's what’s important to us,” shared Micah.

NAME: Savannah Denning

TIME IN FOOD SERVICE: 2 years

POSITION: Server

MOST UNIQUE REQUEST FROM A GUEST: Once had a table order dinner in reverse: Desserts, then entrees and then appetizers.

Savannah has been a part of the Luigi’s team for a little over a year. After having her first experience at the restaurant as a guest for her 18th birthday, Savannah shared that she immediately applied. She said her favorite thing is sharing guest’s celebrations and festivities.

“I love talking. I’m a big talker,

so anytime I can be a part of something, I love that. It’s like a second kind of family, for the night at least. I have some Yelp reviews where I took selfies with the family. I had a graduation and it was a big celebration and the whole morning, I took selfies with the family, took pictures of the family and just like a nice celebration eating cake, we all just enjoyed ourselves. I love that kind of connection,” Savannah shared.

NAME: Jennifer Cannon

TIME IN FOOD SERVICE: 25 years

POSITION: Full Service Bartender

MOST UNIQUE REQUEST FROM A GUEST: Scotch and milk.

Jennifer is a fixture among the Luigi’s Staff, having served at the restaurant for 17 years and counting. Jennifer was already familiar with the owners of Luigi’s when she came on board from another restaurant and already knew a lot of the regular customers and staff members. She said her favorite thing about her job is seeing her coworkers and regular customers during her shifts.

“We have a lot of people that we look forward to seeing a couple times a week. Some of them a couple times a month. Everything as far as the actual shift itself, seeing the customers and the service and everything I really enjoy,” shared Jennifer. “I kind of consider them part of, I call it the extended Luigi’s family, because we all feel like family here since we're family owned and a lot of us have been here a really long time.”

NAME: Corey Wheeler

TIME IN FOOD SERVICE: 17+ years

POSITION: Bartender/Server

MOST UNIQUE REQUEST FROM A GUEST: Had a celebrity ask for an item not on the menu that they were able to make for them.

Corey has been in the restaurant service industry since he was 16 years old. One of the newest staff members, he joined the Luigi’s team about a year and a half ago. Now you can find him behind the bar and on the floor of Luigi’s looking to provide great service and even greater conversation.

“I just love talking to people, I’m not one to keep quiet. You can ask anybody here. I’m constantly talking to somebody about something whether it’s important or not important. I think that one of my favorite parts is just meeting new people, talking to new people, learning new things, learning locations around Fayetteville,” said Corey. “There’s an ice cream shop down the road that I had no idea about until a guest told me about it. It’s like little things like that that aren’t really a huge deal, but to me they’re a big deal.”

NAME: Wendell Small

TIME IN FOOD SERVICE: 41 years

POSITION: Server

MOST UNIQUE REQUEST FROM A GUEST: To take a photo with family members while he was serving them at an event.

Wendell has been a server with Lu-

igi’s since 2012. As an artist, he said he is glad to have a job that not only works with his schedule but allows him to disconnect at the end of the day when he chooses to focus on his creative works.

“By nature, I’m very introverted, but I’m also an artist. So I kind of look at when I wait tables as kind of like performance because you kind of have to put on this persona. And I take great pride in being a server and I always want to make sure that all the guests that I’m waiting on are feeling completely at ease,” shared Wendell. “A couple of my regulars will actually text me. I have one, she’s an elderly lady that comes in every Sunday, and she always calls me first thing Sunday morning, just to make sure that I have a table for her and of course I do.”

Luigi’s Partner Nate Ernst shared that the staff featured were a few out of the 30 staff members that could have also been included as “Wonderful Waitstaff.”

“We’re just very fortunate to have a lot of really good people that work here at Luigi’s. And they’re what makes the whole thing go,” said Ernst. “We picked a handful of servers and bartenders that perform the job technically correctly. When we look at waitstaff, as you have the service technical side and then you have the hospitality side, these people have mastered both. So they're gonna give you the technical service and they're gonna make you feel good while they do it.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY GFBJ

The Luigi’s Italian Chophouse and Bar team: (From left to right): Back row: Micah Krouse and Corey Wheeler Front row: Wendell Small, Savannah Denning and Jennifer Cannon.

Game on

SOL’S ARCADE + TAPROOM COMING TO DOWNTOWN FAYETTEVILLE

Downtown Fayetteville will soon be home to a new mecca for social gatherings. Sol’s Arcade + Taproom is coming to 421 Maiden Lane. The 6100 square foot space located right by Segra Stadium will feature a 21-tap self-pour draft system, modern and retro arcade games, a seven TV sports lounge and more.

Owner Cameron Carlotti shared that he hopes the place will be a “social gathering space for everyone.”

The business is named in honor of Sol, Carlotti’s first pitbull rescue. He and his partner Morghan got her about two years ago and Carlotti shared that he plans to have a local artist paint a mural of Sol on the side of the building. His vision for this mural is to have Sol depicted holding a drink, wagging her tail while sitting on a barstool and playing an arcade game.

Carlotti previously owned a gym in California but decided he wanted to pursue something different and went into Special Operations. However, in April of last year Carlotti was in a terrible Humvee rollover crash on Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty). After being medically evacuated to the hospital he had quite the

recovery to make.

All of this led to Carlotti becoming a non-commissioned officer. He’s now in the final stage of medical retirement. As he healed from the physical and emotional trauma of the accident, Carlotti began to consider what he might do next.

Carlotti initially thought he’d own another gym but came to find out that that was a flooded market in Fayetteville. Then he decided to look into what the community needed.

“So I went out, I looked around the community and I said, we have 240,000 people and very few entertainment options. For me, coming from California, I know barcades very well. They’re flooding the market down there. They’re very popular, very profitable facilities. So I was like, alright, let’s start looking into this,” remarked Carlotti.

Carlotti came to find that this was a “golden opportunity” and immediately began taking steps towards his new goal of opening a barcade in Fayetteville. This was about 10 months ago, and Carlotti shared that he is hopeful Sol’s Arcade + Taproom will open in the beginning of 2024.

The venue will feature arcade games, a self-pour tap system, a

sports lounge, rotating food trucks out front, cornhole, pool and more. The space will be open to everyone from open until 8 p.m., then after 8 p.m. until closing time, the space will be adults-only.

One particularly unique experience that Sol’s will offer guests is LaserShot Simulators. These advanced shooting simulators allow players to fight pirates or robots, hunt animals or walk through shoot houses, getting live-time feedback on score, accuracy and reaction time. Booths accommodate up to four members at a time in 30+ minute scheduled durations.

Carlotti was also eager to share about the venue’s ticket redemption counter. While many businesses that award tickets for games cater primarily to children, Carlotti shared that Sol’s will have a pretty even split between things for children and things for adults.

“I wanted to build a nice social gathering venue for the community, because every time somebody wants to go do something, it’s an hour and a half to Raleigh, it's 45 minutes to Southern Pines…we don’t have a lot of good spots just to hang out. So we’re going to do [it], we’re going to

be dog friendly, we’re going to be family friendly…I just wanted to build a place for everyone,” stated Carlotti.

Carlotti shared that the intention is to break ground towards the end of September with hopes of opening in February of 2024. There will be indoor and outdoor seating and the business is located within Fayetteville’s newly established social district as well.

The new space will create 12 to 15 new jobs and Carlotti shared that he hopes to hire a lot of local college students.

Giving back to the community is something else that is very important to Carlotti.

“I’m going to donate 10 percent of our yearly profits between Veterans suicide awareness, animal shelters and first responders. They’re just some big things that I really care about as a business owner,” remarked Carlotti.

Additional information and updates about Sol’s can be found on the companies website: www.solsarcade-taproom.com.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CAMERON CARLOTTI

Clockwise: Owner Cameron Carlotti (right) his partner Morghan (left) and the business’ namesake Sol, Carlotti’s first pitbull rescue; Sol’s Arcade and Taproom is coming to 421 Maiden Lane in Downtown Fayetteville and will feature a 21-tap self-pour draft system, modern and retro arcade games, a seven TV sports lounge and more; Development plans include a full scale mural of Sol the pitbull enjoying the Arcade's offerings