June 9 - 15, 2017
bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996
nwobserver.com
Coffee drive-thru ‘diamond in the rough’ by PATTI STOKES SUMMERFIELD – On the far side of Summerfield Square shopping center, parallel to U.S. 220, a tiny, cheerfullooking orange building sits off to itself. Many see it as a community treasure, where customers come and go throughout the day, seven days a week, to get a cup of coffee or a fruit smoothie. As a bonus, they’re also sure to get a wide smile and a minute or two of conversation – all at no extra charge, of course – before they head back out into the world. Since opening The Jumping Bean in this spot five years ago, Kevin Murray says business has never been
better – in fact, despite the neglected conditions of the shopping center’s two main buildings and pothole-filled parking lot that surround him, he’s on track to see a 40- to 50-percent increase in sales this year over last year. “It’s definitely a story that there is a prominent piece of property like this in the scenic corridor that is so neglected – and probably this is, from a location standpoint, to Summerfield what Oak Ridge Commons is to Oak Ridge,” Murray admitted. “I have eyes – this is an ugly shopping center. You have us, the Dollar General and the barber shop. The rest of it is vacant. But regardless
of what it looks like, we’re here, and we’re growing our business.” Murray and his wife Lisa were Summerfield residents when they decided to open The Jumping Bean in March 2012, with a vision of being an integral part of the community. “We wanted to grow a business in such a way that we would be strategically partnered with our customers – like “Cheers,” where we know everyone’s name and they know us,” Murray said. “There are plenty of places where you can get a cup of coffee, but we wanted to create a sense that we were our customers’ coffee shop. So
...continued on p. 15
Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO
The Jumping Bean owner Kevin Murray is at the coffee drive-thru at least six out of seven days a week and says he has the “best job in the world.”
Mill owners consider options after gate fails A 28-inch pipe feeding the Old Mill of Guilford transformed into a fountain by JOE GAMM OAK RIDGE – There’s a plan for repairs to the gate that keeps water from rushing through the 24-inch pipe feeding the Old Mill of Guilford. The mill has not run on water
power for years, but the pipe from the pond to the mill has remained in place. And the water remained shut off. On May 31, the gate holding water back failed, causing the pipe to fill and sprout leaks. Water cascaded from hundreds of holes in the pipe. The mill’s owners, Amy and Darrell Klug, could do nothing but wait for the pond feeding it to drain
...continued on p. 22
Photo by Joe Gamm/NWO | The 28-inch steel pipe leading from a pond to the Old Mill of Guilford suddenly filled with water on May 31, something it hadn’t done in years. Holes in the pipe allowed water to spew out in all directions.
IN THIS ISSUE News in Brief ..............................3 Your Questions ..........................4 Pathway from Town to attorney...5 Veteran walks 300 miles ..........6 Oak Ridge Town Council .........8 Youth/School News ................10 High School Sports ................. 12 Student Profile ......................... 13 Welcome new advertisers ..... 14 ‘Barefootin’ days .................... 18 Community Calendar ............20 Crime/Incident Report ...........23 Grins & Gripes .........................24 Letters/Opinions .....................26 Classifieds ...............................27 Index of Advertisers ............... 31 NWO on the Go! .....................32