Berry time
Lewis Farms thrives Page 19
April 16 - May 6, 2021 Vol. 22, No. 8
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WEB EXCLUSIVE Home work
Affordable housing studied wilmingtonbiz.com
Pathway to history
Trail marks Gullah Geechee culture Page 6
Developing drugs Pharma firm invests in Wilmington Page 14
Index Economic Indicators .............................. 3 Technology ............................................. 4 The List .............................................. 5, 8 Hospitality ..........................................6-7 In Profile...............................................11 Real Estate...........................................13 Business of Life.............................. 18-19
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PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER
Flight plan: Granseur Dick, ILM’s facilities director, stands in the atrium of the new airport concourse, which is now under construction.
ILM EXPANDING ITS FUTURE BY CHRISTINA HALEY O’NEAL s ILM begins recovering flights and travelers lost because of the COVID-19 pandemic, projects are progressing that will change the airport’s look and feel in coming years.
A
Currently, Monteith Construction Corp., Wilmington International Airport’s (ILM) contractor for its $61 million terminal expansion and renovation project, is working on a building expansion with a large steel and glass atrium, adding about 78,000 square feet to the airport. The work is part of the project’s final phase, expected to be complete at the end of 2022. The terminal expansion and renovation, the largest project in
ILM’s history, and other developments coming down the pipeline are expected to bring more offerings to ILM. “We’re still going to have the hometown feel at the airport, and we’re not looking to change that,” said Granseur Dick, ILM’s facilities director, of the three-phase project. Other activities include a new fixed-based operator, convenience store and other possible interest in ILM’s business park. Each of the developments, however, are needed to support an ever-growing region.
THE TERMINAL
When the terminal development is complete, travelers will find a bigger and brighter space inside ILM’s
building, Dick said. Passengers will also find it easier to move within the airport and have more options for restaurants and amenities. “You’re stepping off from a plane into a space that is designed to welcome you to our coastal region with a wide-open feeling. We’re going to have natural elements that are going to be included in lots of details, everything from the wayfinding signage, all the way to special pieces of artwork designed by local artists,” Dick said. The project – for work in all three construction contracts with Monteith – is about 63% complete, he said. On top of building the steel structure for the main gate concourse area, the contractor has done See ILM, page 10
Page 2
April 16 - May 6, 2021
wilmingtonbiz.com
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
If you missed the Power Breakfast on April 13, visit the Business Journal’s Youtube or Facebook page to watch the recorded program. WilmingtonBizJournal
WilmingtonBiz
THE NEW NEW NORMAL
CHARLES BONEY ON THE FUTURE OF BUILDING
HOLLY CHILDS ON TRANSFORMING OUR DOWNTOWN
CHARLES FOUST ON LEADING THE WAY IN THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE
LISA LEATH ON CHANGING WILMINGTON’S TRADITIONAL WAYS
HUNTLEY GARRIOTT, BILL SAFFO AND LINDA THOMPSON ON RISING TOGETHER
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CORPORATE SPONSORS:
0
0
FEBRUARY AIRPORT PASSENGER TRAFFIC
JANUARY UNEMPLOYMENT NEW HANOVER JANUARY 2021:
UP FROM JANUARY 2020:
3.4%
PENDER JANUARY 2021:
BRUNSWICK JANUARY 2021:
UP FROM JANUARY 2020:
UP FROM JANUARY 2020:
3.8%
5.6%
0
LABOR FORCE
150,000 FEBRUARY 2021 ARRIVALS
14,897
14,826
100,000
DOWN FROM FEBRUARY 2020 DEPARTURES
DOWN FROM FEBRUARY 2020 ARRIVALS
50,000
50K
$366,762
250
$316,379
300K
$294,096
300 250
100K
0
2020
2021
2019
JANUARY ROOM OCCUPANCY TAX (NEW HANOVER COUNTY)
Residential Commercial February 2021
200 150
150
100
100
5050 00
2/20
220
3/20
320
4/20
420
5/20
520
6/20
620
7/20
720
8/20
2021
Source: Wilmington CVB
9/20
920
10/20
1020
11/20
1120
12/20
1220
1/21
121
2/21
221
RESIDENTIAL HOMES DAYS ON MARKET 2009-2020 (TRI-COUNTY) DAYS ON MARKET
NEW HANOVER BRUNSWICK PENDER
120
2021
820
Source: Brunswick County Code Administration
150
2020
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce
200
Source: Cape Fear Realtors
2020
8,152
5,872
300 350
350K
2021
UNEMPLOYED
MONTHLY BUILDING PERMITS (BRUNSWICK COUNTY)
400K
150K
36,916
Source: Wilmington International Airport
(SINGLE-FAMILY, TRI-COUNTY AREA)
200K
149,333
JANUARY
2020
FEBRUARY 2021 DEPARTURES
MARCH AVERAGE HOME SALE PRICE
250K
154,334
JANUARY
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce
$581,196
0
200,000
37,404
$645,776
0
Page 3
WILMINGTON MSA CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE 2020 VS 2021 (JANUARY)
5.5% 5.5% 7.7%
0
0
April 16 - May 6, 2021
| ECONOMIC INDICATORS |
0
0
wilmingtonbiz.com
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
AVERAGE PRICE PER GALLON FOR REGULAR UNLEADED IN WILMINGTON ON APRIL 5, 2021:
90
$2.68
60
AVERAGE PRICE PER GALLON FOR WILMINGTON ON APRIL 5, 2020:
30 0
$1.88 2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Source: Cape Fear Realtors
Source: AAA
Page 4
April 16 - May 6, 2021
wilmingtonbiz.com
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
| TECHNOLOGY |
Building health care innovators Those with an interest in innovation and solving health care problems can exercise their entrepreneurial spirit and earn a certificate while doing so as part of the University JOHANNA of North Carolina Wilmington’s new Health Care Innovation Certificate Program. The semester-long program was developed by the UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), UNCW College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) and New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s (NHRMC) Innovation Center. The program is aimed at being a “team-based, interactive and handson learning experience,” said Diane Durance, director of the CIE. The class will be structured around teams that will find pain points in the health care industry and work to develop solutions through a design thinking process. Teams will then build a business for their solutions and work on creating elevator pitches. While the program is new, the concept has been in the development process over the past couple of years, Durance said. “It was a long trail that led to this idea. The CIE and NHRMC Innovation Center team worked on a couple of health care innovation boot camps that go back to 2019,” she said. “After doing a couple of those, NHRMC decided to change the name of it to Speed of Health.” Boot camp participants expressed that they wanted in an innovation program that provided credentials.
CANO
“[NHRMC] was looking at the outcomes from the first couple of boot camps, and they realized from polling the participants that they were interested in having more official credentials from participating in it. And we really hadn’t thought about that,” she said. Additionally, Speed of Health organizers were looking at working with CHHS because it had launched a “Kickbox” competition series, an initiative to provide funding for innovation projects by faculty and staff, which is how CHHS became involved in providing certification. Starting a credential program seemed like a good idea because there has been a trend across universities using the concept of micro-credentials, Durance said. “Students love to put them [certificates] on their resume and help them with standing out when they’re interviewing for jobs,” she added. While the program officially kicks off in the fall semester, it is currently running a pilot with a local entrepreneur. “He has a health care innovation that he’s working on. And we have about eight mentors from the CIE mentor pool that are involved,” Durance said. “We’re taking this entrepreneur and these mentors through a trial run of this entire semester-long program, so that the mentors then will be prepared to be mentors in the future and the entrepreneur gets the benefit of all this support and help as he goes through this program with us.” This pilot has shown that the process of design thinking helps entrepreneurs through the ideation development. “Instead of, from their perspective, seeing that nurses struggle with this or that, they would be looking at it more from the actual experience
“
From the CIE's perspective, we really focus our strategy for developing entrepreneurship in the areas where we have a lot of strength on campus. We also have interest in the community, and with New Hanover Regional Medical Center establishing the innovation team, there was a real focus for them on developing an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset across the medical center.” DIANE DURANCE
UNCW CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP DIRECTOR
that nurses and patients are having, so a lot of it is observing,” Durance said. On the business side, students will go through a Business Model Canvas where they define their customer, value proposition, revenue and more. Additionally, participants will get to meet with different health care entrepreneurs in the community. The program will be open to CHHS students and faculty as well as health care professionals. The decision to build a certificate in innovation that specifically focuses on health care came from identifying assets in the region, Durance said. “From the CIE’s perspective, we really focus our strategy for developing entrepreneurship in the areas where we have a lot of strength on campus,” she said. “We also have interest in the community, and with New Hanover Regional Medical Center establishing the innovation team, there was a real focus for them on developing an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset across the medical center.” Additionally, there is a growing trend in the health care industry focusing more on innovation. “There are several programs now at universities that are specific to innovation in health care,” Durance said. “There are many reasons for that. One is that health care is a massive system with lots of components and moving parts, and it tends to iterate, modernize and innovate very slowly just because of its size and composition.” At the same time, innovation is needed because it can help maintain quality of care while increasing efficiency and keeping costs down, Durance added. From the team at UNCW to NHRMC, there were many people involved in getting the program up and running. “Everyone is really excited about the concept of developing these programs for innovation,” Durance said. “In fact, the computer science department wants to know when we’re going to do an innovation in computer science program; marine science wants to know when we are going to do a certificate in innovation in marine science. These micro-credentials and these specific skills are in such high demand.”
INFO J U N K I E Cynthia Walsh
CEO, Brunswick County Association of Realtors As the CEO of BCAR, Walsh oversees the organization, which provides tools, services and support for its members. She uses technology to manage and organize her schedule. “About four years ago I gave up my planner/calendar and moved completely online,” Walsh said. “I did it kicking and screaming, but it was the best thing I ever did. If I have my phone, I have my schedule – let’s face it, when do we not have our phones.” For work, she regularly reads the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, Port City Daily, NC Political News, Coastal Review, 1440 Daily Digest, ASAE and more. There are many industry-related blogs that she enjoys reaching including blogs by National Association of Realtors, NC Realtors and The Center for Association Leadership. Favorite TV shows include The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. “I am anxiously waiting for new season of Handmaid’s Tale,” she said. Walsh is currently reading a book written by a member: “Endurance Real Estate” by Peter Frandano. Favorite apps include Canva for marketing, Spotify and SiriusXM for music, Fitbit for motivation and Strava and C210K for running motivation. Walsh likes to use social media for anything dog/goat/animal related. “I probably watch one video from The Dodo daily, as well as cooking, recipes and gardening,” she said.
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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April 16 - May 6, 2021
Page 5
| THE LIST |
Mortgage Firms
Ranked by number of local brokers/lenders PHONE EMAIL WEBSITE
FIRM RANK ADDRESS
1
Alpha Mortgage Corp. 1320 Airlie Road Wilmington, NC 28403
2
Angel Oak Home Loans 1119-A Military Cutoff Road Wilmington, NC 29405
NO. OF LOCAL NO. OF LICENSED LOCAL FULL- AVERAGE PERCENT OF MORTGAGE TIME LOAN SIZE LOANS BROKERS/LENDERS EMPLOYEES IN 2020 REFINANCED
SERVICES OFFERED
TOP LOCAL OFFICIAL/ YEAR LOCALLY FOUNDED
Conventional, VA, FHA, USDA, low/no money down options, jumbo loans, reverse mortgages
Michael Lopez President/Owner 1983
256-8999 info@alphamortgage.com www.AlphaMortgage.com
43
147
$227,000
12%
470-4065 Mariah.chamberlin@angeloakhomeloans.com angeloakhomeloans.com/advisors/#wilmington
22
35
$249,000
42%
Purchase and refinancing loans, portfolio loans, bank Trent Reed statement loans, conventional loans, FHA loans, VA loans, Senior Vice President USDA loans, jumbo loans, asset qualifier, investor cash flow 2009
3
Movement Mortgage LLC 700 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 201 Wilmington, NC 28405
262-1461 diana.johns@movement.com www.movement.com
20
20
$275,000
20%
Mortgage loan purchases, refinances, renovation loans, condo financing specialists, construction loans, jumbo loans
Diana Johns Branch Manager 2010
4
Guaranteed Rate 1437 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 206 Wilmington, NC 28405
344-0304
Christopher Hutchens, Branch Manager Suzanne Neblett, Branch Manager
5
BB&T & SunTrust now Truist 101 N. Third St. Wilmington, NC 28401
6
Corning Credit Union 3705 Federal Park Drive Wilmington, NC 28412
7
Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group 1712 Eastwood Road, Suite 210 Wilmington, NC 28403
8
TowneBank Mortgage 1022 Ashes Drive Wilmington, NC 28405
9
North State Bank 1411 Commonwealth Drive Wilmington, NC 28403
www.guaranteedrate.com
815-2835 https://www.suntrust.com/home-mortgages
(800) 677-8506 www.corningcu.org
444-0600 ginaandrews@atlanticbay.com www.atlanticbay.com
679-8200 wilmington.townebankmortgage.com
17
58
$277,809
33%
Conventional, jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, portfolio, bond and housing
16
13
$343,667
49%
Conventional fixed-rate, FHA, VA, Guaranteed Rural Housing Loans, first-time home buyer, affordable housing, Melanie Welsh specialty financing for licensed medical physicians or dentists through the Doctor Loan Program, jumbo, vacation/ Area Sales Manager second homes and investment properties
14
85
$215,000
82%
Conventional, construction/renovation, adjustable rate options, low down payment options, VA (eligible active-duty service members and veterans in NC, NY, PA), vacation/ second home, investment property, lot loans, jumbo
Chris Daniel Director of Real Estate Services
12
20
$302,000
34%
Purchase, refinance, conventional, construction, renovation, government loans and reverse mortgage
Gina Andrews VP of Strategic Growth 1996
11
43
Conventional, jumbo, VA, FHA, USDA, N.C. Housing, FHLB, construction and renovation lending, lot loans, adjustable rate and reverse mortgages
Blair Young Sales Manager 2013
Banking needs from checking, home equity and lot loans and residential mortgage loans; construction firm loans; Deb Hause Specialties: purchase and refinance transactions; Marketing conventional, FHA, VA, USDA and N.C. Housing Finance Mortgage Specialist Agency loans; conforming and jumbo loan amounts; no 2008 closing cost loan options; Small Business Administration loans
509-0400 dhause@northstatebank.com northstatebank.com
6
14
$274,000
42%
10
Coastline Mortgage Consultants LLC 215 Racine Drive, Suite 105 Wilmington, NC 28403
509-1561 info@coastline-mortgage.com www.coastline-mortgage.com
5
3
$282,000
45%
All residential first mortgage products including conventional, VA, FHA, USDA, jumbo loans and agency high balance
John Russ III Owner 2002
10
Highlands Residential Mortgage 4130 Oleander Drive, Suite 105 Wilmington, NC 28403
www.HighlandsMortgage.com
5
8
$243,388
42%
Full-service mortgage banker; conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo; in-house processing, underwriting, closing and servicing
T. Patrick Moore Branch Manager 2008
10
MC Mortgage Group 1908 Eastwood Road, Suite 221 Wilmington, NC 28403
509-7105 pstoy@mcmortgagegroup.com www.mcmortgagegroup.com
5
17
$241,590
71%
Conventional, jumbo, FHA, VA and USDA investor specialty loans and line of credits for rehab
Patrick Stoy President 2005
13
Resource Financial Services Inc. 1205 Culbreth Drive, Suite 101 Wilmington, NC 28405
208-4792 Ahales@RFSemail.com www.resourcefinancialservices.com
3
5
$297,270
39%
Conventional fixed and adjustable rate mortgages, conventional rehab mortgages, FHA mortgages, FHA 203k rehab mortgages, USDA mortgages, VA mortgages, jumbo mortgages, super jumbo mortgages, construction to perm loans
Ashley Hales Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist 2010
14
ABBA First Mortgage Inc. 4039 Masonboro Loop Road Suite 1-O Wilmington, NC 28409
332-0650 RichSr@abbafirst.com www.abbafirst.com
2
2
$250,000
50%
Purchase, refinance, conventional, Jumbo, USDA, FHA and VA, ARM products, 100% financing, manufactured homes, 620 to 850 credit scores
Richard Harold Biagini Sr. President/Owner 2005
14
Azalea Coast Mortgage Co. Inc. 7741 Market St., Suite E Wilmington, NC 28411
270-4663 sandyw@azaleacoastmortgage.com www.azaleacoastmortgage.com
2
2
$200,000
40%
Residential purchase and refinance
Sandra Wilson President 1993
313-0045
List is based on voluntary responses to a Business Journal survey.
Want to be considered for The List? Request an industry survey by emailing lists@wilmingtonbiz.com. The Business Journal will feature the following lists in upcoming publications: Computer Hardware and System Integration Firms
Page 6
April 16 - May 6, 2021
wilmingtonbiz.com
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
| HOSPITALITY |
Brunswick trail seeks to preserve history The area running from Southport to Navassa offers a host of historical and environmental gems that area leaders want the public to be able to access easily, gain from educationally and enjoy physically. A proposed trail to commemorate the legacy of the Gullah Geechee people in Brunswick County is part of a larger effort to bring more cultural LAURA and recreational opportunities to visitors and residents alike. Government officials and community organizers are working closely with the Brunswick County NAACP, the principal sponsor of the trail proposal, to establish a greenway/ blueway within the Congressionally designated African American Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. The corridor stretches roughly from Jacksonville, Florida, to Jacksonville,
MOORE
FILE PHOTO
History tourism: Alfonso Beatty, with the Cedar Hill/West Bank Heritage Foundation, stands outside of Reaves Chapel in Navassa. The site is one of several culturally significant ones near a proposed Gullah Geechee Heritage Trail.
North Carolina, and includes Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties. The area of consideration extends
from Navassa to Southport for 30 miles. Brunswick County wants to take advantage of this opportunity to establish a greenway along N.C.
133 to Southport and a blueway that would run parallel along the Cape Fear River and its tributaries. The chairman of the N.C. Gullah Geechee Greenway/Blueway Heritage Trail project and chairman of the Brunswick NAACP’s environmental and climate justice committee, Brayton Willis, explains that the trail will help in “documenting and preserving history while promoting healthy living, walking, biking, learning and enjoying our great outdoors.” The trail will connect important African American heritage sites along the corridor including the Navassa Heritage Trail, Reaves Chapel (one of the oldest African American structures in the region), several proposed parks and historic rice plantation sites. This encompasses what Barnes Sutton, director of planning and development for the town of Navassa, calls, “the power of cultural infrastructure,” providing the basis for cultural heritage-tourism economic opportunities. “In Navassa alone, there were six or seven plantations operating at any
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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April 16 - May 6, 2021
Page 7
| HOSPITALITY | given time. After the Civil War, the freed people stayed and worked at the fertilizer company, Navassa Guano, who offered them employment,” Sutton said. “Those freed people bought back the plantation land and started what is Navassa now.” Stakeholders see this project as an opportunity to bring people of all ages, races and ethnicities together in a way that improves the quality of life and strengthens Brunswick County. “A big part of it is for people to understand how this area became what it is today. We no longer have to depend on anecdotal history. There are those reminders, and it is important that we remember the history and how things got to where they are today. We can reflect upon the trajectory of those who came before us and led us to have what we have now,” Sutton said. Brunswick County is the fastest-growing county in the state and fourth fastest-growing in the country. Project leaders hope this trail will help preserve county resources. “Because of the rapid construction, if we do not set aside some land now, it may be lost forever as growth and development comes into our area,” Willis said. The goal is to partner with the
National Park Service to brings these ideas to fruition. “Our vision of this greenway/ blueway includes existing and proposed riverfront walkways and kayak launches, parks, bicycle/pedestrian multi-use paths, all connecting and linking the natural, historic, cultural, and recreational resources of our area,” Brunswick County NAACP leaders wrote in a letter to the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program. “This project embraces sustainable recreation, commuting, and tourism opportunities for residents and visitors of Brunswick County while providing safe multi-use paths to destinations and activities. In our rapidly growing area, this unique opportunity will preserve, protect, and celebrate the Gullah Geechee Culture for future generations.”
Leland grant program aims to boost local tourism The Leland Tourism Development Authority (LTDA) is encouraging local tourism-related businesses and organizations impacted by COVID-19 to apply for its grant program, designed to assist with the marketing and pro-
motion of projects and initiatives that attract visitors to the town of Leland. Funding for LTDA’s grants is provided through occupancy taxes collected by the town of Leland. “COVID has created a lot of new challenges for many of our local businesses,” said Leland Mayor Brenda Bozeman, who also serves as chair of the LTDA board, in a news release. “The LTDA was founded to support tourism and travel to Leland, so I and my fellow Board members find it only fitting to support those businesses that help tourism and travel when they may need it the most.” To be considered for funding, eligible businesses and organizations must complete and submit a written application. Applications may be submitted throughout the year and will be reviewed by the LTDA board prior to approval. Applications and guidelines are available at visitlelandnc.com. For questions regarding the application or eligibility, contact Niel Brooks at 3324818 or nbrooks@townofleland.com.
Pleasure Island chamber shaking things up The Pleasure Island chamber
recently announced changes to the organization that include a new name, rebranding, a new logo and new tagline to better reflect its role as both a chamber and visitors center. The rebranding, logo and tagline are set to be introduced this month. The new moniker is Pleasure Island Chamber & Visitors Center. With the new name comes a new website and website address, expected to come online in June. The new website address will be pleasureislandchamber.org and will include an enhanced membership directory, online advertising opportunities, events calendar, direct links to the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau websites for Carolina Beach and Kure Beach and downloadable visitors guides for each. This year was one “of significant, positive change for the Pleasure Island Chamber & Visitors Center,” said chamber chair Debbie Elliott in a news release. “The rebrand and new website are just the first steps in a year-long roster of initiatives and events to strengthen existing businesses, attract new businesses and draw more tourists across Snows Cut Bridge.”
35TH ANNUAL
PARADE OF HOMES™ Tour the area’s finest new homes this spring!
APRIL 24-25 MAY 1-2 Homes Open Noon to 5pm Each Day
Free Admission
WILMINGTONPARADEOFHOMES.COM
Page 8
April 16 - May 6, 2021
wilmingtonbiz.com
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
| THE LIST |
Chambers of Commerce
Ranked by number of members RANK
CHAMBER ADDRESS
1
Wilmington Chamber of Commerce One Estell Lee Place Wilmington, NC 28401
2
PHONE EMAIL WEBSITE 762-2611 info@wilmingtonchamber.org www.wilmingtonchamber.org
MEMBERS 2020/ NO. OF BOARD MEMBERS/ MEMBERS 2019 BASE ANNUAL DUES NO. OF EMPLOYEES
BOARD HEAD
TOP ADMINISTRATOR
YEAR FOUNDED
964 982
$500
24 5
Michele Holbrook Chair
Natalie English President and CEO
1853
754-6644 Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce communications@brunswickcountychamber.org 112 Pine St. www.brunswickcountychamber.org Shallotte, NC 28459
561 550
$295
20 2
Matt Gerrald Chair
Susan Freeman Executive Director
1976
3
Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce 4433 Long Beach Road, SE Southport, NC 28461
457-6964 info@southport-oakisland.com www.southport-oakisland.com
525 —
$283
15 6
Kim Felts Chair
Karen Sphar Executive Vice President
1978
4
Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce 1121 North Lake Park Blvd. Carolina Beach, NC 28428
458-8434 greg@pleasureislandnc.org www.pleasureislandnc.org
400 400
$240
16 2
Debbie Elliott Chair
Alannah Keeler Office Manager
1938
5
North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce 497 Olde Waterford Way, Suite 202 Leland, NC 28451
383-0553 nbchamber@nbchamber.net www.nbchamberofcommerce.com
350 350
$225-$600
15 2
Susan Cruse Board President
Dana Fisher Executive Director
2002
6
Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism 13775 Hwy. 50, Suite 101 Surf City, NC 28445
329-4446 info@topsailchamber.org www.topsailchamber.org
324 328
$250
12 1
Allicyn Bryan Chair
Karen Burton Executive Director
1995
7
Burgaw Area Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 1096/115 S. Dickerson St. Burgaw, NC 28425
259-9817 info@burgawchamber.com www.burgawchamber.com
147 125
$100
11 1
Jimmy Smith President
Arwyn Smith Executive Director
1982
8
Wrightsville Beach Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 466 Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
256-8116/619-2026 (seasonal) Wrightsvillebeachchamber@gmail.com www.wrightsvillechamber.org
45 72
$175-$425, depending on number of employees
7 0
Susan Bulluck Chair
List is based on voluntary responses to a Business Journal survey.
1972
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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April 16 - May 6, 2021
Page 9
| ACHIEVERS | Send information about company hires, promotions or awards to editor@wilmingtonbiz.com
includes market trends, absorption rates, marketing strategies and business planning, officials said.
Holley named to UNC Board of Governors
Howard named county public health director
Holley
REGINALD HOLLEY has been appointed to the UNC Board of Governors. Holley’s role with the board was among several recent appointments to the UNC Board
of Governors. The state House of Representatives approved five reappointments and one new appointment to the board last month. Holley is a resident of Brunswick County. He is a government affairs professional who was elected student body vice president at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an undergraduate. He served as director of the state youth council and a deputy state director for former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole.
Phillips-Bell takes over as libraries director Pender County has hired ALLEN PHILLIPS-BELL as the new director of the county’s library system. Phillips-Bell has worked for Pender Phillips-Bell County Library for more than five years. He has served as interim library director since Mike Taylor retired in December. He started his career in 2016 as virtual services librarian and was promoted to the deputy director position in 2018, officials said. Phillips-Bell graduated with a master’s in information science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Information and Library Science in 2014. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music composition at UNC.
Century 21 Sweyer welcomes new agents Century 21 Sweyer & Associates has added several agents to its team. RAMONA HOVEY, KEVIN NERO, MONICA VILLA, WALT STANFIELD, NATALIE KUPINSKI, CHUCK PETERSON and FRANK WALDECK have joined the real estate agency as sales associates. The agents have completed the F.I.R.E. Training Program, which
New Hanover County has named DAVID HOWARD as its public health director. Howard, who was hired for the role after a national search, began the county’s public health leadership position earlier this month. He began serving as the county’s interim public health director in January. Howard was previously the county’s assistant public health director, a Howard role he held since December 2017. He currently serves on the N.C. Public Health Association’s executive committee and is a Governing Council member, and serves on the N.C. Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Testing Network Stakeholder Advisory Board.
Batson joins April Jones Insurance company April Jones Insurance has welcomed DAVID BATSON as an agent. April Jones Insurance is located at 5016 Oleander Drive, and the company is also soon to break ground on a second location in Hampstead. Batson Batson has a background in law enforcement.
TeamLogic IT welcomes Bishop in tech services MICHAEL BISHOP has joined TeamLogic IT as the company’s director of technical services. Bishop brings experience in managing IT services to TeamLogic IT and will lead the team’s service delivery and technology. He has previously held roles with other technology firms. “With ten years experience in managed IT services, IT project Bishop management, and client services, he has managed complex server and O365 migrations, network setup and management, VoIP implementation, and much more,” officials said.
Bishop earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from The State University of New York and a project management certificate from Cornell University.
Genesis Block announces advisory board members Genesis Block has formed its board of advisers. The board members are: JOSEPH “JOE” FINLEY, co-founder of Castl-
eBranch and tekMountain; KARL RICANEK, co-founder and CEO of Lapetus Solutions; DEB HAYS, a New Hanover County commissioner and Realtor; ALBERT STEED, president and CEO of Hybrid Athlete Foundation; TERRY ESPY, founder and president of MoMentum Companies; WAYNE HIPPO, managing partner of PS Solutions; TRACEY NEWKIRK, co-founder and president of Genesis Block; and GIRARD NEWKIRK, co-founder and CEO of Genesis Block.
The Team with the White Truck.
www.cintas.com (910) 210-2010
Uniform Rental and Sales | Clean Restroom Program Embroidered Apparel, Polos, Hats, T-shirts, Jackets Safety Apparel and Accessories | Protective Apparel Safe Floor Program | Clean Kitchen Program First Aid & Safety | Promotional Products
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| FROM THE COVER | 219 Station Road, Suite 202 Wilmington, NC 28405 (910) 343-8600 Fax: (910) 343-8660 wilmingtonbiz.com PUBLISHER Rob Kaiser rkaiser@wilmingtonbiz.com PRESIDENT Robert Preville rpreville@wilmingtonbiz.com EDITOR Vicky Janowski vjanowski@wilmingtonbiz.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Cece Nunn cnunn@wilmingtonbiz.com REPORTERS Johanna Cano jcano@wilmingtonbiz.com Christina Haley O’Neal chaley@wilmingtonbiz.com VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Maggi Apel mapel@wilmingtonbiz.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Craig Snow csnow@wilmingtonbiz.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Courtney Barden cbarden@wilmingtonbiz.com Marian Welsh KEN mwelsh@wilmingtonbiz.com
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From ILM, page 1
masonry work on the new terminal and is working to install the roof, windows and external doors, Dick said. Interior work is ongoing, and construction crews anticipate beginning to hang drywall later this spring. ILM officials said they are hopeful the space will continue to serve the region’s travel needs, as more people start to feel more confident flying again. Vaccines and other measures have eased travelers back, and airlines have increased flight schedules. The final phase is about a month ahead of schedule due to less travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, ILM is also starting to consider additional parking, which is outlined in a feasibility study conducted in 2019 before the pandemic hit. As travel starts to recover, ILM will look at its options, Dick said. ILM’s spring travel numbers have appeared to be improving, so the airport plans to begin designing at least one new parking lot in the upcoming fiscal year, he said. ILM will either construct a new lot or hold the design until passenger travel triggers the need for additional parking spaces. “We expect that if passenger traffic returns, we will be investing in new parking facilities,” Dick said. “So that means we will have more options for passengers who are parking to leave their vehicles, better signage for finding parking facilities and also capacity to grow in our parking facilities.”
GENERAL AVIATION
A second fixed-base operator (FBO) on ILM’s property will offer more general aviation services to the region, officials said. Marathon FBO Partners, doing business as Aero Center Wilmington, is under a lease agreement with the airport and plans to build the area’s second FBO facility this spring. The new facility will include two aviation hangers, one at 15,000 square feet and the other at 10,000 square feet, and FBO building and offices. There is currently only one FBO on ILM’s property, Modern Aviation-Wilmington, previously Air Wilmington before changing names and new ownership in 2019. That FBO has been operating on airport grounds for more than 40 years. Aero Center Wilmington will be developed on more than 6 acres. Pending permits, the new FBO is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter. “The addition of Aero Center Wilmington provides options to our aviation users for fueling, main-
tenance and mechanical services,” airport director Julie Wilsey said. “They will also construct additional community hangar space. By the end of 2021, customers will have a choice of two full-service FBOs at ILM.”
THE BUSINESS PARK
Travelers to the airport over the next few years could see growth as well at the ILM Business Park, a 140acre site on airport property. ILM is still looking to bring a hotel to the airport’s grounds; however, interest has slowed down since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, said Carol LeTellier, ILM’s business development director. Airport officials in 2019 began looking to identify a franchise opportunity, hotel operator or developer for a three-story flagship hotel at ILM to accommodate travelers staying near the airport. “We are still marketing the site and we believe it is only a matter of time,” LeTellier said. “We anticipate the site to be most suitable for a 100-room hotel.” The hotel, however, is only one aspect of marketing efforts at ILM’s business park. LeTellier said the airport is also seeking prospects to build on land there, and in recent months, there has been some interest. “One company has expressed an interest in building industrial buildings, but we have nothing to report on that yet,” LeTellier added. A 22-acre airside site is being pitched for industries that have aircraft or require airside access, including air cargo, freight forwarders, distributors, logistics companies and exporters. The site was previously used for hangars that were demolished several years ago. A new convenience store planned at the corner of North 23rd Street and Airport Boulevard, across from the ILM entrance sign, also is in the works, Dick said. “The convenience store/gas station, when opened, will provide a modern new building with fuel for ILM’s travelers, guests and employees,” LeTellier said. “Its offerings will include hot and cold food, groceries, toiletries, beer, wine and more.” Following permit approvals, construction on the gas station and convenience store is expected to start later this year. “As we continue to build airport infrastructure to meet the transportation needs of our growing region,” Dick said, “we are better able to support economic growth as a gateway to the world economy for our area businesses.”
ILM TERMINAL EXPANSION PROGRESS CONTRACTOR:
MONTEITH CONSTRUCTION PROJECT COST:
$61 MILLION PROJECTED COMPLETION:
DECEMBER 2022 SPACE GROWTH:
95K SQ FT (CURRENT) 173K+ SQ FT
CONTRACT 1 $1.8 MILLION STATUS:
COMPLETED
MARCH 2019
IMPROVEMENTS: ADD OUTBOUND BAG ROOM • ADD SCREENING EQUIPMENT
CONTRACT 2 $12 MILLION STATUS:
COMPLETED
JULY 2020
IMPROVEMENTS: TICKET
OFFICE RENOVATIONS • EXPAND CIRCULATION AREAS/CHECK-IN KIOSKS • EXPAND TICKET AREAS • NEW FLOORING
CONTRACT 3 $47.2 MILLION STATUS:
ONGOING
IMPROVEMENTS: GROW TERMINAL BY 63,000 SF • ADD 4 GATE AREAS • NEW PASSENGER BRIDGES • ADD SEATING AREAS • EXPANDED CONCESSIONS • NEW RESTAURANT/BAR • EXPAND TSA CHECKPOINTS • ADD RESTROOMS • RENOVATIONS TO EXISTING PUBLIC SPACES
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| IN PROFILE | Dropping in on child-care business BY LAURA MOORE ach and Michelle Richards have found success with their Giggles drop-in child-care centers despite a pandemic, but for them, massive growth is not the point.
Z
The Richards have taken the concept they developed in 2008 with their first Wilmington location and opened franchises in both North and South Carolina. Currently, they have seven locations and are always cautious when deciding to open a new location. “These are children, not hamburgers,” Michelle Richards said. “What accounts for our success is we have always held ourselves and our staff to a higher standard.” That higher standard is expected by each franchise, which begins with the rigorous application process and continues with the center’s design and expectations of the customer experience. “Our franchises, from an operation standpoint, our centers run very well. We use consistent designs and each location has a custom treehouse. We upfit every single location, demo to the studs and build it back up,” Zach Richards said. “From the front to the back door, each Giggles offers continuity, so customers are able to walk into every Giggles and be treated the same way.” Because of those higher standards, becoming a Giggles franchisee is more of an exhaustive process than with other businesses, they said. The Richards expect their franchisees to have the dedication and devotion to the children and families that they do. “It’s hard to be a franchisee. There are certain tests and boxes that need to be checked all the way down to background checks, just to be invited to be a franchisee,” Zach Richards said. “We go through hundreds of applications before we offer a franchise, and I think that is another reason for our success.” Other complications of owning a child-care center franchise depends on a state’s laws. South Carolina requires Giggles to be fully-licensed as a child-care center while North Carolina does not require drop-in centers to be licensed as full-time child care. “I’ve become an expert in franchising,” Zach Richards said. The Richards opened their first Giggles drop-in child-care center in
PHOTO C/O ZACH AND MICHELLE RICHARDS
Smiles for Giggles: Michelle Richards (left) is one of the founders of Giggles, a drop-in child care chain based in Wilmington, and Christyanna Durand is a franchisee.
2008 when they were new parents and were not able to find a center that met their expectations for their child. “We became aware of the concept of drop-in child care and didn’t find one that we found suitable in our area, or not up to the standards we expected,” Michelle Richards said. “We decided we could do it better. It was a great concept, but we wanted to do it with a higher standard than done before.” Michelle Richards, who had been a high school science teacher, became the director of their Wilmington location and ran it for four years before the idea struck to begin franchising the business. “The Wilmington center was my baby. I ran that center as director for a long time, and we were four years in when Zach, who is very entrepreneurial, decided that we could franchise out concept,” Michelle Richards said. After buying and reading “every book on franchising,” a longtime customer approached them inquiring about owning their own Giggles, and their first franchise was born.
Currently, there are seven Giggles locations in two states: five centers in North Carolina and two in South Carolina. One center did not make it through the pandemic shutdown. The Richards attribute their ability to keep their Wilmington location open to the economic stimulus and the loyalty of their customers. “With COVID, it’s been hard. We had to shut down like everyone else; fortunately, we were allowed to reopen in Phase 1,” Michelle Richards said. “It’s been a rough year, scraping through, but we have relied on our niche in the market and the loyalty of our families.” Part of their “core concept” is that the families they serve are more than just customers, and that connection is what helped to keep Giggles alive during the pandemic, they said. “Our families are a part of our extended family and they’ve carried us through the pandemic. We have a lot of loyal families who love us. Part of our mission is to care for kids like they are our own,” Michelle Richards said. Zach Richards emphasized the role the government had in keeping their company afloat, especially using
the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “We’ve had a lot of negative talk about the stimulus package, but those PPP loans, with those programs, we were able to save our company. Those programs are working and have been a lifeline financially. We probably would not have been able to stay open without them,” Zach Richards said. While the pandemic has taught many companies about the necessary sanitation steps to keep customers safe, it reminded the Richards how important the steps they were already taking are. “The funny thing is, we already had the policies and procedures in place, over and above what any other child care center had done,” Zach Richards said. “Except for masks, all the sanitation, washing, handwashing and sanitizing were already in place.” One lesson that the Richards have taken away from the pandemic is something they already knew: “Our staff is worth their weight in gold. They are just so amazing, and we are so grateful for them that they stuck through this with us,” Michelle Richards said.
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LOOK FOR A RELIABLE RESOURCE IN REAL ESTATE, LOOK FOR THE “R” For nearly 100 years, the Cape Fear REALTORS® has proven to be a valuable asset to its members and an advocate for their profession, representing the best of our region’s real estate industry. The real estate professionals who make up the association hold themselves to the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and customer service and proudly bear the term REALTOR®. Cape Fear REALTORS® brings a local perspective to national market trends and industry dynamics, constantly striving to meet the changing needs of its more than 3,250 REALTORS® and enhance the resources made available to them, whether that’s advanced education opportunities, technological innovations, or legal support. Members of Cape Fear REALTORS® exhibit some unique qualities in working with clients and customers. READINESS Real estate agents learn how to work within the boundaries of large, regulated transactions and the legal tools associated with such transactions, an effort supported by the education and mentors of Cape Fear REALTORS®. Additionally, real estate is a data driven business and interpreting this data correctly is essential to achieve success and meet the needs of today’s clients. CREDIBILITY Real estate agents who are REALTORS® are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Agents who gain membership to the association follow the association’s strict code of ethics and always work in the best interests of the clients they represent. This commitment is a prime characteristic that distinguishes REALTORS® from other real estate agents, and perhaps the most important.
ANNE GARDNER CEO, Cape Fear Realtors®
910.762.7400 capefear.realtor
CONFIDENCE Currently, it’s a strong seller’s market in the Cape Fear area. The most sought-after properties are receiving multiple offers after only being listed for a matter of days or sometimes hours. Our area’s current conditions call for real estate professionals who are confident and capable to manage multiple offer situations – on both the buyer and seller side – and are prepared to operate under pressure while adhering to professional protocols and regulations. “BUYING A HOME IS AN IMPORTANT INVESTMENT AND A COMPLEX PROCESS, WHILE SELLING YOUR HOME REQUIRES SKILL AND DILIGENCE. WITH A REALTOR® YOU GET PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE, LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION AND SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE IMPORTANT STEPS TO GO FROM SALE TO SOLD.”
What benefits can home buyers expect when choosing to work with a REALTOR®? REALTORS® complete specific training processes exclusively offered by CFR as well as what is offered by their individual brokerage company. CFR offers every real estate professional access to the Multiple Listing Service, known as “the MLS.” This software allows agents to view in real time which properties are listed on the market and their most current status, which is particularly valuable in time-sensitive markets like ours. REALTORS® are expert guides at your service. They can provide home buyers with information about utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They are trained to look at every angle of your potential home from your perspective. With laws and regulations changing throughout the years, you can rest assured that your REALTOR® is up to date and ready to manage the details of your transaction. Anne Gardner has recently celebrated her first year as CEO of Cape Fear REALTORS®, the largest trade association in our region. She’s an active volunteer and serves on both state and national committees in professional non-profit management and real estate organizations. Anne is a strong advocate for her REALTOR® members and community. As the CEO of Cape Fear REALTORS®, she encourages the membership to engage in community outreach programs and has taken an active role in promoting affordable housing, access to living wage jobs, and economic development.
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Page 13
| REAL ESTATE | Coping with ongoing appliance shortage BY CECE NUNN ppliance sellers find themselves explaining it over and over again, at times to overwrought customers.
A
“It” is an appliance shortage stemming from multiple factors, COVID-19 being the major one, that has been going on for the better part of a year and doesn’t show many signs of stopping. The “perfect storm” of problems actually began before COVID-19 hit the U.S. last year, said Mark Edwards, one of the owners of Atlantic Appliance & Hardware, which has a showroom at 914 S. Kerr Ave. “The manufacturers for 2020 had predicted a little bit of a down cycle, thinking that sales were not going to be great,” Edwards said. “They thought they might be down a little bit from 2019. So they kind of set their numbers at a lower number to build products.” Then along came the coronavirus pandemic. “A lot of the plants had to shut down for weeks at a time due to COVID on the assembly line. And of course if one person had it, then they had to shut the whole place down for two weeks,” Edwards said. “So there was a lot of downtime due to COVID early, and then of course when they would come back to work, they had to social distance and rearrange things on the assembly line.” While most appliances today are made using robotics, “there are still a lot of people on the assembly lines that [were previously] elbow to elbow. … They had to redesign assembly lines, and that took time to do and to figure out,” he said. While there’s a shortage of most appliances these days, at the beginning of the pandemic, freezers were a big deal because of fears about a food shortage that didn’t happen to any major extent. “Everybody in the whole world was looking for freezers, not just in Wilmington, North Carolina,” said Edwards, whose store had a freezer waiting list three pages long. Of the appliance shortage in general, Kristi Johnson, manager of Island Appliance at 5946 Carolina Beach Road, said, “It’s a manufacturing problem; it’s not a store problem.” But the stores get blamed. “People don’t understand, and
PHOTO BY CECE NUNN
Cool discussion: Sam Stetson (left) watches as Atlantic Appliance & Hardware employee Carl Bridgers talks about one of the store’s refrigerators.
people are mean,” Johnson said. “They scream and yell and cuss at us like it’s our fault, like we have some control over it. ... I’ve been working here for 16 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this.” Johnson said customers are told upfront that there’s a lot of availability issues. “If it’s not something that we have in stock, it can be 14 to 16 weeks before we can get something,” she said. Another COVID-19 side effect that has contributed to the appliance shortage: people staying at home more to avoid crowds and because of past restrictions. Edwards said, “People are stuck at home for weeks at a time, and they’re using their appliances more than they normally would because they’re not eating out ... They’re hearing noises coming from their refrigerator or their washer or dryer that they hadn’t noticed before, and they decide, ‘You know what, this thing’s 12 years old, 14 years old, it’s time to replace it.’” The situation has come to the point where one manufacturer might have some products but then those disappear, and a salesperson spends half of his or her day chasing down another brand, Edwards said. “It’s been a nightmare for our sales team … it’s been a nightmare
for everybody’s sales teams,” he said. While dishwashers and Frenchdoor refrigerators seem to be some of the hardest appliances to find, the shortage is not brand specific, Johnson said. “It’s everybody across the board,” she said. “Every brand out there is having availability issues.” Components to build appliances are also at a premium now, including control panels, Johnson and Edwards said. Although availability remains a problem even as COVID-19 vaccinations increase, appliance stores did have some good news in 2020. “Even with all we had to put up with shortage-wise, we had the best sales year we’ve ever had in 2020,” Edwards said. “If [more] products were available, it would have been off the charts.” Atlantic Appliance has three warehouses filled with appliances, but those are spoken for. “A lot of it is product that’s waiting for new homes to be finished because there have been delays in windows and doors,” Edwards said, pointing to a shortage of building materials as well. Island Appliance also had a warehouse filled with appliances when the pandemic hit, which tempered the
bad news with some good news. “Last year we had record sales because everybody was at home, they were remodeling, things like that,” Johnson said. “We were fortunate enough that we have a warehouse, and our warehouse was fully stocked.” The record sales, however, depleted the store’s stock, she said. The appliance situation is adding to the shortages already faced by homebuilders in lumber and other items. According to a February survey for the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, nearly 90% of the builders responding said they had trouble obtaining appliances in a timely manner over the past six months, 51% to a major extent. Whether the appliance situation will normalize any time soon remains to be seen. “If you told me this time last year that it would be a year later and things will still be this bad, I would have said, ‘There’s no way. There’s just no way.’ But the demand is still outrageous,” Edwards said. Johnson said manufacturers are “telling us that things probably will not be getting better until late summer, early fall.”
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April 16 - May 6, 2021
MADE
Great Goods from Greater Wilmington
wilmingtonbiz.com
MADE Great Goods from Greater Wilmington
PHOTOS C/O ALCAMI CORP.
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
PHARMACEUTICAL PIPELINE ALCAMI CORP.
2320 SCIENTIFIC PARK DR, WILMINGTON
No. of employees: About 400 locally and 850 globally Year founded: 1979 Top local officials: Amanda Wohlleber, site director of drug product operations in Wilmington, and Katie Schlipp, executive director of analytical services in Wilmington Company description: Alcami Corp. is a Wilmington-headquartered contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with expertise in drug development from discovery to commercialization. Products made locally: Oral solid dosage drug products including tablets, hard-shell capsules and powders. Additional service offerings include analytical testing and development services of life-changing medications. Product distribution: Global What made the company decide to make its goods locally? Amanda Wohlleber: “The people – our employees here in Wilmington have the passion and expertise to offer a unique value proposition
of immense scientific talent and harmonious collaboration with our customers.” What’s your target market? Wohlleber: “We are positioned to serve pharma and biotech companies of all sizes with the ability to stay nimble as the pharmaceutical landscape evolves.” What’s planned next? Wohlleber: “We just completed a $2 million investment at our Wilmington headquarters to expand our oral solid development and manufacturing capabilities with the addition of a Gerteis Mini-Pactor roller compactor and low-humidity suites to our existing 140,000-square-foot campus in Wilmington. The expansion also builds out dry granulation capabilities and offers increased flexibility to support moisture-sensitive processes. Further expansions are planned in Wilmington as we continue to expand our oral solid dose manufacturing, packaging and analytical service offerings in Wilmington.” EDITOR’S NOTE: To be considered for the Greater Wilmington Business Journal’s MADE feature, contact newsroom@wilmingtonbiz.com.
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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April 16 - May 6, 2021
Page 15
| BIZ LEADS | Reader’s Guide BizLeads is a collection of information gathered from greater Wilmington courthouses, state government offices and informational websites. These listings are intended to help the business community find new customers and stay on top of happenings with current customers, vendors and competitors. New Corporations lists firms that were recently incorporated in the state of North Carolina. All information is gathered from the North Carolina Secretary of State website. Addresses listed may not be the actual address of the business.
NEW CORPS
March 20-April 7 1208 SWORDFISH LANE LLC 227 Lees Cut Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Tommy Glynn Lewis II 2 HY GURLZ LLC. 502 W Owens St Southport 28461 Agent: Shannon Cowan 4 DAYS TRANSPORT LLC 2614 Holden Beach Road SW Lot 376 Supply 28462 Agent: William Bradley Day 4240 LAKE AVE LLC 1001 Military Cutoff Rd Ste 101 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Real Management LLC 493 SHALLOTTE LANE LLC 1086 Washington Acres Road Hampstead 28443 Agent: Vincent William Kolb A & D LANDSCAPING LLC 3381 Highway 117 S Burgaw 28425 Agent: Adan Sanchez A & J COMPLETE CLEANING SERVICES LLC 122 Dapple Court Apt. #313 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Julian David Tellez A&K LEARNING CENTER LLC 594 Belmont Acres Lane NE Winnabow 28479 Agent: Dominique Nicole Marlow ACC PLUMBING CONSTRUCTION LLC 2071 NC Highway 210 E Hampstead 28443 Agent: Hardin & Chaban P.C. ACE LEARNING TWO LLC 2056 Deer Island Lane Wilmington 28405
Agent: Samantha N Martin ACL ROADSIDE SERVICES INC. 422 Woodside Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Bobby Jackson ALL SPEED AUTO L.L.C. 4712 Woods Edge Rd Wilmington 28409 Agent: Austin Blake Cook ALWAYS RIDING LLC 317 North 14th Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Michael Christopher Braxton ANOINTED CREATIONS EVENT CENTER LLC 1930 Castle Hayne Rd Suite 110 Wilmington 28401 Agent: Gwen Delaine Miller
4591 Grants Way Leland 28451 Agent: Kendra Marie Yost BE BRAVE LLC 575 Military Cutoff Road Suite 106 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jillian C.S. Blanchard BEACH WAVE SOAP LLC 1322 Ocean Blvd Topsail Beach 28445 Agent: Sarah M Braley BEAR ESSENTIAL OUTFITTERS LLC 325 Apollo Dr. Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jessica Boyd BEECHER HOME INSPECTIONS LLC 318 Brighton Rd Wilmington 28409 Agent: Frank Beecher BETHEA FREIGHT SOLUTIONS LLC 829 Whiteville Rd NW Shallotte 28470 Agent: Eric Bethea BFP 1 LLC 5736 Market Street Unit 33 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Eston C Brinkley Jr BIG LIT LLC 117 Holiday Hills Drive Wilmington 28409 Agent: Michael Casey McBride BISCAYNE LLC 222 Beech St Wilmington 28405 Agent: Charles David Agrella Jr.
APO INC. 413 Titleist Lane Wilmington 28412 Agent: Chrystal Fray
BKK CAPITAL LLC 801 North 4th St. Wilmington 28401 Agent: Brian Klebash
ASB PROPERTIES LLC 1979 Eastwood Road Suite 101 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Brian G. Morrison
BLUE HAND DESIGN & BUILD LLC 1829 Sir Tyler Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Louis A Cullipher III
ASYMMETRY DESIGNS LLC 3272 Camden Cir Wilmington 28403 Agent: Ashton Breedlove AUTO SAINTS LLC 5291 Main Street Shallotte 28470 Agent: Maged Rick Bary BACK PORCH GOLF LLC 411 Oceana Way Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Kristen Michael BAIRD COVE INVESTMENTS LLC 10 S. Cardinal Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Rob Hollis BB’S DYNAMIC DEALS LLC 7601 Lost Tree Rd Wilmington 28411 Agent: Angela Booth BB&B EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC
3819 Park Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. BRIAN COLLINS CONSULTING LLC 4402 Shipyard Boulevard Wilmington 28403 Agent: Brian Collins BRIGHT LAND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT CONSULTING LLC 209 Cape Fear Blvd. Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Charles Edward Justice Jr.
BUDRI INC 3618 Shell Quarry Dr. Wilmington 28412 Agent: Helen Budri
CHENG YING INC 112-J Village Rd Leland 28451 Agent: Xiaoying Wu
BUFFALO CONSULTING LLC 485 Irish Way Hampstead 28443 Agent: Brian Michael Kean
CHESTNUT & MORGAN LLC 894 Greenfield Avenue Calabash 28467 Agent: James E Morgan Jr
BUMPANDFUZZIES LLC 9389 Quail Hollow Rd NE Leland 28451 Agent: Lisa Rochelle Hansen BURGESS LAND LEASE LLC 1979 Eastwood Road Suite 101 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Brian G Morrison CAGE & NEWELL LLC 505 Richmond Cir Wilmington 28409 Agent: Robert Cody Farris Smith CAMCOASTAL PROPERTIES LLC 1004 Ocean Ridge Dr Wilmington 28405 Agent: Michael C Pearson
BONDTOON LLC 836 Batton Drive Southport 28461 Agent: George Bond
CAPE FEAR SOUTHERN BOUTIQUE LLC 7706 Gable Run Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Amy E Mills
BOZ LLC 210 Fullford Ln Wilmington 28412 Agent: Cenk Boz BREX MUNITIONS LLC
CATANIA INDUSTRIES INC. 705 Myrtle Landing Pl Wilmington 28409 Agent: Danielle Pohl CESAR LAMBERT CLEANING SERVICES LLC 3115 Wrightsville Ave Ste F-4 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Roman Martinez
CAMERON & EARP LLC 1201 Glen Meade Rd Wilmington 28401 Agent: William H. Cameron
BOTTLES LLC 4909 College Acres Dr Wilmington 28403 Agent: Frederick L Giles
CASTLE CLEAN J&R LLP 6160 Riverwoods Drive Apt 207 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Rachael Marie Buckey
BRUNSWICK BEER XCHANGE CO INCORPORATED 113 Village Rd Leland 28451 Agent: Monique Haslam
BLUEFIN A/C REPAIR INC. 917 Springvalley Rd Wilmington 28405 Agent: Barry M Leigh
BOOMERANG ANIMAL REHABILITATION CENTER PLLC 1513 Brunswick Village Blvd. Leland 28451 Agent: Ariana Smith
CARR HOME DECOR & DESIGN LLC 601 N Timberly Ln Apt 48 Burgaw 28425 Agent: Wesley Carr
CAPE FEAR TREE FARM LLC 218 Sellers St Oak Island 28465 Agent: Philip Heed Dudley CAPE FEAR WOOD DESIGNS LLC 900 Grandview Drive Hampstead 28443 Agent: Lawrence A Ray Jr CAROLINA ELECTRIC BIKES LLC 7627 Lost Tree Road Wilmington 28411 Agent: Stephen D Rice
CK MOORESVILLE LLC 3414 Wrightsville Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: Michael V. Lee CLETIS DELANO LLC 2742 Sea Aire Drive SW Supply 28462 Agent: Heidi C Hearrell COASTAL ARTISAN FOODWORX LLC 1213 Culbreth Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Thomas W. Kerner COASTAL CAROLINA ARCHERY LLC 811 Royal Tern Dr Hampstead 28443 Agent: John Anthony Coiro COASTAL CAROLINA COLONICS LLC 1784 Forest Oak Blvd Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Caron Lee Myers COASTAL SPRAY FOAM LLC 4640 White St Apt 207 Shallotte 28470 Agent: Juan Corona COBOS OUTDOOR SERVICE LLC 4631 Main Street Shallotte 28470 Agent: Tonia Trest Twigg COLLEGE STRIPES LLC 5405 Ridgewood Heights Dr Wilmington 28403 Agent: Cade McBride Holst COMMUNITY UNITED 3950 Independence Blvd. Apt. 116 Wilmington 28412-3709 Agent: Luke Mitchell CONNAUGHTON REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS INC 9124 Sedgley Dr
Wilmington 28412 Agent: Michael P Connaughton COSTA LANDSCAPING LLC 192 Golden Eagle Way Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Eduardo DuranSantos
Ste C2 Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Ned M. Barnes Attorney at Law EEHAHNBLAY LLC 204 Frederica Ct Wilmington 28412 Agent: Franchonn Francees
CRAFFORD CONSULTING LLC 6308 Marywood Dr Wilmington 28409 Agent: William A Crafford Jr.
ELEGANT MOBILE DETAIL & PRESSURE WASHING LLC 7011 Daybreak Lane Wilmington 28411 Agent: Michael Walker
CREEKPOINT INVESTMENTS LLC 540 Bay Cove Lane Wilmington 28411 Agent: Jason Lampman
EMBRACE WELLNESS COASTAL GROUP LLC 3208 Oleander Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Hillary Ashton Faulk Vaughan
CUSTOM FILM COMPANY 344 Shipyard Blvd Wilmington 28412 Agent: Anthony S Nobilio D & CREW VENTURES LLC 600 Mohawk Rd Southport 28461 Agent: Gennie Shelor D MARLOWE TRANSPORTATION LLC 2441 Shell Point Rd Shallotte 28470 Agent: Dujuan Marlowe DARK VEIL STUDIOS LLC 4647 Fairview Dr Apt 204 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Thomas Julian Bell DEERWOOD5 LLC 902 Arjean Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Brian J. Cox DEW IT RIGHT ENTERPRISE INC 601 Bell Swamp Rd NE Winnabow 28479 Agent: Allen D. Tatum DIASPORA CAPITAL LLC 904 Rabbit Run Wilmington 28409 Agent: Azzari Jarrett DOLPHIN ACQUISITIONS LLC 2501 West Dolphin Dr. Oak Island 28465 Agent: Marcia Erwin DR. NIKKI CHIROPRACTIC PLLC 5004 Laurenbridge Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Nicole Bailey DSM TRANSPORT LLC 604 West Hayes St Burgaw 28425 Agent: Tiffany Marshburn DT INVESTMENTS LELAND LLC 4207 Oleander Dr. Wilmington 28403 Agent: David P. Delaney Sr DUNES DESIGN AND LANDSCAPE LLC 221 Marlboro St Apt 305 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Houston Allen EAST CLIFF LLC 1009 N Lake Park Blvd
EMOCEANAL RESCUE LLC 32 Milano Ct Hampstead 28443 Agent: Matthew Wendler EMPIRE LANDSCAPING COMPANY LLC 3849 Hallmark Rd NE Leland 28451 Agent: Stuart Cole Avant ENDEAVORS 04 LLC 109 E. Sands Hill Dr. Wilmington 28409 Agent: Esli Delgado EOW INVESTMENTS 2 LLC 2716 Ashton Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Stephen L DeBiasi ESSENTIAL REFERRAL REAL ESTATE LLC 730 Robert E Lee Drive Wilmington 28412 Agent: Andrew Richardson EST.HER LLC 101 Bermuda Dr Wilmington 28401 Agent: Khadeeja Bennett ETERNAL ELEGANCE LLC 203 Racine Drive Suite 201 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Ruth E. Finch EXCEL FLOORING & CONSTRUCTION LLC 820 Bent Creek Drive Unit 202 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Julian Resendez FAR OUT VISUALS LLC 527 Old Maccumber Station Road Apt. 127 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Lisa Hummel FCHARLIE LLC 712 Southern Charm Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Robert M Townsend FISHERS LAWNCARE & MORE LLC 2366 Ash Little River Rd Ash 28420 Agent: Jennifer Broglin FOOLPROOF ROOFING AND REPAIRS LLC 407 Maides Ave Apt C Wilmington 28405
Agent: Romualdo Jimenez Gutierrez FOYS CREEK INV L.L.C. 47 E. Foys Creek Lane Wilmington 28411 Agent: Stephen Hall FREEBIRD CHARTERS L.L.C. 314 Walnut St Suite 100 Wilmington 28401 Agent: Nathaniel Ulmer FRIENDS OF TOPSAIL MONTESSORI INC. 3819 Park Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. G & G STUMPGRINDING AND LAND SERVICES LLC 4312 Little Prong Rd NW Ash 28420 Agent: Wesley G Grant GAINUS LAWNS AND MORE LLC 7825 Champlain Drive Wilmington 28412 Agent: Robin Gainus GASTONIA RETAIL VENTURES LLC 107 Stokley Dr #100 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Kyle M. Bullard GATEHOUSE HOME BUILDERS LLC 2100 Marsh Grove Ln Unit 2407 Southport 28461 Agent: Russell E Pollock GENSERV US LLC 6008 Oleander Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Deborah Reed Smith GEORGIA FROM TN. LLC 313 Grovediere Lane Hampstead 28443 Agent: Georgia M Kurre GET CLEAN 2 CLEANING SERVICES LLC 813 Marstellar St. # 1 Wilmington 28401 Agent: Gary C Sheppard GINGER LANE INTERIORS LLC 3407 Talon Court Wilmington 28409 Agent: Jo Howell GLOW UP FITNESS AND WELLNESS LLC 2040 Ivy St SW Supply 28462 Agent: Kiatra Frink GOODJUDYSKIN LLC 1955 Washington St Wilmington 28401 Agent: Ryann Scott GOOSE LANE ROAD MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATION INC. 115 Forest Drive Shallotte 28470 Agent: John Kinlaw GROWING TOGETHER LIFE COACHING LLC 100 Gateway Condos Drive Surf City 28445 Agent: Arness M Krause GT BUSINESS DESIGN
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April 16 - May 6, 2021
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
| BIZ LEADS | LLC 1886 Neese Circle NE Leland 28451 Agent: Ryan P Frusti H’DEZ DELIVERY SERVICES LLC 51 Babbling Creek Rd Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Benjamin A Hernandez HANOVER EQUIPMENT COMPANY 119 Lake Forest Pkwy Wilmington 28401 Agent: Jake Junior Willetts III HIGH TIDE OUTFITTERS LLC 5319 E Oak Island Dr Oak Island 28465 Agent: Rodney Keesee HIGH-TIDE DESIGN L.L.C. 716 S Lumina Ave Wrightsville Beach 28480-2184 Agent: Thomas Conley HOLLOMAN&HOLLOMAN LLC 3020 Cobden Court Leland 28451 Agent: Richard James Holloman HOLMES SOLUTIONS GROUP LLC 3303 Wickslow Rd Apt 12 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Aaron J Holmes Jr HOMESPEC SERVICES LLC 30 Silo Ct. Hampstead 28443 Agent: Paul A Melfi HOOVERS SWEETS AND TREATS LLC 306 McRae St Wilmington 28401 Agent: Matthew Williamson HOUSE OF CUTS BARBER SHOP LLC 410 North 7th St Apt B Wilmington 28401 Agent: Mustafa Speller HP TRAINING LLC 4315 Castle Hayne Road Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Holly Peterson HUNTER KAISER LLC 329 South Lumina Ave Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Hunter C Kaiser HV TRANSPORT INC 115 Cherrywood Lane Currie 28435 Agent: Florentino Velasquez Morales HWR DEVELOPMENT L.L.C. 314 Lido Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Benjamin Hughes
Apt 127 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Erin L McAllister INLAND BOOKKEEPING SERVICES LLC 6040 Inland Greens Dr Wilmington 28405 Agent: Ryan Kristof INLET PARTNERS LLC 7304 Cotesworth Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Kyle Dore INTEGRITY TECHNICAL SEARCH INC 105 S 7th St Wilmington 28401 Agent: Jarod Watts IPLANN_NC LLC 321 Foxhall Ct Wilmington 28412 Agent: James Krieger IRIE VIVE SEAS LLC 1105 Deer Hill Dr Wilmington 28409 Agent: Maureen Sheremeta IRONYARD AXEHOUSE LLC 15200 US Hwy 17 N Unit B #6 Hampstead 28443 Agent: Adam Rodriguez JADE SOLUTIONS INC 2808 Lyndon Ave Wilmington 28405 Agent: Shannon Sullins JAMES B DUDLEY ACADEMY 3420 Wrightsville Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: Kwabene Williams JHK TRANSPORT LLC 10260 US Hwy 421 Apt C1 Currie 28435 Agent: LaShonda Yvonne Keith JOHANNA’S LLC 412 S 7th St. Wilmington 28401 Agent: Johnna Thatch JOSS-CAL L.L.C. 2761 NC Hwy. 210 E Hampstead 28443 Agent: Mark T Anders JPTC LAND HOLDINGS LLC 1645 Kings Landing Rd Hampstead 28443 Agent: Michael Miner JRJ CONSTRUCTION LLC 1050 Hickory Dr NE Leland 28451 Agent: Jose Esteban Ramirez Juarez JTEAM PROPERTIES LLC 1424 N Howe St Southport 28461 Agent: Ryan W. Johnson
HYDROWISE LLC 200 Krystal Pond Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Jonathan Lewis
JUSTIN DEVIN INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS LLC 535 Brookbend Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Justin Michael Pollack
I HEARD YOU PAINT HOUSES LLC 6211 Wrightsville Ave
KC AND COOKIE LLC 311 Judges Rd Ste 11C Wilmington 28411
Agent: Logan Zanki KEILA’S HOUSE CLEANING LLC 5008 13 Hunters Trail Wilmington 28405 Agent: Keila Wildron KFJ LLC 1612 Military Cutoff Road Suite 300 Wilmington 28403 Agent: James W. Lea III KG DESIGNS LLC 81 Rocky Point Trng Sch Rd Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Kayla Rebecca Gore KINGS THOROUGHBRED CLEANING SERVICES LLC 1608 Willoughby Park Ct. Unit 6 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Tasha De’ Anna Johnson KNL FLOORING LLC 451 Copperhead Ln Wilmington 28425 Agent: Adam Fisher KOCH MED PC 217 Ravenswood Road Hampstead 28443 Agent: Richard Adam Koch LAB TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC 313 Harris Rd Wilmington 28411 Agent: Carlos Ellerby LADD-OLE RENTALS LLC 5700 Oleander Dr. Wilmington 28403 Agent: David Delaney LALA & ELM INC. 5700 Oleander Dr Wilmington 28403 Agent: Kevin T. May LEAVE EARTH STUDIOS LLC 3316 Brucemont Dr Wilmington 28405 Agent: Reginald Wilson LELAND AREA CENTRAL VACUUM LLC 122 S Palm Dr Winnabow 28479 Agent: John Childs LIFE KITCHEN STUDIOS LLC 6529 Chalfont Circle Wilmington 28405 Agent: Nancy Jo Spear LKG - ILM2 LLC 1430 N Howe Street Southport 28461 Agent: Sandra L. Darby LUCKY DAY PRODUCE LLC 5600 Ocean Hwy West Shallotte 28470 Agent: Frances Todd LUIS & J CONSTRUCTION LLC 169 Chinaberry Ln Lot 57 Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Jose Luis Marin LUSCIOUS BURGERS LLC 712 Bay Blossom Dr Wilmington 28411
Agent: Bernard Robert Lusch M&ES ON DECK TRANSPORT LLC 883 Virgie Rhodes Lane Apt 308 Wilmington 28401 Agent: Dremika Danek Lemon M&K INFLATABLES LLC 2 Pearl Way Supply 28462 Agent: Monica Hankins MAC AIR SERVICE AND REPAIR LLC 2273 Brookstone Dr SE Bolivia 28422 Agent: Justin L Macklin MACH 2 LLH LLC 224 Oyster Bay Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Laura L Harris MADILYN BETH BOUTIQUE LLC 5704-101 Oleander Dr. Wilmington 28403 Agent: Edward Stephen Owens III MAGNOLIA DAY SCHOOL LLC 2419 Market Street Wilmington 28403 Agent: Corey Thomas Zurbuch MARKER SIX LLC 3410 Merchant Ct. Ste 1 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Richard Guthrie MARTIN PROPERTIES TWO LLC 2056 Deer Island Lane Wilmington 28405 Agent: Samantha N Martin
Oca Vara
Lewis
MOORING BALL MANAGEMENT LTD. LIABILITY CO 6308 Towles Road Wilmington 28409 Agent: George Pail Browske Jr
PELICAN COVE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LLC 2013 Olde Regent Way Ste 150 Box 102 Leland 28451 Agent: James Davis
MOUNTAIN TROPICS LLC 21323 NC Hwy 210 Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Maria Susanne Hall
PERFORMANCE IRRIGATION AND MAINTENANCE LLC 9037 Landing Dr SW Calabash 28467 Agent: Jeffrey Brian Roberts
MURPHY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC 2575 Porter Road Currie 28435 Agent: Lanese Tonga Rabb MUSHKE LLC 335 Trails End Road Wilmington 28409 Agent: Joan Farrenkopf NAM DYNAMIC SOLUTIONS LLC 284 Cypress Creek Rd Maple Hill 28454 Agent: Nicholas Adam Massengill
NEW HELPING ORDINARY PEOPLE EXCEL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (NEW HOPE CDC) 3120 Alex Trask Drive Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Robert L. Campbell
PURPLE ROSE HOME COLLECTION LLC. 209 Sunn Aire Court Wilmington 28405 Agent: Shanita Chavonne Davis
METAL & SHINGLE ROOFING EXPERTS LLC 117 E Westwood Dr Wilmington 28405 Agent: Aaron Andres Leon Maldonado
NINE MILES NORTH LLC 300 Coral Drive Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Layne McNeill Smith
MICHAEL’S SEAFOOD FRANCHISING LLC 1206 N. Lake Park Blvd. Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Rachelle McGowan
NO LIMITS TRUCKING LLC 82 Babbling Creek Road Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Shannon Powell Bowers
MINDSKID PROPERTIES LLC 4020 Oleander Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: John H Liverman III MONTES DE OCA FLOORING LLC 7008 Cape Harbor Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Luis A Montes De
PRECISE INNOVATIONS LLC 811 Lorraine Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Tiffany Johnson PRIVATE CARE SOLUTIONS L.L.C. 7047 Market St Wilmington 28411 Agent: Louise Williams
NEW LEVEL HOME INSPECTION CORP. 410 Sturbridge Court Wilmington 28405 Agent: Mark Romer
MINDOS LLC 6507 Old Fort Road Wilmington 28411 Agent: Melinda H Nicoll
PIPELINE POKE LLC 105 Cottage Walk Hampstead 28443 Agent: Adrian Kugatow
NEIMAND COLLABORATIVE INC. 812 The Cape Blvd Wilmington 28412 Agent: Dennis Connors
MASHKE LLC 335 Trails End Road Wilmington 28409 Agent: Joan Farrenkopf
MILLRIGHT SPECIALIST INC 461 Little Egypt Rd Willard 28478 Agent: Bibiano Romero
PICKLEVIEW PARTNERS LLC 401 South 4th St. Wilmington 28401 Agent: Deborah Butler
NXTLEVL LLC 715 Hughes Road Hampstead 28443 Agent: Andrew G. Smith O2 CARPET CARE & FLOOR CLEANING LLC 1073 Swan Court Carolina Shores 28467 Agent: Joseph A Galiano Jr OFFSHORE BUZZ LLC 8 Bahama Dr Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Michael H Ward OLDE SALTY’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM CORPORATION 427 Ocean Hwy W Supply 28462 Agent: Angela Clemmons
R&M PROPERTY PRESERVATION LLC 17881 US Highway 421 Willard 28478 Agent: Rakeim JaVonta Martin RACE CITY HAULING INC. 3565 Hemlock Ridge Dr Southport 28461 Agent: Brian McCormick
Suite C Bolivia 28422 Agent: Laura Baez
3659 Orchid Ln SE Bolivia 28422 Agent: Curtiss Andre Rayl
RP RUSTIC DESIGNS LLC 510 Fennell Town Rd. Burgaw 28425 Agent: Lori Lynn Craft
SRJ VENTURES LLC 5704-101 Oleander Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Edward Stephen Owens III
SALTY SOUTHERN ADVENTURES LLC 2537 L Street SW Supply 28462 Agent: Aaron Banks Medlin SAM HATCH MUSIC LLC 1337 West Gate Dr Apt 307 Leland 28451 Agent: Samuel Hatch
SUNCOAST POWER WASH SERVICES LLC 772 Scorpion Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Charles Lepowsky
SANDHILL ENTERPRISE LLC 3288 Blue Banks Loop Rd NE Leland 28451 Agent: Daniel David Edens II
SUNSET RIDGE PAIRED VILLAS OWNERS ASSOCIATION 2018 Eastwood Rd Wilmington 28403 Agent: Premier Management Company
SEASIDE RENTALS INC. 51 JH Batts Road Surf City 28445 Agent: Matthew A. Smallwood
SURF CITY BREWING COMPANY LLC 2761 NC Hwy 210 E Unit G#211 Hampstead 28443 Agent: Clinton B Smith
SECOND UNIT LLC 1104 Petite Court Wilmington 28412 Agent: Michelle Krizner SEIGLER HOLDINGS LLC 4819 Oakview Dr Southport 28461 Agent: Audrey Pennock SELF CARE CLEANING & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC 225A Fourth Ave N Kure Beach 28449 Agent: Meghan Obrien SIMPLE VENTURE PROPERTIES LLC 333 Early Drive Wilmington 28412 Agent: Luke Tippett
REAL ESTATE AKSHAR LLC 2059 Carolina Beach Rd Wilmington 28401 Agent: Nirav Patel
SMART REALTY CAROLNA LLC 411 Lakeview Drive Hampstead 28443 Agent: Jennifer Coleman Hernly
RELENTLESS PROPERTIES L.L.C. 1300 Lovingston Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: William R McBride III
SMITHVILLE TOWNES HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION INC. 1226 N. Howe Street Southport 28461 Agent: Carson Lawrence
REPAIRALL HVAC APPLIANCE’S L.L.C. 1010 Daybreak Ct Leland 28451 Agent: Demarcus A Baldwin
SOL SEARCHIN ENTERPRISES LLC 154 NW 9th Street Oak Island 28465 Agent: Kathryn Reed Perkinson-Rhinehardt
RIVERS END HOME REPAIR LLC 310 Santa Ana Wilmington 28412 Agent: Jamie Adair
SOUTHERN CROSS MARITIME LLC 313 Garnercrest Rd Wilmington 28411 Agent: Jeremy Shane Stevens
RL PRODUCTIONS LLC 2024 Lynnwood Dr Wilmington 28403 Agent: Robert Caull Garrou Exum Jr. RP GARNICA CONSTRUCTION LLC 3972 Old Ocean Hwy
STAYCAY LLC 6027 Willow Glen Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Stephanie Manke
SOUTHERN TRIO PHOTOGRAPHY LLC 182 Bellhammon Forest Drive Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Sheila Freeman SPARE TIME FISHING LLC
SURF CITY POOLS & SPAS LLC 700 Cordgrass Road Hampstead 28443 Agent: James Labilloi SWORLEY IT CONSULTING LLC 3529 Masonboro Loop Rd Wilmington 28409 Agent: Casey J Worley T&C DEVELOPMENT LLC 720 North Third Street Suite 301 Wilmington 28401 Agent: Charles Schoinger TAILCHASER SPORTFISHING INC. 2555 St James Dr Unit 406 Southport 28461 Agent: William Russell Gorham THE BERRIOS FOOD COMPANY LLC 6504 Yellow Bell Rd Wilmington 28411 Agent: Oscar Berrios THE BLUE GRACIAS OPEN AIR ART MARKET LLC 706 South Anderson Blvd Topsail Beach 28445 Agent: Elizabeth Guri THE BRIDGE DANCE ARTS LLC 173 North Palm Dr Winnabow 28479 Agent: Eric D Watchous THE HAPPY OSPREY LLC 3333 Wrightsville Ave Unit G Wilmington 28403 Agent: David Allen D’Alessandro III THE NASSAU CLUB LLC 4925 Stag Park Road Burgaw 28425 Agent: Jason Wells
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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wilmingtonbiz.com
April 16 - May 6, 2021
IN THE NEWS
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This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s daily coverage. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.
and employment. In addition to $3.85 million for business and employment, the plan includes: • $5.76 million for broadband connectivity including connecting about 8,000 homes to broadband • $3 million for housing including mortgage assistance • $12.3 million for infrastructure and emergency management, including for Blue Clay Business Park • $3.2 million for revenue replacement (lost sales tax revenue during the pandemic) • $6.2 million for essential county employees including bonuses
Convention center used as vaccination site (April 9) With large gatherings on hold because of the pandemic, it’s been a quieter-than-usual year at the Wilmington Convention Center. That wasn’t the case April 9, however, as Wilmington Health administered the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine to nearly 1,200 people at the city-owned center. Anyone 16 and older is now eligible to get a vaccine in North Carolina. Wilmington Health has been offering the vaccine since it first became available, but space at its main campus limited how many people could be vaccinated in a day. Wilmington Health teamed with the city and the convention center manager ASM Global for the mass-vaccination event. The center will be a vaccine site again April 30 for those who were vaccinated April 9 to receive the second dose. (The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines currently require two doses; the newer Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one.) With more space available, Wilmington Health was able to administer its most-recent vaccine allocation in one day, compared with the three days it’s been taking at its facility at 1202 Medical Center Drive, according to Wilmington Health spokeswoman Alexis Hunter. She said Wilmington Health will continue to work with the convention center and other large venues to secure vaccination sites as space is available. The convention center isn’t the only large, nonmedical site to be used for vaccinations. New Hanover Regional Medical Center has been offering vaccines at Stone Theatres’ The Pointe 14 movie theater at South 17th Street and Independence Boulevard. But in another sign that life is getting a little more back to normal, the theater complex is gearing up for an April 23 reopening. “NHRMC remains committed to providing COVID-19 vaccines to our community,” spokesman Julian March said. “We will continue to offer vaccination appointments at our 17th Street campus. As part of our targeted outreach efforts, we are also partnering with third-party organizations to offer multiple vaccine outreach clinic sites each week at lo-
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nCino HQ to expand (April 5)
PHOTO C/O JUST FOR BUYERS REALTY
Top of the market: The home at 831 S. Lumina Ave. in Wrightsville Beach sold for $6 million in March, an area record.
cations throughout the community.”
Home sells for $6M, breaking record (April 7) The region’s most expensive home sale record has been broken again, according to a recent report. The home at 831 S. Lumina Ave. in Wrightsville Beach (shown above) sold March 19 for $6 million. “For 15 years, the highest price on the books stood at $5,264,000 for a property that closed in August of 2005. That record was topped in September 2020 by roughly $13,000,” stated a news release from Wilmington-based Just For Buyers Realty. “It was broken again the very next month by a house that sold for $5.5 million and that record was exceeded again in March.” The South Lumina Avenue home on the Wrightsville Beach oceanfront is 4,000 square feet and has six bedrooms. In addition to the record home sale, March was the most prolific month ever recorded in the area for luxury sales, with 52 high-end homes sold, according to the report. That tops a record of 47 luxury home sales set in August 2020 and then tied in October 2020, stated the Just For Buyers Realty report. “Luxury home” is defined as those priced at $1 million or more. The March 2021 transactions had a combined value of about $93 million, up more than 11% from the previous high of $83.5 million in October 2020.
Another 30 luxury homes went under contract, and 48 more homes came on the market with an asking price of $1 million or more, the release stated. “The four dozen homes that came on the market will prove crucial to keeping this streak going,” Kathleen Baylies, broker in charge of Just For Buyers Realty, said in the release.
County OKs relief funds spending plan (April 6) New Hanover County Commissioners on April 5 approved a framework on how the federal funds will be spent, which includes $3.85 million for business, nonprofit and employment assistance. The county announced that it expected to receive about $45.4 million from the American Rescue Plan, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden in March. The plan aims to provide relief to communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through New Hanover’s plan, business grants will be available focused on retail, service, leisure, hospitality and child care facilities as well as nonprofits that were not able to continue operations at some point during the pandemic. It will also fund two job programs administered by Step Up Wilmington, which will provide a six-week paid job training and placement program for 100 people and a six-month paid internship and job placement for up to 20 people to develop long-term skills
An expansion at the Wilmington headquarters of fintech firm nCino will allow for 600 new employees, according to an announcement. “nCino was founded in Wilmington, N.C., and this city has always been our home,” said Pierre Naudé, CEO of the cloud banking software firm, in an email. “We are proud to continue investing in Wilmington, and have begun construction on a new parking deck at our Mayfaire headquarters, which we expect to be finished around October 1, 2021. Once completed, it will hold space for approximately 640 vehicles. “In addition, we are also building a new 90,000-square-foot office building adjacent to our main HQ building. Construction on this property will start this summer,” he said. nCino officials didn’t share any further details April 5 about additional employees or hiring expectations. The firm currently has more than 1,100 employees in seven offices around the world, about 700 of those are in Wilmington. The average salary at nCino is about $100,000, Naudé said in September 2020. Cloud Real Estate Holdings LLC, a Wilmington investment group comprised of entities affiliated with Cameron Management, SHP Acquisitions and Trask Land Co., has entered into an agreement with nCino to acquire, lease-back and develop the additional square footage at nCino’s headquarters. Cloud Real Estate bought the property at 6770 Parker Farm Drive, including the existing nCino headquarters building, for $16.3 million in December. As for the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the nCino workplace, company officials said the offices are open for those who want or choose to go in, but all employees are predominantly remote through at least May 31.
Page 18
April 16 - May 6, 2021
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
WHAT DOES COMMITMENT TO MORE AFFORDABLE CARE LOOK LIKE? RESTAURANT ROUNDUP
BUSINESS OF LIFE
This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s weekly Restaurant Roundup email. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.
Vegan restaurant coming to Military Cutoff Road
SAVING MEMBERS
IN PREMIUMS OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS
1
Making health care more affordable means following through for our members. That’s why we’ve reduced premiums, expanded value-based care, and committed more than $800 million to help North Carolinians get the care and support they need through this pandemic.2 Every day, we’re working to ensure our members have access to better, simpler, more affordable care.
BlueCrossNC.com/Transform
WE RESOLVE. TO TRANSFORM HEALTH CARE. 1 Internal Data January 2021 2 Internal Data April 2021 ® Marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. U37816C, 4/2021
A vegan fine-dining restaurant is expected to open in a couple months on Military Cutoff Road. Laura Tiblier, who owns Ceviche’s with her husband, and Anastasia Worrell, of Slice of Life, have partnered on The Green House at 1427 Military Cutoff Road in the Progress Point commercial complex. The space was previously occupied by Moe’s Southwest Grill. The Green House team also includes well-known Wilmington chefs Nikki Spears, who previously owned Sealevel Gourmet and Nikki’s sushi, and Dave Herring, who was the founder of Sweet & Savory restaurant. Why a vegan restaurant for Tiblier and Worrell? “We’re both vegan,” Tiblier said, “and we love the vegan offerings in Wilmington, but we really could see more of a fine-dining experience that was plant-centered, not like the substitute meats that tend to be heavy in the vegan world.” In addition to being vegan, the restaurant’s offerings will also be gluten-free. The team is in the midst of developing dishes for The Green House, and some in the works include starters in the form of cheese boards (with nut cheeses and non-nut cheeses) and a mushroom board. Entrees are expected to include dishes such as eggplant filet with parsnip potato puree and red lentil spaghetti with a lentil ragout and pine-nut Parmesan. The restaurant is expected to open in June. – Cece Nunn
Trolly Stop on Fountain Drive is on the market Commercial Site Signs
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The Trolly Stop Grill and Catering on Fountain Drive, as of press time, was up for grabs. The owners of the hot dog shop and catering operation are selling off their business, with an eye toward retirement and family time. The listing price of $150,000 includes the restaurant, three hot dog carts, three catering vans and the rest of the pieces to jump in, said Rich Walsh, who along with his wife,
Kathy, bought the location six years ago. Hampstead-based VR Business Brokers is handling the sale. Trolly Stop, first opened in 1976, has four locations – the original in Wrightsville Beach, the Walshes’ Fountain Drive spot near the University of North Carolina Wilmington, one in Southport and one in Chapel Hill. The others are individually owned, and only the Fountain Drive restaurant is up for sale. – Vicky Janowski
Cinnamon rolls and more available at Cinnaholic Cinnaholic, a bakery featuring vegan cinnamon rolls as well as other sweets and coffee, opened its doors April 2 at 6841 Conservation Way in Mayfaire Town Center. “Mayfaire is proud to welcome Cinnaholic’s first location in Wilmington,” said Paige Coniglio, Mayfaire spokeswoman. “We know that residents are going to love the 100% vegan and cholesterol-free option.” Founded in Berkeley, California, in 2010, Cinnaholic specializes in create-your-own cinnamon rolls and other made-from-scratch treats such as brownies, cookies and edible cookie dough. Local franchisee Rose Glinski said she was drawn to Cinnaholic because of the simplicity of its business model and the quality and flavor of the products. The fact that the products are vegan is a bonus, Glinski said. Cinnaholic’s menu offers six signature cinnamon rolls, as well as a create-your-own option with dozens of toppings and frostings to choose from. Glinski said her current favorite is cream cheese frosting with raspberry jam, fresh raspberries and powdered sugar. The menu also includes edible cookie dough, brownies, cookies, bite-size buns and Cinnacakes. The Wilmington store will be serving coffee from Vigilant Hope Roasting, a local organization working to fight poverty in the Port City. Cinnaholic’s co-founders Shannon and Florian Radke opened the first Cinnaholic bakery in downtown Berkeley. In 2014, the pair appeared on ABC’s hit TV show, Shark Tank. Shortly after appearing on the show, the Radkes adopted a franchise business model and began expanding to Cinnaholic locations across the U.S. and Canada. The Wilmington shop is Cinnaholic’s 52nd location. – Jessica Maurer
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
April 16 - May 6, 2021
Page 19
| BUSINESS OF LIFE | Lewis Farms continues the berry business BY SCOTT NUNN ecades before the N.C. Azalea Festival blossomed, another plant marked the start of spring in the Wilmington area: strawberries. The plant and its juicy fruit not only were popular at dinner tables, strawberries were part of a thriving local business known as truck-farming. Instead of being sold only in local markets, strawberries and crops such as lettuce, cabbage and melons were shipped to distant markets, usually via truck to a rail depot, where refrigerated train cars transported them to cities along the East Coast. The proliferation of agriculture in California and its year-round growing season took a huge bite out of truck-farming in the Wilmington area, and the industry faded. As many farmers in Southeastern North Carolina turned to tobacco, one local family remained true to its truck-farming roots. A century later, the berry business is thriving in northern New Hanover and southern Pender counties as another harvest season is underway at Lewis Nursery and Farms. Although best known perhaps for its pick-your-own strawberry field at 6517 Gordon Road, blueberries are the family’s biggest crop, said owner Cal Lewis. “In Wilmington, we have a retail operation that encompasses a garden center selling spring plants, flowering plants, hanging baskets,” Lewis said. “It coincides with the ripening season of our strawberries, so they kind of go hand in hand. My wife manages that along with some very capable friends and assistants and my nephew.” More out of sight is the Lewis Farms wholesale operations in Rocky Point. “We farm 350 acres of blueberries, 125 acres of strawberries and 55 acres of blackberries,” Lewis said. “And that’s all for wholesale and distribution to retailers throughout the East Coast primarily.” That’s a strategy that harkens back to the region’s truck-farming days, which also included a big business in cut flowers. Although the Lewis Farms story is partly one of heritage and family (the current farm dates to 1953 and was in other parts of the Lewis family before then) it’s also a story
D
PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER
Fruitful field: Cal Lewis shows off some of the strawberries available at Lewis Nursery and Farms on Gordon Road
of innovation. California still dominates most of the U.S. produce business, including strawberries. But by adapting a variety of novel farming techniques. “We basically are the only strawberry farmers left here,” Lewis said. “We maintained operations when most people, most retailers, migrated to California for their fruits and vegetables. We maintained ours and have had a comeback over the last couple of decades because people are wanting more local, regional produce, and we’ve developed techniques to grow them more on a longer-season basis.” With a longer season and a consistent, quality crop, the farm’s wholesale berries are now found in stores such as Food Lion, Lowes Foods, Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Walmart and, occasionally, Harris Teeter. Although California and Florida dominate the strawberry market, North Carolina is consistently among the top 10 states for blueberry production, with most of the crop grown in Southeastern North Carolina. For about a six-week period in May and June, North Carolina
produces the majority of the nation’s blueberries, Lewis said. His farm will produce 3.5 million pounds of blueberries during that stretch. “They go all over the country under our brand, American Blueberries,” he said. While most are sold for fresh consumption, berries that don’t make the cut for fresh use (too much rain, for example, can cause over-ripeness) are sold for use by food processors. Although the success of Lewis Farms is rooted in the traditional Southeastern N.C. crops of strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, the migration of Northeasterners to the region has opened up a new market that Lewis is eager to fill – raspberries. “We had a goal of producing all four berries here in Eastern North Carolina like they do in California: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries,” Lewis said. “But our climate didn’t allow us to do much with raspberries.” That has changed, however, with a new technique known as “long cane production,” which produces fruit in the plant’s first season and in large enough quantities to make it a
feasible cash crop. “That’s a new venture we hope to expand on. We’ve got a lot of Northern people in our community who love raspberries and are used to raspberries,” Lewis said, adding that they are also his favorite berry to eat. As with other businesses, Lewis Farms had to make adjustments in the wake of COVID-19. But, Lewis said, the pandemic has not hurt business. “It [2020] was actually a really good year for us. We adapted and made adjustments to our operations to conform to the needs of the consuming public,” Lewis said. “And we were a food producer, we were essential, and people flocked to our place to get outside. And so we did fine. We did really well, actually. And this year we’ve got a little more of a repeat of that, but not quite as severe.” With the recent spate of warmer weather, the spring strawberry harvest is kicking into high gear. Lewis strawberries started showing up in local grocery stores the weekend of April 10, and blueberries will follow in late May.
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April 16 - May 6, 2021
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