Greater Wilmington Business Journal - June 4 Issue by Greater Wilmington Business Journal / WILMA magazine

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Upgrades: Steven Still, emergency management director for New Hanover County, and other local officials involved in hurricane preparation say improvements have followed in the wake of recent storms.

A STORM OF PREPARATION

Banking & Finance .............................4-5 Health Care ........................................... 7 Economic Development.......................... 8 In Profile...............................................16 The List ..........................................18, 21 Real Estate ..........................................19 Business of Life.............................. 22-23

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RECENT HURRICANES DRIVE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE RESILIENCY BY JENNY CALLISON hile the term ‘’infrastructure improvements” may bring to mind images of bridge construction and road repair, the concept applies to system upgrades and is at the heart of preparations for this year’s hurricane season that started June 1, officials say.

“We’ve been very busy since [Hurricane] Florence,” said Steven Still, emergency management director for New Hanover County. “We’ve reorganized our entire operating structure. There’s no more city EOC [Emergency Operations Center] and

county EOC. There is one force, working together in one room.” Duke Energy has focused its attention locally on creating an electrical system that will better weather storms and recover from them quickly. “It’s about strengthening the grid to make it more reliable and more resilient to storms,” said Jeff Brooks, the utility company’s spokesman, regarding grid improvements. “We’re upgrading poles and wires and placing outage-prone wires underground.” As storms become more severe, Brooks continued, Duke Energy has to make improvements to its power grids to help equipment better withstand higher winds and flooding. Of great importance also is improving the system’s ability to recover quickly

from disruptions. The aim of recent work in New Hanover County has focused on resilience. “We have a self-healing technology that we’re installing on poles all around the region,” he said. “It automatically detects power outages and reroutes power to other lines to restore power more quickly. We already have some units in place in Wilmington and we see benefits happening every day and with every storm.” During Hurricane Isaias last August, a large portion of Wilmington lost power, but Brooks said in some neighborhoods the electricity stayed on, thanks to the new self-healing technology. See STORM, page 17

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| FROM WILMINGTONBIZ.COM | This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s Daily Update. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.

PPD opens new lab in Suzhou, China (May 26) Wilmington-based PPD has opened a clinical research laboratory in Suzhou, China, aimed at supporting global and China-based pharmaceutical and biotech companies managing China research studies, according to a press release. The 67,000-square-foot multipurpose lab facility will offer bioanalytical, biomarker and vaccine laboratory services that support trials in all phases of pharma development. The new lab supplements PPD’s existing central lab in Shanghai, established in 2015. Christopher Fikry, executive vice president of PPD Laboratories, said in the release, “We can now offer an in-country lab facility for clinical studies in China that provides the same capabilities that are available for studies at our other locations around the world.” PPD, a contract research organization, will hire about 300 professionals to staff the new lab over the next

three years.

For MSA, officials look at workforce ties (May 24) In recent findings submitted to the Census Bureau, area officials say Brunswick County has a stronger worker connection to New Hanover County than South Carolina, a fact they say lends support for Brunswick’s return to the Wilmington MSA. Leaders with Business Alliance for a Sound Economy (BASE) and those from UNCW sent letters recently to the federal agency to add input to the rulemaking process that will help guide new MSA designations. The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce and Cape Fear Collective were also partners in the effort. BASE and its partners have been focused on the 2020 Census and the MSA designations since Brunswick County was removed from the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and placed into an MSA with Myrtle Beach in 2013, pushing for Brunswick’s return. With the local 2020 Census data anticipated to be released soon, federal officials will start looking at the

information and other rules to draw metropolitan lines. “In addition to the natural growth, commuting patterns are one of the ways that urban areas are being defined in the 2020 Census,” said Tyler Newman, president and CEO of BASE. “Thanks to UNCW and Cape Fear Collective, we were able to analyze commuting pattern data and show the strong tie between Brunswick County and Wilmington. Of Brunswick County’s workforce, 27% commute to New Hanover County daily versus 3% to Horry.”

In Leland, 900 apartments are in the works (May 24) More apartments are coming to the rapidly growing northern Brunswick County town of Leland. Either under construction or in various stages of development are more than 900 apartments in three complexes on Westgate Drive. Virginia-based development firm Kotarides recently closed on the purchase of nearly 23 acres, the site of an upcoming Kotarides’ apartment project, for $4.38 million in Westgate, according to an announcement by Capstone Land Sales.

TOP-READ STORIES ONLINE Here are the most popular stories for May 21 - 28 from the Business Journal’s website. 1. Angus Grill opens 2. More than 900 apartments in the works in Leland 3. Holiday Inn on Market Street sells for more than $10M 4. Brookfield Residential to acquire Riverlights developer Newland 5. Area officials: Brunswick County connections stronger for MSA 6. Carolina Beach, Wilmington top spots for 'Revenge Travel' 7. C B Seafood and Market brings global flavors, halal meats to Port City 8. W hy a national docuseries decided to feature local entrepreneurs 9. N ew president announced for Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage 10. Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage expands through merger To read more, go to wilmingtonbiz.com

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| BANKING & FINANCE |

Calling for diversity in financial services I “ n a time when companies of all sizes are taking a close look at the makeup of their workforce and leadership, how are banks – traditionally white and male at the top – doing with this assessment? In an article published last September, the management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. applauded the growing presence of women in corporate leadership, including in the financial services industry, but noted there is “significant work to do” JENNY to ensure equal opportunities for people of color. “The financial services talent pipeline shows a lack of representation of people of color, most acutely at senior levels,” the article stated. “Representation in financial services is especially effective for achieving

CALLISON

equity, since the sector has control over capital and assets that yield outsize power and influence over markets, the business landscape, and entrepreneurship.” Of course, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goes further than male/female gender, race and ethnicity. It includes gender identity, age, and cultural background. So, what measures are financial institutions in the Wilmington market doing to ensure that their companies are diverse, equitable and inclusive? “We are committed to having diverse backgrounds and perspectives at all levels within our company, and our work is still in progress,” said Courtney Spencer, chief administrative officer at Live Oak Bank. “Our overall makeup is evenly divided from a gender perspective but there is still work to do at the leadership level. We are taking intentional steps to drive awareness and create equitable opportunities across Live Oak including our board, leadership teams, middle management, new

hires and interns.” Spencer noted that this work will take time. Indeed, of Live Oak’s 21-member leadership team shown on its website, there are six women and no African Americans. Its nine-member board of directors includes two women, one of whom is Black. The bank is setting internal DEI goals and has committed to the HBCU Challenge to increase recruiting efforts at historically Black colleges and universities in North Carolina, Spencer said. Live Oak has also formalized a DEI committee, launched affinity groups, held forums on race relations and created a team to focus on underserved communities. In March, Live Oak spinoff nCino tapped one of its existing managers to head up its DEI efforts as well as its community engagement and philanthropy. In his new capacity, Zedrick Applin continues work begun more than a year ago at the financial technology firm that

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We are committed to having diverse backgrounds and perspectives at all levels within our company, and our work is still in progress.” COURTNEY SPENCER chief administrative officer Live Oak Bank

now employs about 1,100 people across its Wilmington headquarters, its office in Salt Lake City and four international locations. “We have a company kickoff every February to talk about the goals of what the company does for the year,” Applin said. “So back in 2020 when we had our company kickoff our CEO expressed the importance of

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| BANKING & FINANCE | really wanting to put an emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion, even before all of the events of last summer happened.” The firm’s initial step was to form a nine-person diversity and inclusion council that included Applin, who was subsequently tapped to head the initiatives. Currently, nCino’s leadership of nine individuals includes one woman. Its eight-person board of directors also includes one woman. There are no Black members of either body. Truist, the bank resulting from the merger of BB&T and SunTrust, has two women among its 12-person leadership team. One of them is Black, as is one of the men on the team. Its board of directors – 22 in total – includes seven women and four Black members. Two of the Black directors are women. “At Truist, our purpose is to inspire and build better lives and communities, and we believe these values guide us to be intentional about diversity, equity, and inclusion, both within our company and all we serve,” Charles Mattox, Wilmington market president for Truist, said in a statement. “While we are still on our journey, our focus remains unwavering. We’ve publically denounced social injustices and racism of all kinds, reinforcing there is no place for hatred, discrimination, or bias at Truist.” Credit unions are on a similar path with DEI, but may have a head start. Since the credit union movement spread from Europe to the U.S. in the early 1900s, these nonprofit financial cooperatives have maintained a set of seven principles that describe their mission, independence and responsibilities to their members and their communities. To that original list of seven principles has been added an eighth, one that addresses DEI, said Richard DeCrescente, Excite Credit Union’s vice president of retail experience in North Carolina. Excite, which has two locations in Wilmington and two locations in its headquarters city of San Jose, California, has a built-in advantage, DeCrescente said. “Because our credit union is headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have a nice pool of diverse leadership and corporate [staff],” he said. “We have Asian Americans, Latinos, Mexican Americans and Vietnamese. Here in Wilmington, we’re growing more diverse in the last year with our new hires.” Sarah Stone, who will succeed DeCrescente when he retires this

month, believes that diverse leadership teams and boards of directors help their organizations become more successful – a position that is backed up McKinsey & Co. and other consultants. “You get that diverse perspective that helps open up the discussion and the decision-making process,” she said. “The process may take more time but the results are better.” Women represent almost half of Excite’s leadership and nearly a third of its board of directors. How do these financial institutions carry out their stated commitments to DEI in practice? Excite looks for opportunities to take care of people who are underserved by the banking industry, said DeCrescente. Spencer said Live Oak Bank looks for ways to diversify its supplier network and, through its lending efforts and soon-to-launch small business center, works to help women- and minority-owned small businesses succeed. “Putting capital into the hands of small business owners who have historically been underserved by the banking industry is of paramount importance to our company,” she said. “We continue to mobilize our lenders to find entrepreneurs in underserved communities to sustain our country’s economy. This includes focused lending to rural communities, women, minorities and veterans.” Because nCino has offices in the U.K., Australia, Canada and Japan, its corporate culture will naturally be enhanced by the influence of its international workforce. Applin said that, while his initial DEI efforts will focus on the company’s U.S. workforce, he is already laying the groundwork for a broader perspective. “I have built relationships with employees in these offices to make it easier for me to translate what my strategy is and how they can get involved,” he said. “For instance, in the U.K. [office] they are already doing an emphasis on female leadership. “Each locale is going to look different, but what we strive to do is make sure each is as diverse and equitable as possible, but knowing we need to take that culture into account.” The Truist Community Benefits Plan earmarked $60 billion for lending or investment to low- and moderate-income borrowers between 2020 and 2022, according to bank spokesman Vince Zito. “In 2020, we committed $78

million in giving to advance DEI, including $40 million to launch CornerSquare Community Capital, funding diverse small businesses with a focus on African Americans and women; $20 million in support of HBCUs; $12.5 million to empower our communities; and $5.5 million in social justice grants,” he added. Zito noted that Truist has been recognized for its diverse hiring and lending practices by Forbes, Equal Opportunity magazine and U.S.

Black Chambers. He added, “We received a 100% on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, building upon the strong legacy of our heritage organizations.” The Business Journal held a roundtable discussion with area large employers about how they also are addressing diversity, inclusion and equity at their organizations. To read more from that conversation, pick up a copy of the June WilmingtonBiz Magazine. or go to wilmingtonbizmagazine.com.

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| HEALTH CARE |

NHRMC forming community advisory group BY VICKY JANOWSKI s part of its acquisition by Novant Health, NHRMC is putting together an advisory council made up of community members from the tri-county area. The Coastal Region Community Engagement Advisory Council is expected to have 25-30 members. The group will have individuals from the community as well as leaders from New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center and Pender Memorial Hospital. Those community members are currently being invited, and the first meeting could take place in August, said Scott Whisnant, community engagement director for Novant Health’s coastal market. The group, Whisnant said, is intended to “help guide us on how we interact with the community.” “We will tell the community, through these representatives, ‘Here’s what we’re doing; here’s where we plan on going,’” he said, adding that the group will pull from a mix of fields such as housing, education and business; reflect diversity in membership; and include people from the three counties. Creating this type of advisory group was an item included in Winston-Salem-based Novant Health’s offer to buy New Hanover Regional Medical Center, a deal that closed Feb. 1. “It was one of the advancements that Novant brought when they came here. They do this in their other markets,” Whisnant said, adding that officials currently are on a – largely virtual – listening tour with area residents to get feedback on what they want to see from the health system and gaps that might exist. “Novant has shown this first 100 [-plus] days … they’re very committed to community feedback,” he said. Other community outreach projects since the deal closed included a clean-up at Creekwood Community Center, which closed temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project (shown above) entailed minor repairs to the building and boosting Wi-Fi access. “That’s an example of the kind of thing I think the community will get used to Novant doing,” Whisnant said. NHRMC and Novant officials recently highlighted other changes underway during the first 100 days since the sale’s close.

PHOTO C/O NHRMC

Outside hospital walls: Hospital employees helped clean up Creekwood neighborhood’s community center, which had closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project was one of several community projects NHRMC has undertaken recently.

• Those include more students at the UNC School of Medicine’s Wilmington Campus. As part of Novant’s deal, the health system made an agreement with UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine to expand their longtime presence at NHRMC. The campus is expected by 2026 to host groups of 30 medical students. “Since joining Novant Health, NHRMC recently welcomed 16 new students to its UNC School of Medicine’s Wilmington Campus. This is the largest cohort of students we have hosted since becoming a branch campus,” a recent news release stated. “Novant Health looks forward to continuing to expand the program to train more physicians in the future.”  • Novant Health previously announced a $10 million gift from Michael Jordan to open two medical clinics in New Hanover County. The locations for those clinics, intended to bring services to those who are uninsured or underinsured, have not yet been announced, but are expected to be in the coming weeks, officials said. • NHRMC adopted the Novant Health financial assistance policy, increasing qualification for a full writeoff from 200% to 300% of the federal poverty level. That policy translates into an uninsured family of four with an annual income of $78,600 or less not receiving a medical bill. Another billing change, however, also has been the phasing out of NHRMC’s previous prompt-pay discount the

hospital previously offered. • Novant Health implemented its $15 per hour healthy community wage to eligible NHRMC employees. • In mid-June, Novant Health and NHRMC plan to implement Viz.ai, a software platform using artificial intelligence to synchronize stroke care.

Leapfrog Group awards area hospital safety scores The Leapfrog Group recently gave Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center an A letter grade in its spring hospital safety grades. New Hanover Regional Medical Center received a B grade in the same report. The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit that evaluates the safety and patient experience provided by hospitals across the country. The grades – from A to F – are assigned to U.S. hospitals “based on their ability to prevent errors, injuries, accidents and infections, and improve patient satisfaction,” according to a news release. Novant Health, which now owns both local hospitals, said the data reflects the health system’s approach to care. “Our physicians, nurses, advanced practice clinicians, pharmacists and clinical team members work together every day to reduce our hospital-associated infection rates to historic lows,” Eric Eskioglu, executive vice president and chief medical and

scientific officer for Novant Health, said in the release. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our teams remained committed to providing the highest quality of care while prioritizing safety for not only our patients, but for our team members.”

Hospice renames its Wilmington garden Lower Cape Fear LifeCare recently held a dedication ceremony to formally name its Wilmington garden the John T. Dees, M.D. and Mrs. Jenny Dees Heritage Garden. “Our garden is one with a purpose,” Gwen Whitely, the hospice group’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “Although the garden certainly is a place of beauty and offers comfort and solace to families and visitors at our adjacent hospice care center, the tributes and memorials within, given in honor and memory of a loved one, help ensure that anyone in our community who needs care receives it, regardless of their ability to pay.” Jenny Dees left a legacy gift to the organization. John Dees, a well-known Pender County physician who practiced in Burgaw for 40 years and served on the N.C. Medical Board, died in 2003. A Veterans Memorial Garden also is being planned and designed as an addition to the space, Whitely said.

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| ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT |

Apple news could bear local fruit

pple Inc. and its location in the Triangle could have ripple effects in Southeastern North Carolina, said Ted Abernathy, managing partner of Economic Leadership LLC. There are several areas that Apple and its announcement of a company location in Wake County could impact the Cape CHRISTINA HALEY Fear region, including its supply chains and overall workforce, he said. Apple in April announced plans to invest over $1 billion in North Carolina and bring in at least 3,000 new jobs. The company will put a new campus and engineering hub in the Research Triangle area, according to an Apple news release. The investment will create jobs in machine learning, artificial intelligence, software engineering and “other cutting-edge fields,” Apple officials said in the release. But the business sparked by this economic development announcement also has potential to bring people and new supply chains to the area, Abernathy said. “Apple will have a pretty dense supply chain around it. And that supply chain will probably be looking for locations that are slightly more affordable and with good transportation links … and Southeastern North Carolina qualifies for both of those things,” Abernathy said. “It’s just under two hours from Wilmington back up to the Apple site. So, that puts all of Southeastern North Carolina in a targeted area to build those supply chains.” “Post-pandemic, the supply chains in America are reshoring, and they are getting both more redundant and closer to their host. So that’s the most obvious thing,” he added. The Wilmington area’s “at-port model” to help build business and jobs around the Port of Wilmington is also an aid in luring those supply chains to the region. He said the port and its local interstate infrastructure matter in terms of gaining those networks for the Cape Fear. “The infrastructure is key. I think Apple is less likely to generate the need for refrigeration or something like that, but certainly, there’s component parts from all over the

O’NEAL

PHOTO C/O APPLE INC.

Ripple effect: Apple Inc. announced in April that it would invest in a location in Wake County and bring in at least 3,000 jobs.

world, and depending on what they will ultimately do at the site, when companies like that locate to a place they tend to locate multiple things nearby and overtime because of management structures,” Abernathy said. “So, I think that the infrastructure that we have in Southeastern North Carolina will play a big role in whether or not they grow their footprint in the state.” For companies like Apple – for which remote working will be more likely – housing options may also spread into Southeastern North Carolina for its workforce. The Wilmington area, because of its proximity to the beach and Raleigh, could be a draw for Apple workers – even though that could make it more difficult for locally based tech companies to compete for knowledge workers.. “I think you will see a lot of workers choose to live in different parts of eastern North Carolina all the way down to the coast because they can. And that will create more housing and more growth there,” Abernathy said. Wilmington could also continue its growth as a technology business hub with Apple’s location to the state, he said. “It’s probably one of the faster-growing areas of the state. This helps brand the state as a place

for technology and that helps all the areas that are already home to technology companies to continue to be able to market and attract new companies,” Abernathy said. The Apple announcement was a national story and signaled North Carolina as a place for technology companies, he said, and more of such companies may follow suit in making the state and Wilmington region their home. Abernathy said, “They won’t all need to be in Raleigh or Charlotte, they will choose places around the state that have a good business climate, good infrastructure and most importantly, where they can get employees.”

ILM air travel picks up pace as fliers return April’s passenger travel at the Wilmington International Airport saw an increase of 1,481% from last April, when air travel plummeted in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 60,100 people traveled through ILM in April, up from nearly 3,800 last April, according to figures released by the airport. There were just over 28,800 passengers who departed from the airport in April – a month that saw

1,800 people flying out in April 2020. In arriving travelers, there were nearly 31,300 passengers in April, compared to nearly 2,000 passengers in the same month last year. While the numbers are recovering the volumes continue to lag from prepandemic activity. In April 2019, 44,200 travelers arrived at the airport, and 45,300 departed for the month. In addition to ILM’s regular flights, Delta Air Lines’ nonstop flight to LaGuardia Airport (LGA) returned in May, along with American Airlines’ nonstop flight to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). “ILM continues to see improvements with passengers – which is facilitated by an increase in seats and destinations than last year,” ILM airport director Wilsey said. “We are trending favorably as our leisure travelers and inbound tourism heads into the summer. The airlines know this trend.” For the June and July months, as the peak leisure travel season hits, ILM will have nonstop flights to LGA and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) through American Airlines. United Airlines is anticipated to add a third, Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD) flight, which includes an early morning flight for travelers connecting to other destinations. And Delta will continue the LGA nonstop those months, Wilsey said. “Passengers have lots of options for their summer vacation. Like many organizations, we are busy with customers and continue to look for new employees to fill our ranks,” Wilsey added. “Our CARES funding has been dedicated to paying employees and their benefits. It is challenging to provide high-quality customer service when we are short of staff.” Last year, ILM was earmarked for $19.8 million in federal funding through the CARES Act that the airport is using for continuing operations and replace lost revenue. ILM’s parking revenue also continues to improve each month, Wilsey said, adding that April’s parking revenue was 19% more than in March. “Overall things are generally positive,” she said, “with leisure and business travelers returning post-vaccination.”

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2021 HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS GUIDE SPONSORS’ CONTENT BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GREATER WILMINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL BY MORGAN MATTOX

While the Cape Fear region continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and we all are hopeful that our day-to-day life will return to normal very soon, we are again faced with another potential test of our resiliency, the annual Atlantic hurricane season. With the season beginning June 1, and running through November 30, now is the time to make plans for your family and business to respond in the event our region lands in the path of another tropical system. Our community is no stranger to the strong winds, storm surge, and flooding brought by hurricanes, and that is why those of us who live here for any length of time have become skilled and experienced with hurricane preparations and post-storm clean-up efforts. This year, as we move out of the isolation of the pandemic, we still need to be thoughtful and diligent about making sure any remaining pandemic guidelines are respected and adhered to in the event of a hurricane. While many people have been vaccinated and we are seeing the number of COVID-19 cases drop, the virus is still spreading as the population continues to work toward herd immunity.

This year, hurricane forecasters are predicting an above average likelihood for tropical storm activity in the Atlantic basin, with up to 20 named storms – of which 10 could become hurricanes and five major hurricanes – expected to form. And while we know it’s important to consider these predictions, hurricanes are unpredictable and can cause serious harm even if it’s only one that makes landfall here, sometimes giving the unprepared only days to prepare and evacuate if needed. Avoiding major devastation requires preparing before the threat of a hurricane is even on the radar. So, what can business owners do to prepare while still being mindful of the remaining COVID-19 precautions? Preparations for hurricane season should always be top-ofmind for business owners this time of year. Business owners should develop evacuation and communication plans for employees and their customers. Many businesses are still working with remote employees, so making sure communication of your plan includes those workers is a particularly essential part of any company’s hurricane preparations this year.

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HOW CAN LOCAL BUSINESSES PREPARE In order to increase awareness about the importance of hurricane preparation, Steven Still, Director of New Hanover County Emergency Management, states, “To be #ReadyNHC, we encourage business owners, and all residents to take three steps toward all-hazards preparation: Make a Plan, Build a Kit and Stay Informed.” The county’s emergency management team encourages businesses to assess their risk to emergency situations. Take a step back and consider how your business would be impacted and the possible recovery steps that would be needed post-hurricane. What are the needs of your business? How would your employees navigate through a natural disaster situation? Taking the time to consider questions like these help business owners formulate the best preparedness plan. After your plan is built, making sure that your resources and supplies are in place for quick access is imperative. Business owners who need assistance with planning for emergencies like a hurricane can contact New Hanover County Emergency Management to schedule a consultation. This is just one of the many resources that

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS GUIDE

the emergency management team offers to business owners.

SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS If an emergency such as a hurricane results in a federal disaster, the Small Business Administration will typically provide opportunities for businesses to apply for lowinterest loans. These loans cover things like damage and loss of income. If a hurricane is declared as a major disaster, disaster unemployment benefits are an option if individuals become unemployed as a result of the declared disaster. For example, an SBA Business Physical Disaster Loan will cover things like repairs or replacements of real estate, inventory, supplies, machinery, and equipment while an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) helps businesses cover working capital needed to fulfil routine financial obligations. According to Still, “In the past, the county has also used emergency funding to create grants and forgivable loans businesses can apply for to mitigate emergencies. Resources can change depending on the emergency, so sign up for Emergency News at ReadyNHC. com to get information as it becomes

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Greater Wilmington Business Journal available.” Natalie English, President and CEO of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, adds, “Historically, the state of North Carolina’s Department of Commerce has introduced grant opportunities following natural disasters to help qualifying business owners access relief funds to accelerate their recovery.”

STATUS OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES The response and recovery associated with the pandemic over the past year has affected many resources, both locally and nationally. New Hanover County navigated the challenges of these resource shortages last year but is not feeling the strains of resource shortages this year as we move out of the pandemic. However, making plans to include physical distancing is still top-of-mind and securing space to accommodate separation will continue to be a part of the plan this year. While some supply chain shortages have diminished, there are still pressures leading to increased prices and empty shelves for some items. These pressures have not affected the planning that New Hanover County Emergency Management officials have done throughout the year as resources are pre-

Greater Wilmington Business Journal positioned to ensure a swift recovery process. While supply chain pressures will not affect New Hanover County and their efforts in storm preparation, they might impact residents. It is encouraged that businesses and households alike build an emergency kit now and stock up on needed supplies. If your kit and plan are built in advance, there will be no need to be stuck in the crowds who are buying last-minute supplies as the immediate threat of a hurricane looms.

HOW TO CREATE A HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS PLAN Creating a hurricane preparedness plan for your business should focus on keeping safe and having a plan in place to keep the business operating, even if that means offsite. Considering the risks and developing your hurricane preparedness plan will limit the stress and panic that occurs during an emergency situation. Making sure that your plan is created, in place, and practiced is essential to disaster resistance and recovery. An excellent resource for businesses is Ready.gov/business. Here, business owners can view preparedness toolkits, plan

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS GUIDE templates, and information to help create a plan and build a kit. Staying informed with the most current tools and resources to aid in the creation of a proper emergency plan is key for making sure your business stays safe during a weather emergency. After Hurricane Florence devastated our area, the Business Emergency Operations Center (BEOC) was formed by New Hanover County in partnership with the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. English shares, “We work together to address business concerns following disasters as well as match needs in the community with businesses that can meet those needs.” To find out more about the BEOC call them at 910-762-2611 or send an email to businesseoc@wilmingtonchamber.org.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANS

Typically, larger businesses have Business Continuity Plans or Disaster Recovery Plans in place. This level of forethought does not have to be exclusive to large business though. These plans provide a clear outline of steps any business needs to take to prepare for, and respond to, a disaster. Resources for developing a plan for your business are readily available and some are offered at no cost. When discussing

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how businesses can find resources for plan development, English encourages business owners to utilize the US Chamber Foundation’s Resilience in a Box program to support disaster preparations. More information on this program can be found at www.UsChamberFoundation.org/ResilienceBox. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security provides plan resources at www.Ready.Gov/Business-ContinuityPlan. She also mentions that the Resilience in a Box toolkit includes a 5-minute business readiness quiz that help businesses start thinking about how they can become more prepared to overcome a natural disaster. New Hanover County Emergency Management provides offerings for business owners seeking to develop a plan as well. Their team, as well as the New Hanover Disaster Coalition, are available to help advise business owners on the proper ways to develop their plans. Supporting the development of disaster plans for all business owners is but one of many ways our local emergency management team serves our community. To find out more about this offering and other resources that are provided, visit www.ReadyNHC.com.

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HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS GUIDE

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SMALL BUSINESS CHECKLIST For some business owners creating a disaster plan can be overwhelming but with the copious resources available from government and non-profit organizations ─ creating a plan is simple. Find online resources to develop your plan today by visiting New Hanover County Government,

N.C. Department of Commerce, Federal Emergency Management Administration, Small Business and Technology Development Center, and the Carolina Small Business Development Fund. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

RESOURCES: www.ready.gov/business www.ready.gov/business-continuity-plan www.uschamberfoundation.org/Resilience-Box www.readynhc.com

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CREATE BOTH RECOVERY AND EMERGENCY PLANS Focusing on the development of an immediate-need emergency plan is vital but businesses also need to create plans that detail next steps for after the event. Think about how your business will get up and running after a disaster and make sure to clearly communicate the plan to employees.

SAFEGUARD BUSINESS RECORDS AND FILES Consider making it a habit to regularly back-up important electronic files, such as billing and payroll records, supplier lists, and customer databases. Make sure to make paper copies of vital documents and store them in a secure, safe place off-site.

MAINTAIN INVENTORY OF ASSETS AND EQUIPMENT Document these important parts of your business in writing and with photographs. This information will need to be regularly updated and electronically backed-up in order to implement your recovery plan.

STORE MINIMAL INVENTORY ON SITE Each business will have a different need in this situation but the common suggestion is to store only three to five days worth of inventory on site. If this is set in place and the worst-case scenario does occur, only a small amount of inventory will perish.

COMMUNICATE CLEARLY WITH EMPLOYEES Establish which employees will be able to report to work after a disaster. Help your staff understand your business emergency plan and provide them resources to establish their own personal emergency plan. Providing guidance and time for your employees to develop their own family disaster plans ensure we all stay safe.

IDENTIFY EQUIPMENT VULNERABLE TO DAMAGE Take into consideration the location of large equipment that could become damaged. Is it near a window where high wind could break glass and create damage? Do you have things located near pipes or a hot water tank which could possible burst and create a water leak on or near the equipment? Take measures to move or raise equipment as needed in order to minimize damage.

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Greater Wilmington Business Journal

| IN PROFILE | Agency steps up to help the jobless BY LAURA MOORE he pandemic highlighted the haves and have-nots, amplifying the need for organizations like StepUp Wilmington.

Since 2003, StepUp Wilmington (formerly Phoenix Employment Ministry 2003-2015 and Phoenix Hometown Hires 2015-2018) has served people affected by unemployment and underemployment. Often the challenges of incarceration, homelessness, recovery and/or domestic violence have kept candidates from reaching their goals, and StepUp works to help them transcend such barriers. “In Wilmington and the Cape Fear region, we work with people to get them stable employment and get employers good employees, and get good wages for people to shelter themselves,” executive director Will Rikard said. “We train and work with individuals working and living on the crisis line. Their car breaks down and they fall back into a place of unemployment. The pandemic exacerbated that.” Like most organizations, StepUp was forced to adapt to the pandemic. The organization focused on training online, which was a “great thing for us that we have that capacity, but half the people we work with are internet insecure, and while we created an opportunity, we excluded people who couldn’t access the Zoom because their signal was not strong,” Rikard said. So Rikard and his team kept refocusing on what was important and checking in with the most vulnerable. StepUp got a grant from the city of Wilmington to purchase and deliver food to those in need. It partnered with other nonprofits to identify families in need, as well as families who were served by StepUp that had been impacted by the pandemic; in addition, StepUp officials utilized their job placement directory to find delivery drivers. Funds provided from the American Rescue Plan will support StepUp Wilmington’s training programs. With those federal government funds, New Hanover County has allocated $650,000 to be administered in partnership with StepUp Wilmington to establish two jobs programs. These include paid job training and a placement program for 100 to 200 people, and a six-month paid intern-

PHOTO BY TERAH WILSON

Job finder: Will Rikard leads StepUp Wilmington, an organization that helps the unemployed and underemployed.

ship and job placement for an additional 20 people to develop long-term skills and employment. “We work on soft and hard skills in order to gain long-term sustainable employment,” Rikard said. “We are currently waiting on final guidelines and the release of funds from the federal government.” Rikard also said that this past year has brought needed attention to the racial inequities. “Wilmington has a 23% poverty rate of which 41% are African Americans. That’s a disproportionate amount of people living in very challenging conditions, and our focus is on changing that dynamic,” Rikard said. StepUp’s job placement division has two full-time employees who work to establish relationships with employers to hire their graduates and “see the value in our trained, jobready workforce,” Rikard said. Those relationships continue after the job placement has been made. “We support that person after the fact and we strengthen those relationships to improve businesses with a diverse group of talent,” Rikard said. For those looking for jobs, StepUp is “open-ended” about who they serve and what they are looking for,

as there are no excluding factors as far as who they are willing to help; however, the more vulnerable populations tend to be their focus. About half their clients are people with criminal histories, and a quarter of them have felony convictions. “A big focus, one of them, is supporting them moving forward and put the past behind them,” Rikard said. “We advocate for them. That should not be a defining characteristic or fact of why they shouldn’t be hired. Their criminal history is just that, history. Many of them come from circumstances that things have happened and it’s time to get back to work.” StepUp has a strong referral network of candidates, most coming “through word of mouth, a friend, a relative, a neighbor, while others come to us through the United Way, churches, the YWCA, key partnerships that we check in with on a weekly or monthly basis. We have consistent, communicative relationships, which we are always building through our local partners,” Rikard said. Rikard became interested in working for StepUp after working as an organizer in New Bern for the Obama campaign in 2012.

“During my time in New Bern and the interactions I had with thousands of residents, I saw the lack of opportunity that existed for far too many people, especially people of color, and was determined to work to change that and see that all people have the opportunity to work and live stable, happy lives,” Rikard said. “I wanted to work for that change outside of politics and build off my experience in recruitment. StepUp was the perfect place to do that.” The StepUp Wilmington office is currently within The Harrelson Center, but StepUp officials are in the process of looking for an outside space to allow for its growth and evolution. For interested employers, StepUp works to find the right skills and experience to suit their needs. Job training works on helping candidates get a job and succeed in that job. They also work with candidates to develop resumes and practice interviewing, as well as work with Cape Fear Community College to connect candidates with the training they need and want. “We work to find the talent to grow a business,” Rikard said. “Reliability is the No. 1 trait that employers want.”

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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 Sydney Pope KEN spope@wilmingtonbiz.com Marian Welsh mwelsh@wilmingtonbiz.com

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OFFICE & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Sandy Johnson sjohnson@wilmingtonbiz.com CONTENT MARKETING COORDINATOR Morgan Mattox mmattox@wilmingtonbiz.com EVENTS DIRECTOR Elizabeth Stelzenmuller events@wilmingtonbiz.com CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Suzi Drake art@wilmingtonbiz.com DESIGN/MEDIA COORDINATOR Molly Jacques production@wilmingtonbiz.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jenny Callison, David Frederiksen, Kyle Hanlin, Jessica Maurer, Laura Moore FOUNDER Joy Allen SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe to the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, call (910) 343-8600 x201 or visit wilmingtonbiz.com. Subscriptions cost $9.95 per month or $95 per year. ADVERTISING For advertising information and rates, call (910) 343-8600 x204 © Copyright 2021 SAJ Media LLC

From STORM, page 1

Duke Energy has also improved its infrastructure by upgrading its transmission line over the Cape Fear River near the Port of Wilmington to accommodate larger ships and to increase the line’s capability to withstand higher winds. It has added protections around its substations, especially in flood-prone areas. And it has installed additional energy pathways on Bald Head Island to prevent flood-driven extended outages the island has seen in the past.

were areas “ There downtown during Hurricane Florence that were without power for as many as 18 days.”

BETH SCHRADER Director of New Hanover County’s Recovery & Resilience Office

In areas of substantial growth – think Brunswick County and the Porters Neck area of New Hanover County – Duke’s infrastructure improvements aim to expand capacity to support businesses and homes, according to Brooks. The utility company is upgrading more than 100 wood poles in Brunswick County to steel poles, mainly in swampy, hard-to-access areas that saw outages in previous storms. And in Porters Neck, Duke Energy is adding a new substation and new transmission lines to improve the grid’s reliability and ability to serve a growing population. The Kings Grant community will see its power lines buried, thanks to Duke Energy’s recognition of the area’s vulnerability to storm damage. Ask Still what “infrastructure improvements” means to him, and he’ll discuss New Hanover County’s efforts since Hurricane Florence in 2018 to build a better shelter network using New Hanover County Schools. “After Florence, we had some primary shelter sites that we’d used for a period of time. But things had happened to these shelter sites – mechanical failures, water intrusion – so we had to move to [other] schools.” Now, two storms later, Still says his department has been working with the public schools to identify which locations would be optimal to use as shelters and what improvements are needed to ensure that these sites will

have power and other necessities. “We’re still doing facility assessments,” he continued, explaining that the county wants to make sure its shelters are spread out geographically and are not located in flood zones. One of CFPUA’s primary concerns during a natural disaster is its ability to pump and treat water, so a reliable source of energy is a must. Hurricane Florence’s heavy sustained rains essentially cut off the county from the surrounding region by floodwaters, and the water utility was unable to receive additional fuel supplies from its contractor. Even so, because of advance measures it took before Florence hit, CFPUA was able to maintain uninterrupted water and sewer services to all but a few customers during the hurricane and its aftermath, spokesman Vaughn Hagerty said. But the storm revealed vulnerabilities, and since then CFPUA has purchased its own fuel truck, trained and licensed personnel to drive it and secured certifications and hazmat clearance for them. If a fuel vendor cannot deliver supplies during an emergency, CFPUA can send in its own truck and crew. “To ensure electrical power is available, critical CFPUA sites have emergency generators on-site yearround or that are dispatched to the sites ahead of severe weather,” company officials stated in a May 11 news release about its hurricane preparedness efforts. CFPUA reviews its readiness every year before the start of hurricane season, and it leases additional fuel storage tanks for its two water treatment plants, two wastewater treatment plants, wastewater pump stations and groundwater well sites. “In the event of a widespread, prolonged loss of power, stored fuel capacity would allow these facilities to continue running for days,” the release stated. When a hurricane or tropical storm is approaching the region, CFPUA activates its emergency operations center, which remains in operation until the storm has passed and recovery is complete. Because in some severe weather events essential staff must shelter in place, CFPUA water and wastewater facilities have been equipped to house them. To enable its customers to stay abreast of water and sewer conditions during emergencies, CFPUA has created an alert system. People can sign up at CFPUA.org/CivicReady. Although strengthening grids and systems of many kinds is essential for hurricane preparedness, infra-

structure improvements also extend to another kind of network: that of cooperative relationships that engage many parts of the community. New Hanover County, like CFPUA, learned about its fuel vulnerability during Hurricane Florence and subsequent hurricanes. “County government, especially in the area of public safety, that’s a fuel-intensive [operation] because of our generators, fleets, emergency services,” Still said. “We made sure after Florence, knowing that we can be cut off, that we had contracts with secondary and tertiary fuel suppliers.” Connecting with local fuel suppliers was the start; now the county has woven a fabric of local businesses that can provide needed supplies of all sorts during emergency periods. “If we make those relationships now while the skies are blue, they will [remain] during the storm,” Still said. Another part of the local hurricane preparedness infrastructure has taken shape since Hurricane Florence, said Beth Schrader, director of New Hanover County’s Recovery & Resilience Office. That’s a network of agencies, schools, nonprofits and faith-based organizations that are working together to identify the most vulnerable populations and geographic areas and plan to ensure that future disasters do not leave them without resources. “There were areas downtown during Hurricane Florence that were without power for as many as 18 days,” she said. “People lost [refrigerated] food and needed shelter. The absence of electricity can lead to lack of other services. People couldn’t charge their phones. Many didn’t have transportation and they couldn’t communicate.” Schrader’s office is working with counterparts at the state level, Duke Energy and numerous business partners to find ways to improve the reliability of electricity to these vulnerable neighborhoods. Her office coordinates with the county Resiliency Task Force and Disaster Coalition, and she is part of the leadership of both groups. The pandemic brought new situations and new challenges, further illustrating the need to improve services during hurricanes and other emergencies. “We’re looking at data about the changes happening over time, ways we might minimize risk,” Schrader added. “We want to be able to have less bump and recover faster.” For more information from New Hanover County Emergency Management on hurricane preparedness, visit ReadyNHC.com.

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Greater Wilmington Business Journal

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| THE LIST |

Engineering Firms

Ranked by number of local professional engineers RANK

PHONE WEBSITE

NO. LOCAL PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS/ NO. ENGINEERS

343-1048 www.mckimcreed.com

10 109

397-2929 www.ardurra.com

9 115

791-6707 www.paramounte-eng.com

9 10

FIRM ADDRESS

STAFF

SPECIALTIES

NOTABLE PROJECTS

TOP OFFICIAL/ YEAR FOUNDED

Engineering, surveying, planning

CFPUA Kings Bluff 54-inch Parallel Raw Water Main, Brunswick County Comprehensive Wastewater Master Plan, Pender County Water Supply Wells, Sidbury Station, The Cottages at RiverLights, Argento at RiverLights

Tony Boahn Regional Director 1978

McKim & Creed Inc. 243 N. Front St. Wilmington, NC 28401

Ardurra Group North Carolina 3809 Peachtree Ave., Suite 102 Wilmington, NC 28403

Paramounte Engineering Inc. 122 Cinema Drive Wilmington, NC 28403

CATLIN Engineers and Scientists 220 Old Dairy Road Wilmington, NC 28405

452-5861 www.CatlinUSA.com

6 10

W.K. Dickson & Co. Inc. 300 N. Third St., Suite 301 Wilmington, NC 28401

762-4200 www.wkdickson.com

6 61

Woods Engineering PA 254 N. Front St., Suite 201 Wilmington, NC 28401

343-8007 www.woodseng.com

5 5

910-452-4210 Cheathampa.com

4 6

791-8016 www.dsaeng.com

4 4

7 7

Cheatham and Associates P.A. 3412 Enterprise Drive Wilmington, NC 28405 David Sims & Associates Consulting Engineers P.C. 108 Giles Ave., Suite 100 Wilmington, NC 28403

List is based on voluntary responses to a Business Journal survey.

Mark Weiss Flying Machine Brewing, Town Creek Elementary School Addition; Town David E. Criser Water, Civil, Public Works, Disaster Creek Middle School; Brunswick County Courthouse Addition; CFPTA Structural Group Leader Management, Structural, Surveying, Aquatics, Wilmington Multimodal Transportation Center; City of WilmingtonPractice Director–Structural Environmental, Coastal, Marine Coastline Riverfront Stabilization and Riverwalk Renovation; The Bluffs Services on the Cape Fear-Marina and Boat Launch/Waterfront Amenities 1950 Carroll at The Avenue, The Pointe at Barclay, Midtown Park at Barclay, Robert Balland Land surveying, civil engineering, landscape Woodlands Landing at Echo Farms, Whiskey Branch, Salisbury Street President architecture, land planning Streetscape, City Block II Apartments, Pine Forest Plantation, Shallotte 2006 Riverwalk, NHC Schools, BC Schools, Salters Haven Environmental, Civil & Geotechnical Rick Catlin, PG, PE Engineering and Consulting, Brownfields, Hampstead Bypass Geotechnical Investigation & Engineering; Infantry Jason Catlin, PE Drilling, Soil Lab Testing, Soil/Groundwater Immersion Trainer Facility MCB Camp Lejeune; NCDOT Greenville 10th Founder Assessment & Remediation, Civil Site Design, Street Connector; City of Wilmington Fire Stations 3 & 5; NHC Fire President/CEO Vibracore Sediment Sampling; Phase I & II Station 16; NCSPA Stormwater Monitoring 1985 ESAs; SPCC plans Carter Hubard Scott Sigmon CFPUA potable water production wells rehabilitation, Elizabethtown asset Vice President / Regional Water, wastewater, stormwater, site/civil inventory and assessment, Caswell Beach dune infiltration, Water Street Manager engineering, and airports streetscape Vice President and Regional Manager 1929 Don R. Woods Structural engineering services; structural NHC Health & Human Services; nCino Office Building & Parking Deck; Adam Sisk design using structural steel, cold formed steel, Embassy Suites-Riverfront; NHRMC Parking Deck & Pedestrian Bridge; Principal/President reinforced concrete, post-tensioned concrete, Corning Credit Union-17th Street; Flats on Front Apartments Principal/Vice President masonry and wood. 1999 Consulting for mechanical, electrical, Surf City K-8 School, Porters Neck Elementary, College Park Elementary, Kenneth Lynch plumbing, fire protection and fire alarm CFCC-Union Station Building, CFCC Wilson Center, Wilmington Police President engineering HQ, Wilmington Fire Department HQ, Airport expansion 1981 Dave Falcinelli Bradley Creek Station, South Front Apartments, Wilmington Health, Duke Energy studies, HVAC, electrical, plumbing David Sims Marine Lab, Nunnelee Pediatric at Autumn Hall, Edward Teach Brewery, and industrial engineering Presidents PruittHealth Assisted Living, Lowes Foods 1985

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| REAL ESTATE | Eyeing potential on S. College Road BY CECE NUNN ore activity could be coming soon to vacant property in the 800 block of South College Road in Wilmington, and while it appears nothing’s settled yet, local real estate professionals and officials have best uses in mind.

The former Dick’s Sporting Goods store at 816 S. College Road, which includes a 51,000-square-foot building, is one of at least three spots in the block that need new users. The other are the former Kmart store, with its sea of parking, at 815 S. College Road, and a former Honda dealership at 821 S. College Road. For the former Dick’s site, Brian Grabowski of Raleigh-based commercial real estate firm TradeMark Properties is the listing agent. The property might be getting close to seeing new life. “We have significant interest from four national retailers, one that wants to take all of it and three that want to take half of it,” Grabowski said. Of the potential outcome of those negotiations, he added, “The landlord is still evaluating the different possible scenarios.” It’s the kind of real estate that national chains are drawn to, he said. “It’s a signalized intersection; it’s got pylon signage right on College [Road],” Grabowski said. “It’s highly visible.” The building for the former Dick’s Sporting Goods operation was built in the 1970s as a large-box retail building, said Hansen Matthews, partner in Maus, Warwick, Matthews & Co. “It still has a lot of functional use if another large retailer wants to enter our market, and it could easily be subdivided to accommodate a couple of medium-sized retailers,” he said. “The 4-acre site has frontage on both College Road and Kerr Avenue, along with a traffic light entrance on College Road. “This combination of factors is almost impossible to replicate and there are many great redevelopment retail uses for the site, including a mixed-use project with both retail and multifamily components.” The former Stevenson-Hendrick Honda dealership property at 821 S. College Road was listed at a price of a little over $6.9 million last year after the dealership moved to a new facility on Market Street.

PHOTO BY CECE NUNN

Retail reuse: The Dick’s Sporting Goods store on South College Road moved to Independence Mall, leaving a 51,000-square-foot store that could be the next home of a different national retailer.

Stevenson purchased the property in 1992. Over time, the dealership grew from one building to three buildings totaling about 57,000 square feet on 7 acres, making it one of the largest dealerships in Southeastern North Carolina, according to a previous Greater Wilmington Business Journal article. Cody Cress, Tyler Pegg and Will Daube, with The CRESS Group of Coldwell Banker Commercial Sun Coast Partners, are the listing agents. “The site is still very functional and well set up for another local or national dealership to take advantage of the existing real estate,” according to a CRESS Group news release in September last year. “The site is located within close proximity to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington at a prime hard corner with substantial road frontage and a traffic count of 77,000 +/- vehicles daily. “This also makes it very attractive to major national retailers or for a repurpose of the property into something new.” Mark Johnson, executive vice president and sales manager of CBC Sun Coast Partners, who is not involved in the potential sale of the property, said one obvious use could be for another car dealership. But he said he thinks the best use of the former Honda dealership or

Kmart properties “would be some version of mixed use, with heavy emphasis on residential. I could see apartments in the back, townhomes as a bridge to some limited commercial up on College for either/both properties.” Johnson and others said student housing, which had been proposed previously before Kmart renewed its lease, would make a lot of sense because of the site’s proximity to the University of North Carolina Wilmington. A marketing brochure online by commercial real estate firm JLL calls the property at 815 S. College Road a “117,346-square-foot opportunity for lease in Wilmington’s prime commercial corridor” adding that a ground lease could be extended through 2028. Efforts to reach representatives of JLL and property owner Jack A. Sneeden Corp. to find out whether the former Kmart property is still on the leasing market were not successful as of press time. Also as of press time, there appeared to be no new proposals for the Kmart site going through the city planning department. Given the proximity of both the Kmart and dealership sites to UNCW, “a natural fit would be for student housing, with ground floors dedicated to student related services,

retail, dining, entertainment, etc. UNCW lacks a near-campus, walkable ‘main street’ or center like Hillsborough Street in Raleigh or Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. This area is large enough to fulfill that purpose,” said Glenn Harbeck, director of planning, development and transportation for the city of Wilmington. In a news release last year, UNCW touted its growing enrollment numbers, which support the idea that more student housing is in demand in the area. “Setting a new enrollment record, UNCW will welcome 17,915 students, including a record 3,265 total graduate students, this semester,” the September 2020 release stated. “UNCW’s graduate student population continues to grow at double-digit rates, a sign of the high demand for the university’s quality programs. The university led the UNC System in enrollment growth from 2009-2019 at a rate of 35%, and the next decade looks to be even more promising.” Matthews said, “The Kmart site is perfect for student apartments, as is the former Honda dealership next door. Student housing is the highest and best use for that land, hands down.” Despite the fact that they are all close to UNCW, the vacant South College Road properties have many differences. “The Kmart property is clearly more conducive to retail, but the old Honda dealership is less so in my opinion,” Johnson said. “While I support mixed use as a concept, I think the zoning should allow for much more flexibility based on a specific property’s attributes like location, road frontage, neighboring commercial, etc.” Properties like the former dealership site and the former Dick’s Sporting Goods can also be repurposed “for some sort of entertainment venue ... like the trampoline use at the old hhgregg in Mayfaire or Britts Motorsports on Market. It would be great to see a Top Golf enter our market. “That said, I could still see a nice pocket of townhomes/apartments in this midtown location within walking distance to grocery, pharmacy, restaurant/brewery and other shopping,” Johnson said. “Maybe even an age-restricted or tax credit housing development.”

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| 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 May 3-27

1 ROK ENERGY LLC 9 Fayetteville St W Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: William D Geisler 1183 AMBER PINES LLC 5704 Oleander Drive Suite 110 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Regina Drury 162 HOLDINGS LLC 624 Council St Apt 304 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Caleb Lassiter 2 EXTRAORDINARY PAINTERS INC. 124 Coventry Rd Wilmington 28405 Agent: Maria T Sanchez Rangel 210 SUPERCLONE TREE FARM LLC 575 Military Cutoff Rd. Ste. 106 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jennifer D. Scott Esqx. 230 SUMMER REST LLC 6250 Ingleside Dr Wilmington 28409 Agent: Crystal Cox Peebles 2981 ISLEY COURT SW LLC 2981 Isley Court SW Supply 28462 Agent: Roach William Lee 420 HIGHLIFE ENTERTAINMENT LLC 1305 N 26th St Wilmington 28405 Agent: Maya L. Allen 4G1T RACING LLC 441 E Creekview Dr Hampstead 28443 Agent: Patrick G Dillon Sr 5031 LLC 609A Piner Rd Ste 121 Wilmington 28409 Agent: Kevin Picklesimer 5TH ELEMENT FARMS LLC 4910 Wilderness Rd Wilmington 28412 Agent: Benjamin Joseph

Boron 6.2 ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA LLC 1012 Old Dow Rd Unit 11 Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Vernon McPherson A AND H PAINTING LLC 314 Lennon Dr Unit 12573 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Helen Gause A VOICE OF HOPE INTERNATIONAL INC. 7213 Haven Way Wilmington 28411 Agent: Troy Peverall A.C. AUTO DETAILING LLC 1319 Military Cutoff Rd. Ste CC319 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Anthony James Cariola A&J’S INN AT SANDPIPER LLC 878 Great Egret Circle 9B Sunset Beach 28468 Agent: Susan Forrester ABG INVESTMENTS LLC 3154 Mt. Misery Rd. NE Leland 28451 Agent: Adam Godwin

Wilmington 28409 Agent: David C Lewis AIGHT FAM ENTERTAINMENT LLC 616 Montclair Dr Apt C Wilmington 28403 Agent: Aprielle Code AIRBORNE TRUCKING LLC 3960 Independence Blvd 417 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Adrian Zamora AJ&M4 LLC 149 Lafayette St Wilmington 28411 Agent: Marie Lightner AKING LANDSCAPE & TREE REMOVAL LLC 2363 Webbtown Rd Maple Hill 28454 Agent: Amos James ALL TRADES HOME REPAIR LLC 114 Bellhammon Dr Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Winston D. Garrett ALL-ABOUT GENERATORS LLC 113 Olde Point Loop Hampstead 28443 Agent: Jesse Mintz ALTERNATIVE VISION LLC 1104 Medical Center Dr. Wilmington 28401 Agent: Leon David Charkoudian ALVAREZ & SON LANDSCAPING INC 791 Heights Pl SE Leland 28451 Agent: Donna Garcia AM ROBLEDO HANDYMAN SERVICES LLC 1095 Parkwood Drive NE Leland 28451 Agent: Adalberto Marcos Robledo Ramos ANGLES PRO CLEANERS L.L.C. 231 E Conolly Ct Hampstead 28443 Agent: Vanessa Domingues Angle

ACCLIMATED DEVELOPMENT LLC 1017 Baldwin Park Dr. Wilmington 28411 Agent: Justin Anderson

ANJALI LIFE LLC 718 Waterway Dr SW Sunset Beach 28468 Agent: Samantha Parker

ACOSTA FLOORING LLC 262 Peiffer Ave Wilmington 28409 Agent: Jose Benedicto Acosta Mejia

ANTONIA JOHNSON COACHING SERVICES INC. LLC 274 Trisail Ter Wilmington 28412 Agent: Antonia Dorene Johnson

ADOOR THE DOOR LLC 5657 Claremont Court Wilmington 28409 Agent: Sherry Ferdinand ADR|JB CORP. 1512 Eastbourne Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Brian Hanrahan AEROWORX LLC. 264 Beachwood Dr NW Calabash 28467 Agent: William E Philbrick AGAINST THE GRAIN PROPERTIES LLC 3316 Red Berry Dr

AP BEACH BOUTIQUE LLC 395 S Crow Creek Dr NW Calabash 28467 Agent: Ana Fernandes Wegrzynowicz APEX 910 LLC 300 S Lake Park Blvd Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Jonathan S Wheeler ARAYS QUALITY CLEANING SERVICES INC. 1219 Porters Lane Rd Rocky Point 28457

Agent: Anthony R Hicks Jr ARBORETUM WEST APARTMENTS LLC 10 S. Cardinal Dr. Wilmington 28403 Agent: Robert J Hollis ARROW TURBINE SERVICES LLC 1207 Verandah Way Wilmington 28411 Agent: Richard C. Albers ASHLEY’S AESTHETICS LLC 318 NE 59th Street Oak Island 28465 Agent: Ashley Dobrzanski ATTACK FABRICATION LLC 8614 Heirloom Dr NE Leland 28451 Agent: Dustin T Jagger AUCTION ORANGE LLC 7935 Placid Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Jeffrey Weinberg AUTUMN HALL BUILDING 3 LLC 6336 Oleander Dr Ste 1 Wilmington 28403 Agent: D. Webster Trask BAHE REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS LLC 21 N Front St Apt 3A2 Wilmington 28401 Agent: Jasmine Belton BALD HEAD ISLAND ELECTRIC INC. 5D Merchants Row Bald Head Island 28461 Agent: Donald James Smith Jr. BANDERA REAL ESTATE LLC 409 N Burrington Ave Southport 28461 Agent: Kimberly Bandera BARNACLE BILL’S DIVE SERVICES LLC 3906 Captiva Court Unit 105 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Kathy Welliver BDSHAW CONSULTANTS INC. 110 Hydrangea Lane Hampstead 28443 Agent: Debra Shaw BEACH CHIMES LLC 2728 W Dolphin Dr Oak Island 28465 Agent: Terrance Dunn BEFORE EVER AFTER CO. LLC 308 Causeway Dr. Unit A Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Danielle Jade Holcomb BENNA CONSULTING LLC 3235 Beaver Creek Dr SE Southport 28461 Agent: Lisa Benna

1700 Croomsbridge Rd Burgaw 28425 Agent: Michael Kenneth Cooper

INC. 501 Spencer Farlow Dr. Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Glen Chalmers

BIKINI ATOLL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION INC. 711 Carolina Beach Ave N Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Steven Shuttleworth

BRY MAXX LOGISTICS LLC 1517 Dog Whistle Lane Wilmington 28411 Agent: Brandon Bryant

BISHOP BUILDING INC. 3436 Sea Eagle Ct Wilmington 28409 Agent: Ashton Bishop BITTNER CONSULTING GROUP LLC 1472 Eastbourne Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Corey Bittner BLESS YOUR HEART ART L.L.C. 347 W Huckleberry Way Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Crystal Bienias BLONDIE’S BOUTIQUE LLC 1594 Green Lewis Road SE Bolivia 28422 Agent: Lauren Ashley Borowski BLUE CHAIR LLC 1904 Eastwood Rd. Ste 310A Wilmington 28403 Agent: The Humphries Law Firm P.C. BLUE MOON MARKET LLC 2509 Boones Neck Road SW Supply 28462 Agent: Colleen Flannery BLUE WEALTH INVESTMENTS LLC 821 Fox Ridge Ln Wilmington 28405 Agent: Patricia Satrazemis BLUSH CLOTHIER LLC 5725 Oleander Drive Unit 3B Wilmington 28403 Agent: Gianna R. Democko BOCO APPAREL LLC 1830 E. Boiling Spring Rd. Southport 28461 Agent: Tara Frances Stratton BOOTY N PIZZA LLC 529B Steamboat Springs Ave #B Wilmington 28403 Agent: Levi Joshua Runsick BOUNCE HOUSE WILMINGTON LLC 311 Judges Rd Ste 11C Wilmington 28405 Agent: Logan Zanki

BESIDETHEFRONTDOOR LLC 609 Piner Road Suite A Wilmington 28409 Agent: Antonia Colgrove

BOWFIN TOWNHOMES COMMUNITY OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION INC. 614 N New River Drive Surf City 28445 Agent: Anthony Ricciardi

BIG CYPRESS RANCH LLC

BROADBAND CONSULTING SERVICES

BULBY LLC 411 Derby Down Way Wilmington 28409 Agent: Riley Honour Hoyson BY YOUR SIDE LLC 103 Mary Ave Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Thaddus LaMont Adams C.R. MCLEOD DEVELOPMENTS LLC 6811 Gordon Rd Wilmington 28411 Agent: Charles Roderick McLeod C.V4EVER COREOGRAFIAS Y BAILES LLC 5550 Carolina Beach Rd Lot 27 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Juan Carlos Velasquez Bustos CABANA 211 LLC 814 Tarpon Dr Wilmington 28409 Agent: Amanda Leigh Kurth CAP TAS 2021 LLC 1121 Military Cutoff Road Suite C #336 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Chris Plaford CAPE EQUIPMENT LLC 8630 River Rd Wilmington 28412 Agent: Jack Carlisle CAPE FEAR BAR CHURCH INC 313 Wilson Ave Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Robert Shawn Blackwelder CAPE FEAR HEARING SOLUTIONS INC. 6626 W Beach Drive Oak Island 28465 Agent: Liesl Perry Looney CAPTAIN PROPERTIES LLC 3610 South College Rd Suite B Wilmington 28412 Agent: Robert Franklin Cameron Jr CARBERT CONSULTING CORPORATION 7440 Carolina Beach Rd Wilmington 28412 Agent: Jesse Dylan Carbert CAROLINA BEACH BUMS LLC 4901 Randall Pkwy Unit GR445 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Tanner B Hoard CAROLINA COASTAL GOLF INSTRUCTION INC. 8813 Nadie Ln Wilmington 28411

Agent: John K Baker CAROLINA COLOURS MULTIFAMILY VENTURE LLC 1131B Military Cutoff Rd Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jason Swain CAROLINA DOCK BUILDERS LLC 26 Swinhoe Drive Hampstead 28443 Agent: Francis X. Gavigan CAROLINA ELITE ATHLETICS BOOSTER CLUB 233 Sloop Point Loop Rd Hampstead 28443 Agent: Erika Bajcar CASTERELLA LLC 834 Fort Fisher Blvd N. Kure Beach 28449 Agent: Jeffrey Casterella CBEACH LLC 237 Fort Fisher Blvd N Unit 415 Kure Beach 28449 Agent: Brad Moree CEB VENTURES LLC 102 E Moore St Southport 28461 Agent: Charles F Britt CHANGE THE GAME GOLF PERFORMANCE LLC 805 N 4th Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Ryan Godfrey CHARLES’S PRESSURE WASHING LLC 1128 Amber Pines Dr Leland 28451 Agent: Charles N Henry CHOLLS4U LLC 3556 Medinah Ave E Southport 28461 Agent: Sandra Nicholls

308 Hampstead 28443 Agent: Francis X. Gavigan COASTAL ECO ADVENTURES LLC 1213 Culbreth Drive Suite 448 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Shane T Johnson COASTAL EQUITY PARTNERS LLC 512 S 17th St Apt 303 Wilmington 28401 Agent: Kevin Alonzo Nero COASTAL HOT SHOT TRUCKING LLC 5512 Business Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Michael J Harms COASTAL PERMITTING SPECIALIST OF NORTH CAROLINA LLC 1423 Setter Court Wilmington 28411 Agent: Jason A Dail COASTAL REGULATORS LLC 102 Libby Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Michael D. Carter COASTLAND WINDS LLC 60 Gregory Road Suite 1 Belville 28451 Agent: D Isbell Logan COASTLINE ADJUSTING LLC 4403 Oleander Dr PMB C230 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Pamela Sue Robbins COLT TRUCKING L.L.C. 164 Benton Rd SE Bolivia 28422 Agent: Colton Allen

CLARK’S AUTO SALES LLC 2254 Carolina Beach Rd Wilmington 28401 Agent: Dwayne Clark

CRAWDADDY’S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM LLC 63 Wilmington St Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Joseph Crawford

CLOUDLESS L.L.C. 114 Dunes Court Surf City 28445 Agent: Charles Thomas McVickers Jr.

CREATIVE & MORE PAINTING COMPANY 2444 Indian Hill Rd Ivanhoe 28447 Agent: Maria Gomez

CLP ENTERPRISES LLC 629 Creek Dr Hampstead 28443 Agent: Callie Lynn Paul

CREATIVE ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION INC. 6421 Saxon Meadow Dr. Leland 28451 Agent: Michael Carotta

CLR LIVING LLC 5012 Hunters Trail Unit #14 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Christopher LaShawn Robinson CMB GRANDDADDY PROPERTIES LLC 7697 Dunewalk Court Wilmington 28409 Agent: Chris Browning COASTAL CAROLINA PROPERTY INSPECTIONS LLC. 9384 Penderlea Highway Willard 28478 Agent: Michael Zorio COASTAL DOCK BUILDERS LLC 26 Swinhoe Drive Apt.

CROSSROADS FIREWOOD LLC 624 John Humphrey Road Burgaw 28425 Agent: Robert W Mick D & T PAINTING SERVICES LLC 411 Hawthorne Loop Rd Apt 105 Leland 28451 Agent: Derrick Highsmith DANIEL ALEXANDER RAUDALES ESPINOZA PAINT LLC 403 Marion Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Daniel Alexander Raudales Espinoza

Greater Wilmington Business Journal

wilmingtonbiz.com

June 4 - 17, 2021

Page 21

| THE LIST |

Staffing Agencies

Ranked by number of in-house local employees RANK

AGENCY ADDRESS PHONE

EMAIL WEBSITE

NO. OF LOCAL IN-HOUSE EMPLOYEES

SPECIALTIES, SERVICES OFFERED

tessa@stepupwilmington.org www.stepupwilmington.org

Staffing, job training, job placement

hannahc@greeneresources.com www.greeneresources.com

Contract and direct hire placements, on-site management, vendor management and recruiting consultation on professional, administrative, technical, engineering, call center, production and clean room environments

info@hawthornesearch.com www.hawthornesearch.com

Professional recruitment, with strong focus on sales, marketing, management

wilmington@ontargetstaffingllc.com www.ontargetstaffingllc.com

TOP LOCAL OFFICIAL

YEAR LOCALLY FOUNDED

Will Rikard Executive Director

2003

StepUp Wilmington 20 N. Fourth St., Suite 430 Wilmington, NC 28401 343-8469

Greene Resources Inc. 5036 New Centre Drive Wilmington, NC 28403 782-1781

Hawthorne Search 1904 Eastwood, suite 203 Wilmington, NC 28405 777-5383

On Target Staffing 2804 S. College Road, Suite 101 Wilmington, NC 28412 765-0949

Prestige Scientific Inc. 219 Station Road Wilmington, NC 28403 (866) 900-7372

sprovost@prestigescientific.com www.prestigescientific.com

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology

Stephen Provost Managing Partner

2015

Express Employment Professionals 4620 Cedar Ave., Suite 119 Wilmington, NC 28403 392-2300

Wendy.mayo@expresspros.com www.expresspros.com

Accounting, administrative, medical, professional, manufacturing, labor and more

Wendy Mayo Owner

2000

Hire Scene Inc. 2517 Delaney Ave. Wilmington, NC 28403 799-0103

info@hirescene.com www.hirescene.com

Premier Staffing Solutions Inc. 6105 Oleander Drive, Ste 101 Wilmington, NC 28403 793-1010

poleary@premierstaffnc.com www.premierstaffnc.com

Employees

Peggy O'Leary President

1999

The Reserves Network 2394 Carolina Beach Road, Suite 308 Wilmington, NC 28401 599-9228

wilmington@trnstaffing.com www.trnstaffing.com

Skilled/unskilled labor, warehousing, clerical, payrolling services, engineered staffing solutions

Todd Lambeth Branch Manager

1996

1998

Robert Hawthorne President

Beth Wilson Hospitality, Clerical, Light Industrial, general Labor – Temporary, Temp to Hire and Direct Hire positions Southeastern Regional Manager

Contract staffing, temporary staffing, direct placement, online staffing, on-site staffing, RPO services, and Cindy Monroe Koonce employees on-demand APP – medical, manufacturing, administrative, warehouse, distribution, hospitality Vice president

2006

2017

1992

List is based on voluntary responses to a Business Journal survey.

THANK YOU Through the support of our valued corporate partners, community leaders, and generous donors, NHRMC Foundation is excited to announce that over $130,000 has been raised through our

2021 Currents of Care Virtual Fundraiser.

Funds raised through this initiative will support the significant medical, financial, and emotional needs of oncology patients and families cared for at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

CROWDSTRIKE • FIRST CITIZENS BANK • GE AVIATION • HOLT OIL • HYBRIDGE SOLUTIONS • LIBERTY HEALTHCARE GROUP • MOVEMENT MORTGAGE • NORTH STATE BANK & MORTGAGE • PORSCHE OF WILMINGTON • RSM • TINSLEY SURGICAL • WILMINGTON HEALTH

Page 22

June 4 - 17, 2021

Greater Wilmington Business Journal

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Since 1975

Dental Construction

Innovation

RESTAURANT ROUNDUP

BUSINESS OF LIFE

This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s weekly Restaurant Roundup email. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.

Family’s market offers halal meats, global flavors

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A new family-run market has opened on Carolina Beach Road, with the goal of providing halal meats, fresh seafood and a wide variety of pantry staples from the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. The Abdelhamids, the market’s owners, are Muslims who for many years have been traveling to Raleigh to purchase halal meats in accordance with Islamic tradition. Halal is an Arabic word that translates to “permissible,” and in terms of food, it means food that is permissible according to Islamic law. Only certain cuts and meats are permissible, and there are specific guidelines as to how the animals are raised and slaughtered that also must be followed in order for products to be considered halal. “We operate as a very traditional halal butcher shop,” said Ashad Abdelhamid, co-owner of CB Seafood and Market. “We bring in the whole animal and break it down here, allowing us to create custom cuts for our customers.” In addition to the halal meats, the market brings in a wide range of fresh fish daily. There is a small fresh produce section that Abdelhamid said he hopes to grow, as well as fresh bread delivered on Tuesday and Friday. Walking the aisles, customers will see spices, condiments and sauces as well as hundreds of international products. CB Seafood and Market is located at 2069 Carolina Beach Road and is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

New burger restaurant opens on North Fourth Angus Grill, a burger joint that started in Winterville, North Carolina, has opened its fourth location in Wilmington’s Brooklyn Arts District, bringing its hand-pattied Angus burgers, cheesesteaks and brisket sandwiches to the Port City. The restaurant was founded in 2016 by Jeff Quann, who quickly expanded to Greenville, where it has become a favorite among the East Carolina University community. Now Jordan Michaels, a partner in one of the Greenville locations, is

majority owner of the North Fourth Street location that has taken the place of The District Kitchen and Cocktails in Wilmington. Michaels said all Angus Grill’s meats are brought in fresh, never frozen, and all burgers are made fresh daily. The eatery has more than 30 burgers on the menu, including a turkey burger, a black bean burger and the Beyond burger. The restaurant also serves chicken sandwiches, salads and burger-brisket combos, all with a choice of side. Angus Grill is located at 1001 N. Fourth St. and is open Sunday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sports Bistreaux offering American, Cajun cuisine Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based restaurant chain co-owned by Brandon Landry, former walk-on basketball player at LSU, and former NFL quarterback Drew Brees, is expected to open its Wilmington location, 3710 Oleander Drive, this month. The restaurant specializes in American and Cajun cuisine with unique twists on game-day favorites like hand-pattied burgers and buffalo chicken sandwiches, as well as upscale takes on Louisiana mainstays such as blackened redfish tacos, crawfish etouffee, duck and andouille gumbo and Krispy Kreme Donut bread pudding. According to the company’s website, culinary operations for the company are led by chef Mike Turner, who began his career with The Cheesecake Factory. During his 18-year tenure, he held positions in regional and corporate operations and helped expand the concept globally into Kuwait, Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Turner then shifted gears to lead Copeland’s of New Orleans, a distinctive Louisiana restaurant, before becoming a member of the Walk-On’s team. Located in front of Independence Mall, the newly constructed 7,500-square-foot restaurant will feature more than 70 TVs and a large patio. This will be the second North Carolina location for the company and 55th systemwide. Sadowski opened his first WalkOn’s in Myrtle Beach in June 2020 and is expected to open his third location in Charlotte this fall. -Jessica Maurer

Greater Wilmington Business Journal

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June 4 - 17, 2021

Page 23

| BUSINESS OF LIFE | Heading back to the boardwalk BY LYNDA VAN KUREN azy days filled with sun, surf and sandcastles. Evenings spent thrilling on spinning, stomach-dropping carnival rides and indulging in cotton candy and funnel cakes. These are the things memories are made of, and for many families, both local and out-of-state, those memories are made at Carolina Beach. Last year, due to COVID, Carolina Beach visitors had to do without one of those elements – the carnival rides – but they, along with other family activities, are back. With their return, the lifting of COVID restrictions, and the lure of the Carolina Beach shore and boardwalk, the city’s businesses are hoping for a booming tourist season. “People are ready to travel,” said Duke Hagestrom, one of the owners of The Fudgeboat and Krazy Kones. “We’ve had a lot of families early in the season we would not have seen under traditional circumstances. We’re ready and open for tourists and local Wilmington residents to come and take advantage of the fun things we have to offer.” Carolina Beach is known as a great place for family vacations, but that wasn’t always the case. In the mid-1990s, town officials and residents embarked on a campaign to clean up the area, and in 2013 the boardwalk underwent extensive renovation with a $1.5 million makeover. While retaining the boardwalk’s old-world charm, the addition of showers, swings and other amenities made the boardwalk more appealing to families. The carnival rides, which disappeared in 1978, returned in 2009. Until last year, when they were part of the fallout from the pandemic, they’ve been an integral part of the boardwalk’s family-friendly atmosphere. With COVID loosening its grip, the rides are again gracing the boardwalk, and many Carolina Beach merchants welcome their return. “People enjoy the rides,” said Bobby Nivens, owner of longtime boardwalk feature Britts Donuts. “They give people something else to do when they come to the beach. A lot of teens as well as kids love riding the rides. I’m glad to see them come back, and most people feel the same way. They will benefit everyone

PHOTO BY TERAH WILSON

Serving up a season: Duke Hagestrom, one of the owners of multiple Carolina Beach businesses on the boardwalk, hands an ice cream cone to a customer.

and are a good thing for Carolina Beach.” While the rides are an attraction unto themselves, they also support the boardwalk and central business district, said Kim Hufham, president of the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau. “People are drawn to the rides, then they find there are some great businesses at Carolina Beach like some eclectic beachwear stores and gems like a doughnut shop that’s been here [for decades] and a store that serves hand-dipped ice cream made from milk from a local dairy farmer,” Hagestrom said. “They discover great restaurants they wouldn’t have been introduced to and realize Carolina Beach is a great place to bring family or visitors.” In fact, Carolina Beach’s shore and its hidden gems bring visitors back year after year. A recent survey by the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau shows that more than 90% of visitors to the area have taken 14 trips to Wilmington and its beaches, 62% of visitors went to Carolina Beach as part of their

trip and more than 50% of visitors to New Hanover County visited the Carolina Beach Boardwalk. This year, tourism at Carolina Beach is already up, which Hufham said would likely have happened with or without the rides. As COVID restrictions have been lifted, people are giving in to a pent-up desire for travel. So far, indications are that tourism at Carolina Beach this year will meet, or exceed, expectations. Tourists began flocking to Carolina Beach in April, and bookings for hotel rooms and rental properties for the summer are filling up, said Tom Ullring, general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Carolina Beach Oceanfront hotel. Fall reservations, which are returning to pre-COVID levels, are strong, too, he added. Those vacationing at Carolina Beach this year will find plenty to do. In addition to the rides, Carolina Beach’s fireworks displays, free concerts and movies in the park are also returning. Plus, visitors can enjoy five new murals created by local artists as part of the Carolina Beach Art

for All project; and the Joseph Ryder Lewis Park recently opened with 10 acres of wetlands, a boardwalk and a hiking trail around the earthen fort at Sugar Loaf. While some attractions at Carolina Beach don’t change, history shows that the boardwalk, and its attractions, do. The amusement rides may soon be a casualty of that change as development in the area shrinks the land the carnival uses. “Eventually, they [carnival owners] won’t have enough space to make their return profitable,” said Hagestrom. “We can enjoy the seasons they have left.” Hagestrom, however, predicts that even without the rides, Carolina Beach will continue to be a popular destination that will provide both entertainment and beach time for tourists. He said, “Carolina Beach has proven that, amusements or not, it has developed a formula that balances our natural beauty with the right mix of family activities to maximize the guest experience, and that promises a bright future for the island.”

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