Good sign New eateries open despite pandemic Page 19
July 3-16, 2020 Vol. 21, No. 13
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$10K county grants Find out which firms were selected wilmingtonbiz.com
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RECRUITING NOW: How coronavirus crisis is affecting economic development STILL WORKING: Businesses continue to adapt ORDER UP: A look at restaurant expansions
Index Health Care ........................................4-5 Banking & Finance ................................ 6 Economic Development ......................8-9 In Profile...............................................11 Real Estate..................................... 12-14 The List ................................................17 Business of Life.............................. 18-19
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PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER
Lining up for food: Some businesses, including grocery stores like Trader Joe’s in Wilmington, have seen an increase in sales as a result of the coronavirus even as others struggle.
BOOM AND BUST CORONAVIRUS BUOYS SOME BUSINESSES, HURTS OTHERS BY CECE NUNN t’s not an unusual sight these days: A crowd of mostly masked shoppers lining up outside for a chance to shop at Trader Joe’s in Wilmington. Grocery stores across the country, including the Trader Joe’s chain, are experiencing a boost during the age of coronavirus from consumers who haven’t been dining out as much – or at all – as a result of the global pandemic. They’re cooking at home, and in some cases, they’re clearing the grocery store shelves of ingredients
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such as rice and flour. Customer lines are also not unique anymore at Two Wheeler Dealer, a bicycle shop that’s been serving customers in Wilmington for 45 years. During the coronavirus crisis, bikes are in high demand across the U.S. “Any bicycle store that’s really open is selling everything they have or can get their hands on,” said Two Wheeler Dealer owner Jim Mincher. “There’s a severe shortage of bicycles in this country.” Grocery stores and bike sellers are examples of how parts of the local and national economy seem to be thriving amidst ongoing restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, while other segments are quickly becoming economic victims of the crisis. But the terms “winners” and “losers” don’t necessarily apply, as some of the spending might be short-lived and added demand can
come with its own complications, such as shortages.
BIKE CRAZE
When it became clear the novel coronavirus was headed to the U.S., Mincher anticipated a slowdown in sales at his bicycle store at 4408 Wrightsville Ave. in Wilmington. “I’m thinking, ‘Man, we might not have any business. We better just quit buying bicycles and parts. We don’t want any bills in April, May and June,’” he said. But by April, there were so many customers in the store, Mincher’s employees became uncomfortable with the possibility of COVID-19 exposure. “The employees said, ‘We need to go curbside. We can’t have all these people in the store,’” Mincher said. “So we set up curbside service, and See BOOM, page 10
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Best Choice for the Community. Recognized national leader in community benefit $2 Billion in community benefit is double that of any other finalist, including $339 Million in free and uncompensated care
Strongest commitment to eliminate disparities of care Largest Medicaid provider in the state, recognized as a national leader by American Hospital Association and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Proven track record of making communities healthier From Anson, Cabarrus to Union County and many others throughout the Southeast
“As the only finalist with a long-standing relationship with New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Atrium Health would be proud and honored to build upon our commitment to the communities in Southeastern North Carolina to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – FOR ALL.“
Eugene A. Woods I President and Chief Executive Officer I Atrium Health
Gene NHRMC Ad_10x12.5_6-19_FINAL.indd 1
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| FROM WILMINGTONBIZ.COM | This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s Daily Update. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.
Businesses on the hook for enforcing masks (June 26) Gov. Roy Cooper announced June 24 that face coverings must be worn, with a list of exemptions, when people are in public places in all of North Carolina, seeking “to stabilize concerning trends of increasing viral spread.” That leaves businesses on the hook. “Citations related to this Order can be written to businesses or organizations that fail to enforce the requirement to wear face coverings,” state officials wrote. The requirement went into effect at 5 p.m. June 26. In an email to Wilmington Chamber of Commerce members, President and CEO Natalie English said, “Ultimately, the onus of enforcement will largely fall on the shoulders of the business community. I understand the burden that will present if you have customers not willing to comply,” English wrote. “To encourage participation from our commu-
nity members, I am encouraging you to place signage in entryways of your business referencing this new face mask requirement and the Governor’s Executive Order.”
Publix pays $21M for beach town spot (June 22) Publix Super Markets bought property that includes its store in Carolina Beach this month for more than $21.7 million, according to New Hanover County property tax records. The Carolina Beach purchase involves 10.7 acres that hold the 46,000-square-foot Publix and six units in the Publix Commons at Federal Point center, 1018 N. Lake Park Blvd. The transaction also included 2.4 undeveloped acres at 1001 St. Joseph St. that could hold buildings in the future. “When we have an opportunity to acquire a Publix anchored center, we’d evaluate and look to make a purchase providing it meets our criteria and makes sense to do so," said Kimberly Reynolds, community relations manager for the Charlotte Division of Publix Super Markets, in an email.
The Carolina Beach Publix store opened in June last year. Other tenants in the shopping center are Salty Chic Boutique, Ocean Nails and Sea Coast Rentals, according to a marketing flyer by developer GHK Cape Fear Development. The seller in the June 10 transaction was Carolina Beach Development Company 1 LLC, a GHK Cape Fear entity, represented in the deal by Vin Wells, Brian Eckel and Gordon Kolb.
Residential firm to open downtown office (June 18) In downtown Wilmington, a new real estate office is coming to the historic building at the corner of Chestnut and North Front streets. Wilmington-based residential real estate firm Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage plans to open an office there this summer. Located in the Murchison National Bank building, the space at 200 N. Front St. was formerly occupied by Manifest Design. To start, Sea Coast will likely have seven agents at the new downtown office. But there’s also room for other Realtors with the firm to drop in.
TOP-READ STORIES ONLINE Here are the most popular stories for the week of June 19 - 26 from the Business Journal’s website. 1. Publix buys center, land in Carolina Beach for more than $21M 2. Wilmington-based nCino files proposed IPO 3. Some area restaurants close temporarily 4. Businesses on the hook for complying with NC face covering order 5. Novant finalizes deal with UNC about NHRMC 6. For $10K county grants, recipients announced 7. Wilmington firms selected for third phase coronavirus vaccine trials 8. For 30 acres on Market St., large senior living development planned 9. Great Harvest Bread Co. won't reopen 10. Several local gyms still pushing for reopening To read more, go to wilmingtonbiz.com
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| HEALTH CARE |
NHRMC talks include focus on education
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raduate medical education has been one of several issues hashed out as part of the recent negotiations over New Hanover Regional Medical Center. NHRMC has had a partnership with UNC for nearly 40 years on the hospital’s graduate medical education program, in which docVICKY tors just out of medical school see area patients in several specialties. NHRMC also is the site of a UNC School of Medicine branch campus, which has 12 third-year medical students and six fourth-year medical students. But with NHRMC’s future ownership being discussed, those programs have become part of the bidding process as well. As of press time, three health systems that have offered to buy
JANOWSKI
PHOTO BY DAVID HARDIN, C/O NHRMC
Med training: Kristin Kirkland, an NHRMC family medicine resident, sees a patient. The hospital’s residency and medical school campus programs are part of the current discussions with potential NHRMC buyers.
NHRMC were in the running – Duke Health, Atrium Health and Novant Health. After recent due diligence talks, the Partnership Advisory Group (PAG) was looking to potentially recommend one for more negotiations soon. Hospital trustees and
county commissioners would need to weigh in on any recommendation. The PAG also was to vote on staying as is or restructuring the county-owned hospital without an outside deal, though all 21 members of the advisory group have said they
no longer think those options were as attractive as selling the county-owned hospital. Graduate medical education has been a key area, said Barb Biehner, co-chair of the Partnership Advisory Group. “It’s important to the physicians, but it’s also important to the overall quality of care delivered in the entire [NHRMC] system,” she said. “The nice thing is we put the investment or the funding into the graduate medical education that we provide, so it’s not that we would lose something or asking someone to necessarily give more because we already have that investment made to make sure we have that caliber here. And the other piece is all of them [Atrium, Novant and Duke’s proposals] have a component that is very important to us, and that’s making sure we have the availability of physicians in our region so as they’re coming out of medical school they have the opportunity to stay within the region.” All three systems pledged to grow the existing programs if selected.
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| HEALTH CARE | Under the proposals to provide that education component, Charlotte-based Atrium has pointed to its overall pending partnership with Wake Forest Baptist Health, and the two signed a memo of understanding specifically about the relationship for NHRMC. That included offering additional medical education opportunities and academic expertise. “WFBMC [Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center] and Atrium Health will expand educational offerings and maximize training opportunities in undergraduate and graduate medical education for physician providers, advanced practitioners and other allied health providers,” according to the joint document. Winston-Salem-based Novant Health during the recent negotiations brought UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine to the table with a letter of intent to expand UNC’s existing programs at NHRMC. One example they offered was growing the UNC School of Medicine’s Wilmington branch from 18 to 30 students by 2026; others focused on pediatric care expansions and clinical trials and research. “We’re confident that through the
investments and expertise central to this partnership, Wilmington will become a first-choice destination for students, researchers, patients and partners for the future of health care,” Novant Health CEO Carl Armato said. Like the other two systems, Durham-based Duke Health also envisions creating a clinical, academic and research destination center with NHRMC as the hub. Duke officials pointed out to PAG members that it has a long history as a medical academic center and does not need to rely on forging outside deals. “As a result of this permanent, fully integrated platform, a strategic partnership with Duke also provides the PAG, NHRMC, and New Hanover County an accelerated timeline to effectuate the partnership with significantly lower execution risk,” Eugene Washington, chancellor of health affairs at Duke University and president and CEO of Duke University Health System, wrote in a memo to the PAG. “We eliminate any potential uncertainty resulting from reliance on third parties and involvement of state-controlled organizations.”
Local spots selected for coronavirus vaccine trials
Dosher Memorial marks 90th anniversary
Wilmington will be one of many sites around the county to take part in a third-phase trial for the development of a potential coronavirus vaccine. Trial Management Associates LLC (TMA), along with Bart Williams and Will Jones, two physicians at Wrightsville Family Practice, have been selected to conduct the trial in Wilmington, according to a recent news release. TMA is a clinical research management company based in Wilmington. The group was previously selected by Massachusetts-based Moderna Inc. to conduct Phase 2 trials of Moderna’s mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, vaccine. The Phase 2 trials with Moderna, in which Wilmington was made one of 10 sites for the trial, began earlier this year. The Phase 3 trials are slated to begin in July. The vaccine is the first to move on to Phase 3 trials in the United States, officials said. -Christina Haley O’Neal
Dosher Memorial Hospital in Southport recently commemorated its 90th anniversary. The critical access community hospital opened June 2, 1930. Originally called Brunswick County Hospital, it was later renamed for physician and hospital founder J. Arthur Dosher. Today licensed for 25 acute care beds, the hospital treats patients in the Southport/Smithville Township area. Because of coronavirus restrictions, the event last month marking the anniversary was limited, with some guests meeting at the hospital’s lobby and the program streamed on Dosher Memorial’s Facebook page. “While we commemorate 90 years of trusted hometown healthcare, we also understand that this is not a day of business as usual on so many levels,” hospital and foundation president Lynda Stanley said in the release. “I have faith that during these turbulent times, we can survive. We have for 90 years, and as a community, we will move on. Let us stand together and meet the challenges head on.”
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| BANKING & FINANCE |
The financing issues driving NHRMC talk
W
hile stakeholders and the public in New Hanover County may differ on the best path toward a sustainable future for New Hanover Regional MediJENNY cal Center, there is broad agreement on the facts of the system’s current situation. One of the basic facts is that New Hanover County and environs is a fast-growing area. New residents will need – and expect – high-quality health care. At the same time, many current residents of Southeastern North Carolina have limited access to health care and may not have insurance or funds to pay for it when they do need medical attention. Another fact is that, as a county-owned system, NHRMC has a debt capacity of only $150 million. “We can issue $150 million in bonds and not deteriorate our credit rating,” Ed Ollie, NHRMC’s chief financial officer, said during a recent interview. “If we incur too much debt, however, our credit rating is lowered, which affects our access to credit.”
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We can issue $150 million in bonds and not deteriorate our credit rating. If we incur too much debt, however, our credit rating is lowered, which affects our access to credit.” ED OLLIE CFO, NHRNMC
NHRMC has the distinction of being the largest county-owned system in the country that is not supported by local taxes. A high credit rating enables an institution to borrow money at favorable rates. Maintaining that rating requires it to meet certain standards. For hospitals, one of those standards is having sufficient cash on hand to cover operation costs during emergencies, such as natural disasters. At present, according to Ollie, the
NHRMC hospital has about 240 days’ cash on hand. He noted that it costs the hospital $3.2 million per day to operate. “Standard & Poor’s wants us to have 350 days’ cash on hand,” said Brian Eckel, an NHRMC trustee and chair of the board’s finance committee. Eckel also is part of the 21-member Partnership Advisory Group tasked with wading through the process of exploring NHRMC’s future, including purchase offers from outside health systems. It has never been the practice for the hospital to receive taxpayer support, said Eckel, and it would be an unpopular thing to do now, since levying a tax to support the hospital would raise taxpayers’ rates dramatically – a minimum of 21%, according to an assessment done recently by a financial consultant for the Partnership Advisory Group (PAG). A team from NHRMC, representing medical center trustees, physicians and executives, developed a strategic plan for NHRMC. The plan, introduced in 2017, carries a $1.9 billion price tag and focuses on funding the system’s capital needs and enhancing its capabilities, according to Eckel. A major concern reflected in the strategic plan is the need to improve health equity for all county residents, Ollie added. Part of the $1.9 billion would be aimed at increasing access to health care for people living in poverty and addressing underserved populations’ higher-than-average incidence of infant mortality and such conditions as hypertension and diabetes. That initiative would include new programs as well as construction of medical facilities in neighborhoods that currently lack easy access to health care. The central problem officials face is how to fill the gap between a $150 million borrowing capacity and a $1.9 billion plan they see as vital to the future of the region’s health care. Eckeland fellow PAG members have come to believe that acquisition by the right partner would be the best solution. The PAG issued a letter to the public last month explaining how the members arrived at their consensus. “Ed and his team have been working for years to reduce the cost of care [in New Hanover County],” Eckel said. “We believe a partner would give us more opportunities to do that.
“Other organizations [the three recently selected as top candidates by the PAG – Duke Health, Atrium Health and Novant Health] would also bring scale to us. They also have staff that have built hospitals before, and we would benefit from that experience as we look at a new hospital location in Scotts Hill, for example.” Eckel said that an essential factor in NHRMC’s ultimate decision on a partner will be its cultural fit. “[The organization] has to align with our strategic goals and culture,” he said. Some county leaders agree on the facts of the case but see possible solutions other than allowing a sale. New Hanover County Commissioner Rob Zapple has been outspoken on the matter. “We agree that the status quo for the current [NHRMC] administration needs to be adjusted,” Zapple said. “John Gizdic [NHRMC CEO] made it clear to me and the other commissioners that there was a need to make structural changes mainly centered around financial [matters]. John was frustrated about not being able to borrow enough.” Zapple and the four other county commissioners have the final say on any deal if one is made, and it also would require approval from the hospital trustees. Zapple pointed out that the county has long realized that the hospital’s financial needs would require better long-term funding. In 2018, it commissioned a study by First Tryon Advisors, the county’s financial adviser, to look at NHRMC’s existing structure and funding limitations and possible alternatives. The study report outlined a possible solution, said New Hanover County Chief Communications Officer Jessica Loeper. The restructure option suggested by the report would “create a parent company for NHRMC and [outline] what the next steps would be to implement that new structure,” Loeper said. “This research was done more than a year-and-a-half ago to provide the hospital and county with information about an alternate corporate structure (called “SystemCo” in the report).” Zapple said that when the county and NHRMC announced last July that they might consider a sale, they promised that any purchase or partnership proposal from an interested health care system would be compared to that SystemCo option. But Zapple said he thinks most discus-
sions since then have largely ignored SystemCo. “SystemCo would have provided a legal and financial way in which the county could justify borrowing money and paying for out-of-county bricks-and-mortar facilities to be able to expand into Brunswick and Pender counties,” Zapple said, explaining that the option would have allowed for an investment by a financial partner but would have left governance in the hands of NHRMC. “The paperwork supporting it was fully vetted and was sitting on the county manager’s desk, ready to be brought up, when this whole issue came up.” Zapple still advocates for the SystemCo plan and wants officials to take a fresh look at the strategic plan to see if all items targeted for funding are still relevant and needed. He said he believes that “some sort of financial investment of $600 million to $900 million from a venture capital firm or other health care system would be enough to take care of critical elements of the strategic plan and place us in a situation where we have enough reserves and could weather another pandemic or other crisis.”
Wilmington-based nCino files proposed IPO Wilmington-based nCino announced June 22 that it has filed for an IPO to raise $100 million. nCino intends to list its stock on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “NCNO.” The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not been determined, according to an nCino press release. The growing fintech firm spun out of Wilmington-headquartered Live Oak Bank as its own independent fintech company in late 2011 and has seen rapid growth ever since. The firm, which is a provider of cloud-based software for financial institutions, has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the proposed offering. Currently, nCino employs more than 900 people and has international offices in Tokyo, London, Sydney and Toronto. The company also has an office in Salt Lake City. In its SEC filing, the firm, which ends its fiscal year on Jan. 31, reported total revenues of $138.2 million in fiscal 2020, $91.5 million for fiscal 2019, and $58.1 million in fiscal 2018. That represents a 54.2% compound annual growth rate.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Virus changes economic development Economic developers in the region are having to adapt to the ever-changing business environment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to impacts, Wilmington Business DevelopCHRISTINA HALEY ment has pivoted the way it operates, specifically from a business recruitment perspective, said Scott Satterfield, CEO of the private, nonprofit organization that oversees business recruitment and industrial retention for the city of Wilmington and New Hanover and Pender counties. WBD has limited travel and marketing missions since March. The group has been utilizing technology to keep the ball rolling with potential prospects. “A lot of the trends that were beginning to impact recruitment before
O’NEAL
the pandemic are now on the fast track. That includes digital marketing – virtual building and site tours, the use of drone videos, Zoom calls with prospects, etc.,” Satterfield said. “It’s more important than ever to have a high-quality, information-rich website.” WBD launched upgrades to its website last year. And, in partnership with North Carolina’s Southeast, an 18-county regional economic development group that includes the tri-county area, and the state’s Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, launched a new regional interactive site and building database developed earlier this year. The technologies have helped further economic development efforts during the COVID-19 shutdown, which impeded travel and business openings across the state. There are, however, challenges to doing business on technology alone. “If a client is looking at a multi-million-dollar investment they often want to physically have boots on the ground to see the site
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Thus far, the pandemic has most communities playing defense – working hard to hold on to what they’ve got.” SCOTT SATTERFIELD CEO,Wilmington Business Development
or building they are interested in,” Satterfield said. “As decision makers from around the nation, and around the globe for that matter, get more comfortable with travel, we will likely see more decisions/announcements made at a regional and state level.” Because of the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic development organizations are impacted with some of the same struggles worldwide.
“Thus far, the pandemic has most communities playing defense – working hard to hold on to what they’ve got,” Satterfield said. To that end, WBD partnered in June with New Hanover County and Live Oak Bank in the $1.3 million small business economic development grant program, which provided $10,000 grants to 130 small businesses in the county impacted by COVID-19. The STEM Labs in Mayfaire Town Center was named one of the grant recipients. “Our mission is to support the community by providing educational programs and tutoring for children. We are very grateful for these funds, as they help us to safely reopen our center and continue with this mission,” said Tina Catalone, co-founder of the firm, which offers STEM-related programs for children. Many other businesses cited the funds as a much-needed boost of financial support during the COVID-19 economic slowdown. “The impact of COVID-19 on
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT local business – specifically tourism, retail, restaurants, etc. – continues to be more than significant,” Satterfield said. “We’ve worked tirelessly to put our business community in touch with the resources needed to help them weather this storm. This certainly isn’t limited to our industrial relationships.” WBD, since the pandemic started impacting the region, has been working to connect local industries with information, specialized expertise and aid to survive and recover from the economic impacts, he said. In these unprecedented economic times, however, industrial activity and real estate inquiries that could bring jobs and investment have remained strong. (Read more about the industrial real estate market, pages 12-13) And WBD is readying for the potential return of some industry back on U.S. soil because of the pandemic, he said. As economies begin to shift into recovery, Satterfield said he expects that the post-COVID-19 landscape will see the recruitment process more competitive than ever. “We envision our partners, members and allies becoming even more
focused, committed and coordinated as Greater Wilmington strives to embrace the opportunities that arise from this historic situation,” Satterfield said. “We’re also working closely with our state and regional economic development partners in identifying new trends and themes surrounding the post-pandemic economic landscape,” he said. “Exciting opportunities in manufacturing, logistics, life sciences and information technology will emerge for communities equipped with quality product and ready to go workers. Greater Wilmington will be in the running for those projects and lucrative opportunities.”
Industrial land could move into Leland limits The town of Leland has started the process to potentially annex more than 200 acres zoned for industrial use. WCM Enterprises LLC, the landowner, has submitted a voluntary annexation petition for the industrial land, said Gary Vidmar, the town’s economic and community development director.
The land is vacant and much of it is being marketed for sale. And in concert with the annexation, the town is exploring introducing a new zoning district that it aims to apply to the land, should it be annexed. “The town does not currently have a zoning district that we believe is appropriate for the industrial park. And so, we are literally going to create a new zoning,” Vidmar said. The Leland Town Council could consider approving the annexation and initial zoning at its July 16 meeting. This is the first significant opportunity to get a large piece of industrial land in town limits, he said. “With the town’s lack of any significant industrial land, the proposed annexation would provide us with an immediate opportunity to attract clean, high-tech manufacturing businesses that would provide high-paying jobs for residents and others in the area as well as significantly increase our tax base,” Vidmar said. -
N.C. Ports leader to retire; upcoming chief announced N.C. State Ports Authority Execu-
tive Director Paul Cozza is slated to retire at the end of the year. Moving into his leadership seat will be Brian E. Clark, the ports’ COO and deputy executive director. Clark will take on the role effective Jan. 1, 2021. Cozza was hired as executive director of N.C. Ports in 2014. Clark joined in 2017. The two leaders have extensive experience in the maritime industry. The process to name the next leader took about two years, Cozza said. Cozza and Clark have been overseeing the ports’ $221 million capital improvement plan, which Cozza helped get started after joining the state organization. The Port of Wilmington, since the implementation of some improvements in that plan, has seen major milestones, such as a record cargo year in the 2017-18 fiscal year and welcoming the largest ships visiting ports along the East Coast. The port is within 700 miles of 70% of the U.S. industrial base. N.C. Ports officials have stated that port activities contribute statewide to more than 87,700 jobs and $678 million each year in state and local tax revenues.
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FROM THE COVER
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From BOOM, page 1
then the lines were forming like we’d never seen before.” Adam Jones, regional economist and associate professor of economics with the Swain Center, UNCW Cameron School of Business, said the bike craze is a facet of a broader issue. “The old-time management matrix of urgent versus important will be more salient than usual,” Jones, who is also a bike enthusiast, said, after being asked about the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on different parts of the economy. “For example, bike shops are slammed and selling out of bicycles, nationwide. Local shops are overrun with business.” But urgent action, Jones explained, at bike shops and sporting goods stores that might be seeing a similar bump in business is to help the customers get their bikes repaired or find new running shoes. “However, the important action, that is extremely difficult to find time to do, is for businesses to hold onto these customers, i.e. regularly market to them to join the running club or the cycling club, mailers with routes, etc.,” he said.
FOOD FACTS
Food retail, which includes grocery stores, has seen a major bump in business, with a Food Industry Association study showing that the segment’s share of food spending rose from 50% in February to 63% in March to 68% in April. Not surprisingly, the restaurant share of the food spending market took a dive, as restaurants have had to close temporarily, change to the less lucrative carry-out and curbside service and eventually reduce dinein capacity when some restrictions were lifted. Some national restaurant chains have declared bankruptcy, and at least three restaurants in Wilmington had announced closures as of June 25. The news isn’t all bad for some in the restaurant industry because there have also been restaurant openings in Wilmington. And Downtown Alive, an initiative aimed at helping to boost downtown Wilmington eateries and shops, has expanded capacity in some cases through outdoor dining. (See page 19 for more about restaurant openings and Downtown Alive.) “I think there’s potential for restaurants to try outdoor dining and people to realize that a meal or craft beer outside could be another enjoyable experience,” Jones said. Expanding upon an example of
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daily
cumulative positives
cases Here is a look at COVID-19 cases in New Hanover County since the virus began spreading locally in March. The dates show when the cases were total cases since confirmed by labs. As of press time, June 24 was Mar. 19 when the county saw its highest single day of 715 positive cases, with 60 new cases reported. Before then, the highest daily counts came on June 18 with 53 new cases and June 15 with 35 cases. Altogether, the county has reported 715 positive cases out of 15,650 tests, as of June 24. Statewide, as of June 24, officials reported 56,174 labconfirmed cases of COVID-19 out of 791,285 tests.
30
800 800
700 700
600 600
500 500
400 400
daily positives 20
cumulative positives
300 300
200 200
10 100 100
0
0
3/19 3/28 4/2 4/9 4/16 4/30 5/7 5/14 5/22 5/28 6/4 6/11 6/18 6/24 3/19 3/26 4/2 4/9 4/16 4/30 5/7 5/14 5/22 5/28 6/4 6/11 6/18 6/24 SOURCE: NEW HANOVER COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
short-term versus long-term impacts, Jones said, “The boom in hair salon business is likely short term and reflects pent-up demand, but I suspect that in a month or two, most of us will be back on a regular grooming schedule and business will settle into the normal rhythm again.” An increase in online grocery shopping, however, is likely here to stay, he said. “To figure out if a change is going to stick, ask yourself, ‘Has something fundamentally changed about the demand for a product, and if so, what that change in demand means for local businesses?’” Jones said. “I don’t think anything has really changed about our demand for haircuts, but our introduction to the convenience of online grocery shopping may have a long-lasting effect.”
GENERATING DEMAND
The Generator Superstore, which has a showroom on Gordon Road in Wilmington, represents another aspect of the economy seeing an uptick, said owner Dan Miller. “I’m being told by our customers that a lot of them decided, since they were going to work from home, they were going to go ahead and move forward with getting an alternate power source for their homes just in case there were power outages,” Miller said. “So normally this time of year, we’ll see about a 30% bump in business just due to people getting ready for storm season.” But these days, as a result of the
0
coronavirus pandemic, “I’m going to say that our increase is somewhere around 80%,” Miller said. Miller said he sees the increased demand for generators continuing as people work from home indefinitely and continue to stay at home more to avoid potential exposure to COVID-19. “I don’t see this going anywhere anytime soon,” he said.
COMING AND GOING
Jones said while upticks have been observed in some industries and struggles in others, increases in activity could be yet to come. “Typically, disposable personal income rises by about 3-4% a year, but in April it was up 14%, due mostly to stimulus checks. However, personal consumption expenditures, which usually grow 4-5% per year, were down 17%,” Jones said. “An increase in income coupled with a decrease in expenditures means savings is through the roof. It was 33% in April; it’s usually about 7%. This means many households are sitting on cash, and there is potential for the next wave of business booms.” Reasons that the funds haven’t been spent yet could be that households aren’t using them for new cars, vacations, cruises and children’s activities and education. “I expect we’ll see an increase in some of these industries over the next year,” Jones said, “depending on the course of the public health crisis.”
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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July 3 - 16, 2020
Page 11
SPECIAL FOCUS: TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
WORKING THROUGH IT
Businesses continue to adapt to times Editor’s Note: Starting in March, the Business Journal featured area businesses and how they were adjusting operations, innovating and coping in general with the economic impacts of the coronavirus. For this issue, we’re providing updates on some of those businesses as they continue to work through the ongoing pandemic.
Getting fruits, veggies at Port City Produce The Market Street location of Port City Produce opened in March this year, a little earlier than usual, to fill the demand from people eating at home because of restaurant closures at the time. Since then, the fresh produce business, which started during the summer of 2010, has added online ordering for curbside pickup and is even busier, said Sven Wallin, a partner in the produce business. Supply is a little different this year than in years past, he said. “We are able to get products, but they are not as plentiful as years past, and prices are markedly higher than any previous years,” Wallin said. “Corn has been in very short supply. Local farmers’ summer crops have just started up, so hopefully, that will alleviate some supply issues.” The produce business has locations at 5740 Market St. and 6458 Carolina Beach Road. But Port City Produce is planning on moving its Market Street location to a larger site at 6520 Market St. “Expansion is going well,” Wallin said, “and we are just awaiting our confirmation from permitting that we can start the building process at the new location.”
Aunt Kerry’s Pet Stop reopens with precautions Aunt Kerry’s Pet Stop started offering curbside pickup of pet supplies toward the end of March at the store at 3600 S. College Road. “We are hanging in there,” Aunt Kerry’s Pet Stop owner Kerry Bradley said in a recent email. “June 1 we opened up our doors to welcome back shoppers inside the store and went back to regular hours. I knew we could not sustain [curbside-only] for a long period of time.” But the store is still offering curb-
PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER
Fruits and veggies: Karen Taylor shops recently at Port City Produce’s stand on Market Street.
side service for those who want zero contact, she said. “The only way I felt safe with opening up the store was to require masks for employees and customers. We set up a hand sanitizer station and are offering free masks to those who do not have one,” Bradley said. “We have put up social distancing signs and plexiglass at the check-out. Along with cleaning the store multiple times a day. My staff and customers’ safety is my No. 1 priority. It has been nice to see our sweet fur customers back in the store again.” She said the store accepts pet food donations to give to different animal rescue organizations. “With our donations we have [also] set up a pet food pantry to help anyone who is having financial difficulties from COVID-19,” Bradley said. A customer is making masks that the store is selling to benefit SkyWatch Bird Rescue. “They are $10 each or $20 for three; 100% of the money goes to the rescue. Helping our community has always been so important to me especially in times like these,” Bradley
said. “I just have learned to take it day to day and to stay thankful for even the little things.”
Shifting to mask-making to aid African artisans Wilmington-based retailer Swahili Coast has reopened both of its downtown stores, one in Chandler’s Wharf and the other on Front Street. The owners had closed both of them in March. Caroline Fisher and Tony Peele opened the doors of the first Swahili Coast location in Wilmington in 2016. The store is an outgrowth of the couple’s wholesale shoe company founded in 2014 that sells handmade accessories. In a recent update, Fisher said the business has transitioned its partner factory in Tanzania to make reusable fabric face masks to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. and East Africa. Peele and Fisher had used their savings to start a worker-owned cooperative in Tanzania, which produces handmade beaded leather sandals and accessories sold in their Wilmington retail store and
in 300 retailers worldwide. “Though Peele and Fisher funded the start of the co-op, they maintain no financial stake, leaving the co-op to be owned and managed by the workers. To date, there are 20 artisans working in the co-op, sharing in the profits of the business. With the start of the COVID 19 pandemic, business shifted dramatically,” the update stated. To make matters more dire, the coronavirus got a foothold in Tanzania, the update stated, and cases rose dramatically, making it the hot spot for COVID-19 cases in East Africa. “We didn’t want to take face masks out of Tanzania that could be used to keep people safe, so we decided to have the co-op try their hand at making them – and we decided to donate a mask to at-risk people in Tanzania for every mask we sell in the U.S.,” Peele said in the update. Fisher added, “We’ve also been donating masks locally, to Vigilant Hope, as well as attending a lot of the rallies that have happened recently to pass them out to anyone not wearing a mask.” – Cece Nunn
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Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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REGION IN FOCUS: PENDER COUNTY
REAL ESTATE
Industrial sector shines in Pender
I
BY CECE NUNN
ndustrial commercial real estate gained more attention over the past few months as a sector that’s still doing well, despite an economic downturn caused by measures to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. “It’s thriving – both before, during and likely after the pandemic,” said Mark Johnson, executive vice president/sales manager at Wilmington-based commercial real estate firm Coldwell Banker Commercial Sun Coast Partners. “Every forecast I’m privy to has been hugely optimistic about continued growth as the world has shifted in several ways in recent months.” Online ordering serves as a major example, he said, as it “was already growing at a fast pace and is accelerating both because people already comfortable with online ordering are doing more of it, combined with new users – in particular the older gener-
FILE RENDERING
On the rise: A rendering shows the anticipated look of a speculative building under construction at Pender Commerce Park.
ation that was basically forced to try it out, and are liking it.” Pender County, Johnson said, has some designated industrial parks “that we should all watch carefully.” That includes Pender Commerce Park. Two firms purchased land in Pend-
er Commerce Park recently with the expectation of adding to the number of businesses in the county-owned industrial park. Separate, planned developments – a more than $8 million Class A industrial spec building and the U.S. headquarters site for Polyhose Inc.
– were approved by Pender County officials. Polyhose Inc. plans to build a 40,000-square-foot facility in the park for its North American headquarters, expecting to create 51 jobs. Pender Commerce Park was completed as part of a partnership between Pender County and economic development agency Wilmington Business Development (WBD) in 2011. Current tenants include Empire Distributors, Acme Smoked Fish, Coastal Beverage Co. and FedEx Freight. “More often than not clients desire speed to market – that is offered at the Pender Commerce Park not just in terms of fully infrastructured site availability but now with a best-class industrial spec building on the way,” stated Scott Satterfield, CEO of WBD, in an email. “Taylor Development/Chris Ramm’s project [the spec building] is a welcome addi-
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Page 13
REGION IN FOCUS: PENDER COUNTY
REAL ESTATE tion to the park. Concrete has been poured for the building. “This makes it real for clients that are attracted to Greater Wilmington and need a facility of scale to be operational as soon as Q3 2020,” Satterfield said in the email. “We continue to market this building in concert with our real estate and economic development partners.” Adjacent to the speculative building will be India-based Polyhose, a manufacturer of industrial hoses, “which is also scheduled to break ground in 2020. Polyhose’s North America Headquarters represents our first foreign direct investment in the park and we are confident their presence will grow tremendously in the region,” Satterfield said. He said those additions bring the approximate total in the Pender Commerce Park to more than 600 projected jobs, more than 550,000 square feet under roof and well over $100 million in capital expenditure investment. “The Pender Commerce Park has truly become a global business destination,” Satterfield said. Wilmington-based Cape Fear Commercial is the real estate firm
marketing the 126,000-square-foot spec building. The developer will own the property and lease the building. Will Leonard, one of the Cape Fear Commercial listing agents for the building along with CFC broker in charge Paul Loukas, said industrial real estate was busy in March and “it’s still the busiest I’ve seen it in my 20-year career.” As in every real estate sector, the industrial segment experienced a bit of a pause in the weeks when stay-athome orders were first put in place, Leonard said. “But I haven’t really seen a slowdown; even the new inquiries are pretty strong, and every transaction but one that I was working on prior to this is still proceeding as planned,” he said. And that one, Leonard said, wasn’t scared off by the pandemic but rather found a different property in the market. As for Pender Commerce Park, Leonard said, “I think Pender County’s done a fantastic job. I think they had a brilliant idea when they acquired that piece of land years ago, and WBD has done a great job
of supporting them and pushing that park.” He said the park’s attributes lend themselves to success. “They built a park in a logistically accessible area, meaning in close proximity to [Interstate] 140, which has been huge for the industrial market in general,” Leonard said. “There’s all utilities available there; there’s a common stormwater system, which saves time, money and permitting. That’s money you don’t have to spend on land just to dig a pond in the middle of it.” Additionally, Leonard said, “Their land prices have been super attractive to attract those types of companies that are there.” He said he thinks Pender Commerce Park will continue to grow. “The walls aren’t even standing yet, and we’ve got several proposals out on that [spec] building,” Leonard said. “We also have the capability that if a user’s need doesn’t specifically fit that building, we have the potential to offer build-to-suit” and other existing space in the park. So what’s next for the local industrial market? “Industrial activity/interest in our
region has actually remained strong throughout these unprecedented times. From a project perspective we see opportunities in warehouse/distribution, e-commerce, pharma and manufacturing,” Satterfield said. “In the mid- to long-term we continue to position our counties for the potential of onshoring in the wake of COVID-19,” he added. “There is an even more concerted effort on product development – of which the Pender Commerce Park is a prime example – ensuring we have the available industrial buildings of scale and infrastructure-rich sites ready to go for potential investors in the region.” For New Hanover and Brunswick counties, confidence in the industrial real estate sector is high, Leonard said. U.S. 421 between New Hanover and Pender “is going to be the next horizon of industrial development.” In Brunswick, he said, “I’m working on two potential transactions over 30 acres apiece in Leland Industrial Park, which has been rebranded to Leland Innovation Park.” Staff writer Christina Haley O’Neal contributed to this report.
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Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com REGION IN FOCUS: PENDER COUNTY
IN THE NEWS
Longtime Burgaw business shutters BY CHRISTINA HALEY O’NEAL
T
he COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on area businesses, and for some, the pressure has meant permanent closures in the Cape Fear region. Among them is the longtime Burgaw business Harrell’s Department Store, which recently announced the closure, set to take place later this summer, on its Facebook page. The store has been owned by the Harrell family since 1903. Owner Vernon Harrell said there were a number of factors involved in the closure of the retail business, including the coronavirus pandemic. “Retail business in general, if you have businesses like Nordstrom in bankruptcy, that’s an indication of the tenuous nature of the clothing business,” he said. “But at the same time things were moving for us, but when the pandemic hit and closed us down for that extended period of time, it made things very apparent how tenuous our situation really was. And that basically told us the story that we needed to close the
PHOTO C/O HARRELLS
Local exit: Harrell’s Department Store in Burgaw is expected to close its doors in July after more than 100 years in business.
shop.” however, is not going to disappear, Harrell said. There are parts of it that are productive and profitable, such as its appliance repair business and special orders for clothing. “But as far as a large store full of clothing, it’s not in the future for us,” Harrell said. The store, at 107 S. Wright St. in Burgaw, is expected to close permanently in July. The Harrells have
not yet decided what the business will look like after that. The family, however, is still maintaining its ownership of the real estate there, which is made up of two buildings. The store closing “opens up opportunities for young people to come in and start new businesses. So that is my hope for the town of Burgaw and of course, for my building as well,” Harrell said. The service industry has been
highly impacted during the pandemic, said Jerry Coleman, director of the Small Business Center at Cape Fear Community College. The region will likely see a fairly significant number of businesses that won’t make it through, he said. “I think 40% is on the high side,” Coleman said, citing a figure commonly used by FEMA on the percentage of small businesses that do not recover following a disaster. He said the impact to the region could be more around 30% of small businesses shuttered, since some firms have been able to maintain some sort of level of operation. CFCC’s Small Business Center has seen some bankruptcy situations already, he said. “It’s been tough,” Coleman said. “It doesn’t mean they’re out of business; they’re restructuring things. So it’s difficult. We work with small businesses throughout New Hanover and Pender counties, so I do have a couple of clients that have explored that opportunity, in an effort to not lose everything, keep things going.”
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July 3 - 16, 2020
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
May 28 - June 5 MARATHON FBO PARTNERS LLC 1908 Eastwood Rd Suite 224 Wilmington 28403 Agent: G. Grady Richardson Jr. MARGOT’S EYES LLC 46 Cumberland Street Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Gerald Wood MCKOY ASSOCIATES &
RESOURCES LLC 1001 Cloudbreak Ct. Leland 28451 Agent: Marshal McKoy ME VALE MADRE INC 702 Pine Cone Dr Winnabow 28479 Agent: Jasmin Munoz MILES ENTERPRISE LLC 174 Cinron Lane Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Alan Miles MILK & HONEY BOUTIQUE LLC 2849 Arthur Street SW
Supply 28462 Agent: Jessica Lancaster MURICA MOTORSPORTS LLC 438 Motts Creek Rd Wilmington 28412 Agent: Brian Johnson NAILS BY JENNI LEIGH LLC 304 Michelle Lane Rocky Point 28457 Agent: Jennifer Leigh Agostini NGN LLC 105 S Cardinal Dr Wilmington 28403 Agent: Nicholas Nicodeme NLR LLC 1810 Senova Trace Wilmington 28405 Agent: Nancy Durden OCEANSIDE POOLS AND SPAS LLC 214B N Topsail Drive Surf City 28445 Agent: James Labillois OIB CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC 7781 Etheridge Rd NW Longwood 28452 Agent: Mark Gibeault OLIVER ACRES LLC 370 Herrings Chapel Rd Burgaw 28425 Agent: Janet P. Oliver
ONESIMUS PLANNING COMMITTEE 1503 Ann Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Thurman Burgess OXFORD AVE. DESIGNS L.L.C. 2241 Masons Point Place Wilmington 28405 Agent: Tim A Neathery PERSONALIZE BY D’SIGN INC 5012 Hunt Club Road Apt 3 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Delaine Thorpe PLANTED HEALTH SOLUTIONS L.L.C. 219 Huntington Rd Wilmington 28403 Agent: Daniel MacRae POSITANO MANAGEMENT LLC 513 S 2nd St Wilmington 28401 Agent: Patrick Block PROGRESS MEDICAL PLLC 2104 Talmage Drive Leland 28451 Agent: Joshua David Dobstaff PROPHET FILM LLC 5604 Wellfleet Ct Wilmington 28412 Agent: Johnny R Rodriguez
PUDDLE JUMPERS NATURE PRESCHOOL LLC 245 Doral Drive Hampstead 28445 Agent: Melissa Fisher PURELY LLC 504 Triton Lane Surf City 28445 Agent: Lisa Kheloco PUROCLEAN OF THE CAPE FEAR LLC 4819 Port Loop Rd SE Southport 28461 Agent: William M Soots Jr QUIET TIME II LLC 114 NE 71st Street Oak Island 28465 Agent: Pam Hicks RAYS BEACH PLACE LLC 210 W Beach Drive Oak Island 28465 Agent: Margaret Rudd & Associates Inc. RHINO ROCK INC. 6609 Amsterdam Way Wilmington 28405 Agent: Andrew Hicks RIDE TI LLC 707 Cockle Street Surf City 28445 Agent: Katrina M Turner RUIZ LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION SERVICES INC 6405 Cactus Drive
Wilmington 28405 Agent: Rosario Lopez Hernandez S3 ARCHITECTS PLLC 321 N. Front Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Brian Hollars SCALDAFERRI VENTURES LLC 7036 Wrightsville Ave Suite 101 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Ben Wright SECURE CYBER SALES LLC 102 Tanbridge Rd Wilmington 284054018 Agent: Sue Bullock SHOCKAZOOLA PRODUCTIONS INC 245 Bimini Dr. Winnabow 28479 Agent: Kathryn Cherasaro
GARAGE ATV/UTV REPAIR L.L.C. 5404 Alligator Road NW Ash 28420 Agent: Michael Steven Adams SWEET D’S 1107 Wright St Wilmington 28401 Agent: Dickey Brian TACO BABY LLC 125 Grace Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Joseph Sena THE OPEN DOOR LONG LIFE FOOD LLC 1017 Beach Dr SW Unit 1105 Calabash 28467-1029 Agent: Jeffrey Robinson THE STEAM TEAM OF THE CAROLINAS LLC 898 Strathaven Lane Sunset Beach 28468 Agent: Mary K. Gay
SIMPLY AB LLC 113 Channel Dr S Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Annya Nicole Broderick
TMS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & REALTY LLC 6520 Suzanne St Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: George Spivey IV
SKYLIMIT INVESTMENTS LLC 7526 Ireland Court Wilmington 28411 Agent: Tammi Emeka
TREASURE HUNT PROPERTIES LLC 321 NE 62nd St Oak Island 28465 Agent: Robert Hunt
SWAMP DONKEY
TRINITY EXPEDITE LLC
1 Stone Street Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Thomas J Aherne TURNPIKE INVESTMENTS LLC 418 Hamilton Dr Bolivia 28422 Agent: Boyd C Williamson VEGAS CONSTRUCTION SERVICES L.L.C. 719 Indica Ct Apt 301 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jorge Vega-Diaz WBM CONSTRUCTION LLC 328 Creekview Dr Hampstead 28443 Agent: Scott Wilkinson WILMINGTON FENCE AND DECK LLC 104 Victoria Dr Wilmington 28401 Agent: Brad Thomas Hendrickson WJWT PROPERTIES LLC 1213 Culbreth Drive Suite 232 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Patti Jones XRAM PROPERTIES DRIFTWOOD LLC 133 Driftwood Court Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Scott Marx
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wilmingtonbiz.com
| ACHIEVERS | Send information about company hires, promotions or awards to editor@wilmingtonbiz.com
CFCC appoints Fernando to leadership role SHANE FERNANDO has been appointed as vice president of Advancement and the Arts at Cape Fear Community College. The CFCC Board of Trustees made the appointment at its June meeting. Fernando was named interim Fernando vice president of advancement and the arts on June 1, after six years of leadership at CFCC’s Wilson Center. As vice president of advancement and the arts, Fernando will serve as artistic director of the Wilson Center and oversee donor relations and direct fundraising for the college at large through the CFCC Foundation, the college stated.
Talis joins PBC Design + Build as interior designer PBC Design + Build has welcomed KELSEY TALIS to its team. Talis joins the firm as an interior designer and is a “valuable addition” to the firm’s interior design team. Talis is an allied member of the American Society of Interior DesignTalis ers with more than eight years of experience in New York, Philadelphia, South Florida and North Carolina. She obtained her bachelor’s degree at Drexel University.
CHHS names new research grant administrator The University of North Carolina Wilmington College of Health and Human Services has welcomed RICHARD HUSE as its new research grant administrator. Huse works with Huse the research and innovation team as a post-award specialist with an emphasis on budget monitoring and management. “CHHS has an energy like no other community I have been a part
of,” Huse said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to assist in fueling innovation.” Huse received a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from UNCW in 2015. He is also the founder of an aquaculture-based biotechnology startup.
McCool joins NHRMC Radiation Oncology New Hanover Regional Medical Center Radiation Oncology has welcomed KYLE MCCOOL to the practice. McCool is a physician with the practice, which offers radiation therapy treatments in Wilmington and McCool Brunswick County for all types of cancer, officials said. The physicians in the practice work with other cancer doctors to develop a treatment plan and also see patients at NHRMC Zimmer Cancer Center, stated the release. McCool completed a radiation oncology residency at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. He served as chief resident there. He earned a Doctor of Medicine from Georgetown University School of Medicine and a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Mississippi.
Pioneer Strategies names Ericksen as new hire Pioneer Strategies has welcomed EMMA ERICKSEN as its new public relations assistant. Ericksen recently graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she earned her degree in communication Erickson studies with a focus in integrated marketing communication. “I’ve enjoyed working with Pioneer Strategies and … I’ve learned a lot in a short amount of time, and I’m excited about the opportunity to continue utilizing my skills, education and work ethic to help our clients achieve their communication goals,” Ericksen said. Ericksen is a Greensboro native. She also interned with ALUNA paper & design, a papermaking studio in Wilmington.
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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July 3 - 16, 2020
Page 17
| THE LIST |
General Contractors
Ranked by number of local full-time employees RANK
COMPANY ADDRESS PHONE
1
Monteith Construction 208 Princess St. Wilmington, NC 28401 791-8101
2
McKinley Building Corp. 3807 Peachtree Ave., Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 395-6036
3
Thomson, Corder and Co. P. O. Box 12167/5707 Market St. Wilmington, NC 28405 791-2733
4
Thomas Construction Group 1022 Ashes Drive Wilmington, NC 28405 799-2295
4
Barnhill Contracting Co. 272 N. Front St., Suite 420 Wilmington, NC 28401 (919) 781-7210
6
Clancy & Theys Construction Co. 2250 Shipyard Blvd., Suite 1 Wilmington, NC 28403 392-5220
7
W.M. Jordan Co. 1712 Eastwood Road, Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28405 679-4551
8
Chambliss & Rabil Contractors Inc. 6426 C Windmill Way Wilmington, NC 28405 350-0554
EMAIL WEBSITE
NO. OF LOCAL FULL-TIME % OF WORK EMPLOYEES SUBCONTRACTED
SPECIALTIES
NOTABLE PROJECTS
TOP OFFICIAL/ YEAR LOCALLY FOUNDED
bthomas@monteith.com www.monteithco.com
115
85
Health care, assisted living, New Hanover Health and Human Services building, MegaCorp, commercial, K-12, higher education, Live Oak Bank Fit Park, Del Webb amenity center, Baker Porsche, institutional Wrightsville Beach Elementary School
kdull@mckinleybuilding.com www.mckinleybuilding.com
74
80
Design/build class A office space, Bradley Creek Station, nCino, Offices at Mayfaire V & VI, D. Dull, medical, retail, flex space, industrial Wilmington Health, Parkway Volvo, Corning Credit Union Regional McKinley President – warehouse, apartments, religious HQ, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, I-140 Business Park, 1992 facilities, parking decks Leland Town Center, Roger Bacon Acadamy Civil construction and site work including clearing, grading, paving, Autumn Hall commercial portion, New Hanover Regional Medical utilities, storm drainage, streets and Center waste main replacement, Southport Commons bridges
BThomson@ThomsonCorder.com www.thomsoncontractors.com
68
45
jsullivan@thomasconstructiongroup.com www.thomasconstructiongroup.com
60
95
Corporate commercial, acute/ behavioral health care, medical offices, skilled nursing/assisted living, hospitality, industrial
jwsmith@barnhillcontracting.com www.barnhillcontracting.com
60
20 (site and trans.)/95 building
Commercial building, site infrastructure, transportation
River Place, Wilmington Port Authority South Gate, Trask Middle School, Rehabilitation to I-40 in Duplin County, Military Cutoff road paving
John Smith, Vice President, Eastern Division 2006 David Michael, CEO-Wilmington Division 1984 Rob Beale, Vice President, Carolinas 2011
51
75 - 90
Live Oak Bank I, II and III, Aloft Hotel (under construction), Flats Commercial office, retail, on Front multi-residential (under construction), 17 Social multiapartments, student housing, hotels residential (under construction), Midtown Park at Barclay Medical and hospitality, senior living, K-12, Office Complex and Wilmington Health fit-up, nCino, Apiture, higher education, medical North Waterfront Park (under construction)
rbeale@wmjordan.com; jcheshire@wmjordan.com www.wmjordan.com
37
100
Commercial, higher education, arts PortSide at Grande Dunes, True-Hilton - Wilmington, Town Creek and entertainment, hospitality, Middle School, Trinity Landing active senior living community, government, health care, industrial, North Brunswick High School (Addition & Renovation), West senior living, student housing Brunswick High School (Addition & Renovation)
yates@chambliss-rabil.com www.chamblissandrabil.com
32
75%
Health care, office buildings, retail buildings, coastal homes, dental offices, veterinary clinics, restaurants, religious facilities
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Wesley Corder, President Robert Thomson, Vice President 1984
Uncommon Lofts at Kerr Station, Wilmington Treatment Center, Christopher Reid, Atlantic Packaging HQ Expansion, The Nir Family YMCA, President Carolina Bay CCRC, NHRMC North ED, Bald Head Club Activity 2005 Center, Towne Bank Building
robbridgers@clancytheys.com www.clancytheys.com
List is based on voluntary responses to a Business Journal survey.
Bryan Thomas, President 2006
Victory Gardens Mixed Use Buildings, Elderhaus, Surf City Pet Hospital, College Road Animal Hospital, Town of Wrightsville Beach Bath Houses, Primrose Schools, Cape Fear Men's Club Remodel, Pine Valley CC Clubhouse Remodels
N. Yates Chambliss IV, Vice President 2004
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RESTAURANT ROUNDUP
BUSINESS OF LIFE
This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s weekly Restaurant Roundup email. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com. Editor’s Note: Because of potential changes in restrictions put in place as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, some of the information below might have changed after press time.
Bridgewater Wines owners plan Porters Neck location Doug and Susan Zucker, owners of Bridgewater Wines in Leland, plan to open a second wine shop, in Porters Neck in the spring of 2021. The Zuckers said they knew from the beginning that Porters Neck was the right spot for a second location. Construction is expected to begin shortly on a building that will be located at the end of the Interstate 140 connector, next to the new Holiday Inn Express. The Zuckers said they are excited to be a part of this fast-growing area, which they feel is underserved in what they have to offer. While the new location will be twice the size of their current space and offer outdoor seating, the Zuckers say they don’t intend to stray too far from what they know works for them.
Wrightsville Beach market in full swing this year The Wrightsville Beach Farmers’ Market opened earlier this month for its 11th season. Although the market opened a few weeks later than usual due to the pandemic, Market Manager Katie Ryan said it has been very well received so far. “We’ve had a huge turnout,” Ryan said. “I think people like the opportunity to be outdoors, to get local produce and to support small businesses.” The market is held every Monday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the grounds of the Wrightsville Beach Municipal Building, and free parking is available at the field adjacent to the market. This year’s market is set to run through Sept. 28.
New Centre Drive eatery serves smoothies, bowls After many years of working in “corporate America,” husband and wife team Sandi and Brian Royes made the decision last year to be their own bosses.
They have opened Kalethy Living, 4719 New Centre Drive, Unit D, featuring all-natural smoothies, smoothie bowls, acai bowls, and toasts topped with item such as apple butter and granola, strawberries and dark chocolate and peanut butter and bananas. The establishment also serves Costa Rican coffee, hot or cold-brewed, with 100% Arabica beans. While Sandi made smoothies at home almost daily, it wasn’t until they were determined to leave their jobs that the idea came to them. “We cut all our own fruit and freeze it,” Brian Royes said. “Nothing is artificially sweetened, and the only added sweeteners we use are honey or agave syrup.” The African American-owned business offers a 15% discount to all teachers, military personnel, medical personnel and first responders.
New eatery concept on Carolina Beach Road Pirate’s Table Seafood Restaurant has closed after 30 years in business, but owner Joey Russo, who operated the restaurant with his father, Tony, and brother Vincent, plans to open a completely different concept of his own that will serve breakfast and lunch. “I want to thank our customers for their loyalty throughout the years, and I hope they’ll come try J. Russo’s Eatery,” Joey Russo said. J. Russo’s Eatery, which will occupy the revamped space that used to house Pirate’s Table, will feature standard breakfast fare such as eggs, omelets, pancakes and waffles, along with lunch items such as sandwiches, burgers, salads, pasta and the Pirate’s Table’s shrimp and grits. Joey Russo said he had been looking at moving away from seafood for quite a while, noting that seafood can be inconsistent and costly. As for the timing of the closure, Russo said the restaurant never really recovered from Hurricane Florence, and that COVID-19 was the last straw. While he has mixed feelings about the closure, he is excited about reinventing the space, which is located in the Cedar Plaza shopping center on Carolina Beach Road. The center is currently under renovation as well, and Russo said it is being completely revamped and modernized. The restaurant space has been fully renovated, and Russo hopes to open J. Russo’s Eatery by mid-July. -Jessica Maurer
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
July 3 - 16, 2020
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SPECIAL FOCUS: TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
BUSINESS OF LIFE
New eateries still open despite virus BY JESSICA MAURER
D
espite North Carolina’s executive orders that have restricted dine-in service either completely or in some form for three months, the New Hanover County Health Department’s environmental health division has continued to allow new restaurants to open. And while some restaurants have gone out of business and others are still temporarily closed, others are expanding. Robert Pickens, owner of Kornerstone Bistro, announced plans for his second restaurant, Tidewater Oyster Bar, in mid-March, and was able to host a soft opening Memorial Day weekend. “When we first went into this, the pandemic had not yet impacted us locally,” Robert Pickens said. “The legal work was complete and the lease was signed, but we had no idea what the impact was going to be or how long it would go on.” Fortunately for Pickens, construction and preparations continued throughout the quarantine period, and he and his staff were ready to open at the start of phase two. “Our main concern is keeping our staff and customers safe,” Pickens said. “From a business perspective we’re doing everything we can to provide a safe environment.” Located in the former K-Bueno Norte space just across Market Street from Kornerstone, Tidewater Oyster Bar features North Carolina seafood with a nod to the Cajun and Creole cuisines of Louisiana. Pickens said he’s proud to be supporting local shellfish aquaculture, and offer oysters from local farms such as Falling Tide Oyster Co. of Sneads Ferry. The restaurant features locally farmed oysters in classic preparations such as Oysters Rockefeller and Oysters Bienville, po-boys, steamed and fried seafood platters, shrimp creole and seafood gumbo. Tidewater also serves steam pots to go, with red bliss potatoes, corn on the cob, kielbasa, lemon, seasoning and sauces. Pickens said the response so far has been positive. “Fortunately things are really starting to take off,” Pickens said. “We’re just trying to maintain a positive mindset while being mindful of the situation.” Jamie Branda, owner of Floriana
RESTAURANT RO U ND U P PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER
Aiming to serve: Robert Pickens, owner of Kornerstone Bistro, opened a second restaurant, Tidewater Oyster Bar in Porters Neck, during Memorial Day weekend.
Restaurant of Washington, D.C., announced his plans to bring a second Floriana location to downtown Wilmington last December. Following several months of renovations at 2 Market St., Floriana opened at the end of April for curbside pickup and delivery. While it was not the grand opening they had hoped for, Branda and executive chef Daniel Hlusak decided that the time had come to open with a takeout menu. While they were unable to host a traditional friends and family soft opening to introduce themselves to the Port City, Branda said Floriana instead donated over 200 three-course meals to New Hanover Regional Medical Center, as well as firefighters and law enforcement officers, and gave away meals to Facebook followers. “It was not the way we planned it, but we had the tools in place,” Branda said. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in this industry, it’s that if you can’t adapt, you’re not going to thrive.” Branda said the transition to dinein service has gone well, despite only being able to serve at fifty percent
capacity. “As frustrating as it is to not fully open, there is good reason,” Branda said. Floriana Restaurant’s D.C. location was voted into the Top 10 Most Romantic Restaurants in DC for 2015, and the Wilmington location has been designed to follow suit, with balcony tables overlooking the Cape Fear River, as well as three distinct areas of service, a traditional bar area, a lounge that serves small plates and drinks and the formal upstairs dining room. The Italian bistro serves dishes made with seasonal ingredients sourced from local producers and specializes in handmade pasta, steaks, chops and seafood. Branda said it’s impossible for him to fully gauge the financial impact of COVID-19 because as a new restaurant, in a new city, he has no previous sales with which to compare. He said he has been encouraged that the restaurant is already starting to attract some regulars, which he said is a big part of Floriana’s business model. “Comfort and relaxation are hard to come by right now,” Branda said, “and we hope to provide that.”
MORE RESTAURANT OPTIMISM: DOWNTOWN ALIVE The restaurant industry continues to look for ways to improve its economic outlook. In a local effort called Downtown Alive aimed at helping boost restaurant and retailer business in downtown Wilmington, the Wilmington City Council on June 23 approved periodic street closures to allow businesses to expand their capacity outdoors for dining and shopping. WHEN? Through Sept. 7 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday WHERE? Roads closed to vehicles during the times above are Front Street between Chestnut Street to Dock Street and the 100 block of Princess Street. WHY? As a result of the state’s COVID-19 re-opening plan and to help downtown businesses economically recover, the city of Wilmington, in collaboration with the Downtown Business Alliance and Wilmington Downtown Inc., is launching the Downtown Alive event allowing restaurants to expand outdoor seating to safely serve customers (in accordance with the CDC’s social distancing guidelines), according to DBA. “Retailers may be joining in with expanded presence with their products. This program does not allow for social gatherings or loitering. Making a reservation with the participating restaurants is encouraged.”
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July 3 - 16, 2020
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