Driving business RV industry picks up Page 19
August 21 - September 3, 2020 Vol. 21, No. 16
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WEB EXCLUSIVE What’s in store
The latest retailer to fail wilmingtonbiz.com
District C
Training next workforce generation Page 10
More than music
Company makes posters, apparel, more Page 12
PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER
Index Economic Indicators .............................. 3 Technology ............................................. 4 The List .................................................. 5 Hospitality ............................................. 6 In Profile...............................................10 Real Estate..................................... 13-14 Business of Life.............................. 18-19
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Outside the box: Jimmy Gilleece, owner of Jimmy’s at Red Dogs, has found new ways to keep the business open. They have branded clothing and merchandise and started renting electric bicycles for beachgoers to get around town.
HOPING FOR THE
NEXT PHASE
STILL SHUTTERED, BUSINESSES COUNT COSTS, TRY TO ADAPT BY KYLE HANLIN epetition. To sustain, many, if not most businesses, depend on repetition of customer and client behavior. Fitness centers offer memberships in hopes that members will return
R
and put in more, well … reps … in advancement of their health and wellness goals. And, along the way, spend more on classes, protein bars and workout gear. The film industry churns out sequels hoping that moviegoers will buy tickets and to try to replicate the experience of seeing the original. And theater operators hope moviegoers will spend more on popcorn, candy and extra-large sodas. Bars offer drink specials, live entertainment and immersive sports-watching to encourage establishment loyalty and frequent returns. And, along the way, bar
owners hope revelers will spend more on drinks, drinks, drinks and sometimes T-shirts and hats. But on Aug. 7, as part of the state’s continued response to and handling of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Roy Cooper extended Safer at Home Phase 2, the executive order that will keep such businesses shuttered until at least Sept. 11. The announcement was Cooper’s Rocky V; the sequel many never wanted.
WHERE DO WE GO NOW? “About the third or fourth week, we started trying to figure out See PHASE, page 8
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| ECONOMIC INDICATORS | JUNE AIRPORT PASSENGER TRAFFIC
JUNE UNEMPLOYMENT NEW HANOVER JUNE 2020:
PENDER JUNE 2020:
BRUNSWICK JUNE 2020:
UP FROM JUNE 2019:
UP FROM JUNE 2019:
UP FROM JUNE 2019:
3.8%
4.2%
5.2%
JUNE SALES TAX COLLECTION (NEW HANOVER COUNTY)
SALES TAX COLLECTION JUNE 2020
7.6% 6.7% 8.5%
$19,233,638 DOWN FROM SALES TAX COLLECTION JUNE 2019 JUNE 2020 DEPARTURES
10,676
10,584
DOWN FROM JUNE 2019 DEPARTURES
DOWN FROM JUNE 2019 ARRIVALS
50,224 Source: N.C. Department of Commerce
300 300
400K
200 200
100K 50K
2018
$353,001
300K
$329,164
250 250
$320,638
350K
150K
2019
2020
JUNE ROOM OCCUPANCY TAX (NEW HANOVER COUNTY)
$2,063,400
$2,074,156
2019
2020 CVB Source: Wilmington
Commercial
JUNE 2020
100 100
5050 00
6/19
619
7/19
719
8/19
819
9/19
919
10/19
1019
11/19
1119
12/19
1219
1/20
120
2/20
220
3/20
320
4/20
420
5/20
520
6/20
620
Source: Brunswick County Code Administration
COUNTY COVID-19 FUNDS TRI-COUNTY CARES ACT ALLOCATIONS $10M
2020
Residential
150 150
Source: Cape Fear Realtors
2019
Source: N.C. Department of Revenue
MONTHLY BUILDING PERMITS (BRUNSWICK COUNTY)
(SINGLE-FAMILY, TRI-COUNTY AREA)
200K
50,091
Source: Wilmington International Airport
JULY AVERAGE HOME SALES PRICE
250K
$22,399,517
JUNE 2020 ARRIVALS
NEW HANOVER $8,615,592
$8M BRUNSWICK $5,345,571
$6M $4M
PENDER $2,499,872
$2M 0
AVERAGE PRICE PER GALLON FOR REGULAR UNLEADED IN WILMINGTON ON AUGUST 14, 2020:
$1.99 AVERAGE PRICE PER GALLON FOR WILMINGTON ON AUGUST 14, 2019:
$2.46 Source: N.C. Office of State Budget and Management and the N.C. Pandemic Recovery Office
Source: AAA
Page 4
August 21 - September 3, 2020
wilmingtonbiz.com
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
| TECHNOLOGY |
Esports score UNCW courses
W
hile channel surfing, you might have noticed TV channels such as ESPN broadcasting video game sports competitions, particularly more so now as the coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult for traditional sporting events to be held. Esports, or electronic sports, have been around since the 1980s when students at Stanford University played Spacewar in what is believed to be the first esports tournament. Now, the competitions are gaining some official recognition in the region through two new programs at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. New this fall semester, UNCW has introduced two esports certificate programs: a graduate certificate in eSports Performance, ManJOHANNA agement and Leadership and undergraduate certificate in eSports Performance and Management. The programs, part of the Watson School of Education, are overseen by Ray Pastore, the program’s coordinator and assistant professor at the university. The idea to start the programs arose out of the growing popularity of esports at UNCW, he said. “I’ve been involved in competitive gaming for a number of years. It was something that I was interested in, and we had started esports on campus about a year ago, holding competitions,” Pastore said. “We have teams that compete against other universities and it’s growing very rapidly, and we have a number of students that want to work in the field and are interested in all the careers that esports offers.” He added,“We’re offering a place for them to officially get the experience that they need to build a portfolio so they can to go out and get a job in the field.” The programs are designed for professionals interested in a career in esports, K-12 educators looking to start an esports program in their school or district and UNCW students who are interested in gaming, streaming and exploring esports career options. The program is the first of its kind in North Carolina and among the
CANO
INFO J U N K I E April Scott Director of Small Business Center at Brunswick Community College
PHOTO C/O UNCW
Spectator sport: University of North Carolina Wilmington students watch and learn about electronic sports during a campus event.
first in the nation, according to the university. “We worked with students who have been working in the field. We worked with students who have been fulfilling leadership roles in esports,” Pastore said. “We worked with a professional esports team, and we also looked at the few curriculums that are out there in the field and basically between all of that and the research … [we put it] together into a standard curriculum.” The courses in the programs are focused on different skill sets involved in esports. There is a course on streaming for students interested in shoutcasting (or commentating), broadcasting or streaming esports on Twitch or becoming a YouTuber; a course on coaching and managing a sports team; and another on writing proposals and managing esports events that includes learning about building an arena and the technology involved, among other courses. Pastore said the goal of the program is for students to build a portfolio and get experience in the emerging field. “They’re learning the skills and practicing them as they go because they are going to help us run tournaments, build programs and secure funding. They’re not only going to learn how to do it, they’re going to do it for live events,” he said. “That’s going to help them when they go out to try to get a job in the field, they’re going to have real professional experience.” Classes started at UNCW earlier
this month; the esports courses were largely unaffected by distancing and safety measures set to help stop the spread of the coronavirus because they were already designed to be 100% online. The UNCW esports certificate program has also partnered with the N.C. Azalea Festival to host a Minecraft competition, open to all ages, where participants can build a float and send a picture to enter the contest by Aug. 31. Pastore said this partnership is a way for esports to engage with the community. “We’re really trying to build a community base of esports in North Carolina and partnering with organizations like the Azalea Festival to hold a tournament is awesome and something we really want to be a part of,” he said. While the coronavirus pandemic has halted many sporting events throughout the world, it might cause esports to become more mainstream. “With an audience that’s typically used to watching something, this is what they’re going to turn to because esports is still happening,” he said. Students looking to get into the esports field will one day have jobs currently being created today in a field that is growing, he said. “We would love in the future,” Pastore said, “to have varsity teams, compete against the other big universities that are doing the same thing and really grow esports within Southeastern North Carolina to be known, at least within the East Coast, as a place where esports is very popular.”
Newspapers and magazines Scott regularly reads for work or pleasure include Business North Carolina, WILMA magazine, Greater Wilmington Business Journal and National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship. Favorite websites and blogs include Pinterest and GrantStation. “I love the inspiration Pinterest provides for projects, recipes and new techniques,” she said. “I have found myself a frequent flyer of the software Grant Station which gives me information on available grants.” The Food Network is Scott’s favorite channel. “I love trying new recipes, learning how to use fresh herbs, and lately I'm taking an interest in grilling.” Scott has recently set up movie nights in her neighborhood. “I'm a fan of the movie theater and because we have not been able to visit theaters, I set up movie nights on my cul-de-sac, which my neighbors seem to love,” Scott said. “We all bring our own chairs, snacks and enjoy a movie while practicing social distancing.” One favorite read is Essence “Recent issues of Essence magazine have done a great job providing tips and useful information on how to stay healthy physically and mentally during this isolating time,” Scott said. “I've also read its great articles related to small businesses, grant opportunities, ways to stay engaged with your clients.” Find Scott on LinkedIn at linkedin. com/in/aprilscottmba
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Page 5
| THE LIST |
Event Facilities
Ranked by total square feet of meeting space (based on pre-COVID-19 levels; call venue or check latest coronavirus executive orders) FACILITY ADDRESS PHONE WEBSITE RANK EMAIL
1 2 3 4 5
5
7 8 9 10 10 12 13
TOTAL SQUARE FEET OF MEETING SPACE/ SEATING CAPACITY
SQUARE FEET OF LARGEST ROOM/ TOTAL NO. OF ROOMS/ FACILITIES RATE/RATE STRUCTURE
75,000 3,640
30,173 16 Varies
52,000 1,500
15,000 2 Fees info: bccowa.com/auditorium-rentals.html
Wilmington Convention Center 10 Convention Center Drive Wilmington, NC 28401 251-5101 www.wilmingtonconventions.com etricarico@wilmingtonconventions.com Brunswick Community College Odell Williamson Auditorium 150 College Road NE Bolivia, NC 28422 755-7416 BCCOWA.com ddboyd@bccowa.com NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher 900 Loggerhead Road Kure Beach, NC 28449 772-0500 www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher ffmail@ncaquariums.com Hotel Ballast 301 N. Water St. Wilmington, NC 28401 343-6164 www.hotelballast.com karenf@wilmingtonhilton.com The Village at River Landing 110 River Village Place Wallace, NC 28466 285-1487 www.riverlanding.com sfussell@murfam.com Wilson Center at CFCC 703 N. Third St. Wilmington, NC 28401 910-362-7999 www.wilsoncentertickets.com tickets@wilsoncentertickets.com Brooklyn Arts Center and The Annex 516 N. Fourth St. Wilmington, NC 28401 538-2939 www.brooklynartsnc.com rich@brooklynartsnc.com Country Club Of Landfall 800 Sun Runner Place Wilmington, NC 28405 256-8411 countrycluboflandfall.com info@countrycluboflandfall.com Bald Head Island Club 1 Saltmeadow Trail Bald Head Island, NC 28461 457-7300 www.bhiclub.net kjoaquin@bhiclub.net Cameron Art Museum 3201 S. 17th St. Wilmington, NC 28412 395-5999 cameronartmuseum.org/events sscarborough@cameronartmuseum.org The Terraces on Sir Tyler 1826 Sir Tyler Drive Wilmington, NC 28405 473-5550 www.terracesonsirtyler.com events@terracesonsirtyler.com Ironclad Brewery 115 N. Second St. Wilmington, NC 28401 769-0290 www.ironcladbrewery.com Rachel.Flecke@ironcladbrewery.com The Burney Center at UNCW 601 S. College Road Wilmington, NC 28403 962-4150 uncw.edu/campuslife/services/ burneycenter.html clconferences@uncw.edu
List is based on voluntary responses to a Business Journal survey.
48,000 350
TYPE OF SPACE/ CATERING SERVICES OFFERED/ NO. OF PARKING SPACES
Exhibit hall, grand ballroom, meeting rooms, Loading dock and drive-on access; catering and event lawn, concourses concessions; AV in-house vendor; PA system; Full in-house catering and concessions house sound; attached parking deck, 11,000 SF 258 exterior event space along river
5,760 17 Call for pricing
20,000 450
5,250 10 $100-$2,500 depending on day of week, room and time slot
20,000 1,559
22,000 1 in performance area (three combos: main hall only/lobby only/main hall and lobby) Rate info: rentals@wilsoncentertickets.com or wilsoncentertickets.com/rentals
Performing arts center External caterers 1,200
15,000 400
4,500 5 Call for pricing
131-year-old, repurposed church with 60-foot cathedral ceilings and the original, refurbished,1910, two-story brick schoolhouse Outside catering
13,000 600
4,700 5 Room rates vary
Private event space Full service 225
10,441 250
2,955 2 Call for pricing
10,000 200
4,000 5 Depends on space needed, date/time of use; Saturdays and Sundays are full-day rentals
9,600 300
5,000 Upstairs and downstairs For private events the booking fee is based on day of the week.
9,300 1,000
9,300 3 Rate ranges from $578-$3,210; four-hour rental blocks
Danielle Graves Director, OWA and campus events
1993
Hap Fatzinger Aquarium Director Keely Beard Special Events Coordinator
1976
Kevin Brockway General Manager Karen Morganti Director of Sales
1969
Hotel, executive clubhouse suites, golf cottages, two golf courses, two restaurants and two bars
Larry George Director of Hospitality Tabatha Walsh Director of Sales
1996
Contact Rental Coordinator for more info
Shane Fernando Vice President of Advancement & The Arts Katie Solinski LaRaisha Dionne Rental Coordinator Dir. of Ops. for Performing Space(s)/Lobby
2015
Church manse and large private courtyard
Richard Leder Executive Director
2011
Access to golf on conditional basis
Jessi Reutter General Manager Megan Cassiere Private Events Director
1999
David Sawyer General Manager Kelsey Joaquin Event coordinator
1987
Child care for after-hour events, touch pool rental for after-hour events, behind-the-scenes tours during daytime rentals, dive demos
Ballroom and outdoor terrace golf course, croquet courts, tennis Fully-staffed kitchen, exclusive provider of all World-class courts, outdoor pool and recreation center, food and beverages fitness center
2,295 Reception room, cafe area and conference 4 room, plus outdoor courtyard Weddings, meetings, receptions, holiday parties, Full service in-house cafe provides catering. private dinners and more are available options. Full bar packages available. Call for pricing; hourly rates are available 100
10,000 300
2010
Grand ballroom, executive boardroom, center, business center, complimentary meeting and banquet style settings, hospitality Fitness airport shuttle, outdoor pool, Board & Barrel room, Riverview terrace and bridal suite Coastal Kitchen, Buffalo Bayou, Ruth's Chris Full-service catering Steakhouse, valet parking 191 Board room, ballrooms, outdoor spaces, tournament hosting also available Yes 600
Ballroom, rooftop terraces, bridal suite, classroom and conference room. No 121
Anne Brennan Executive Director Tours of two exhibition wings, 9.4-acre park, Sabrina Scarborough modern architecture Food and Beverage Director
1962
Stage and prep kitchen, tables and chairs included; custom layout and set-up of tables and chairs; covered service entrance with elevators
Dayma Edwards Director of Meetings and Events
2011
Rachel Flecke General Manager
2014
Amelie Brogden Dir. Conferences, Events and Reservations Steph Barry Assist. Dir. of Conferences
2007
Originally built in 1925 and restored in 2014; brick walls, wood ceiling and warm lighting; city parking garage directly across the street Located in historic downtown Wilmington; onSelect preferred caterer or Ironclad can make site brewery, multiple bars and serving staff recommendations
Divisible conference center, meeting room, banquet hall Campus provider Aramark 75
GENERAL MANAGER/ YEAR SALES DIRECTOR FOUNDED
Fredia Brady General Manager
Proscenium stage, two separate event spaces No 890
22,000 Meeting (during business hours and 10 auditorium after hours) and banquet (among Conference room: $50 per hour plus $7 per exhibits after hours) person; classroom, auditorium, exotic aquatics None gallery, lower Cape Fear Shoals, other rooms and 227 entire aquarium also available
22,500 550
OTHER AMENITIES
Wifi, ceiling-mount HD projectors, robotic lighting
Page 6
August 21 - September 3, 2020
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Greater Wilmington Business Journal
| HOSPITALITY |
Local museums fear closure BY LAURA MOORE ov. Roy Cooper’s recent announcement of the extended phase two shutdown meant keeping the doors of local museums closed for another five weeks. According to a recent survey from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), one-third of all museums in the United States may face closure because of the COVID-19 crisis. Locally, these museums have lost five months of earned income during their busiest season, leading museum directors to wonder how the bills will be paid. Now local museum officials are rallying together to reach out to the community with the hope of receiving a lifeline to survive this challenging time. “We have lost all of our income streams during the busiest time of year when we are used to drawing thousands of tourists to our area and we are closed. We are losing at least $50,000 a month,” said Heather Wilson, deputy director of Cameron Art Museum. Wilson explained that it’s a dire situation for these organizations, and with “no real clear path to us for city or county funding,” Wilson is anxious to raise awareness. “Join and become a member; make a donation; share on social media. There is a lot of talk about bars and gyms not being open, but local museums are also closed,” Wilson said. “They are important to who we are in this region.” “The tapestry of who we are as a country, our history and our diversity will be gone,” if museums are not protected, said Holli Saperstein, executive director of the Wilmington Railroad Museum. The Railroad Museum has invested time and money into making necessary changes to encourage social distancing and sanitation. With the help of volunteers who happen to be electrical engineers, they replaced many of the buttons in their interactive Children’s Hall with foot pedals. While their doors remain closed, Saperstein encourages the community to “trust that we are doing everything in our power to continue to make [the Railroad Museum] a safe and wonderful place to visit, and I really hope for their patronage when we reopen.” In addition, Saperstein suggests purchasing a membership that will begin when they reopen, making any possible donation and reaching out
G
PHOTO C/O WILMINGTON RAILROAD MUSEUM
Trying to chug along: The Wilmington Railroad Museum has invested time and money into making necessary changes to encourage social distancing and sanitation if it is able to reopen.
to local representatives to encourage financial support. “We don’t want to fall through the cracks,” Saperstein said. “Culture is suffering.”
A SNAPSHOT OF MUSEUM IMPACTS CAMERON ART MUSEUM Revenue normally per year: $800,000 Revenue loss because of COVID: At least $300,000 Funding sources: “CAM’s income is 33% earned income, 53% contributions and 14% endowment income,” according to deputy director Heather Wilson. Impacts this year: “We have cancelled classes, programs, summer camps, a music series and fundraisers. We have closed our cafe and shop. The organizations that rely on us for facility rental space cannot use our facility. We have rescheduled the installation of the United States Colored Troops Public Sculpture Project. Our exhibition schedule has been drastically altered due to the inability to exhibit work to the public. Loan fees [a growing source of earned income] also are impacted because we are not able to loan art to other institutions." Have you had to lay off staff or eliminate staff positions? “We have had to lay off 75% of our staff. Most of these positions are part time, but many are also full time. The majority of the full-time positions have currently been restored due to qualification for a PPP loan. The sustainability of these
positions remains perilous.” Have there been positives from this pandemic? “We have an incredible community that has really rallied around us by supporting our virtual programs and contributing financially.”
are a wonderful team.” What are you offering the community currently? “We have stayed in touch via social media with videos, updates, railroad facts, antique photos from our archive and bimonthly storytime.”
WILMINGTON RAILROAD MUSEUM
THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF WILMINGTON
Revenue normally per year: $180,000 Revenue loss because of COVID: $135,000 Funding sources: “95% of our funding comes from our visitors paying admission or joining us as a member. The other 5% comes from small grants for projects and donations from the public including our Holiday Light Show,” said executive director Holli Saperstein. Plans going forward: “We are doing everything in our power to look for ways to get through this. Some programs that aid small businesses, such as grants and even loans, nonprofits are not eligible for so we are excluded from that help. We do not own our own building so we need to look for assistance for covering the rent expense. We are not funded by the city, county or state, so we cannot look to those resources. Without new and additional assistance, we face a great deal of uncertainty. We rely on our visitors and they can’t be here with us until Phase 3.” Have you had to lay off staff or eliminate positions? “Sadly, yes. We have had to lay off everyone who worked with me. I can’t wait to be able to bring them back. They
Revenue normally per year: $660,000 Revenue loss because of COVID: $185,000 Funding sources: Executive director James Karl broke down the numbers: 29% admission, 23% events/fundraisers, 17% development and donations, 16% grants, 10% membership sales, 5% camps/birthday parties/field trips Impacts this year: “We have been forced to delay or cancel our three primary fundraisers; collectively they account for over $135,000 or 20% of our income,” said Karl. “We need the community to support the planned ‘virtual’ and in-person elements of some of these [rescheduled] events or we will most certainly have difficulty continuing to do business.” Have you had to lay off staff or eliminate positions? “Most part-time positions were furloughed. Our limited full-time, and several part-time, resources were retained. This was possibly due to PPP funding we received. However, at this point that has been exhausted, and we are forced to use loan funds to keep some fundraising support going.” - Shea Carver
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Greater Wilmington Business Journal
WILMA’S
WOMEN WATCH AWARDS
2020 FINALISTS • WILMA’s annual awards celebrate the
women making an impact in their fields. Read more about this year’s finalists in our October issue and keep an eye on our website next month to find out the category winners.
ARTS
EDUCATION
M AU RE E N F E RGUS ON LEWIS
JA I M E C H A DWI C K
Founder, A Brilliant Cause LLC / Founder, Carolina Beach Mural Project
J EN EA N L ACORTE
Para Medical Tattoo Artist, Restorative Tattoos
F ID IA S R E Y E S
Director of Arts Engagement, UNCW’s Office of the Arts
J ES SIE ROBE RTS ON
SA B R I N A H I L L - B L AC K
Principal, D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy
J E N N IF E R M CB R ID E
Artist, Kirah Fine Art
BUSINESS
HEALTH
A LI S ON D U P R A B R I E N
GR AC E C A L DWE L L
LI SA L E AT H
President and Founder, Leath HR Group / WorkTok
DA NI E L L E M A H ON Founder, Topsail Steamer
K E LLY S T UA RT
Broker / Realtor, Carolinas Commercial Real Estate Team with Intracoastal Realty Corporation
EL I Z AB ET H CO OPER Director of El Cuerpo, Christ Community Church
K RYS T I N A F U G E
Philanthropist, Volunteer, Entrepreneur and Committee Lead, Pink Ribbon Project at the NHRMC Foundation
L I LY N I COL E
Group Organizer, lowercase leaders
R EB EC C A T R A M M EL Executive Director, Champions for Compassion
SAR AH A RT H U R
Coordinator of the Center for Workforce Development, UNCW CHHS
K I R A H VA N S IC K L E
Engineering Manager, Stability, and Radiological Analysis, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
Board Chair, DREAMS Center for Arts Education / President, Kingdom Colors Home Education Community
T IF FA N Y E R I C H S E N
H EATHE R WIL S ON
S HAWN L A M B
L ATOI A B ROWN
PUBLIC SERVICE
Artist, Frogs and Friends / Student, UNCW
Technical Program Manager, Apiture
NONPROFIT / VOLUNTEER
Baking and Pastry Arts Program Director, CFCC
Assistant Vice President of Instructional Operations, CFCC
Deputy Director, Cameron Art Museum
August 21 - September 3, 2020
Founder, The Joy Project
L IN DY F O R D
President, Lindy Ford Nutrition & Wellness
K E R RY L A M B
Administrator for Neurosciences, NHRMC
T R ACY SA I E E D
Coordinator of Volunteers/Gifts Shops/ Community Outreach, Pender Memorial Hospital / NHRMC
E L S IE S H I E L D S
Founder and President, Always Good Company Home Care Inc.
Community Engagement Manager, NHRMC
L I SA B ROW N
Public Health Preparedness Coordinator, New Hanover County
A M I D ’A M B RO S I O
Youth Violence Intervention Specialist, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office
TA M I E K EEL
Facility Manager, Wilmington International Airport
M ARY RU DY K
Chief of Staff, Geriatrician, NHRMC
RISING STAR J ES S I C A AG U I L A R
Pender County Coordinator, Juntos 4-H
J U L I E A N D R EWS
Marketing Manager, Logan Homes
AU N I K A B ROWN E Executive Director, U.S. International Ballet
AS T R I D K EU S S EYAN
Laboratory Manager of Pre-Analytical and Client Services,NHRMC
J O R EY S TAN L EY
Museum Educator, Cape Fear Museum
Page 7
Page 8
August 21 - September 3, 2020
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Greater Wilmington Business Journal
| 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 ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Judy Budd jbudd@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 SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Craig Snow csnow@wilmingtonbiz.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Ali Buckley abuckley@wilmingtonbiz.com OFFICE & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Sandy Johnson KEN sjohnson@wilmingtonbiz.com
LITTLE
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From PHASE, page 1
something else to do,” said Jimmy Gilleece, owner of Jimmy’s at Red Dogs in Wrightsville Beach. “Our windows fold down, so we started selling to-go beer and T-shirts, and the community came out big time and started buying T-shirts. “We put in an outrageous amount of orders for T-shirts, hoodies – anything you can think of, and we’re still doing that today. But it still wasn’t enough, so we had to think about something else.” That something else led Gilleece to take on a project he had long considered. “We decided to start the Jimmy’s Mobile Bar Service,” said Gilleece. “I searched for a horse trailer, found one, bought it and, like anything else, to get it right and nice enough to do weddings and stuff was going to take a lot of time and money. But I had put some aside so we have that, and it’s been in the works for a couple of months.” To complement the short-term business of selling T-shirts and other Jimmy’s at Red Dogs memorabilia while the trailer is being outfitted, another idea of Gilleece’s took shape. “We bought a bunch of electric bikes,” said Gilleece. “We’re going to start renting them out of Jimmy’s – hourly, daily, weekly. People rent a house in Wrightsville Beach, and with the parking situation, you want to be able to get in your rental place and never get back in your car until you leave. These bikes kind of allow that. They’re pretty cool once you get on them. They turn you into Lance Armstrong immediately.” For the fitness industry, having gym doors locked is resulting in tremendous losses. “We are doing virtual personal training, which is great for our trainers and it also helps the company a little bit,” said Doug Warf, president of MDO Holdings, which owns O2 Fitness with four locations in Wilmington. “We are trying to continue to push our virtual group fitness classes, which is really a loss to us, but it’s a gain to our membership base, and that’s the way we want to see it. Those somewhat neutralize each other,” Warf added. Interviewed in early August, Warf said, “It is hard for us, when you can’t have your members inside the clubs right now and you can’t draft them for their membership, to make significant amounts of money. And
even what we make on virtual personal training, we are still at a 90% loss on year-over-year revenue. It is a challenging thing to do.”
DIGGING A DEEPER AND DEEPER HOLE
Cooper’s recent announcement moved the goalpost for potential reopening of bars, gyms and theaters to Sept. 11. But there are no guarantees that state leadership will elect to make changes anytime soon. “I had very little hope that we would go to Phase 3 [on Aug. 7],” said Gilleece. “From the get-go we were thrown off because it was supposed to be two weeks. That turned into three weeks, and we were supposed to be part of Phase 2. We ordered beer for Phase 2. We ordered supplies. We had meetings about safety with our employees. We were ready to go, and then we were heartbroken that we weren’t included. “We thought it might be another few weeks, and it’s turned into more than 150 days. I don’t see any end in the future. I think it will go past the elections.” A major source of frustration for Gilleece was that other establishments similar to his were permitted to reopen under Phase 2. “I don’t think it’s any one person’s decision to pick winners and losers,” says Gilleece. “What really set me off was strip clubs being open. “I have no problem closing the bar down. I have no problem that that decision has been made, but I just feel that it needs to be across the board. If you’re going to close bars, you close them all. You don’t let a bar open that serves hot dogs until 10 and then stops serving food but stays open serving drinks until 2,” he added. Such disparities are not relegated to establishments that serve alcohol. In May, O2 Fitness banded together with Planet Fitness, Orange Theory, TrueFitGym and Crunch Fitness to form Fitness Operators for Responsible Reopening (FORR). Thus far, the coalition’s efforts to get the state’s official go-ahead to reopen its operations in North Carolina have not come to fruition, but Warf is confident the companies’ facilities can open safely. “The state has put out their guidance for gym operators who are servicing medically-necessary clients right now, and they have told us that they are not changing that guidance,” said Warf. Warf added, “I think everyone in our coalition will go further than the
state’s guidelines. The five gyms O2 Fitness has open in South Carolina – we are much deeper than what the state guidelines are. We cap at 25% capacity. Every person who comes in gets their own individual sanitation spray for the equipment. Masks are mandatory inside of our clubs. We close midday and do a fogging, so we do a full sanitation fogging twice a day, once in the middle of the day and once at closing. “All of those pieces will be in place in North Carolina.” As of press time, 47 states had reopened fitness centers in some capacity. “There is no data that the virus is transmitted any more in a gym than anywhere else,” said Warf.
SOME REOPEN ANYWAY, OTHERS PLAN
In Wilmington, local Planet Fitness locations announced earlier this month that they had reopened to members in the area. Three Planet Fitness locations joined other smaller area gyms, such as Anytime Fitness, TF Fitness + Nutrition and Axis Fitness, which reopened in June following a letter released by the attorney general’s office that indicated gyms could be open to members whose medical providers have directed them to exercise. Dale Coleman, vice president of Charlotte-based Stone Theatres, which owns and operates The Pointe 14 movie theater in midtown Wilmington, said he feels theaters, like gyms, have a leg up on establishments already allowed to open under Phase 2. “We certainly understand the governor’s concerns and very deliberate actions to keeping North Carolinians safe,” he said. “We truly believe that movie theaters, with all of our planning, the comprehensive reconfiguring and restructuring of our theaters and auditoriums, that we can keep our guests and our employees as safe or safer than restaurants or other retail establishments.” Gilleece said he hopes that by the time the governor’s current order expires Sept. 11, that Jimmy’s can reopen in some form. “I would be happy with 25% occupancy,” said Gilleece. “I would be fine closing at 11 p.m. We would probably lose half of our revenue, but if the goal was to stay safe, we could stay just as safe as a restaurant.”
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| ACHIEVERS | Send information about company hires, promotions or awards to editor@wilmingtonbiz.com
Thompson named chief diversity and equity officer LINDA THOMPSON has been named New Hanover County’s chief diversity and equity officer. She will begin her new role within the county’s newly established Office of Diversity and Equity on Aug. 25. Thompson The county’s Office of Diversity and Equity aims to support diversity, inclusion, fairness, and respect, officials said. Thompson has served as the public affairs officer for the Wilmington Police Department, where she coordinated media relations and public communications, as well as provided staff support for the department’s chief of police. Thompson was recently named as the diversity and inclusion officer for the police department. She has worked with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Division. Thompson is a certified implicit bias trainer and holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
New officers named to Smart Start board Smart Start of New Hanover County Board of Directors has named its new officers for the 202021 fiscal year. The new officers are MEREDITH JONES of the University of North Carolina Wilmington Watson College of Education (president), DIANE PAPPAYLIOU of Butler Snow LLP (vice president), BETTY CLARK of Noah’s Ark Children’s Center (treasurer) and CRAIG KELLY, a youth violence intervention specialist with New Hanover County (secretary).
Pathfinder hires John Lohse as portfolio analyst
Lohse
Pathfinder Wealth Consulting has hired JOHN LOHSE, who joins the team as a portfolio analyst. Lohse’s role will focus on the firm’s investment process.
He will assist with “asset allocation decisions, investment selection and portfolio construction, monitoring existing investments, and seeking new opportunities and strategies,” stated a news release. Before joining Pathfinder, Lohse worked at an alternative investment firm in New York City. Lohse is a CFA charter holder, a credential in the investment management industry. He is also a member of the New York CFA society. Lohse is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 2011.
Anna Ray-Smith joins Cucalorus Festival The Cucalous Film Foundation has named ANNA RAY-SMITH as programming coordinator. She will support the foundation’s programming department, mainRay-Smith taining relationships with filmmakers, artists and others who present during the Cucarlorus Festival in November and other Cucalorus events. Ray-Smith spent more than two years teaching English and North American culture in Spain. She also produced two short films in Madrid. She earned a bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University and a master’s degree from the School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Brunswick BID Names new board chair, officers Brunswick Business and Industry Development Board of Directors has named KRIS WARD, residential development and special projects manager with ATMC, as chair. Ward replaces outgoing chair Ward Jason McLeod, who has served the board for the past three years. Other Brunswick BID officers are: ALLEN BRYANT, senior vice president and marketing director with First Citizens Bank (vice chair); DENNIS EWALD, founder of Red Eagle Consulting (secretary); and EVAN GORE, senior vice president and market president with Truist Financial Corp. (treasurer).
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| IN PROFILE | Gaining real-world business experience BY SHEA CARVER ur modern world is an ever-evolving place to navigate. Since the 1980s, the digital era has seen automation techniques and computer programming redefine the global workforce. Yet, proper human training hasn’t adapted with it. According to a Gallup survey, business leaders found only 11% of college graduates have the necessary skills to work in the modern world. District C is hoping to elevate those numbers. Founded by former teachers and husband-and-wife team Dan Gonzalez and Anne Jones, District C launched in the Triangle of North Carolina in 2017. The nonprofit gives middle- and high-school students an opportunity to participate in a one-week intensive that allows them to problem-solve real issues that regional companies face. They focus on team-based strengths, with the help of school districts, coworking spaces, nonprofits, companies and advocates coaching and helping students. To date District C has trained more than 600 students with the help of 90 coaches. “Preparing the next generation is the education challenge of our time,” Gonzalez said. “We founded District C to meet this challenge.” Part of the nonprofit’s mission is to expand and combine efforts with resources that share some of District C’s goals. Wilmington’s nonprofit Cape Fear Collective (CFC) meets those standards by working with data scientists, journalists, strategists and the like to impact areas of social progress within economics, health, human services, climate change and housing. With the help of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce and RTI International, CFC recently launched Cape Fear Talent Survey, which addresses 500 businesses to help define workforce development needs over the next several years. Together, CFC and District C have joined forces to create their first regional alliance, District C Cape Fear. “We will use the Cape Fear Talent data to inform future District C Cape Fear business partnerships to the extent where we can work with employers in the industries that have growing talent needs and are interested in engaging earlier in the
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PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER
In training: Meaghan Lewis, director of programs for Cape Fear Collective, leads virtual training for high school students.
talent pipeline,” said CFC director of programs Meaghan Lewis. District C Cape Fear began its first Wilmington weeklong intensive Aug. 10-15. In conglomeration with New Hanover County Schools and UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, it chose 15 rising juniors and seniors to participate. Students gathered daily via Zoom with teammates, mentors and District C Cape Fear coaches, including Lewis and Kevin Maurer, CFC’s director of community engagement. Students had to devise pitches to assess problems presented from two local companies: Live Oak Bank and Cape Fear Public Utility Authority. Live Oak asked for ideas on programs that would encourage employees to make conscientious health decisions for long-term well-being, which in turn would help keep health care costs lower for the company. Cape Fear Public Utility Authority wanted proposals on how to educate youth on the company’s work toward protecting local water resources and limiting its aftereffects on climate change. Four squads were hammered out, with two each assigned to the com-
pany in order to give contrasting approaches to the problems. Squads consisted of a mix of kids from different schools, all bringing talents from assorted backgrounds and cultural experiences. “This creates the right context for learning to leverage the power of difference,” Gonzalez said. “The best ideas are informed by unique perspectives.” Throughout the first four days, squads interviewed company executives about needs and protocols already in place to inform their presentation. Teams learned firsthand how to apply their strengths in research, public speaking, teamwork and creative strategy to understand how to succeed in the workforce today. Seventeen-year-old Mikenzie Wallace, from Southeast Area Technical High School, learned to dig deep during the interview process. “It is not all about checking off a list of questions,” she said. “It is about getting a deeper understanding of the knowledge from the guest speaker.” They also experienced the rewards of sticking to agendas and following through on key talking points for which company executives addressed. “I have used an agenda before
but not as confined and tight as the ones we used during C Squad,” said 17-year-old Anina Parker from New Hanover High School. At the end of the week, students pitched their ideas to representatives from Live Oak and CFPUA. The executives were then able to give feedback to students. “Pitches are more workshopping ideas than what you see on Shark Tank,” Maurer explained to community members who tuned in on Aug. 15 via Zoom. During the Live Oak pitch, the first squad presented accessible, less stigmatized mental health services for employees. The second squad suggested incentivizing fitness programs for workers to utilize infrastructure, like the bank’s on-site gym, already in place. “You’re speaking my language – I love incentive programs,” said Micah Davis, chief marketing officer for Live Oak, after the pitch. The District C Cape Fear model is being taught to 14 teachers and local organizational leaders. Gonzales said, “The more coaches trained in our region means more students getting a District C experience.”
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Actionable Information
Wilmington’s Key to Business Intelligence WilminGton B iz 2 0 2 0 r e s i d e n t i a l r e a l e s tat e i s s u e
Planting roots
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Closing up shop
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Cheers for causes
The social side of philanthropy
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Index
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Banking & Finance ................................ 4 The List .....................................5, 14, 15 Health Care .......................................... 6 Economic Development ........................ 8 In Profile ............................................... 9 Real Estate ................................... 10-12 Business of Life ............................. 18-19
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2020
Preparing for takeoff: Julie Wilsey, director of the Wilmington International Airport, stands outside the facility where an expansion is set to take place over the next few years to accommodate growth.
ILM’S NEXT FLIGHT PLAN
BY CHRISTINA HALEY O’NEAL anding a third carrier and new flights at the Wilmington International Airport triggered unprecedented growth in passenger traffic last year. The new additions came as the airport embarks on its $60 million expansion that will increase ILM’s ability to handle more travelers in the coming years. Just over 934,000 passengers flew through the airport in 2018, 12 percent more than the previous year’s record. And that was despite a winter storm last January, a series of flight cancellations in the summer because of PSA Airlines’ technical issues nationwide and major disruption due to Hurricane Florence in September. Officials are now eyeing a milestone mark this year. “One million is an exciting number for us,” Airport Director Julie Wilsey said. “As we get closer, or break that 1 million passenger mark, it opens a lot of opportunities for ILM.” ILM wants to grow the airport but at the same time maintain that small-town, Southern charm that it has been known for, said Gary Broughton, the airport’s deputy director.
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“Our growth has been well thought out,” he said. Pushing the airport expansion forward is the biggest focus for ILM officials in 2019, with construction underway over several contracts between now and 2022. The airport is expected to grow from 95,000 square feet to more than 173,000 square feet, based on the most recent designs, and would be able to accommodate an estimated 705,000 outbound passengers a year, when the expansion is complete. There are times at ILM now when areas of the airport are reaching capacity, Wilsey said. “We need to get the building expanded so we can support more services and more passengers as the airport grows,” Wilsey said. And as ILM gains more travelers and more capacity, possibilities open up for the regional airport. That includes employing more people. Currently, there are about 480 people working there, 50 of whom are ILM staff, Broughton said. ILM will need to hire more help in the future, but just how much help is still being determined, he said. Airport officials continue in 2019 to market for addi-
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“Fun Fact: There’s a Cadillac in the Cape Fear” by Heather Divoky
THIS YEAR’S REAL ESTATE TRENDS
Page 12
MADE
Great Goods from Greater Wilmington
MADE Great Goods from Greater Wilmington
MUSIC’S POSTER CHILD T. SHAW DESIGNS LLC
Products made locally: Handpulled screen-printed posters, art prints and apparel Product distribution: Event posters are commissioned and purchased wholesale by a band’s or musician’s management; artist edition concert posters are sold online at tshawdesigns.com once the shows have passed. Art prints are sold on the website, as well as in some art galleries around
What’s your target market? Shaw: “My target market for silkscreened posters are national touring musicians that draw crowds of 750-10,000 people and their fans, and I’ve established a following for my art prints both locally and internationally through social media. My graphic
No. of employees: 1 Year founded: 2015 Top local official: Tom Shaw, owner/operator Company description: T. Shaw Designs LLC is a graphic design and artistry firm that offers silkscreened artwork, event posters, apparel and merchandise items, as well as marketing, branding and advertising services to corporate and music industry clients.
Art business: Tom Shaw stands at his home printing shop where he creates and prints poster artwork.
Wilmington.
What made the company decide to make its goods locally? Tom Shaw: “The concert posters and art prints are made locally by default, as I design and print them in my home studio in Porters Neck. I recently launched a line of clothing with the end goal of keeping money in Wilmington and benefitting a local charity. #WilmingtonStrong Apparel items are designed by me, printed locally at Wahoo Screen Graphix and sold in local retailers. A portion of the proceeds go to NourishNC, a nonprofit that feeds underprivileged children of New Hanover County.”
Wilmington
PHOTO BY KEVIN TITUS PHOTO
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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August 21 - September 3, 2020
design services cater to small/ medium-sized businesses, bands and concert/music festival promoters; primarily those in need of assistance with brand development, advertising and social media marketing.”
What’s planned next? Shaw: “#WilmingtonStrong Apparel will be expanding into more retail locations including an online store and offering additional merchandise items in the fall. I am in the process of curating a team of creative professionals to expand my marketing and advertising services to include professional photography, videography, SEO, custom website design and more. Once the live music industry makes its comeback, I’ll get back to designing and printing concert posters for shows at Greenfield Lake and beyond.” EDITOR’S NOTE: To be considered for the Greater Wilmington Business Journal’s MADE feature, contact editor@ wilmingtonbiz.com.
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| REAL ESTATE |
A home office with a beach view BY CECE NUNN or Alan Clarke, looking at the beach beats looking at a parking lot by far. The Atlanta resident and his spouse, Jeffery Brown, stayed at their North Topsail Beach house for 13 weeks at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Clarke, an attorney at Taylor English Duma LLP in Atlanta, said, “It came about because my office said to stay home unless you absolutely have to be in the office. There are 200 attorneys in my firm, and I didn’t see any need to be there. “I’m closing in on 60 and have slight asthma. I don’t want to be around all that so if I have the choice between being in Atlanta and working and being in North Topsail and working, I’m going to take North Topsail every time.” Some owners, like Clarke, have chosen at various times to stay at their beach houses that are normally rented out to vacationers, while other rentals are occupied by renters who are working and vacationing at the same time. Sandi Monroe, marketing director of Surf City-based Ward Realty, said “What we’re finding is that so many people had travel plans to go all over the place, and they’ve been canceled. Even my husband and I were going to go to Greece in June, so we had a staycation instead because we happen to live here [on Topsail Island], but people who live in Raleigh or Wake Forest or Durham or somewhere closer … are coming here to the beach.” Monroe added, “They’re working from home in Raleigh; they might as well work here at the beach.” Initially, Monroe said, Ward Realty saw a lot of people like Clarke, whose rentals Ward Realty manages, who came to use their homes because the usual vacation renters couldn’t travel. “Then as the different states and areas lightened up a little on restrictions … we had several people coming and spending two, three, four weeks because they were renting a place here and working remotely anyway.” And now many children in North Carolina and beyond are learning remotely where schools are not reopening yet. Ward Realty recently blasted a marketing email, seeking to capitalize on the idea, that stated, “Are
F
This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s Real Estate Update. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.
PHOTOS C/O WARD REALTY
Options by the ocean: An assortment of ocean views from Surf City-based Ward Realty, which has been marketing its rentals to those who might want to get out of their own houses and do their remote work at the beach.
you working from home? Are your children learning from home? Then move your desk to the beach!!” For Clarke, the benefits went beyond being able to experience different scenery, including being away from Atlanta, where the case count was rising, and getting to meet their neighbors because previously Clark and Brown had not had the chance to be at the beach house, where they plan to retire, for an extended amount of time. “It was very pleasant to meet our neighbors. We had neighbors from North Carolina, Virginia and the Raleigh area who were doing the same thing, working, and we were all saying, ‘Isn’t this awesome that we can be here, get our work done’ … we started saying we had cocktail hour instead of rush hour.” Clark is currently back in Atlanta, where his office does indeed look out onto a parking lot, while his house is occupied by renters. The occupancy rate of vacation rentals surged earlier this summer locally and nationally. “Vacation rentals have been strong since the rental ban [brought about by the pandemic] was lifted,” said Kevin Futral, managing director for vacation rentals for Intracoastal
Realty. “We are consistently seeing 100% occupancy on available properties each week. As we begin moving into our offseason, we’re seeing an increase in offseason longer term bookings with 1-6 month terms. I do think that increase is due, in part, to more people working remotely.” Monroe said, “We have been booked solid for the summer. We’re just now getting a few openings in our homes.” According to a May report by AirDNA, a website that aggregates data and tracks daily performance of short-term rentals, the industry began looking up. “After its onset in early March, vacation rental bookings found rock bottom during the week of April 5th,” the report stated. “As of May 18th, they’d remarkably rebounded close to pre-COVID levels. Whereas there were just over 916,000 total bookings (both Airbnb and Vrbo) made during the week of April 5th, the week of May 18th saw over 2.08 million.” The report highlighted markets that were driving that recovery, and they included Carolina Beach and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In Carolina Beach, the number of bookings for April 6 was 107,
shooting up to 1,178 for the week of May 18, a 1001% change, according to AirDNA. The report continued, “The theme here is pretty clear: markets rebounding the fastest are primarily leisure destinations in states pushing for a swift snap back to reality. Rentals near the beaches of Alabama, Georgia, Texas, and the Carolinas are the first to benefit from a travel-starved population. Average growth in new bookings for these cities is up over 968%.” That momentum appears to have continued, locals say. “We’ve been so busy with weeklong vacationers (seems like pent-up demand), that we haven’t had anyone staying for longer as of yet,” said Justin Ash, president of Sea Coast Rentals, when asked about whether he’s noticed people coming for the specific purpose of working at the beach. “I am sure once the season ‘winds’ down, we will start seeing people do just this.” As for North Topsail homeowners Clarke and Brown, getting back to the beach is a priority. Clarke said, “We can’t be there now because of the renters, but we’re counting the days until we can get back.”
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| This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s Real Estate Update. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.
Construction started this month on a 50-acre waterfront development that caters to active seniors. Located around the 5000 block of Masonboro Loop Road on the Intracoastal Waterway, Trinity Landing, a Lutheran Services Carolinas (LSC) development, is expected to include 124 apartments and 60 villas in its initial phase of construction, followed by 24 more villas in the second phase. LSC is a nonprofit organization. The project is expected to be complete by 2022, according to a news release. Amenities planned include a waterfront pavilion and dock with boat slips and kayak launch; three restaurant venues; a wellness center featuring a saltwater pool and spa; walking paths, biking paths and boardwalks; a dog park; an art studio; gathering rooms for clubs,
Commercial Site Signs
REAL ESTATE
meetings and events; an auditorium; a salon and spa; and a library and media center, the release stated. W.M. Jordan Co. started building Trinity Landing on Aug. 3. The Trinity Landing development is costing about $100 million. “Located near Trinity Grove, an LSC skilled nursing home, Trinity Landing will join Trinity Oaks in Salisbury, Trinity View in Arden, and Trinity Elms in Clemmons as an independent living option for seniors offered by Lutheran Services Carolinas, based in Salisbury, North Carolina,” the release stated. Trinity Landing and Trinity Grove are forming a Continuing Care Retirement Community, offering independent living and nursing home care but currently no assisted living component.
Crews start $100M project for seniors
Home sales soar in July in the Cape Fear region The number of homes sold in the Cape Fear region jumped by 34% in July compared to the same month last year, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to a Cape Fear Realtors report. That wasn’t the only statistic that
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showed a strong increase over the previous year, compiled from the N.C. Regional Multiple Listing Service for New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties. “In July, showing activity remained substantially higher than last year and multiple offer situations are becoming commonplace,” a CFR news release stated. Inventory continues to fall, with months’ supply plunging 46.5%. But pending sales increased 54.3% over July 2019, and new listings showed a 10% gain over June and an 18% increase over last July. Single-family and townhome/ condo prices combined rose 7.4% to $268,500, according to the release. “Properties priced over $450,000 led the way among all housing segments, soaring 51.9% year-overyear,” the release stated. “Single-family properties with four or more bedrooms are selling more quickly than last year.”
Local real estate firm joined by Carteret agency Residential real estate firm Coldwell Banker Spectrum, based in Atlantic Beach in Carteret County,
is joining Wilmington-headquartered Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage. “A few of the synergies resulting from this merger include a vast referral network, sweeping market dominance and so many resources for professional development,” said Casey Wagner, president of Coldwell Banker Spectrum, in a news release. Officials stated in the release that the company’s growth strategy is centered on providing a range of benefits for agents, buyers and sellers. “Part of the reason we have seen exponential growth is that we have a phenomenal support staff, which serves our more than 700 agents, and our leadership team continually focuses on adapting and refining our services to meet the needs of our agents, so they can provide clients with the most positive experience,” said Tim Milam, president of Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage, in the release. “This involves keeping local leadership in place whenever possible, since nobody knows the local market better than someone who has been working in it for years.” - Cece Nunn
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| IN THE NEWS |
Developers plan $8.5M building at megasite BY CHRISTINA HALEY O’NEAL
A
development team is planning an $8.5 million industrial building in the International Logistics Park of North Carolina, one of two megasites near the Brunswick and Columbus county line. The International Commerce Center, a spec building, will be the first development in the International Logistics Park, and can be delivered as soon as the first quarter of 2021, said Bryan Greene, a broker with Cameron Management. Acme Hobbs LLC is the landowner and certain individuals affiliated with Cameron Management are members in Acme Hobbs, said Hill Rogers, Cameron Management’s broker in charge. “The building ownership has not been finalized but will be a single-purpose entity comprised of members from Acme Hobbs, affiliates of Cameron Management and Windsor Development Group,” Rogers said. The Wilmington-based, full-ser-
RENDERING C/O CAMERON MANAGEMENT
Building industry: A rendering shows the first building planned for development at the International Logistics Park of North Carolina.
vice brokerage and development firm has partnered with Greensboro-based Windsor Commercial, the general contractor in the project, to develop the park’s first building, a more than 150,000-square-foot speculative building on Lot 1 of the park, Green said. The International Logistics Park, along with the Mid-Atlantic Industrial Rail Park, both at more than 1,000 acres each, have long been touted by economic developers in the region as being potential catalysts for industrial growth, bringing jobs to
the area. The two industrial parks are located off U.S. 74/76 at the Brunswick and Columbus county line. Brunswick and Columbus counties are working to bring water infrastructure to the site and plan to inter-connect their water services, which will ultimately provide backup service to end users at the International Logistics Park, according to the industrial park development website. There are four lots planned in phase one for the industrial park.
The first phase is anticipated to support 1.2 million square feet of industrial space. The entire International Logistics Park is 1,040 acres. Work is still underway to obtain building permits for the first building’s construction, said Bill Early, executive director of Brunswick Business and Industry Development (Brunswick BID), a public-private economic development organization. “We’re very excited about this. It is achieving one of those [economic development] goals that were on our list,” Early said.
Page 16
August 21 - September 3, 2020
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
| 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 July 1 - 31
LLC 250 J Metts Dr Supply 28462 Agent: Allison Metts
112 DOROTHY B. SOX LLC 104 Dorothy B Sox Dr. Surf City 28445 Agent: Robert Sprouse
A&K ROLLING ROAD LLC 2121 Auburn Lane Wilmington 28405 Agent: Andy Whisnant
119 LIVE OAK DRIVE LLC 102 N. Fifth Avenue Wilmington 28401 Agent: Jerry A Mannen Jr
A&L CUSTOM DRYWALL HOMES INC 5312 Golden Road Wilmington 28405 Agent: Carlos Rapaccioli
1219 INVESTMENTS L.L.C. 23 Cumberland Street Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: James W Morse 144 BRADLEY CREEK STATION LLC 206 Causeway Dr #1370 Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Dustin Gross 302 TENNESSEE AVENUE TOWNHOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC. 302-I Tennessee Avenue Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Patrick A. Alderson 323 SBHW LLC 14 Indian Blanket Ct Bald Head Island 28461 Agent: Jason Ainsworth 360� DISINFECTANT PRO’S LLC 1579 Russtown Rd Ocean Isle 28469 Agent: Raymond Reisen 3RD GEN VACATIONS LLC 713 Shoreline Drive East Sunset Beach 28468 Agent: Michelle A. Miloszar 407 SBHW LLC 14 Indian Blanket Ct Bald Head Island 28461 Agent: Jason Ainsworth 814 CBAN LLC 814 Carolina Beach Ave N Apt 2 Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Paul Groff 9DIME BULLYS L.L.C 563 Cedar Grove Rd SW Supply 28462 Agent: Alba Hume A + A TRANSPORT NC
AABB ENTERPRISES LLC 3715 Needle Sound Way Wilmington 28409 Agent: William Young Harris Jr ABDALLAHS LLC 3320 Red Berry Dr Wilmington 28409 Agent: Shadie Abdallah ABOVE BOARD CONSTRUCTION LLC 2211 Compass Poitne North Wynd Leland 28451 Agent: James Berardi Jr ACKISS HOLDINGS LLC 501 Aquarius Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Blair W Ackiss AIRLIE OUTDOOR LLC 5800 Woodland Trce Wilmington 28409 Agent: David Witmer ALBERT DAVID ABDOOL LLC 4526 Greenway Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: Albert David Abdool ALIEN MARBLE LLC 5006 Carleton Dr. Unit 119 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Laverry Kumar ALL AMERICAN LAWN CARE BURGAW NC LLC 5224 New Savannah Rd Burgaw 28425 Agent: Dale Joseph Makin ALLIANCE FOR CAPE FEAR TREES 1901 S. Live Oak Pkwy Wilmington 28403 Agent: Constance N Parker
ALTCOAST LLC 1352 Eastbourne Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Jon C Mitchell AM STRONG LLC 1254 Lillibridge Dr. Leland 28451 Agent: Aaron C. Reeves AMERICAN ULTRAVIOLET CERTIFICATION ASSOCIATION LLC 1411 Salty Bay Landing Wilmington 28409 Agent: Melanie Greenough AMERICAN UNDERGROUND UTILITIES LLC 120 Lehigh Rd Wilmington 28412 Agent: Jesse Huskins AMERIGLIDE SOUTHPORT INC. 4890 Long Beach Rd SE Southport 28461 Agent: James C Cole Jr ANDREW T. NETTLEMAN ATTORNEY AT LAW PLLC 1206 Whispering Doe Dr Wilmington 28409 Agent: Andrew Nettleman ANNIE MAE TRANSPORTATION INC 1152 Union Chapel Rd. Burgaw 28425 Agent: Philbert Walker ANOINTED HANDS LLC 615 Anderson Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Anestascia Simon ANTHONY SERIOUSLY TRUCKING LLC 3950 Independence Blvd Apt 3-208 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Anthony M Gibson APPLIANCE REPAIR NOW LLC 3986 Marshfield Dr Southport 28461 Agent: David Baughman ARIKAYS TRUCKING LLC 231 Crooked Creek Drive Burgaw 28425 Agent: Jasmine Watkins ARISA SUPPLIES PLUS L.L.C. 417 S 17th St Wilmington 28401 Agent: Savaughn Hart ARISA YOON LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 21 Henderson Street West Unit A Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Arisa Yoon AROUND THE KLOCK SERVICE INC 1382 Eagle Drive Shallotte 28470 Agent: Ladetra Klock ARTHUR MITCHELL LLC 2213 Waverly Dr Wilmington 28403 Agent: Franklin Arthur Rouse Jr AS ALLRAN ENTERPRISES LLC 333 Monlandil Dr.
Wilmington 28403 Agent: Aiden Allran ASHLEY WESCOTT ELECTRIC LLC 651 Walston Drive Wilmington 28412 Agent: Ashley Wescott ATLANTIC COAST LANDSCAPING LLC 1100 Petite Ct. Wilmington 28412 Agent: Adam Pond ATLANTIC HOLDING GROUP LLC 344 Shipyard Blvd Wilmington 28412 Agent: Anthony S Nobilio ATTENTION 2 DETAILS LLC 6602 Golden Astor Court Wilmington 28405 Agent: Richard Nelson B & B BOAT CHARTERS LLC 34 Covil Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: Bennie Sheally B PRICE LLC 8114 Yellow Daisy Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Ronald B Price B&B WORLDWIDE INC. 336 Stradleigh Rd. Wilmington 28403 Agent: Amy Wright B2B SALON AND STYLZ LLC 248 Wolfridge Rd. Leland 28451 Agent: Ronesha Greene BACK 2 LIFE DETAIL OF THE P.C. LLC 1204 Wellington Avenue Wilmington 28401 Agent: James Rhodes BARKING CLEAN DOG WASHES INC. 300 Gateway Condos Dr Unit 343 Surf City 28445 Agent: Travis J Connelly BARNES ACCOUNTING SERVICE LLC 4608 Cedar Ave Bldg 3 Suite 114 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Jerry M Barnes BEACH NEST RENTALS LLC 202 Ocean Blvd East Supply 28462 Agent: Maria De Lourdes Vilas BEACH ROAD PIZZA & WINGS INC. 2726 Evans Circle Shallotte 28470 Agent: Charles C. Martin BEACH VIBE CREATIVE WORKS LLC 512 Goldsboro Ave Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Wendy D Jackson BELL INVESTMENT PROPERTIES LLC 4315 Reed Court Wilmington 28405 Agent: Chaquandia Bell BEST CREATIONS LLC
6211 Wrightsville Avenue Unit 122 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Jason Kurt Best BHS COUNSELING PLLC 446 Motts Creek Road Wilmington 28412 Agent: Brittanie Smith BIG BRUSH PAINTING SERVICE LLC 3972 Old Ocean Hwy Ste C Bolivia 28422 Agent: Laura Baez BLINKLUX LASH LLC 4355 Birchwood Dr. Apt 208 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Anita Jackson BLUE SOL ENTERPRISES INC 910 Dickens Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Anthony Thomas Morin BLUE STARS PAINTING LLC 3819 Princess Place Dr Wilmington 28405 Agent: Julian Resendez BOOTYSCULPT L.L.C. 2225 Acacia Dr Wilmington 28403 Agent: Ashley Gibson Dunn BREEZIES CLEANING LLC 46 Stoney Road Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Charles Davis II BRIGHTLEAF PLANT CARE LLC 112 Stonehead Ct Wilmington 28411 Agent: Arion Hofer BRITTANIE RAQUEL EVENTS LLC 127 Azalea Drive Hampstead 28443 Agent: Brittanie Pate BRITTON DEVELOPMENT ENTERPRISE LLC 4200 Chapra Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Albert Bazaar Britton III BROADVIEW LLC 314 Nun St. Wilmington 28401 Agent: Winifred J. Williams BROWN PELICAN ENTERPRISES LLC 2780 Hwy 117 S Burgaw 28425 Agent: Joseph T Keech III BSA TROOP 234 LLC 130 La Salle Street Wilmington 28411 Agent: Ellen J. Gurganious BUFFMASTERS CARWASH LLC 1202 South College Rd Wilmington 28403 Agent: Daniel Hawkins C & C ROOFING AND RESTORATION INC 1213 Culbreth Drive Suite 113 Wilmington 28405
Agent: Cecilia M Keirstead C & E MASONRY LLC 1109 Wilma ave SW Supply 28462 Agent: Charmaine Vanwinkle CALABASH FUN LLC 209 Ocean Blvd W Supply 28462 Agent: Andrew Coffey CANNIBAL TRUCKING LLC 2238 New Road Burgaw 28425 Agent: James Faison CAPE FEAR CUSTOM DESIGN & BUILD INC. 6217 Head Road Wilmington 28409 Agent: Todd Delaney CAPE FEAR INTERMODAL LLC 2313 Waverly Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Gary L Winstead CAPE FEAR REVOLUTIONARY WAR ROUND TABLE 6101 Sweetgum Hollow Wilmington 28409 Agent: Nancy S. Fonvielle CAPE FEAR TORCH LLC 8817 Tilbury Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Chad E Hogston CAPITAL ASSET PROPERTIES HOLDINGS LLC 7522 Dunbar Rd Wilmington 28411 Agent: Chris Plaford
COASTAL CAROLINA IT LLC 319 Marsh Oaks Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Dan Wax COASTAL DUSTLESS BLASTING LLC 4631 Main St. Shallotte 28470 Agent: Tonia Trest Twigg COASTAL HOME STORE LLC 110 Cove Side Ln Hampstead 28443 Agent: Jill S Clark COASTAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES LLC 6130 Riverwoods Dr Apt 201 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Riley Litton COASTAL MOUNTAIN PROPERTIES LLC 521 S 3rd Street Wilmington 28401-5103 Agent: Michael Trent Harrison COASTAL ROOF RESTORATIONS LLC 831 Caison Loop Rd SE Winnabow 28479 Agent: Dan Zwiesler COASTLINE CARRIERS INC. 1337 Regatta Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: John D. Mollozzi COMMON SENSE TRUCKING LLC 25255 US Highway 421 Willard 28478 Agent: Melvin Mitchell
CAROLINA MUSTEES LLC 2013 Olde Regent Way Ste 150-211 Leland 28451 Agent: Lovell Pierce Jr
CONVERSION FINANCIAL LLC 2406 N 23rd Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Harry L Kraly
CAROLYN J. BLUE REAL ESTATE INC. 61 Sloan Road SE Leland 28451 Agent: Carolyn J Blue
CONWAY CONSULTING LLC 4019 Pintail Ave SW Shallotte 28470 Agent: Amanda Conway
CARRIER CONCERN LLC 1424 N. Howe St. Southport 28461 Agent: Ryan W. Johnson
CRAFTGROWN FARMS LLC 603 Castle Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Randall S Rhyne
CASTADUNN RANCH LLC 622 S. 2nd St. Unit 4 Wilmington 28401 Agent: Jimmy Hopkins CHALKBOTTLES L.L.C. 511 Sweetbay Ct. Wilmington 28405 Agent: Travis V. Suber CHESTNUT LLC 1629 Bratton Court Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jaylen Chestnut CLASSICAL CONVERSATIONS SURF CITY/HOLLY RIDGE LLC 52 Silo Ct. Hampstead 28443 Agent: Katherine Zyla COASTAL CAROLINA CPR LLC 4902 Merlot Court Wilmington 28409 Agent: Christopher B Ennis
CUEVAS HOLDINGS LLC 419 S College Rd # 16 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Daniel Cuevas DAUBE CAPITAL VENTURES LLC 342 Arboretum Drive Apt. 304 Wilmington 28405 Agent: William C. Daube DAVE VAUGHAN PROJECTS INC 427 Hanna Dr. Wilmington 28412 Agent: David Robert Vaughan DEBBIE ELLIOTT LLC 290 Seawatch Way Kure Beach 28449 Agent: Deborah Sayce Elliott DELPHI RESTAURANT GROUP LLC
7627 lost Tree Road Wilmington 28411 Agent: Argyro Papanikolaou DR. HOWARD GROTSKY PC 5010 Randall Parkway Wilmington 28403 Agent: Howard S Grotsky DRIVEN BY PASSION 207 Cypress Avenue Wrightsville Beach 28480 Agent: Leah Thompson DRYWALL AND PAINTING SERVICE LLC 124 Dapple Court Apt. #206 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Miguel Angel Hernandez DYTON BUILDERS L.L.C. 607 Sumter Avenue Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Barry A Dyer EAST COAST AIRGUNS LLC 109 Ludlow Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Rebecca T. Alfonso EAT GOOD FEEL GOOD L.L.C. 2850 Irwin Drive SE Southport 28461 Agent: Katie L. Clegg EDEN RECOVERY LLC 1039 Saint Johns Church Rd Hampstead 28443 Agent: Robert Hagerman EKG RENOVATIONS LLC 4626 Manchester Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Jazmin Howell ELEVATE MASSAGE LLC 8840 Market St. unit 110-B Wilmington 28411 Agent: Christina Tortora McNaughton ELLA + BUBBLES LLC 605 Atlantice Ave Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Sarah B. Love ELPH’S TAX SERVICES INC. 1478 Greenfield Rd NW Supply 28462 Agent: Phyllis Condrey McCoy EMPIRE TOWING AND TRANSPORT LLC 1522 N Kerr Ave Wilmington 28405 Agent: Patricio Heavy ENJ COATINGS LLC 7775 Morgan Creek Rd SE Leland 28451 Agent: Elvia Pizana Mejia ESJB ASSOCIATES L.L.C. 3638 w. Medinah Ave Southport 28461 Agent: Ernest S Bendinelli EXUMA PROPERTIES LLC 337 Palmer Way Wilmington 28412 Agent: Kaye William Whiting
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
August 21 - September 3, 2020
Page 17
| BIZ LEADS | FAIR MOUNTAIN LLC 710 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 250 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Charles L Earney FAITH IGNITED LLC 3010 Unit 106 Lauren Place Wilmington 28405 Agent: Shinita Williams FARFALLA BACI LLC 513 N 8th. St. Apt. B Wilmington 28401 Agent: Molly Zimmerman FARM HOUSE FOODS LLC 3819 Park Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc. FIDELS PAINTING SERVICE LLC 3633 Blue Banks Loop Rd NE Leland 28451 Agent: Fidel Hernandez FIERCE FEMME LLC 605 Plum St Navassa 28451 Agent: Sequanna Lewis FISCHSHACK VENTURES LLC 107 Anna Ct Hampstead 28443 Agent: Timothy J Fischer FLAMIN’ AMES FOTO LLC 780 McKay Rd SE Bolivia 28422
Agent: Amy Eason FLISHMORR PROPERTIES LLC 205 Marshfield Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: John Paul Flisher FLYSAFE AVIATION L.L.C. 1685 Haldon Ln SE Bolivia 28422 Agent: Logan R Warren FOLKSTONE HEIGHTS LLC 711 Carolina Beach Ave N. Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Steve Shuttleworth FOODS FOR THOUGHT NUTRITION COUNSELING LLC 5405 Carolyn Drive Wilmington 28409 Agent: Callan Wall FOOTVILLE910 LLC 2016 Seashore Hills Road Supply 28462 Agent: Leticia Tran Torres FRANKENFIELD HOLDINGS LLC 409 Yaupon Dr Southport 28461 Agent: Robert B Frankenfield FREEDOM STAR HOLDINGS LLC 420 N Lord St Southport 28461 Agent: Gail Clements FRIENDS OF SEATURTLES
104 SE 21st St Oak Island 28465 Agent: Eileen Ramsdale FUSION HOLDINGS LLC 5700 Oleander Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Rick E. Graves GNO HOME INSPECTION LLC 2533 Costmary Ln Unit 5 Wilmington 28412 Agent: George Wooten Norris Jr
Wilmington 28403 Agent: Chad W. Huneycutt H3M CONCRETE LLC 5006 McClelland Dr Unit 102 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Morales Herman Manuel Morales HAIRTEASE LUX LLC 337 Ventura Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Felicia Dixon
GOLDEN EAGLE DEVELOPMENT LLC 1209 Tremont Court Wilmington 28411 Agent: Anthony E. Mills
HANNAH LEWIS HAIRSTYLING LLC 817 Town Center Dr Suite 125 Wilmington 28405 Agent: Hannah Lewis
GONZALEZ & LIAN INVESTMENTS LLC 3427 Sparrow Hawk Ct Wilmington 28409 Agent: Charlie Lian
HATTERBEE MARINE SERVICES LLC 103 Whimbrell Way Hampstead 28443 Agent: Allen W Wilson
GREEN SMITH FARMS LLC 170 Middle River Rd NE Supply 28462 Agent: Christy L Smith Foster
HAVEN WAY INVESTMENTS LLC 7303 Artifact Court Wilmington 28411 Agent: Rocco Villari
GREG FENNELL MANAGEMENT LLC 5710 Reef Landing Way Wilmington 28409 Agent: Greg Fennell
HEALING CONNECTIONS LLC 3917 Brinkman Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Charlyne Boyette
H&L SMART HOME SOLUTIONS LLC 1908 Eastwood Road Suite 320
HIGH TIDE LANDSCAPING AND DESIGN LLC 8800 Sedgley Drive Wilmington 28412
Agent: Joshua Merwin HINSON-JAWS DISTRIBUTIONS LLC 4532 Sawmill Rd Leland 28451 Agent: Tracy Stanton HLM 202 Gold Leaf Drive Unit 1E Hampstead 28443 Agent: Joseph S. Stroman HOLLAND’S TREE SERVICE LLC 4906 Exton Park Loop Castle Hayne 28429 Agent: Devan Holland HOLMES JR MARINE TRANSPORT LLC 1554 Webbtown Rd. Maple Hill 28454 Agent: Delmar Ennis Holmes Jr. HOWFER DESIGNS LLC 4259 Cherry Laurel Dr SE Southport 28461 Agent: Maurice F Howard HPIR LLC 135 Dogwood Lane Hampstead 28443 Agent: Kathy Seward HYTEC DEALER SERVICES INC. 3885 Timber Stream Drive Southport 28461 Agent: Lori P Jones INDIANA LIMESTONE
ACQUISITION LLC 4725 Wedgefield Dr. Wilmington 28409 Agent: Bradley Ellington INSIDE EDGE LLC 436 Lake Shore Dr Sunset Beach 28468 Agent: Aaron Rieger INTRACOASTAL BUILDING AND MANAGEMENT LLC 32 Formosa Dr Wilmington 28403 Agent: Hailey Boone J & B APPLIANCE LLC 6 Gate 4 Carolina Shores 28467 Agent: Daniel Todd J. ADAM’S SERVICE COMPANY 460 Malpass Corner Road Burgaw 28425 Agent: James Adam Strickland JACK ATTACK PEST CONTROL LLC 5201 Lord Tennyson Dr Wilmington 28405 Agent: John Edward Sordellini JACKIE’S BOOKKEEPING LLC 5828 Hyatt Lane Wilmington 28411 Agent: Jackie Brier JERTA LAND HOLDINGS L.L.C. 5210 Hedgerow Ln
Wilmington 28409-3213 Agent: Cailein Campbell JKM BUSINESS SOLUTIONS L.L.C. 3849 White Birch Way Southport 28461 Agent: Jenni Moyer JOHN BLAND ENTERPRISES LLC 2264 Bell Williams Road Burgaw 28425 Agent: John Bland JORDANS TRANSPORTATION LLC 199 Calico Bay Road Burgaw 28425 Agent: Demetrice Jordan
KAREN SANDOVAL CLEANING LLC 8151 Red Cockaded Ct #301 Wilmette 28411 Agent: Karen Sandoval KC’S PLUMBING INC. 151 Winding Branch Rd Hampstead 28443 Agent: Samuel Jacobson KENNEDY BRYANT INVESTMENTS LLC 19 S. Hampstead Village Drive Hampstead 28443 Agent: Griffin Sutton
JUSTMAX LLC 2205 Moreland Dr. Wilmington 28405 Agent: Andrew Hall
KH GLOBAL SOLUTIONS LLC 1620 Goley Hewett Road SE Unit 1403 Bolivia 28422 Agent: Katherine Haire
KANDOR & KANE LLC 1543 Cameron Ct Apt C Wilmington 28401 Agent: Jalayna Haug
KICKIN’ BUTZ INC. 292 Sloop Point Rd Hampstead 28443 Agent: Scott Allen Butz
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August 21 - September 3, 2020
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
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This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s weekly Restaurant Roundup email. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.
that is prevalent in Mexican cuisine. “If you have the opportunity to go to Oaxaca, everything here is the same as you’ll find there,” Santiago said.
Bitty & Beau’s announces franchising option
Restaurant reopens under new name: Bar Masonboro
The founders of Bitty & Beau’s Coffee announced via Facebook video earlier this month that they will soon begin franchising. The company began receiving inquiries about franchise opportunities shortly after its flagship Wilmington location opened in 2016, but after looking into it, founders Amy and Ben Wright opted not to franchise at that time. Charleston, South Carolina, was selected by fans as the site of the second Bitty & Beau’s location, followed by locations in Savannah, Georgia, and Annapolis, Maryland. In January this year, Bitty & Beau’s celebrated the opening of a second Port City location at the PPD worldwide headquarters, and in February announced plans for another location at nCino Inc.’s global headquarters at Mayfaire. In the Facebook video, Ben Wright said that they have been receiving requests from people around the world asking for a Bitty & Beau’s location. Founded with the intention of providing job opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Bitty & Beau’s currently employs about 20 individuals with IDD at each of its locations.
La Oaxaqueña Taqueria offers authentic cuisine
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Victor Santiago and his wife, Isela Juarez, have opened their fourth Mexican eatery, La Oaxaqueña Taqueria, featuring the cuisine of their native Oaxaca. The couple’s dream of owning a family business began with a food truck in Charlotte. Now, along with their sons and extended family, they operate two restaurants in Charlotte as well as one in Naples, Florida. La Oaxaqueña Taqueria at 4540 Fountain Drive in Wilmington focuses on the traditional recipes of Oaxaca, a gastronomic hub of southern Mexico. The region is known for dishes featuring corn, beans and chile peppers, as well as several varieties of mole, a marinade and sauce
Courtyard Grill, which opened on Masonboro Loop Road last fall, reopened this month as Bar Masonboro. Bar Masonboro’s menu features a variety of salads, burgers, sandwiches, seafood and daily specials from new executive chef Erick Varone. Varone moved to Wilmington after graduating from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, in 2004, and has worked at multiple restaurants in the area, including Shuckin’ Shack, Fish Bites and Michael’s Seafood in Carolina Beach. The bar at Bar Masonboro also features craft cocktails and draft beer from North Carolina breweries. Bar Masonboro is located at 3317 Masonboro Loop Road.
Fat Daddy’s Pizza makes its mark on Pender town The town of Burgaw recently celebrated the opening of Fat Daddy’s Pizza. Owner and operator Jay Kranchalk said the opening of the eatery at 103 W. Fremont St. was wildly busy. “Burgaw was so excited, and I think the whole town turned out,” Kranchalk said. “We sold out of dough and had to close down early and remain closed Sunday in order to restock.” Kranchalk said the idea came about through his association with Richard Johnson of Burgaw Now, an organization committed to the promotion, restoration and development of Burgaw. Kranchalk taught and coached Johnson’s children and said he was approached by Johnson to take on the project, located next to Brown Dog Coffee Co. in downtown Burgaw. Fat Daddy’s serves hand-tossed pizzas made with homemade dough and sauce, to which customers can add any number of toppings. It also offers chicken and meatball parmesan sandwiches as well as garlic knots and blueberry knots. -Jessica Maurer
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
August 21 - September 3, 2020
Page 19
| BUSINESS OF LIFE | More using RVs for safe travels BY JENNY CALLISON n the uncharted era of traveling during the COVID-19 crisis, vacationers in record numbers are choosing recreational vehicles as their preferred means of travel. Limitations resulting from the novel coronavirus have “opened the eyes of people who never thought about [traveling by RV] before,” said Travis Creech, operations manager of Rex & Sons RV in Wilmington. “It’s not cool to leave the country, but it’s really cool to leave the house, leave the bubble. RVing is freedom and convenience and gives people freedom to explore.” Creech’s observations are echoed in a June 5 report by the RV Industry Association (RVIA). Summarizing its recent survey findings, the RVIA stated that 20% of survey respondents in the U.S. “are more interested in RVs as a recreational travel option in the aftermath of COVID-19 – the highest of any option tested.” The report added that 51% of survey respondents planning to make an RV trip this year said that current concerns about the coronavirus increased their interest in RV camping. Creech is seeing that new interest at the dealership founded by his father in 1997. “There have been the most firsttime RVers I have encountered in the almost 23 years I have been in the industry,” he said. Rex & Sons closed down March 31 when New Hanover County shut down boat and vehicle sales companies. When the business reopened April 21, just Travis Creech, his brother and general manager Jonathan Creech and his father,Rex Creech, staffed the business. “We were showing units virtually and by appointment,” Travis Creech said. “We were also selling parts and accessories.” Still, late April and May were slow. But as travel restrictions eased, demand increased for both rentals and sales of motor homes and towable units. Travis Creech estimates that business is up about 10% now. As existing RV owners dusted off their units and ordered new parts or accessories, and more people decided to try RVing, supplies dwindled. “We’re low on inventory – lower than when we started in business in 1997,” Travis Creech said.
I
PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER
Revving up RVs: Travis Creech, Rex Creech and Jonathan Creech have seen an increase in business at their family’s dealership in Wilmington, Rex & Sons RV.
Some manufacturers shut down in March and April, and now must have fewer people on the production line, according to John Howard Jr. “There are also supply chain issues, especially for parts coming from China and Mexico,” said Howard, the company’s president and co-owner. “It took us three months to get a replacement air conditioning unit. Suppliers are still trying to get geared up.” Although the shipment of RV units to dealers in the first half of 2020 was down nearly 19% over the same period in 2019, the RVIA states that production is ramping up. “RV wholesale shipments tracked by the RV Industry Association posted their best month in [June] 2020 and the highest monthly total since October 2018 as deliveries to retailers reached 40,462 units in June, a 10.8% rise over the June 2019 total of 36,525 units,” the association reported. Still, Howard reports that his company’s inventory is at about 25% of normal. “We typically have 75 to 85 units available. We’re down to 19 or 20, and of those, only two are motor
homes,” he said, recalling that starting in mid-May, “everything blew up. We doubled our normal volume in June and July. We’re cramming four months’ worth of sales into two months.” Recent Ipsos research on consumer travel interest and planning found that RV travel and camping provides an appealing vacation option for American families. The research indicated that 46 million Americans plan to take an RV trip in the next 12 months. “As states across America continue to open up, more and more consumers are looking for ways to get outdoors and recreate responsibly,” RVIA President Craig Kirby said in the RVIA report. “RVs provide a great way for consumers to enjoy vacations with their families, while still adhering to social distancing policies that are likely to remain in place in some fashion moving forward.” The RVIA reports that the highest rate of interest in RVing is among people from 18 to 34 years old. “As many as four generations are RVing right now, from baby boomers to Gen Xers, millennials, Gen Zers,” Travis Creech said.
RV enthusiasm is creating its own problem: a finite supply of campsites. With some parks still shut down, business is “off the charts” at others that are fully open, according to Joel Tomaselli, who owns the KOA in Wilmington as well as one in New Bern. And many of those visitors are first-time RVers who rented a unit or took the plunge with a purchase. While his KOAs saw a 75% reduction in guests during April and May, Tomaselli said once tourism opened up again in June his campgrounds saw a strong demand for spaces. “We’re seeing many RVers from within the state, including the Triangle and Triad,” he said, adding that people just want to “go somewhere,” even if it’s just for the weekend. “Our playgrounds and many of our organized group activities are closed and our pool is open at only half capacity, but we’re seeing the kids entertaining themselves doing things that kids have always done: riding bikes, playing hopscotch, kicking a soccer ball,” Tomaselli said. “We’re lucky to be in this business at this time.”
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August 21 - September 3, 2020
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Greater Wilmington Business Journal
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