Small Business - Economic Development Week (May 2nd-16th)

With over 1,000 small business calling Garner, NC home, Garner runs on small businesses. Every year during Small Business - Economic Development Weeks, we band together with our economic development partners to recognize the Garner small business community and the great contributions they make to our town year round.

GEDC, Wake Tech Announce Scholarship for Garner Magnet, South Garner High Students

Garner high school students have a great new opportunity to attend Wake Tech thanks to a new scholarship endowment. The Garner Economic Development Corporation (GEDC) has established a $250,000 endowment with the Wake Tech Foundation which will provide scholarships to graduating seniors at Garner Magnet High School and South Garner High School who wish to further their education at Wake Tech.

GEDC and Wake Tech made the announcement during a ceremony Thursday afternoon in the Town Council Chambers at Garner Town Hall. In addition to Garner and Wake Tech representatives, Matt Calabria, Wake County Commissioner Chair, and Monika Johnson-Hostler, Wake County Public School System Board Member, spoke during the program.

The GEDC believes that an education is fundamental in building a bright and thriving future for the Garner community.

"Having a well-trained and educated population is vitally important to Garner's future," GEDC Chair Jeff Swain said. “Every community's greatest asset is its people. That is why the GEDC is pleased to establish this GEDC Endowment for Education and ensure that Garner students have access to a world-class education and a brighter future."

“Wake Tech is so grateful for the support and generosity of the Garner Economic Development Corporation,” said Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls. “Because of this endowment, deserving high school students from the Garner community will have an opportunity to continue their education and pursue their college degree right here in Wake County.”

Students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA to qualify and financial need will be considered. The scholarship may be designated to assist students in any Wake Tech degree, diploma or certificate program.

For the first year, starting this fall, two students – one from each of Garner’s high schools – will be awarded scholarships of $2,200. In subsequent years, after the endowment is fully vested and is earning interest, the fund should support four student scholarships valued at approximately $2,500 per student.

The scholarship application is currently open, and the first two recipients will be selected this summer. Current Garner high school seniors graduating this spring who plan to attend Wake Tech in the fall are encouraged to apply at scholarships.waketech.edu by April 30.

"The Town is excited about this new opportunity for a young person from our community to pursue their dreams and career aspirations," Mayor Ken Marshburn said. "Garner has always taken pride in the way it nurtures young people. It's why our town is recognized as an All-America City. It's why Garner is a great place to live and raise a family."

About Garner Economic Development Corporation:

Since its inception in 2010, the Garner Economic Development Corporation (GEDC), an economic development non-profit, has been committed to improving the quality of life for all Garner residents through the recruitment and retention of quality employers, support and encouragement of entrepreneurship, and marketing the Garner community as a great place to locate a business and raise a family. For more information on the GEDC, please go to choosegarnernc.com.

About Wake Tech:

Wake Tech is North Carolina’s largest community college, serving more than 70,000 adults annually, with six campuses, three training centers, multiple community sites, and a comprehensive array of online learning options. The Wake Tech Foundation awards more than $450,000 in over 350 individual scholarships to degree-seeking students each year. The Foundation believes in making an education possible for anyone in our community who wants one so that our region remains the best place to live and work in the world.

New Amazon Delivery Station Comes to Garner, NC

Garner, NC—Amazon and the Town of Garner have announced the opening of a new delivery station in Garner. The new 165,000 SF facility will create hundreds of new jobs.

Amazon Logistics has signed various leases in an effort to open two new delivery stations in the Triangle. The new stations will power Amazon’s last-mile delivery capabilities to speed up deliveries for customers in the Triangle. Each delivery station will create hundreds of full-time jobs, starting at $15 per hour and offering a variety of benefits from day one. We expect these new sites to open in 2021.

 The new delivery stations will be located in Garner and Raleigh. Addresses are as follows:

·       1201 N Greenfield Parkway, Garner, NC

·       4524 New Bern Ave., Raleigh, NC

About Amazon Delivery Stations:

Delivery stations power the last mile of Amazon’s order fulfillment process. Packages are transported to delivery stations from Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers, and then loaded into vehicles for delivery to customers. There are currently three Amazon delivery stations in operation in the Triangle and eight in the state of North Carolina. Amazon has more than 250 delivery stations in the US.

 Delivery stations also offer entrepreneurs the opportunity to build their own business delivering Amazon packages, as well as independent contractors the flexibility to be their own boss and create their own schedule delivering for Amazon Flex. To learn more, visit www.logistics.amazon.com and https://flex.amazon.com/.

Each of Amazon’s new delivery stations, including these new sites, are now designed to meet the needs of our electric delivery vehicles. Ranging from the physical layout to the electrical design, we are optimizing these spaces to offer flexibility and scale as we move closer toward putting 10,000 electric delivery vehicles on the road in 2022.

 Delivery station images can be found here.

 Statements:

“We are excited to continue to invest in the state of North Carolina with two new delivery stations that will provide efficient delivery for customers, and create hundreds of job opportunities for the talented Triangle workforce. These new delivery stations represent Amazon’s unwavering commitment to safety, technological innovations and skilled teams who are obsessed with delivering for our customers.” – Ashley Lansdale, Amazon Spokesperson

 "We are very pleased to hear that Amazon is expanding in Garner. They have already created 3,000 new jobs at the company's fulfillment center on Jones Sausage Road. This new facility will create hundreds of additional job opportunities – and that's great news for Garner." – Garner Mayor Ken Marshburn

 "Amazon's decision to locate a second facility in Garner shows how the community's strategic location in the Triangle region is perfect for businesses to locate.” – Joe Stallings, Garner Economic Development Director.

 “Amazon’s announcement is yet another example of the diverse business community finding success in the region. It is my pleasure to congratulate Amazon on this milestone and expansion. The investment will create hundreds of new full time opportunities for Amazon employees adding to our City’s pandemic recovery efforts.” – Raleigh Mayor MaryAnn Baldwin

 “We are excited to celebrate these new jobs and investments in Wake County. It is great to see Amazon’s continued investment in Wake County through these delivery stations in east Raleigh and Garner.” – Matt Calabria, Chair, Wake County Board of Commission

 For more information regarding economic development in the Town of Garner, contact Joe Stallings at jstallings@garnernc.gov.

Garner Business Resiliency Series

Join us for the Garner Business Resiliency Series - 4 weeks of free business webinars:

Nov 3: Cyber Security with Jay Strickland, CEO WingSwept
Nov 10: Dollars & Cents with Kevin Dick, CEO with Carolina Small Business Development Fund
Nov 17: Protect Your Investment - Active Shooter Training with Lt. Paul Caldwell, Garner Police Department
Nov 24: On the Ready with Matthew Poole, Chief of Garner Fire and Rescue

Garner Small Business Resiliency Fund Opens Second Round of Grants for COVID Relief

The partnership between The Garner Chamber of Commerce and The Downtown Garner Association launched its first round in April and awarded small grants to 34 local Garner businesses and non-profits totaling $48,000.

As the pandemic continues, the decision was made to do another round to help small businesses in and around Garner.

Round 2.5 Objectives

The goal of Round 2.5 is to provide support for businesses that are open but still recovering and struggling with the financial impact of COVID-19 either through restrictions on their business type, reduction in customers due to the pandemic, and/or businesses that have incurred additional expenses to make their places of business safer for the public (installation of barriers, hand sanitizer/dispensers, masks, etc.).

Priority business types for this round include 1) gyms, fitness studios, and indoor fitness, 2) barber, salon, and personal care businesses, 3) local restaurants, and 4) other service businesses especially impacted by COVID-19.

Deadline to apply is September 30th at 5pm.

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Testimonials from Round One

“Thank you so much! This is a huge encouragement to us, and we will use the grant wisely to help sustain our ministry. We are longing to be together but are doing our best to serve our students via ZOOM. This act of kindness from Garner and our community is humbling. We are truly grateful! May God bless you as you continue to rally support for local businesses.

Grace and Peace.

Leslie Hanna – Spiritual Twist Productions

“Wow! Thank you all very much for this award! We will certainly put it to great use, which will help us sustain our business and keep our team employed.”

Paul Campbell – Golden Krust Caribbean Restaurant

“Thank you for reviewing our application and approval of the grant award. It seems so inadequate to just say thank you but we are writing to express our sincere gratitude for the Grant Award. We want you to know that this Grant will be utilized to help pay our ongoing monthly obligations. It has been indeed a challenge to maintain our house of worship. Our congregation is not a large congregation and the majority that support us are senior citizens. We have been in the Garner Community for 10 years and in the mission Fields where God will lead us. “ God Bless.

Reverend Gwen Horton, Pastor - In The Beginning Missionary Baptist

Please accept my sincere “Thank you” for the grant. As you are all aware, this is a very difficult time for the small businesses forced to close. This grant will help pay May’s rent and certainly ease the burden of what it will take to ramp back up once we are allowed to open back up for business. I’m filled with such gratitude and quite humbled to be part of such a caring community. #shoplocal #shopsmall Kindest Regards,

Barbara Galavotti – Body Wellness Massage Therapy

South Korean Company Hansae Chooses to Locate PPE Manufacturing Operation in Garner

Hansae Co,. Ltd., a leader in the global apparel industry based in South Korea, will locate its first U.S. manufacturing operation in Greenfield North Business Park in Garner. Hansae’s Garner facility will focus on producing personal protective equipment (PPE) for the U.S. market.

“Opening our facility in North Carolina was an easy choice,” Vice President of Strategic Sales Hermann Chiu said. “The environment is conducive to establishing a business, and the pleasantness of the people in North Carolina has made the process simple. The facility will focus on surgical masks, and we have plans to expand to other products in the future depending on the market conditions. We look forward to commencing our operation in the last quarter of 2020. The business will be run under Hansae’s subsidiary AMP [Apparel Manufacturing Partners].”

“We are excited to have a company like Hansae join the Garner business community. During these uncertain times, the access to PPE has never been more important. Having a company like Hansae here producing PPE will only help ensure that people around this country will have access to much-needed PPE products. We look forward to continuing to see Hansae grow in our community,” Garner Mayor Ken Marshburn said.

“North Carolina is thrilled to add Hansae—one of Korea’s foremost textile companies—to our growing list of international corporate citizens,” said Korey Howard with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. “We look forward to continuing to support the growth of their Garner operation, both through the EDPNC office in Seoul as well as stateside.”

“We are proud to welcome Hansae, an international company, to Garner. They’re helping fight the pandemic by opening a manufacturing facility that will produce PPE,” said Michael Haley, executive director of Wake County Economic Development. “These are challenging times, but we must continue to grow and welcome new companies to Wake County. Hansae will join a network of over 700 foreign-owned firms in the Research Triangle region. This will further strengthen our international business community.”

Hansae will invest up to $2 million and initially employ eight to 10 people at its Garner location.

This project was made possible by the work of EDPNC, N.C. State University’s College of Textiles, Wake County Economic Development, Garner Economic Development and Gregg Mason-Mason Properties.

For more information on Garner economic development, contact Joe Stallings at 919-773-4431 or jstallings@garnernc.gov.

Courtesy Town of Garner

Small Business Spotlight: Zin Yoga Studio and Wine Lounge

BY MARGARET DAMGHANI

Zin Yoga Studio and Wine Lounge

Website: zinyogawine.com

Address: 1411 Aversboro Rd Suite 309

How long have you been in the Garner Area?

Over five years.

What inspired your business?

My passion for people, helping people, educating people on pain management alternatives to medicine.

 My two passions...Yoga and wine. Yoga is healing for the body and soul. I love teaching and sharing the powerful healing practice of yoga. At Zin Yoga, the classes are open to everyBODY, to everyone. Completely separate business is my wine. I offer a unique boutique selection of wines.

Wine tastings are offered multiple times a month, as well as virtual wine tastings. NO WINE WITH YOGA.  Probably the one most misunderstood part of my business for those who have never been here.

How did you adapt to changes with the pandemic and closures?

I am grateful for the technology of ZOOM. Yoga classes moved to this online live streaming format. Then I decided to offer wine tastings/discussions online as well. 

People love them!! Learn great details about the featured wines. Have awesome discussions and share thoughts on what we are tasting… and we get to have the community and socializing in a safe social distancing way.

What have you had to do to comply?

It has now been over five months since I have taught yoga in my beautiful studio. Zin yoga studio offers classes outside under the porch as well as virtual classes.

How did this affect your employees?

Unfortunately, no work.

How did you use the award from the Garner Small Business Resiliency Fund?

RENT!!!  The grant was a true blessing.

What does the future look like?

I have Faith that my business will survive this crisis because of this amazing community. The people of Garner support small business. I feel so blessed I opened this business here in this community.

Garner Startup Pivots to Face Mask Production

A Garner-based startup company, Sanctuary Systems, is doing its part to help protect local employees against COVID-19.

Sanctuary Systems recently has pivoted its non-woven textiles company to produce face masks for companies in the Triangle area. The startup originally was spun out of North Carolina State University and still keeps its close ties with the NCSU Nonwoven Institute.

“This was a great way for us to use our decades of non-woven experience to help keep employees safe,” said Stephen Sharp, the company’s director of operations.

The company is able to produce 3,500 to 3,600 masks per hour on its one machine. It plans to add more machines to keep up with demand.

“Continued demand will come from a change in protocol in industries that did not use PPE in the past but will use it in the future—industries such as nursing homes, law enforcement and dental offices,” Sharp said.

“While face masks are not our primary product, we see them as becoming a regular part of someone’s attire and a common courtesy, as is seen in many other cultures,” Sharp added.

You won’t find Sanctuary Systems’ masks in stores. Currently, the company is only selling its masks directly to other businesses.

“Seeing companies like Sanctuary step up and pivot to manufacturing a new product so quickly is inspiring,” Garner Economic Development Director Joe Stallings said. “This company is not only adding new equipment and jobs, they are helping to keep our community and the people who work in it safe.”

For more information about economic development matters in the Town of Garner, please contact Mr. Stallings at 919.773.4431.

Courtesy Town of Garner

Small Business Spotlight: Barbra Galavotti, Body Wellness Massage Therapy

BY MARGARET DAMGHANI

Body Wellness Massage Therapy, LLC

Barbra Galavotti

Website: bodywellnessnc.com

Address: 1428 Aversboro Rd, Garner, NC 27529

How long have you been in the Garner Area?

Lived in the Garner area for 24 years, and started Body Wellness 11 years ago.

What inspired your business?

My passion for people, helping people, educating people on pain management alternatives to medicine.

How did you adapt to changes with the pandemic and closures?

I’m not sure anyone can fully adapt to the changes and especially closing.  Being in a “people focused” industry, worry extends to your employees, especially the single parents, and your clients who rely on what we do to manage their pain. 

Staying in touch with clients and encouraging them to do self care, while educating them on how to, gave hope they would be encouraged as well.  I also stayed in touch with employees to hopefully provide them a sense of “we are going to be ok” and all have jobs to go back to.

What have you had to do to comply?

I had to close my doors to comply with the executive order.  This meant $0 revenue flow, however all of the bills still needed to be paid. 

How did this affect your employees?

It forced my employees to file for unemployment. 

How did you use the award from the Garner Small Business Resiliency Fund?

The fund was helpful and contributed to rent for 1 month.  It was humbling knowing our small community was willing to help out like that, especially when all of the bills that needed to be paid, no one reached out including rent, utilities, banking, software companies.....the list goes on. 

Not one company reached out to say let us help you.  I wasn’t looking for a hand out, but was hoping some of the businesses I know are far larger than my own would have offered for at least a deferment on bills.  A very disappointing moment for me so the Resiliency Fund put a little faith back into me that there are still folks that care about what we do for the people.

What does the future look like?

 I wish I knew what the future looked like.  It is so hard to tell.  Although we were given the go ahead to open our doors, the expense has greatly increased due to protocols that need to be in place in order to have clients walk through our doors. 

Not to mention, many folks are still hesitant about coming back in.  I haven’t been able to bring all of my staff back yet and our operation hours and days have reduced greatly due to the numbers being low coming back at this time.  The slow start makes it even more challenging to catch up financially from the loss.

Small Business Spotlight: Linda Wallace, Garner Florist and Gifts

BY MARGARET DAMGHANI

Garner Florist, Linda Wallace

Website: garnerncflorist.com

Address: 1140 Benson Road, Suite 104, Garner NC, 27529

How long have you been in the Garner Area?

I have owned the Florist for the past 34 years. 

How did you adapt to changes with the pandemic and closures?

I sanitize daily, and when someone comes into the shop. 

What have you had to do to comply?

All suppliers wear masks, and up until last week left flowers at the front door.

How did this affect your employees?

My long time delivery person still is not back to work. I have worked mostly by myself.

How did you use the award from the Garner Small Business Resiliency Fund?

I used the funds to pay for one month rent and utilities. It was a life-saver. 

What does the future look like?

Not sure what the future holds for the flower industry. So many weddings have been delayed. Funerals are nothing compared to the past.

Garner Local Businesses Speak Up for Local Entrepreneurship. Choose Local and Small Y'all.

Our local Garner businesses are the backbone of our community. Choose and shop local and small.

GEDC Small Business Survey

We know that this is a trying time in our town. In an effort to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on our business community, we are encouraging business owners/operators to take an anonymous survey about their ability to do business and access federal support programs during this crisis.

The purpose of the survey is only to collect information at this time. The data may be shared with local, county, and state partners to assess the need for business programming and assistance in the future. However, we cannot guarantee that any such programming or assistance will happen at this time.

The survey will only take a few minutes to complete. Please click the link below to start the survey. We appreciate your assistance.


Together we will remain Garner Strong.

( https://forms.gle/2s87Xq4uZiGH33P3A)

via Garner Economic Development Corporation

Garner Restaurants Offering TakeOut/Curbside/Delivery

Restaurants Offering TakeOut/Curbside/Delivery

(Please call restaurants individually to confirm hours)

3 Olives Pizza & Deli

• 1493 Garner Station Blvd Raleigh NC 27603

• (919) 777-3530

Alaksha's Curry in a Hurry

• 104 Green Hill Court Garner NC 27529

• (919) 606-4285

Alexander's Mediterranean Cuisine

• 263 Timber Drive Garner NC 27529

• (919) 779-1183

Aversboro Coffee

• 1401 Aversboro Road Ste. 103 Garner NC 27529

• (919) 779-9337

Aversboro Restaurant & Sports Bar

• 1411 Aversboro Road Garner NC 27529

• (919) 779-6661

Backyard Bistro

• 1235 Hurricane Alley Way Raleigh NC 27606

• (919) 851-6203

Big Ed's

• 231 Timber Dr Garner NC 27529

• (919) 900-7764

Bojangles'

• 5497 Hwy 42 W Garner NC 27529

• (919) 859-1131

Buffalo Brothers

• 7245 White Oak Road Garner North Carolina 27529

• (919) 803-1939

Buffalo Wild Wings

• 148 Shenstone Blvd. Garner NC 27529

• (919) 661-5238

Caffe' Luna

• 136 E. Hargett Street Raleigh NC 27601

• (919) 832-6090

Carolina Ale House

• 400 Conservation Rd Garner NC 27529

• (919) 772-2646

Chick-fil-A at Garner Towne Square and White Oak Crossing

• 2720 Timber Dr. Garner NC 27529

• (919) 661-2448

• 220 Shenstone Lane Garner NC 27529

• (919) 329-0275

City Barbeque

• 110 Cabela Drive Garner North Carolina 27529

• 919-258-2009

Denny's

• 4380 Fayetteville Road Raleigh NC 27603

• (919) 771-0815

Firehouse Subs - Garner, Clayton, Raleigh

• 1539 Highway 70 Ste. 1551 Garner NC 27529

• (919) 662-4801

• Clayton NC

• (919) 550-7000

• 4111 Ed Dr. Raleigh NC 27529

• (919) 783-7102

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill

• 3551 Grenelle St. Raleigh NC 27603

• (919) 772-6603

Golden Krust Caribbean Restaurant

• 4412 Fayetteville Rd. Raleigh NC 27603

• (917) 334-8582

How's It Bean

• 225 Timber Dr Garner NC 27529

• (984) 989-8617

Kentucky Fried Chicken, KFC/Taco Bell

• 1559 Hwy 70 W  Garner NC 27529

• (919) 662-1003

• 5530 Hwy 42 W Garner NC 27529

• (919) 773-2440

Kickback Jacks

• 1405 Garner Station Blvd Raleigh NC 27603

• (919) 803-5068

La Cocina

• 1221 Timber Drive East Garner NC 27529

• (919) 772-6999

Locked & Loaded Grill

• 305 McCormick St. Garner NC 27529

• (919) 661-6688

Logan's Roadhouse

• 1000 Timber Drive East Garner NC 27529

• (919) 329-9340

Longhorn Steakhouse

• 300 Conservation Rd Garner NC 27529

• (919) 772-7707

Lorraine's Coffee House & Music

• 101 Timber Pointe Lane Garner NC 27529

• (919) 714-7990

McDonald's

• 1567 Hwy. 70 W Garner NC 27529

• (919) 772-9496

• 101 Timber Dr. Garner NC 27529

• (919) 662-9804

• 110 Carillon Dr. Garner NC 27529

• (919) 771-2441

MoJo's Grill

• 2648 Timber Drive Garner NC 27529

• (919) 662-1115

Moonrunners Saloon

• 1506 Hwy 70 West Garner NC 27529

• (919) 662-5119

Panera Bread

• 15 Cabela Drive Garner NC 27529

• (919) 334-5762

Pizza Inn, Garner

• 60 Son-Lan Pkwy Garner NC 27529

• (919) 322-4290

Ragazzi's

• 1514 US Hwy 70 W Garner NC 27529

• (919) 772-9772

Red Robin

• 10 Cabela Drive Garner NC 27529

• (984) 444-2142

Taco Bell

• 1125 Hwy 70 Garner NC 27529

• (919) 803-4328

Toot-N-Tell Restaurant

• 903 W. Garner Rd. Garner NC 27529

• (919) 772-2616

Tropical Smoothie Cafe - Garner

• 1553 US Hwy 70 Garner NC 27529

• (919) 561-0509

Walking Crab

• 1549 US 70 Garner NC 27529

• (919) 977-3515

Yemen Kitchen

• 117 Small Pine Drive Raleigh NC 27603

• (984) 444-7772

Zaxby's - Garner

• 4150 Fayetteville Rd. Raleigh NC 27603

• (919) 661-7772

Zaxby's - White Oak

• 20 Eagle Wing Way Garner NC 27529

• (919) 390-7533

Class A Office Space Coming to Garner

Garner is about to make a big splash in the Triangle’s Class A office space market.  

The Town Council on Monday unanimously approved a project that will bring 300,000 square feet of Class A professional office space—with some limited retail and restaurant space—to an approximately 22-acre site at the southwest corner of East Garner and Jones Sausage roads. When the project’s three buildings—each 100,000 square feet—are completed, it will be the largest office park project in Garner’s history.  

Garner-based Direct Distributors, Inc., and the Trustwell Property Group out of Raleigh are teaming up on the project, which has been named the Eastern Wake Innovation Park.  

“Direct Distributors has been proud to call Garner home for decades, and we are firm believers in a very bright future for the town,” said Erik Keener, vice president of Direct Distributors. “Eastern Wake Innovation Park is a big step towards that future, and we are delighted to have a great partner on the project in Trustwell Property Group. We look forward to seeing these buildings go up and welcome the new jobs and businesses that will come as a result of this beautiful new development.”  

The project’s site location is nearly adjacent to White Oak Crossing shopping center off of U.S. 70 and about a mile from the I-40/Jones Sausage Road interchange. 

“On behalf of our investment team, we at Trustwell Property Group are thankful for the opportunity to develop such a dynamic project on this amazingly well-connected site in Garner," Trustwell’s Jon Keener said. “Just 10 minutes from downtown Raleigh, this exceptional location is more than ready for a true Class A office space to bring employment closer to where people in the Triangle really want to live, work and play.” 

Garner officials also noted the project’s great location. In addition, they see the office park serving as an attractive gateway to Garner’s historic downtown business district, which is undergoing a major revitalization that has included a thriving café and coffee roaster, a recently opened restaurant and bar, several local creative class businesses and a new recreation center that will open in the coming months.  

“We see this location as particularly enticing to tenants,” Mayor Ken Marshburn said. “It offers convenient access from I-40 and U.S. 70, and it’s near White Oak and our historic downtown, which is an emerging hub for new businesses and for a variety of entertainment and recreation opportunities.”  

Garner Economic Development Director Joe Stallings expects the project to enhance Garner’s profile in the region. “It will open up very promising opportunities for the recruitment of new businesses and the expansion of existing ones in Garner. It’s something Garner has never had, and it will change the way economic development prospects view us.”   

The office park’s developers will add turn lanes on East Garner and Jones Sausage roads at intersections with the driveway entrances to the project. They also agreed to provide right of way for the future realignment of Jones Sausage Road from East Garner Road out to U.S. 70.   

For more information about economic development opportunities in Garner, please contact Economic Development Joe Stallings at jstallings@garnernc.gov or at 919.773.4431. 

Courtesy the Town of Garner

Matthew Coppedge to lead the Garner Chamber as President & CEO

The Garner Chamber of Commerce will be under new strategic leadership very soon. After an in-depth national search by a six-person Search Committee and unanimous Board approval, Matthew Coppedge takes the President & CEO reins starting February 24th.

"The Chamber set out to find an exceptional individual who could take an already thriving Chamber and move it to the next level. Matthew is a highly skilled marketer with extensive management, community and economic development experience. His passion for development, for Garner and the entire region, aligned well with our next-level vision at the Chamber," stated Board Chair, Melissa Oliver.

Matthew is a native North Carolinian with strong ties throughout the Triangle and eastern North Carolina. He brings extensive marketing, nonprofit management, and economic development experience to the Garner Chamber, as well as experience in the private sector and hands-on savvy as an entrepreneur. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned his MBA from North Carolina Central University.

He devoted 12 years of his career to Downtown Durham, Inc - first as Director of Marketing and then his innovation and management skills earned him the role of Chief Operating Officer. For over a decade, Matthew was an integral part of the team that focused on Downtown Durham's revitalization.  His vision, creative initiatives, leadership ability and partnerships with startups, retail & office tenants, arts & cultural communities, non-profits, elected officials and the public sector helped transform downtown Durham. 

His marketing initiatives while in Durham generated national and international press including features in Tech Crunch, Fast Company & The New York Times and he has been a guest columnist & contributor for several publications. He was awarded for his creativity for The Smoffice, the World's Smallest Office space competition, which won a global award as "The Most Unconventional Chamber Project in the World" by the World Chambers Congress.

Matthew shared, " I'm honored and thrilled to lead the chamber into the future; the opportunities available to the Garner area are enormous. Garner is the kind of town that a difference can be made, where economic development and community development partner for results."

In addition to being active professionally, Matthew served on the Carolina Theatre Board of Trustees, SmART Grant Initiative Steering Committee, and Durham Cultural Advisory Board, among others. When not transforming and serving communities, he runs a popular Instagram account (Commandments of Style) focused on men's style with over 45,000 followers and has partnered with global brands including Brooks Brothers, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tallia Orange, Untuckit, Target and Samuelsohn. Personally, he and his fiancé, Tara, live in the Triangle and are tying the knot on the North Carolina coast in the Fall of 2020. 

Oliver finished, " Our Chamber is coming to the end of an era after 14 wonderful years under Neal Padgett's leadership. Matthew is a driven individual with energy, knowledge, and presence. We're ready as a Board, a Chamber, and a community of keen business owners to get to work on the next chapter."

The Garner Chamber will host their annual Reverse Raffle & Taste of the Town Friday March 6th from 5:30 - 9:00 PM and invite members and the community to welcome Matthew and celebrate this new start together. Tickets available from Board members or by calling the Chamber Office at 919-772-6440.

Release via Garner Chamber of Commerce

UNC Rex Healthcare Gives Garner Health Options a Shot in the Arm

UNC Urgent Care opened a new clinic in Garner, taking over the old Applebee’s restaurant spot on Highway 70 West, near the intersection of Timber Drive.

The future of medical care came up repeatedly during the Garner Chamber of Commerce’s annual Connect Conference this fall.

The national experts said that today’s consumers want choices in all their purchases, including medical care.

Patients want to schedule their medical appointments around their own timetables, whether that means after the usual closing time or on weekends.

The national experts predicted that urgent care clinics would be one of the growth industries during the foreseeable feature.

Photos Courtesy Jonathan Rodriguez (UNC REX Healthcare)

Right on cue, UNC Urgent Care opened a new clinic in Garner, taking over the old Applebee’s restaurant spot on Highway 70 West, near the intersection of Timber Drive.

The center will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m., until 8 p.m. The only day it closes is Christmas Day.

Urgent care facilities often are a quicker, more affordable and convenient alternative to a hospital emergency department visits.

The Garner location is the eighth UNC Urgent Care in Wake County and expands its presence in the community. UNC REX Healthcare has a campus in the White Oak plaza, behind Target, not too far down 70. That includes various physician practices, a UNC REX Wellness Center and more.

 “We recognize that urgent care clinics are increasingly popular for their lower costs and shorter wait times,” said Steve Burriss, president of UNC Health’s Triangle Region. “UNC Urgent Care at Garner will offer residents in that fast-growing community a better option for medical care, closer to home.”

 The centers can handle a myriad of problems including minor lacerations, cold, flu, earaches, urinary infections, burns, allergies, rashes and sports physicals. 

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UNC Urgent Care also offers an online reservation system (uncurgentcare.org), making it easy to schedule appointments and reduce wait times. For more information, visit uncurgentcare.org.

Garner Chamber of Commerce Receive Coveted Accreditation

with Dean Faile, Neal Padgett and April Wall Wood.

What an exciting afternoon!! The Garner Chamber of Commerce received the accredited chamber award from CACCE. We are now one of 30 chambers in NC and SC to receive accreditation.

Garner Chamber Summit Awards Marks 10th Year and Looks to the Future

Community of Hope Ministries and Curry in a Hurry were double winners and Ron Smith of S&A Cherokee was the lifetime achievement award winner Thursday night in the Garner Chamber of Commerce’s 10th annual Summit Awards.

Image Credit: Garner Economic Development Corporation

Community of Hope, a 501(c) 3 corporation that assists families in need, was named the winner of the non-profit achievement award and the award for steady growth and achievement. Curry in a Hurry, which was a finalist in four of the six award categories, won for excellence in business and for vision and value

The other major award winners were Aversboro Coffee for an entrepreneurial spirit and Chick-Fil-A for creating value for its customers.

The awards presentation was filled with joviality as ABC 11 Eyewitness News’ Andrea Blanford returned for her second year as host.

“This is just so much fun,” Blanford told the capacity crowd at The Grand Marquise Ballroom. “It is so good to come and talk about all of the good things that you are doing.”

Ron Smith, Fay Gardner Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

Smith received the Faye Gardner Lifetime Achievement Award for a lifetime of consistent contributions to his business, to his industry, to the Garner Chamber of Commerce and to the community.

“Business does so much for a community,” Smith said. “And our chamber is just amazing. The chamber and our businesses helped move Garner from being a bedroom community into a thriving community.

“When I came here 40 years ago, we had a population of about 5,000 and you couldn’t buy a suit here. Without businesses, a community can’t prosper.”

Smith said he was overwhelmed with the lifetime achievement award, especially since it is named for Gardner, one of his long-time friends.

“To be recognized by your community really makes an award mean more because it is being done by your peers,” he said. “No one gets involved in the community to receive praise, but it is nice to get a pat on the back.”

Chamber president Neal Padgett said Smith had been a mentor.  Smith helped guide Padgett during his first years at the Chamber and in 2009 was instrumental in the Chamber beginning three major events:  The Connect Conference to discuss business issues in Garner; the Summit Awards and the Broadway Voices concert series.

“And Ron was insistent that he and I meet on a regular basis with Hardin Watkins, who was then the town manager,“ Padgett said. “Ron thought it was very important for the town and local businesses to communicate and to work together when they could. The Connect Conference and Broadway Voices are examples of how the town, the chamber and local business can work together for the community.”

The three Summit Award finalists in each category and the winner were chosen by out-of-state judges from submitted nominations.

The red carpet was ground zero for selfies. Image Credit: Angela Davis

There also were People’s Choice Awards in 11 different categories.  A record 22,000 on-line votes, up from 10,000 the last two years, were cast.  Garner Chiropractic and Wellness Center, the winner in the Best Health Care category, received the most votes of the 57 finalists with 800.

The other People’s Choice winners were: Family Auto Service, Xerox/Carolina Office Systems, Garner Police and Athletic and Activities League, Chick-Fil-A, State Employees Credit Union, Carolina Glass & Mirror, Body Wellness Massage Therapy, Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Be Home Realty and Garner Appliance and Mattress.

Neal Padgett received a special award for his years of service. Image Credit: Early Easley Iannello

Padgett, who has announced his retirement, was given a special award.

“I think it was our best awards ever,” Padgett said. “I went out on top.”

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Faye Gardner Lifetime Achievement Award

Ron Smith, S&A Cherokee

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Summit Award winners

Huebner Family McDonald’s Entrepreneurial

Aversboro Coffee

Jones Keystone Insurance Excellence in Business

Curry in a Hurry

First Citizens Forever First

Chick-Fil-A

Capital Chrysler Jeep Dodge Non-profit Achievement

Community of Hope Ministries

La Cocina Steady Growth and Achievement

Community of Hope Ministries

Wells Fargo Vision and Values

Curry in a Hurry

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People’s Choice Awards

Best Automotive Services

Presented by CEI - The Digital Office

Family Auto Service

Best Business to Business Partner

Presented by Langdon & Company, CPAs

Xerox/ Carolina Office Systems

Image Credit: Garner PAAL.

Best Community Partner

Presented by BPG Management Company

Garner Police Athletic & Activities League

Best Eats and Drinks

Presented by Charles Ashley Mann, DDS & Associates

Chick-Fil-A

Best Financial Services

Presented by Matthews Motors

State Employees Credit Union

Best Healthcare Winner Garner Chiropractic and Wellness Center. Dr. Katie Lucht(L) and Betsy Young Blood (R).

Best Health Care

Presented by Be Home Realty

Garner Chiropractic & Wellness Center

Best Home Services

Presendted by State Farm-Lindsey Weaver

Carolina Glass & Mirror

Best Personal Services

Presented by B.E.S.T. Inc. Commercial Roofing

Body Wellness Massage Therapy

Best Professional Services

Presented by Coastal Credit Union

Bryan-Lee Funeral Home

Best Real Estate Experience

Presented by State Farm-Meg Hunter

Be Home Realty

Best Shopping

Presented by Turner Farms Self Storage

Garner Appliance and Mattress

Reflections From the Chamber’s CONNECT Conference

Garner and the Triangle,

Aligning Before Our Eyes

Opinion

By Amy Griggs - Consulting Editor

The Garner Chamber of Commerce’s 10th annual conference, “Connect & Plug in the Future” on Aug. 15, inspired attendees in ways that are hard to measure but plain to see.

The planets and stars are in alignment for Garner, it seems.

Now as everything aligns, consider this “breaking news” video announcement which began the conference: Startup of thegarnernews.com, and its role as a community builder.

Revealing the creation of the online newspaper was a natural for Connect; two years ago the conference featured a segment titled, “Is Garner a News Desert?” Attendees clearly craved a local paper, and now you are probably reading it online, evidence of the chamber’s on-point timing of a forum and follow-up efforts. More about this later.

Garner: The Next Frontier

The business community, abuzz from the promised conference agenda, left with even more than they bargained for: Retail wisdom from experts Laurie Pearson and Sarah Quinlan (many in Garner remember when there was virtually no retail here). Meaty information from consulting transportation engineer Greg Saur of WSP and Het Patel of the City of Raleigh, formerly of Town of Garner, on the opportunities afforded by the proposed Bus Rapid Transit system, which finds the southern corridor leading to Garner.

And discussion of the concept of opportunity zones, featuring attorney Lee Hodge of Ward and Smith, P.A., and Thomas Barker, senior tax accountant of Elliot Davis. Opportunity zones began as a federal incentive meant to spur investments in undercapitalized communities. Corporations and individuals are eligible for tax incentives to encourage those with capital gains to invest in areas typically featuring lower income residents, higher poverty and unemployment. Garner area OZs offer opportunities to developers, and residents stands to benefit, they say.

That segment provided a natural segue into the dynamic trio of John Kane, Billie Redmond, and Steve Malik, who are poised inject new life and vitality into Garner’s neighbor to the north—and by virtue of proximity, Garner—with a dream project causing quite the stir since their formal announcement in June.

Because John Kane’s story includes the city-changing, wildly successful redevelopment of Raleigh’s North Hills, his “Downtown South,” a $2 billion investment in a sports arena and entertainment venue; retail, restaurant and office space; and residential units promises another urban wonder of cultural offerings, employment opportunities and tax revenue. Malik is the soccer man, with a 40-year history with the sport in the Triangle and owner of NC Football Club and whose dreams include a Raleigh-based major league team. Redmond rounds out the pitch trio; she is founder of TradeMark Properties commercial real estate firm.

Clearly, the business-friendly conference-goers loved these three; spontaneous applause erupted early during their remarks. Garner business owners and residents couldn’t help but feel optimistic at what Downtown South could mean for Garner economically and culturally.

It looks like Garner’s turn to align with the planets and stars; this project sparks a thrill in many who remember the no-grow preference among old-timers mere decades ago, who have witnessed initiatives come and go, and visions wax and wane. They have anticipated and believed in Garner’s rightful place in the greater metropolitan area.

With a plethora of projects landing here over recent years, large and small, nothing says just–you-watch-us–now like a Downtown South at our doorstep – 55 acres at South Saunders Street to I-40 to Wilmington Street. It is truly a jaw-dropping proposal.

Community journalists will respond

Planets align in rare but reliable and predictable patterns; not so certain are the economy, developers’ vision, or elected officials, whose action plays a key role in the quality of life here.

By “here” I mean Garner of course, which after all, is what news coverage of this newspaper should be all about.

The first newspaper publisher I worked for, Ralph Delano, taught me a simple lesson I have never forgotten about community journalism.

Wise, humble, chipper, and quick to laugh, Mr. D spent a lifetime in the business, landing in Johnston County to own and publish the Benson Review, Four Oaks News and The Clayton News (later The Clayton News-Star.) He died in 2006 at age 90.

He also taught journalism at Campbell University, where he imparted wisdom he shared with me: Community journalism is all things local. “When a bomb drops in Raleigh,” he’d say, “we don’t cover that. The Clayton News reports on the ash falling in Clayton.”

So with the exciting development occurring and proposed in our area, someone, namely elected officials and local journalists, have to question the fallout.

And aren’t journalists watchdogs of governmental bodies? So questions will arise; give journalists credit for their efforts to be fair and to represent various points of view. Are tax incentives really necessary? Will arena events make U.S. 70/I-40 traffic unbearable, and what can be done about it? A swath of our residents worries about gentrification; should we worry in Garner?

Kudos to Garner Chamber of Commerce officials for the exceptional work they do for Garner, and to town employees who partnered with them to produce a first rate conference all about plugging into the future.

The stars are aligned. The future is here.

CONNECT Conference 2019

If you weren’t able to attend, The Garner News will have follow-up coverage of the annual CONNECT Conference.

Be sure to sign-up for email updates.

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For more information on the agenda visit The Garner Chamber of Commerce website.