Boyles Furniture and Rugs ~ Grand Opening This Weekend!

Posted by admin in Davie County Chamber of Commerce, Davie County Economic Development, People, Things To Do, Top Stories on May 24, 2013

boyles furniture and rugsA Grand Re-Opening of the longtime Boyles Furniture and Rugs location at 182 Farmington Rd., directly off of Interstate 40 in Mocksville is underway.

The parking lot was packed with overflow parking on the lawn for the first night of the grand opening on Friday evening, May 23 with live music, hors d’oeuvres and refreshments from Nobles.  The grand opening continues throughout this Memorial Day weekend.

Bringing Furniture Jobs Back to NC
Mark Bannon, President of the new Boyles Brand Holdings company says, “We’re hiring back the very people who lost their jobs when this industry faltered, we are helping to put North Carolina back to work.”

After winding down their 13-store chain in early 2011, the 60-year old brand has been revived through the formation of a joint venture between the Boyles Furniture & Rugs brand owners and a group of furniture industry veterans.  Mr. Bannon states, “Our team has worked hard to develop a new retail business model that we feel will be very well received by our loyal Boyles customers.” Following the Mocksville, NC store launch, plans are in place for opening of another newly-purchased store in Connecticut, with additional retail locations in the works.



Poised for Growth
“Along with the lease and renovation of 50,000 square feet of retail space in Mocksville, NC and the purchase of a retail facility in central Connecticut, we’ve opened two new corporate offices, hired over 25 former and new employees, and we’re in the process of hiring many additional employees” says Bannon, who continued to remark on the warm reception Boyles has received since his group’s investment, “We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response from our customers, employees, and the industry as a whole. We encourage our customers to check our website, http://www.Boyles.com, on a regular basis or “like” us on Facebook to keep up to date on all that we have going on.”

The new Boyles retail concept, being rolled out in Mocksville, is centered around three main ingredients; a 5,000 square foot, high-end Boutique shopping experience; an additional 35,000 square feet of mid- to high-end special order product and in stock goods available for immediate delivery; and 10,000 square feet of opportunity buys and closeouts of quality furniture at up to 80% off of suggested retail price, which changes on a daily basis.

Boyles-Grand-Re-Opening

New Store Layout is a Win-Win
Chad Hendricks, Executive Vice-President of Sales, explains, “This new layout is truly a win for the customer because in the past we only offered one shopping experience in our stores. Now we are able to offer sales on a daily basis, with truckloads of amazingly discounted furniture, while still serving our design clients through a broad selection of special order and showroom furniture along with the largest rug and mattress galleries we’ve ever had. We invite everyone to come and celebrate this great American comeback story with us this weekend.”

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The Davie County Montage is Here!

Posted by admin in Top Stories on May 23, 2013

Davie County Montage

The Davie County Montage is now available through the Davie County Chamber of Commerce and Collette Art and Framing.  The highly detailed pen and ink drawing tells the story of Davie County and commemorates our past and present architecture as well as the sites, people and history of Davie County.   The Montage also includes several businesses, churches and nonprofit organizations who signed up as sponsors for the project.   It is the eclectic mix of old and new and the artist’s interpretation of familiar images that gives the Montage its unique and compelling character

While the signed and numbered originals are reserved for sponsors, unframed posters are available for $15.00 at the Davie County Chamber of Commerce.   The Davie Montage can also be purchased at Collette Art & Framing at 835 Yadkinville Road, Mocksville where several framed versions are on display.  Custom framing is available to create a beautiful work of art for every taste and budget.  With several posters already sold and framed, look for the Davie County Montage to be on display in homes and businesses throughout the county.

The Davie County Chamber of Commerce would like to thank all the participating sponsors and our special advisors who helped make the difficult decisions on what historic icons to  include on the montage.  A very special Thank You to chamber member Community Creations for bringing such a special project to Davie County.

Resources:
Collette Art anf Framing
Community Creations
Davie County chamber of Commerce

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Learning To Fly at Sugar Valley Airport in Davie County

Posted by admin in Top Stories on May 21, 2013

Davie County Sugar Valley Airport Learn to Fly

Tammy, John, Hannah and Benjamin Phillips (L to R) celebrating father John’s first solo flight

With his wife and children looking on with great pride, John Phillips became the fifth pilot to make their first solo flight at Sugar Valley Airport in the last two years. Phillips, who lives with his family in the William R. Davie School community of Davie County, started flying lessons at the airport last fall. On Saturday his instructor, Eddie White, determined that it was time for Phillips to fly alone.

Pilots “solo” after they achieve a level of proficiency which convinces their instructors that they can safely fly alone. Saturday morning Phillips made his three takeoffs and landings without incident. After his final landing, he taxied the Cessna 150 airplane to the aircraft parking ramp at Sugar Valley, to the cheers of his family and airport volunteers.

As he stepped from the plane, he thanked his instructor and others at the airport for their support. He then added about flying and this very special milestone, “This is a dream come true.” Earlier, Phillips, his children Benjamin and Hannah, and his wife Tammy, all took the free ground school course offered at the airport to persons interested in learning to fly. The whole family worked hard to support Phillips in his efforts.

Phillips will now complete his flight training working with his instructor and by practicing on his own and honing his skills so that he can take the final flight test with an examiner certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.  The Cessna 150 aircraft is made available to Mr. Phillips by a local aircraft owner.

In the last two years, five pilots have soloed at Sugar Valley and four of them have already received their pilot’s license. Other students at the airport are also nearing their time to solo.

The airport supports general aviation activities with educational and other aviation-related events. Over the last two years, over 80 students from across the region have attended the free aviation ground school held twice a year at the airport, and 40 have graduated.  Persons interested in learning to fly or in taking the free ground school course can call the airport at 336-998 – 3971, or write aviation@SugarValleyAirport.org.

Additional Resources:
Sugar Valley Airport Hosts 250 Scouts for Aviation Merit Badge Event
Davie County Civil Air Patrol Unit Established at Sugar Valley Airport
Meet Legendary Women in Aviation This Saturday at Sugar Valley Airport in Davie County
Sugar Valley Airport hosts aerospace education event in Davie County
HondaJet Presentation in Davie County ~ 400 New Jobs Coming to North Carolina!

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Classic Cars “Cruise-In” Monday in Mocksville

Posted by admin in Things To Do, Top Stories on May 20, 2013

Visit the beautiful square in historic downtown Mocksville this evening for a classic car “Cruise-In” presented by the Piedmont Classic C.A.R.S. Club.

The cruise-in draws participants from the surrounding areas stretching from the Virginia border to the Sandhills. If the weather is good, the cruise-in will draw as many as 250 cars.

Music and 50/50 Raffle
Music will be provided throughout the evening by DJ Barry Lentz and there will also be a 50/50 raffle.

First and Third Mondays
On the first and third Monday of each month evening from April through October the town square in Mocksville is transformed into a scene from the 40′s, 50′s and 60′s as beautiful classic cars, some sporting car-hop trays and fuzzy dice line the streets.

The cruise-ins also provide car owners the opportunity to get out and drive, which is the real fun of owning a classic car. Enthusiasts come together to share their love of cars with others and to answer questions about cars, the town of Mocksville and the cruise-ins.

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Cooleemee Mill Project ~ Design Workshops This Saturday

Posted by admin in Top Stories on May 17, 2013

cooleemee-mill (2)Citizens of Cooleemee and surrounding communities are invited to attend one or more of the “Community Design Workshop” this Saturday at 10: 00 AM, 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM at the VFW Hall located at 7722 NC Hwy 801 South.  Plenty of refreshments will be available for each 2 hour session.

With over 330 original mill houses, the Bullhole and dam at RiverPark and the old cotton mill still standing along the banks of the South Yadkin River, Cooleemee is perhaps the best preserved Southern mill village of the post civil-war industrial age.  Cooleemee’s mill, built in 1900 at the height of the South’s mill building era, closed in 1969.

This is your chance to help shape the future of Cooleemee
The Community Design Workshops will provide an opportunity for residents to share their ideas and dreams for the mill while learning what the redevelopment process will look like.  Every idea presented will be recorded and the collection of ideas will be used to pursue potential development strategies to remake the Cooleemee Mill into the economic engine that built this community.

Outstanding Resources Available Saturday
Mac Jordan the developer of Saxapahaw Rivermill and architect Andrew Idatridis will be at the workshop to explain the stages necessary to redevelop the mill – from design, marketing, finding investors and utilizing historic tax credits.

Local architect John Fuller and Cari Hopson, a community planning advisor from the North Carolina Department of Commerce will be there to help residents think about how to preserve the places and streetscapes that they most appreciate and cherish in Cooleemee.  Residents are asked to bring photographs of Cooleemee streetscapes, landscapes or vistas that are beautiful or unique.

Cooleemee Town Clerk John Chandler will be there to help residents discover how this project will affect their community and their families.

Lynn Rumley, Mayor of Cooleemee and the Mill Project Leader will be on hand to share the long term goals of the mill project and to discuss residents’ ideas and concerns in an effort to build consensus across the community.   A shared vision of what Cooleemee envisions for itself 20 years down the road will go a long way to helping turn that dream into a reality.

Please plan on attending one of the 2 hour sessions
If you are a resident of Cooleemee or the greater Cooleemee area, please plan to attend one of the Community Design Workshop session on Saturday, May 18th to begin building the future of this wonderful community.

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Traveler Alert: Weekend Construction Will Close I-40 Westbound for 3 Weekends

Posted by admin in Top Stories on May 13, 2013

I-40 Detour-Map-Davie-CountyEDITED 5/13/2013 to reflect new start date of May 31-June 3
NC DOT contract forces will be closing all lanes of westbound I-40, during weekends, at the Yadkin River Bridge in order to perform bridge preservation work.

A new concrete overlay will be places on the riding surface of the bridge. The bridge is at the Forsyth/Davie County line at mile marker 181 approximately 1 mile west of the Harper Rd. interchange (Exit 182).

Highway to remain open Memorial Day weekend
The road closures will occur beginning on Fridays at 8:00 PM with the road reopening by 6:00 AM on Mondays. The road closures are anticipated for the following three weekends: May 17-19, May 31-June 3, June 14-17,  and June 21-24; with no work during the Memorial Day weekend.

These closures will be in effect pending good weather. There will be a signed off-site detour during the closure. Portable message boards or overhead message signs will be utilized during the weeks leading up to the closures advertising anticipated dates of closures. Motorists are advised to use other routes or avoid this area if possible during these times. Please use caution in this area and stay alert due to heavy congestion.

 

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Sugar Valley Airport Hosts 250 Scouts for Aviation Merit Badge Event

Posted by admin in Top Stories on May 7, 2013

camporeeSugar Valley Airport, located in the heart of Davie County, continues to expand its reach into our community by serving others.

In a recent community event, over 250 Boy Scouts and Scout leaders from the Rowan District of the Central North Carolina Council held an aviation camporee at Sugar Valley Airport over the weekend of April 19 – 21.  The focus of the event was for the scouts to complete requirements for their aviation merit badges.

Stations were set up around the airport for each participant for learning about airplane instruments, pre-flighting an airplane, building a model airplane, learning about careers in aviation and working with a simulator.

Free Airplane Rides “Awesome”!
For 173 scouts, however, the main event was a free airplane ride provided by volunteers from Chapter 1083 of the Experimental Aircraft Association in Salisbury. The most common comment heard after the flights was: “It was awesome.” It was a perfect day for flying with visibility unlimited.

On Friday night the lake at Sugar Valley was used as a backdrop for an Order of the Arrow tapping ceremony. Saturday afternoon a local area remote control aircraft club put on quite a show for the scouts.  Saturday night, at the airport’s Friendship Fire Circle cadets participated in African drumming and were entertained by a live band. The night ended with a traditional flag ceremony.


This weekend camporee was just the latest example demonstrating how Sugar Valley Airport is becoming a hub of community events all year long.  The 65 acre airport with a 2,400 foot runway and lots of hangar space for rent is situated in a beautiful lakefront setting.  Adjacent to the lake is a Friendship Fire Circle overlooking the lake.   The large fire circle is a center of activity for visitors who use the facility for overnight camping sessions.  For more information visit them on the web at www.sugarvalleyairport.org.

Recent Sugar Valley Airport Stories:
Sugar Valley Airport Doubles as Community Park (Winston Salem Journal)
Davie County Civil Air Patrol Unit Established at Sugar Valley Airport
Legendary Women in Aviation Landing at Sugar Valley Airport
Sugar Valley Airport Hosts Aerospace Education Event
Honda Jet Presentation at Sugar – 400 New Jobs Coming to NC

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Daniel Boone Family Festival May 4th Will Dish up Food, Fun, Music and a Heapin’ Helpin’ of History

Posted by admin in Davie County Chamber of Commerce, People, Things To Do, Top Stories on April 30, 2013

daniel-boone-family-festivalFree Community Event! 10 AM to 9 PM
On May 4, Historic Davie will host the Daniel Boone Family Festival in Historic Downtown Mocksville.  Featuring craftsmen, merchants, educational tours, historic re-enactors, food vendors, and live music, there’s something for everyone at the all-day event which kicks off at 10 AM.

The festival originated as a way to celebrate the wedding anniversary of Daniel and Rebecca Boone, and for its first two iterations it was held in August (the couple married on August 14, 1756). But the summer heat made for a long day so Historic Davie moved the celebration to May.

Retrace the Steps of Daniel Boone, the Revolutionary War, Historic Homes and More!
Daniel Boone spent nearly 25 years in the Yadkin Valley area, and two of the three tours revolve around landmarks associated with the Boone clan. The big attraction for Boone buffs are the tours that run at 10:15 AM, 12:30 PM, and again at 2:15 PM.  Tours are $5 and are provided by bus or van.

Tours include stops at historic Joppa Cemetery, where Daniel’s parents Squire and Sarah Boone and his brother Israel are buried (Israel’s grave is the oldest in the cemetery); the Boone Tract at Bear Creek, a 640-acre parcel of land granted to Squire Boone in 1753 and later sold to his son Daniel; the Daniel Boone Marker in Farmington; and nearby Pudding Ridge, where General Cornwallis crossed Dutchman Creek in pursuit of Nathanael Greene (Cornwallis named the area for the thick mud in the area his troops had to march through).

Another tour departing at 11:45 AM also visits Joppa Cemetery, Bear Creek, and the Boone Tract in addition to tours of the Jesse A. Clement House (built in 1828) and Historic Center Arbor, constructed as a site for “camp meetings” during the Third Great Awakening in 1876.

The last tour, which departs at 1:15 PM, takes visitors to the River Park at the Bull Hole, Veach’s Muster Ground, Revolutionary War hero Richmond Pearson‘s grave site, and the Historic Zachary Holt House and Village Museum of Cooleemee, both of which have exhibits centered around the area’s once-booming textile industry.

Rounding out the historic flavor of the festival will be the presence of Fort Dobbs re-enactors (Fort Dobbs was the site of a battle between settlers and Cherokee warriors in 1760.)

sleeping-booty-bandMusic all day at Junker’s Mill Outdoor Theater – capped off by The Sleeping Booty Band at 6 PM
Music fans will want to head over to Junker’s Mill Outdoor Theatre to check out the Christian Rock of Caleb’s Bridge at noon, the rockin’ country sounds of Tony Bailey at 2:30 PM, and the funkalicious sounds of The Sleeping Booty Band at 6:00 PM. All of the performances are free of charge, but those wishing to enjoy an “adult beverage” will have to purchase a wristband for $5.00.

Vendor Applications and Additional Information
To learn more about the amenities and activities that will be on hand, head over to the official Daniel Boone Family Festival and Spring Auction web site, or call Tami Langdon at 336-909-2263 (you can also call the Davie County Chamber of Commerce at 336-751-3304.  If you’d like to participate as a vendor, you can download a vendor application here.

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Creating Jobs in Davie County Once Again ~ Boyles Furniture and Rugs Grand Re-Opening

Posted by admin in Davie County Chamber of Commerce, Davie County Economic Development, People, Things To Do, Top Stories on April 26, 2013

Boyles-Grand-Re-OpeningBoyles Furniture & Rugs is creating jobs in Davie County North Carolina once again.   A Grand Re-Opening of the longtime Boyles location at 182 Farmington Rd. in Mocksville, NC, centrally located in North Carolina directly off of Interstate 40, is scheduled for May 23.

Mark Bannon, President of the new Boyles Brand Holdings company says, “We’re hiring back the very people who lost their jobs when this industry faltered, we are helping to put North Carolina back to work.”

After winding down their 13-store chain in early 2011, the 60-year old brand has been revived through the formation of a joint venture between the Boyles Furniture & Rugs brand owners and a group of furniture industry veterans.

Driving the jobs in this story are millions of dollars in private money currently being invested in the region by the new Boyles owners. Mr. Bannon states, “We believe the economy in this area is poised for rapid growth and there is a need to satisfy the unmet demand for quality mid- to high-end furniture offered at a value. Our team has worked hard to develop a new retail business model that we feel will be very well received by our loyal Boyles customers.” Following the Mocksville, NC store launch, plans are in place for opening of another newly-purchased store in Connecticut, with additional retail locations being actively explored.

“Along with the lease and renovation of 50,000 square feet of retail space in Mocksville, NC and the purchase of a retail facility in central Connecticut, we’ve opened two new corporate offices, hired over 25 former and new employees, and we’re in the process of hiring many additional employees ahead of the Grand Openings of the Mocksville and Connecticut stores,” says Bannon, who continued to remark on the warm reception Boyles has received since his group’s investment, “We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response from our customers, employees, and the industry as a whole. We encourage our customers to check our website, http://www.Boyles.com, on a regular basis or “like” us on Facebook to keep up to date on all that we have going on.”

The new Boyles retail concept, being rolled out in Mocksville, is centered around three main ingredients; a 5,000 square foot, high-end Boutique shopping experience; an additional 35,000 square feet of mid- to high-end special order product and in stock goods available for immediate delivery; and 10,000 square feet of opportunity buys and closeouts of quality furniture at up to 80% off of suggested retail price, which changes on a daily basis.

Grand Opening May 23
Chad Hendricks, Executive Vice-President of Sales, explains, “This new layout is truly a win for the customer because in the past we only offered one shopping experience in our stores. Now we are able to offer sales on a daily basis, with truckloads of amazingly discounted furniture, while still serving our design clients through a broad selection of special order and showroom furniture along with the largest rug and mattress galleries we’ve ever had. We invite everyone in North Carolina and the surrounding states to come and celebrate this great American comeback story with us on May 23.”

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Davie County High School Lacrosse Team Port-A-Pit Fundraiser

Posted by admin in Top Stories on April 23, 2013

DC LAX TeamDavie County High School has formed a club level lacrosse team with plans for a regular school team next year.  The team is currently selling tickets to a port-a-pit chicken plate which will be prepared and served at the Daniel Boone Family Festival on Saturday, May 4, 2013 in historic downtown Mocksville.

Plates will include chicken, baked beans, BBQ slaw, a roll and dessert for $8.50.  Plates will be available during the festival for pickup from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm at the port-a-pit tent located at the corner of Depot and Salisbury Streets .  Orders of 10 or more plates will be delivered to your location at no charge.

Tickets are being pre-sold through the Davie County Chamber of Commerce.  Please consider supporting the Daniel Boone Family Festival and the Davie County High School Lacrosse team by purchasing tickets.  Deadline for purchasing tickets is this Friday, April 26.  For more information, or to purchase tickets, please call the Chamber at 336 751-3304.

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Wake Forest Baptist Health—West Campus Opens in August

Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Featured Buildings and Sites, People, Top Stories on April 22, 2013

Dr-McConnellWake Forest Baptist Medical Center will open the first of two buildings on its West Campus in August, bringing the world-class services of one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers to Davie County.

The four-story, 60,000 square foot building—visible from Interstate 40 at exit 180 in the Town of Bermuda Run —will house physician offices, physical therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, and a pharmacy.

Orthopaedics will be the primary specialty service offered at the West Campus along with cardiology, ophthalmology and neurology.  The research conducted by Wake Forest Baptist indicates that these services are needed by residents to enable them to have more convenient access to quality healthcare.

One of the four floors will be devoted to orthopaedics. Wake Forest Baptist physicians will provide diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical services for patients with knee, shoulder, hip and hand problems, as well as conditions related to sports medicine and podiatry.  Having physical therapy in the building will add convenience for patients.

For the first time, a cardiologist will have an office in Davie County.  In addition to the cardiologist, cardiac rehabilitation will be available in the building.

Also, an ophthalmologist and neurologist will have offices in the building. Our eye physician provides complete eye exams without a referral.

In October, Medical Plaza 2 will open, completing the first phase of the West Campus.  Medical Plaza 2 is a 101,000 square foot building that will offer 24/7 emergency services, outpatient surgery and diagnostic imaging.  Medical Plaza 2 will have a full service laboratory, pre-operative assessment clinic, diagnostic cardiology and neurology.

Diagnostic services including imaging, lab, cardiology and neurology, as well as physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation services are available to any patients with a physician’s order.

With the $100 million investment and approximately 175 jobs, Wake Forest Baptist Health will be a catalyst for the economic growth of Davie County.

For more information, visit http://www.wakehealth.edu/west-campus/

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Davie County in the Spotlight – Ashley Furniture Breaks Ground on 1,040,000 SF Addition

Posted by admin in Davie County Chamber of Commerce, Davie County Economic Development, Featured Buildings and Sites, People, Top Stories on April 18, 2013

Ashley Groundbreaking02On Wednesday, April 17, 2013, Ashley Furniture broke ground in Davie County, NC on what will eventually be the largest furniture manufacturing and distribution center in the world.  Part of a 5 year, $500 million investment strategy, the Davie County site sits on 668 acres in Advance, NC that will home to 3.8 million square feet of manufacturing and distribution space when completed.

Governor Pat McCrory recounts his first meeting with Ron Wanek, founder of Ashley Furniture and welcomes Ashley Furniture to North Carolina.

Dr. Qubein congratulates Davie County on a big WIN and celebrates American ingenuity and the American free enterprise system.

Davie County Economic Development Commission president Terry Bralley speaks about NC Governor McCrory’s mission to improve the state government’s customer service and about what it takes to bring manufacturing jobs back to North Carolina.  Mr. Bralley also thanks the Wanek family and Ashley Furniture for selecting Davie County as the site for the largest furniture manufacturing and distribution facility in the world.  Finally, Mr. Bralley thanks the RJR Tobacco Company for donating 360 acres in Advance, NC to make the Ashley Furniture expansion into North Carolina possible.

Ashley attorney Bill Coslo talks about his 50 years of experience with the Wanek family and congratulates Ron and Joyce Wanek on 52 years of marriage,  Mr. Coslo recounts his experience with NC Governor Pat McCrory and with the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary John E. Skvarla.  Mr. Coslo thanks the Golden Leaf Foundation and the North Carolina Rural Center for helping makethis groundbreaking a reality.  Mr. Coslo also thanked RJR for creating a legacy in Davie County with their donation of 360 acres to the Davie County Economic Development Commission for this project.  Mr. Coslo thanked Al Bolton of the Piedmont Triad Partnership, Duke Energy, and NC Representative Julia Howard and NC Senator Andrew Brock and the NC Department of Transportation.

Ron Wanek, founder of Ashley Furniture gives final remarks and the official groundbreaking ceremony is conducted.

Davie County in the Spotlight

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JOBS ~ Groundbreaking Ceremony on Wednesday to Clear the Way for Hundreds of Additional Jobs in Davie County

Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Featured Buildings and Sites, People, Top Stories on April 15, 2013

Davie County Home to Largst Ashley Furniture Plant in USADAVIE COUNTY ASHLEY FURNITURE PLANT WILL BE  THE LARGEST FURNITURE MANUFACTURING/DISTRIBUTION PLANT IN NORTH AMERICA!
It was nearly a year ago that Wisconsin-based Ashley Furniture announced that Davie County would be the new home for what would be the company’s largest facility, and eventually, the largest furniture manufacturing and distribution center in the United States with 3.8 million square feet of building space. But the highly anticipated project, slated to bring at least 550 new jobs to the area, had been stuck almost in a state of limbo because of environmental issues created by a 4 acre patch of standing water at the 668 acre site on which the $80-million facility will be built.

Thankfully, those issues were largely resolved on March 28th of this year when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) gave Ashley a temporary permit to build on or near four acres it had deemed as “wetlands,” a finding that contradicted the conclusions of third-party experts hired by Ashley to do an environmental evaluation before purchasing the land.

An invitation-only groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 5 PM on Wednesday, April 17 in celebration of clearing this significant hurdle, one that could have delayed construction for many more months or even years.  Governor Pat McCrory will be in attendance along with other state and local dignitaries and business leaders.

While Ashley Furniture chairman Ron Wanek is understandably frustrated by the delays, he is still excited about the acquisition of the land for the company’s flagship facility. “This has to be the most perfect site I have ever seen,” Wanek said in a February, 2013 interview with Furniture Today. ”With all the sites we have that we have outgrown [in the past], this was a dream.”

The US Army Corps of Engineers permit clears the way for the construction of a a 1,040,000 square foot distribution center on Baltimore Road in Advance, NC which will be part of a complex that will eventually comprise 3.8 million square feet of building space dedicated to the company’s manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution divisions.

Ashley Furniture’s decision to make the Davie County facility the linchpin of its operations was just one of several wins for the county over the last 18 months.  Carolina Precision Plastics announced in March of last year that it would invest $5.3 million in the creation of a manufacturing facility that would lead to 140 new jobs with an average wage of $39,183 (the county average was $28,808 at the time of the announcement). Pro Refrigeration, Inc. said it will be creating an East Coast production facility in Mocksville that will entail a $4.9 million investment and the need for yet another 85 jobs.  Adding to the bright outlook is the slated completion of  the $100,00,000 Wake Forest Baptist-West Campus, bringing high-tech professionals and top-flight health care to Davie County.

A key player in helping match companies in search of new opportunities with critical infrastructure and land-related resources is the Davie County Economic Development Commission.  Visit the Davie County EDC web site to learn what Davie County has to offer for businesses of all sizes in one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing counties.

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From Davie to Denmark: Manufacturer Makes History with Groundbreaking Export from Cooleemee Mill

Posted by admin in Davie County Economic Development, Featured Buildings and Sites, People, Things To Do, Top Stories on April 10, 2013

Lewtak Pipe Organ includeReplacing a church organ usually isn’t a momentous event unless you’re a scriptwriter trying to cobble together an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. The key word in that statement, however, is “usually.”  Case in point: Tom Lewtak, of Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders, a Cooleemee-based company that is currently putting the finishing touches on the first American-made pipe organ ever to grace the sanctuary of a Danish church.

Tom Lewtak’s four year journey to Cooleemee
A native of Poland and a graduate of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, Lewtak was serving as church organist at St. Joseph’s Church in Camillus, New York when the priest decided to replace the electronic organ with a traditional pipe organ. When Lewtak was shown the replacement he would be playing, he saw that not only was it the wrong size for the church, but also that it had many parts that needed to be replaced.

The story might have ended with a simple case of buyer’s remorse on the priest’s part, but Lewtak had another idea: he’d use the skills he learned while minoring in organ building in Katowice to salvage all the usable parts and build a new organ more suited to the dimensions of St. Joseph’s. Helping him would be his brother Paul, an architect and interior designer who would create the façade, or outer casing, for the organ.

It was the start of a four-year journey that took Lewtak from New York to Denmark to Norway and back to New York — and eventually Cooleemee.

Organ Pipe Voicing
Though Lewtak had studied organ building, it was a far cry from actually crafting the pipes, each of which produces a unique timbre and sound (Mozart called the pipe organ the “king of instruments“). So he took a year’s sabbatical and traveled to Denmark, where he apprenticed at the world-renowned organ builder Carsten Lund Organ Builders in Copenhagen.  He learned the art of “voicing” pipes — hammering and shaping them to create their distinct tones and sounds — from Mogens Pedersen, who for over 20 years was the chief voicer of Frobenius Organ Builders, responsible for the largest church organ in Denmark.

A Very Big Deal
Lewtak returned to Camillus and completed the organ for St. Joseph’s, and by 2006 had given up his organist position to become a full-time organ builder (Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders had been incorporated five years earlier in 2001). It was in Camillus that Tom built an organ for First Presbyterian Church in Greenville, NC that caught the eye of the leaders of Østerhåb Kirke (church) in Horsens, Denmark. They were so impressed that they commissioned the Lewtaks to build an organ for its new church, a minimalist marvel of concrete and stone with fantastic acoustics. Given the fact that Denmark is home to the world’s most famed and respected organ builders, the selection of Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders for the project is, to put it mildly, a very big deal.

And now it’s a very big deal for Davie County. Though Tom had lived in the Empire State since arriving in the U.S. in 1993 with his wife Jola (a fellow organist he met while studying at the Academy of Music), the appeal of North Carolina’s warmer climate and business-friendly environment led them to contemplate moving here — a decision that was cemented when Jola landed a position at a church in Clemmons.

Recital at Cooleemee Mill
The Lewtaks acquired a log cabin home in Mocksville and built a workshop for Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders. But the workspace proved to be insufficient for the Østerhåb Kirke project, and Tom is now completing his work at the Cooleemee Mill, a cotton mill that employed nearly 2,000 workers until its closure in 1969.

A recent organ recital gave visitors a chance not only to hear the organ ( the finishing touches have yet to be completed), but also tour the Lewtaks’ work area and the Mill itself, which is being considered for renovation as a multi-purpose facility featuring shops, restaurants, light industrial work spaces, and apartments.

To learn more about the Østerhåb Kirke project and the Lewtaks’ other creations, visit the Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders Web site

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Got Books? Davie County Library Book Sale This Week!

Posted by admin in Things To Do, Top Stories on April 8, 2013

Great bargains on new and gently used books can be found at the Friends of Davie County Public Library book sale this weekend.  Held every spring and fall, the book sales are the volunteer organization’s main fundraiser. The book sale is located at Davie County Public Library, 371 N. Main St. Mocksville. Book sale organizers are happy to report no price increase for books in 2013.

Blue Dot “Booktique”
A highlight of this sale will be the “Blue Dot Booktique,” a special area with new and higher value books for only $2.00.  And, to encourage young readers to shop the book sale, children’s book prices start at $.25 each.

Members Only Preview this Thursday
Members only preview is Thursday, April 11, 5PM – 8PM.  For those who are not members but would still like to attend the preview sale, memberships will be available at the door.  The sale is open to the general public on Friday, April 12, from 9AM to 6PM and again on Saturday, April 13, from 9AM to 3PM. Book sale proceeds benefit Davie County Public Library.    Become a member of Friends of the Davie County Library for $5/year or less to be eligible for the preview sale.

About Friends of the Library
The purpose of the Friends of Davie County Public Library shall be to establish closer relations between Davie County Public Library and its patrons; to focus public attention on Davie County Public Library’s resources and services; foster appreciation of its value as a cultural and educational asset to the community; receive and encourage gifts to Davie County Public Library for use in developing library services for the community.

Friends of Davie County Public Library co-sponsor special speaker and visiting writers’ events that are free to the community.  They support the children’s summer reading program that encourages children to read while school is out, hosts library staff/volunteer appreciation luncheons, purchase resource materials and hold semi-annual used book sales.

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