Host of new businesses nearing open
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on June 23, 2013 1:50 AM
Several businesses are opening or moving to new locations in Goldsboro.
Harris Teeter at Memorial Commons is slated to open in late July, although no specific date has been announced for the opening, said Danna Jones, a communications specialist with Harris Teeter. Ms. Jones added that the location has hired 105 part-time employees and has a few openings left.
The State Employee's Credit Union at 2013 Wayne Memorial Drive will be moving to a new location across from Wayne Memorial Hospital, but construction on the new location is behind schedule. According to branch Vice President Sheree Millard, all current employees will move to the new location but there is no estimate for when it will be opening.
Tractor Supply Co. will be moving to a new location at Little River Shopping Center and the grand opening will be held through the weekend of Sept. 5-8, said Jessica Holmes of Tractor Supply.
According to Allen Anderson, chief building inspector for the city of Goldsboro, the permit for Tractor Supply to begin renovations on the new location is waiting to be picked up. It is estimated to cost $250,000 and will replace the former Big Lots location.
PT's Grille, a hamburger chain based in Wilmington, is coming to Memorial Commons shopping center. Construction completion at the location will be tight, but is expected to be completed soon, according to Jim Heidenreicht, owner of Heiden & Associates, the contracting company performing construction on the location.
JoAnn's Fabrics will be opening in Berkeley Mall on Nov. 8 and will have a grand opening on Nov. 21, according to the new store location opening schedule provided by a customer service representative. The store will have an external entryway, according to Anderson, and will be comprised of an EIFS system that is made of Styrofoam, mesh and a hard external coating, along with the existing brick.
Site plans for two new Sheetz locations have been approved for U.S. 70 and Spence Avenue, although there are currently no building plans for either location. According to Anderson, those projects will cost an estimated $786,000 to $960,000.
A certificate of occupancy was issued on May 1 for the new Veteran's Clinic on Wayne Memorial Drive, and Anderson said that it's now up to clinic officials as to when they want to open their doors.
A new Holiday Inn Express & Suites is expected to be built behind Chili's restaurant, and the location is currently under review, which simply means "everything with the site is good to go and drawings and plans for the location are being reviewed," Anderson said.
Permits were also issued on March 26 for apartments to be built at 205 East Walnut St., the former location of the Edgerton Building. The project is expected to cost $300,000, according to Anderson.
JoJo's Tea & Coffee will open at 120 East Mulberry St. in mid-July, according to owner Jo Morris. Ms. Morris quit a corporate sales job in England to come to Goldsboro and open a tea and coffee shop downtown. She has been coming to Goldsboro for 20 years for vacations, and her mother, Theresa Powell, has been living here for 20 years.
"I wanted to own my own business outside of the corporate world,"Ms. Morris said. "I invested all of my own money into this, basically my life savings."
Ms. Morris said she noticed there was no place in Goldsboro to get a good, local cup of coffee, and that she is seeking to fill that gap by using local supplies in as many areas of the business she can while she and her mother fix and serve mostly traditional English food, tea and coffee. She said she chose the downtown location because she loves the look of the buildings and what the city is trying to do to revive the downtown area.
Ms. Morris and her mother gutted, stripped and renovated the building by themselves. According to her, all of the major renovation work is finished and they are just completing cosmetic renovations on the inside before they open.
When the location does open, Ms. Morris said they will initially be open from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. and will evaluate how much business they are receiving before deciding on permanent hours. The shop will also offer delivery after being open for a few weeks.