Gloucester County Economic Development
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Economic Development Department Updates
- New Business Licenses
- Business Directory
- Recap of July Home-Based Business Lunch & Learn
- Small Business Incentive Program Summary and Application
Business News and Awards
- Kelsick Market Ribbon Cutting
- Murphy's Oil Under Construction
- In the Spotlight: Edgewater Eye Care
- Southern Plumbing and Heating Supply Open House
Resources
- Appointments with Jim Carroll, Business Consultant
- Retail Alliance & Comprehensive Strategic Management Plan Opportunity
- Lean Canvas Workshop
- Job Opportunities
- Featured Available Property
- Tidbits
- Choose Gloucester!
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Commercial
Draeger Inc
Los Portales Mexican Grill
Home Based
Nicholas Allen
Discount Home Repair
Eagle Eye Repair Inc
Bryan Greene
The Homeland Flag Company
Mowpros LLC
Olive Branch Photography
Mad Batter Cakes by Angela
T & T Home Improvement
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Los Portales
, the new Mexican restaurant at
6541 Market Drive
, held its soft opening on 8/25. We hear the food and service were great, and the place was packed!
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The Department of Economic Development works to keep this up-to-date and comprehensive directory of small businesses in Gloucester County.
We welcome you to use it as a Community Resource! Whether you are looking for a great lunch, a haircut, or a veterinarian, you will find it here.
Our goal is to include all county businesses!
Please contact
Lucy with any additions or updates.
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Home-Based Business
Pack a Lunch & Network
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Rob Brauning, CFO of Northern Neck Popcorn Bag and Terri Crowder, CEO/Owner
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Terri Crowder, owner and CEO of
Northern Neck Popcorn Bag, spoke with Gloucester Home-Based Business owners on July 25
th at the Bay Area Transit Center Conference Room. The attendees of this informal lecture in the Home-Based Business Lunch & Learn series had many questions for Terri about how she expanded her successful business. Terri explained how she began with a process for making her product, and then built her branding and concept around the recipes. Her approach is consistency of design from logo, to packaging, to the interior and exterior design of her shops. In just three years, Terri has expanded to two stores with a combined 12 employees, and with the assistance of NNPB’s CFO Rob Brauning, is preparing to open a third location in Warsaw. Every month Terri’s production facility uses 1,000 lbs of sugar to make the 50+ flavors of gourmet popcorn by hand!
Terri shared how she has benefited from the Economic Development Authority’s Small Business
Incentive Program as well as grants from
Main Street, and encouraged the attendees to look for resources for their growing businesses. She also worked with a mentor as she was beginning her business. While Terri got a helpful head start from her marketing studies, in her opinion the best teacher is real-world experience. Having a vision is important, she says, and talked about planning her 1, 3, and 5 year goals. She and Rob are presently exploring how to balance between their current model of local boutique retail, and their goal of expanding into wholesaling. Important contributions that helped NNPB grow were great ‘word of mouth’ references, and supportive press by local and regional publications.
Finally, Terri taught the Lunch & Learn group how they can use technology for running and promoting their businesses. The web-based tools and resources she recommended included Wix, Etsy, and ShipStation, a program for unifying orders.
The next Lunch & Learn topic “Marketing Your Business” will be held 12:00pm-1:30pm at the Bay Area Transit Center on September 25
th, with special guest Candace Smith of Connected Communities.
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A few of the dozens of flavors made by Northern Neck Popcorn Bag made a delicious treat for Lunch & Learn attendees.
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Q & A session with Terri Crowder and local Home-Based Business owners. Pictured, clockwise from left: Rob Brauning, NNPB CFO; Terri Crowder; Mary Kathryn Dunston of Dripping Springs Ollas; Sherry Spring, Economic Development Director, County of Gloucester; Steve Christo of Perrin Creek Custom Boots; Curtis Matteson of Clutter Buster USA, LLC; Naseem Matteson of Small Business ABCS, LLC.
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Small Business Incentives
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We are thrilled to announce the latest summary of the Small Business Incentive Program. In FY2019, there were 27 grants to local businesses totaling $44,363 with $2,544,932 corresponding private investment!
These grants are awarded on a first come, first serve basis and are provided until annual funds are depleted.
Our FY2020 is just beginning. If you have a small business, review our available grants via the attached link and consider applying! The EDA has grants for Property/Facade Improvement, Advertising, and E-Commerce.
During the last four years, 149 grants totaling $245,617 were awarded. Private investment totals $6,213,747 from new and expanding businesses. This program is funded jointly by the Board of Supervisors and the Economic Development Authority to promote small business recruitment and retention for Gloucester.
Property Improvement: Assistance with renovations and build-out. Projects covered in this incentive include new floors, ceiling tiles, windows, doors, painting and other interior improvements.
Facade Improvement: This program is designed to provide assistance to property or business owners for exterior façade improvements, new signage or landscaping.
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Kelsick Specialty Market Ribbon Cutting
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Owner Paige Drewry is joined by supporters as she cuts the ribbon on August 2. The ceremony was followed by wine and beer tastings with grilled hotdogs and brats to eat. Photograph courtesy of Kelsick Specialty Market.
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Murphy's Oil Under Construction
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Murphy's Oil construction is coming along quickly! The new gas station in the Walmart parking lot broke ground in July.
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“Our office is committed to staying on the cutting edge of technology while also giving each and every patient a personalized experience.”
Dr. Richard Nicholas, EdgeWater EyeCare
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Dr. Richard Nicholas and his dedicated staff at
EdgeWater EyeCare are excited to announce that they have recently opened a second practice next door to Greens Optical in Hayes. EdgeWater EyeCare’s first office was established in 2012 at the Peninsula Town Center in Hampton. Using only the newest state-of-the-art technology, Dr. Nicholas has been delivering quality eye care to his patients at that location ever since! He and his staff strive to make everyone feel welcomed and to make sure all their eye care needs are met. Everyone at EdgeWater EyeCare is excited to offer the same great care to the people of Gloucester! They offer comprehensive eye exams that check for cataracts and glaucoma but also complications from diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. They also offer contact lens fittings. Whether spherical contacts, astigmatism correcting, or multifocal, their doctors can discuss the best option for the patient and their needs.
The new school year is right around the corner so feel free to call for an appointment or just stop by with the kids; walk ins are always welcome and they see children as young as 6 years old! Their Back to School promotion is valid until Sept 10
th: $50 for a comprehensive eye exam.
They take most insurance program, including: EyeMed, Tricare, VSP, and Davis Vision. Give them a call to find out if they accept your insurance plan.
They are located at 4754 George Washington Memorial Hwy Hayes, VA 23072
Office Hours are Tuesday and Thursday, 8am to 4pm. Call (804) 699-3351 anytime to schedule.
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Photographs courtesy of EdgeWater EyeCare
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Southern Plumbing and Heating Open House
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Images courtesy of Southern Plumbing and Heating Supply
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Southern Plumbing and Heating Supply of Gloucester is celebrating their new location in Hayes with an open house event! There will be a mobile show room, food catered by Scoot's BBQ, giveaways, and a raffle supporting the Gloucester School System.
Open House
August 16th, 2019
10AM-2PM
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They will also host the August Business After Hours on August 15, 5:30PM-7:00PM. This networking event for local businesses is sponsored by the Gloucester
Chamber of Commerce. Business After Hours is free for Chamber members and $10 for guests.
Business After Hours
August 15th, 2019
5:30PM-7:00PM
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Appointments with Jim Carroll on August 22
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Meet for free with Jim Carroll, our business consultant!
Do you have questions about how to write your business plan? Or, need advice for your next step in marketing?
Contact
Lucy
to schedule your time. There are also appointments available on
September 19th
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Retail Alliance & Strategic Plan Opportunity
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T
he Retail Alliance Foundation's Center for Retail Excellence's mission is to support educational activities in Hampton Roads. The following exciting educational outreach program will benefit our Peninsula members.
Through
Saint Leo University’s Newport News campus’ MBA Program
, up to four Peninsula for-profit and non-profit companies/organizations will work with their capstone course graduate students. If you participate,
you will receive a comprehensive strategic management plan (a $9,000 value!)
at the completion of the 3-month course, at no cost to you!
The project runs from August 19-October 13, so register before August 13. There will be a kickoff event to meet students and faculty. The best part is—there's virtually no cost to participate in this program other than your time.
If interested, please reach out to Michelle Ellis Young, Director of Center for Retail Excellence. Her contact details are
mellisyoung@retailalliance.com
or call (757) 455-9319.
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Since 1903, Retail Alliance has been helping locate businesses in the Hampton Roads area by educating, advocating, and offering products and services. From their Strive Workshops to Quarterly Mystery Shops this non-profit regional organization wants to see businesses thrive in their local communities. To find out more about the organization please go to
www.retailalliance.com
or contact Beth Cook at
bcook@retailalliance.com
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Do not forget to support locally-owned businesses by downloading the LOVEVA app for free, found in your app store. Click your phone type on the right to access the download! You can earn rewards for shopping local and assure your dollars go back into your community.
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You're invited to attend the Lean Canvas Workshop on Main Street in November! The Lean Canvas Method is a system for examining your business idea and improving your chances for growth. The workshop is recommended for both new and growing businesses.
Presented by Dale Fickett in partnership with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development's Main Street Program and Gloucester Main Street Association, this event is for entrepreneurs looking to take a business to the next level. In eight hours, participants will refine and test a business idea, learn to provide additional value to new and/or existing customers, and position their business or business idea for long-term growth.
Participants will also gain an invaluable business resource through the workshop: access to other entrepreneurs from across the Commonwealth! Through a discussion board platform, participants will be able to communicate with other business owners, mentors, and experts in the field, allowing them to pose their most important business questions to a knowledgeable group of peers.
About the trainer: Dale Fickett is the president and co-founder of RVA Works, a Virginia nonprofit cultivating entrepreneurs and creating credible pathways to business ownership. A mentor to hundreds of entrepreneurs, Dale has lectured on entrepreneurship and innovation with several leading universities, including the Wharton School University of Pennsylvania, Trinity College Dublin, Northwestern University, and Virginia Commonwealth University. He Holds an MBA from Villanova University, and a BSBA from LaSalle University.
11/23/2019
9:00AM to 4:30PM
6882 Main Street, Gloucester, VA 23061
$25 Registration fee includes a boxed lunch.
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Job & Training Opportunities
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- Administrative Assistant - Emergency Management
- Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney I or II
- Assistant Director of Utilities
- Library Clerk
- Park Aide
- Software Analyst I or II
- Specialty Instructor - Ballet and Dance
- Utility Foreman
- Utility Maintenance Worker or Technician
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P
lease let us know
if you are a small business owner in need of employees. We will include your "help wanted" ad in our next addition of Business Monthly e-News.
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Featured Available Property
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Edgehill Town Center
6750 Main Street, Gloucester
- Medical office available for lease
- Total space available 17,100 sq. ft.
- Total space per floor 8550 sq. ft. plus lobby
- Construction to be completed Dec. 2019
- 9'+ ceiling height
- Convenient location on Main Street / Rt 17 Business
Contact Jim Hall with inquiries.
Telephone: (410) 507-6820
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Pop-Up Shops
The retail trend of pop-up shops is here to stay and when it comes to pop-ups, location is everything. From testing new markets or launching a product, pop-up shops are short-term retail and experiential marketing events that last anywhere from one day to four months.
Source: Retail Advisors
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Fast Casual Restaurants
and Food Halls
Nationwide, restaurant sales increased by 2.9% for the month of June year-over-year and recorded a 4% rise in transactions. Retail also saw strong growth, reporting a 3.8% increase year over year in June.
Source: Retail Strategies
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Gloucester isn’t just the land of the life worth living. It’s the land of the life worth living WELL and we’ve been honored to be a part of this business community for more than 70 years. It’s partly because of the support we’ve received in Gloucester over the years - at all levels, from the business friendly environment fostered by the EDA to our extremely loyal customers - that we’ve been able to grow to other regions, Mathews and New Kent Counties. Gloucester has remained at the heart of it all and the HQ for our company because of the support and history we have here.
—Elizabeth McCormick, Vice President, Phillips Energy Inc
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If you have a new and innovative business or business concept and would like to be considered for one of our newsletters, please send pictures and a brief write-up to
Lucy. We'd also love to share your testimonial of why Gloucester is the perfect place for your business!
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Board of Supervisors | Economic Development Authority | Economic Development Department
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Economic Development Department | 6747 Main Street | 804.693.1415 | sspring@gloucesterva.info
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Published by Economic Development Department
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