North Wilkesboro, N.C. — Four local small businesses received Entrepreneurial Grants from the Wilkes Economic Development Corporation (EDC) at the EDC’s Board Meeting on Friday, December 9, 2022. Thanks to generous local sponsors, this grant program is held twice a year. Nine local businesses of various types applied for this year’s program, including a custom dance apparel business, a beauty salon, crafting retreat cabin, and a fitness studio.
Submissions were judged based on the potential funding impact on the business and the sustainability of each respective recipient. Applicants submitted a video pitch in addition to their business plans and financial summaries to give the judges an insight into their proposed use of funds. The grant amount totaled $12,000, distributed between the four winners.
Hive Fitness Studio LLC, located at 1301 Westwood Lane, Unit 3-4 in Wilkesboro, offers private and semi-private training, small group fitness classes, and sports performance training. Owner, Megan Barnett, started her career teaching large group exercise classes and boot camps but wanted to offer her clients something more personal and focus more on longer-term health and fitness. Barnett received a $3,700 grant for rubber flooring for the studio. The rubber flooring will help to expand the space for classes and exercises. To learn more about this business or to schedule a tour, please visit www.trainwithhive.com.
Comity Cabin LLC, a New Business applicant of the Entrepreneurial Grant Program, is an arts and crafts retreat in Moravian Falls. Sarah Chapman came from a family of crafters and was inspired to create a crafting retreat cabin. Chapman and her husband, Chris Chapman, began renovations in early 2022 and continue adding to it for more crafting activities. Sarah received a grant of $3,400 for tables and chairs for crafting sessions at the cabin. To learn more or to book your getaway, visit www.comitycabin.com.
Whitney Deal Dancewear, located at 308 10th Street, North Wilkesboro, creates custom dance apparel for young dancers. Owner, Whitney Deal, has experience with the dance studio growing up and found herself in this familiar setting thanks to her daughters sharing the same interests. She started her business in January 2022 and has since operated under the philosophy of creating dancewear designed to make girls feel comfortable, confident, and cute. Whitney Deal Dancewear was awarded a $2,750 grant for their first production order of custom-made dance leotards. To learn more about this business or its selection, visit www.whitneydealdancewear.com.
Arlene and Friends Salon and Spa, located at 205 6th Street, North Wilkesboro, was purchased by Melissa Byrd in May 2018. They offer services for hair care and some skin and nail treatment. Melissa proudly offers her team opportunities to grow and expand their skill sets through certifications and training programs to bring back to their clients. They received a grant of $2,150 towards an 8-in-1 DermiSystem to expand their services. To learn more or to book an appointment, call (336) 838-4384.
Francisco Martinez, Marketing Manager for Wilkes EDC, stated that this year's program was "an insightful experience to the small business community of Wilkes County. As the newest member of the Wilkes EDC team, I was excited to see how new and existing businesses can benefit from the Entrepreneurial Grant Program. We invite individuals and businesses who want to support Wilkes' entrepreneurship through this program to contact us to become active sponsors.”
Robin Hamby, Vice President of Wilkes EDC has led this grant program for the past nine years. “We appreciate the financial backing this program receives from our generous sponsors. For the benefit of new and existing businesses alike, it is essential that this program be offered twice yearly. We are pleased to provide this grant opportunity every six months.” The future of this program relies on sponsorships to encourage entrepreneurship. Wilkes EDC hopes to continue holding it twice yearly in the Spring and Fall. The Fall 2022 Sponsors were: Duke Energy, Wilkes Community College Small Business Center, and Wilkes EDC. Funding commitments for the Spring 2023 Entrepreneurial Grant Program are starting to come in, but we still need sponsorships to meet our goal of $12,500 for the next grant cycle.
Program Sponsorships are available at various levels, with private and in-kind donations also accepted. Each level above Bronze allows the donor to be recognized even further. All our program sponsors receive free promotional marketing on the Entrepreneurial Grant webpage, an announcement in the EDC's Monthly Activity Report, and are honored guests at our Annual Meeting. If you are interested in supporting entrepreneurship and economic development in Wilkes County, don't hesitate to contact our office at (336) 838-1501 or visit our Investor Page for more information.
Wilkes EDC President LeeAnn Nixon thank this cycle’s judges. “Their dedication to the program is more than apparent. The judging panel features local business advocates from North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro, in addition to regional support organizations for startups. Applicants can often find referrals and advice they didn't know they needed, thanks to their experience and knowledge.” Fall 2022 judges were Bill Roberts of Duke Energy; Lesa Hensley of Surrey Bank; Thomas Salley of Wilkesboro Tourism Development Authority; and David Henson, Small Business Technology Development Center. Special thanks to Laurie Brintle-Jarvis of the Wilkes Community College Small Business Center for continuing to help applicants with their Business Plans and Financial Summaries during grant cycle and beyond. Laurie establishes relationships with businesses to ensure their success by providing free and confidential business coaching services to small business owners in Wilkes, Ashe and Allegheny counties. For information and more resources, please contact her office or visit the Small Business Center’s website.
ABOUT
The Wilkes Economic Development Corporation, a 501c3 public-private partnership, aims to facilitate the creation of new jobs and capital investment in Wilkes County through the retention and expansion of existing businesses and the recruitment of new businesses. The EDC is located at 213 Ninth Street in historic downtown North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. For more information about Wilkes EDC, visit www.WilkesEDC.com or contact LeeAnn Nixon at 336-838-1501 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Wilkesboro, NC — Retail Solutions Group, Inc. (RSG) is an NC-based company established in 2011 as NRS Logistics, Inc. Gary Foster and Randy Whittington were part of the co-founders, and in 2017, Angie Rogers joined as a partner. In 2022, Joey Haney came on board as a managing partner to oversee field operations. RSG is a multi-layered company with three divisions; the Steel Recovery Center, the Field Service Teams, and RSG’s warehousing and logistics division. RSG is celebrating growth as its fourth and largest warehouse location at 1000 Ridge Street, Wilkesboro, NC.
The Steel Recovery Center (SRC) is in its second year of a contractual agreement with a Fortune 50 company. SRC handles all the client’s excess steel from its retail stores which will continue for several years. Additionally, the division continues to sign contracts daily with large retailers across the country. The steel is processed, stored, and shipped from their center to stores on an as-needed basis per request by their customers. The Field Service Team specialty includes helping several national retail companies with store merchandising, structural installations, carpentry installations, and store resets. RSG’s warehousing and logistics division provides services for companies who need products warehoused or processed through their logistic facilities. They also handle all customer transportations.
During the last couple of years, RSG has grown from less than eight employees to over 200. Next year, they plan to continue adding personnel as their company grows. They are always looking to bring on individuals who desire to become part of an upcoming and growing corporation that values the team as an integral part of the organization.
“After starting in 2011 with only one warehouse, we now have four large warehouses in North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro, NC. Our total warehousing space totals over 125,000 square feet with high-level density storage racking and flex spaces available for temporary projects,” said Randy Whittington, President of RSG. “It is exciting to be part of a company that started with a few people and a vision, then to see it mature into a large successful corporation. I could not ask for better partners to be involved with.”
"We are blessed to have this opportunity to help the community, our employees, and our families. We are truly grateful to our customers that trust us to be a provider of our services to them," said Gary Foster, Executive Vice President of RSG.
Angie Rogers, Partner of RSG, said, “We are so appreciative for the growth of this company, our team of employees, the community, and our customers for supporting us as we continue to move forward. Gary, Randy, and I would like to thank every one of you for trusting us as leaders of this company.”
Joey Haney, Partner of RSG and Board Member of NC Community in Schools, said that he lives by the values of “Trust the Lord, Work Hard, Achieve Success! Apply Daily”, which has had a positive impact on the success of the company.
RSG has always strived to provide the utmost in customer service. They go the extra mile to provide quality customer service and support. Whether driving a box truck overnight on a last-minute delivery or working through the holidays, they ensure customer needs are met. Whittington says the company prides itself on integrity, loyalty, customer service, and honesty. Their reputation far exceeds the desire for profits and revenue. They dedicate themselves to faith, families, and community. One of their largest future endeavors is to be very active with other companies in the area and to continue being resourceful to their community.
LeeAnn Nixon, President of Wilkes EDC, said, “We are honored that RSG called on us to assist in locating additional local warehouse space when needing to expand. Their experience and leadership’s values, combined with a Wilkes’ entrepreneurial spirit, will lead to continued success. Thank you RSG for investing in Wilkes, your hometown, your community, and providing opportunities for employment. We wish you continued success!”
Linda Cheek, President of Wilkes Chamber of Commerce, said, “Retail Solutions Group has years of professional experience to assist with logistics, warehousing, retail service and in store merchandising setup needs. Wilkes County is fortunate to be home for this unique operation that serves retail nationally. RSG’s leadership are true entrepreneurs sharing a history of business success.”
For more information about Retail Solutions Group, Inc., or to apply for employment, visit www.rsg-co.com or call 336-469-4823 to reach Randy Whittington or 336-984-6004 to reach Gary Foster.
ABOUT
Retail Solutions Group, Inc. (RSG) is an NC-based company established in 2011 as NRS Logistics, Inc. Gary Foster and Randy Whittington were part of the co-founders, and in 2017, Angie Rogers joined as a partner. In 2022, Joey Haney came on board as a managing partner to oversee field operations. RSG is a multi-layered company with three divisions; the Steel Recovery Center, the Field Service Teams, and RSG’s warehousing and logistics division. RSG is celebrating growth as its fourth and largest warehouse location at 1000 Ridge Street, Wilkesboro, NC. For more information about Retail Solutions Group, Inc., or to apply for employment, visit www.rsg-co.com or call 336-469-4823 to reach Randy Whittington or 336-984-6004 to reach Gary Foster.
The Wilkes Economic Development Corporation, a 501c3 public-private partnership, aims to facilitate the creation of new jobs and capital investment in Wilkes County through the retention and expansion of existing businesses and the recruitment of new businesses. The EDC is located at 213 Ninth Street in historic downtown North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. For more information about Wilkes EDC, visit www.WilkesEDC.com or contact LeeAnn Nixon at 336-838-1501 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The Wilkes Commercial Business Center (WCBC) is moving forward!
The WCBC is now in the structural (steel) framing phase, and insulation is being placed into offices.
Incentivized lease consideration is available for 10,383 and 21,164 spaces or a single tenant total of 31,703 sqft. Move-in ready for light industrial/manufacturing firms with office spaces, loading dock and drive-in doors. Planned completion date is December 2022.
Subscribe to updates by visiting the WCBC site updates on the EDC webpage. For details or information on pre-leasing incentives, please contact LeeAnn Nixon by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Attention local entrepreneurs, the Fall 2022 Entrepreneurial Grant Program is open! The Wilkes Economic Development Corporation will be accepting applications until October 31, 2022. The program funds existing businesses for expansion and those planning to start a business in Wilkes County.
Click the link to learn more about our program and how to apply. Please share with someone you know who may benefit from the Wilkes EDC Entrepreneurial Grant Program.
Fall 2022 Entrepreneurial Grant Sponsors:
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The Wilkes Childcare Study continues in the discovery phase! We will continue receiving survey input from our parents, childcare providers, and employers until October 15, 2022. Spanish surveys for parents will remain open until October 25. Parent listening sessions and individual interviews are being conducted.
On Wednesday, September 21, Wilkes EDC met with Human Resources (HR) representatives from businesses and corporations around the Wilkes community. During the meeting, the purpose of the Wilkes County Childcare Study and available resources we discussed. Guests shared their workforce challenges associated with childcare. Conversations with HR representatives and employers will continue along with participation encouragement throughout the rest of the study.
The study will document existing services and resources, then recommend steps to create an innovative childcare ecosystem in Wilkes County to enhance labor force participation and create a healthy family environment. The study will also identify the roles community stakeholders could play to expand access and affordability for quality care.
Childcare providers, employers, and parents, take the survey now by visiting our link
Info.WilkesEDC.com/ChildcareStudy
