Mountain Top Timber Products to Expand Operations at former Louisiana Pacific Facility in Scott County
VCEDA presents a ceremonial check to the Economic Development Authority of Scott County to help with the expansion of Mountain Top Timber Products, LLC to the former Louisiana Pacific facility in Dungannon. In photo, from left, are John Kilgore, executive director of the EDA of Scott County; Roger Fraysier, chairman of the EDA of Scott County; Jamie Fannon, co-owner of Mountain Top Timber Products; and Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director/general counsel.
VCEDA joined Gov. Ralph Northam, Scott County, and other state and local officials July 6 in announcing a regional wood products company’s expansion project in the former Louisiana Pacific facility in Dungannon, Va.
Locally owned Mountain Top Timber Products, LLC will continue to operate at its Coeburn location, and the expansion to the 117,000-sq.-ft. Dungannon building with rail access will allow the company to retrofit this facility into a chipmill and sawmill and increase their business. Mountain Top Timber Products projects at least 50 new full-time employees within three years with the expansion project.
“We were pleased to be able to assist the Scott County EDA and Mountain Top Timber Products on this important project for Scott County and the region. The new jobs planned by the company are welcome news and will help the economy of the area.” …Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel
Read more about the Mountain Top Timber expansion.
VCEDA Awards $25,000 Grant to the Wise County IDA to Help with Powell River Trail Project
VCEDA presents a ceremonial check July 6 representing the $25,000 grant awarded to the Powell River Trail Project. From left are Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director/general counsel; Fred Luntsford, Appalachia Town Manager; Carl Snodgrass, Wise County economic development director; and Cliff Carson, Wise County Industrial Development Authority vice chairman.
VCEDA held a closing July 6 for a $25,000 grant to the Wise County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) for improvements to the Powell River Trail and its trailhead at Appalachia. The trail is a multi-purpose hiking and biking trail featuring two tunnels and two bridges.
The Town of Appalachia, through the use of grant funding and volunteer labor, has already completed Phase I and II of the Powell River Trail that will eventually link the towns of Appalachia and Big Stone Gap in Wise County. Currently, the trail is 1.2 miles long and is also bordered by the Jefferson National Forest.
A “rails to trails” project, similar to the Virginia Creeper Trail in Abingdon, the Powell River Trail follows the former route of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad from the Town of Appalachia, following the Powell River and traveling through two old railroad tunnels.
“VCEDA was pleased to be able to assist with improvements to the Powell River Trail and Trailhead utilizing our Tourism Capital Improvement Matching Fund. Significant funding from other sources has already been expended on trail development so far and the Wise County IDA has agreed to match the $25,000 being provided by VCEDA.”
Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel
Read more about the Powell River Trail Project.
Shear Blessings Receives VCEDA Seed Capital Grant
VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel Jonathan Belcher, left, presents a ceremonial check to Sommer Miner of Shear Blessings Hair Studio representing funds awarded to her business through VCEDA’s Seed Capital Matching Grant program. Also pictured are Miner’s husband, Robbie Miner; Tazewell County Board of Supervisors Chairperson and VCEDA Board Member Maggie Asbury; Mayor Lee Dye; Town Manager Jim McGlothlin; and Cedar Bluff Business and Professional Association Chairperson Linda Singleton.
VCEDA helped make it possible for Sommer Miner to recently celebrate the grand opening and open house of her new business, Shear Blessings Hair Studio, on Front Street in Cedar Bluff, Va.
Part of what added to that success, she says, was the up to $10,000 seed capital matching grant she received from VCEDA to assist her in opening her own business.
While initially Miner projected one full-time employee, she also now has three part-time employees and one booth renter at the studio which is a full-service hair salon for men, women and children. The business also has a Versa Spa spray tanning booth and she also offers paraffin hand waxing and eyebrow tinting. She also partners with the Tazewell County Communities and Schools program by doing haircuts for children in the program for free and serves as a mentor in the program as well.
“Assisting local entrepreneurs in building their businesses and creating jobs is what the VCEDA seed capital matching grant program is all about. We were pleased to be able to assist Shear Blessings in its development and already the business has exceeded its initial employment projections.
Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel
VCEDA Provides Seed Capital Matching Grant to Next Level Fitness Club
Next Level Fitness Club owners Tyler Castle and Jordan Smith accept a ceremonial check representing the receipt of a seed capital matching grant from the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority for their new fitness club/gym in Russell County, Next Level Fitness Club. VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel Jonathan Belcher, center, made the presentation.
Earlier this year, two lifelong friends Jordan Smith and Tyler Castle of Lebanon, Va. took it to the next level and turned their talk about owning a gym into Next Level Fitness Club on Main Street in Lebanon. With the assistance of an up to $10,000 seed capital matching grant from VCEDA, Smith and Castle have been able to add equipment, signage, and more.
Now, four months after opening the doors, they have refurbished the space at 1363 E. Main Street, cleaning, painting, installing new floor mats and bringing on new equipment to make the gym what they always envisioned.
“The VCEDA seed capital matching grant really sped up the process for us and Margie Douglass at the Small Business Development Center at Southwest Virginia Community College has been a lot of help to us through this process as well,” said Smith.
They opened the gym as a fitness club which is open 24/7 with members having a key to access the space if it is after normal daytime hours. They have signed up 202 members thus far and continue to grow the business.
“Assisting small business entrepreneurs like Jordan Smith and Tyler Castle to be able to realize their plans of owning and operating a business in the region is a primary goal of the VCEDA seed capital matching grant program. The Next Level Fitness Club fit right into the program, as not only does it help to build and grow one of our VCEDA communities, but according to the owners, it also anticipates providing two full-time and two part-time jobs within five years.”
Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel
Read more about Next Level Fitness Club.