MSU Grads Receive Funding to Help Ensure Future Success

STARKVILLE, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

Burgeoning Starkville-based Rocketing Systems, maker of marketing/CRM software “Buzzbassador,” recently received a $100K investment from tech-promoting nonprofit firm Innovate Mississippi. Shelby Baldwin, Rocketing Systems’ Chief Marketing Officer and one of their founders, says that they “discovered that small to medium-sized businesses that use influencer marketing can find it hard to manage this particular kind of marketing. . . You’re managing so many people, trying to keep track of what sales are generating and how campaigns are performing and recruiting the right type of influencers while managing communication with them. It’s like this whole other business inside of your business.”

Innovate Mississippi Investment Manager Lindsey Benefield spoke of their relationship with Rocketing: “They are fantastic to work with. . . I think Buzzbassadors is an inspiration to all young adults looking to start their own businesses. They came together as three [MSU] college students with one idea and then pivoted to a completely different direction, and now they are having huge success and getting investor attention.”

These local folks are working hard to help other companies spread the word about their products and services to the benefit of all – and THAT’S Good for Business!

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-03-30/starkville-based-online-retail-company-receives-100k-to-grow-team-expand-marketing/

Airbus Continues to Go On Strong with a New Manager

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

Mike Spears, manager of Airbus Columbus, is passing the torch to another Airbus veteran, German-born Johannes Dienemann.
“Now I get the opportunity to spend my time in Columbus and I’m excited about that,” Dienemann said. “It’s exciting what’s happening here and to be a part of it.” He went on to speak of their mission here and of the great workforce from the local community: “We have an almost endless spectrum of work . . . We build some helicopters from scratch, some from parts and pieces, some fully assembled that we do completion work on and maintenance, so it’s a very diverse type of work. We have people in our shops that make wire harnesses, assemble engines, assemble gear boxes, paint on all those different aircraft. We have 60 to 70 aircraft come through here every year. So we have to make sure we cross-train our people for our production lines and completion center. That’s a tribute to the skill and talent of our workforce.”

Spears was part of a big push that has borne fruit over the last few years to revitalize production of the Lakota helicopters for the military, which has gone on to become a great success for the facility, and which makes up a large chunk of what they do there: “When I first got here eight years ago, the Army was talking about winding the Lakota down, so we realized we had to do something to stabilize what we were doing . . . While we had always done some maintenance work on the Lakotas for the Army, we’ve doubled, maybe tripled our maintenance work. So now we have two assembly lines, the completion center and maintenance going on.”

Airbus employs 270 people at their local facility, where they work on a good half a dozen different types of the company’s 15 unique aircraft.

Please click here for the original article: https://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=86836

It’s Snowball Season in Starkville and Seafood Season in Columbus!

GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

STARKVILLE

Starkvegas Snowballs has opened up its shops at 113 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Dr W and 216 Lummus Drive as of today! They will be open daily, serving up ice-cold New Orleans-style goodness from 2 to 6 pm daily.

Recently, Get Yarded Starkville was taken over by Hallee Jourdan, a soon-to-be MSU student, and her family. The shop has been operating in Starkville since 2018 and offers celebratory yard signs for occasions of all sorts, e.g.: birthdays, weddings, pastor week celebrations, business openings, baby showers, and the like.

In sadder news, some local places have closed their doors.
Co-owner Frank Jones has stated that The Veranda, which had been dishing up great food for a good two decades, has shut down. “The Veranda was a sit-down kind of place,” Jones said. “(COVID) just killed places like ours. It made everybody just sick to our stomachs, but we just ran out of money … COVID was just the nail in the coffin. I mean, we were losing money every month. It wasn’t about making a profit; we were just trying to survive.” On the upside, Jones reports that he already has a new tenant on the way, who plans to open a restaurant of his own in the existing building.

Also, local escape room venue Get Out Starkville has also closed for good.

COLUMBUS

Shipp Family Dentistry has moved to its new, larger digs at 2313 Bluecutt Road. Mon~Thurs 8 to 5 and Fridays from 8 to noon.

The Louisiana Shrimp Shack at 6188 Hwy. 45 has re-opened for inside dining, as we recently reported. It originally opened up last year, and they’re ready to serving up some fine fried and boiled seafood in the Southern Louisiana style. Mon~Sat 11 to 8.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=86721

Downtown Columbus: New Ownership for the Former Fred’s Neighbor

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

Local firm TGV Properties, owned by Tom Velek and his wife Cynthia Buob, recently acquired the structure adjoining the old Fred’s location (which we wrote about recently) at 322 Fifth St. S. This will be the largest project thus far for this veteran development group. Veleks says that the plans are to renovate the space and make available 1,400 sq ft of commercial space on the first floor, a pair of 1-bedropm apartments above it, and to turn the rear section of the building into the business district’s first 2-story apartment. He went on to say that, “We have found that there is a real need for small commercial space . . . There are a lot of small businesses that need an affordable, small office space still in downtown. … We really like the mixed-use model and we feel that our record proves that there is a need for small business in downtown.”

TGV will be working with a Jacquelin Lee, a 3rd year university student, in order to properly examine and document the structure for historical purposes, including the possibility of obtaining a historic tax credit from MDAH in exchange for maintaining construction standards in accordance with their historical and architectural requirements. 

“I think it helps us remember where we’ve been as a community and understand that journey that we’ve taken as a community,” MSU architecture professor John Poros said. “By doing this kind of historic renovation, it helps us to keep landmarks that are important to people’s memories of Columbus. So we’re helping to make sure that sort of the character of downtown Columbus, that we have a representation from this period of time in downtown Columbus.”

“For me, it’s because it’s my neighborhood,” Velek commented. “It’s where I live. I live around the corner. My company’s largest investment is around the corner. . . Ultimately, renovation and developments of downtown properties in a city like Columbus is going to come by local people. The city, city council, everybody has to support those local people who do it because there’s no big box retailer coming in to fix one of these properties. . . Local people will have to step up and do this kind of thing or it’s not going to get done.”

Please click here for the original article: https://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=86404

Former Fred’s Location to get Historically-Friendly Makeover

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

Local entrepreneur Jim Mauldin recently purchased the old Fred’s location on 5th St South in Columbus. He plans to create a climate-controlled self-storage facility there in order to serve residents and businesses in the area: “There are lots of people who have downtown apartments, who have small houses on North- and Southside,” he said. “… We’re looking for everybody, but that’s the market we’re intending to be able to serve. So having the downtown community was a factor in us deciding to move to service this area, and we want to be part of that community also.”

Renovations to the site have already begun, including knocking out interior walls and removing the old drop ceiling, revealing the original barrel-vaulted one that is original to the structure. Mauldin has also explained that, once he can get the hard-to-find materials, he plans to redo the facade with “a black … 1920s vintage-style glass that goes around the outside of the window frames,” he said. His plan is to do work on the site that will conform to the standards set forth by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The building itself will be renamed the “Freeheart Building,” in honor of its original name, the Freeheart Bakery, founded in 1948. “We’re going to restore (the building) back to a really good look that will be a good anchor for this corner and style, and still be able to (run) it as a commercial building,” Mauldin said. “It’ll be nicely lit, it’ll be clean, it’ll be fresh,” he said. “It will have a tilt of the hat, as a commercial building today, to the way it looked when it was really in use back then.”

Please click here for the original article: https://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=86321

Local Business Builds on Silver Anniversary Success with Plans to Expand Thanks to the MDA

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

Husband and wife team George (an engineer) and Judy East (accountant) founded East Systems, Inc., a local electronic components company just over a quarter-century ago, quickly moving from their own garage to a facility out on Hwy 69. Now, thanks to the LINK and The Mississippi Development Authority, they have been expanding their facilities in order to accommodate bigger and better projects in order to keep up with the demand for their goods. The LINK was instrumental in helping them to obtain an $89,800 grant which allowed them to start construction. The company produces items such as control panels and wiring for large mining operations, and the expansion will make it possible for them to handle larger jobs, and more of them, for bigger clients.

As with many entrepreneurs, the couple has had to work hard in order to get this far: “I’m an accountant and I’m very conservative,” Judy said. “(George) has been saying for the past two or three years that we really need to add on and I’ve been putting it off. Every time, I talked him out of it because it hasn’t always been a glorious ride. We’ve had to use up a lot of our savings just to keep our doors open and our employees paid over the years…He kept telling me, ‘If we are going to move forward and get this other work, we’re going to have to add on.'”

The company currently has ten employees, but they are looking to hire more as the expansion progresses. The grant has already begun paying off, as they have now landed a contract with a client company that they would not have been able to properly accommodate as little as a year ago: George remarked that, “You grow as the jobs grow. But this really gives us a chance to get those jobs…We’re looking for workers right now.” Their workers typically earn from about $39~$62 thousand a year.

“These are local people with good-paying jobs,” Joe Max Higgins of the LINK said. “That’s something we want to promote. It’s not always about these big industries. Folks like the Easts are very important, too.”

Please click here for the original article: https://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=86125

Shops Big and Small are Here to Take Care of You

GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION – Courtesy of the Dispatch
Local boutiques Little Magnolia Co. and Cobalt’s Boutique recently moved to their new digs in adjoining suites located at 124 Fifth St. S. in Columbus. Magnolia deals in children’s clothing, while Cobalt’s sells women’s attire. Both shops open up at 11am Tuesday through Saturday.

Financial service company Benjamin F. Edwards has officially opened their new office at 2400 Military Road in Columbus. “We take enormous pride in welcoming these new advisors to our ever-growing Edwards family,” CEO Tad Edwards said in a press release. “We are equally as thrilled in adding yet another branch to the state of Mississippi in the wonderful community of Columbus.”

In other news, the Belk corporation is preparing to undergo a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization process. They have stated that they have no plans to close any stores nor to lay off any employees. The process is anticipated to take until the end of this February: “As the ongoing effects of the pandemic have continued, we’ve been assessing potential options to protect our future,” CEO Lisa Harper said. “We’re confident that this agreement puts us on the right long-term path toward significantly reducing our debt and providing us with greater financial flexibility to meet our obligations and to continue investing in our business, including further enhancements and additions to Belk’s omnichannel capabilities.” The plan is for the Columbus location to remain in business as usual.

In Starkville, Humble Taco has opened their doors at the former City Bagel location, 511 University Drive. For now, they will be open for dinner at 5PM Tuesdays through Saturdays. “This is not your average Mexican restaurant; we are a blend of modern Mexican and the American South,” Chef Ty Thames stated. “We can’t wait for you to try our signature sweet potato flour tortillas, Mexican cornbread, smoked meats, sauces and more.”

Please click here for the original article: https://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=86014

Half a Dozen Big Industrial Companies Considering Lowndes County

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

In a recent address to the Columbus Rotary Club, LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins Talked about a number of companies that are prepared to invest a combined total of $2.3 billion into Lowndes County: “With the exception of one, maybe two, they’re deep, deep into the process,” Higgins told The Dispatch. “In other words, if they pick us, they’re going to start building this year.” Five of the prospective investors are looking at the Industrial Park near GTRA, while the sixth is looking at the Lowndes County Port. The two largest investments would make up the bulk of the proposed $2.3 billion investment.

The BOS has indicated that they are in favor of these projects: “My standard mode of operations when (Higgins) comes to us with projects and explains them to us is that I tend to be very supportive,” District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks said.

“We’re open for business, and it’s nice to see that people are interested in looking at what we have to offer,” Board President Trip Hairston added. “We have a lot to offer, really good infrastructure, and we’re poised to really grow.”

Most of the projects are currently at the “due diligence” stage; while none of them are 100% confirmed, the chances of these working out seems to be high: “It’s not like they’re looking at 500 towns and we might get picked,” Higgins said. “They hand-selected a few towns and we’re one of them.”

New major investment in the county means more jobs and greater prosperity for our region, and THAT’S Good for Business!

Please click here for the original article: https://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=85729

GTR LINK’s Role in Business Becoming Bigger and Bigger

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins recently spoke to the Columbus Rotary Club about bringing more big business to the Golden Triangle area. He noted that the TVA and MDA’s roles in this process have been waning in recent years, with the LINK picking up much of their slack: “In the last several years, if we weren’t making (a deal), it wasn’t getting made,” he said. However, things are looking up, as the TVA has shown renewed interest in the area.

Everything from power to heavy industry to food to distribution – something which has become more and more important due to the pandemic – are things that the LINJK has been working hard to try and bring to our area. Distribution (e.g. coordination of packages sent by Amazon and the like), in particular, is an industry which does not really have much of a presence in the area at all” “Everybody’s ordering everything on Amazon right now, more than they did before,” Higgins said.

On the edible side of things, Peco Foods recently announced that it will be pulling up stakes at its Brooksville plant and incorporating those operations into their West Point facility. The plan is to expand it and to move as many as 400 jobs to the WP location. “We’ve kind of got a reputation and people know who we are,” Higgins went on to say. “On any given deal, we work it ourselves. These two distribution centers I’m talking about — TVA didn’t bring them and MDA didn’t bring them. They came to see us.”

Please click here for the original article: https://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=85695

The GTR Just Keeps on Truckin’!

GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

COLUMBUS, MS

Kyle McConnell, owner of local transit company McConnell Brothers Transfer and Storage, has retired and sold his business to his daughter, Suzy McConnell Robertson, and son-in-law, Chad Thomas. The Mayflower agency will continue its services uninterrupted, offering moving services and storage for residents, future residents, and businesses of all sizes. Thomas remarked that they “look forward to continuing to provide excellent service in North Mississippi, West Alabama, our local communities and our military members worldwide.” They’re currently looking into expanding their warehousing and freight capacities.

New Hope’s Double S Diesel Service opened for business in October. They offer on-site services for diesel semis, farm equipment, forklifts, and the like. They are available 247, and the shop is owned by Owners Spence Wallingford and Blake Moore.

STARKVILLE, MS

Lee’s Creative Studio is planning to open up shop at a physical location in February; Owner Lee Allen reports that he is doing business remotely for clients in need of quality commercials. While the business is just getting off the ground, he’s already started working on a job for the local Mom & Pop food truck.

Cyber-security provider HORNE Cyber has taken over the former GLO building on East Lampkin St. Office Partner Mike Skinner says that they’re been around for five years and moved to the new digs in order to accommodate their growing business. Their office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Please click here for the original article: https://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=85116