Developer Mark Castleberry is far from Done with Work in Golden Triangle

GOLDEN TRIANGLE – Courtesy of Progress/The Commercial Dispatch

Developer Mark Castleberry has had a twenty-year history as one of the GTR’s most prolific developers, and who’s vision and ambition have made a huge impact in the Golden Triangle. He moved to West Point from Long Beach, California in 199, and he completed his first project in 1998 – The Tower Center in West Point. Since then, he has spent that time well, bringing eighteen projects to life (so far!), including hotels, restaurants, and many other venues, such as The Mill at MSU in Starkville and the hotels-and-more section of 18th Avenue in Columbus.

Castleberry remains humble about his works, seeing them as simply something that could help improve the area: “People think I’m some kind of financial genius, but I’m alarmingly ignorant about those things,” he said. “More than anything, [The Mill] was a gut feeling. I saw it and said, ‘Now, there’s an very interesting project. I don’t know what it is yet, but yeah, we can do it.’ It wasn’t a lot more sophisticated than that.”

He also makes it a point to stat apprised of how the areas he does work in are perceived, how his projects may have changed those perceptions: “We have over $100 million invested in the Golden Triangle, so I wouldn’t be very smart if I didn’t want to be knowledgeable about its health,” he said. “I don’t see that as a negative. I’m proud of the work the CVB has done in portraying Columbus in a positive light. Being on the CRA board, meant I couldn’t participate directly in any of the development, but I’m proud of the CRA’s role in getting the Lee High property back on the tax rolls.”

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Proffitts Porch is Back and Ready to Feed Y’all!

Murica!
There’s nothing quite as American as bald eagles and homemade chocolate chess pie!!
My good friends over at Proffitt’s Porch are back in business after the flood waters receded this week. With all the issues with the tornado, we can’t forget all the good people that got hit by the near-record floods.
Legend has it Mr. Campbell waded through nearly a mile of flood waters to do his payroll this week- that’s a man that loves his team and deserves our support!
I got a snap of Campbell and Teresa Proffitt with their amazing crew today…then I got myself a legendary roast beef po-boy. Best in the business! Teresa is also making fresh pies all week! And, with all of the fish sitting in puddles from the floods, there are bald eagles hanging out nearby.
So, get up, grab a friend, and get yourself over to The Porch!

Military Hardware Keeping the Lights On

“We’ll make it happen”

Brad Perkerson says Military Hardware doesn’t have power, but they’ll still be open as long as it takes. Located right on the edge of the damaged community, Brad says he’ll do what he can to help.

They can take credit cards, cash, or you can put it on account. “I’ll write your name down on a napkin if that’s what it takes”

#togetherisbetter

United Deli Still Going Strong Despite Tornado Damage

“I’m so blessed, now we need to take care of our friends here who lost so much”

Mr.John over at United Deli is all class- and he’s open for business.

#togetherisbetter

United Deli suffered roof damage, had a fence down, and a piece of wood went through the kitchen wall. Not enough to shut them down.

United Deli is located at 212 Tuscaloosa Rd in Columbus, in the gas station on the western side at the corner of Garner Blvd & Tuscaloosa Rd.

Entrepreneurship Making its Mark in the GTR

GOLDEN TRIANGLE – Courtesy of The Dispatch

STARKVILLE

A new restaurant and bakery are on their way to downtown. Bakery and southern-style restaurant Georgia Blue plans to open two locations in Starkville. Mayor Spruill stated that the plan is for one of them to be on S. Jackson St, in the front section of the old Mississippi Motors building.

327 Hwy. 12 W. is the new location for the newly-reopened Midtown Outfitters. They offer Mississippi State apparel and customizable shirts, shoes, coolers, hats and more. The new location will be open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

COLUMBUS

JB’s House of Blues, located at 20 22nd St. S., seeks to serve customers in two ways: during the day (10 – 5 daily) as a traditional restaurant, and as a night club with live DJs and concerts from Thursday through Sunday evenings, 8pm – 1am

VM Squared and the Chamber of Commerce are collaborating on a business seminar this Tuesday at Lion Hills Center focused on offering cyber security tips. The event will run from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. If interested, you must register at the Chamber’s website; tickets will cost $15. 

WEST POINT
A newly remodeled Wendy’s has re-opened its doors at 312 Hwy. 45 Alternate N.

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Serious About Getting into Shape? Consider a Personal Trainer

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

Many people decide to sign up for gym memberships this time of year, whether it’s due to a New Year’s resolution or simply a desire to fit in their old jeans from college. A number of folks have found that sticking to their weight loss goals is often easier with the help of a personal trainer to help them. Even without a trainer, bringing a friend with similar goals along, so you can “compete” with one another and remain accountable, can help.

Beth Jeffers, owner of The Fitness Factor in Columbus, has some thoughts on the matter: “People make lifestyle changes at the beginning of the new year, of course. . . There’s accountability in that,” she said. “A lot of times, people do the same thing and get bored. I see a lot of people who just do the same thing every day.”

Tom Campbell, owner of Tom Campbell Fitness and Sports Performance in Starkville, says that unmotivated people often “find” reasons not to work out: “Several things happen,” Campbell said. “Life gets in the way. I had a guy who was on a ladder at work, fell off the ladder at work and broke his arm. He said, ‘I have a broken arm, and I can’t work out’. But in reality, we can always work around that.”

Some people who desperately want to improve themselves find their own existing conditions to be part of the problem. Eddie Myles, director of the Wellness Connection in Starkville, had a client who was nearly 600 pounds and had difficulty getting around the house safely, let alone getting to a gym.

“I got a call and she wanted me to come to her house,” Myles said. “I started going to her house because she was having problems getting from her bedroom to the kitchen. That was like an hour workout for her, carrying that much weight, and you’re out of shape.”

In time, working together with Myles, his client dropped over a hundred pounds; she has since moved away, but remains in contact with him, to let him know that she is continuing to shed the weight: “She was doing so good,” he said. “I mean, literally, she was on the phone crying.”

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