Community Commerce

Greenville: a family manufacturer grows. The state's Rural Infrastructure Authority approved an $80,000 Building Reuse grant to Pitt County for a 56,260-square-foot expansion of a Greenville building for Edgecombe Furniture, a family-owned maker of furniture for the hospitality sector. NC Commerce says the project is expected to create 10 jobs, with $3,847,222 in planned spending.

Washington: boats built in Beaufort County. In the same round, a $50,000 grant will support the renovation of a 175,000-square-foot building in Washington for MJM Yachts, which designs and builds power yachts. The company will create 13 jobs, according to NC Commerce.

Greenville: a water distributor sets up a home base. Le Bleu Central Distributors held a ribbon-cutting this week for a new facility at 305 Airport Road, WITN reported. The company says Pitt County is already its second-largest market in North Carolina and that it plans to expand its local workforce. “Greenville is just such a growing community,” Le Bleu Central President Owen Agee said.

Rocky Mount: a travel center in the permit stage. Buc-ee's has started the permit process for a 74,000-square-foot travel center on 34 acres near NC Highway 4 and Interstate 95, WRAL reported. The project is projected to bring 200 jobs, and the company still has planning approvals to complete. “This is just the starting point, but know that I will be cheering on Buc-ee's all along the way!” Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson said in a statement.

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