Business Retention & Expansion

Strong mayoral leadership leads this small town to implement new strategies for addressing old challenges. Scotland Neck helps its small businesses to attract tourists and attracts new industries that can employ the local workforce.

A historically tobacco-dependent community, Farmville ensures its long-term vitality through diversification. Today, furniture, health care, construction, warehousing and service industries can all be found thriving in this small North Carolina town. Farmville invests in local businesses and schools, and markets itself to new industries and residents.

Upon learning that its major employer will be closing, civic leaders in Chillicothe band together to save a correctional facility that has become a valuable part of this town’s economic and civic life.

Davidson preserves its small town character in the face of development pressure from nearby Charlotte.

Oakland demonstrates that the arrival of Wal-Mart need not be a death knell for small, local businesses. Through the Main Street Program, Oakland works with existing business owners to prepare for the arrival of Wal-Mart.