Sunday, December 7, 2008

Member Spotlight: Cavenaugh's Gifts of Distinction



Ask J.D. Teachey about downtown Wallace, and he will tell you the history of all the stores. He’ll tell you how at 15 he worked at the ticket window of the movie theater that was on W. Main Street, he’ll tell you about the department stores and five and dimes, but mostly, he’ll tell you about the amount of traffic there always was in downtown Wallace. “The street would be full of people on a Saturday!”, J.D. explained, “Everybody came to Wallace to shop!” And J.D. is passionate about downtown Wallace becoming a thriving center for commerce again. The shops will be different as will the customers- but he believes that with perseverance, and with the efforts of the Wallace Revitalization Committee, downtown can be a strong retail center and be one of the things that attracts people to the area. It’s been 10 years since J.D. bought the Cavenaugh’s Jewelry store. The building used to house a five &dime on the right, and the jewelry store was on the left, but it has since been opened into one space. For years, it was THE place that brides-to-be would register for their china, flatware and crystal- but that business is not as strong as it once was since we have become a more casual society. And as fashions have changed, Cavenaugh’s has changed with it. The store has recently been repainted and reset, and looks amazing! Kudos to J.D.’s daughter Karen and her friend Leah Wallace for an exceptional job of redesigning the space. Some items have gone, some will stay, and some will be added. Staying are the hundreds of Christopher Radko Ornaments. J.D. boasts that the collection is one of the largest in Eastern N.C. The Brighton Jewelry and Leather lines are also staying, as is the Arthur Court Serve Ware and the most popular china patterns. The store carries Madame Alexander Dolls, and will retain several china patterns that remain popular. The extensive crystal selection will also stay. The Christmas selections include Steinbach Nutcrackers and Dept. 56 in addition to the Radko Ornaments.
As for what is yet to come- we’ll need to wait till after January for that answer. Karen will be going to Atlanta then, and will be choosing new merchandise lines for the shop.
The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m., and on most days you’ll be greeted by Miss Patty Smith- or stop in on Saturdays and J.D. will tell you stories about the way Wallace used to be!

Chamber After Hours- December 16th

Please join us for an evening of fun and networking December 16th for an Oyster Roast at Lake Leamon! Once again Vaughan & Jeff have invited us to their wonderful facility- and this is a real treat!! Please RSVP to Lou at 910-285-4044 or email her at lou@wallacechamber.com by December 12th! If you missed the last Chamber After Hours at Lake Leamon- you want to be sure to join us this time! The atmosphere and scenery are wonderful- and will give you a needed break in the hectic holiday season. See ya’ there!

New Member Spotlight- The Fleur-de-Lysa








When Lisa Fussell was a child, she sat on the floor playing with flower petals as her Grandmother made floral arrangements. The process fascinated her, and though her career life has taken her in many other directions, she always dreamed of her own shop- and now she and her daughter Mandy Rivenbark are making dreams a reality.
The Fleur-de-Lysa is located at 420 E. Main St., next to the Four Oaks Bank. In addition to fresh and silk floral arrangements, you’ll find an eclectic mix of gift items and home décor. Mirrors and wall plaques, candles and candlesticks, vases and lamps and a good variety of fleur-de-lis are in every corner of the 4 rooms that are overflowing. There is also a large assortment of Christmas merchandise.



In addition to the shop, Lisa has launched 2 other ventures. Stage Show is a residential and commercial staging company whose goal is to help you stage your home for resale. It’s no secret that there is a philosophy behind the model homes you see that translate into home sales in the marketplace. These same practices can be put in place in your property to increase interest and help a property sell quicker. Fussell Concierge Services, LLC will offers everything from house and office cleaning to auto detailing, and running errands to personal shopping. When your schedule is too busy to handle- this is a service that can take the pressure off!

New Members

The Fleur-de-Lysa
Lisa Fussell
Mandy Rivenbark
420 E. Main St., Wallace
Phone: 910-285-2997

Stage Show
Lisa Fussell
420 E. Main St., Wallace
Phone: 910-285-2997

Fussell Concierge Services, LLC
Lisa Fussell
420 E. Main St., Wallace
Phone: 910-285-2997

Peek-a-BooTique
Scott & Bridget Brennan
107 W. Main St., Wallace
Phone: 910- 271-4103

Dancer’s Corner
Jane Highsmith
606 College St., Wallace
Phone: 910- 285-4083

Welcome to all
Our new members!

Another Successful Christmas at Twilight!





Thanks to everyone who made the 2008 Christmas At Twilight a success! See you again next year!!!


Lou, Shiela & Frank

Where do you do business?

Justin Boyette is the Finance Manager at Friendly Ford. He doesn’t live in Wallace- but when he needed garden tools- he went to Marshburn’s Ace Hardware. There is a Food Lion near his home- but he stops at the Food Lion here to get his groceries. Why? Justin knows the importance of supporting the community he does business in. The people in the hardware and grocery store are his customers- the folks near his home are not likely to come to Wallace to buy a car.
Justin learned the lesson at an early age when he grew up in Clinton. He was going to get a watch for his birthday, and had seen one in Fayetteville he liked, but thought they should check the jewelers in Clinton also. He found the watch he wanted- and at a much better price....There’s no place like home.
It is true that there are many things that are not available to us within the town- or even the county limits- apparel, shoes, books, and some trendier choices are in short supply. But there are just as many categories that we have depth in. Furniture and home décor easily comes to mind. Definitely gift items. Though we don’t have the big box stores that barrage us with commercials, there are some good deals to be had in electronics and appliances if you take the time to look.
We are bombarded with outside advertising and we seem persuaded that the deals exist only at the national chains- when in reality, the people who are local business people will work harder for your business than any college kid working at a chain store ever will.
There is no way to measure the importance of small business in a town- but in Duplin County, Wallace has the largest diversity of small businesses. If you added the number of jobs they produce, and the revenue they generate- it would be greater than you thought. Though there will be superstores and other stores following it coming down the road, the lifeblood of our community is in it’s small businesses and the options they offer.
The challenge to the business community is to develop businesses that meet the needs of the people- whether that is by merchandise selection, pricing, hours of operation or by offering superior customer service. These will be the challenges both in today’s economy and in the future as the face of retail changes locally.
Many towns across the country have come to understand the importance of shopping local- and many Wallace business people know how important it is to look to their neighbors when they need something. The Duplin First Council works to make the county aware of how important it is to do business within its borders.
Just because the price of gas has dropped a bit- don’t be so quick to run to Wilmington when you need something- take just a moment to take a look at what we have to offer in the town and county- and when you can- shop local!

Toys for Tots



When you are out shopping this holiday season, please remember the Annual Toys for Tots Campaign! We are hoping the response this year will be as great as we anticipate the need will be! You can bring new unwrapped toys to the Chamber Office any day between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.