News and Updates

 Drawing of what a large assembly space for training, seminars and meetings could look like on the lower level of TechWorks. In the smaller photo below, Gaston Innovation Group Executive Director Terry Cox is speaking to more than 100 who attended the brand and design concepts launch for TechWorks of Gaston County.

Technology innovation center being developed in Belmont 

TechWorks of Gaston County is a new name you’ll be hearing a lot, after a local non-profit organization working to build a technology-driven innovation center in Belmont unveiled its branding and design plans on Tuesday, March 28, 2017. 

The site for TechWorks of Gaston County is in the same building where Rivermen Brewing soon will open at 52 Ervin Street, beside the Post Office, in downtown Belmont.  Construction will begin soon to upfit more than 12,000 square feet in the building. Long-range plans include a second location in the Loray Mill in Gastonia. 

Creating jobs in Gaston County by fostering the start-up and growth of technology companies is the objective. TechWorks of Gaston County also will offer in-house coding classes and other training in partnership with local colleges and universities  to grow the local workforce to meet the demands of an increasingly digital economy. 

Gaston Innovation Group (GIG)  is the non-profit organization leading development of TechWorks of Gaston County . Dr. Steve Hannon of Hannon Orthodontics chairs the GIG Board of Directors. Most of the initial funding for the project came from Gaston County, with participation by the City of Belmont and private sources. Gaston Innovation Group is pursuing additional grant funding.(Download the press release.)

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 One of several co-working spaces planned for the main level at TechWorks of Gaston County.

Holy Angels CEO Regina Moody, with help from resident Edwin Forest, who was celebrating his 59th birthday, cut a ribbon officially opening the Cotton Candy Factory for business on North Main Street in Downtown Belmont. They are joined by other Holy Angels residents and staff members, Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin, Montcross Area Chamber representatives and others. In the smaller photo below, customers spin their own cotton candy.

New shop may be Belmont's "sweetest" business

Belmont's newest "sweet spot" opened for business on Monday, March 27, 2017, with a ribbon-cutting and open house for the Cotton Candy Factory at 21 N. Main Street. A long line of shoppers eager to get inside stretched down the sidewalk throughout the afternoon.

A retail and vocational education outreach of Holy Angels, the new shop is next door to Cherub's Cafe, another Holy Angels business, which has been serving great food and providing opportunities for Holy Angels residents to work with supervision for more than 20 years.

In the colorful and whimsical Cotton Candy Factory, customers can spin their own cotton candy, purchase 25 flavors of pre-packaged cotton candy, buy "penny-candy" in dozens of varieties by the pound, enjoy Tony's ice cream and the giant gumball machine and choose from a wide assortment of other products.

Holy Angels CEO Regina Moody spoke at the grand opening along with Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin. The Montcross Area Chamber assisted with the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Regular hours for the Cotton Candy Factory are 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call 704.825.0416. 

 First customers pack inside the colorful and whimsical Cotton Candy Factory shop. 

Mayors speaking were (from left) Cramerton Mayor Will Cauthen, Gastonia Mayor John Bridgeman, McAdenville Mayor Jim Robinette, Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin, Lowell Mayor Sandy Railey and Mount Holly Mayor Bryan Hough. Stanley Mayor Andrew Quinley was unable to attend.

Communities share common interests; stress need for collaboration 

Six mayors representing five of the Montcross Area cities and towns in eastern Gaston County and the city of Gastonia spoke at the Chamber’s Business Buzz breakfast this morning. CaroMont Health was the sponsor. . 

Mayors participating were Will Cauthen of Cramerton, Charlie Martin of Belmont, Sandy Railey of Lowell, John Bridgeman of Gastonia, Bryan Hough of Mount Holly and Jim Robinette of McAdenville. Stanley Mayor Andrew Quinley was unable to attend. 

Each mayor spoke about accomplishments and challenges in his or her municipality, and a question and answer period followed with mayors responding to questions from the audience of more than 60 Chamber members and friends. 

All of the mayors reported on new businesses opening in their communities. The importance of planning to accommodate growth and the work each town is doing in that area was a topic addressed by all of the mayors. 

Other topics covered included transportation projects, new neighborhoods being developed, the controversy over a site for a new Belmont Middle School, greenways and the need to connect them, the need for future light rail connection to Charlotte, the Catawba Crossings and Wilkinson Boulevard bridges, summer concerts coming up and more.

Business Buzz breakfasts are planned several times each year by the Chamber to address issues of interest to the business community in Gaston County. Stanton Enterprise/McDonalds provided the breakfast.

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Chamber Board Chair Bill Ingram of Regions Bank welcomes members and friends to Business Buzz breakfast.

Artist Jan Craft (center) at the opening reception for her exhibit at the Montcross Area Chamber, with (from left) reception sponsor Kevin Randall of Northwestern Mutual, Chamber Board Chair Bill Ingram of Regions Bank, Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin and Kim George, executive director of the Gaston County Arts Council. In the photo below, Jan Craft (right) at the reception beside her 10-foot sculpture “Whimsical Cycle” with May Carter Barger.

Art exhibit can be seen at Chamber weekdays, 8 - 5

Noted Gaston County sculptor Jan Craft is the latest artist to exhibit her work in the offices of the Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce in the Stowe Building at 100 N. Main Street in Belmont. The exhibit, which runs through May, opened with a meet-the-artist reception attended by more than 100 on Tuesday, March 21, 2017. Kevin Randall of Northwestern Mutual sponsored the reception. 

Belmont resident Jan Craft is a metalsmith artist whose work ranges from jewelry to large outdoor sculptures. She created the 29-foot-tall work titled “Spirit” in front of Stuart Cramer High School and also the 14-foot sculpture titled “Full Bloom” in front of CaroMont Regional Medical Center in Mount Holly. 

This is the sixth in a series of art exhibits in what is becoming known as the “Chamber Gallery” in Belmont. Gaston County Arts Council Executive Director Kim George coordinates the exhibitions on behalf of the Chamber. She also serves on the Chamber Board of Directors. 

The exhibit is open to the public during business hours, 8 – 5, Monday through Friday.  For more information on Jan Craft and her art, visit www.jancraftstudio.com.

Financial Advisor Kevin Randall, with his wife Jessica and daughter Ava, cut a ribbon to celebrate his Northwestern Mutual office at 9115 Harris Corners Parkway, Suite 400, Charlotte, NC 28269. Backed by a team of eight, his office provides clients a wide range of services such as business continuation planning, risk management, succession planning, retirement planning, financial planning, benefits planning, life insurance and many more. In the photo, are local artist Jan Craft, whose work is on exhibit now at the Chamber, and several Chamber Board members, including (holding the ribbon) Geanina Neal and Board Chair Bill Ingram of Regions Bank, Melia Lyerly of Lyerly Agency, Kim George of Gaston Arts Council, Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin and Board Treasurer Jim Crisp of Clearbrook Advisory Services. For more information on Kevin Randall and Northwestern Mutual, call 704.494.8063, or visit www.kevinrandall.nm.com.

 Mike and Sundae Dowdle cut a Sun's Up Scuba theme cake to share with Chamber members and friends at their grand opening and ribbon-cutting. In the photo below, Cramerton Mayor Will Cauthen congratulates the Dowdles and welcomes Sun's Up Scuba to Cramerton. 

The sun's up every day at Sun's Up Scuba

Owners Mike and Sundae Dowdle like to say "the sun's up 7 days a week at Sun's Up Scuba," and the sun sure was shining for their Chamber ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Thursday, March 16, 2017. A large crowd of Chamber members and friends, plus Sun's Up customers and others attended to network, enjoy refreshments and learn about the wide range of products and services available at the shop.

Sun's Up Scuba occupies one of four commercial sites in front of South Fork Village Apartments on Wilkinson Boulevard. The shop is in the town of Cramerton, but has a Belmont address at 900 G-01 South Fork Village Drive.

Sun’s Up Scuba provides PADI dive lessons, dive and snorkel gear, kayak and paddle board rentals, scuba gear service/repair and travel planning. Visit www.sunsupscuba.com for more on the business, or call 704.829.3455.

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Mike and Sundae Dowdle cut a ribbon at the grand opening of Sun's Up Scuba with Cramerton Mayor Will Cauthen and lots of Chamber members and friends looking on. Holding the ribbon are Chamber board members Robert Aldrich (left) of Aldrich CFO Services and Chris Kennedy of Kennedy Business Solutions.

Network After Work sponsors Lynn Wilcox-Galbato from Sole Reflection and Shari Miller with Bai Shen Acupuncture (front, center) with members of the Chamber Board of Directors (from left) Melia Lyerly Brad Thomas, Chris Kennedy and Ryan Clarke.

Chamber members and friends learned about two businesses while, making new business contacts and enjoying great food and beverages on Thursday, March. 9, 2017, when Bai Shen Acupuncture and Sole Reflection at 684 Park Street Belmont, hosted "Network After Work." Food for the reception was provided by H&M Catering of Mount Holly.

Founded by Shari Miller in 2008, Bai Shen Acupuncture is dedicated to providing services focused on creating health using the natural healing abilities of one’s own body through Classical Chinese Medicine.

Sole Reflection promotes balance and normalization of the body naturally; reduces stress and brings about relaxation and improves circulation and the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the cells. Reflexology is the science of involuntary response to stimuli of the foot. 

For more on Bai Shen Acupuncture, call 704.825.1584, or visit www.baishen.org. For more on Sole Reflection, call 704.995.8136, or visit www.solereflection.biz. 

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