News and Updates

Stanton Enterprise President Jeff Stanton cuts the ribbon, with his parents Ann and Greg Stanton, Mount Holly Mayor Bryan Hough, and members of the local management team.

Grand opening draws crowd for 52 weeks of free breakfast biscuits

Stanton Enterprise opened the new ultra-modern Mount Holly McDonald’s on schedule on Dec. 18, 2019, overcoming rain delays with a lot of extra work by staff members and contractors, who were attending to last-minute details right up until the first customers arrived. 

An early morning ribbon cutting ceremony, conducted jointly by the Montcross Area Chamber and Gaston Regional Chamber, preceded a 10 a.m. grand opening at which customers lined up to claim a limited number of offers for a breakfast biscuit weekly for a year. 

The former Mount Holly McDonald’s building was demolished three months ago clearing the way for construction on the same site of the new restaurant featuring the latest in design and technology for McDonald’s.  

Among the new features are a bright, open dining area with murals, ordering kiosks and table service for customers. A double-lane will speed up drive-through service. There’s a new Play Place for children, and gleaming new equipment featuring the latest technology in the food preparation area. 

Stanton Enterprise President Jeff Stanton thanked customers, staff members, Mount Holly city officials and contractors for their support. Mount Holly Mayor Bryan Hough complimented everyone involved for building the new the McDonald’s so quickly and so well. Members of the Stuart Cramer High School Band played the National Anthem as Mount Holly firemen raised the flag in front of the restaurant. 

Stanton Enterprise, which is headquartered in Mount Holly, also owns McDonald’s in Belmont and Mountain Island.  

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Members of the Stuart Cramer High School Band participated  in the grand opening.

Line for a breakfast biscuit for 52 weeks stretched into parking lot on grand opening day. 

Heather and Walter Burks are cutting the ribbon with Heather's parents Larry and Joy Garland, Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin and some of the Chamber members attending the event. Holding the ribbon are Chamber Board Past Chair Carey Roberts of Carey Roberts Design and Belmont Mayor Pro-Tem Jim Hefferan. 

Let Heather and Walter Burks manage your social media and more

Heather and Walter Burks of GarlandBurks Marketing celebrated their ribbon cutting in the lobby of the Chamber office in Belmont on Dec. 16, 2019, with clients, friends, family, Belmont city officials, and fellow members of the Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce.

Heather and Walter are professional photographers with more than 12 years of experience, and their business encompasses a broad range of branding and marketing services for clients, including managing social media, designing graphics, creating content, managing ads and much more.

With the Burks cutting the ribbon, are Heather’s parents Larry and Joy Garland, Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin and, holding the ribbon, Belmont Major Pro-Tem Jim Hefferan. Representing the Chamber and holding the ribbon on the left is Past Board Chair Carey Roberts of Carey Roberts Design.

More on GarlandBurks Marketing at 704.678.9910 or www.garlandburks.com.   

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Holy Angels CEO Regina Moody (center, second row) with team members during Chamber event.

Gaston Arts Council sponsored the music

Holy Angels hosted a large turnout of Montcross Area Chamber members and friends for the December Network After Work. Holy Angels CEO Regina Moody welcomed those attending and spoke about the Christmas celebration at Holy Angels. Guests enjoyed great food provided by Cherubs Cafe and a fun night of networking. Gaston Arts Council was the music sponsor hosting the Samuel Obie Trio. Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus were on-site to spread Christmas cheer, and prizes were provided by Holy Angels. In the photo are members of the Holy Angels team in front of the Christmas tree in the tented and heated Push Place pavilion on the Holy Angels campus, which is beautifully decorated with many lighted angels.

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"The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" has arrived across Gaston County with parades, tree lighting ceremonies, holiday bazaars, and even ice skating in Belmont and a 5-k run in McAdenville.

Thanks to the Gaston Gazette for capturing so much of the celebrations in outstanding photo images. Use the links below to enjoy photos from events across the county.  

LOWELL PARADE

CHERRYVILLE PARADE

DALLAS PARADE

RANLO PARADE

BESSEMER CITY PARADE

CRAMERTON PARADE

MOUNT HOLLY PARADE

BELMONT PARADE

GASTONIA PARADE

McADENVILLE TREE LIGHTING

STANLEY TREE LIGHTING

CHRISTMASTOWN 5-K RUN

MORE WAYS TO ENJOY HOLIDAY EVENTS

Watch the Chamber webcam video of the Belmont Christmas Parade.

See Belmont Christmas parade photos on Facebook.

Belmont Christmas tree lighting photos on Facebook. 

Mick McMahan of Gaston Capital addressing healthcare innovation entrepreneurs during symposium at TechWorks of Gaston County in Belmont.

Potential investors and local leaders learn about new businesses 

Chamber member Gaston Capital of Belmont brought local, regional, national and international entrepreneurs in health-related businesses to TechWorks of Gaston County in Belmont for a half-day Healthcare Innovations Symposium on Dec. 5, 2019.   

Gaston Capital Founder Michael K. (Mick) McMahan organized the symposium with the assistance of Chamber member the Sumner Group of Gastonia. 

Seven speakers representing nine companies, all associated with Gaston Capital, spoke to an audience of invited prospective investors and local business and community leaders. 

The keynote luncheon speaker was Charles W. Schellhorn, president of The Aberdeen Financial Group and retired president, CEO and chairman of Argus Health Systems, Inc. He spoke on “Overcoming Challenges in Funding Healthcare Innovations.” 

TechWorks Executive Director Terry Cox spoke about the new TechWorks innovation center and the entrepreneur support community developing around it. Belmont Mayor Pro Tem Jim Hefferan welcomed the group to Belmont. And Montcross Area Chamber President Ted Hall spoke about recent major economic development news in Gaston County, including the Chronicle Mill redevelopment in Belmont, the new hospital planned in a partnership between CaroMont Health and Belmont Abbey College, new hotels under construction in Mount Holly and Belmont, future light rail service for Gaston County, Sonic Automotive in Lowell and the start of construction on the FUSE sports and entertainment project in Gastonia.  

Interested investors spent time after the close of the program meeting with representatives of the presenting companies. 

Read about the entrepreneurial businesses participating in the symposium.

Just before the ribbon-cutting, photographer Andrew Lindsay captured this view of a portion of the crowd on hand to celebrate the opening of Belmont Cocktail Club.

Belmont Cocktail Club General Manager and Mason Jar Group partner Christina Cicci is ready to cut the ribbon being held by Chamber Board member Jonathan Yandle of BB&T (left) and Belmont Downtown Director Phil Boggan. Others in the photo, from the left, are Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin, Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Stowe, Celeste Kaplan, Anthony Kearey and Rachel Kamen of Mason Jar Group, Belmont City Council member Ryan Schrift, and Chamber Board Secretary Melia Lyerly. (Montcross Area Chamber photo)   

Club's design, concept a hit with Chamber members and friends  

Belmont Cocktail Club was a smash hit even before the red ribbon fell and everyone cheered at the Montcross Area Chamber’s grand opening celebration for the new cocktail bar and restaurant formerly known as Luna Hombre at 31 N. Main Street in downtown Belmont. 

Chamber members, friends, customers, city officials and neighboring merchants turned out in droves to see the results of a recent transformation after Christina Cicci partnered with the Mason Jar Group of Charlotte to create a new concept for the business. The Miami cocktail bar feel they produced got rave reviews from an overflow crowd at the ribbon cutting. 

Mason Jar Group partners with five other restaurants and bars in Charlotte and Matthews. MJG Operating Partner Anthony Kearney, Managing Partner Rachel Kamen and Marketing Director Celeste Kaplan attended the grand opening. Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin welcomed Belmont Cocktail Club to the business community, and Chamber Board Secretary Melia Lyerly of Lyerly Agency welcomed the new member of the Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce. 

For more information on Belmont Cocktail Club, call 980.283.7005. 

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