News and Updates

"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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Creative Solutions owners Shannon and Brad Thomas enjoying comments by Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin during the Network After Work at their new showroom and design space at 132 N. Main St. in downtown Belmont. In the small photo below, recently elected Belmont City Council member Jim Hefferan has just joined the Chamber and played the "Let's Make A Deal" game with MACC Member Services Director Julie Bowen to determine his discount during the 2019 fall membership drive.  (Thank you John Jacob for contributing photos.)

Chamber reception followed an all-day open house   

Creative Solutions Special Events treated clients, Chamber members and friends to a dazzling display of every item anyone could want to stage an incredible holiday gala during Network After Work at the new CSSE Showroom & Design Space at 132 N. Main Street in Belmont.

The Chamber reception was the main event, capping an all-day open house for Creative Solutions clients and vendors. After hosting a steady stream of guests throughout the day, the beautifully decorated showroom began to fill after 5 p.m. and soon was crowded with Chamber members eager to see the decorations, meet owners Brad and Shannon Thomas and their team and to sample amazing food prepared by Jim N' Nick's Bar-B-Q. Other co-hosts were Carey Roberts Design, Wildly Southern and Morgan Ridge Railwalk Brewery & Eatery. Live music was performed by Kevin Yeargin.

Discounts and incentives available to members joining now

Join Online         Download A Form 

The Montcross Area Chamber is conducting its fall membership campaign now through November 25, with special discounts and other incentives for new members. Two teams of campaign volunteers are assisting in the campaign. 

If your business or organization is not a member, this is a great time to join. If you already are a member, tell a business associate, vendor or friend they need to join now.

For more information on membership and the campaign, contact any of the participating volunteers listed below, or contact Chamber Member Services Director Julie Bowen at 704.825.5307, ext 3 or julie.bowen@montcrossareachamber.com. 

Let's Make A Deal leaders and teams:

Join now to be listed in 2020 Member  Directory in Gaston Gazette

The 2020 edition of the Montcross Area Chamber Member Directory is being developed in partnership with the Gaston Gazette for publication early next year. Businesses and organizations joining the Chamber now will be assured their information will be listed free in the publication, which will be delivered to thousands of Gazette readers and also available online and distributed locally throughout the year. 

The directory will list Chamber members alphabetically and by category, making it an excellent resource to help consumers find providers of products and services they need. The 2019 edition was 68 pages and featured the Cramerton Veterans Memorial on the cover.

Display advertising space in the directory is available for purchase and is being offered now through the Gaston Gazette advertising department. Chamber members receive a discount.

Ad Rates & Information

For more information on rates, ask your Gazette advertising representative, or call Ruth Anderson at 704.869.1727, or email her at randerson@gastongazette.com.

Christine Wallace, with help from grand-daughter Alice Jean-Paul, 3, is ready to cut the ribbon, along with master barber Doug Brewer and wife Gwen and stylists Heather Wilson and Sara Marie Genaro. Others, from left, are Elaine Dimeo of Watson Insurance, Anastasia Kellogg of the Kumon Math and Reading Center, Denise Price Thomas of DPT Consulting and Training, Freda Hall of Belmont Realty, Alicia Jean-Paul, Alex Kellogg of the Kumon Math and Reading Center, Mayor Charlie Martin and Chamber Board member Wil Neumann of Gaston Capital Partners. (In the small photo below are Doug Brewer with Chamber President Ted Hall.)   

Doug Brewer, 92, still cutting hair at Belmont Beautique & Barbery

Christine "Hair Lady" Wallace has transformed a space at the eastern end of the Main Street Crossing shopping Center in Belmont into a beautiful hair salon and barber shop. She and her team celebrated their grand opening and ribbon cutting on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019.

Joining Christine in the shop are hair stylists Heather Wilson and Sara Marie Genaro and master barber Doug Brewer. That's right, 92-year-old Doug Brewer, an icon in downtown Belmont for many years cutting hair in his former shop in the back of the Stowe Mercantile and General Store building, has emerged from a short "retirement" to join the Belmont Beautique & Barbery team.

Chamber members and friends attending the grand opening celebration enjoyed a pizza lunch, while making business connections and learning about the new Chamber member. Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin welcomed the new business to Belmont. 

To make an appointment or get more information, call 704.829.8122, or visit www.belmontnchaircare.com. 

Watch the video

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Belmont Beautique & Barbery offers a 10% discount to members of the Montcross Area Chamber and to veterans, teachers and first-responders.

Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin (right) welcomes the new business, with (from left) Doug Brewer, Heather Wilson, Sara Marie Genaro and Christine Wallace.

Roberta Wilson and her fiance Art Tilley have just cut the ribbon at the new Grace Christian Counseling practice, accompanied by Chamber members, friends and church members. In the photo, from the left, are Annette Gehle, the Rev. David Hiatt of Park Street UMC, Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin, Larry Nordlinger of the Nordlinger Agency, Erin Rice, Freda Hall of Belmont Realty, Bryan Dalton of 321 Equipment, Mandy Turner and son Caleb, Denise Price Thomas of DPT Consulting and Training and Chamber Board member Robert Aldrich of Aldrich CFO Services. (In the small photo below, are Roberta Wilson and Chamber President Ted Hall.)

"Grace" most important word in the name of this practice 

When Roberta Wilson owner of Grace Christian Counseling in Charlotte and Lincolnton needed a Belmont office to serve her growing Gaston County client base, she considered several traditional office possibilities, but none seemed to work for her practice. 

A call to the Montcross Area Chamber led to a referral to the Rev. David Hiatt at long-time Chamber member Park Street United Methodist Church, and a win-win-win was created for the church, Grace Christian Counseling and the Chamber, which gained a new member. 

GCC now is settled into its office in the church at 120 Park Street in Belmont and celebrated its grand opening and Chamber ribbon cutting on Oct. 28, 2019. 

Grace Christian Counseling offers individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy services for adolescents and adults. 

“While I am a Christian counselor,” Roberta says, “I approach all clients with empathy and kindness. I only integrate faith at the client’s request and I am no one’s judge. I believe my faith helps me approach others with love and encouragement. The name of my practice says it all … Grace.” 

For more information on Grace Christian Counseling, call Roberta Wilson at 704.748.3585. 

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During the grand opening reception, Roberta Wilson is telling the group about her practice with the Rev. David Hiatt and Mayor Charlie Martin.