Sunday Column, Sept. 23

In case you missed it, or used the business section to line your cat litter box, here is my column from Sunday, Sept. 23, along with a couple of tips that did not fit this week and will go in next week's section.

Dairy Bar up for sale?
Several people have asked me what I will be writing about this week, now that the Wal-Mart is finally open and the Waffle House is set to open on Sept. 24. I was a little worried that there would be a lull in business news, but I was wrong.
I think it says something about the shape of Sanford's economy that I really don't have to work too hard on this column these days. I can remember a time, just a few short years ago, when all the newsroom pitched in on these tidbits just so we would have enough to fill it.
Now, though, business in Sanford is booming, from what I can tell, at least. We have a true Superstore now, and several top notch restaurants to go along with a great mix of small businesses. But I would still like to see that bookstore.
Then a juicy tip came in this week. While at the grand opening of the new Wal-Mart, celebrating Sanford's leap into the 21st century of retail shopping, someone told me that the Fairview Dairy Bar, a local institution that is usually full at all hours of any given day, from when it opens to closing time, is on the market for an asking price of a cool $1 million. That was shocking, although I can see where it may be worth a lot of money, being such a well-known local brand.
Being the inquisitive journalist that I am, and having a hankering for a little barbecued chicken, I decided to take my lunch Thursday at the Dairy Bar just to see if the rumor was true. I ran up with owner Paul Freedle, who was hard at work on another busy lunch crowd, before I sat down and asked him flat out about it.
He laughed, then said there was absolutely no truth to the rumor — for now at least.
"I hear that all the time," he said of the rumor. "But it's not true. This is a family business, and it would break my heart to drive by and see someone else running it. Someday my grandkids might want to run it."
Freedle said, in fact, that quite the opposite was true. He actually has plans to invest in a computerized ordering system by the end of the year to make running the business more efficient.
The Dairy Bar is probably the busiest restaurant in town at lunch, and I couldn't see anyone walking away from that kind of gold mine. Like an unnamed customer said as I talked to Freedle, "I would just like to have the money they make off desserts."

Cuban sandwiches coming to courthouse area

Maybe you can't travel to Cuba, but that's no reason not enjoy a delicious Cuban sandwich.
Emeterio and Julia Garcia recently moved down to Sanford from New York and plan to open Julia's Sandwich Shop at 1415 S. Horner Blvd., across from the courthouse.
Julia worked in restaurants in New York City, but after her husband suffered a heart attack and couldn't bear the cold winters up north because of the medication he was taking, the couple began looking southward for a warmer climate to set up shop in.
"We must have put 2,500 miles on the car driving through towns in the South," said Emeterio Garcia. "But as soon as we came to Sanford, we fell in love. We love it here."
When the restaurant opens on Oct. 1, the Garcias will offer the classic Cuban sandwich — carved pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard — as well as other pork sandwiches, fresh salads made daily and dessert favorites like creme brulee and bread pudding.
The shop will be open for breakfast and lunch daily.

C.O.W. coming to local feed store

Local feed and seed dealer Carolina Town & Country, in conjunction with Purina Mills, will host a Cow Owners Workshop seminar at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
At the seminar, Purina will teach local farmers how to increase their profit potential. Open to all cattle producers, the workshop will feature industry experts speaking on topics such as cattle management techniques, nutrition and herd health. Information will also be available on Purina's Accuration feeding programs.
The seminar is free and steaks and drinks will be served to attendees. Producers can also register to win one of 38 prizes available with an estimated total value of more than $43,000, including a John Deere Gator Utility vehicle and a John Deere riding lawn mower.
Kind of makes me wish I owned a cow.

Moonbeams and Fairiedust Enchanted Metaphysical Shop
Barbara Hart, owner of local mystical emporium Moonbeams and Fairiedust, dropped by my desk this week to tell me that the store will relocate from its current location in the Steele Street Mall to 709 Carthage St., the former home of Priss Pots boutique, on Oct. 1.
For those not familiar with the store, Hart sells everything from incense to dragons (not real dragons — I asked) to potions in the store.
"It's a magic shop," she said. "But we don't sell magic tricks, though we do sell potions."
She said she offers consignment area in her store for people to sell their potions, and one of her vendors offers a real "Love Potion No. 9," which she said has been very popular.
"Well, we have only sold one bottle," she said. "But three others have been stolen."

Coffee coming to Spring Lake
Java Jo’z Coffee & More, a drive-up coffee shop, will open towards the end of October at 1139 N. Bragg Blvd. in the Southwinds Plaza parking lot directly behind PD Qwix and near Big Lots in Spring Lake.
Mike and Sara De Rosa of Cameron own and operate the 240-square-foot, dual-lane drive-up coffee shop, which offers a variety of coffees and smoothies, and a limited selection of snacks such as biscotti, muffins, danish and cinnamon rolls.
Mike DeRosa said that each lane of the drive-up can accommodate four cars at a time. The lanes will run in opposite directions and access from and to Bragg Boulevard is only a stones throw away.
The coffee shop will soon have outdoor seating and parking will be available for walk-up customers, however, the shop’s emphasis will be on drive-up because seating will be limited.
When it opens, the store will operate from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, check out the store's website at www.javajoznc.com. The DeRosas can be reached at mike@javajoznc.com or at 910-960-JAVA.