|
|
Print Last Updated: Friday, April 7th, 2000
|
L A T E S T A R T I C L E :
Doddridge & Salem X-Tra Cover Story Article printed March 4th, 2000 (slightly edited version also appeared in Clarksburg Sunday Exponent, March 5th, 2000) Mini-mall shows growth of business community in Salem Written & Photo By: Nora Edinger It has been a National Guard Armory, a slew of grocery stores, a truck dealership and even a roller rink over the last 80 years or so. But the former Mor For Less's metamorphosis into a mini-mall may be the surest sign Salem's business district is entering the new-millenium age. In its third month of business, Salem EastGate Center has attracted five tenants. Center co-owners Gary Martin, Sr. and Gary Martin, Jr., father and son, operate Martin's Menagerie, a newsstand and coin shop. Also on site are a satellite/electronic repair shop, a novelty store, a wooden furniture maker, a consignment {area} and a temporary furniture sales area. "We're trying to run the center as a small-business incubator," said Martin, Sr., who also works as manager of Clarksburg Printing Company and serves as president of the downtown-promoting Salem Apple Butter Festival Committee and Greater Clarksburg Associates. "Hopefully, as the businesses expand they'll grow to the point where they can fill in downtown places." EastGate is located on the east end of town, just off the eastern downtown Salem exit off U.S. 50. "It's still Main Street," Martin, Sr. said. "But it's just a good location for growth. It's easy access off the interstate and we have plenty of parking." There will also be bike racks and hitching posts to attract travelers on the North Bend Rail Trail. That ample parking may be a sign that EastGate is beginning to take off, he added. On a mid-February Saturday night, the center hosted its first of what is intended to be a weekly consignment auction. "The comments from the people who live in the neighborhood were that they couldn't remember when the parking lot had been full," Martin, Sr. said. Martin, Jr., who does most of the staffing in addition to his part-time job as a computer technician for Salem-Teikyo University, said there is also plenty of room inside for new business opportunities. "We're looking for services. A restaurant is one of our key things that we need here," Martin, Jr. said. To promote the business-incubator atmosphere, the Martins are charging booth operators one monthly fee based on square footage and offering on-site auxiliary services such as fax, photo copying and a center Website. (http://come.to/eastgate). For beginning entrepeneurs like John Nesbitt, this has been a boon. Nesbitt is making initial plans to turn his love of woodworking into the Just Dandy wooden furniture-making and repair shop. He hopes to build an old-fashioned front porch facade to set off his site. "That way, I can sit and whittle on the front porch," joked Nesbitt, while taking a look at an unusual three-legged, woven-bottom chair that is one of his specialties. He is pleased that orders are just starting to come in as he has moved into the public arena. The move to the center has also been a notable one for more established businesses, like that of Robert and Mary Martin, brother and sister-in-law to Gary, Sr. The couple moved Satellite Doctor from their home to a prime corner in sight of the front door. "We've been doing this (satellite dish repair) business for about three years now," said Robert Martin. "We were basically out of our home. Now that we've got a shop that people can get to we've gotten into electronic repairs, too." Satellite Doctor also sells parts for do-it-yourselfers. Entrepenuerial enthusiasm seems to be spreading throughout the small town's business district. With a firm located in the downtown proper, business owner MiMi Davis believes EastGate's development and the renovation of many downtown buildings is a sign of a business Rennaissance. Davis and her sister Cheryl Corder own My Sister's House, a country-style florist and gift shop on Main Street. Open for three years on the south side of the street, success allowed the sisters to open a larger shop on the north side in early February. Complete with a new facade and a wee Welsh corgi to greet customers, Davis sees a great future there. "I'm planning on being here for quite a while," Davis said, adding that being aware of Salem's rural location and expectations of lower prices have been key to their survival. In the last few years, Davis has noted a number of new business facades and renovations going on in the downtown. Newer businesses include a bakery, a tobacco shop, a dance studio and a relocated pharmacy. Dollar General recently moved to a larger building and a Domino's Pizza has moved into the downtown. "Several businesses have done a lot of work on their buildings," Davis said. "Hopefully, that'll just continue to move on down the street." L A T E S T A D V E R T I S E M E N T : Doddridge & Salem X-Tra printed April 7th, 2000
P R E V I O U S A R T I C L E :
Sentinel Newspaper Article printed January 4th, 2000 Focus On Business: Salem EastGate Center Another idea is born, or should I say "hatched"? Written & Photo By: Diana Grandt On December 13, 1999, Gary Martin, Jr. and Gary Martin, Sr., dba Martin Ventures LLC, opened the Salem EastGate Center, a mini-mall and small business incubator site, and set up their newsstand and coin shop, Martin's Menagerie, near the entrance. It is located at Salem's east gate as visitors traveling west enter from Rt. 50, thus the name. The Martins, lifelong West Virginia residents, answered the knock of opportunity at their door when they saw that the building once occupied by Mor For Less was vacated. Not only would the building provide a place to start their own newsstand and coin shop, but the remaining space could be divided to accommodate 36 10'x12' outlet spaces, a 16'x20' restaurant room with 10'x45' front sit down area, a 29'x45' room and a 16'x40' space. Father and son set about to bring their dream to reality. Gary, Sr. and Gary, Jr. both hold outside jobs, but they spent approximately two to three weeks of intensive labor preparing the building, cleaning, repairing, inside and out, and painting. Materials for fixing the parking lot have been acquired, and this improvement will be completed as soon as possible. The entrepenurial spirit is the driving force behind Martin Ventures LLC, and they hope to inspire others and attract many different kinds of service operations to come join them at Salem EastGate Center. One of the spaces already rented will be the new home of Satellite Doctor, a home satellite installation and repair business. A real estate office has also reserved a space, as well as a tinsmith and woodworker. The affordable rent of $1.50 or less per square foot per month includes heat and light, an online billboard and a webpage. A grand opening ceremony will be held sometime in early spring, with the specific date to be announced later. The website at http://Come.To/EastGate is a good place to learn more about the new venture; or you can call 782-1890 or drop in and talk to Gary, Jr. or Gary, Sr., to catch some of their enthusiasm. |
