PROGRESS 2025: Small business growth continues in Bluefield

Yahoo

29-03-2025

Small business growth is still going strong in Nature's Air-Conditioned City.
Last year the city of Bluefield welcomed 30 new businesses, many of which were smaller businesses, according to the annual report of the Bluefield Economic Development Authority.
Of the 30 new businesses, the report found that six represented the food industry, four were retail, eight were within the service industry category and one was a medical industry business.
BEDA's 2024 report was delivered to the Bluefield Board of Directors in February, Jim Spencer, executive director of the Bluefield Economic Development Authority (BEDA), said.
'I think it is good to give yourself a grade card on everything you are working on,' Spencer said in reference to the annual report, which detailed BEDA efforts throughout the city.
In the new report, Spencer, who is retiring in April as the BEDA Director, said the city saw various businesses open their doors as well as remodel their facilities for grand reopenings.
Spencer said BEDA's goal is to take a proactive approach to fostering a new, sustainable regional economy. This is accomplished by supporting development, advancing business and industry, cultivating talent, fostering entrepreneurship and innovation and attracting new industries.
A number of key projects are highlighted in the report, including the Prosperity Hub in downtown Bluefield operated by Intuit and Alorica. It serves as a customer service hub for Intuit's TurboTax, QuickBooks and Mint platforms. Currently Alorica has more than 300 employees working at the Prosperity Hub.
Intuit and Alorica have continued to create opportunities for local businesses while actively searching for ways to connect and serve the community, according to the BEDA report. The report goes on to say that Intuit and Alorica have partnered with BEDA and the city to offer various office hour workshops such as the 'Intro to Financial Fundamentals for Small Business Owners.' Intuit and Alorica also have hosted various events across the city, including Pop Retail events and blood drives, and have participated in local festivals.
The report also highlights the recently completed demolition project along the city's 400 block and the rebuild effort that will be getting underway this summer. It also highlights the Commercialization Station project on Bluefield Avenue.
According to the report, the 60,000-square-foot facility is nearly at full capacity with four current tenants. The planning process is underway to further develop the sixth bay of the facility to provide additional space for potential tenants.
The report also details BEDA's business facade plan.
BEDA submitted a Congressional Directed Spending Request for the facade project, which was approved. The funding was used to create a local facade program to assist area businesses. Each participating business is eligible for 50 percent matched funding up to a maximum of $15,000 and will be paid on a reimbursement basis. As an example, the report said if a business owner participates in the program and spends $20,000 on facade improvements, they would be eligible under the program for a $10,000 reimbursement.
The goal of the program is to beautify the city, boost foot traffic throughout the commercial district and to attract new businesses to the area.
The report also looked at the success of BEDA's new Food Truck Incubator Program.
According to the report, BEDA and its partners applied for an ARC Power Grant in 2022 to launch the region-wide food truck incubator plan, which was funded for $400,000 by the federal agency.
The food truck incubator is designed to serve Mercer, McDowell, Monroe, Fayette, Nicholoas, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Summers, Webster and Wyoming counties. The program aims to place aspiring entrepreneurs within the region who successfully apply for and complete BEDA's training in a food truck for 60 days to test their menu and hone their skills, according to the BEDA report.
— Contact Charles Owens at [e-mail]. Follow him @BDTOwens