Building bridges: The Military Affairs Council's commitment to Fort Bragg and Fayetteville’s collaborative future

The Military Affairs Council currently has around 170 members and is always looking to grow and recruit additional members. Photo provided by The MAC.A mainstay institution that helps connect Fort Bragg to the greater Fayetteville area continues to c ...

Locally sourced, family-owned: No-BS Meats celebrates the opening of its new storefront in downtown Fayetteville

Nikole (pictured) and Lakota Shawn began selling their meat at farmers markets and in an online store in 2024. Now, they’ve opened their first brick-and-mortar location. Photo by GFBJ.The Shawn family believes in quality, locally sourced food, and th ...

See the brilliance: Dunn artist creates and sells glass artwork that shines brightly

Cindy Akers-Gilford creates stained glass, fused glass, mosaics, handmade glass jewelry, pendants, suncatchers and other original glass artwork in her studio in Dunn, N.C. Photos provided by Cimply Broken.Self-made Artist and Founder of Cimply Broken ...

From superintendent to startup founder: Dr. Jennifer Smith's vision for a 24-hour childcare center in Bladen County

Bladen County has a contestant in the statewide Startup Showdown, a business startup competition from the Small Business Center Network and Wells Fargo. Dr. Jennifer Smith is one of 17 contestants, and she is representing not just Bladen County but t ...

Fort Bragg Veteran celebrates expansion of high-end experiential entertainment brand

Photo provided by EscapologyAfter 15 years as an Army officer at Fort Bragg, Fayetteville resident Dan Cooke transitioned to business ownership to bring high-end experiential entertainment to North Carolina, applying strict military operational syste ...

Fulfilling community needs: Fayetteville dynamic duo built three businesses on a passion for food and community

After workshopping the idea for a new restaurant concept with a few regular customers, Brian and Staci decided to take a chance on Napkins, their first business and Brian’s first experience owning a restaurant. ...

Catering from the heart: Family-owned Two Brothers Catering keeps community hearts and stomachs full

Brad and Kelley McLawhorn became business partners in 2001 when they first opened a restaurant on Reilly Road. Now, their highly praised catering company continues to impress community members with flexibility, quality and personalized service. Photo ...

Bearded soldier to brand manager: Chad Kraken's journey to building his business empire

The KRAKEN-SKULLS brand includes a barbershop, a tattoo shop, a T-shirt company, an embroidery company, a website design company, a media marketing and graphic design company and an auto shop. Photos by GFBJ.When Chad Kraken retired from the military ...

From agritourism to event spaces: How Fred and Anita Surgeon prioritize people in business

Fred Surgeon, with the support of his wife Anita, owns and operates Surgeon &Associates, Inc, a family of businesses with everything from agritourism, pestcontrol, cleaning services and behavioral health services. Photos provided by Fred Surgeon. ...

Locally sourced, family-owned: No-BS Meats celebrates the opening of its new storefront in downtown Fayetteville

Publix opens new store in Fayetteville

After nine years, Spinners Pizza is making a comeback

Omega Industries, Inc. selects Fayetteville for new manufacturing facility; Project to invest $3.5 million and create 20 jobs

Best at 910 Future Fest: First-ever 910 Future Fest Pitch Competition provides a spotlight for local budding businesses