![]() They have also made up and deployed yard signs that read “Say No to Rezoning Sheltontown” in a bright yellow color reminiscent of the Dollar General coloration. ![]() Residents gathered more than 1,000 signatures for a petition against the request to rezone two parcels of land on Westfield Road from Residential General to Rural Business Conditional. When the weather turned sour, organizers Heather Moore and Melissa Hiatt moved the strategy session inside so the group could set their lineup. Sheltontown residents organized themselves in preparation for the planning board meeting by gathering at the Westfield Church of Brethren directly across Quaker Road from the proposed DG location at 2953 Westfield Road. New larger floor plan Dollar Generals they said are also incorporating fresh fruit and an increased selection of frozen/cold goods to better serve residents. Officials with the retailer say this part of the county is showing growth and that they see a need for another retail option to serve the future growth. Teramore sounds familiar because around these parts the firm is known for building Dollar Generals and would like to build more. Residents of Sheltontown came out in force to express their desire to block a rezoning request on Westfield Road from Teramore Development. Normally a sedate affair, Monday evening’s meeting of the Surry County planning board was this week anything but. Sheltontown residents oppose Dollar General rezoning “Something like COVID-19 is not good for anybody, but I think restaurants have been particularly hard hit.” “I think this has been a challenge for all of our businesses, especially our small businesses,” Tucker said of the pandemic-related closings. I think it was a surprise to a lot of people and we’re sorry to have lost them from the community.” They were known for that, and for (being) good people. That restaurant was one of the few places that still had a salad bar. “They not only had a following from their tourist customers, but they had … a local following as well. “Any time we lose a business it’s an unfortunate time for the city,” Collins said. Randy Collins, president and CEO of the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce, said he’s not certain how many people worked there, but he guessed a restaurant of that size probably had more than 100 people employed in both full time and part time capacities. We’re not a regulatory agency, so they don’t necessarily call us and tell us.” “Unfortunately, a lot of times when commercial enterprises like that close, they don’t call us and let us know. While his office is usually in the know when a local manufacturer is going to make a move such as closing or expanding prior to any public announcement, that’s not often the case with retail and service businesses. He said his office only learned of the closure through social media postings. “We’re disappointed, and concerned for those people who will be displaced,” said Todd Tucker, president of the Surry County Economic Development met Partnership. Several television stations in North Carolina quoted an official with the chain as saying the decision to close the restaurants is a direct result of losses from COVID-19. Officials in the corporate headquarters of the Maryville, Tennessee-based chain did not return telephone calls seeking comment, and the local telephone number appeared to no longer be working as of Friday. This time around, there’s no definitive word on how many of the restaurants will be closing, but the ones in Mount Airy and in Clemmons are apparently on the list of those that will not reopen as pandemic-related stay-at-home orders are eased across the states where Ruby Tuesday operates. The restaurant chain had been struggling in recent years, closing 51 of its outlets in 2018, followed by another 19 last year. Multiple media outlets reported that Ruby Tuesday had decided to close several of its locations, including the one in Mount Airy, where it has operated for 16 years. Last week, the struggle became too much for Ruby Tuesday. Area businesses - both locally owned and chain-operated - have struggled since the statewide shutdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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