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GARYSBURG – Located in the former Burger King building off I-95 Exit 176, Northampton County’s new ABC store is now open to the public.

Six months later after its grand opening, the new location is thriving as one of top performing stores in the state.

The project, spearheaded by Northampton’s ABC Board in partnership with Northampton’s Economic Development team, is a way to capitalize on local traffic as well as those traveling to Lake Gaston. ABC’s General Manager Mia Turro said,

“Why should people have to drive far distances to find their favorite spirits when we can offer them right here in Northampton,” said General Manager Mia Turro.

She noted that due to the larger location, the store can provide customers with a collection of unique and hard-to-find products.

The idea to transform the abandoned building on Highway 46 into a thriving business came to Northampton County’s Economic Development Director Derrick Bennett as part of his strategic growth plan for tourism, particularly that interstate exit.

“My department’s goal is to bring sustainable economic growth and visibility,” Bennett stated. “So leaving a well-positioned building empty didn’t make sense.”

According to Bennett, when he suggested relocating the smaller Gaston store, which only provided counter service, three miles down the road to the much-larger Garysburg location, ABC Board Chairwoman Iris Williams and former County Commissioner Chairman Charles Tyner gave their enthusiastic support.

“To say it’s been a successful collaboration is an understatement,” Bennett said.

The Garysburg Northampton ABC store plans to not only offer specialty tastings, but partner with neighboring business owners to spur commercial development. Turro hopes to make the store a destination for the surrounding community far beyond ABC sales.

A key benefit of ABC stores also is the distribution of a percentage of net retail profits back to the county and its incorporated townships.

“Northampton County is growing,” Bennett noted. “We have a lot of work to do as it relates to interstate tourism and this is a step in the right direction. We want to do our best to serve the community with modern stores in efficient locations that are easy to access.”

The Garysburg ABC Store is located at 6755 Hwy 46 and is open to the public from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Follow Northampton County ABC on Facebook for updates on tastings and announcements.