Perdue Does Her Part to Help the Local Economy

Gov. Bev Perdue, moments after she and her husband, Bob, emerged from a dark SUV at the Hendersonville Curb Market, made it clear she was in town to give her own personal  boost to the local economy, the Perdue stimulus package one might say.

“I’m going to spend some money,” Perdue said as she shook hands with Curb Market vendors and customers. “The market is just the coolest place I’ve ever been. Every single thing in here is made in Western North Carolina, and I’m about to spend some money.”

And spend money she did. Vendor Marilyn Horne sold the governor a homemade apron she fashioned from an old pair of blue jeans. “I’m impressed that she’d take her time to come to the market and visit us and shop with us. I’ve sold some things to the senators, but this is the first time I’ve sold something to the governor. In fact, I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen a governor here,” Horne said.

A few booths down, the state’s first female governor spotted a baby quilt created by vendor Ellen McMillen that she had to buy for her soon-to-be-born grandchild.

“I think it’s great. We’re glad to have her in Hendersonville,” said McMillen, who has been selling at the Curb Market for four years after moving here from the Midwest.

Curb Market manager Elaine Staton presented the governor with a gift basket containing a variety of items sold at the market. One of the items in the basket, a homemade Christmas tree ornament in the shape of an apple, will be placed on the state’s Christmas tree, Perdue said.

Staton said Perdue’s visit caught her by surprise. When local media began showing up, Staton knew this wasn’t going to be just another day at the market.

“I think it’s super. I’m really excited,” she said. “I didn’t know about it first thing this morning until the news people started coming and showing me the press release. We had no idea, so we are really touched and honored that she has decided to visit the Curb Market.”

Staton confirmed this is the first time the state’s governor has visited the Curb Market, now in its 86^th year of offering locally grown and handmade products from 100 vendors.

Tom Garland was among the locals who stopped to shake hands with the governor. “It’s wonderful. I see her on TV all the time, so I’m glad to meet her and her husband,” he said.

It may have technically been Perdue’s day off, but she still managed to squeeze in some state business. She addressed an initiative she announced the day before to help small businesses. Perdue said many of the state’s small businesses are having trouble getting credit. She said reasons for that include a growing number of small banks that have dried up and small businesses that simply need some help developing their loan package.

“Yesterday, working with the Small Business Administration in Washington, we’ve announced a two-prong attack in our state to help small businesses get the capital that they need from our community banks. Through a partnership with the North Carolina Banking Association, we’re going to have a bankers boot camp where we teach bankers to really take advantage of the federal loan monies that are available,” she said. “We’re also going to help our small businesses get tremendous assistance as they put their loan package together. I think it will make a difference and help put our people back to work.”

Perdue added she is a strong supporter of Main Street programs, which is why she chose to spend a few hours in downtown Hendersonville. Perdue said Hendersonville has a strong, attractive downtown.

“I’m here because I wanted to walk down this Main Street,” she said. “I was here during the campaign, and this is one of the communities that I fell in love with, and we’re back in the west this weekend. Sam Neill and his wife are great friends of mine, and we asked them to put this together. This is just a real good community anchored by a very vibrant and resurgent Main Street.”

Neill, a Hendersonville attorney, said he and Perdue became good friends when he was chairman of the UNC Board of Governors and she was the chairman of appropriations. “We’re old friends and I’ve worked with her a lot and known her for 25 years,” he said. “She’s a real solid person.”

After leaving the Curb Market, Perdue went to Mike’s on Main for lunch and planned to meet some local officials and shop in some Main Street stores, including the pet boutique Wag! to pick up some items for the first dogs.

 

 Email  Print  Feed