By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
HAMLET — A retired tobacco industry employee and Davidson County native plans to open a new fish market and produce stand near Hamlet as soon as early October.
But first, William Lindsey has to get the thumbs up from the Richmond County Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment. The board will conduct a public hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 at the county administrative offices, located at 221 S. Hancock St. in downtown Rockingham.
Lindsey is negotiating with property owner William J. Barnhardt. Lindsey, of Hamlet, has a contract nearly finalized with Barnhardt to purchase the property, located just north of the intersection of state Route 177 and EV Hogan Drive. The property is zoned Rural Residential and falls within the Highway Commercial Overlay District. The proposed use is allowed in the HCO asa conditional use.
Lindsey, 69, plans to open Big Papa’s Seaford and Produce each Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m to 9 p.m. The location formerly housed Tom’s Peanut. Lindsey said he plans to employ up to three people at the beginning and will use his own fleet of trucks to stock up on fish and shrimp from areas along the coast. After retiring from RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co., Lindsey owned a trucking company. He also has experience in the restaurant and seafood business, including Winston-Salem, Statesville, Greensboro and Mocksville.
Lindsey offered an unscheduled tour of the cinderblock building with a new sheet metal roof. There’s much work still to be done, he said, but it’ll get done.
He has the stainless steel furnishings and an outfitted kitchen planned to prepare fish. Though he doesn’t plan on the facility being a restaurant, “if they want me to cook it, I’ll cook it,” he said.
Along with the planning board, Lindsey also is working with the health department to secure the proper permits. Lindsey said the process to open the market began in January.
“I have always been a worker,” he said, “so why stop now?
Lindsey said workers from companies housed at Pine Hills Industrial Park and nearby CSX already have said they plan to patron his market.
ATV sales and repair garage
Also up for consideration Sept. 9 is a second public hearing to open and operate a garage and retail sales for vehicles, ATVs and motorcycles on U.S. Route 1 North near Cognac Road.
Eric H. Sutton, of Rockingham, told board members he currently operates a similar business at 1975 North U.S. Route 1 as EHS Racing. The new location is at 2015 on the same road.
Sutton also owns CNC equipment, which is used in the cutting of aluminum products. The property is zoned Rural Residential and falls within the Highway Commercial Overlay District. The proposed use is allowed in the HCO as a conditional use.
Proposed rezoning
Board members also will consider the proposed rezoning of three tracts along EV Hogan Drive totaling 428.46 acres, including a 403.82-acre tract. to Heavy Industrial. The effort is to remain consistent with other industrial districts in the immediate area, namely the CSX Railyard, Unimen Corp. and the Pine Hills Industrial Park.
The Richmond County Economic Development Department has been looking to enhance the stock of available properties for possible industrial development, according to a member to the board from Tracy Parris, of the county’s planning department.
All three are within the Pine Hills Industrial Park north of Hamlet and include road frontage along EV Hogan Road.