A “buy local” event is being held by the Greater Tabor City Chamber of Commerce July 1 through July 4. The event is an effort to encourage citizens to support local businesses and help the community.
“Shopping local is not only good for the community,” said Greater Tabor City Chamber of Commerce President Marylou Molina. “It’s a good feeling inside for you that you’re helping others as we all recover from last year.”
Stores like E.W. Fonvielle and Son Feed, Seed, and Garden Center, and Families Values Too relied on the local citizens to keep them going after many businesses took a hard hit from the pandemic in 2020. Now they’re relying on locals to keep the community businesses afloat.
E.W. Fonvielle has been in operation for 90 years.
“My Great Grandfather EW traveled into Tabor from Onslow County looking for a better opportunity,” owner Jake Fonvielle said, “and found this small town that looked to have huge potential in the early 1920s. He began an insurance business in the mid 20s, then started the produce and poultry business in 1931.”
Lower: E.W. Fonvielle and Leon Clifford Fonvielle.
Fonvielle went on to say that he would love to see the town and surrounding communities take a more consistent approach at supporting local businesses and merchants throughout our county.
“These small-town family-owned businesses are the ones that step up financially and voluntarily to support local schools, churches, recreation programs, athletic sponsorships, etc.,” said Fonvielle. “The more businesses we have, the more we can do for our local communities.”
Families Values Too is another local Tabor City business that depends on the community to keep their store thriving as well. They work hand-in-hand with non-profit organization, Families First, a shelter and safe haven for women and children to escape domestic violence situations. Families First has a store in Whiteville as well.
The shelter itself depends on the community to keep Families Values Too up and running to help those in need.
“Our administrator, Vickie Pait, works tirelessly to keep Families First going,” said employee Lynn Worley. “Families First depends on our community to keep our stores going and we have never been failed by them. We appreciate every person that walks through our doors for whatever reason. Our goal is and always will be to save lives and to affect our community in a positive way.”
“Small towns are the fabric of America,” Cynthia Nelson, executive vice president of the chamber said. She encourages everyone to shop local and buy local this July 4 holiday season in support of local businesses.
