Chamber News

Tom Bishop Speaks Out on the Patrick County Economy

Tom Bishop, Executive Director of the Patrick County Chamber of Commerce in Stuart, VA has spoken out on the economic environment of Patrick County, VA.

I am positive on Patrick County I refuse to be negative about Patrick County. I refuse to get “down in the dumps�. Sure the statistics make a statement about our County. But here is what I say. We have lost jobs because of tobacco, textiles and furniture. We are like much of America. We must rebuild our economy based on other things. Our schools are improving drastically. Award winning! We are equipping our children and youth for this new world in America and to meet the challenges of the future. Sure many are moving away. It’s true all over our country. They must go where they are able to meet the challenges and make a good living. Much applause to our public schools! In Patrick, we have industry. Consisting of forest products, lumber, flooring factory, woodworking and related products. We have back office industry, an inbound call center, providing good jobs, which is a totally new industry for us. We have a candy factory that is flourishing and providing jobs and it is a great tourist attraction. We have the machining industry in Meadows of Dan, Woolwine and Critz. We have factory in Vesta producing products for the military. We still have 2 textile factories providing jobs and producing products. Fortunately they have not closed. We have tourism which can grow and become bigger. It is currently a $17 million dollar industry providing over 200 jobs. The number of lodging rooms available to rent is increasing. Our tourism lodging (transient occupancy tax) will double in the fiscal year 2010-2011 based on totals at the end of January. We have a strong demand for restaurants. We have agriculture that produces $17 million of business per year. One area of growth is agri-tourism and the local food movement. We have farm markets, orchards, and small farms which are showing increases in pumpkins and broccoli. Small increases but still important. We have a new farm market facility in the Town of Stuart which we have not seen the impact of yet. We have the retail industry bouncing back in Patrick County. Wal-Mart, Honduras Coffee, Advance Auto, Wendy’s, Mom and Pop Antique Mall, Larry’s Variety (antiques) and many others. We have 2 wineries. One just opened recently. This adds to our agriculture, retail and wholesale industry. We have our scenic mountains, our historic music roots, and our various festivals tied to music and fruit production. These bring people in from outside the area by the 1000’s. We have a new multimillion dollar resort, with great facilities, that includes a restaurant, spa, golf course, observatory, hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and more. We have our people. The best in the world! They give sacrificially to Relay for Life. We have churches and Civic Clubs conducting fund raisers. Lovely people! Quality people! Volunteerism is highly valued in Patrick County. Our civic clubs are very active, with Rotary, Ruritans, Lions Club, Women Caring for the Community and many more. We connect to one of the most visited National Park and we have a State Park, and Philpott Lake. We are on the Crooked Road Music Trail, Civil War Trails, Virginia Byways, and famous U. S. Route 58, JEB Stuart Highway, the longest highway in the State of Virginia, spanning West-East, the width of our State. Our county is a part of “Fish Virginia� which is a marketing program to promote fishing in 40 counties of Virginia We have our history, such as The Reynolds Homestead, the boyhood home of Maj. Gen. JEB Stuart, called Laurel Hill, our Patrick County Historical Museum, Wood Brothers Race Museum, and Virginia Motorsports Race Museum. We are truly blessed and have much to be thankful for in this great County of Patrick. Written by Tom Bishop, February 16, 2010