Mike Kelly Jr. REALTOR/EcoBroker, GRI, CRS

The Catawba County Chamber of Commerce has kicked off its Shop Hickory Metro campaign. The Chamber is encouraging all area residents to try to keep their purchases local to the four counties of Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba Counties so that as much money as possible stays in our area. It is especially important this year due to the current financial crisis gripping our country.  So wherever possible do your part to keep our area vibrant and full of shopping options by Shopping Hickory Metro!!!

For more information visit: www.MikeKellyJr.com

The Service League of Hickory invites you to tour six extraordinary homes, each beautifully decorated. During tour hours, all homes will be open and feature chef demonstrations, live music, and more. You are welcome to visit the homes in any order you wish and stay as long as you like. Saturday, Nov. 22nd, 10a-5p Sunday, Nov. 23rd, 1p-5p Tickets: $25 each

 For more information visit www.serviceleaguehickory.org or

For more information visit: www.MikeKellyJr.com

The holiday season in Hickory will officially begin when the new festive and illuminating Christmas decorations are officially turned on. Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright will turn on the "official light switch" on the Flag Court on Union Square.

Begins at 5:30pm and will continue until 7:00pm. Mr. & Mrs. Claus will be at the entire event greeting kids of all ages. Between 5:30-6:30 local musicians Rick Cline and Nathan Hefner will play holiday music. Downtown restaurants will be open for all to enjoy dinner in the heart of our city.

For more information about Hickory, North Carolina visit: www.MikeKellyJr.com

For more information visit: www.MikeKellyJr.com

This information was in a press release from Hickory NC Government.

HICKORY - Merchants Distributors Inc. (MDI) announced an expansion to its Hickory facility in Caldwell County which will result in a $50.5 million investment resulting in 200 new jobs by 2014. 

MDI is a privately-owned wholesale grocery store distributor headquartered in Hickory. MDI supplies over 850 retail food stores with food and non-food items in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Florida, and Kentucky.

 The MDI expansion announcement was made today at the MDI Hickory facility by MDI President Matt Saunders.  Officials from Hickory, Caldwell County, Granite Falls and North Carolina attended the press conference as well as made positive comments about the expansion.

 "This is an exciting day for Hickory as we stand with MDI and our neighbors in Caldwell County to celebrate a strong local company that is growing and adding new jobs and opportunities in our community," said Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright.  "MDI is a company that is committed to its customers, employees, and community, and we appreciate our local home grown industry expanding in these tough economic times and where their roots began."

 "Hickory, as well as Caldwell County and North Carolina agencies have agreed to provide essential incentives that are needed to make this expansion possible, and feel the investment is solid and will greatly benefit not only Hickory and Caldwell County, but the entire Greater Hickory Metro and North Carolina," added Mayor Wright.  

 The City of Hickory has offered a 75 percent tax grant for MDI over the next 10 years which results in a $1.89 million investment ($189,375 per year). Hickory City Council will consider the economic development agreement in December.  In addition to the City of Hickory, other partners who assisted with this announcement include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Department of Transportation, Caldwell County, the Town of Granite Falls, Golden LEAF, the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center, N.C. Community College System and Duke Energy.

 MDI, Hickory, Granite Falls and Caldwell County will work with the North Carolina Department of Transportation on the construction of the Grace Chapel/US 321 connector road, which will open up more opportunities for future growth that will benefit the entire community. 

MDI posts all open positions and receives applications online.  Anyone interested can follow the path below and view open positions including descriptions and schedules.  People can also apply in the HR department at MDI but it will be through the same website. 

This is the fourth major economic development announcement made in Hickory this year.  Other companies that made announcements earlier this year were Williams Sonoma (Sutter Street Manufacturing), FedEx, and Convergys.  All four companies will bring 1,400 new jobs to Hickory over the next two to five years. 

For more information visit: www.MikeKellyJr.com

I spent the week with a wonderful couple from New York and they kept commenting on how beautiful the weather was here in Hickory.  They loved the warm weather and the beautiful fall colors on the trees.  The autumn colors looked even better in the reflection of the lake.

They were trying to pick an area in North Carolina to retire and had visited many different regions of our wonderful state.  They chose a house to buy in Hickory - and I can not help but believe that the beauty of Hickory combined with the exquiste weather sold them on our area.

It is great to spend time with people from other states - they help me appreciate how lucky I am to live in Hickory, North Carolina.

For more information visit: www.MikeKellyJr.com