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Southern Supreme Fruitcakes & More – Garage Startup to Global Distributer “I don’t like Fruitcake” Not a fan of fruitcake? Neither was Berta Lou Scott until she perfected her version in the 1980s. Her Southern Supreme Fruitcakes have been converting fruitcake foes to fans ever since. Visit the Southern Supreme Fruitcake Online Store A Sweet Success Story Berta Lou Scott’s fruitcake started as Christmas gifts for her friends, family, and clients in their hometown of Bear Creek, NC. Mrs. Scott’s baked goods were always sought after throughout the holidays, but her fruitcake especially garnered attention for its ability to change the minds of those who claim to not like fruitcake. As demand for her fruitcakes increased Mrs. Scott’s late husband, Hoyt Scott, took out a small business loan to increase their production capacity. The Scott family tells their First Bank story like this: “It all started around 1989 when our father/father-in-law “Hoyt Scott” wanted to take out a small business loan. At that time Mr. Jimmie Garner was who we went to see. The story that Hoyt liked to tell was, “I didn’t know who the bigger fool was: the man who wanted to borrow the money to start a Fruitcake business or the man who would loan him the money.” That is what started our relationship with First Bank.” As it turns out they weren’t fools after all. Jimmie Garner went on to become the CEO of First Bank and Hoyt Scott (along with his family) grew Southern Supreme Fruitcakes from their garage to a 40,000 square foot manufacturing, distribution and retail operation where they attract thousands of tourists each year and ship their products globally. Play Not your typical Fruitcake Two big differences set Berta Lou Scott’s fruitcake apart from the rest. Her recipe favors nuts over candied fruit, and her method of slow baking and stirring the dough as it bakes keeps the cakes from becoming dry. In fact, Southern Supreme Fruitcakes will stay fresh and moist without refrigeration for 6 months to a year. This unique baking method has posed a unique set of challenges that the Scott Family has overcome with hard work and ingenuity – something that is on display throughout their manufacturing facility. Thousands of guests tour their kitchen yearly to get a first-hand view of the one-of-a-kind operation which involves a rotating oven that allows trays of dough to move from baking to hand-stirring every 15 minutes until complete. Teams of seasonal workers begin fruitcake production in August and at the height of the Christmas ordering season, they will slowly bake and stir over 3,000 pounds of fruitcake per day. Watch this video to see their kitchen in action > 4 min read

Goombays Grille & Raw Bar Joins First Bank We’re proud to welcome Kill Devil Hills landmark restaurant Goombays Grille & Raw Bar to First Bank. Goombays has been an island hot spot since 1992 and recently changed ownership in March 2023. The vibrant chartreuse and aqua building matches the excitement that Goombays new owners, Tony Sipe and Chris Miller, have for their Kill Devil Hills, NC establishment. First Bank SBA Business Development Officer, Chase Zabriskie, was instrumental in securing the funding that Tony and Chris needed to purchase Goombays from its original owners. Commitment and diligence from everyone involved resulted in a custom SBA financing solution that fit Tony and Chris’s unique needs as first-time business owners. “Chase was so invested in our success that we started to think of him as one of our partners. Chris and I have already referred other friends to First Bank and their SBA program, and we will continue to do so. First Bank and Chase will be the first phone call we make when we are ready for our next project.” – Tony Sipe, Goombays Grille & Raw Bar Co-owner “Quite a few hurdles were jumped along the way. I became not only their trusted banker but a friend who was there to encourage them to keep trying even when it seemed like there was no longer a way forward. Using both our SBA 7a and 504 products, we were able to piece together a creative financing structure that fit the needs of both our borrowers and the sellers. We closed in March 2023 and I was right there with them at the closing table.” – Chase Zabriskie, First Bank SBA Business Development Officer The Goombays Grille & Raw Bar menu is a crowd-pleasing assortment of seafood, shareable appetizers, and menu staples like burgers, sandwiches, and salads. There’s something for everyone and all ages are welcome. Even their cocktail menu is inclusive — all Goombays bartenders are trained on how to transform their island inspired cocktails into non-alcoholic mocktails. We hope you’ll join us in welcoming Goombays to First Bank! As a result of our ability to secure their business financing, Tony and Chris chose First Bank to also be their primary banking partner. They utilize our SBA 7a and 504 products along with multiple Business Elite Accounts, and Business Credit Cards. We’re proud to offer custom financing solutions to help our neighbors pursue their goals and dreams. For anyone considering an SBA loan, get in touch with our First Bank team of SBA Experts. Navigating SBA programs can be difficult if you’re unfamiliar with the programs. Chase offers the following advice: Identify Your Goals: Take time to share as much information as possible about what goals you are looking to achieve through SBA financing. Consult With An Expert: Your First Bank SBA expert can guide you through the process and make recommendations for how best to go about structuring your financing. Start Early: Getting ahead of the game on any potential SBA hurdles is the key to keeping the process smooth and efficient. Having an early conversation and choosing the right lender can be the difference in how quickly you get to the closing table. To celebrate our First Bank partnership, the Goombays team sent us this Blueberry Mai Tai mocktail recipe. Cheers! 4 min read

Finding Success Amidst Uncertainty: Lessons from Anne Till Navigate business ownership’s unknown risks with confidence. Here are 3 pieces of advice from Anne Till, owner of Anne Till Nutrition Group, to help you thrive as an entrepreneur. 4 min read

Business Spotlight: Ryan and Jenny Haskins of Archdale Drug Video

Business Spotlight: Archdale Drug Ryan Hoskins, owner of Archdale Drug, had always wanted to run his own small business. He tells us his story of how he started Archdale Drug and what local business means to the community. 3 min read

Can craft stay craft even at large scale?

Crafting a Future: Part Two In this second part of the series on small-scale manufacturing in the south, we wonder whether craft can really stay craft, even as it grows. 2 min read

Crafting a Future: Part One We have been reading a lot about profitable DIY-ers—those who turned hobbies into successful thriving companies. So we set out to answer this question: could small-scale makers have big impact? 4 min read

April and Kevin sitting in front of board game

Business Spotlight: KnA Games Kevin and April Cox, owners of KnA Games, love to create games. Their latest product, Space Movers, is their most ambitious project yet. 4 min read

Front Porch Realty: Prepped for Growth Laura McCorry has been selling real estate in the Triangle area since 1996. After working for a franchise realty company for the first 9 years of her career, her referral base had grown so large that she decided to open her own real estate company in 2005. 3 min read

Business Spotlight: Pine Knot Farms Pine Knot Farms has been in Stanley Hughes’ family for over 100 years. He tells us his story and how organic agriculture has never been more important. 4 min read

Business Spotlight: White Dogwood Farm & Stables First Bank client White Dogwood Farm & Stables is a full service breeding and boarding facility started by Elizabeth and Chris White. The Whites truly love horses and their boarding facility offers top notch care, quality feed/hay and daily turnout. 3 min read

The Hagler's standing in front of farm equipment

Business Spotlight: Hagler Farms Bryan Hagler tells the story of Hagler Farms in Laurinburg, North Carolina. 2 min read

Business Spotlight: Little Black Dressing Video

Business Spotlight: Little Black Dressing Co. Kissie Stroup started High Point-based Little Black Dressing Co. simply to “provide something for [her] family” but it has become so much more. The dressing is now carried in supermarkets across the region and was even the official dressing of the 2014 U.S. Open in Pinehurst. Video Transcript Kissie Stroup: I think my grandmother passed onto us taking care of the household. Families don’t do that anymore. You know, they’re off to baseball and then they’re off to football and they’re off to tennis or they’re at dance and the home life now seems to have lost its family orientation. And that’s what I think she did. She, and my mom, provided that for us. And that’s what I wanted for my kids. It’s a lost art. Stroup: I am Kissie Stroup and I started a food business called Little Black Dressing. We produce four flavors of refrigerated, all-natural salad dressing. I just wanted to provide something for our family. You know, my husband’s worked hard, the fabric furniture industry was not good during there in the crash seven years ago, and I thought to myself, “What can I do?” Stroup: I don’t have anything that anybody else really has, and I think that’s the key. You’ve got to give them something different. Food seems to be the thing that you come back to. You entertain, you eat around the table…it seems to be when we’re the happiest and when everybody gets along. So, we gathered around food. Stroup: I’ve had a lot say it’s the best dressing they’ve ever eaten and it’s because its fresh and its different. It’s unique. I’ve got four different flavors and I don’t do anything like the other flavors that you see in the refrigerated salad dressing section. Stroup: Why would I want to compete with those large companies? I don’t. I don’t want to. I want to do something different. I’m going to give you what I grew up eating and they’re unique, they’re different. Success: Is it making a lot of money? Because I’ve yet to do that. Is it that’s it’s in every grocery store in the nation? I don’t know. I don’t know what the success of it is. I feel successful that I 3 min read

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