On the upswing

By Staff
Chamber officials hope motel brings in new businesses
Tracy B. Cieniewicz, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce President Susan Hines said the new Country Hearth Inn motel is just the beginning of an abundance of expansion and new business in Hartselle.
The chamber held a ground breaking ceremony Aug. 14 to welcome Bill Brennan of International Hotel Management and local investors Scott Stone, Mark Hendrix, Eddie Preuitt, James M. Taylor, Kevin Corum, Michael Sparkman, Ben Field, Henry C. Bragg, Dixie Francis and James Stewart.
The 40-room motel, located near Highway 36 and Interstate 65, is expected to be complete by Jan. 1.
"We are excited to welcome the Country Hearth Inn to Hartselle," Hines said at the ceremony. "I am confident that it will bring jobs and economic growth to our area."
The motel, featuring conference and exercise rooms and a swimming pool, is a $1.8 million project.
The city of Hartselle has installed sewer lines and an access road to the motel at a cost of $250,000 to $300,000.
"We owe much gratitude and thanks to many people here in Hartselle, particularly Mayor Clif Knight and the council members of the city," Brennan said. "We expect to become a good citizen of Hartselle."
Hines said four other business have approached the chamber in recent weeks expressing an interest in the hotel's vicinity.
"One of the interested businesses is a large sit-down restaurant," Hines said. "We are very excited about that possibility. This new corridor has opened up all kinds of possibilities. It won't happen over night, but people will begin to see its potential very soon."
Hines said business growth is also increasing daily across Hartselle.
A new downtown coffee bar will soon be opening its doors on Main Street, Quizno's Classic Subs on Highway 31 NW has reopened under new ownership and management, and the city has welcomed a new eye doctor and attorney in recent months.
Other recent business openings include Lagniappe Antiques on Main Street and Verizon Wireless.
Also, Family Security Credit Union, KFC and Lektron are among many businesses expanding or building new buildings.
Hines said the introductions of Hartselle Heritage Funeral Home, which will seat up to 450 people making it the largest funeral home in Morgan County, and a new cable company are especially exciting for the area, too.
"There is some good stuff going on in Hartselle," Hines said. "Businesses here support the community, and the community supports its businesses. It's a hand-in-hand partnership that is really making the area prosper."
The chamber asks owners of any commercial property, with or without buildings, in the Hartselle area to notify the chamber.
"When a prospect comes to Hartselle looking for a location, we share the property information that best suits their needs with them," Hines said. "Hopefully we can make a match that benefits everyone."