Laurel economy heats up in June

June has been HOT! Whether you’ve been mowing the grass, watching the kids play baseball, or keeping up with the Jones County Chamber of Commerce, you’ve likely noticed things heating up this summer.

Here’s a quick round up of the businesses that have been opening or expanding in the City Beautiful this month!

On Friday, June 2^nd at 2 p.m., Jamie Valadez, Jose Luis Martinez and their team celebrated the grand opening of Hometown Roofing located at 718 Cross Street in Laurel. Valadez and Martinez have been providing roofing, construction, and renovation services for many years but recently decided that their business needed an official store front as they continue to grow.

On Wednesday, June 7^th at 10:30 a.m. the Jones County Chamber of Commerce hosted a second ribbon cutting to celebrate the grand opening of Calhoun Nutrition on Hwy 84 West who specializes in providing healthy shakes and nutritional supplements.

On Monday, June 12^th at 10:30 a.m., the Jones County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the growth of Brian Ginn State Farm office. Ginn had previously had offices on 15^th Avenue in Laurel but, as his business grew, he realized it was time to move. Ginn provides home and auto insurance policies as well as retirement planning services. His new location is between the former Western Sizzlin’ and Chic-Fil-A on 15^th Avenue in Laurel. Laurel Mayor Johnny Magee was on hand during the ceremony to thank Ginn and his team for staying in the Laurel area and for continuing to provide services to the city’s citizens. “We are grateful,” Magee said.

On Monday, June 19^th, at 11:00 a.m., Amie Ni welcomed the Jones County Chamber of Commerce, Laurel Mayor Johnny Magee, and guests from the community to celebrate the grand opening of Palace Wine & Liquor. Ni, who owns Palace Buffet in the old Ryan’s building, decided to be proactive when the pandemic threated her business. Rather than panic about the shutdowns, Ni decided to use the downtime to come up with a new plan to make her business even more competitive in a tough market. She renovated part of her restaurant into the new Palace Wine & Liquor to be able to serve her customers in a new way. She celebrated the grand opening with a red carpet and streamers! The store is located in the Palace Buffet building and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

So far, the Jones County Chamber of Commerce has one more ribbon cutting planned in Laurel for the month of June. Toke and Tell Medical Dispensary will celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, June 28 at 2 p.m. The dispensary is located on 2301 Ellisville Blvd. in Laurel. The event is free and open to the public!

The Jones County Chamber of Commerce records their ribbon cuttings so that they can be viewed live or after the fact. Check out their Facebook page for more details.

Cheers to a great summer in the City of Laurel!