From Devastation to Revitalization
Greenbrier County
PAIGE KOCOUREK
[ community ]
In June 2016 , Greenbrier County was devastated by a flood that destroyed lives and debilitated towns . Following the tragedy , the county united and began to rebuild its community , which caused a resurgence that has been growing exponentially since . Greenbrier County is rich in spirit and grit , and its citizens have worked tirelessly to build back all that was lost and more .
“ The town was struggling like a lot of small West Virginia towns , and when the flood hit , it really took us down to our knees ,” says Clay Elkins , a founding partner of Big Draft Brewing , a bar and grill located in White Sulfur Springs . “ Sometimes that ’ s what needs to happen to get the energy back up . That is when we got together and said , ‘ Let ’ s get behind our community .’ This could not have been done without a lot of generous people and hard work .”
Today , the communities are focused on growing and creating a supportive and inspiring environment that gives its residents a reason to stay and travelers a reason to visit . Greenbrier County ’ s revival can be seen through its economic development , city revitalization , thriving businesses and outdoor recreation growth .
Photo by Greenbrier County CVB .
Economic Development
With new establishments emerging at a significant rate , it is clear Greenbrier County has seen a resurgence in its communities . Its citizens have worked diligently to rebuild what was lost and found it is best to rebuild with the support of one another . Friendly competition is unanimously welcomed amongst business owners in the county because one successful business contributes to the thriving economy of the entire area , which , in turn , helps the people . As a result , Greenbrier County is back on its feet after tumultuous times and is rising to the challenge of growth and development .
Companies like the West Virginia Great Barrel Company and Cross Creek Hospitality are dedicated to rebuilding what was lost and bringing the heartbeat back to Greenbrier County .
The team at Cross Creek Hospitality has worked to revitalize White Sulphur Springs . They bought one side of the street downtown and have been working to clean up the area ever since . Now , Cross Creek Hospitality consists of Road Hog ’ s Barbeque , Cross Creek Café , Cross Creek on Main and Big Draft Brewing . Throughout the organization ’ s growth , the team has seen the town come back to life . From people walking down the streets and exploring new shops to children walking to get ice cream in the summer , White Sulphur Springs is alive again . Cross Creek Hospitality pioneered this downtown revival and inspired others to join in its mission . With the arrival of new businesses , many of them women owned and operated , there are no empty storefronts downtown .
White Sulphur Springs has set a precedent for other cities to grow and develop , and the city of Ronceverte is gearing up to follow in its footsteps as it strategically plans for evolution and progression .
The entire county finds itself in a mindset and position of prosperity , and new opportunities have presented themselves to fuel its economy , including the Ascend West Virginia program in Lewisburg . Ascend West Virginia assists remote workers in building a life in the Mountain State .
“ We are seeing a lot of interest in Lewisburg and Greenbrier County . The Ascend program is based out of Lewisburg but serves the area as a whole because of where these individuals live ,” says Danny Twilley , assistant vice president of economic , community and asset development at the Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative ( OEDC ). “ The economic benefits and the community benefits go outside of Lewisburg , so it is a Greenbrier Valley approach to this work .”
Ascend West Virginia has a vision for innovation and development in the Mountain State ; incentivizing remote workers to move to West Virginia and enjoy the beautiful adventures the area has to offer will fuel this forward momentum .
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