BITS OF BUSINESS

Dealership prepares for grand opening

By Nick Malawskey

Back in the fall, I mentioned a new car dealership planned for construction on Dreibelbis Road.

As the economy began to worsen I, like many others, assumed the project would be put on hold for the immediate future.

Not so, said Tom Mertz, one of the owners of Sunbury Motors. Mertz and his partners are the ones behind Lion Country Kia, where work is moving full steam ahead for a late spring/ early summer opening.

Mertz said the company was excited about entering into the State College market. They have another KIA dealership in Sunbury and said that despite the rough economy over the winter, the business has been doing quite well, thank you very much.

In fact, Mertz said that the last two months of sales have been the best in the last four or five years of the business.

Commerce Park receives OK

In other good news, the next phase of the Benner Commerce Park cleared another hurdle recently when the final plan for phase one received conditional approval from the Centre County Planning Commission.

The access road connecting the industrial park to Rischel Hill Road still requires re-alignment with the Centre County Correctional Facility, but the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County is one step closer to bringing the site online.

Big dreams start small

Penn State junior Brian Ferguson has big dreams. The business management major wants to eventually open his own distillery in northeastern Pennsylvania and produce a world class whiskey.

He’s starting a bit smaller this summer — operating a college-student based painting company.

“I want to run a business when I get out of school, so this fits right in,” he said.

The company he is working for, Tuition Painters, has a colorful reputation at best. Still, Ferguson said he is looking to bring a professional business into an industry that “doesn’t have the greatest name for professionalism.”

The company, associated with Sherman Williams, performs interior or exterior painting, pressure washing and staining.

Ferguson said he was offering free estimates for customers and is focusing on the greater State College market.

To contact Ferguson, call (866) 729-4265.

ReStore turns two

The Habitat for Humanity of Greater Centre County ReStore is celebrating its second anniversary on Friday and Saturday.

In addition to the ReStore’s anniversary, the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Centre County is also celebrating its 25th anniversary.

In that time the group has dedicated more than 50 homes in the local area. Jennifer Wolfe, the manager of the ReStore, said the nonprofit retailer has been an important source of fiscal support for the group’s mission over the last two years.

“It’s been going well ... we’re continuing to see our inventory, our donations increasing,” said Wolfe. “We’re really pleased.”

The store, located at 1155 Zion Road, is a nonprofit retailer that sells new and used donated building materials. Revenue from the sales supports Habitat for Humanity construction in Centre County.

Nick Malawskey can be reached at 235-3928.