CANTON — Business activity remains stagnant in Cherokee County, and local observers are blaming uncertainty as the culprit of holding back new growth.
Ninety-five business licenses were issued throughout the county, which was the same number issued in May, but also lower than 124 issued in June 2011.
The year-to-date number continues to lag behind, with 852 issued by the close of June 2012, down from 1,104 at the end of June 2011.
Steve Holcomb, chairman of the Development Authority of Cherokee County and president at United Community Bank, said he hasn’t noticed much change in the economic climate to encourage prospective entrepreneurs to start up their businesses.
He also said he believes there’s a lack of confidence in the air surrounding the “volatile” stock market and the uncertain American economic climate.
“This has caused, I believe, a number of businesses to simply rethink their timing and postpone decisions,” he said.
The Cherokee County Development Services Center issued 63 new permits in June, down slightly from 70 doled out in May and 95 in June 2011. The county has issued 577 this year, down from 899 granted by the end of June 2011.
Cherokee Office of Economic Development President Misti Martin added that while the dropoff continues across the county, she noted her office is seeing increased prospect activity “for businesses looking to locate or relocate their business to Cherokee County.”
She later added the lag could be attributed to the election year as some residents become stymied by the intense political climate.
For Keisha Bruce, the intense political climate hasn’t stopped her from continuing a New Orleans tradition passed onto her from her father.
Bruce, along with her husband, Daniel, has opened Paw-Paw’s New Orleans Original Sno-balls, which operates on a mobile food truck during the weekends. The truck operates from noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at 505 Arnold Mill Road near Woodstock.
Bruce, a native of New Orleans, said she makes her sno balls with shaved ice and hand-made syrup that’s soaked into the ice. Bruce grew up making sno balls with her father and noted she always wanted to start the business in Georgia.
However, she had a minor setback when was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2009 and with breast cancer just six months later.
Bruce said she was “lucky” to have the diagnoses discovered early and was able to complete treatment successfully.
“I felt that at that point, you’re not promised tomorrow,” she said. “I did this on pure faith and the love of sno-balls.”
In Woodstock, the number of licenses issued in June was 17, up from 13 and 14 issued in June 2011. The city this year has approved 128 licenses, up slightly from 121 by the close of June 2011.
Holly Springs granted five new licenses for June, up from two issued in May and three issued in June 2011. The city this year has issued 32 new licenses, down dramatically from 71 granted in by the same point in 2011.
The county seat also witnessed a drop in business licenses. The city of Canton issued six permits in June, down from 10 in May and 10 in June 2011. The city approved 60 licenses this year, down from 96 granted year-to-date in 2011.
Neither Waleska nor Nelson issued any licenses in June or May. Both cities have not issued any new licenses this year. Waleska issued one license by the end of June 2011, and Nelson remained without a new business by the end of the same time period.
Ball Ground approved two licenses in June. The city did not approve any licenses in May, but issued one in June 2011. The city so far has granted permits to 11, down from 17 by the same point last year.
Bruce said her business is a way to bring “a piece of home” to the county and hopes her children will carry on that tradition.
“I do this out of pure love and my dad,” she said. “He’s the one that put it inside me. I truly believed growing up in that environment gave me the desire to want to do this.”
Read more: Cherokee Tribune - Summertime slowdown Business activity in Cherokee County remains stagnant
