Mango Furniture Unlimited Is Having a Grand Opening and You Really Ought to Plan On Attending

Without a doubt the yummiest place to be on the west side of the Cape Fear Rive next Wednesday late afternoon will be at Mango Furniture Unlimited. Partners Pia Hackley and Bob Bethel are having a grand opening at their Leland, NC furniture and design store and you don't want to miss it.

First of all, do you like mango? If you're not sure, here's what they look like:

Pia, who we know is an over-the-top incredible cook from the great dishes she served at Mango's ribbon-cutting a few weeks ago, is busy preparing an all-mango menu.

Check it out from a list I was able to get from Bob this afternoon:

• Shrimp/mango lettuce wraps with green curry mango sauce
• Jerked pork tenderloins with mango salso
• Mango bread
• Mango pineapple pudding
• Mango line cream pie
• Mango martinis
• Mango ice tea

Sound good? You can bet it will be.





That's Bob below behind the counter in the back of the huge furniture store. Wandering around is a lot of fun and you'll for sure see a lot to like.





If you can't wait, you can find out more about the store at the Mango Furniture Unlimited web site. Otherwise, we'll see you there next Wednesday!

Stevens Fine Homes Hosts HBA Parade of Homes Party at South Brook

We just got back from a great party at Stevens Fine Homes South Brook neighborhood model home in the back of Mallory Creek in Winnabow, NC. Stevens Fine Homes hosted the party in conjunction with the Home Builders Association as part of this Spring's Parade of Homes.

This home model, BTW, is unbelievably spacious and priced at just $72 a square foot including the lot! Wow, you must see it to believe how much space is in this home that starts at a base price of just $229,000. If you're in the market for a new home and aren't already working with another agent, I'd be honored to show you this model. Marge was so impressed she said she might even consider having more kids so we could buy one and fill it up! (May need some re-thinking here. But seriously, everyone who tours this house is blown away by the space for the money. Wow!)


Jenny Steele, Charlotte Palmer, and Craig Stevens, all with Stevens Fine Homes were the hosts and had drawings where they gave away $100 bills.


The party was catered by Middle of the Island, which is always a hit, and there were plenty of eager eaters on hand.


Even Madonna Nash, who provided the entertainment, took a turn at the buffet line.


And here's Madonna performing. She's a local artist who's making a lot of noise on the regional music scene (good noise, that is . . . seems like everyone I talk with has heard of her). She has a lot of followers and avid fans . . . including me!


Thanks once again, Jenny and Craig, for a nice party. We're pleased Stevens Fine Homes is doing so well this year and this model with it's huge bang for the buck signals continued success for the rest of the year.

(No joke, folks, you gotta see this house! I know I promote stuff and get all excited and everything, but this house is an incredible value!)

Rockstar Accountant and Bookkeeper Terri Andress Cuts a Ribbon

Yesterday Leland's Terri Andress, who keeps the books for the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce and other businesses and professional offices had a ribbon cutting for her own business at the NBCC office.


I tease Terri by calling her a Rockstar, but I mean it. She's awesome at what she does and she's also a dog lover, a car nut, and a runner. Plus she has a great sense of humor that she uses only sparingly. So what's not to like? Yep, she's Rockstar Terri!

NBCC Ambassador Supreme Alice Razzano and board member Mike Leggett of the Local News Reporter.



NBCC board member Connie Reeves of Azalea Plaza.


Jeff Harvell, Associate Publisher of Nancy Hall Publications and Marge Brown of Quantum Results Coaching.


Ken Schiess of HdVest with Terri.


Marge Brown, Gina Schiess (Chamber volunteer, computer software instructor at Cape Fear Community College, and Logistics Chair for the 2010 NBCC Golf Tournament), and Alice Razzano.


Chamber staff person and all round great person Mary Anne Fagerquist with Marge Brown. Mary Anne is holding Marge's brand new book, 31 Days to Personal Mastery: Manifesting Your Ideal Life published by Desktop Wings and available on Amazon and at Leland's own RBR Books in front of Waterford.


ADT's Nick Arbia and Randy Larson of East Coast Staging. Both good guys.


Nick again, I think he's showing a dance move to NBCC board member Justin Williams of NBM and SBM magazines and Brian Hartzell of East Carolina Bank.


Scott Reeves of Azalea Plaza.


Terri with Monica Clark of Cape Fear Business Services.


Board member Tony Vlach of Nationwide Insurance with volunteer extraordinaire Bob Pine.



And here's the ribbon, finally cut!

Welcome to the Chamber as a member, Terri. We are proud to have you on board.

My Adventure with Dancing with the Brunswick Stars - Journal Entry 3

(Photo Credit Ron Holden)

OK, so yesterday's Kickoff Event for Dancing with the Brunswick Stars happened. It was a big success. I got to meet my dancing partner, professional dance instructor Kimberly Boggs along with many of the other "Stars" and their "Pros". The actual competition and fundraising event will be on August 6th at the Dinah Gore Aquatics and Fitness Center at Brunswick Community College.

Yesterday's kickoff was at Odell Williamson Auditorium on the BCC campus. There were plenty of photographers and even a television station in attendance.

It was fun to meet the other dancers and get a feel for what this whole event will be like, but the most important was I finally got to learn the identity and meet my professional partner. I'd had a hint that Kimberly would be my partner, but it hadn't been confirmed. Kimberly is a longtime area resident who owned a dance studio in Southport for seven years. Kim is now in charge of the BCC dance team and also teaches at a local private dance studio.

It turns out we might have a bit in common. Linda Boretti, who's pretty much in charge of the dancer/partner arrangements, told Kim that I'd be a good match because I'd told Linda I like fast music and have lots of energy. So far it seems Linda made a good choice in putting us together. Kim has some great ideas. She's also at ease in being in control of our dance partnership and clearly in charge - and that's a good thing since I can be a pain to manage, mostly because I can't sit still. So I'm looking forward to this process - Kim even suggested we make some videos during our rehearsals like they do on the TV show this competition is (sorta) modeled after, so that works for me!

Below is a shot of some of the other dancers (a mix of Stars and Pros) arriving at Odell Williamson.

.Here's a shot of Kimberly with BCC President Dr. Stephen Greiner. Kim had just asked if it was okay for us to use one of the dance rooms at the fitness/aquatic center to practice and he said that's fine. That's convenient for both of us.

Prior to the announcement of the dancing partners (each duo came down some winding steps - I have no photos of that because I was on the steps), a small combo entertained.


Here's another shot of Kimberly and me in front of a Hollywood Stars backdrop. The theme of this year's event is Hollywood.

Photographer Ron Holden taking a shot of some of the many BCC staff and DWTBS organizers.

Below are dance instructor Paul McTaggert and his partner Dinah Gore. This couple won the competition for the past two years and are back. Both are very nice people, it's going to be a pleasure working with them, even though I won't actually see them much before the actual competition.



Here's a short video clip of Kimberly Boggs introducing herself and talking about the competition (oops, I mean the fundraiser).



And here's a slightly longer clip of me talking about the same thing, with one difference (you have to watch and listen to find out what it is).



This event and practicing for it and meeting and getting to know the people involved is going to be a blast. I'm looking forward to it and glad we finally got underway. I don't think we start rehearsing for a few weeks but I'll keep up these posts when we do.

Don't forget, August 6th. It's a great fundraiser for a super cause, raising scholarship money for Brunswick Community College. Last year's event raised more than $300,000! Let's top that this year.

- Brown Out

My Adventure with Dancing with the Brunswick Stars - Journal Entry 2

So tomorrow is the big day. Well, actually it's the first big day. Tomorrow I go to Brunswick Community College to meet with the other "Stars" of Dancing with the Brunswick Stars (may I shorthand it as DTWBS?) and also to meet my professional partner. They're having a luncheon and a photo op and I guess some TV and press coverage. Woohoo!

I'm pretty pumped about this competition/fund raiser. This will be the third and last year the college has a DWTBS fundraiser. Apparently so many other schools and places are using this format it's getting hard to get professionals to commit the time and energy required (they volunteer, you know). That seems too bad because last year DWTBS raised more than $336,720 which provided 200+ scholarships! Why mess with something that's working so well?

Anyway, it's not my concern. My concern is doing a good job in this competition, which means both doing my best on the dance floor the night of the competition (August 6th, btw) AND helping to raise scholarship money in the form of ticket sales and I imagine other means as well.

The past two years Dinah Gore has won the competition and I understand she's a fabulous dancer and also a great fundraiser. I guess there were rumors or maybe an earlier decision that she wasn't going to compete this year, but the latest word is that she's in! That's very cool. I'm looking forward to meeting her.

I'm not supposed to know who my professional partner is till tomorrow, but someone gave me a hint. I won't mention her name (just in case there are changes or I'd embarrass someone), but will be sure to report on it after I really meet her. I'll try to get some photos, too, of the luncheon tomorrow and the various goings on. Maybe I can get a short video or two, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

One thing I've heard about the competition is that this year there's a Hollywood theme. I also heard, sort of off hand and maybe it was a test, that my pro is considering doing a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers number. Hmmm, I'm not sure I can do elegant. I do own a tux and will likely be able to fit in it by contest time (for sure not right now), but I'm kinda hoping we do something like "Footloose" or "Dirty Dancing." If my pro happens to read this ahead of time, I'm much more a hard rock kinda guy. I won't say I detest slow music, because I'm sure I don't have to, but my idea of an ideal song is something by a band with three guitars and a drummer who takes charge. Maybe I should burn a copy of my "Bruce's Car Cuts" mix to give my pro an ideal of the kind of music I like. Let's put it this way, my car radio was (literally) engineered to be heard at 155MPH with the top down and I like to play it with the top up! Back in the day when I was going to 7-9 aerobics classes a week I was always in the front row and always the one hollering "Turn it UP!!" And I now have the tinnitis to prove it, but nothing else has changed about my taste in music. So, what do you think? Have I made my point here?

I'd be very happy to hear what YOU think I should ask for as a song to dance to. Please comment on this blog and I'll pass it on to my pro, whoever she turns out to be.

BTW, there are going to be three winners this year. The Categories are: Best Choreography, Most Entertaining and Best Fundraiser.

- Brown Out

Paradise Italian Ice in Leland, NC - Ribbon Cutting

Davida Long and her family recently opened Paradise Italian Ice on Reed Road in Leland, in the shopping plaza off Mount Misery Road just north of 74-76. They joined the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce so naturally we showed up for a festive ribbon cutting!

The colorfully painted and festively decorated interior makes Paradise Italian Ice fun to visit.


Rick Paxton of Safe Surroundings with NBCC Board Member Connie Reeves of Azalea Plaza and her husband Scott (the guy with the white beard in the background).

NBCC board member Justin Williams of NBM and SBM Magazines with NBCC President George Murray of Murray Art & Frame.



With the ribbon successfully cut, everyone went back inside to sample the ice!

Welcome to the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce, we're glad you joined us and proud to have you as members!

My Adventure with Dancing with the Brunswick Stars - Journal Entry 1

Well, folks. I'm on another adventure. I'm not climbing mountains or jumping out of planes or doing the Cannonball Run (do they still do that?), but I'm taking on a challenge for a good cause.

This past week I was invited to participate in the 3rd Annual Dancing with the Brunswick Stars!

(Below is a shot of me dancing with my favorite partner in the NBCC offices at a ribbon cutting recently.)


Here's the deal. Brunswick Community College is a fast-growing institution smack in the middle of Brunswick County with satellite campuses in Southport, Leland, and Calabash. They are pairing up a bunch (I don't know how many, probably around 20?) people who live and work and are known in the county for whatever reasons (I'm assuming good ones?) with professional dance instructors to compete in early August.

Why is BCC holding the event? Well, to raise scholarship money. "Oh," you say, "another fund-raiser." And the answer is, "Well, yeah, and last year they raised more than $330,000 and provided more than 200 scholarships!"

Wow! That's called making a difference. So I'm pumped and proud to be asked. The money is raised, by the way, by contributions in support of the dancers and in ticket sales to the event. Lots of promotion from WECT TV and Brunswick County press, too.

I got a call from Susan Lawing of the BCC Development office on Thursday asking if I'd be willing to participate. I was frankly concerned about the time commitment involved, but reassured that it wouldn't be too bad. This event isn't like the TV show where participants essentially suspend everything else in their lives to practice every day for weeks and learn new dances every week. There's only one 90 second dance and we get three months to learn it. The expectation is one practice session a week during May and June, twice a week in July and then the actual event is August 6th. So that's not too bad. I checked with Marge and we agreed it would be fun and a good thing to do for the community.

Plus, I really love to dance. I'm not talented and I've had only a couple of lessons in my whole life, but in high school and college I was a dancing fool. The difference between now and then is now I don't dance so often. So I may not be very good, but I'm certainly enthusiastic.

So I also decided it might be fun to keep a journal of this experience, from start to finish - which I'm already visualizing my instructor partner and I, whoever she is, winning easily!! (There are some categories of awards for the actual dancing, but the biggest win is to the instructor-amateur team that garners the most financial support - as in, who raises the most money!). I'll take some photos and maybe some videos, too, to post in this blog/journal.

I wondered how Susan Lawing got my name but had a suspicion because (recently) former NBCC Executive Director Terry Grillo made a comment at a Business After Hours a month or so that I'd be a good candidate for Dancing with the Brunswick Stars and I just laughed it off. So I asked Susan and she said indeed it was Terry and a couple of other people. I called Terry at the chamber and asked Terri Andress, who answered the phone to tell Terry I wanted to talk to "Grillo, now!" And then when she answered we laughed about it.

Turns out my nomination isn't all that big a deal since they called from BCC needing a male and wanting some representation from the northern part of the county, so I've got to not get too swelled up about being asked - I fit the demographic, that's all. But I do like to dance.

The next day I got a call from Linda Boretti who's coordinating the event. Linda told me we're having a kick-off luncheon on April 12th to introduce the "Stars" and their instructors, who will meet for the first time. The instructors are key to this whole thing of course, and they generously donate their time and effort for those three months in support of this fund raiser.

So I don't know who my instructor is, other than she'll be from around the Leland/Wilmington area so travel time to practice shouldn't be an issue. Whoever you are, thanks in advance for what you're doing for the the students in Brunswick County and the community. I promise I'll work hard and be positive. (And, oh yeah, BTW, did you read I intend for us to win?)

Here's a shot from last year's competition when they awarded a $330,000+ check to BCC President Dr. Steven Greiner.



And here's a link to an article in the South Brunswick Magazine about last year's Dancing with the Brunswick Stars.

So I'll keep you posted on this. Look for more journal entries. Probably the next one will be after the April 12th luncheon.

- Brown out.

Jim Bradshaw, Director of Economic Development

On Tuesday March 16th, Jim Bradshaw, Director of Economic Development for North Carolina's Brunswick County, gave an annual overview and direction presentation at the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce's monthly speaker luncheon at Antonio's Pizza and Pasta Restaurant in Leland, NC.

We had a great turnout . Seated below are Joyce Fields of Cape Fear Credit Union and Leslie Morgan, Linda Cline and Doug Jackson of Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty.


Poe Butler of H2Go and NBCC board member Mike Leggett of Local News Review.


Dave Seaton of Pestco Extermination and Jamie Shoemaker of Cape Fear Merchant Services.


Two officers from the Brunswick County Sheriff's office.


Randy Larsen of East Coast Staging and Susan Cruse of East Carolina Bank.


Frances and Walter Denniger.


Ken Schiess of HDVest, Connie Reeves of Azalea Plaza, and Sharon Forsman of Prudential Real Estate.





Brendan Morris and Lee Ann Mitchell of Comfort Suites Magnolia Greens.


Speaker and Economic Development Director Jim Bradshaw and NBCC board member Jeff Harvell.


The fabulous Razzano sisters, Alice and Jean.


Dave Foster and John Garrity of Holmes Electric Security.


Jeff Harvell, Micki Sharpe and NBCC board member Peggy O'Leary, both of Premier Staffing, and Mag Green Comfort Suites manager Barry Eagle.



Dave Foster kicked off the luncheon by a giving a pretty interesting history of Holmes Electric Security company. Did you know it was founded by Oliver Wendell Holmes? No, not that one, but another guy. Interesting history. Thanks, Dave.


And Jim gave a wonderful presentation as usual of all the activity in Brunswick County economic development. Needless to say, the future looks bright. It's also the case that we're fortunate that even today there are many project proceeding in full swing to raise the business and employment profiles of our county.

Thanks again, Jim. And thanks for all your work.