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By Jeanna Baxter White

Word Master Media Group

Liberty Storage Solutions, which designs and manufactures everything from simple storage buildings to elaborate man-caves and chic she-sheds, celebrated the start of its expansion in Davie County with a groundbreaking ceremony on April 25.

From its humble beginnings in a 40×40 barn in Rowan County, the company has outgrown its 40,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at 163 Industrial Boulevard in Mocksville and has purchased 56 acres nearby to expand. The company expects to create 50 new jobs over the next three years with average annual wages of $47,500 plus benefits. The county average is $39,000.

The company plans to build out the new site in phases over the next five years, beginning with an office building and an additional 50,000-80,000 square feet of manufacturing space.

“In 2006, I had a dream of having a family business that was God-honoring and produced a quality product for our customers. From 2006 to 2020, we experienced amazing growth, and from 2020 until today, our growth has been exponential, surpassing my wildest dreams,” said Liberty Storage Solutions owner Bobby Eaton during the ceremony.

“There is a scripture in Psalms that says, ‘Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.’ I would be remiss not to mention the goodness of God and all that He has done as part of this whole process. God has blessed this business in ways that only He can.

“Today marks the beginning of a new dream and vision. It is becoming a reality, and I am extremely grateful for that and indebted to Terry Bralley of Davie County Economic Development for pushing the project forward and securing the grant money needed to propel it across the finish line. We are there, and I praise God for it. And to the Town of Mocksville, Norfolk Southern, Pete Bogle (The Bogle Firm Architecture), Joe LaFave (LaFave’s Construction), and countless others, we at Liberty say thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” said Eaton.

“The City of Mocksville was kind enough to let us name the newly developed street that will serve our new property, and we chose the name ‘Liberty Lifestyle Drive.’ We are creating more than a product; we are creating a lifestyle,” said Weston Leibee, Liberty’s vice president/general manager. “Liberty’s fun and nurturing work environment already employs 49 people, and we can’t wait to bring many more jobs to Davie County. We are proud to call Mocksville home.”

The project began back in October 2020 when it was clear that Liberty would soon outgrow its second manufacturing facility in Vanceboro. So Eaton turned to Bralley, who helped him acquire the additional property and grants to support its development.

Since the property was undeveloped, Bralley worked with Tracy Dellinger, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, to locate grants to fund infrastructure development. The project received around $1.1million in state and local grant funding for sewer and road construction; a $250,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority, $250,000 from the Golden LEAF Foundation, $175,000 from the NC Department of Transportation (DOT),  and $70,000 in local incentives from DCEDC and the Town of Mocksville.

The project received $350,000 from the North Carolina Railroad (NCRR) to support a rail spur to the site, allowing Liberty to efficiently and cost-effectively transport raw materials like lumber and metal.

“When a company is able to expand, the government has done its job,” said Bralley, pointing out that the majority of a community’s economic growth comes from its existing industry. “These grants are a wonderful investment because they not only support one of our great industrial partners, Liberty Storage Solutions, but this infrastructure construction will also open up additional industrial land for development. Years ago, as a young town manager, I knew that this area would be the perfect place for an industrial complex. Now I am blessed to see that come to fruition.”

Mocksville Mayor Will Marklin added his thoughts: “As a faith-based mayor, it’s an honor to recognize such a successful faith-based business in our community. This project has been a God-sized task but look at what is happening now. Congratulations. We look forward to seeing you continue to grow with the Town of Mocksville.”

Eaton ended the groundbreaking ceremony with a prayer of thanksgiving and dedication of the site.

For more information, visit https://www.libertystoragesolutions.com.