Women's Clothing Boutique Near Me Fuquay Varina, NC

FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. (WTVD) -- If you want to see the residual impacts of the Triangle's rapid growth, you don't need to go far.

Less than 20 miles south of Raleigh, Fuquay-Varina's population has more than doubled since the 2010 census. The town's estimated population was roughly 18,000 people in 2010, which has ballooned to more than 40,000. Mayor Blake Massengill said the town's never been more prosperous, and that's due in part to all the growth around them.

"All ships rise with the rising tide. You know, good things happen there," Massengill said. "And so what's good for us is good for our neighbors and what happens in a neighboring community is good right here, too."

SEE ALSO | ABC11 tracks growth across the region through Boomtowns

Aviator Brewing is an example of that success. The business, which started as a brewery, has grown to fill space on both sides of Broad Street and boasts a BBQ restaurant, tap house, beer shop and pizzeria. Their owner, Mark Doble, is now building a new manufacturing and entertainment complex just down the street from their cluster of restaurants.

"The growth in Fuquay-Varina has been crazy over the last 15 years that we've been in business. So when we see growth, we grow with it," Doble said.

Lights Unlimited, Inc. is also enjoying the rapid growth. As a provider and installer of light fixtures, they've worked with many of the new developments recently constructed in the town.

"All the homes are going up a lot around here. So everybody's coming in to upgrade lighting," said Josh Skula, whose family owns the business.

SEE ALSO | Zebulon works to enhance business community as population increases

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"The town motto here is, 'A town of friendly people.' And I would say that that's accurate."

Skula said the continued construction of homes is great for business, but it can be a little challenging for traffic.

"They're doing a great job of trying to accommodate that but it's definitely still something that needs to be addressed, I believe because it's 5 o'clock traffic. It don't matter if it's 10 a.m., it's 5 o'clock traffic in Fuquay," he said.

There's even more on the way. A massive, mixed-use development off of Judd Parkway is already under construction, and an expansive retail area isn't far behind it.

"The Gold Leaf Crossing project is breaking ground this summer. That's a new high-end retail commercial project, has nearly 1 million square feet of retail, is bringing in retail opportunities that we don't have in Fuquay-Varina," said Massengill.

There are cake folks and pie people, but no one can turn down a cobbler.

That’s the hope of a new cobbler-focused dessert shop that just opened its first Triangle location.

The Peach Cobbler Factory, a fast casual cobbler restaurant, opened this month in Fuquay-Varina. The shop is located at 8105 Fayetteville Rd. in the King’s Grant Commons shopping center, halfway between Fuquay-Varina and Garner.

The brand was born as a Nashville food truck in 2013 and is now in the midst of a major national expansion. This is the third North Carolina location to open, following others in Burlington and Carolina Beach.

The new Peach Cobbler Factory is operated by franchise owners Buddy and Emily Brock, who have lived in the Triangle for 11 years. Buddy Brock runs a cell phone tower company and said the concept convinced him to make his first jump into the restaurant industry.

“It’s a great concept. We held our grand opening on Saturday and it was massive. People were lining up before we opened,” Brock said.

According to the brand’s website, there are locations in the works for Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh, Garner and Cary.

Brock said those locations would be owned by other franchisees, but that his family could expand into Holly Springs.

“It sounds cliche, but I got into this to put smiles on faces,” Brock said. “I’ve been in the cell tower industry for 20 years and it’s a day-to-day grind. I’m always a fireman with fires to put out. Knowing we could bring a great dessert concept to Fuquay and make people smile, that offsets the stress in my life.”

The focus of the Peach Cobbler Factory is, unsurprisingly, cobblers.

The shop makes a dozen different versions, like apple, peach, strawberry and sweet potato pecan, made with fruit and a pie-like crust, Brock said.

The cobblers are served hot, held in warming trays until ordered, with a scoop of ice cream on the side.

“It’s mostly a pie crust with a bottom layer and a fruit filling; it’s that cobbler magic,” Brock said. “We mix and bake it fresh every day. The flavors of cobblers set us apart. It’s not so black and white, there’s not just one type. There’s blackberry cherry or praline and we can mix flavors.”

Beyond cobblers, the shop serves a variety of banana puddings with different toppings mixed in, like strawberry or Nutella or Red Velvet cake.

There are also giant cookies, which Brock says measure seven inches wide.

“They kick Crumbl’s butt,” Brock said, of the popular cookie chain.

This story was originally published June 23, 2023, 10:35 AM.

FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. — Staff members and an 8th-grade student in Fuquay-Varina were hailed as heroes Tuesday by town leaders and the community for their efforts to save lives when a student fired a gunshot inside Fuquay-Varina Middle School earlier this month.

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Thankfully there were no injuries, just a damaged window which has since been replaced.

Tuesday night, the town mayor, police chief and community recognized five people for efforts like disarming a student, calling 911 and moving students to safety in the face of danger.

8th-grade student Colton Kaplar was among those acknowledged for his actions.

"I didn’t know such a small act could make such a big impact," said Kaplar.

When the gunshot rang out in a classroom on December 8, Kaplar said the younger students didn’t know how to respond.

That’s when he stepped in to help.

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"I’m just going to take them to a classroom and get them in there and shut the door," said Kaplar.

"Instincts take over," said 6th-grade math teacher Jeff Junio.

The instinct led math teacher Jeff Junio to grab children and physically toss them into safer locations; One terrified student sticks out to him from that day.

"She was disheveled, so I kind of picked her up and was like, 'You’re going in here,'" said Junio.

Mayor Blake Massengill had a special message for each recipient.

"I want to say thank you on behalf of the citizens of Fuquay-Varina for exemplifying true leadership," said Massengill.

Assistant principal Page Elliot and Sixth Grade teachers Samantha Colecchia and Lynn Guilliams were also honored Tuesday night.

Guilliams previously told WRAL News what it was like to take the gun from the student.

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Teachers credit training for helping them know how to respond during this scary situation.

That 12-year-old student was taken into custody and has been served with a juvenile petition.

Seth Lanterman-Schneider, a 39-year-old from Willow Spring, was charged for failing to properly store the gun used in the shooting.

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FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. (WNCN) — Town officials are considering implementing a social district.

These districts allow people to drink in public while sticking within specific boundaries and rules.

Kim Draper owns and operates KnB’s Marketplace in downtown and has more than 40 vendors selling antiques under one roof.

“We’ve come a long way in 15 years and the town is really growing,” said Draper.

Town officials hope the proposed social district will drive more foot traffic into businesses like hers. Draper hopes “sip and stroll” also means “sip and shop.”

“People who drink, I hate to say this, but shop more — especially women. But yea, I think [the social district] will be a great thing,” Draper said.

The town is proposing operating the district from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Drinks must be poured into specially marked cups, no larger than 16 ounces.

More than 20 other towns and cities, including Raleigh, operate a district now. Fuquay-Varina’s would be distinct in that it would encompass two different areas. It would operate in the downtown area along with the Broad Street area of Varina.

“Anything that brings business to the downtown area is always exciting. It could be revitalizing,” said Lesa Dab, an optician at Family Optical. They share a roof with the gift shop, For All Things Southern.

“We are glasses and gifts. A little something for everybody,” said Laurie Cunningham, owner of For All Things Southern.

They hope a social district could give people a reason to stay and shop local.

“We are growing and there’s a lot to think about possibilities for the future and how to attract more people, get more people downtown shopping, and stay local-shop local,” Cunningham said.

But they have their concerns.

“Concerns about how that would be regulated, how the space is marked, how people know where the hours begin and end and how that works with the downtown business,” Dab said.

The town is looking for public input on the proposal during the next two weeks. Click here to submit comments.

In the meantime, Draper says, “Let’s do it, let’s try it.”

FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. (WNCN)–A local middle school teacher is receiving an outpouring of “thank yous” after taking a gun away from her 6^th grade student.

Fuquay-Varina Middle School went into Code Red lockdown Thursday morning after Wake County School District officials said a student fired a gun inside a classroom Thursday.

“I fully believe that the reason that situation on Thursday ended the way that it did is because my student knew I loved him, my student knew he was safe,” said Guilliams.

Guilliams said she was in the hallway helping students with their lockers when the school went into the lockdown. She said she rushed students into her classroom and told them to bend down in the corner. She said one student was still sitting at his desk and when she said to get down he showed her a gun.

“For a second he was scary, but just for a second, I blinked again and he’s my student, he’s 12 years old, he’s in my classroom and he can’t have that,” Guilliams said.

She said she then asked him what he was holding and he said it was a gun.

“I said you’re staying right there I’m coming to take it, I’m taking it from you right now” Guilliams said. “So, I walked over and I took it from him, he did not point it at me, he did not threaten me in any way. I kicked into teacher mode and he kicked into student mode.”

After she told administrators she had the gun. Guilliams says she then went into teacher mode and stayed with the student for hours telling him she cares about him, loves him, and that they will get through this.

Guilliams said she’s not surprised she was in a situation like this given years of lockdowns at different schools she’s taught at, bomb threats, and societal changes. Among the changes Guilliams wants to see is emotional education, school crisis counselors, and law enforcement agencies doing more specific training for teachers.

“Do I think that we need metal detectors in school, do I think that we need more gun control, I don’t think those are the answers,” Guilliams said. “I think we need to really support out students, support our community, long before they reach for a gun,” Guilliams said.

She did not return to school Monday.

“I’m not afraid of walking in the building, but I don’t feel that the situation has changed, since Wednesday the day before and today,” Guilliams said.

She said her husband and children are not comfortable with her going back in.

Guilliams said she’s not sure what the future holds, first she wants to see a counselor through her employee assistance program to process the trauma and learn how her student who brought a gun to class is doing.

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