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Highway 123 cuts right through the small town of Hookerton. As cars and trucks rumble through, community leaders are trying to get drivers to stop and see what this community has to offer.
“Hookerton is like many communities throughout North Carolina and the United States who has seen its better days. And it’s been on the decline for quite a few years. People have moved away from here and businesses have closed down,” says Morris Lucket, the former Mayor.
The only bank in Hookerton called it quits in June. Dilapidated buildings hover along Main Street. Hookerton is a community struggling to hold onto its roots and re-invent itself to attract new businesses and with any luck, new residents too.
Danny Taylor is a Hookerton Commissioner. “My fear is that the town will just dry up and wither away. And as long as I’m around I’m not going to let that happen.”
With fewer than 500 residents, the small town feel isn’t a problem for Hookerton; attracting new business is more of a challenge.
Billie Albritton acts as the economic developer for the small Greene County town. “We need to change in the right way. Don’t put something up there just to have something. Put something there that has some meaning.”
So far, thanks to a 113 thousand dollar grant from the North Carolina Rural Economic Center Hookerton is seeing some progress.
Two older buildings have been restored, bringing in new businesses and securing 10 new jobs.
Joseph Biggs runs the new Dollar Heaven store. “I had a real gut feeling about Hookerton that this was going to work. And we went for it.”
So did family doctor and part-time minister Dr. Donald Ribeiro. He’s now treating patients in a renovated ABC store. “I could tell you I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the grants. Rural communities are more difficult even for physicians to make a go of it. Reimbursements are lower. The population is a poorer population. There has not been a physician in this town for a very long time.”
Albritton is encouraged. “It’s inspiring because I feel like we are providing a service to the people of this community.” She adds, “I want it to be a little small town and I want it to cash in on its historical background. I want to provide the needs of the people while I’m doing this. But you can do both at the same time and still have a little bedroom community.”
Watch the NC Now Feature
An interview with Dr. Ribeiro