Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
After more than eight years. Delia Liuzza says she’s ready to sell Acasia’s Tipsy Teapot.
After Delia’s husband Joe had a hunting accident last December, Liuzza said the family incurred about $100,000 in debt.
“We had no insurance,” Liuzza said. “So we racked up a lot of debt. I just need to be working my regular job now.”
Her family’s financial situation is one of the main motivating factors for Liuzza’s decision to sell, but it’s not the only one.
“I’m finding it more and more difficult to deal with the bureaucracy that goes along with owning a small business,” she said. “There have been some final nails that have been too much and I’ve realized I just need to get out of this business.”
Liuzza said she never meant for The Tipsy Teapot to be as big a business as it has become.
“I was just going to have a little tea shop and then it blew up into this restaurant and music venue,” she said. “It’s been wonderful and amazing and I wouldn’t change it for the world, but I’m just a small town girl and I’m overwhelmed.”
Three potential buyers have expressed interest in Tipsy, Liuzza said, and she’s chosen the one she feels best shares her vision.
“What he’s wanting to do is really interesting,” Liuzza said. “He is the one who wants to keep it the closest to the vision we have of what Tipsy is and is trying to become. I think he can really make it work.”
Liuzza wasn’t ready to reveal her interested buyer, but did say he’s from Greenville. A market research survey has been posted on Tipsy’s Facebook page, asking questions related to investing in the business, food options, frequency of visits and amount of money spent, and suggested changes.
The deal isn’t set in stone and Liuzza said she and her potential buyer are just discussing things right now, and that the market research comes from him. Should Tipsy change hands, it will be around December.
“Summer would have been a good time, except if we were to make it happen now, we’re heading back into the school year and that just wouldn’t be a good time,” Liuzza said. “At this rate, we’re looking at December so we can close for a while when it’s slow here.”
While Liuzza said there hasn’t been extensive discussion, her understanding is that the staff will be kept on under the new buyer.
“It would definitely behoove him to keep people on who know the routine and where everything is,” she said.
Don Edwards, of Uptown Properties, LLC, owns Tipsy’s building, Liuzza said. The lease for Tipsy is a three-year lease with three options for a total of about 12 years, Liuzza said, but she wasn’t ready to discuss where the shop is in its lease. Liuzza started Tipsy in February, 2005.
Being on the other side of Tipsy’s counter is something Liuzza said she’s looking forward to.
“I opened it with the vision of having somewhere to go between jobs,” she said. “It’ll be nice to be able to come in and just get a plate of food and not worry about what’s going on in the kitchen.”
Liuzza said she’s also looking forward to being able to dedicate herself to her job as a self-employed sign language interpreter.
“I want it to be a full-time job,” she said. “I can’t wait to get back to it with a passion instead of just on a half-time basis.”
Even though she won’t be behind the counter any more when the shop sells, Liuzza said she has high hopes for Tipsy.
“I would just like to see it bloom,” she said. “I would like to see it become the bustling college town ‘coffee shop’ it should be, with someone young, qualified and excited at the helm.”
I think the owner did quite a bit. I"m sure if her husband hadn't been in the accident, the ownership would not change. I think someone can take this place and build it up even more. I've been many times and I've enjoyed each time i've been. Seems like lately, they have had comedy nights, which is something that isn't really found anywhere in Eastern NC. Good luck to the previous owner and to the future owner!
I think the owner did quite a bit. I"m sure if her husband hadn't been in the accident, the ownership would not change. I think someone can take this place and build it up even more. I've been many times and I've enjoyed each time i've been. Seems like lately, they have had comedy nights, which is something that isn't really found anywhere in Eastern NC. Good luck to the previous owner and to the future owner!
Peasants Pub has a comedy night on Tuesday night. I think TT comedy night is on Thursday.
WORKING FOR A SECOND AIRLINE AT OUR AIRPORT
Working with various partners, PGV is "actively pursuing a second airline with a* [federal] grant," according to Jerry Vickers in a recent communication with me. Efforts have been made in the past, and whether we've grown to the point that the current effort will be successful or not is yet to be determined. But I'm pleased to do all I can to support the effort.
*
If successful, we could see new service as early as May/June 2014, although a more likely scenario would be a year or so later, as initiatives like this can take more time than we like. *
*
Without going into all the details of the initiative here, basically it involves PGV bringing together a number of partners to seek a US Department of Transportation grant that would entice a new air service. If the new service proved profitable to a certain level, then the local monies involved would not have to be paid.
*
As with most federal grants, there must be some local matching funds. For this grant, there has been wonderful support from local stakeholders, including the Chamber of Commerce, Pitt County Economic Development Office, Pitt County Committee of 100, GUC, ECU, Vidant, and the City. The city's potential contribution would be 25,000, but as with the other partners we would not have to pay this if the new service is profitable enough on its own.
*
Jerry Vickers, PGV Executive Director, tells me that he is "cautiously optimistic" that we will win the grant. We will be working with our federal and state elected officials to help us make this work. I will continue to do all I can to make this effort successful.
WORKING FOR A SECOND AIRLINE AT OUR AIRPORT
Working with various partners, PGV is "actively pursuing a second airline with a* [federal] grant," according to Jerry Vickers in a recent communication with me. Efforts have been made in the past, and whether we've grown to the point that the current effort will be successful or not is yet to be determined. But I'm pleased to do all I can to support the effort.
*
If successful, we could see new service as early as May/June 2014, although a more likely scenario would be a year or so later, as initiatives like this can take more time than we like. *
*
Without going into all the details of the initiative here, basically it involves PGV bringing together a number of partners to seek a US Department of Transportation grant that would entice a new air service. If the new service proved profitable to a certain level, then the local monies involved would not have to be paid.
*
As with most federal grants, there must be some local matching funds. For this grant, there has been wonderful support from local stakeholders, including the Chamber of Commerce, Pitt County Economic Development Office, Pitt County Committee of 100, GUC, ECU, Vidant, and the City. The city's potential contribution would be 25,000, but as with the other partners we would not have to pay this if the new service is profitable enough on its own.
*
Jerry Vickers, PGV Executive Director, tells me that he is "cautiously optimistic" that we will win the grant. We will be working with our federal and state elected officials to help us make this work. I will continue to do all I can to make this effort successful.
It is SUCH a hinderance when the ONLY air service goes ONLY to Charlotte. I would guess very few people fly TO Charlotte, the fly thru Charlotte to somewhere else.
Another air service to a different big city (Washington, Atlanta, Philly, NYC) would increase our appeal immensely.
That's assuming we can support the traffic. I believe if every resident who goes to RDU went to PGV instead, we could.
It is SUCH a hinderance when the ONLY air service goes ONLY to Charlotte. I would guess very few people fly TO Charlotte, the fly thru Charlotte to somewhere else.
Another air service to a different big city (Washington, Atlanta, Philly, NYC) would increase our appeal immensely.
That's assuming we can support the traffic. I believe if every resident who goes to RDU went to PGV instead, we could.
There are a LOT of people from NYC in Greenville so that seems logical; of course it wouldn't be a direct-flight there but maybe a stop at BWI or some other airport would be good.
A Greenville city councilman says one of his colleagues has put an economic development project in jeopardy.
Councilman Dennis Mitchell claims fellow councilman Calvin Mercer released information in his recent newsletter that breached confidentiality about the project.
In a weekend newsletter, Mercer says the Pitt-Greenville Airport is working to get a second airline with a federal grant. He cited airport manager Jerry Vickers in the e-mail, adding that if it was successful the airport could see new service as early as next May or June. Contacted today about the report, Vickers wouldn't comment to WITN News.
In a news release this afternoon, Mitchell criticized Mercer. "He continues to be a rooster taking credit for the sunrise and this time he may have went to far," said Mitchell.
Mitchell is the at-large member of council, while Mercer represents District 4. Last month Mercer announced he would be running against Mitchell for the at-large seat.
WITN has tried to reach Councilman Mercer this afternoon, but none of those phone calls have yet been returned.
There are a LOT of people from NYC in Greenville so that seems logical; of course it wouldn't be a direct-flight there but maybe a stop at BWI or some other airport would be good.
Not to mention people in the east that would like to visit NYC. Or official business ECU/hospital would have up there.
The DNA analysis firm posted previously, Project Sequence, is gearing up to build here. They will hire 126 people by year 5. The average wage in Year 1 would be $98,000 with Year 5 wages expected to be in the range of $64,000 per job.
THIS is the kind of companies we need in Greenville.
The DNA analysis firm posted previously, Project Sequence, is gearing up to build here. They will hire 126 people by year 5. The average wage in Year 1 would be $98,000 with Year 5 wages expected to be in the range of $64,000 per job.
THIS is the kind of companies we need in Greenville.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
