Family business awards, food delivery and mock interviews

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We haven’t done a roundup here on the Corner Store in a while, and I’m excited to say we’re back with some more local business news to tell you about.

If you or your company would like to be considered for inclusion in the weekly business roundup, don’t forget to send me a note at zhorner@chathamnr.com.

Two local businesses awarded by Triangle Business Journal

Brookward Farms of Siler City and Capital Ready Mix Concrete of Pittsboro were each announced earlier this month as winners of the Triangle Business Journal’s 2019 Family Business Awards.

The TBJ, a Raleigh-based business news publication, presents the awards annually to businesses that are, according to a press release from the Chatham Economic Development Corporation, “multigenerational, family-owned, as well as closely-held businesses in the Triangle for overall excellence, innovation, ethics, philanthropy and contribution to the strength of the region.”

Brookwood Farms produces barbecue products that are sold across the country. It was founded in 1978 by Jerry Wood and is now led by Twig and Craig Wood, the third generation. The fourth generation is already involved, as Twig and Craig’s children work in sales and quality control.

Capital Ready Mix Concrete was started in 2009 by James Lochren and his daughter Sarah is the company’s vice president. The company renovated the former Townsends chicken processing plant to expand operations from its former location in Knightdale and serves Wake, Johnston, Franklin, Durham and Chatham counties.

The awards will be presented at an event on Thursday, Dec. 5, at Prestonwood Country Club.

Where’s my DoorDash?

The food delivery services DoorDash, GrubHub and Uber Eats collectively deliver food daily from thousands of restaurants to millions of customers worldwide. But not many in Chatham County.

The Tacos Michoacan food truck at 697 Hillsboro St. in Pittsboro is the lone restaurant listed as an option on the sites, and only on GrubHub.

Chatham and its residents could benefit from these services as a younger and more tech-savvy generation grows up and moves into the county. Uber Eats says 91 million people use its service every month, and GrubHub states that it directed $5 billion to restaurants and more than $2 billion in driver tips last year. Both restaurants and Chatham residents, the hungry and the deliverers, could get a piece of that pie if they take a leap.

Make no mockery of these students

Chatham Charter School’s senior class got a leg-up in the job and college hunt last Friday during the school’s annual mock interview activity.

A press release from the school said students “rotated through three pairs of interviewers who asked questions that are typical in job, scholarship and college admission interview settings. Organizers had recruited adult interviewers who worked in a wide range of fields and often were able to match students with those who have similar interests or expertise.”

These types of events are commonplace in schools nowadays as individual institutions and school districts are seeing their focus as helping educate kids for life after graduation with more than just a diploma, but real-world skills they can apply in a number of ways. It’s always good to see Chatham County kids get that experience.

Reporter Zachary Horner can be reached at zhorner@chathamnr.com or on Twitter at @ZachHornerCNR, where you can also direct him to exciting business news or places for good, healthy and free food in Chatham County.