Rutherford Town Rising

Know someone dreaming of starting a small business in North Carolina?

Here’s a FREE resource every future entrepreneur should know about!
North Carolina’s Small Business Advisors team offers one‑on‑one guidance to anyone exploring a new business idea, preparing to launch, or looking for support as a small business owner. From licensing and regulations to training and next‑steps planning, this service helps you navigate the process with confidence.

The best part? It’s completely free—and open to anyone in NC or anyone considering making NC their business home.

If you know someone who’s ready to take the leap, share this with them. A single conversation could be the spark that brings their business to life.

Learn more:
https://www.commerce.nc.gov/business/start-business-north-carolina
https://www.nc.gov/working/business-nc/start-my-business

Let’s help entrepreneurs across our state turn big ideas into thriving businesses.

Be sure to stroll through Main Street Park the next time you are downtown to see the amazing artwork done by local students!

💼 Small Business Owners: Looking to grow your business and improve access to funding?

Through a partnership between Main Street America and the U.S. Bank Foundation, local business owners are invited to participate in a FREE three-part Access to Capital Webinar Series this summer.

📅 June 17 | How to Choose the Right Funding for Your Business
Learn about funding options, evaluate what works best for your business, and identify next steps for securing capital.

📅 July 15 | What Are Lenders Looking for When You Apply for a Business Loan?
Discover what lenders want to see, how to strengthen your financials, and common mistakes to avoid.

📅 August 19 | Business Plan Basics
Learn how to build a business plan that helps attract investors, lenders, and future growth opportunities.

🕒 All webinars are held virtually from 3:00–4:00 PM.

As an added bonus, everyone who registers for the webinar series will be invited to apply for a special Accelerator Program. Twenty-five businesses will be selected to receive:

✔️ A 12-week business growth program
✔️ Expert coaching and peer networking
✔️ Access to specialized training
✔️ An opportunity to compete for monetary prizes through a virtual pitch competition

Even if you cannot attend live, register to receive the recordings and remain eligible for the Accelerator Program.

This is a great opportunity for Rutherfordton entrepreneurs, downtown businesses, startups, and existing businesses looking to take the next step.

📌 Registration links for all three webinars can be found in the comments below.

It's official, and it's beautiful!

Following another great FAB event last night, we're excited to celebrate the completion of Rutherfordton's newest downtown mural. Chosen by community vote, the Nature theme reflects many of the things that make Rutherfordton special, from our growing parks and green spaces to the Purple Martin Greenway and the natural beauty that surrounds our town.

The Town of Rutherfordton extends its sincere appreciation to Rutherford Food Art & Brew (FAB) for their vision, leadership, and commitment to connecting local businesses, artists, and community members. This project is a wonderful example of how local partnerships continue to strengthen and beautify our community.

A special thank you to Blythe Studio for bringing this vibrant piece of public art to life, and to The Industrial Commons for providing the grant funding that made the project possible.

We also want to recognize Curtis Snethen for generously providing the building wall that serves as the canvas for this mural. Community-minded property owners like Curtis help make projects like this possible and contribute to the continued revitalization of Downtown Rutherfordton.

Public art remains an important part of the Town's Community Vibrancy goals, helping create welcoming public spaces, supporting local artists, and enhancing the unique character of our downtown.

The mural's purple martin imagery serves as a fitting tribute to one of Rutherfordton's most recognizable natural assets and complements the continued growth of the Purple Martin Greenway and our expanding network of parks and public spaces.

Next time you're downtown, take a moment to stop by, snap a photo, and enjoy this newest addition to Rutherfordton's growing collection of public art.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this project a reality!

Be sure to stop by Sage Studio Hair Cos new space on Saturday, June 6th, 12-5 for their grand opening! Thanks for continuing to choose Rutherfordton and best wishes on the new space!

🎉 GRAND OPENING GIVEAWAY 🎉

We’re celebrating the grand opening of Sage Studio Hair Co. with a basket full of goodies! 🧡

✨ Professional hair care products
✨ Lash serum
✨ Sage merch hat

How to enter:
📍 Stop by our Grand Opening
📍 Write your name on an entry slip
📍 Drop it in the giveaway jar

We’ll draw one lucky winner at the end of the event! 🎟️

Come tour the salon, meet our amazing team, support our vendors, enjoy refreshments, and celebrate this exciting new chapter with us. We can’t wait to see everyone!

📅 Saturday, June 6th
⏰ 12 PM – 5 PM

See you there! 💚

Upcoming grant opportunities!

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Check out a few things coming up from our Downtown Businesses!

***If you need to contact or send important updates to RTR, please email Christy at [email protected] or speak to any RTR board member. Once a new Coordinator is hired, messages can go back to the RTR email. We do not have access to that email at this time. Thank you for your understanding!***

RTR offers a huge Thank You to Rodney at ONE 13 for nine years of events, dinner shows, and support in downtown Rutherfordton! We wish him the best as he moves on to his next adventure. Don’t worry though, he will still be bringing musical acts to downtown in the same space. The space will now be ran by Roxanne Linder from Linder’s Elite Events starting in June. Go show your support by liking her new
page: Linder’s Elite Events at 113. We can’t wait to see what she will do with the space!

Rodney finished this endeavor the only way he could- with dinner and music! Thanks for the fun, Rodney!