LOGAN — Logan got a busy start to the month of June with ribbon-cutting ceremonies for five downtown businesses Monday.
The five ceremonies marked the symbolic return to business in Logan that had been hampered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first business to have a ribbon-cutting was the Southern Charms Delightful Wears jewelry store, followed by Near Me Furniture Rentals, Brick’s Cuts, Brenda’s Variety Store and More, and the Wolfe, White and Associates law firm.
Two of those businesses — Brenda’s Variety Store and More and Wolfe, White and Associates — are businesses that had already been open in Logan. Brenda’s ribbon-cutting marked the reopening and expansion of her store, while Wolfe, White and Associate’s ribbon-cutting celebrated their new location at 60 Water St. in the old Subway building next to Wendy’s.
The first two ribbon-cuttings were attended by Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), who presented each business owner with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, which highlighted their “outstanding and invaluable service to the community.” After Miller’s departure, the certificates were presented by West Virginia State Auditor J.B. McCuskey (R).
Other officials present at the ceremonies included members of the Logan City Council, the Logan County Commission, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, the Logan County Chamber of Commerce, Michael Chirico from Miller’s office and Lee Dean from the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office.
The ceremonies coincided with a new community T-shirt fundraiser called “Stronger Together” aimed at raising money for annual city events.
“It’s a fantastic day in downtown Logan,” said Mayor Serafino Nolletti. “For us to have this many businesses opening, you know, ribbon-cuttings in one day, I don’t know if it’s ever happened before … it might be history, especially with everything that’s been going on in our country and our state. It’s a very proud day in downtown Logan here, and the turnout we’ve had has been fantastic.”
In other city news, Nolletti said the city is still waiting to make the final decision on the status of the West Virginia Freedom Festival. As of Monday, he said the decision depends on whether Gov. Jim Justice gives the greenlight for mass gatherings, which he hopes to know by Friday.
“If the governor doesn’t open it up, we’ve got to call it,” Nolletti said. “We want to have it. Everybody knows we want to have, but if we can’t get insurance — which insurance is through the state — if the health department won’t inspect the booths, we can’t do it. The main thing is insurance, and if we do get to have it, it will be a scaled back version because we haven’t been able to book anything. Our main headliner pulled out last week. He didn’t pull out of just our event, he pulled out of everything until August.”
