by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
The current economy may not present the best environment to start a new business, but that isn’t stopping area business people from placing an “open” sign in the window.
The Duval County Tax Collector’s Office has issued an average of about 150 business licenses over the last three weeks. While all of the licenses aren’t for new businesses — some are issued to new owners taking over established businesses — the new businesses that are opening are being developed to fill needs.
Tracy Fagains and Wayne Johnson have created a home-based business located off Kings Road called “4closure Cleanup Group,” which assists in preparing foreclosed properties for resale.
“I used to be a realtor in Atlanta, but the current market is difficult for realtors right now,” said Fagains, who moved to Jacksonville from Atlanta in 2005. “I like real estate and I understand what needs to be done to give a property curb appeal. My partner has experience in janitorial services, so we decided to use our experience to start a new business.”
The business is currently soliciting realtors, mortgage companies, real estate investors and landlords to offer their services for foreclosed properties.
The company can remove junk and debris, perform regularly scheduled yard maintenance and janitorial services, general painting and minor repairs, install new locks, pressure wash sidewalks and driveways and board up windows and glass doors.
The company specializes in foreclosed properties, but is available to handle general property clean up and maintenance, and post-construction clean up. It is also in the process of earning its green cleaning certification.
They have a wide coverage area. Along with Duval County, the company will respond to calls in St. Johns County, St. Mary’s, Ga., Orlando and Tampa.
Moving around is not a problem for Barbara Gay, as long as it gets her closer to her daughters and her grandchildren. Gay will open Children’s Art Classes in the Deerwood Village Shopping Center and her first students will take their seats Sept. 22.
Gay has about 25 years experience as a certified public school art teacher and she developed “Children’s Art Classes” in New Mexico, where the business will continue after she has relocated to Jacksonville. Classes are available for children from ages 3-and-a-half and up, and adult classes are also available. “Introduction to Art” is for ages 3-and-a-half to 5, “Beginning Art” for 6-7 years and “Art 1” for 8 years and up. Adults start with “Art 1” and move on to “Art 2-4” at their own pace, but follow a curriculum developed by Gay. Classes are scheduled Monday-Thursday and students spend an hour and 15 minutes in class each week during the nine month program.
Students will have the opportunity to work in over 40 areas of art through the four-year curriculum developed by Gay. Those areas include charcoal drawing, ebony pencil drawing, watercolors, design, clay, painting, printmaking, scratchboard art, Gouache, cast paper and sculpture.
Students also have the opportunity to show their work and be judged by local artists at an annual art show.
“There is nothing comparable to what I am doing in the area,” said Gay. “I think we are going to fill a definite need.”
That need could be growing as school systems tighten their belts because of smaller budgets, and are cutting back on extracurricular activities and electives, such as art.
“I wasn’t aware of the budget situation when I first started looking,” said Gay. “But my school could help in that regard.”
She had been thinking about relocating to Jacksonville for about three years, but first started looking at spaces last November.
“It wasn’t hard to find a space, it was just more expensive than in New Mexico,” said Gay. “It was kind of a culture shock.”
The business will double its staff when it opens in September. Gay was the only employee at the last location, but she has hired another teacher for the new school, her daughter.
“It’s always been me all these years,” said Gay. “So it’s great to have my daughter working with me.”
Gay’s two daughters graduated from the University of Florida and found jobs in Jacksonville. They later married and made Gay a proud grandmother and she knew once that started happening she was bound to move East.
“I knew there was going to be no way to lure them back West after my grand kids started arriving,” said Gay, jokingly. “I look forward to opening the school and hope to expand it in the future.”
356-2466