LIBERTY, N.C. — Liberty town officials are hoping the new Toyota battery plant coming to the Randolph-Greensboro megasite will bring new life to the small town.
"We feel like we’re going to get energized," said Liberty mayor Filmore York. "We'd like to keep the small-town atmosphere as much as possible but we know that’s going to change due to the fact that you've got to move with the times, it’s a different situation than it was 40 years ago."
York has lived in Liberty his entire life and said the town used to be very self-sufficient, but that changes when Route 421 was built and bypassed the town.
"Everything started slowing down," said York. "We had a lot of people that lived in Liberty, everybody was going to college and didn’t come back to Liberty so it just died off."
Now, York hopes the battery plant will bring more to the town with a little more than 2,500 people.
"We are very excited," said York. "Residents in Liberty, they are very excited.
The downtown area has several empty storefronts and 'For Sale' signs, something York hopes the Toyota development can change and the town is currently working on some refurbishments.
"We've still got a lot of work to do," said York. "We’ve got some more money coming to help dress up the town so we hope to get all those (empty stores) filled."
Carol Wall, the owner of Awesome Vintage Thrift and Gift in downtown Liberty, said she is also welcoming the change.
"I feel that it’s gonna be progress for the town and we’ve got to go somewhere sometime," said Wall.
Wall also owns a home near the site, but she said it wasn't really being discussed as much a decade ago when she purchased the house.
"I’m happy that the megasite is finally sold so we don’t have to wonder anymore," Wall said. "I see potential. It’s going to change our area, our little town that’s so quaint, and maybe by bringing in some new business, it will stimulate (...) more businesses down in this area."
In 2018, the area lost a bid for a Toyota Mazda manufacturing plant so Mayor York said they've been ready.
"It’s a great thing," said York. "As I was taught in the Marine Corps 55 years ago at Parris Island, you’ve got to learn to adapt, improvise and overcome and I think Liberty is really doing that. They are learning to adapt, we will overcome this and we will have a great town and hopefully, with good productive growth, we can make this a good thriving place again."