"It's a very charming community -- one of the last walking communities left in North Carolina," said Megan Henderson of the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce.
The community is quickly becoming the target of big business.
"We did recently open a Big Box -- a Wal-Mart Supercenter -- and to give an indication of the growth, the sales from the Wal-Mart have exceeded their expectations by 30 percent," Henderson said.
"Last couple of years, John Deere has been a great shot in the arm for the community. They're expanding their facility," Fuquay-Varina Mayor John Byrne said.
Signs of the construction boom in this small southern Wake County community are obvious. Fuquay Crossings, a new shopping center, boasts a Kroger, Blockbuster and Cato. Another shopping center, "Street of Dreams," is also slated for the usual shops and cafes.
"We have a lot to offer. We have available land. We have a strong school system here. We have the infrastructure in place to support growth," Henderson said.
Road crews are working on a Broad Street extension that is almost done. The construction is designed to make it easier to go from one end of town to the other.
Residential construction is also up. Last year, building between January and June peaked at 182, this year the same time period generated 298 permits.
Fuquay-Varina actually used to be two towns that officially merged and became one in 1963. Fuquay was the name of a Frenchman who settled in the area. Varina was the name of the wife of a schoolmaster.
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