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Market District attracts another Boro business
Jan Moore Mug Web
Jan Moore

            Change can take a lot of courage, and many times it also involves a great leap of faith. When the partners of local insurance agency Blount, Burke, Wimberly & Hendricks Insurors moved their agency from South Main Street to the Market District a couple of weeks ago, it took a large dose of both according to Kay Wimberly, the firm's executive vice president.

            "Our firm has had a Main Street presence in Statesboro since 1888," Wimberly said. "Blount, Burke, Wimberly & Hendricks was the result of the merger between the Sorrier Insurance Agency and the Statesboro Insurance Agency in 1986. Between those two agencies and the one we have now, there has always been a presence on Main Street."

            Because of that, Wimberly said it took a lot of soul searching before making the "big" move.

            "We had been in our South Main location next to the Statesboro Regional Library since 1990," she said. "It wasn't an easy decision. Growing up here, I was used to everything being downtown."

            Wimberly said she realized that there comes a time when change is appropriate and for her agency, that time had arrived.

            "We felt like we needed to be in a professional business community, and that is what the Market District has become," she said. "Local banks have put their mortgage divisions here, there are real estate agencies, and law firms. It is where we needed to be."

            Wimberly said one of the biggest stumbling blocks she faced was convincing herself that having the firm's offices on the second floor was okay.

            "It was my problem and no one else's," she said. "It was a mindset that I had to get over. It is perfectly fine to have offices on the second floor of a building versus the first. Just look around. I really think we have made the right move."

            Indeed, the agency's new offices are truly beautiful. The 5,000-square-foot layout sits on the second floor atop Leonard's Blount's development at the corner of Brampton Avenue and Bermuda Run.

            Wimberly said the company's offices were decorated to reflect "our" area of Georgia. "We wanted people to come in and feel comfortable and know our heart is here," she said. "We are very proud."

            Wimberly said she really does miss downtown. "I miss all of my downtown friends and being able to walk over to the Chamber and chat."

            Hey Kay, you know the great thing about Statesboro? You're only ten minutes away. (Seven when the university is "out", but who's counting).

            Until next week, I bid you au revoir.

            Got a scoop for Jan? Call her at (912) 489-9463 or e-mail her at jmoore@statesboroherald.net

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