Tobacco Fills New Warehouse in Danville

Source from:  Danville Register & Bee 09/09/2010

Ricky French unloaded 12 bales of tobacco Wednesday at Piedmont Warehouse in Danville for the first time. French of Ruffin, N.C., likes having another option now that Piedmont Warehouse at 301 Trade St. opened in August. "I think it's a good thing," French said. "We've got somewhere else we can offer our tobacco." Tobacco first started coming in Aug. 25 and farm tobacco started coming in last week, said warehouse operator Harry Lea. The rains in August turned the tobacco green as it started growing again. The harvesting in this area is about a week to 10 days behind, Lea said. The warehouse opened Aug. 16 as a way to sell growers' unwanted, rejected or excess tobacco. While the building used to be a tobacco auction warehouse, the new venture of co-owners Lea and Jim Eggleston sells tobacco privately through sealed bids. Tobacco was last sold there in 1971. So far, 25 growers came through and seven buying organizations showed interest, Lea said. The warehouse hosted two sales so far, but will change the sale day to Wednesday so as not to compete with other bid-type facilities in the region. The new startup is working out the kinks, but everything's working out so far, Lea said. "I think the Old Belt region is going to have an above average crop," Lea said, adding the area just needs some rain. Eggleston worked a forklift to unload tobacco Wednesday. He loves seeing and smelling the bales of tobacco filling the warehouse. "I hope we sell a whole lot of tobacco and I hope we provide a service out there for the growers who need us," Eggleston said about his goals for the business. Enditem