ST. CLAIRSVILLE Belmont County’s Fox Commerce Park will soon have a new tenant – an expanding business with roots close to home.

Sew Biz LLC began nearly 10 years ago as a home-based business specializing in computerized machine embroidery and sewn designs and logos for shirts, jackets, bags and other items. The business has since grown by increasing its number of contracts with local schools, businesses and organizations for uniforms, apparel and advertising items.

As a result of the growth, Sew Biz will be taking its business to the Fox Commerce Park.

The Belmont County Commissioners recently signed the warrantee deed for Lot 31 at the commerce park over to its land agent, the Community Improvement Corporation of Belmont County, to sell the site to Sew Biz and its owner and operator, Linda Shepherd.

Once the sale is complete and a new facility is constructed, Sew Biz will move from its current location on North 26th Road in the Bethesda-Morristown area – which it has outgrown – to the Fox Commerce Park. The new facility, being built by local company Wallace Construction, will allow the business to add a second shift with three additional employees, and will accommodate future growth as well.

“We feel that this is a really sound investment in a stable local business,” said Sue Douglass of the Belmont County CIC, Department of Development. “Linda has a vested interest in Belmont County.”

Shepherd said she would like to see Sew Biz move to the Fox Commerce Park by the first of the year, if not before.

“We have hard workers who care about what they do,” said Shepherd, who added that she was optimistic about the prospect of expanding the business in the future. “There are high schools in the area that have embroidery classes. It’s a decent paying job once you learn how to do it. Hopefully we can all kind of work together, because I hope to hire some kids in the future.”

Sew Biz does businesses with clients both large and small, from its account with All American Fire Equipment to individual, one-time services for specialized merchandise.

“We never turn a job away,” said Shepherd.

The computerized embroidery business has the perfect motto: “We’ll keep you in stitches.”

“We’ve been talking about this for a few years now,” Belmont County Commissioner Gordie Longshaw said of the new venture for Sew Biz. “I’m glad Linda’s keeping it in Belmont County.”

The expansion of local businesses like Sew Biz is good for Belmont County, particularly because the area has a tremendous workforce, Commissioner Chuck Probst added.

“These are perfect jobs – ones for which people can be trained to perform a specific task,” said Probst.

“It’s always good to welcome a new business from out of town, but it’s also important to look at local businesses like this that are ready to expand,” said Commissioner Mark Thomas. “We place a heavy emphasis on businesses that already exist and on efforts to help them grow.”

Douglass added, “We thank the Belmont County Commissioners for their guidance and approval of this project in moving business forward in the Fox Commerce Park.”

Ayres can be reached at eayres@timesleaderonline.com