Regional Profile Overview

Located on the fall line between the Piedmont Plateau and the Atlantic Coastal Plain, Emporia-Greensville’s 301 square-mile landscape varies from gently sloping plains in the southeast to rolling hills along its western boundary.

Our central location along the eastern seaboard of the United States between Raleigh, Richmond, and Hampton Roads, places Emporia-Greensville within a day’s drive of over 50 metropolitan areas and nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population.

Our location at the crossroads of I-95 and U.S. Route 58 provides prime access to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico via the interstate system, and to all points beyond via the Port of Hampton Roads.

More than 17,000 people call Emporia-Greensville home, but the area effectively draws labor and customers from a much larger region — serving a potential population of over 165,000 people.

Emporia-Greensville’s landscape, location, and market area are some of the factors businesses find attractive. Major employers in the area include Boar’s Head Provisions, Georgia Pacific, Beach Mold & Tool, Grayson Mitchell, and Belding Hausman.

Recent announcements include:

• Toll Integrated Systems, Inc. will develop a new 86,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility in the Greensville County Industrial Park. Toll will also upgrade its manufacturing facilities in Emporia. The company projects the expansion will likely result in more than 100 new jobs in Emporia and Greensville County.

• Charah, Inc. purchased an existing 10,000-square foot manufacturing building on seven acres in the Emporia Industrial Park and will create approximately 25 new jobs over the next 30 months.

• The Good Earth Peanut Company will construct a new 3,000-square-foot warehouse and expand their existing processing facility in Greensville County, bringing up to 10 new jobs to the area.

• Love’s Travel Stop has just opened a new convenience store location on Interstate 95 in Greensville County. The new $3-million Love’s location will bring up to 25 new jobs to the region.

• Meherrin River Farms, Inc. is building three greenhouses and a warehouse on a 30-acre site in Greensville County. The company initially employs a total of six to 10 employees, and projected growth could increase employment to approximately 25.

• Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express both cite Emporia-Greensville’s strategic location off I-95 and U.S. 58 and the ability to target East Coast travelers as their reasons for choosing this area to locate new developments.

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Cracker Barrel opened one of their signature restaurant and country store facilities in fall 2004 on a 2.36-acre site purchased from Missi Sadler Enterprises in Emporia’s Market Drive Commerce Park off the I-95/U.S. 58 interchange.