Sanford boat store expands south

While at the beach this weekend, I ran across two Sanford-related business tips. First off, while traveling from Holden Beach to Little River on N.C. Highway 17 to hit a casino boat — a trip that ended very badly for my wallet — I spotted the newly opened Choplin Marine 2, a boat store, in Ocean Isle.
Choplin Marine is based in Sanford just off Jefferson Davis Highway. Chris Mace, the Sanford store’s sales manager, said Monday that Choplin had opened the second store several months ago to take advantage of the dramatic population and traffic increase along that stretch of the coast. It plans to sell mostly salt water crafts at the second store.
Mace said the location is also ideal for a service center, which the company plans to add in the near future.
The second tips is also related to the Sanford boat sales industry, which seems to be booming throughout the state even though the closest substantial body of water to the Brick City is at least 20 miles away. And I’m sure you’ve all noticed this before, but when traveling down N.C. Highway 211 I notice several billboards advertising Chatlee Marine. I also saw several advertisements for Chatlee on my last trip to The Streets of Southpoint in Durham. Just thought it was interesting and comforting to travel so far away and still see Sanford’s home-grown businesses having a major impact around the state.