Hand-cut Angus steaks and burgers will be something to sink your teeth into.
A new restaurant, Sagebrush Steakhouse, will be opening next week on U.S. 70 East. The planned opening date is Wednesday.
The company has hired about 50 people and is still looking for up to 25 more employees. Training has already begun. The general manager, Chuck Forro, resides in Kinston.
“We’re really excited to be in Kinston,” said Christine Wittman, the director of brand enhancement for JP Steakhouse in Mooresville.
If interested, apply at mycrgjob.com or by phone at 877-692-7456, Ext. 100.
The company opened its first Sagebrush in Hickory in 1990 and Kinston will be the 24th restaurant in four surrounding states, she said.
“We are a casual family steakhouse,” Wittman said. “We are definitely family-friendly.”
Children ages 10 and under eat free from the kids’ menu on Wednesdays. The kids’ menu has nine items, including ribs, sirloin tips, pasta and veggie plate, and two desserts.
The restaurant is known for its award-winning ribs. It also has seafood, chicken, soups, salads, steak toppers, appetizers and a full-service bar.
“We pride ourselves at having great food at affordable prices,” Wittman said.
There are daily lunch, dinner and drink specials, as well as a lunch menu from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with prices ranging from $5 to $8.
The former Jeffrey’s was rearranged and decorated with rodeo photography recently. It maintains the former kitchen equipment and its two dining rooms seat 150 people.
Customers can eat in, take out or have their event catered off-site.
“It’s going to be a great location,” Wittman said. “We’ve got a little something for everybody.”
Sagebrush Steakhouse, 603 E. New Bern Road, will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For information or to order take-out, call 252-208-7702.
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Jim Walker’s Nationwide Insurance Group opened its doors on Sept. 5, 1988, and celebrated a grand opening that October across from Farmer’s Furniture.
The business moved to 1200 W. Vernon Ave. in May 2000. There are now seven offices in Kinston, La Grange, New Bern, Smithfield, Apex and two in Goldsboro. Each is independent corporations.
Walker, a native of Beautancus in Duplin County, started working at Evans Ford, but he found he couldn’t make money unless he was onsite selling them. His golfing buddies, who were insurance agents, would talk about their successes.
He also noticed it was the insurance adjusters who got people back into their homes after a disaster.
“The bottom line is helping people,” he said. “… In 100 years, we’ll all be gone, but helping people is what really counts.”
Walker said he “was interviewed by every major insurance company in the country.”
One even sent him a letter saying, “it would be better if I chose a different career path.”
They couldn’t have been more wrong. But starting out wasn’t easy. His wife, Cheryl Davis Walker, from Pink Hill, and now chief financial officer, encouraged him.
“She’s been with me since Day 1,” he said. “… The phone wouldn’t ring, and she said, ‘Honey, you need to go back out and see if you can sell something.’ ”
Walker, now CEO, said he got through the recession of 2008 by stabilizing the office for a time. But he sees the economy starting to pick up, especially in Apex, Smithfield and New Bern.
“We have about 30 percent penetration in Lenoir County,” he said. He hopes to reach 50 percent.
His partner, Jeff Howard, joined Walker 14 years ago and works at a satellite office in La Grange.
The full-service offices sell homeowners, auto, commercial and life insurance, as well as others.
“We’re No. 1 in auto and homeowners in North Carolina,” Walker said.
Jim Walker of Nationwide Insurance Group is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. For information, call 252-527-6000.
Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.
Got A Suggestion?
Do you have a new retail business or one that’s undergone a significant change? The Free Press would like to hear about it. Contact Margaret Fisher at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com.