Hobson City plans to strengthen economy, attract businesses
HOBSON CITY, Ala. — Hobson City is pushing to strengthen and grow its economy.
Monday, the city celebrated the opening of Aussie's Quick Mart.
It's located along the main thoroughfare in Hobson City.
"A lot of people are excited to have a store here," Schreka Davis, Manager of Aussie's Quick Mart said. "They don't have to go outside of Hobson City to get a lot of their needs."
The owner of the business, Ranard McGrue told ABC 33/40 he wanted to open the business because there was a need in the city.
However, city leaders say it's not that easy to attract new businesses to the city of less than 1,000 residents.
"Because when you look at the demographics and you look at the workforce," Mayor Alberta McCrory of Hobson City said. "It does not support some of the businesses that we would like to attract that would bring in greater dollars."
The small, historic city is tucked away between larger cities like Oxford and Anniston.
"We have oftentimes and for a long time been systematically overlooked and underserved."
Also, Mayor McCrory says another issue is that the streets aren't wide enough to support large trucks coming in and out.
That could be a problem for companies that rely on those trucks for deliveries.
McCrory wants to bring industries that the city's infrastructure can support.
The University of Alabama's Center for Economic Development has been working with Hobson City to come up with ways for the city to grow and attract businesses.
"Looking forward to other businesses coming into Hobson City to help make Hobson City a better place," McCrory said.
Mayor McCrory is also looking to get congressional help from the Black Caucus to help provide money for the city to grow.
