by Isabella Carwile | May 14, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, PCED Office, Property Development
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release May 14, 2025
PAULDING – The Paulding County Land Reutilization Committee (Land Bank) gathered for their May meeting recently. The group worked through a full agenda of open project updates, current project planning, and discussed what future projects could look like.
Matt Wagner, with Tetra Tech Environmental group, shared updates on several brownfield-funded projects:
- The former grain mill building in Antwerp, located on the Patriot Railroad-owned site, has been removed. The last piece will be site finish work to make space for the grain wagon and grain truck parking.
- The former JJ Ross gas station building, located in Grover Hill, has been removed. The site has been backfilled with stone, however, soil sampling has indicated petroleum in some soil, so further testing will be required. Once the data results are reviewed, it will help determine how much additional soil will still need to be removed. The remaining pieces of the cement parking lot will also be removed during final site completion.
- The Paulding Village owned Stokely pond property remediation is temporarily on hold awaiting results in regard to pond depth. The weather has played havoc with getting a boat out on the water to determine water depth. Knowing the depth will help the excavation team develop and understand a required work plan.
- The Paulding Village-owned utility building, at the corner of Perry and Main Streets, is awaiting state funding approval for asbestos remediation to make it a clean building and an easier discussion for its future.
The former Grizzley Brake facility property is now being remediated by its owners own environmental team, T&M Associates. Owner Arvin Environmental has recently allowed their environmental team on site to draw soil samples on the residential properties, located on the east side of the property. Results are expected soon and will help determine next steps. Additional testing will continue to take place inside the 33 acre fenced area.
Maumee Valley Planning Organization partner Abby White then shared updates in regard to the Residential/Commercial Revitalization Program. Some of the bigger projects are in process or are already in the queue for demolition:
- The removal of the 11 trailers, on the Land Bank owned property located at the north end of Main Street in Paulding, has begun. Dangler Excavation started removing trailers and the cement pads they sit on. Once this project completes the surface will be levelled, filled with topsoil and planted to grass until future development is determined.
- Following the trailer court project, Dangler will move forward with remediation at the Paulding County Library Annex building at 119 S. Main Street in Paulding; former car wash building, located at 316 S. Main Street in Antwerp; and the tile barn building located at 204 Harrmann Road in Antwerp, near the school.
- The fencing is around the perimeter of the former Faith Alive church building located at 220 N. Williams Street in Paulding. The clearing of this site will make room for the future Paulding VFW veterans’ memorial. Guest John Daeger attended, representing the VFW, and shared concerns about verifying compacting of backfill soil. This is critical for the setting of some of the granite memorial pillars. White will confirm compaction with the demolition team, Advance Demolition of McClure, Ohio, which was awarded the bid for this project.
Discussion from White then turned to estimating remaining funds from the $500,000 county allocation and identifying a next round of potential projects.
The committee then discussed additional grant funds. Indication from the Ohio Department of Development is that Paulding County has been awarded $300,000 of Welcome Home Ohio (WHO) grant funds. Unlike the demolition funding, these funds must be used to rehabilitate properties or residential structures. As the legal documentation is completed, the committee discussed several opportunities for current Land Bank-owned properties and potential new purchases to identify the best use of the funds. No decisions were made at this time.
The next meeting will take place on June 11 at 8:30 am in the commissioner’s office.
by Isabella Carwile | May 5, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, Events, New Business, PCED Office, Property Development, Shoutout
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release May 5, 2025
PAULDING—111 Beauty Lounge has now opened and will hold its open house on Saturday, May 17th. The new owner, Megan Kauser, has purchased the former Styles Unlimited business at 221 W. Wayne Street. The salon has been a cornerstone of the community since 1986. The new ownership will strive to continue great services well into the future.
111 Beauty Lounge is a full-service salon committed to providing exceptional beauty care in the region. Focusing on creating a welcoming atmosphere and high-quality services, the salon is proud to continue serving the community as a trusted destination for self-care and creative flair.
Kauser brings over a decade of experience as a licensed cosmetologist. Having honed her craft at Salon 104 in Paulding, she is known for her expertise in pedicures, manicures, nail art, and her certification in eyelash extensions. She has been performing this work and building clientele for six years.
“I’m thrilled to take on this new chapter and honored to carry forward the legacy of Styles Unlimited,” said Kauser. “Our goal at 111 Beauty Lounge is to create a welcoming and relaxing space where clients can feel their best. We look forward to serving the Paulding County community with personalized, high-quality beauty services.”
Styles Unlimited was originally established by Konnie Gerber, who dedicated over 39 years to her craft as a beautician, creating countless, unforgettable moments for her clients. Kauser looks forward to continuing this tradition of excellence while introducing her services with her unique touch.
111 Beauty Lounge will also offer a variety of beauty treatments designed to meet the needs of individuals and families across the area. For more information or
by Isabella Carwile | May 5, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, Events, New Business, PCED Office
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release May 5, 2025
PAULDING – Pet owners across Northwest Ohio have a reason to celebrate!
Scoop Patrol Champs (SPC) is a professional dog waste removal service dedicated to keeping outdoor spaces clean, safe, and pet-friendly. Proudly serving all of Northwest Ohio, the company provides flexible, affordable services to meet the needs of pet owners, families, and businesses
SPC currently serves many nearby cities and villages of Paulding, Defiance, Antwerp, Payne, Bryan, Hicksville, Napoleon, Oakwood, and is open to serving other pet-occupied properties in the region.
Founded by Melinda Bidlack, SPC is built on the belief that every pet deserves a clean, safe play space and that busy pet owners deserve a break. “Our mission is simple,” said Bidlack. “We help keep backyards waste-free so families can enjoy their space without the mess and stress. We’re proud to be the go-to crew for clean, pet-friendly outdoor spaces.”
SPC offers flexible scheduling options to suit any need, including weekly, biweekly, monthly, or one-time cleanups. With affordable pricing and no long-term contracts, their services are perfect for private homes, apartment complexes, dog-friendly businesses, and homeowners’ associations (HOAs).
With a mission to give families, pet owners, and businesses one less thing to worry about, Scoop Patrol Champs is here to help create cleaner yards and happier pups—one scoop at a time. For more information or to schedule a service, visit www.scoop-patrol-champs.com or call 419-438-5026.
by Isabella Carwile | Apr 17, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, Events, New Business, PCED Office, Shoutout
ANTWERP – This week, H&W Napa Automotive opened their new expanded location at 5141 Road 424 in Antwerp. Additionally, the new store brings a hardware store back to the community as it includes a Do It Best Hardware. With the expanded space comes expanded store hours. The retail store will now be open Monday through Friday, 7 am-6 pm, and Saturday, 8 am-12 pm. The Antwerp Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting to commemorate the opening.
Pictured left to right: Paulding County Economic Development Director Tim Copsey, chamber member Sue Fowler, store manager Brandon Headley, owners Randy Headley & Jared Headley, and chamber members Shelly Walker, Heather Matusiak, and Jennifer Ankney. *picture by Angel Steiner, West Bend Printing & Publishing
by Isabella Carwile | Apr 10, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, Events, Funding, PCED Office, Shoutout, Workforce
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release April 9, 2025
PAULDING – Lisa Lawson, Project Manager for Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Center for Regional Development (CRD), held a grant writing workshop at the Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) office here. The session empowered 16 local professionals, representing 13 individual businesses, by equipping them with essential skills to navigate the often complicated world of grants.
Lawson introduced attendees to valuable resources designed to streamline the grant-writing process and enhance their chances of securing funding for their initiatives. “CRD is happy to support our rural community partners as part of our mission under the state-funded Rural Universities Program -to support local economic, community, and public health initiatives. It is also part of our mission at BGSU to serve the public good,” stated Lawson.
Participants explored a wide range of grant exploration opportunities and reviewed critical details needed for submitting effective strategies and pre-planning and successful applications. The attendees walked away with a deeper understanding of the grant landscape, ready to transform their newfound knowledge into actionable results for their organizations.
With the help of the BGSU-CRD team, the PCED office remains committed to fostering growth and empowering local businesses with tools and resources for long-term success.
by Isabella Carwile | Apr 9, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC), Events, PCED Office, Property Development, Shoutout
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release April 9, 2025
ANTWERP – Paulding County is preparing for its own future growth as major project investment takes place in surrounding counties. This week, the Powell, Ohio-based development group BMJW Investments LLC, with affiliate entity MWB Investments LLC, closed on three parcels totaling approximately 89 acres of “ready to develop” property in the northeast corner of the US24/Highway 49 intersection. This location is on the south end of the Village of Antwerp. Sitting along US24, the site is 20 miles west of Defiance, Ohio, and 15 miles east of the I-469 loop around Fort Wayne, IN. With all the growth taking place in both northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio, this location has unlimited potential for future growth.
This exciting development project has been on the county’s radar since the new four-lane US24 highway opened in 2012. Since that time the Antwerp/Payne/Paulding County Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) has had an option to purchase 64 acres on the north end of this property from owners Don & Elaine Benschneider. As CIC discussions with BMJW Investments began, they quickly realized that in addition to those 64 acres, they would also need to purchase the 19 acres owned by the Marlin family and 8 additional acres of property owned by the Antwerp Community Church. With both of those parcels having US24 frontage, it was critical to incorporate these parcels to maximize the development potential for the project site.
BMJW investments worked closely with the CIC and each seller to develop purchase agreements on the properties. Finally, on the last day of March 2025, the stars aligned, and the BMJW team was able to close on the entire property, totaling nearly 89 acres.
Unlike the Benschneider and church parcels already sitting in the village limits, the Marlin farm property sits in Carryall Township. The property has been a topic for discussion between village and township officials, for a while, and is expected to be annexed into the village following a review of the project by county commissioners.
Similar to other recent development projects in Paulding County, this project has been an incredible collaboration of entities from all over the county and state. Included in the project discussions were the Antwerp Village Council, CIC, Carryall Township, the Benschneider family, the Marlin Family, the Antwerp Community Church, the Antwerp Exchange Bank, the Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) office, BMJW Investment team, the Paulding County Commissioners and the Ohio Department of Development.
CIC President Tom VanVlerah remarked, “Having worked with so many people and groups these past years, it is a pleasure to see this project come to fruition. I’m very proud of all who worked to make this happen. Past and current members of the CIC team have invested lots of time to bring this development to where it is now. We are thankful for all the support and effort, and to BMJW Investments, and look forward to seeing the future of Antwerp possibilities.”
Currently identified as the “Antwerp Square” project in tentative development plans, the residential portion of the project will potentially begin on the north end of the property, adjacent to the Antwerp Local School complex. The CIC had previously been donated a property, along the east side of Highway 49, that connects the highway with this development property. The property was donated by Leo & Jane Stumphy and included an older outbuilding. The building was removed by Ben Kauser Excavating to make room for a new public road which was 75% funded by a grant from the Ohio Department of Development. The CIC paid for the other 25% of the road infrastructure cost. The road, including curbs and adequate surface drainage, is in place and ready for use.
John Wicks, managing member of BMJW Investments, stated, “We are excited about all the potential this development project could bring to Antwerp and Paulding County. It has been a pleasure to work with the CIC, local governments, and property owners in what has truly felt like a partnership throughout our due diligence and acquisition processes. We look forward to collaborating with local and regional builders, businesses and investors to create an inspired mixed-use community”.
BMJW Investments will be looking to speak with interested building and development groups including, but not limited to, single-family residential builders, duplex and triplex builders, multi-family residential, senior living, service sector facilities and offices, light manufacturing, and retail and commercial opportunities, including a hotel, travel plaza, and restaurants.
The PCED office is currently collecting funds to update a hotel study that was completed for the region in 2019. Updating the study will put data into real, post-covid numbers and will provide the information needed for potential hotel builders to review, and decide if building the first hotel in the county in decades, can be successful.
Tim Copsey, Economic Director, added, “This type of forward thinking, collaboration and investment is what Paulding County needs. This project provides us an opportunity for overall population growth, increase in student count, and a capacity for business growth. It is exciting to get this project past the point of a dream and actually taking place. Thanks to the efforts of all involved, the potential is wide open here now!”
The development could begin construction in 2025 pending agreements with potential buyers of at least 2 subareas within the mixed-use development. For questions, opportunities or interest in the project please contact the Paulding County Economic Development office 419-399-8282.
