Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

To Begin Building in March '97; 100 Jobs To Be Created

Christmas has come to Prescott in the form of about 100 new jobs.

A Lubbock, Texas truck and travel center will definitely be locating in Prescott at Exit 44.

Rip Griffin's Truck and Travel Centers formally announced their intentions to locate in Nevada County Monday, Dec. 18.

A press release from the company stated it will close on property in Prescott March 15, 1996 and begin construction of a new truck and travel center about a year afterward.

This center, according to the release, will have full-scale diesel and gasoline service, a convenience store/gift shop, a 180 seat full service restaurant, at least one franchised fast-foot center, a truck repair shop and the company's normal driver and traveler amenities.

These amenities include showers, a lounge and communications center which have facsimile (fax) and automated teller facilities.

The company expects to hire more than 100 people to work at the center, with 95 percent to be hired locally.

Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor said this has been a goal of his since he took office.

"Jobs are needed in Prescott," he said. "We need people.

"This was brought about by a lot of hard work. We've been persistent and stayed with it. This will be one of their classic places."

Taylor said the overall facility will cost the company about $5 million to construct.

In addition, he said, engineers are almost done with plans to get water and sewer to the area the city recently annexed in.

He said they will be ready to let bids for the project in late spring or early summer. This, he said, was one of the contributing factors in getting Rip Griffin's to locate in Prescott.

"Business expansion of this nature does not happen by accident," Mark Griffin, secretary/general counsel for the company, said.

The Rip Griffin Truck Service Center family publicly acknowledged the help of several local citizens who helped make this center a reality in Prescott. Those people include Gene Monk, the former director of the Nevada County Economic Development Office, Jim Sharkey, Monk's replacement, Taylor, Nevada County Judge John Barham, H.H. McKenzie, Stella Pittman and John Brannan Jr. In addition, Congressman Jay Dickey was lauded for his work with the city and the company.

"It has always been our intent and purpose to be good citizens wherever we locate our centers," Griffin said. "It is our hope we will stop the traffic on Interstate 30 and provide them a reason to come into Prescott for needs we may not be able to fill through our truck/travel center.

"We are excited about this development and look forward to becoming part of the Prescott, Nevada County business community."