A&B Bargains Opens With Help From RCC's GATE Program

Hamlet, NC - December 1, 2011

Richmond Community College GATE Coordinator Natasha Khachaturov (left) was a key player in helping Joe and Karen Graves of Laurinburg open A & B Bargains on North Patterson Street in Maxton. The Growing America Through Entrepreneurship program is designed to help unemployed workers begin their own businesses. It operates through RCC Small Business Center in cooperation with local Employment Security Commission Job Link Centers. Karen Graves is holding their son, Aiden.

Taking good advice can work out to your advantage and save you lots of time and trouble. That's the case for Joe and Karen Graves of Laurinburg. They were referred to the Small Business Center at Richmond Community College when they called a local representative about getting a business license. They became clients of RCC's Growing America Through Entrepreneurship (GATE) Counselor Natasha Khachaturov and have just opened A&B Bargains, a thrift store on North Patterson Street in Maxton.

"I worked as a welder for three years and have been out of work for three years. Karen and I are enrolled at RCC and want to become teachers, but right now, we need to take our passion of going to yard sales and turn it into a profitable business," said Joe Graves.

Graves said Khachaturov helped him create a business plan, look at his competition, and put his plans into action.

"I was jumping around here and there not realizing what it actually takes to open a business. There's a lot more than getting a building and putting merchandise in it. I looked at the demographics of the community and decided who would be my customers. Having Natasha involved early on kept me from making a lot of mistakes. After looking at things, we've decided to focus on selling gently used clothing," said Graves.

Khachaturov said she is proud of the Graves and admires their tenacity.

"They are drawn to this type of work and have used social networking sites to expand their inventory. The entire family has been involved and helped them take a hobby and turn it into a business. They are my first clients to open a business. I hope they'll be very successful," said Khachaturov.

Anyone interested in applying for the GATE program and working with Khachaturov to develop a business can contact her through the local Employment Security Commission, by calling 276-4260or by e-mailing nlkhachaturov@richmondcc.edu.