Makeover transforms space into modern corporate facility
(Winston-Salem, NC) – An 88-year-old food company is transforming an 88-year old downtown building into a modern corporate headquarters. The October move of Garner Foods’ corporate personnel to the renovated Nash-Bolich building on 4th Street in Winston-Salem is more about the future than the past.
“The decision to make the move is part of our commitment to the next generation of leadership within this family-owned company,” says Ann Garner Riddle, President and Chief Executive Officer of the company famous for its Texas Pete® sauces and Green Mountain Gringo® salsa and tortilla strips. The fourth-generation management team includes Glenn Garner as Chief Marketing Officer, Heyward Garner as Chief Operating Officer and Matt McCullum, the company’s Chief Financial Officer.
“Garner Foods has been committed to Winston-Salem’s downtown revitalization for several years,” says Glenn Garner. “Our Texas Pete® Culinary Arts Festival each September draws thousands of people to the downtown. Now, we are bringing more than twenty people to the downtown each work day to eat, shop, or just enjoy the downtown lifestyle during lunch or after work.”
Constructed by J.A. Bolich, the Renaissance Revival-style building was first purchased by Prudential Life Insurance Company and was later owned by the Smithdeal family in 1944. The most recent use of the building’s upper floor had been as a secretarial school.
The company leased the second floor of the Nash-Bonich building from the developer, Nash Building, LLC, in 2015.
A notable addition of the renovation is a modern test kitchen located on the ground level with large glass walls facing 4th Street. This upscale demonstration kitchen is equipped for use in recipe development, focus groups and special tasting events for foodservice or supermarket executives.
The 14,500-square-foot facility is both employee and environmentally friendly. With exposed brick and original hardwood floors from its days as a secretarial college, employees can be found at numerous gathering points, including two outdoor spaces, and at their ergonomic workstations. The renovations followed LEED certification concepts to conserve energy and water.
Architectural accents were designed to connect employees with their heritage, including the familiar cloud and star found within the Texas Pete® logo and the Four Garners trademark that signifies the original founders of the company in 1929.
“The mix of a modern design within a storied old downtown building speaks well of our commitment to Winston-Salem and our heritage,” says Heyward Garner, who splits his time between the new downtown office and the company’s manufacturing facility on Indiana Avenue. The company also operates two distribution facilities in Winston-Salem.
“We’re still adding some finishing touches to our new space,” says Matt McCollum, who oversaw the construction process. “Yet, we can already tell this is a perfect new home for our employees and our company. We love it here.”
About Garner Foods
Headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Garner Foods is famous for its Texas Pete® Hot Sauce. Founded in 1929 as a maker of barbecue sauce, the company now sells a full line of hot sauces, wing sauces and seafood cocktail sauce under the Texas Pete® brand, CHA! by Texas Pete® Sriracha Sauce, as well as, ¡Sabor! by Texas Pete® Mexican-Style Hot Sauce, and salsa and tortilla strips under the Green Mountain Gringo® brand. Texas Pete® and Green Mountain Gringo® products are sold in supermarkets, military commissaries, convenience stores and restaurants throughout the United States. Learn more at TexasPete.com and GreenMountainGringo.com.