A 140-year-old moving and storage business is setting up shop in North Carolina, including an office in Raleigh.
A 140-year-old moving and storage business is setting up shop in North Carolina, including an office in Raleigh.
E.E. Ward Moving & Storage Company, based near Columbus, Ohio, said Thursday it has expanded its operations to the Carolinas with offices in Charlotte and Raleigh. The company said the decision to expand south was made after the business saw surging demand for moves to and from North Carolina in recent years.
The company’s Raleigh office is at 1313 Transport Dr., off Highway 401 south of the city. E.E. Ward is starting with two employees locally with plans to add seven to 10 workers within the first year.
“With so many pieces aligning and new partnerships forming, it was undeniably time for us to expand to the Carolinas,” said Brian Brooks, president and co-owner of E.E. Ward. “Our company was founded on principles of quality service and strong moral character, which has supported our growth from Columbus to Charlotte and most recently Raleigh.”
The company is recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce as the oldest Black-owned company in the country.
E.E. Ward was founded in 1881 by John T. Ward of Columbus, Ohio, and his son, William. It started with two horses and a wagon. Today, it has a fleet of long-haul trucks and warehouses in Columbus and Charlotte. The company is also an agent for North American Van Lines.
The Triangle is home to some of the oldest historically Black-owned businesses in the country, such as Durham’s M&F Bank, founded in 1907, and North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, founded in 1898 and also based in Durham.
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