Drayage Brokersin Norfolk, VA

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Some say a new Norfolk business is so addictive, and the bargains are so good, it has them getting up before the crack of dawn just to be one of the first people inside.

They’ll get there at 4:45, 3 or even as early as 1:30 a.m., and the place doesn’t even open until 10.

“My sister comes at 5 o’clock in the morning to get a ticket, so they give out tickets at 6. She comes at 5, so we were one of the first ones into the store,” said Gary Sutton, a Yorktown resident whose sister lives in Virginia Beach.

That ticket is key if you want first dibs on whatever’s inside that day, everything from tools and electronics to toys and furniture. Because by the time the 30,000-square-foot store officially opens for the day, there’s usually more than a hundred people lined up and champing at the bit.

The store is called Treasure Hunt Liquidators, located off E. Virginia Beach Blvd. in a shopping center near the old Military Circle Mall. It’s the first Hampton Roads location and third overall for the regional chain. The first opened in February 2021 in Raleigh and a fourth store around 40,000 square feet is in the works for Concord, North Carolina.

Since the Norfolk location opened back in January, many people said they’ll go multiple days a week hunting for big deals, after learning about Treasure Hunt through Facebook, word-of-mouth, or TikTok, where the store has a dedicated social media presence.

It’s culminated into a “bad addiction” for some. Several people admitted Friday that they were playing hooky from work, one person for two Fridays in a row. That’s the day owners say a ticketing system is necessary to keep crowds under control.

The place is completely restocked Friday after being closed the day before, and customers have the best chance of scoring higher-end products. The price for each item in the bins on Fridays: $10.

And there’s no limit on how much you can buy.

“This is an all day thing … just keep going,” said owner Ozzy Ishmael.

When customers return items purchased from Amazon, JCPenney, etc., most of those products are resold by the truckload to liquidator companies such as Treasure Hunt.

“We have one of the biggest contracts in the nation when it comes to Amazon’s returns,” per Ishmael. He says about 80% of the store’s products come from the mega retailer.

The catch is that Treasure Hunt doesn’t know what’s inside those trucks. Sometimes they get a whole load of hand sanitizer.

But they’ll risk paying around $15,000 per truck, knowing most of the time there will be items people want.

“We get these truckloads weekly, we drop about a 30,000 pieces a week into these bins,” Ishmael said, pointing to the large bins of products that occupy about half the store’s floor.

Bin stores aren’t an entirely new phenomenon, having popped nationwide and in other locations in Hampton Roads, but Ishmael says he believes Treasure Hunt’s popularity comes from offering higher quality products. For example, the price point on Friday for each item starts at $10, compared to competitors that can cap out at lower dollar amounts.

“You find a lot of branded stuff worth hundreds of dollars in these bins and you can get ’em for $10 on a Friday. “… from top-end brands such as Uggs, Nautica, Lacoste … Apple products and stuff like that.”

The prices for each item in the bins go down each day of the week, to just $1 on Wednesday. Ishmael says they’ll hold less expensive products for those days, but there’s not much of a drop off when it comes to lines. There can still be as many as a hundred people lined up on Wednesdays for $1 day.

And no matter what day you go, the bins are constantly being restocked — unlike a barbeque joint that closes up once the pig gets picked. Though come Thursday, the store closes to the public and the bins are completely emptied to prepare for the big reopening each Friday.

“We’ve got more appliances, more tools to put in, more clothes, homegoods, all the good stuff. It’s all about the premium goods. It does cost … that’s why we have a section that’s called the Treasure Chest, and with that it helps us to put up more on the tables and save on costs on the back end,” said Ishmael, who employs about 15 employees at the Norfolk location.

Those Treasure Chest items are tucked away behind a special counter, and range from Apple watches and Legos to laptops and tablets.

Prices for those items are negotiable, and the store will also price match if you find a lower price elsewhere. Ace Sbaiss, who manages the Norfolk store, also pointed out of the tiny treasure boxes hidden away inside the bins. If customers find one of the mini chests, they can get a Treasure Chest item for as low as $10, or get a major markdown on furniture/appliances.

A fuzzy magenta couch on display for example was marked down to $2,300 already from an estimated retail cost of $5,750. With the treasure chest add-on, it would only be $130.

There’s also the “Mystery Box,” perched atop the Treasure Chest. There’s no description other than a whopping price point: $500.

Chesapeake resident Tony Stacy had no idea what would be inside, but he was feeling lucky and took the plunge. He and his son Zach were second in line Friday morning after getting there at 1:30 a.m. for a ticket.

“This is the casino today,” Stacy joked.

A smiling Stacy would later pull out cameras, wireless routers, headphones, an electric toothbrush, a boombox, a video projector and more from the box. “Oh this thing’s loaded, Zach,” Stacy added.

There were at least 15 items total, worth well over the $500 price tag, Stacy said.

“We should try that again, Zach.”

WAVY caught up in line with youngster Sameir Dhalai, a Buffalo resident who stopped by Treasure Hunt with his family while visiting the area.

“I want something I can play with, I can watch with and I can cook with,” said Dhalai, who listed eggs and meat (specifically steak) as his go-to dishes.

And he cleaned up inside. WAVY later spotted Dhalei in the parking lot with a TV and several other items in tow.

Gary Sutton, the Yorktown resident whose sister got there at 5 a.m. for a ticket, ended up with 12 items in total, from weighted blankets to a basketball hoop for his grandson. He plans to give them all away as gifts.

Virginia Beach resident Mike McNeal heard about Treasure Hunt from a coworker and said he only really came out for a coffee maker.

“And ended up with about 13 or 14 items … there was a lot of good bargains in there, so it was definitely worth it.”

Tammie Stern learned about Treasure Hunt through a friend, and left before 5 a.m. on February 17 all the way from Mappsville on the Eastern Shore to get a spot in line. She went in looking for a blower and ended up spending $100.

Jacob Hopson, pastor of The Vineyard Church in Hampton and founder of the nonprofit grocery store The Storehouse, was getting items to help his church community and other people in the neighborhood. He had a full cart, with everything from bug zappers and tools to his biggest find: a pet salon kit.

Overall, about half of those who spoke with WAVY said they go on to resell the products they buy at a profit. But whether they go for business or pleasure, Treasure Hunt Liquidators is proving to be a thrill for treasure hunters of all ages.

The store at 5759 E Virginia Beach Blvd. is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It’s closed on Thursday to be fully restocked. You can read more about them on their website.

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – A local disability rights advocacy group is pushing for changes in the Norfolk landscape after people with disabilities voiced concern about navigating the city.

One of the advocates is Jesse Monroe. He has arthrogryposis.

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“It tightens my joints and muscles, so I can’t move my limbs at all,” he said.

Monroe uses a wheelchair to get around. He said Hampton Boulevard was hard to navigate.

“I was walking with a couple of friends for lunch, and I noticed it was really hard to get around the area. The sidewalks were very chaotic,” he said.

Janice Taylor experienced the same frustration in Downtown Norfolk.

“I am very nervous about crossing and having balance issues, so when the light change, usually before I get across the street, so the cars seem to swerve around me,” Taylor said.

Virginia Organizing advocates like Taylor and Monroe took the issues to city council.

“These things have to be addressed better,” Monroe said at a city council meeting in October.

Norfolk City Council listened.

“Jessie has made some really good suggestions,” Councilwoman Courtney Doyle said at the meeting. “I would encourage the city manager and team to look into this,”

Some of the issues, like the uneven payment near where Monroe lives, have been fixed. Others will take a while.

“They are constantly working on some of those items, but of course, it takes time,” Taylor said.

Taylor said they are in the process of checking things off the list, including better building accessibility and affordable housing.

A spokesperson for the City of Norfolk told 10 On Your Side:

“We remain committed to making Norfolk as accessible as possible for the benefit of all our residents and visitors.”

Some of the quick fixes are already making it easier for Monroe to grab lunch with his friends.

“It makes it a lot more easy and safe for me,” he said.

Taylor said slowing down and keeping off your phone helps keep everyone safe.

She urges drivers to be gracious if someone is taking longer to cross the street.

Three businesses met with the Downtown Norfolk Council on Friday to discuss the rollout of a test phase of a new accreditation program titled "Safe Night."

NORFOLK, Va. — It’s a goal within reach under the right conditions: a safer nightlife environment for the Downtown district of Norfolk.

“It’s one of the only places around with a true downtown,” Baxter Simmons said.

Since 2005, Baxter’s Sports Lounge has greeted passers-by at the corner of Granby and Bute streets, at the top of the street’s downtown corridor.

Now Simmons -- owner of the longtime operated bar -- has a chance to guide a path forward for the rest of the downtown area.

“There is a definite disconnect between operations and the city government itself based on the last year and a half. I think this will create some of those relationships and bonds, and feel comfortable working together,” he said.

Simmons is one of three business owners who met Friday with the Downtown Norfolk Council to discuss the rollout of a test phase of a new accreditation program titled “Safe Night.” The program, already implanted in other municipalities, is a process that works to improve, upgrade and streamline safety requirements for city bars and restaurants.

Simmons noted that the process in this potential accreditation process is similar to the work restaurants already complete to operate, but that it would be a proactive way to demonstrate the investment into public safety.

“Sort of like an extra notification you can put something on your door or window and say, 'We’ve gone through the Safe Night program' or whatever it will be called, and show you’ve made that commitment to safety,” he said.

The other businesses involved in this test period are the Brothers Steakhouse located downtown, and Legacy Restaurant and Lounge.

Legacy, currently operating as a restaurant with no alcohol, is still dealing with the fallout of having its conditional use permit revoked by the city council after a quadruple shooting outside its doors last year.

The testing of this new accreditation program comes after months of calls to clean up the city’s downtown district following several violent incidents, and according to Simmons, it could eventually be something available to every restaurant looking to serve alcohol in the city.

“A lot of requirements on the restaurants, but this is meant to be an educational tool," he stated.

The Downtown Norfolk Council tells 13News Now the drafts of this accreditation model are “unavailable” at this time, as they are still being drafted.

Legislation aims to recruit students for high-demand jobs in Virginia

Norfolk and Virginia State Universities may soon be able to offer reduced tuition rates for certain out-of-state students after the General Assembly passed a pair of bills granting them that authority.

An earlier version of the legislation could have opened the door for all public higher education institutions in Virginia to offer reduced out-of-state tuition for some students. However, that language was removed during final negotiations between the House and Senate before the bill’s passage last week, according to Del. Mike Cherry, R-Colonial Heights, who carried the legislation in the House.

“We wanted [the legislation] to be very narrowed, because we were trying to help our HBCUs to recruit highly qualified people for the high-demand jobs that are available here in Virginia,” Cherry told the Mercury Friday, referring to historically Black colleges and universities.

Of Virginia’s five HBCUs, Norfolk State and Virginia State are the only public ones. The other three — Hampton University, Virginia Union University and Virginia University of Lynchburg — are private.

Cherry said data shows graduates in high-demand fields are likely to stay after graduation, and so “we think this program really helps us recruit talent from out of state, bring them in, get them these high-demand jobs, and keep them here in Virginia.”

According to the legislation, which was carried by Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, in the Senate, Norfolk State and Virginia State would be allowed to charge a reduced tuition rate to any out-of-state student who has completed at least 30 credit hours of coursework and is enrolled in a data science and technology, science and engineering, health care or education program.

If an out-of-state student being charged a reduced tuition rate were to switch to another program not leading to a job in a high-demand field, they would be charged tuition at the full rate for non-Virginia students.

“We’ve worked very hard to get this through both chambers,” Cherry said. “It was great working with Sen. Lucas on the Senate side to make sure that we got the right bill for these HBCUs and to make sure that they’re able to do what we need them to do, which is to continue to grow and thrive in today’s challenging world of education.”

As Virginia seeks to grow its technology, health care and education workforce, the bills could pave the way for future legislation to offer similar authority to other public higher education institutions.

Another bill that would have authorized reduced tuition rates for out-of-state students at Radford University failed to get a hearing in a House education subcommittee this past session. That bill would have limited the reduced rate to students who resided in the Appalachian region, a federally designated area including all of West Virginia and parts of 12 other states including Virginia.

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284 jobs expected in $23.8M investment

Princo LLC, a joint venture comprised of health care companies Premier Inc., Vario Labs LLC and Caretrust LLC, will invest up to $23.8 million to establish a health care products manufacturing facility in Norfolk, creating an expected 284 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday.

Princo will initially invest $18.1 million with the potential to invest another $5.7 million. The 80,000-square-foot facility, located in the Norfolk Industrial Park, will manufacture incontinence pads, which are used by more than 4,400 hospitals and other health care providers around the country. The project brings the production of the pads from Southeast Asia to the United States.

“This tremendous new venture represents the onshoring of a necessary health care product, a boost for the industry supply chain, and high-quality manufacturing jobs all happening in the commonwealth of Virginia,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Princo LLC’s new manufacturing facility in the city of Norfolk will benefit from the region’s outstanding logistical advantages, skilled workforce and diverse ecosystem of suppliers, innovators and customers. This venture is a blueprint for future investment in Virginia, and we look forward to the company’s future success.”

Vario Labs, a wholly owned subsidiary of PremiumEstore LLC, also known as Premium-PPE, is based in Virginia Beach. Premium-PPE is a domestic manufacturer of personal protective equipment, including disposable masks. It has supplied more than 100 million FDA-cleared masks to the federal government since early 2020.

Charlotte, North Carolina-based Premier Inc. does group purchasing, technology, consulting and provides other services to the health care industry. Caretrust specializes in international materials, global product sourcing, logistics, supply chain management and manufacturing operations.

“A strong workforce, expanding port infrastructure and access to domestic and global markets make the commonwealth of Virginia an ideal location for the production of incontinence pads — a vital product for our nation’s healthcare providers,” Michael J. Alkire, president and CEO of Premier, said in a statement. “We thank the governor, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and the city of Norfolk officials for their work with us on this project. This investment and their support will help drive greater domestic production of the supplies providers need to care for patients — and strengthen resiliency in the U.S. health care supply chain.”

Princo will begin opening and hiring for the facility in March and a grand opening is scheduled for April, Brent Dillie, CEO of Princo USA, told Virginia Business. He said the pads are expected to be available for health care providers to purchase later in the spring/summer.

“With this investment, we are building market competition and bringing production to the United States to support health care providers and patients nationwide,” he said.

VEDP worked with Norfolk to secure the project for Virginia. Youngkin approved a $50,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the city with the project. Princo is eligible to receive benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, as well as from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program. Funding and services to support employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

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