GREENSVILLE COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) -- The Georgia-Pacific plant has been in business for decades, but come Nov. 1, the weathered facility will close.
The more than 80 employees, who heard the news from company executives early Wednesday morning, will be paid for the next 60 days.
As word began to spread through the community, many realized that when the plant shuts down, it will have a ripple effect across the Southside Virginia.
It will start with the truckers and loggers who provide the raw materials and trickle down to small businesses.
Betty Seward runs the more than 50 year old Veliky service station just down the road from the plant. She's worried with the economy and now this, it could seriously impact her business.
Greensville County will also feel the effect in the county coffers, since Georgia-Pacific pays about $140,000 in taxes annually.
In the town of Jarratt, the fire department gets about 5-percent of its budget via a donation from Georgia-Pacific.
Lennie Ellzey, with Jarratt Hardware knows, some of his customers may have to delay spending money in the store after being laid off.
"We've got numerous employees that work there that aren't going to be able to shop here," said Ellzey. "It's going to have a big effect on the town and other businesses."
And the closing comes, right at the holiday shopping season is about to begin.
