Home Care In Hampstead, NC

A rapidly growing breakfast chain is set to arrive in Hampstead shortly before Christmas.

Self-described as a "better breakfast" restaurant, Eggs Up Grill will open the doors to its newest location on Monday, Dec. 22, a news release from Eggs Up Grill announced.

Eggs Up Grill has over 100 locations in operation, though that number could double soon with more moves like this. The restaurant chain has 85 additional locations that are in development.

The Eggs Up Grill in Hampstead will join several others in the Wilmington area, including in Leland, Southport and one toward Carolina Beach. The Hampstead restaurant is located 36 Station Way, Unit A.

Eggs Up Grill

Eggs Up Grill was founded in Pawley's Island, South Carolina, over 25 years ago. Since then, the chain has expanded across the eastern United States with locations in 11 states.

While eggs may be the focus at Eggs Up Grill, the chain serves a wide variety of breakfast options, and even some lunch options. Customers can expect to find breakfast meats, pancakes and waffles, coffee, sides, and even burgers and sandwiches on the menu.

According to the news release for the Hampstead location opening, "comfort, connection and hospitality" are focuses for the chain.

Heads up for Eggs Up

The Eggs Up Grill in Hampstead will open its doors on Monday, Dec. 22 at 6 a.m. After that, it will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Plans are also in place for a larger grand opening celebration that would include giveaways, activities for families, and even a chance to enter to win breakfast for a year, the release stated. The event date hasn't been announced yet.

Local ownership

According to the news release, the Hampstead location is owned and operated by Uber Quezada.

Quezada and his family live in Hampstead and plan for the restaurant to become a partner to local schools, youth programs and organizations, the release stated.

“Opening an Eggs Up Grill is more than a business decision; it is a family decision,” Quezada said. “My goal is to create a place where families in Hampstead feel at home, just like mine does. We are excited to bring great food, warm hospitality and a true community atmosphere to the neighborhood we love.”

Quezada already has his sights set on the future. He plans to expand the business with more locations in Pender, Brunswick and Duplin counties in the future, the release stated.

Charlie Kingree is the Pender County and trending topics reporter for the StarNews. He can be reached at [email protected].

Construction on Pender County's newest elementary and middle schools is moving right along.

Although the openings of the J.H. Lea Elementary and Middle Schools is still a long way off -- both are scheduled to open in August 2027 -- lots of visible progress is being made.

Among the most recent updates, while not construction related, is the naming of mascots for the two schools. The choices were a product of the ideas of students from the top feeder schools and voting from the community.

The Pelicans were selected as the mascot for the elementary school and Marlins were chosen for the middle school. Now that the mascots have been picked, Pender County Schools has begun developing the branding.

And while the mascots were being picked, construction crews have been working away.

Over the past several months, the facility's metal frame has risen from the ground, making the skeleton of what will eventually be the large, modern-designed school.

Continuing construction

If you drive past the construction site on N.C. 210 in Hampstead, it's easy to see that construction is moving forward. Metal framing for multiple stories of the structure has been up for months now, and walls have started to go in.

According to a news release from Pender County Schools, construction crews have put in as many as 1,500 man-hours in one day to keep the project on schedule.

Among the most recent project milestones is the completion of all building foundations, and second-floor slabs have been completed on one wing.

Over the next two months, roofing will continue to go up, as will the brick veneer on the outside of the structure. Window fabrication will begin early next year.

Bob Fankboner, the communications coordinator for Pender County Schools, said the project hasn't hit any delays so far. Construction costs are also meeting the established projections, Fankboner said.

He added that the schools will be fully operational by its August 2027 opening date, meaning all parts of construction will be complete.

The main structure, which is spread across two main wings, will house classrooms, administrative offices, a gymnasium, a media center, and more. Site plans for the facility also show a baseball field and soccer field.

Lightening the load

With the completion date still over a year and a half away, exact enrollment projections haven't yet been made for the K-8 facility.

Nonetheless, the two schools will certainly lighten the load on the surrounding education system.

Fankboner said the two J.H. Lea schools will allow for 2,312 students to be enrolled at the schools' max capacity.

According to a news release from Pender County Schools, the primary feeder schools for J.H. Lea Elementary and Middle Schools will be South Topsail Elementary, Topsail Annandale Elementary and Topsail Middle School.

Charlie Kingree is the Pender County and trending topics reporter for the StarNews. He can be reached at [email protected].

HAMPSTEAD, N.C. (WECT) - Emergency crews responded to a house fire in Hampstead on Wednesday morning.

The fire was at a multistory home on 108 Key Largo Drive, according to a WECT crew at the scene.

Surf City Fire Department (SCFC) Chief Allen Wilson said crews from the department, Pender EMS and Fire and Holly Ridge Fire Department responded to the call at about 4 a.m. on Nov. 26. They arrived to find heavy fire in the back, attic and roof of the home.

“We made some interior tacks to stop the spread of the fire, but we were somewhat unsuccessful with the wind-driven fire coming off the water,” Wilson said. “But we were able to make some headway. We ended up having to go to a defensive operation once the roof started to collapse and the floors started to collapse on the second and third floors. So at that point and time, we had to switch our operations to a defensive posture for the safety of our crews.”

Two residents and a dog were in the home at the time of the fire but were able to evacuate safely, according to a spokesperson for Pender EMS and Fire.

Pender EMS and Fire said the home’s smoke alarms activated, causing the dog to bark and alert the residents to the fire.

Wilson said a house fire of any magnitude is devastating for a family, and to have it happen this time of year is especially hurtful.

“Any time somebody has a fire, it’s a very tragic loss for them and their families. But any time it’s a total loss, and right before a holiday season, it’s definitely much more impactful on that family,” Wilson said.

The fire was contained to one home, and no one was injured, Wilson said. He says that a situation like this still takes a toll on a family.

“Everybody has different plans and different ideas of what the holiday looks like, but most of those plans revolve around the home. And for you to lose your home right before the holidays, I can’t imagine...it’s definitely tragic and definitely takes its toll on those families,” Wilson said.

Crews extinguished the fire after working for several hours.

According to SCFD, the fire rekindled at around 10:46 a.m. on Nov. 27, and crews had it contained within 30 minutes.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.