MCM’s story began with a carpenter and grew through the people, projects, and relationships that followed. Those early years developed into a substantial presence in retail construction.
Like many businesses, we went through a difficult stretch during the recession. The experience left us questioning whether we wanted to continue in the industry. We closed our first company in 2014 and took time to consider what came next.
Rebuilding happened gradually. Through familiar connections, trustworthy people, and opportunities to do good work together, MCM began reconnecting with clients and forming new relationships. Slowly, we carved out a niche within a niche. Finding reliable people who cared about their work became the foundation for a better chapter.
The move back to Stokesdale became part of that chapter.
A handshake and an old hardware store
Around 2018, while looking for office space in Stokesdale, a conversation with Ted Southern led somewhere unexpected: a handshake deal to purchase the old Southern Hardware building downtown.
Built in 1906, the building had been part of the town for generations. It needed substantial work, but it had character worth preserving—and the potential to become a home for MCM.
What began with one building grew into a broader commitment to the block. The family purchased neighboring properties and parking areas, restored the spaces, and brought in tenants. Building by building, the work brought activity back to Main Street and gave residents renewed pride in the heart of their town.
Building something worth keeping
The family financed the restoration entirely and worked together to bring the buildings back to life. It was a substantial undertaking, and the financial return alone would have been difficult to justify. But the buildings mattered, and so did what they could become.
For a father of three daughters, it also meant leaving something tangible for the family to carry forward: buildings they could own, care for, and keep connected to the town for generations.
During COVID, as some hospital work slowed, MCM brought members of its team into the office renovation. That helped keep people working while moving the restoration forward.
The work went far beyond fresh paint. It involved making aging buildings safe and useful again while preserving the details that gave them their identity. MCM also coordinated with Duke Power to relocate utility wiring and improve the appearance of Main Street.
Inside the office, wood recovered from the original building was milled into trim and furniture. Materials that had served the building for generations became part of its next chapter.
Keeping Ted’s story in the building
Ted and Nancy Southern remained connected to the project throughout the renovation. Friends and family would bring Ted downtown and help him walk through the building so he could see the progress.
During one of those visits, a surprise was waiting: the old Southern Hardware sign, preserved and mounted inside the new office.
It is still there today.
Ted lived to see the finished space. The family remembers the pride he showed during his visits and how much the transformation meant to him. Restoring the building carried forward something he had cared about, and keeping the sign gave that history a permanent place in MCM’s home.
A downtown people could be proud of
After the office opened, residents regularly stopped in to say how much it meant to see downtown coming back to life.
People had hoped to see the buildings repaired. The finished spaces gave them something more: familiar places with a future.
Today, all of the downtown buildings the family owns are occupied. What started as a search for office space became a lasting investment in the town—and something the next generation can continue to care for.
It grew one decision, one building, and one relationship at a time.
A family business, built through relationships
Family remains central to MCM. Stephany serves as COO. Chris, Whitney’s husband, leads healthcare operations. Jessica supports procurement, purchasing, and project management. Michelle remains the family’s steady center, helping keep everything on track and making much of it possible.
Alongside them is a team that has grown through trusted relationships and shared experience. As clients and industry contacts moved into new roles, many brought MCM with them. Those connections helped expand the company’s work in luxury retail while its healthcare experience continued to grow.
Today, MCM brings that same personal involvement to demanding projects for national clients. The work may take us across the country, but the way we approach it remains close to home.
Good people doing good work together
We want clients to enjoy working with us.
Construction brings complications. Plans change, obstacles appear, and mistakes sometimes happen. Our responsibility is to address them, own our part, and work through them with as little disruption to the client as possible. We honestly feel that no one does this better than MCM.
We value straightforward conversations, fair dealing, and people who take pride in what they do. Strong relationships make it easier to solve difficult problems—and make the work more enjoyable along the way.
We get to build remarkable places with talented people. We believe the experience of building them should be something worth remembering, too.