MORGANTON, NC - American Hospitality Furniture LLC is one step closer to manufacturing in North Carolina after being granted approval to renovate the former Drexel Plant No. 60 in Morganton, which closed last summer.

According to Morganton's The News Herald, the startup will bring approximately 70 jobs to the city, with more possible as production ramps up. Work on upgrading the plant could begin as early as June.

The paper reports that at a March 2 meeting, the Morganton City Council approved a $75,000 CDBG Small Business Loan agreement for American Hospitality Furniture. An application for a $212,500 grant under the Rural Center Building Reuse and Restoration Development Grant, from the NC Department of Commerce, will also be submitted. 

American Hospitality Furniture is a manufacturer and importer of commercial indoor and outdoor restaurant furniture. According to the company's website, many of the tables and booths are made in the United States, while chairs are imported and assembled at its warehouse.