YORK–Roderick Pompey of Birmingham finally revealed his business plan for the nine buildings he bought a couple of weeks ago during an auction on Tuesday. During the meeting Pompey said, “I can’t do this project alone. I need help from Governor Riley, U.S. Representative Artur Davis and Mayor Gosa.”

Pompey and his three associates met with local business owner Kaye Kiker, Prison Minister Jim Harris, Johnny Davis and George Watkins who are members of the York Industrial Development Board during this meeting where he talked about his future plans for his new acquisitions.

Pompey’s first desire is to turn the building that is located on Highway 11 into a seafood market restaurant. They will sell fresh fish, which will be delivered daily as well as have a sit down restaurant. He wants to team up with George Sarris, who is the ‘King of Seafood in Birmingham’ to bring this business to life in York.

“I want to get George under a contract, so we can get this restaurant up and running. The motto for my fish market will be ‘you buy, we fry,'” Pompey said.

Davis liked the idea of the seafood market and thought it would do well in this area.

“Everyone loves seafood around here especially when it is cooked right,” Davis said.

Pompey will have to build some new additions to the building in order to get it ready to house this restaurant. He will add another building to house the kitchen and will also have a drive through window.

“I have a cousin who will be coming down to look at the building so we make sure it is ready to go,” Pompey said.

Pompey also wants to turn one of his other buildings into a breakfast and lunch shop.

He wants a place where the people can come and watch television and drink coffee, before going to work. They will also offer lunch on Sunday from 11-3 for the church crowds.

“I envision a place where people can come and talk about local things while drinking their coffee and eating breakfast,” Pompey said.

Harris thought the shop was a good idea, but was a little concerned about the issue of parking. He also thought that the building was a little too small to hold a couple of church groups on Sunday.

“The idea is a good one, but the parking is way too limited to support this business,” Harris said.

After hearing of the problems with parking, Pompey decided to move the restaurant to his biggest building on the corner and turn the other building into a complete meat market.

“I was going to have the market in the big building, but I decided to move it to make room for the restaurant and the children center on the second floor,” Pompey said.

Another one of Pompey’s ideas was to turn one of the smaller buildings into a computer/communications store. This store would sell cell phones, computers, and broadband Internet service as well as have a computer technician on hand.

“This would allow the people of York a chance to own a computer for a very low price. The computers are the way of the future and our children are behind,” Pompey said.

Harris added the idea of having a broadband tower so the store could offer wireless Internet service for a low price.

“You could build the tower and then offer the Internet to the customers in the restaurant and child center in the big building on the corner,” Harris said.

The biggest building was saved for last because Pompey plans to have a restaurant and a child development center on the second floor of the building. The idea is that while the parents are eating the child can be upstairs learning dance or in the computer lab.

One of Pompey’s biggest concerns is for the children of the area. He wants to build a place that can come together with the Coleman Center’s efforts in teaching the children of Sumter County art and dance.

“I have got to do something for the kids.

I love the children very much and want to give them a place where they can expand their minds and learn some valuable culture,” Pompey said.

Pompey also wants to open a clothing store that caters to plus size men and women. He has connections to people that can get the newest fashions from New York and Miami.

“Being a plus size man myself, I know how hard it is to find nice clothes. So, I want to open a clothing store for my plus size men and women,” Pompey said.

Three of the other buildings are currently housing businesses of which Pompey plans to collect rent or either he will move them out and put something else in.

Pompey who originally is from Texas was a Methodist A+M pastor for over 23 years. He currently does prison ministering as well as owns a landscaping business in Birmingham. He plans to move to York in the next couple of weeks to be able to mold and nurture his businesses.