Stevenson Looks to Future After Shaw Closure

Stevenson, Alabama's largest employer has closed. Shaw Industries shut down its plant last week, and now the town of about 1,800 has lost about 400 jobs.

"I'll find a job. That's about all I can do." Doug Stevens worked at Shaw for 23 years. William Langford worked there for 25 in the maintenance department. "This is the worst."

Langford tells us some of the workers transferred to Shaw plants in Valley Head, Alabama and Trenton, Georgia. He says others have found work in Bridgeport. But he's heard more than 100 are still looking. "I would say as a whole, people are hurting, but people will survive."

There's indication of that nearby at Friday's Restaurant, where the open sign is on and the food is hot. Among the lunch crowd we find the Mayor of Stevenson, Rickey Steele, who gives us even more insight.

"The real part that's so devastating to our area is this affects the city from the standpoint of taxes that came through Shaw," says Steele.

The town's biggest employer was also the biggest buyer of gas, water and electricity. Now that Shaw sits empty, Mayor Steele warns the whole town could feel its loss.

"We've got to work out something and get diversified on our gas prices because Shaw bought most of the gas which changes the price range for the consumer, the normal consumer, if we don't do something to diversify."

We also learned that Shaw has not sold its property in Stevenson. Mayor Steele says he hopes that's a sign that the company may reopen once the economy rebounds.

The opening of Volkswagen in Chattanooga unfortunately won't provide any immediate relief because that plant won't open for another two years. Mayor Steele is hoping, though, that one of the suppliers will locate to Stevenson.