10TV confirmed Wednesday that U.S. Medical Glove Company has acquired the property. An official announcement is scheduled for Friday afternoon at the mill site.
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A new chapter may be unfolding for the former Pixelle paper mill in Chillicothe, and many local businesses say they are excited.
10TV confirmed Wednesday that U.S. Medical Glove Company has acquired the property. An official announcement is scheduled for Friday afternoon at the mill site.
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Local business owners said the news brings hope for renewed foot traffic and economic vitality in the downtown area.
“When the news came out that the paper mill was closing, it was a shock,” said Madisen Harper, owner of Paper City Coffee.
Harper said the closure led to a noticeable decline in regular customers, especially those who had worked at the mill.
“We definitely noticed things starting to slow down a bit,” she said. “People are trying to save money, they’re trying to look for new jobs, but also I think a lot of people just started to move.”
With hundreds of jobs expected to return to the site, Harper is optimistic about the potential impact on her business.
“The possibility for so many new people — we thrive off connection here,” she said. “So knowing that we are going to be having new people coming in and new faces is really cool.”
Other downtown business owners share their enthusiasm.
“Any growth in the community, anything that can lift up the community is a great aspect,” said Joseph Casiallas, owner of Lievita. “And having 500 new jobs — it will bring in a lot of new people for pizza.”
Casiallas said he’s curious how the new jobs will compare to those lost when the mill shut down.
“It’ll be interesting to see how those jobs compare to the ones that we lost,” he said.
Despite the uncertainty, Harper said the community remains resilient.
“Chillicothe is a great town and you just want to see it thrive,” she said.
