Why Move to the Triangle East? Ask These Business Owners

Learn how two Northeast transplants found a home in this beautiful region of eastern North Carolina.

By Wesley Broome on February 28, 2024

Eric Waters

Communities across the Triangle East region of North Carolina boast a small-town feel while maintaining a close proximity to some of the state’s most prestigious universities and hospital systems. For local business owners Ann Rizzardi and Scott Gandolph, both hailing from New York, the move to Smithfield, Selma and the Triangle East region is one they won’t regret.

Health Care Matters

The circumstances that originally brought Ann Rizzardi to the region were difficult; her son, born with a brain injury, was in and out of hospitals for most of his early years.

Rizzardi was determined to find her son the best medical care, which prompted the move to North Carolina from New York to take advantage of the health system at Duke University.

“We were looking at health care, which was very important,” Rizzardi says.

Thanks to a team of doctors at Duke, Rizzardi’s son is now thriving, and her family has put down roots in the Triangle East. The county seat of Johnston County, Smithfield, is about 90 minutes from the Duke University campus in Durham. Rizzardi’s family originally began searching for homes in Wake County, but an impromptu visit across the county line changed their path completely. When Rizzardi first entered the neighborhood her family now calls home, she knew it was the place.

“I thought, ‘This is it. We’re home.’ We didn’t look back after that,” she says.

Along with a lower cost of living compared to Wake County, a move to Smithfield and Johnston County offered the close-knit community that Rizzardi felt she was lacking in New York.

“What I was looking for in terms of quality of life – I found [the Triangle East] to be a better fit for us,” Rizzardi says.

Having worked in hospice services for 13 years, Rizzardi was no stranger to health care before her son’s illness. Yet the move to North Carolina prompted a career change.

Rizzardi earned her real estate license and opened her own business, Rizzardi Real Estate. Her life experiences play a major role in her business, which allows Rizzardi to take an empathetic role towards families with health care needs in particular. “I’m an advocate with a broker’s license,” she says.

Rizzardi found that Johnston County offered a slower pace of life than what she was used to in New York. The lower cost of living meant that she was able to spend more time at home and with her community.

“I am able to give more back to my family and community because of all the things that this area has to offer,” Rizzardi says.

From contributing to the hospice pantry to chairing the social committee in her neighborhood and preparing meals for Ronald McDonald House, Rizzardi has found plenty of ways to give back to the area. She has volunteered with the Miracle League of the Triangle, which has a sports field in Smithfield for children with special needs.

Rizzardi doesn’t plan on moving elsewhere anytime soon. Triangle East has provided everything her family needs, from local produce to business courses at Johnston Community College. Rizzardi emphasizes the importance of her community, including the neighbors who supported her throughout her son’s illness.

“I tell people I picked [the region] because you have what everyone should have,” Rizzardi says. “You are the reason I’m here.”

Eric Waters

Cooking Up Community

Before opening a restaurant in Smithfield, Scott Gandolph had spent much of his career working for Golden Corral Corporation out of New York. It was this job as a training manager that first led him to move to Smithfield. Having left Golden Corral in 2003 and opening his business the same year, Gandolph is now celebrating 20 years in the Triangle East.

“There were a lot of things that I learned about the business that I was able to carry over into this,” Gandolph says.

Gotham’s Deli specializes in New York-style sandwiches, salads and hotdogs. Having grown up in the Northeast, Gandolph sought to bring a little piece of home to Smithfield.

“I think every New Yorker would say that the two things they miss the most are a good deli and good pizza,” Gandolph says.

Using a recipe given to him by a baker in New York, Gandolph commissioned a bakery in Morrisville, North Carolina, to make the bread exclusively for Gotham’s Deli. A variety of deli sandwiches are the main fare, with New York-inspired salads and desserts including homemade mousse cake on the side.

“A great sandwich is made by having great bread, just like great pizza is made from the crust,” Gandolph says.

For Gandolph, family is an essential part of his business. His wife and all six of his children have worked at the deli at one time or another. Currently, his youngest three children work with him. Those who have worked in the deli previously have gone on to use the skills they learned in the business in their own careers.

“A lot of times with families it either works or it doesn’t, and we’ve been blessed that it really works for us,” Gandolph says.

His children, too, have put down roots with a move to Smithfield. “We’re fortunate that all of my children have chosen to live around this area, and that means all my grandchildren are here too,” Gandolph says.

With a location in downtown Smithfield, Gandolph finds that repeat customers are integral to his base, with some visitors dining at Gotham’s Deli three or four times a week. Gandolph admits that running a business hasn’t always been easy, but the relationships within his community are what have helped him give back to those who support his business.

“We strive to be known for good in the community,” Gandolph says.

As a huge fan of the Buffalo Bills and the New York Mets, Gandolph takes pride in some of the New York-themed decorations around the deli. Though after 20 years in the South, Gandolph and his family don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

“It’s a wonderful place to live and raise your family,” Gandolph says. “I’m grateful that we live here.”