HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. — The Haywood County community is working to move forward after the closure of the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill in
Canton two months ago. 

Michael Brown has always been dedicated to his work at Pactiv Evergreen. 

“Eleven years old when I started welding,” Brown said. “I always found it fascinating.” He worked at the paper mill for 17 years, and his favorite part was making connections to his coworkers. 

“People at work that I didn’t even know lived in Haywood County!” Brown said.

Canton has been referred to by the community as the “mill town” for decades. The mill was viewed by many as the glue that held the community together until it closed on June 9. 

“I know many people who have moved out of the area to South Carolina, Florida; different places trying to find work,” Brown said.

The closure left around a thousand people without jobs. Brown was one of them.

“We found out, my crew found out, through someone calling in to tell us that was another employee, and social media,” Brown said. “It was two hours after everyone found out, before we actually had somebody in management come and tell us ‘this is what’s going on.’ That was a little slap in the face.”

Brown’s next steps were unclear. “I was nervous,” Brown reflected. “A little, well, very sad.”

Within a week, The Bearded Goat was formed. “First as a joke, and then it stuck,” Brown said as he explained the business name.

This became his own welding business, one he’s been working on with his family from scratch. Even though leaving the mill wasn’t something he planned on, and he misses his coworkers, he’s going to continue rebuilding and supporting them as they do, too.

“If it don’t work out, so be it, and I’ll get another job,” Brown said. “Don’t want to. But I will.”

He is currently working toward building a shop for The Bearded Goat, and hopes that this will become a full-time career.