People in Gibson have something to talk about.

A new business – Talk of the Town – officially opened its doors this week.

Talk of the Town is a full service car wash, auto detailer, convenience store and restaurant, all under one roof.

The store is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

A reception room, complete with oriental rugs and tiffany lights, is available for people getting work don on there car.

Talk of the Town is located at 4561 Main Street in Gibson, across the street from a former auction house. The letters have been removed from the old North South Auction House, which is now used for storage by Z.V. Pate.

Gibson-native Clyde Allison, owner of Talk of the Town, pointed to the business as one more example of a trend across Gibson – an exodus of retail businesses.

Allison says he hopes to bring business back to his hometown.

"My whole family was here from the beginning of the town of Gibson," Allison said. "I was born and raised here. Being the only survivor, I want to make Gibson come back to life."

He recalled the town's glory days, when Mills were booming and the small town had a movie theatre and a soda fountain.

Now many businesses are vacant in the town of just under 600 people. He hopes to turn that around.

"It's a beautiful little town," Allison said. "My goal is to bring Gibson back to life."

This isn't the first venture the Gibson man started. He started Allison International in an old hotel building in a rundown portion of Charlotte. Allison says his self-named business, which had five boutiques for women, was a great success.

"I restored uptown Charlotte," Allison said. "What I am trying to do now is restore Gibson."

Allison's decision to return to entrepreneurship was expedited by an unfortunate turn of events for the Scotland County man in his 70s. He was the victim of a breaking and entering.

"I had a burglar break into my house and take $78,000," Allison said.

The large cash sum was his life savings.