In the heart of North Georgia’s scenic Catoosa County, Kathleen Combs is the pivotal force rejuvenating a once-decaying mall known and transforming it into a contemporary community hub. Her relentless determination and vision have ensured that the original essence instilled by founder Tom Halpin Sr. remains intact. Kathleen’s deep commitment to both business and community has positioned Market Place Plaza as an essential destination for today’s consumers.
The center was originally brought to life by Halpin Sr., and quickly became a place where residents could convene, shop, and efficiently complete errands. Over time, Market Place Plaza grew to host numerous businesses and memorable events. The legacy of this establishment is now entrusted to Tom Halpin, Robert Halpin, and Kathleen, who collectively own and manage the Plaza with a shared passion for business and community enrichment.
Beyond her monumental role at the mall, Kathleen is a beacon of philanthropy and community engagement. She was recognized as the Ambassador of the Month in July 2022 by the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce, but her leadership extends even further. Kathleen graduated from Leadership Catoosa– an esteemed program designed for the county’s leaders to promote collaboration and a deeper understanding of the county’s operations.
Along with her business acumen, Kathleen partners with local schools, sponsors events, and supports crucial community causes. From sponsoring signage at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High and Heritage High to aiding sexual assault victims, and organizing children’s clothing drives, her contributions are vast and varied. More than mere financial support, Kathleen’s active participation in these endeavors showcases her unwavering commitment to the community she cherishes.
Kathleen, along with both partners, are excited to continue building a center that’s creating big impact on the community.
Halpin Partnership purchased Maket Place Plaza property that was in foreclosure and in need of repairs Their original plan was to turn it into a Civil War Museum
Tom Halpin Sr took over managing the property including his Coffee Shop Juice Bar until is passing in Tom created a corporation called Marketplace to run the day-to-day operations
Two of the children sold their interest in the property and the Partnership was broken The children who retained ownership Tommy Robert and Linda formed TRL Holdings LLC
Gateway has been the DBA since
Linda ran the Marketplace side of the business until she passed away in Tommy and Robert are still silent partners who own part of the business
Linda s daughter Kathleen took over Linda s part of the business and started running Marketplace for the family
Gateway Business Center was nominated for Small Business of the Year by the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce GBC also began partnering with the Chamber to host events including quarterly Women s Networking Luncheons and a Holiday Marketplace Tradeshow
Kathleen recognized the community s need for event space and storage of their larger vehicles such as RVs and pontoon boats so she is slowly transforming the interior of the mall to be used for events such as trade shows luncheons and corporate events while converting one of the unused parking lots into a secure area for RV and boat storage