BROOKHAVEN — Locally owned 1st Priority Heating and Cooling Solutions cut a ribbon at a new location Wednesday. Owner Austin Walker and his wife Emily said the move to 1219 US51 North in Brookhaven has helped business pick up. 

1st Priority opened in June 2017 and has grown a lot over the last six years. Austin said they have hired more people, took on new commercial jobs and have grown from just service and installation work. 

The move to US51 is like a new start for the company. They hope to be able to compete with other local HVAC companies in the area. Austin said the move to town will help them advertise and get the word out. 

“We are hoping this is a turning point in a new beginning. It almost feels like we are starting over,” Austin said. “Business has been booming and a lot of it has been earned since we started here two weeks ago. I feel like our customer base has grown and we have spread out into a larger community and grown our service area since we first started. “

1st Priority serves costumes from Canton to New Orleans and is licensed to work in Mississippi and Louisiana. Emily serves as the office manager for the company while Austin is out in the field keeping customers happy. 

She said the company will handle emergency calls on the weekend but try not to work on Sunday because it is the Lord’s Day. It is likely you will meet her if you stop by the office on US51. 

In the couple’s spare time, they raise their young son and daughter. Austin said he enjoys fishing and hunting as well. Emily is from Roxie while Austin is from Ruth and Jayess so they both have family close by. 

Austin graduated from Co-Lin Community College’s HVAC program. He said he isn’t sure why he got into working on HVAC systems. The hot summer days in attics aren’t always fun but he enjoys seeing a broken system fixed. 

“I found a passion for it. Being able to take something broke and fix it and walking away and seeing it work is really intriguing to me,” Austin said. 

Emily said her husband enjoys the work. 

“We are very grateful for the opportunity and to grow like we have,” Emily said. “ He likes tinkering with the whole system. If there is anything wrong with it he wants to diagnose and fix it right then and there.”