Capital at Play January 2014

Modern Remedies Ancient Wisdom

PLI

Moogfest ’14

Pick a Card, Any Card

An In-depth Look

The Free Spirit Of Enterprise

From the Ground Up unearthing the history of

Highwater Clays

Volume IV - Edition I complimentary edition

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3

Publisher’s Thoughts

As we think of new things, new faces, places, ideas and so on, the inspiration at this time of the year is opportunity. As opportunity goes, there is usually no better time than the present to seize it.

T

his is exactly what Moog Music is doing with the 2014 Moogfest (p.28). They want to show that high-tech manufacturing jobs are an opportunity for our corner of the world, and they are well on their way to showcasing that idea this coming April at Moogfest ’14.

Similarly, PLI (who’s article begins on p.76) is locally based, high-tech company, who’s sales team works twenty-four hours a day, because they serve customers around the globe. If you don’t know about them, you’ll understand once you do that with an 80% market share in N. America, they know how to spot opportunity. These are the kind of business’ that can provide quality employment and career opportunities to our area.

Observing all of this, I began to wonder if our culture is running the risk of undervaluing manufacturing, treating it as farming was once viewed not too long ago—not at all. That notion seems lightyears away from the amazing bounty of delicious locally supplied meats, vegetables, and other delectable treats we are accustomed to. However, there was a time when many people didn’t know or care where their food came from. I think the same is now true for the current consumer culture. Everywhere, we can find disposable coffee cartridges, brand name clothing, the latest Apple or Google device. The part that isn’t seen or heard from is the people who make this stuff. Now I’m not unrealistic, and I’m not an advocate for minimalism, but the thing I love the most about working on this manufacturing edition every year, is meeting the creators. Asking them about how everything gets put together; learning about the processes behind many products that we see and use every day.

I hope that you will enjoy this annual window into a world that few people see. An industry that more and more entrepreneurs in Western North Carolina are trying and succeeding in. They want to create a life for themselves and their families, create jobs for their employees, all to create a product that you might find enjoyable and ultimately useful.

Sincerely,

Harley O. Morgan

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| January 2014

It’s all about the journey It’s all about the journey...

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The Free Spirit Of Enterprise

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capitalatplay.com January 2014 | capitalatplay.com

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5

The Free Spirit Of Enterprise

publisher & editor

Harley O. Morgan associate publisher

Jeffrey Green

Chapter 6

Practical solUtions

contributing editors

Dasha O. Morgan, David Bradley, Alexina O. Morgan, Brenda Murphy

Practical solUtions For YoUr BUsiness

start here chaPter 6

contributing writers

Emi Chiappa-Starnes, Roger McCredie, Katie Moore, Jim Murphy, Camille Stimach, Arthur Treff gr aphic designer

Hanna Trussler marketing & advertising

Sales Director - Kate Brantly Pat Starnes

Over time, our book has been filled with all kinds of lending stories. We have worked with many types of businesses, some starting and others expanding. Whatever stage your business is in, you owe it to yourself to talk to one of our lending experts. They make understanding your business needs a priority and work as a team to find practical solutions. It’s the style of banking you’ll have to experience for yourself. After all, we’ve been a part of the Western North Carolina community for more than 75 years, and

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Published by Universal Media Inc. PO Box 5615, Asheville, NC. 28813

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Feature Articles

Those who take the risk and inspire others to do likewise. We bring every sector of private industry right to your fingertips.

p.12

From the Ground Up unearthing the history of highwater clays

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Modern Remedies, Ancient Wisdom native touch: herbal body care

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Pick a Card, Any Card pli: plasticard -locktech international

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photo courtesy of : skip sickler

Contents

j a n u a r y 2 014

lo c a l i n d u s t ry

columns

28 Moog Music

54 Emi Chiappa-Starnes

Reinvents Moogfest ’14

The Best Cellar

72 Camille Stimach Keep it Simple (Pt. II): Your Credit Score...Is this a Game?

l e i s u r e & l i b at i o n 39 High Country Escapes Just around the corner, but far from your desk

keepin’ it brief 24 Carolina in the West

84 Katie Moore Super Bowl Sunday’s Beer & Cheese

politics 90 Red Tape ‘We don’ need no stinkin’ badges’

68 The Old North State 86 National & World News

events 94 Get out of your Office See what’s going on in your community this month

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| January 2014

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| January 2014

Highwater Clays

From the Ground Up unearthing the history of

Highwater Clays written by arthur treff

|

photos by anthony harden

Tossed out of their Texas home by a tornado, in 1979, Brian and Gail McCarthy loaded carhome and hit road in search a region Tossed out of their the Texas bythe a tornado, in 1979,ofBrian andwith Gail more gentleloaded weather.

Pacific interested did McCarthy theThe car and hit Northwest the road in search of a them, regionaswith a few gentle other locales, but while passing throughinterested Utah theythem, decided to more weather.

The Pacific Northwest as did in Asheville, If theypassing hadn’t,through the RiverUtah Artsthey District might asettle few other locales,NC. but while decided to have evolved differently. settle in Asheville, NC. If they hadn’t, the River Arts District might have evolved differently.

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com

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the showroom , on Riverside Dr., stocks glazes, wheels, rollers, extruders, kilns, books on pottery, and almost anything in between.

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| January 2014

T

he couple had two small children, so they dove into working to pay the bills. Brian was a potter and found studio space in a converted mica plant down Thompson St. next to the Swannanoa River. The building was called Highwater Center.

Sharing the industrial space with other artists was a great way to get to know the city and the community. Clay, the raw material for pottery, was not easy to buy in those days. Artists had to place orders ahead of time and drive to places such as Raleigh (four hours away) to pick it up.

Most of the clay suppliers were small volume enterprises, whose product quality and service were unreliable. A fellow ceramic artist, Lawrence Bradshaw, decided to mix his own and sell the excess. He purchased a commercial dough machine that was capable of mixing 250 lbs. of bread dough.

Brian became involved in Lawrence’s operation, and when he wasn’t throwing pots, Brian augmented his pottery income by mixing clay.

Blending Business with Pleasure After nine months in the business, Bradshaw decided to join the Peace Corps, and sold the business to the McCarthys.

“We jumped off the cliff,” says Gail. “For $1,500, we got the dough mixer, five tons of raw material and 50 scraps of dirty, tattered, paper with phone numbers on them—the customer list.”

The McCarthys clay operation was called, appropriately, Highwater Clays. There was no Internet or cell phones, so Brian had to learn the clay mixing art through books, experimentation, and ceramic engineers who worked for the companies where he bought raw materials.

Brian and Gail decided that to service customers better than the competition, they would limit their clay body offerings to four or less. The customer list was grown by word of mouth. The McCarthy’s marketed the clay to fellow potters at craft fairs they attended, and the orders grew steadily.

Making clay was back breaking work. All of the material moving and some of the mixing was done by hand. It took all day to make one ton of clay, and Brian calculated that

gail mccarthy

“Brian keeps his head down, focusing on the details,” says Gail. “I provide the vision, like when it’s time to move the business.”

the wall

outside the Odyssey Center for the Arts January 2014 | capitalatplay.com

15

the cl ay mixer at the Riverside Drive location

during the entire process, he and his helpers had lifted that ton 25 times.

Clay production isn’t a sexy business, it’s dirty and dusty…but it interested Brian because it was a steady income, an opportunity to learn, and he enjoyed interacting with his customers.

Being a potter, Brian put product quality first. He had personal knowledge of an artist’s disappointment when a clay flaw destroys a piece that took 60+ hours to create.

Highwater Clays began to take time away from Brian’s pottery, but that didn’t matter. He wasn’t reaching for lofty goals; he had a family to support.

“I remember, at the end of one the early years, we had $20K left over,” recalls Brian.

“We thought it was amazing, but luckily, we didn’t spend it 16

| January 2014

immediately, because Highwater’s tax bill for the year was also $20K.” “Brian keeps his head down, focusing on the details,” says Gail.

“I provide the vision, like when it’s time to move the business.”

Gail loves to hunt for real estate, which is fortunate. When the Thompson St. facility was outgrown in 1985, she found an industrial space for lease at 292 Lyman St. in Asheville’s dilapidated river district (where Gennett Lumber now resides).

Beefy Improvisation A key step in making clay is to remove any air that’s trapped by the mixing process. De-airing is done after the clay is fully formed and has the consistency of, well, clay. Machines that

can manipulate such heavy, dense, materials are called pug mills, which Brian couldn’t afford at the time, but he now had the space to house one.

Undeterred, he got in touch with a gentleman in Detroit with a warehouse of used ceramic processing equipment. He had an idea how Brian could fashion his own de-airing station.

Through this conversation, Brian found a mixing machine for sale in a stockyard in Philadelphia. It was made from stainless steel and was used in the manufacture of ground beef, which isn’t clay, but it’s close enough; Brian bought it.

What kept Brian investing time and money into Highwater was the steady growth—revenues seemed to double every year—impressive for a small business operating simply by word of mouth. Their product quality was solid, as was their

customer service. Keeping customers waiting, or not delivering on promises, was not an option. Their hard work was rewarded with growth.

Investing in Customers The McCarthys didn’t take money out of the enterprise. Brian and Gail paid themselves just enough to live on, the rest was poured back into the clay business in the form of capital equipment, systems to do their jobs better and customer education.

Highwater routinely encouraged guest ceramic artists to come to their Asheville location and speak to an assembly of potters and sculptors. It was a vehicle for artists to exchange ideas and keep the creative juices going, and it was a good investment.

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com

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Educational events provided artists with opportunities to learn and network, pairing the goodwill with the Highwater brand. In a word of mouth marketing scheme, it was brilliant.

Finding space for the workshops was initially challenging; Gail and Brian dreamed of someday having a permanent place for artists to gather under Highwater’s roof.

Dream Building After eight years manufacturing at the Lyman St. location, they needed yet more room, so Gail began looking. One day the office phone rang, and when Brian picked it up, Gail said, “You’ve got to look at this building!”

The brick building across Clingman Ave. from Dave Steel was for sale. Long, short and narrow, it wasn’t suited to clay manufacturing, but it could give Highwater Clay more storage space with room left over to house artists.

“We’d never owned a commercial building before,” says Gail, “but it was another cliff to jump off! So we did.”

Highwater’s new building allowed the Lyman St. facility to operate more efficiently, and the McCarthys began to renovate the Clingman Ave. location. They updated electrical and mechanical systems, installed new sidewalks and worked with the city to plant trees.

Spaces for artists to work individually as well as in groups were created. Brian and Gail wanted to go beyond studio rental, they wanted to create a facility where for a modest fee, anyone could learn how to work with clay.

The Clingman Ave. building was appropriately named Odyssey Center, for the journey that humans undergo when creating art. On the southernmost end of the building, a small art gallery was created, for artists to display their creations; this is where Clingman Café now sits.

The McCarthys also installed a retail store, which was a first for the clay company. In 1993, the river district was a dodgy place to be. Friends told Brian and Gail that no one would dare venture to that part of town to patronize a store.

“I remember, at the end of one the early years, we had $20K left over,” recalls Brian.

“We thought it was amazing, but luckily, we didn’t spend it immediately, because Highwater’s tax bill for the year was also $20K.” a resident artist

unloads a kiln at Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 19

“Back then, the river district was pretty rough,” says Brian.

“There was a magical event, though. Every year, when Barnum & Bailey circus played the Asheville Civic Center (now US Cellular Center), their train would unload the animals in the river district, and parade them through town. On that day, local people would venture into the river district to watch.”

Population Growth FEI - WEN ST. ONGE

JONATHAN ST. ONGE

STUDENTS PAINT GL A ZES on tiles at Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts 20

| January 2014

The artist population in the tatty industrial neighborhood was small.

Highwater Clays/Odyssey was joined by: Riverlink at 170 Lyman St., The Roberts St. Studios, and Asheville Working Press in the Chesterfield Mill. In spite of the river district’s reputation and paucity of working studios, artists came to Odyssey for classes and to the Highwater Clay retail store for supplies.

An artistic groundswell was building. To keep up the momentum, Highwater and others organized a studio stroll in 1994.

Their Odyssey building was the locus of activity. The public came to spend money and artists flocked to the affordable, creative scene in the former industrial area, which was named the River Arts District, or RAD. Four years after the first RAD studio stroll, the event reached a critical mass. Highwater Clays had been funding and organizing the stroll but realized that the artists could now run things themselves.

“Sure, we started it, but the studio stroll has always been about the artists who participated,” says Gail. “In 1998 we encouraged them to take it over.”

Retirement Plans With twenty years of clay manufacturing behind them and the children grown, the McCarthy’s were planning a retirement.

Within five or ten years, they wanted to either sell the clay business or pass it along to a family member.

Gail and Brian have two children, Jonathan and Michelle St. Onge, who occasionally worked summer jobs in the family business. Both had moved away for college, graduated, and were living independently.

Michelle had created a life for herself in Sweden and wasn’t interested. Jonathan had found his niche in theater props; he also found his wife, Fei-Wen (pron: fay-when).

When they got the call about moving into the family business, Jonathan and Fei were living in Taiwan, so that Jonathan could learn Mandarin and understand his new wife’s culture. They were also planning on having a family. Migrating into the family business was an interesting idea.

Fei-Wen had visited Asheville, and the verdant, rolling hills, reminded her of Taiwan…minus the oppressive humidity. She was also comfortable with entrepreneurship, as she grew up in a small-business oriented family.

Neither of them were potters, but running the family clay business intrigued Jonathan and Fei, so they jumped in.

Driving Lessons The transition was very gradual. The first thing Jonathan and Fei-Wen did was to work at every job within Highwater, from floor sweeping, to mixing, to accounting and material ordering.

“Sure, we learned more about the business at first,” says Fei-Wen, “we also learned about our strengths and weaknesses.”

Gradually, as their experience grew, the new owners began to take on more responsibility, and surprisingly, they both found theater experiences relevant to running the clay manufacturing business.

“In theater,” says Jonathan, “the show must go on. Anything that comes up, you have to make it happen—immediately. Whether it’s an apparatus that breaks, a prop that goes missing, or an actor that gets sick, you’ve got to make it happen.”

The Show Does Go On Jonathan’s improvisational skills were tested when one of Highwater’s mixers jammed.

The forces involved in manipulating clay are enormous, so it requires large machines turned by powerful motors. When the mixer jammed, it sent a shock wave through the machinery, stopping the motor, and bending a four-inch diameter stainless steel shaft.

Hiring a repair service to send a mobile repair crew to Asheville was a costly option in time as well as money. It would take a crew two weeks just to arrive on scene, but Highwater had customers waiting for clay.

It took Jonathan and the Highwater team one week to disassemble and remove the shaft from the mixer, and another month to have the shaft repaired and reinstalled.

During this time, daily production mixing had to be shifted to the backup mixer.

By jumping on the problem themselves, Highwater estimates that they saved $40,000, and more importantly, time: the machine was back online a full month quicker than having a contractor perform the repair.

Fei and Jonathan’s background didn’t include the nuances of making clay, but this turned out to be another advantage.

Theater is a very cooperative art form, not only between the players, but also amongst the crew, theater owner, and interns. The pair didn’t know clay, but they knew how to get things done within a group.

“Highwater has great people, who have become experts at their jobs,” says Jonathan.

“Dad made all the decisions in the very beginning, and being a small company, that was vital. During the transition, Fei and I began to encourage experienced team members to make their own decisions. We didn’t want everything to flow through us, we invited a culture shift company wide.”

For the first two years, Fei and Jonathan used their time to observe places where improvements could be made, which were discussed at regular meetings with Gail and Brian.

What advice do the McCarthys offer for anyone wanting to

Jump o the small business cli ? if you have the desire for excitement and the unknown, do it. if you’re looking just to make money, don’t do it. choose something you enjoy,

because it’s going to be hard, long hours. choose a business for which you

have some skills or aptitude. keep your eyes and ears open,

learn as you go and react to any changes. there ’s no such thing as ‘extra

money’ at the end of the year: put it back into the business.

More Expansion In 1998, the team was manufacturing around five tons of clay per day, five times the output when Brian and Gail purchased Highwater Clay. On the surface, this looked good, but the family realized that customers were still being kept waiting.

Jonathan was convinced that an investment in another (very expensive) mixing

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com

21

station could increase output, increase product quality and decrease customer wait times.

Brian agreed that it made sense, and three years later, in 2001, Highwater was blending 12 tons per day, an increase of two and a half times the 1998 production output.

Spreading the company between the Clingman Ave. and 292 Lyman St. buildings was inefficient. In 2004, they moved into the present location at 600 Riverside Drive.

Having increased storage capacity, and easier access to it, made the company more efficient. This, along with the addition of another pug mill, has bumped the production up to sixteen tons a day with the same number of employees.

In retrospect, the economic downturn of 2008 has been an asset. Highwater management believes that Americans have reacted by not taking vacations, buying fewer trinkets, replacing them with activities, which bring self-enrichment and creativity…like making art with clay.

Highwater/Odyssey participate in the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), an organization of artists and suppliers who donate to fellow artists that have fallen on hard times, such as a studio that burns down. CERF helps get them back to work and making money. After Katrina, Odyssey donated studio space

Serving Western NC Since 1921.

to artist refugees, and Highwater donated and shipped 44,000 pounds of clay to New Orleans.

With ten-year management transition behind them, Fei and Jonathan are charting their own course toward the future. It’s clear when talking to them that the St. Onge's management ethos tilts toward the East.

“My martial arts teachers,” says Jonathan, “said to become a reed in the wind. Be more flexible than your competitor. It’s not how hard you fight, the key is how you react to situations.”

“Every business owner fears the competition,” says Fei. “You need to focus within, on your own problems instead. Success comes from the ability to out-struggle the competition. When you realize that, there is no more fear, and the hard times become easier.”

Lasting Legacy Two young people started a business in 1979 with a dual purpose—to feed a family, and have a readily available source for clay—which has become two interdependent, highly successful enterprises: Highwater Clays and Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts.

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The Highwater Clays building on Riverside Dr. is a manufacturing and warehousing facility that boasts a beautiful retail shop where artists can buy anything they need, from sculpting tools and potters wheels, to glazes and kilns.

Their product list, which started in 1980 with four clay bodies, is now 30 mixes strong, with another 200 custom recipes on file. In any given month, Highwater processes 60 different clay body recipes.

Highwater has a large web presence and a stellar reputation for quality and service. They began shipping to a network of distributors in 1997, then opened a warehouse and a second retail store in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Today, Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts is a critically acclaimed vortex for ceramic art. Resident artists are housed in the north side of the building, which also boasts a vibrant schedule of workshops taught by ceramic artists from all over the world. The southern studio allows anyone access to workspaces, including state of the art clay-working tools and kilns for a modest monthly fee.

One significant piece of this story has been saved for last. A dramatic shift occurred when the art gallery on the south end of the Odyssey building was converted into a cafe.

Artists who had previously just waved to each other from passing cars now had a place to get to know each other better.

The constellation of artist’s studios beside the railroad tracks blended into a cohesive community with its own personality.

It was here to stay, and look at it now.

Highwater’s commitment to fund their customer’s education via Odyssey Center is a prime example of capitalism at its best.

What began as informal classes for their customers in 1979 has evolved into a leading center for ceramic arts with a national reputation.

Along the way, the Highwater/Odyssey presence has also been a catalyst for transformation: a ragged group of neglected buildings by the river has become a thriving artist colony, and a major tourist draw for the city of Asheville. The story is proof that sustainable change can happen when a small business invests in their community.

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Kenmure Fights Cancer donates more than $31,000 in 2013 This year, Kenmure Fights Cancer’s contributions are going toward the purchase of a stereotactic breast biopsy unit.

Radiologists and breast surgeons specializing in breast imaging extensively use stereotactic biopsy to gain tissue samples containing microcalcifications, which can be an early sign of breast cancer. Patients can greatly benefit from this advanced technology, because it detects the exact location of the abnormality by using a computer and X-rays taken from at least two different angles.

In October, Kenmure Fights Cancer of Flat Rock donated more than $31,000 to Park Ridge Health and Pardee Hospital.

Each hospital was given a check for $15,662 to support their respective cancer programs. Kenmure Fights Cancer is a community-focused initiative that raises money solely for cancer programs offered by hospitals in the Hendersonville area. All of Kenmure Fights Cancer’s contributions are earmarked specifically for equipment and technology to enhance patient care in the area of cancer treatment. The committee’s mission is to “Remember” those we have lost to cancer; “Honor” those who have survived the battle; and “Support” those who are struggling against the disease. In five years, Kenmure Fights Cancer has donated $145,668 to Park Ridge Health and Pardee Hospital. Starting at the beginning of each year, the Kenmure Fights Cancer committee hosts a series of fundraising events and activities that include a wide variety of interests. The peak is a golf tournament, dinner and silent auction in late May. Among other improvements in recent years, Kenmure Fights Cancer has helped Pardee upgrade digital mammography equipment to state-of-the-art at the Elizabeth Reilly Breast Center.

In 2013, Kenmure Fights Cancer gifts have been used to buy a high-definition, flexible video nasoscope, which will be used to examine the nasal passages and voice box to evaluate for cancers and follow up after treatment. This device is also able to record high-definition still or video images to share with patients or other medical personnel, bringing to Henderson County an innovative diagnostic tool.

WNC counties see economic improvement While the economies of nine North Carolina counties declined in 2013, three mountain counties saw improvement. According to the state Department of Commerce figures, Haywood County was the only area in Western North Carolina that regressed 24

| January 2014

one level in the system the state uses to rank and measure economic health. Annually prepared, the tier designations consider each county’s unemployment rate, median household income, population growth, and assessed property value per-capita.

Counties assigned to the lower tier can provide larger tax credits to attract employers and have an advantage in receiving grants for services like healthcare. Haywood dropped from tier three to tier two, and Cherokee, McDowell, and Yancey counties rose from tier ones, considered as the bottom, to tier two. According to Mark Clasby, economic development director in Haywood County, the step back to tier two is not bad news. His explanation is that, despite being significantly smaller in terms of economy and population, Haywood County has previously been competing with urban areas like Buncombe County. A slower population growth rate sparked the move. He claimed Haywood even lost out on a state-run dental program, because of its high ranking. Haywood has previously been kept in a higher economic tier due to its high property values from second homes.

According to economic development director Josh Carpenter, Cherokee County’s higher ranking follows its population increase of 336 people, though the job outlook also seems to be improving. The county’s unemployment rate is 9.5, which is the first time in years it has been single digits. Cherokee’s progression to the next tier up could also be attributed to the structure of the economic tier law. According to the structure, the 40 most distressed counties become tier one counties, the next 40 counties are designated as tier two and the 20 most prosperous counties become tier three counties.

HomeTrust board chair selected Dana Stonestreet was selected as chairman of the board of directors of HomeTrust Bancshares Inc., the holding company for HomeTrust Bank, as well as the bank itself. Larry S. McDevitt was named lead director and vice chairman of the board of the holding company and vice chairman of the board of directors of HomeTrust Bank. In addition to Stonestreet’s recent appointment, he became CEO of the company and the bank.

Since July 1, he served as a co-CEO with Ed Broadwell Jr., who recently retired. Broadwell will, however, serve as a director of the company and the bank until the company’s annual meeting of stockholders in the fall of 2014. Stonestreet has 35 years of banking industry experience, and among other positions, served on the bank’s board of directors since 2007. In 1989, he joined HomeTrust Bank as CFO, was appointed COO in 2003, and became president in 2008. McDevitt has served on the bank’s board of directors since 1987 and on the company’s board since its launch. He has been a mayor of Asheville, an Asheville City Councilman, and a county attorney for Buncombe County. He is a principal of and past president of the Van Winkle Law Firm. He has been an attorney in private practice in Asheville since 1968.

Keepin’ it local and fresh.

Mountain BizWorks returns to roots In an effort to refocus on its original mission, Mountain BizWorks has laid off more staff and will eventually cancel business planning classes. The organization, which initially focused on micro-loans for startups, is restructuring. Eileen McMinn, the board chair, explained, “We are focusing our limited resources on what small businesses need most: lending…

For many small business owners, Mountain BizWorks is their only option for loan capital.” Shaw Canale stepped down as CEO and president due to a cash flow crunch, and the remaining seven or so employees will concentrate on lending and business counseling for borrowers. In addition, the company will contract with business developers to consult with existing and potential borrowers. Classes currently scheduled will continue to meet through mid-2014. Established in 1989 as the Mountain Microenterprise Fund, the nonprofit originally focused on small loans for startups and offering business basics for soon-to-be entrepreneurs. McMinn added that, through its restructuring, the company may be returning to its roots. Although Mountain BizWorks’ loan portfolio is solid, McMinn said future loans might be reduced to $50,000 and less rather than the $200,000 capital offered to mid-sized businesses in recent years. The financial report on Mountain BizWorks shows total assets of $5.1 million for 2012 compared to $5.0 million in 2011. However, revenues and support including federal, state and private foundation grants show a sharp drop off from $1.8 million in 2011 to $1.2 million in 2012. According to the financial report, total liabilities showed an increase from $3.3 million in 2011 to $3.7 million in 2012.

Asheville cab driver offers food fare Demetris Jones has launched the beginning of what could be a transportation empire, but with a humanitarian spirit. On Sundays, from noon-6 p.m., you can ride in his taxi for five cans of food, which he then donates to MANNA FoodBank. Jones began his company, Illski Transports, in August and added the canned food fare alternative in September. Jones, 37, struggled through times of hunger when he was young, and flour and sugar were the only items to eat in his home. Although Jones is technically homeless, he says he is far from penniless. Someday, Jones hopes to expand his taxi service into a transportation company, including taxis, medical transportation, limo service, a freight operation and long-haul trucking arm. Jones is from Illinois but lived in Asheville briefly as a teen. He came back to visit friends in 1998 and decided to stay. With quite an interesting past, Jones has been a rapper, music producer, car salesman, driver for Mountain Mobility, part owner of a medical transportation company and a pastor. After taking courses at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, he also can do computer graphic design. Illski Transports is a flat-fee company, with $5, $10, $15 and $20 rates for transportation in and

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around Asheville. Contact information for Illski Transports can be found on the web at Yellowpages.com, Yelp or on Facebook, or call 828-242-6016.

Biltmore Property Group grows portfolio Biltmore Property Group, LLC (BPG) announced two new acquisitions to its real estate portfolio. The Shops at Western Plaza is a 203,489 square foot center located at 4315 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN. The shopping center features well known brands such as The Fresh Market, CVS, Jos. A. Bank, and Tuesday Morning along with many well established local merchants and restaurants. BPG also purchased Melrose Place, another upscale shopping center located at 5614 Kingston Pike in Knoxville. It is home to Talbots, M.S. McClellan, and Sherwin Williams Decorating Center. BPG will have a regional office at Melrose Place headed by Regional General Manager, Morgan Bromley, who stated, “We are thrilled to acquire two well known shopping centers in Knoxville and plan to make improvements, enhance the tenant mix and continue to manage them as first class shopping centers for years to come.” Melrose Place and The Shops at Western Plaza are both strategically located in the Bearden Business District, Knoxville’s premier destination

for art, fashion, design and cuisine. Based in Asheville, NC, Biltmore Property Group is the management arm of Biltmore Property Group Real Estate Trust, a fully integrated privately held company with offices in Asheville, NC, Knoxville, TN, and New Orleans. It has more than 15 properties across several real estate platforms: retail, warehouse, office, mixed-use and multi-family.

Increased parking fees at Arboretum Beginning in early January, the NC Arboretum will increase its daily parking fee from $8 to $12 per personal vehicle. While entry had previously been free on the fi rst Tuesday of each month, the Arboretum will now offer half-price parking for personal vehicles on these days. The price increase comes as a result of reductions in state resources that have impacted the Arboretum’s operations and financial planning. In recent years, the organization has lost more than $1.3 million in state funding.

With almost half a million visitors in 2012, the Arboretum is one of Western North Carolina’s more popular tourist attractions.

The new parking fees are one of various actions the Arboretum’s board of directors has taken to counteract budget cuts and sustain the Arboretum as a practical educational and economic

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resource. Other actions affect the establishment’s education, wedding and exhibit programs. Parking fees for 15-passenger vans and buses will increase from $30 to $50 and $50 to $100.

George Briggs, executive director of the Arboretum, anticipates a subdued response to the increase from area residents, many of whom he says are Arboretum members and park for free.

Membership rates are $25 for students, $45 for individuals and $60 per household. Although the higher price is likely to make a greater impact on tourists, Briggs said visitors still get a great value. He explained, “At the standard 2.5-2.6 people per car, that drops the equivalent admission down to one of the lowest, if not the lowest, admission prices in North Carolina for any attraction.”

New Belgium hires Asheville brewery team

will also be joining the company’s team as operations support manager. He will oversee all activities that support the making, packaging and distribution of New Belgium beer. Brendan Beers, a Warren Wilson graduate and a New Belgium employee since 2002, will be the brewery’s Asheville business support manager.

Alex Dwoinen, a longtime employee at the brewery, will be the Asheville brewing manager. Phillip Pollock will serve as packaging manager and Tyler Foos will be the liquid center manager.

Site preparations continue at the brewery’s upcoming location, the previous home of the Asheville Stockyards. Construction should begin in May and the first round of public hiring should begin in 2015, the same year the brewery is expected open. New Belgium currently makes all of its beer at its flagship location in Fort Collins, Colorado. Not including New Belgium, Buncombe County has 15 craft breweries and nearly a dozen more are in surrounding counties in Western North Carolina.

New Belgium Brewing is planning for some big new hires for its $150 million brewery to be built in Asheville’s River Arts District. West Asheville’s Susanne Hackett will be the community relations specialist for the brewery. As founder of Pollinate Collaborations, she has been a brewery consultant since 2012.

In January, she will officially be a full-time member of the New Belgium Asheville team. Gabe Quesinberry of Asheville

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local industry

Moog Music Reinvents Moogfest written by arthur treff

Driving north on Lexington Avenue, a block before you pass under I-240, you can’t help but notice a brick building ahead and to the right.

Its windows have been obscured by an orange and black mural.

What is it? As you drive closer, you make out a goofy organ/keyboard/ thingy with all sorts of dials on a control panel and cartoon lightning bolts emanating from the sides. The artwork takes up the entire north side of the building, except for a small rectangle containing the letters:

m-o-o-g.

28

| January 2014

Fo

“Oh—that must be a billboard for Moogfest,” you might wonder “or maybe that’s the Moog museum. I think I read about that somewhere….”

Many Ashevillians would be surprised to know what really goes on inside that crazily decorated building. It is the world headquarters of Moog Music Inc., a company started forty years ago, by Bob Moog, the inventor of the first purely electronic musical instrument: the Moog synthesizer.

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A synthesizer is an electronic instrument, which creates sound by the oscillation of electrical voltage passing through components in a transistorized circuit. These oscillations, or vibrations, are amplified and played through a speaker, which your ear interprets as sound.

The usual way to command notes from a synthesizer, or ‘synth,’ is with a keyboard.

So, most times, a synth resembles a very small electric piano or portable organ.

Is electronic music a series of ‘bloops and bleeps’ from the soundtrack of a bad sci-fi film? Hardly. If you were listening to the radio anytime in 1968, you could not have escaped hearing the album Switched on Bach by Wendy Carlos.

It was a collection of classical music played exclusively on the (then unknown), Moog synthesizer. Everyone loved it—from uptight classically trained purists to incense burning rock-n-rollers—they bought it. Switched on Bach won three Grammys and became the first Platinum-selling classical record in history.

This recording is credited with putting Bob Moog’s instrument in the public spotlight and launching his business. All of the electronic instruments on today’s market are, in one way or another, offshoots of Bob Moog’s original design.

You may never have heard Switched on Bach but you have heard a synthesizer, we assure you. Across all genres, today’s music industry relies heavily on synthesizers of all brands. Synths can reproduce the sounds of a chorus of violins or brass instruments— why hire an orchestra when a synthesizer can create the same effect? Synths can also sound like a guitar or acoustic bass, thunder, or a freight train. Sounds that emanate from the keys are limited only by the musician’s creativity. If you listen to music, any kind of music, you’ve heard a synthesizer.

Ten years after Carlos’ breakout-hit record, Bob lost control of his company, Moog Music Inc., and moved from the Northeast to Asheville in 1978. Moog was a brilliant inventor…business wasn’t his strong suit.

In Asheville, he continued building his musical products under the new brand, ‘Big Briar.’ In addition to his own products, Bob consulted for other musical instrument companies like Crumar and Kurzweil.

Twenty-four years after he lost the company in 2002, Bob regained the right to put his name on the equipment he manufactured. Moog Music was his again, but all was not rosy. The company had a lucrative backlog of orders but no capital with which to fulfill them. Bob needed help to save his enterprise, so he hired an experienced local businessman, Mike Adams, who continues today as the CEO of Moog Music.

Bob Moog passed away in 2005, the casualty of an inoperable brain tumor, but to

As of this printing, the company employs 50 and is on track to ship 35,000 products next year from their plant at 160 Broadway, which is the company’s only location.

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estate Bill Fishburne is all about real

the Client

his employees and millions of fans, he never died. He lives on through the products manufactured at 160 Broadway. Touring the Moog facility, you easily get the impression that you just missed Mr. Moog; he stepped out to run an errand minutes ago.

A senior engineer for Moog Music is Steve Dunnington, who worked alongside Bob Moog for 11 years until the latter’s passing. Dunnington and chief engineer, Cyril Lance, have some big shoes to fill, as the Moog name is associated with the analog synthesizer and a plethora of musical inventions spanning 50 years. As a result, the engineering team takes great care to build new products that align with Bob’s innovative design philosophy.

Bob Moog wasn’t a musician. He was a brilliant physicist who loved to design electronic machines that make or alter sounds. Moog’s reputation as a tireless inventor continues after his passing.

While their competitors rely on the music-industry marketing technique of highlighting stars that use their gear, Moog Music has done a remarkable job of using their founder’s eclectic, techno-wizard image to a strong marketing advantage.

Today, the Minimoog synthesizer provides the largest percentage of Moog Music’s revenue, but the Theremin, Bob’s first product, ships in the highest volume. Sandwiched between these two, is an assortment of smaller analog synths, as well as guitar and bass effects boxes.

As of this printing, the company employs 50 and is on track to ship 35,000 products next year from their plant at 160 Broadway, which is the company’s only location.

Bob Moog passed away in 2005, the casualty of an inoperable brain tumor, but to his employees and millions of fans, he never died. He lives on through the products manufactured at 160 Broadway.

Bill Fishburne Broker-Associate Beverly-Hanks & Assoc.

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local industry

minimoog synthesiZer

30

| January 2014

Marketing, sales, procurement, engineering, design, and manufacturing are all performed under one roof.

In Asheville’s service oriented economy, it’s refreshing to learn that a manufacturing company even exists downtown, let alone one that produces a complex, high-tech product that is purchased internationally.

Moog Music technicians put as much care into building their products as a luthier his violins. The distinction being that Moog makes analog synthesizers, which are composed of circuit boards, wires, keyboards, and power supplies, not blends of rare woods.

If you could peer into the offices of Moog Music it would look like any electronics company. You’d see the engineers’ workstations crowded with nerdy decorations.

Down the hall, you see an electronics lab where oscilloscope screens throw blue light against a soldering station, casting shadows on boxes of mangled projects.

Plastic drawers of electronic components are mounted on a wall that’s plastered with an assortment of prototype circuit boards, and tangles of patch cabling.

On the manufacturing floor, technicians are busy attaching green circuit boards dotted with electronic components to their mounts in wooden enclosures.

This scene does not take place in China, Mexico, or Malaysia, it all happens in Western North Carolina. You might think the circuit boards are manufactured offshore and shipped to Asheville for fi nal assembly, but you’d be wrong.

Moog Music works hard to patronize local vendors first and United States vendors second.

The circuit boards are manufactured, and populated with components here in Western North Carolina. Wood for synthesizer cases is fabricated an hour away and assembled at the Moog factory. Sheet metal boxes and plastic components are made in America.

Being familiar with electronic manufacturing facilities, we were not surprised

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local industry

Moogfest 2014 by the Numbers 5

number of days the event runs.

to see the usual hi-tech trappings: technicians wearing anti-static wristbands unpacking circuit boards from static bags. We saw final inspection and solder touch-up stations. The factory runs on manufacturing documentation systems that control product configuration and track engineering changes. There are racks of assembled products undergoing a 24-hour burn-in test, hooked to an octopus of cabling.

What surprised us is that a high percentage of Moog’s skilled workforce has formal training in music performance or technology, as opposed to electrical engineering.

At Moog Music, they learn on the job.

“In the hiring process,” says Social Media and Artist Liaison, Jim DeBardi, “we like to see a mix of technology and music. If you’re an engineer or technician by trade, and play music as a hobby, that’s perfect. If you’re a musician but have technical aptitude or hobbies, that’s another winning combination.” moogfest

By Day:

10

daytime venues

20

pre-eminent thinkers or innovators will speak at…

60

presentations or workshops.

By Night:

8

evening venues

100

artists will perform

Free for Ashevillians:

32

2

day North Carolina Tech Expo & Interactive Job Fair

4

day street festival, including new media art installations and live music

5

day new electronic instrument pop-up shops

| January 2014

Moogfest is an annual tribute to Bob Moog, which began in 2004. The event was the brainchild of a New York music and event promoter, Charles Carlini, to honor Moog’s contribution to the music industry.

The first edition of Moogfest was held at BB King’s Blues Club and Grill in Times Square. It was a single-evening, sold-out concert to an audience of 600, featuring musicians who were early adopters of Moog’s inventions. Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Bernie Worrel, and Stanley Jordan were some of the luminaries who performed.

The fifth edition, in 2008, attempted to change venues as well as musical lineup.

Trying to appeal to a younger audience, the Moog-pioneering musicians were joined by innovative bands that appealed to a lower age group. Attendance was poor.

This edition of Moogfest was held, unfortunately, in the midst of the financial meltdown. There was no Moogfest the following year either, and promoter Carlini relinquished the Moogfest brand to Moog Music.

For 2010, Moog Music granted a license to promote Moogfest to concert promoter AC Entertainment for a three-day musical extravaganza in Asheville during the last weekend in October.

Sixty acts performed on stages at five different downtown locations. The musicians may have used Moog equipment, but overall, they were chosen because their innovative style, it was believed, would have appealed to Bob Moog. Attendance for this event was between 7,000 and 7,500 attendees per day.

Moog Music decided to take the festival in another direction after the 2012 event.

AC Entertainment’s license was not renewed, and there was no Moogfest in 2013, in its absence was the ‘Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit.’ m o o g f e s t 2 014

“Moogfest: The Synthesis of Technology, Art and Music,” will debut in Asheville on April 23, 2014. Moog Music staff under the banner of Moogfest LLC is promoting it.

“We realized that we’ve got to do it ourselves,” says Mike Adams, president of Moog Music Inc. “The concert promoters don’t get the educational/symposium part, and the education promoters don’t get the musical part.”

As a result, the Moogfest staff contracted with Paxahau of Detroit, MI to produce the festival’s music series. Paxahau has been promoting a long running electronic music festival and is considered a tastemaker in the genre.

The technological/symposium events are being produced by Imprint Projects of NY and LA, who have been chosen by Moog Music for their forward looking vision and access to some of the great presenters announced on the lineup.

Additionally, two local firms, Adapt Public Relations and Asheville Event Company,

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com

33

local industry are rounding out the Moogfest team.

Bob Moog regularly sought out musicians, engineers, and artists to exchange ideas as he perfected his instruments. In the spirit of Bob’s collaborative style, the festival’s musical events have been augmented with workshops, lectures, films, and art installations on widely ranging subjects since 2010.

This is good market positioning, as it reinforces Moog Music’s marketing campaign, in which Bob Moog’s inventive genius

presentations at 10 downtown venues. Were Bob alive, he would relish the possibilities inherent in a gathering of this magnitude.

Moogfest organizers are hoping that by encouraging attendees to interact with some internationally acclaimed technology trailblazers, sparks of inspiration will be ignited. Where this will lead no one is certain, but when you look at the success of TED Talks and Austin’s ‘South by Southwest’ festival, it’s plain that Americans will flock to innovative symposiums.

a Quick peek into the

electronics lab.

figures prominently.

The upcoming Moogfest will be the largest ever. It will span five days with 100 musicians performing at eight nighttime venues around Asheville.

The daytime activity schedule has been increased substantially. Twenty notable futurists, musicians, scientists, authors, filmmakers, and pioneers of electronic music instrument design have been invited to participate in 60 different workshops and

34

| January 2014

a b roade r pe r s pec tive

Companies tend to follow a well worn geographic path when deciding where to locate their business. Setting up shop in an area surrounded by ample resources and a skilled workforce only makes sense. Signs of this are everywhere.

Attend a social event in New York’s fi nancial district, and chances are you’ll see accountants, stockbrokers, and portfolio managers talking shop and networking. Were you to sit

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at a Silicon Valley sushi bar, it’s highly probable you’d be joined by engineers, sales professionals, and project managers talking shop.

Asheville has a bustling hotel and restaurant economy, which, on a business level, attracts more restaurant entrepreneurs as well as professional cooks, bartenders and wait-staff.

But what about the city’s technology businesses and the jobs they create? There are manufacturing jobs in the outlying counties, sure, but most do not require a highly skilled or educated workforce.

Moog Music stands out as the largest of the small, high-tech companies in the Asheville area. It has been difficult attracting engineers from technology-rich cities because moving to Asheville is seen by potential new-hires as a risk—a potential deadend—as there are virtually no other technology jobs in the region.

Mike Adams hopes that one possible offshoot of Moogfest’s new focus on innovation and technology is that over time, more high technology businesses will be enticed to relocate to the Western North Carolina region. Mike is an Asheville native, and he’s proud of the fact the Moog Music is located within the downtown corridor and of its contributions to the city’s economy.

“We hope that by refocusing the Moogfest offerings on the creative use of technology as well as music, it will become an economic development tool for the city,” says Mike. “We think Moogfest can attract people to visit the city for reasons other than beer and vacations and, through that lens, view Asheville as a place to headquarter more technology companies.”

The fact that Western North Carolina is also one of the most abundantly beautiful places in the country helps too. The company is putting money behind their beliefs.

It is estimated that Moog Music will spend $2.6M to launch Moogfest 2014.

Additionally, Moogfest is partnering with the North Carolina Technology Association to produce a first of its kind Tech Expo and integrated Job Fair. This unique event will host 20-30 tech companies with a presence in the state of North Carolina.

Attendees will have the opportunity to experience and meet the companies that are creating the tools and technology of tomorrow. Attendees will also have the ability to network with and discover employment opportunities within the companies that are present. This showcase will be open to the public and capitalize on the talent and energy that Moogfest brings together to help the community pursue different career opportunities.

We think that the festival’s new focus—on the intersection of technology and innovative thinking—is a smart business move. The event reinforces Moog Music’s image of Mr. Moog as innovator, as well as the music he enabled, but it goes much further.

By promoting (and funding) an ambitious five-day symposium about the intersection of art, science and technology, Moog Music is handing Asheville a blank check. At the very least, the city’s service industry will see a bump in activity, but if the Moogfest vision pans out, the event could morph into something bigger, and Asheville could become a technology city, with engineering jobs, mountains…and great beer.

“We hope that by refocusing the Moogfest offerings on the creative use of technology as well as music, it will become an economic development tool for the city,” says Mike.

“I’ve always trusted Nationwide Insurance® to protect my business.”

- Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Co-Owner, JR Motorsports Nationwide Insurance Business Customer

Nationwide Business Insurance agents are specially trained to help protect your business. And with an On Your Side® Review, you can have the coverage you need at the right price for you.

Call for a quote today

(828) 684-5020 McKinney Insurance Services Nationwide Insurance Company www.nationwide.com/mckinneyinsurance 5 Allen Ave Asheville, NC 28803

Products underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies. Home Office: Columbus, OH 43215. Subject to underwriting guidelines, review, and approval. Products and discounts not available to all persons in all states. The NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion logo and word mark are used under license by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. NASCAR® and the NASCAR® logo are registered trademarks of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. Nationwide, Nationwide Insurance, On Your Side and the Nationwide framemark are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2011 Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved. The JR Motorsports logo and the name, likeness and signature of Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and all related rights are property of, are used with the permission of JR Motorsports, LLC and JRM Licensing, LLC. Paid Endorsement.

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 37

COOL COMFORTABLE

CLASSIC

CATERING

Catering with confidence.

At Corner Kitchen Catering, we create dining experiences.

We are committed to providing impeccable service and hand crafted foods in a variety of settings; in your home, at a venue, or in your office.

MEETINGS • BOXED LUNCHES • BUSINESS LUNCHEONS • WEDDINGS • RECEPTIONS • GALAS • GATHERINGS

(828) 575-2819 www.CornerKitchenCatering.com Corner Kitchen Cuisine is best described as American Bistro Fare with a Definite Southern Slant.

But, that doesn’t limit you or us. We love to cook in many different styles, from Italian to Asian, Indian, Mediterranean and French. We can do almost any type of ethnic cuisine with confidence; any type of event with a sure hand. The Final Word is yours! From the simplest continental breakfast to a casual family luncheon and onto a multi-course seated dinner, invite Corner Kitchen Catering to your event and take “stress” off your list.

48 Biltmore Avenue • Downtown Asheville 28801 38

| January 2014

L

Leisure&Libation

High Country

Escapes writ ten by jeffery green

where to stay

where to e at

what to do

There was a time….and it was not last night at Biltmore….when winter in the High Country meant skiing and not much else. Most other High Country attractions, bars, restaurants, and shops closed for the season.

But, with Appalachian State University’s enrollment passing 15,000 students and year round tourism efforts from the towns of Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and Boone, you can still hit the slopes, but have so many other things to do in the High Country.

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 39

L&L

I

N FACT, GIVEN THE LARGER CROWDS, HIGHER PRICES AND TRAFFIC congestion that are characteristic of the spring, summer and fall seasons, winter is an excellent time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the High County at off season rates.

With the fall foliage gone, high country views are at their most spectacular, especially if you luck into a sunny day after a storm, where you will frequently find the sun glistening off snowy white branches. A crisp winter hike or a horseback ride followed by a warm meal and beverage from a local establishment can make for a memorable day.

A January High Country Escape culminates with Blowing Rock’s Winterfest (January 23-26), a four day celebration of the season that attracts large crowds to its food, beer and wine events, concerts, polar bear plunge and chili cook-off.

Check out your options and plan your escape to the High Country this winter. It’s not a long drive, but you’ll be miles and miles away from the office.

chetol a resort

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Accommodations Accommodation choices in the High Country vary from traditional chain hotels to exclusive resorts and spas. If you prefer a more homely environment, a number of rental agencies can place you in vacation homes, condos, and townhouses for a couple of nights, a week or even a month at attractive winter rates.

If your primary focus is going to be on skiing, you should pick a place near Sugar Mountain, Seven Devils, or Beech Mountain. While there is a Best Western in Banner Elk and a couple of B&B’s, the primary accommodation around the ski slopes are houses, condos, or townhouses. The following agencies offer the best options:

DEREKA’S SUGAR MOUNTAIN ACCOMMODATIONS 800-545-9475 – www.staysugar.com

FOSCOE RENTALS

Rental office off Hwy 105 S at 133 Echota Parkway, Boone 800-723-7341 – www.foscoerentals.com A large selection of vacation homes, condos and log cabins.

SUGAR MOUNTAIN LODGING

800-858-9663 – www.sugarmountainlodging.com

Downtown Blowing Rock looks like it was taken off the pages of a storybook. It is the focal point of mountain shopping and dining with quaint, upscale shops, antique galleries and restaurants in a village setting. It’s a very walkable town ,and there are many motels, inns and B&B’s all around the downtown area. Two notable ones are:

GREEN PARK INN

9239 Valley Blvd, Blowing Rock – 828-414-9230 www.greenparkinn.com This 1891 “Grand Dame of the High Country” straddles the Eastern Divide at the gateway to Blowing Rock. Recently renovated and refurnished by new owners.

INN AT RAGGED GARDENS

203 Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock – 828-295-3466 www.ragged-gardens.com 10 rooms, suites and cottages in 100 year old house.

Accommodations in the college town of Boone run more towards the traditional hotel and motel and present the most cost efficient options.

SUGAR MOUNTAIN RESORT ACCOMMODATIONS

800-634-1320 – www.staysugarmountain.com

If a resort and spa experience is more what you are looking for there are two great options in the Blowing Rock area:

CHETOLA RESORT

P.O. Box 17, Blowing Rock – 828-295-5500 www.chetola.com Chetola Lodge, The Bob Timberlake Inn, and Chetola Condominiums. Spa including massages, facials and nail treatments. Check the website for winter packages.

WESTGLOW RESORT & SPA

224 Westglow Circle, Blowing Rock – 800-562-0807 www.westglow.com A Relais & Châteaux Resort. Spa treatment and three meals included in the Resort Package room rates. Bed and breakfast and Day Spa options also available. (See our upcoming profile in the March issue.)

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 41

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Dining

(Call or check online for winter hours.)

The High Country has seen an explosion of dining options with an increasing variety of cuisine. From traditional southern cooking to sushi to Indian and Asian options, you’ll find something to delight your palette. In the winter many places are closed on Sunday night or early in the week, but the weekends offer you the full selection. Call or check the websites listed with each restaurant to confirm winter hours.

1861 FARMHOUSE RESTAURANT

3608 Hwy 194 S, Valle Crucis – 828-963-6301 www.1861farmhouse.com Restaurant and winery in a 151 year old fully restored Victoria Farmhouse.

BARRA

140 Azalea Circle in downtown Banner Elk – 828-898-5214 828-897-7727 – www.bannerelkbarra.com/wp Cigar Bar and sports lounge. Seven flat screen TVs.

BISTRO ROCA AND ANTLER’S BAR

143 Wonderland Trail, Blowing Rock – 828-295-4008 www.bistroroca.com American bistro fare and wood fired pizza. Lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. Restaurant parking.

CASA RUSTICA ITALIAN-AMERICAN RESTAURANT

1348 Hwy 105 Boone – 828-262-5128 www.casarustica1981.com A long time Boone favorite run by the Pedroni family since 1981. Easy on-site parking.

CHA DA THAI

173 Howard St, Boone – 828-268-0434 www.chadathai-nc.com Extensive Thai menu with good beer and wine selections.

Lunch and dinner.

CHAR RESTAURANT AND BAR

179 Howard St, Boone – 828-266-2179 – www.char179.com Upscale casual dining in a sophisticated setting. Weekly nightlife and entertainment.

COBO SUSHI BISTRO AND BAR

161 Howard St, Ste B, Boone – 828-386-1201 www.cobosushi.com A sophisticated new addition to the Boone dining experience.

Dinner only, but open late. Closed Sunday & Monday.

GAMEKEEPER RESTAURANT

BLOWING ROCK ALEHOUSE & BREWERY

150 Sunset Dr, Blowing Rock – 828-414-9600 www.blowingrockbrewing.com The feeling of an English Pub with the mood of a French Bistro.

3005 Schulls Mill Rd, Boone – 828-963-7400 www.gamekeeper-nc.com AAA Four Diamond Rating for six years running. Bison, ostrich, venison and more. Worth navigating the twisty scenic road. Between Boone and Blowing Rock.

CAFÉ PORTOFINO

JOY BISTRO

970 Rivers St, Boone – 828-264-7772 www.cafeportofino.net Sandwiches, pasta, and steaks. Fine dining in a casual atmosphere.

LOUISIANA PURCHASE

CANYONS

8960 Hwy 321 heading out of Blowing Rock towards Lenoir 828-295-7661 – canyonsbr.com A wall of windows overlooking the majestic John’s River Gorge. Sunday Jazz Brunch.

42

115 New Market Center, Boone – 828-265-0500 www.joybistroboone.com Fine Continental/French dining. Dinner only. Closed Monday.

| January 2014

397 Shawneehaw Ave., Banner Elk – 828-898-5656 www.louisianapurchasefoodandspirits.com Fine Creole and Cajun dining for twenty six years. Dinner only. Closed Sunday.

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 43

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Christ sChool MAKOTO’S

2124 Blowing Rock Rd, Boone – 828-264-7977 www.makotos-boone.com Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar. Daily Specials.

MELLOW MUSHROOM

805 W. King St, Boone – 828-865-1515 155 Sunset Dr, Blowing Rock – 828-295-3399 mellowmushroom.com Pizza, hoagies, salads and more.

Two locations in the High Country.

An Episcopal School for Boys Christ sChool

Comprehensive college counseling program

Boarding and Day Grades 8-12

Full Arts Program with three annual drama productions.

Science Center with robotics, MythBuster lab and observatory

500 Christ school rd.

Asheville, NC 828-684-6232

www.christschool.org December_C@P.indd 3

MINT INDIAN CUISINE

203 Boone Heights Dr, Boone – 828-386-1441 www.mintnc.com Only Indian restaurant in the High Country.

OUR DAILY BREAD DELICATESSEN

627 W. King St, Boone – 828-264-0173 www.ourdailybreadboone.com Soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts. Beer and wine.

12/2/13 2:33:08 PM

WNC Veterinary Hospital

ROWLAND’S AT THE WESTGLOW RESORT & SPA

224 Westglow Circle, Blowing Rock – 828-295-4463 www.westglowresortandspa.com/15/rowlands-restaurant

SIMPLICITY AT THE MAST FARM INN

2543 Broadstone Road Valle Crucis – 828- 963-5857 www.themastfarminn.com/simplicitys-menu Gourmet, organic, fine dining. À-la-carte and Chef’s Menu nightly except Sunday and Monday. Sunday brunch.

SORRENTO’S ITALIAN BISTRO

140 Azalea Circle in downtown Banner Elk – 828-898-5214 www.sorrentosbistro.com Italian with French influences. Nicole Palazzo is the 3rd generation family chef.

Your other family doctor.

2 Pond Street, Arden, NC

(Located near intersec

28704 • 828-684-3531

tion of Long Shoals and

www.wncveterinaryhosp

Hendersonville Road)

ital.com

44

| January 2014

SUSHI CLUB

140 Azalea Circle in downtown Banner Elk – 828-898-1940 www.bannerelksushiclub.com Sushi, drinks, dancing and entertainment. Open late.

L&L STORIE STREET GRILLE

1167 Main St, Blowing Rock – 828-295-7075 www.storiestreetgrille.com Lunch and dinner in the heart of Main St. Local ingredients and regional flavors. Closed Sunday through Tuesday in winter.

THE BEST CELLAR IN THE INN AT RAGGED GARDENS

203 Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock – 828-295-3466 www.ragged-gardens.com/blowing_rock_restaurant.html Fine dining since 1975—See our review on page 54 in this issue.

THE NEW PUBLIC HOUSE & HOTEL 239 Sunset Dr., Blowing Rock – 828-414-5018 www.thenewpublichouse.com Southern inspired small plates and full meals.

TIMBERLAKE’S RESTAURANT AT THE CHETOLA RESORT North Main St, Blowing Rock – 828-295-5500 www.chetola.com/restaurants.html Breakfast and dinner.

TWIGS RESTAURANT AND BAR

7956 Valley Blvd, Blowing Rock – 828-295-5050 www.twigsbr.com A fine dining restaurant and casual bar. Live music on the weekends. Parking.

VIDALIA RESTAURANT & WINE BAR

831 W. King St., Boone – 828-263-9176 www.vidaliaofboonenc.com 2nd Place Fine Dining winner for Best Dish in North Carolina. Lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. Closed Mondays.

“After my first visit, I knew Deerfield was the place to be!”

- Ray, Deerfield resident

thrive in body, mind, and spirit at Deerfield. state-of-the-art amenities make your retirement vibrant, active and fulfilling. call to schedule a visit and learn more.

ZUZDA TAPAS RESTAURANT AND BAR

502 W Main St, Banner Elk – 828-898-4166 www.zuzda.com/menu.html Extensive current menu selections online. Spanish and other progressive small plate dining.

A n E p i s c o pA l R E t i R E m E n t c o m m u n i ty

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 45

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Attractions While a number of popular outdoor attractions like The Tweetsie Railroad close for the winter, there are still many things to see.

the mile high bridge on gr andfather mtn .

photo courtesy of: Kristen Pickeral

Grandfather Mountain’s peaks are almost 6,000 feet above sea level, giving you some of the most spectacular views in the High Country. You can drive your car all the way to the upper parking lot or hike your way to the top. That parking lot gives you easy access to the exhilarating Mile High Swinging Bridge. Further down Grandfather Mountain you’ll find a Nature Museum and Restaurant, as well as animal habitat enclosures containing cougars, white-tailed deer, black bears and river otters.

The Linn Cove Viaduct is a must for first timers and regulars alike. Construction began in 1979 on this final piece of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It consists of a 1,243-foot concrete bridge wrapped around the slopes of Grandfather Mountain.

153 precast concrete segments were lowered into place one by one from either end of the bridge using a specially constructed crane. There is a free National Park Visitor Center and Bridge Museum at south end of the Viaduct at Milepost 304 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visit their website online at www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=873 for more information.

photo courtesy of: www.bushphoto.com

On warmer winter days, there are endless hiking opportunities all around the High Country. Moses Cone Park, Julian Price Park, the Tanawha Trail, and Linville Falls are all popular destinations. Find a complete list with descriptions at: www.highcountryhiking.com/directory.htm. If you have kids with you, they can fish for trout or pan for gems at a number of spots along Hwy 105.

If you are a thrill seeker, Hawknest Zipline is open even in snowstorms. More recent developments are the High Country Wineries with three to choose from, open for your sampling pleasure. There are also an increasing number of local ale houses with one in Boone and two in Blowing Rock.

If you’re wanting to survey the full field of attractions, here are a few suggestions:

BANNER ELK WINERY AND VILLA

cross country skiing territory

near rich mountain

46

| January 2014

60 Deer Run Lane, Banner Elk – 828-898-9090 www.bannerelkwinery.com Winter Wine Tastings 12 to 6 pm on Wednesday-Sundays. $7 per head. Luxury bed and breakfast on-site.

L&L

DUTCH CREEK TRAILS

Located between Boone & Valle Crucis at 793 Rubin Walker Rd, Vilas – 828-297-7117 www.dutchcreektrails.com Horseback riding three times daily Monday thru Saturday in the winter along gentle, scenic trails.

FOGGY MOUNTAIN GEM MINE

4416 Hwy 105 S, Boone – 828-963-4367 – www.foggymountaingems.com Emeralds, rubies, sapphires and more in each bucket of ore.

Cutting, mounting and appraisal services on site. Gift shop.

FOSCOE FISHING COMPANY

8857 Hwy 105 S. between Boone and Banner Elk 828-963-6556 – www.foscoefishing.com Fly fishing classes, guided fishing trips, retail store - only High Country Orvis endorsed fly fishing outfitter in the High Country. Closed Sundays in winter.

GRANDFATHER GEM FARM

Hwy 105 10 miles south of Boone – 828-963-5098 www.grandfathertroutfarm.com Ore and cleaning equipment provided. Gem shop on site to identify, cut and mount your finds. Same location as Grandfather Trout Farm.

GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN

US 221 & Blue Ridge Parkway, Linville – 828-733-4337 www.grandfather.com Grandfather Mountain offers diverse wildlife, breathtaking views, and the Mile High Swinging Bridge. Open year round weather permitting. Winter hours are Monday-Friday 9-4.

GRANDFATHER TROUT FARM

Highway 105 10 miles south of Boone – 828-963-5098 www.grandfathertroutfarm.com Open year round. Bait and tackle furnished at no charge. Kid friendly. Help for beginners. Cleaning and packing of your catch.

GRANDFATHER VINEYARD WINERY

RECR + , V R , T A BO

the

E AT I O N

C N W N I t Larges SHOW ,+9 8 , 7 Y F E B R UA R TH

TH

TH

featuring Rhineharts Asheville Marine

Skyland Automotive

Harpers Cycle & Marine

Harry’s on the Hill

Tom Johnson Camping Center

Mountain Adaptive

Miles Motors RV Center

Leonard’s Truck Accessories

Sonny’s Camp & Travel

Meade Tractor

Bob Ledford’s Adventure Motor Home

Tractors on the Creek

Barry Capps Marine

Boone Lake Marina

Prestige Subaru

Sylvan Sport

Asheville Ford

Plus Many Booth Vendors

mountainrvboatshow.com mountainrvboatshow.com

WNCAG AGCENTER CENTER WNC Friday & Saturday 10 - 8 • Sunday 10 - 5

Friday & Saturday 10-8 • Sunday 10-5

SPC0016621

NEW for 2014

Off Hwy 105 S. 225 Vineyard Lane, Banner Elk 828-963-2400 – www.grandfathervineyard.com Tatum family owned. Check website for January hours.

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 47

L&L HIKING

Find a complete list with descriptions at: www.highcountryhiking.com/directory.htm On warmer winter days there are endless hiking opportunities all around the High Country. Moses Cone Park, Julian Price Park, the Tanawha Trail and Linville Falls are all popular destinations.

HAWKSNEST ZIPLINE TOURS

Off US 105 S between Boone and Banner Elk 2058 Skyline Drive, Seven Devils – 800-822-4295 www.hawksnestzipline.com The longest zipline on the east coast. Open daily even in snow with two different tours totaling over four miles of ziplines at heights of over 200 feet and speeds up to 50 mph.

LINVILLE CAVERNS

19929 US221, North Marion – 800-419-0540 www.linvillecaverns.com An active, natural limestone cavern with trout swimming in an underground stream. Gift shop. Open since 1937 with many improvements. Half hour tours on weekends only in the winter. Between Linville and Marion.

LINVILLE FALLS WINERY

9557 Linville Falls Highway, Newland – 828-765-1400 www.linvillefallswinery.com Open daily 12-6pm. Check the website for the Saturday live music schedule.

MYSTERY HILL

Off Hwy 321 between Boone and Blowing Rock – 828-264-2792 www.mysteryhill-nc.com A family oriented, gravity defying, museum, entertainment center and gift shop. Open daily.

THE BLOWING ROCK

Hwy 321 S, Blowing Rock 828-295-7111 www.theblowingrock. com An immense cliff 4,000 feet above sea level over the John’s River Gorge.

Open daily until mid-January, then weekends only.

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Museums & Galleries There are clusters of galleries, not listed here for space reasons, along Main Street in Blowing Rock and King Street in Boone. The three listed below have specific exhibits in January that you might not want to miss.

BLOWING ROCK ART & HISTORY MUSEUM

159 Chestnut St, Blowing Rock – 828-295-9099 www.blowingrockmuseum.org In addition to the permanent collection, the current exhibit is The Painted Song: Art of Wiili Armstrong, who is called “The High Country’s Van Gogh.” History of the Ski Industry in the High Country opens January 22, 2014.

CARLTON GALLERY

10360 Hwy 105 S, Banner Elk – 828-963-4288 www.carltongallery.com Celebrating 31 years of serving the High Country.

Representing over 200 local, regional and national artists.

Winter Group and Small Works Exhibition through April 30.

Closed Monday.

TURCHIN CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS AT APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY 423 West King St, Boone – 828-262-3017 – www.tcva.org In addition to the permanent collection, current exhibits include the 27th Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition; Men Working: The Contemporary Collection of Allen Thomas, Jr.; Orna Bentor: Landscapes Within; Photographs by Hugh Morton: an uncommon Retrospective; Susan Webb Tregay: Contemporary Art for Adult Children and Lost on the Road to Oblivion: The Vanishing Beauty of Coal Country by Carl Galie.

(all this page) winterfest pol ar be ar plunge

2012 at the Chetola Resort

(far left)

tr acy brown , Master of Ceremonies

& Executive Director of the Tourism Development Authority

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 49

(all this page) skiing at the Sugar Mountain Resort. photos courtesy of: www.bushphoto.com 50

| January 2014

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Skiing, Snowboarding, Tubing, & Ice Skating And the biggest winter attraction remains the best skiing in the southeast. High Country ski resorts are increasingly adding snowboarding, ice skating, tubing, restaurants and bars to their array of options.

APPALACHIAN SKI MOUNTAIN

Blowing Rock, NC – 800-322-2373 – www.appskimtn.com Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, lessons, equipment and clothing rental. Restaurant.

BEECH MOUNTAIN RESORT

HAWKSNEST SNOW TUBING

2058 Skyline Drive, Seven Devils – 800-822-4295 www.hawksnesttubing.com The largest snow tubing park on the east coast. Open daily in the winter.

SUGAR MOUNTAIN RESORT

Sugar Mountain – 800-784-2768 www.skisugar.com Skiing, snowboarding, tubing, ice skating, snowshoe guided tours, lessons, equipment rental. Restaurant and full service bar.

Beech Mountain – 800-438-2093 www.beechmountainresort.com Highest Ski Resort in the Eastern USA. Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, lessons and equipment rental.

GA_Cap@Play_Jan2014_GA 12/9/13 3:56 PM Page 1

Just One Way to Spend a Winter Day at Grove Arcade

OPEN DAILY

•

One Page Avenue

•

Downtown Asheville

•

www.grovearcade.com

•

828.252.7799

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com

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Shopping You can shop, while the others ski, at the original Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, at the galleries, furniture and antique stores along Hwy 105, on picturesque Main Street in Blowing Rock, on the more eclectic King Street in Boone or score name-brand bargains from over 40 stores at Tanger Outlets.

Blowing Rock’s Main Street is the place for discriminating folks to shop and be seen. Boutiques, antiques, jewelry, furniture, galleries and gifts. Fudge, sweets, restaurants and ale houses. www.blowingrock.com/shopping.php With over 15,000 Appalachian State University students, the Boone Downtown shopping scene is a younger and more eclectic with a mix of art galleries, restaurants, boutiques and antique shops with modern hotels and traditional shopping centers close by. www.downtownboonenc.com/ index.cfm/directory/shopping In picturesque Valle Crucis you will find the original Mast General Store (circa 1883) that built a reputation for carrying everything from “cradles to caskets”. Just half a mile down the street you’ll find the Mast Store Annex which blends casual clothing with a mountain outfitters shop and the original Candy Barrel….a child’s dream come true. Additional stores in Boone, Asheville, Hendersonville, Waynesville, Greenville, Knoxville and Columbia. (See our profile of John Cooper and his team in next month’s February issue.)

Other shopping choices include:

DEWOOLFSON LINENS

9452 Hwy 105 S, Banner Elk – 800-554-3696 www.dewoolfsonlinens.com America’s finest quality white goose down comforters, pillows and feather beds. Closed Sunday.

SOBLESKI FURNITURE

10543-4 Hwy 105 S, Banner Elk – 828-963-6800 www.sobleski.com High end, customizable, hand crafted, sustainable furniture and decor. Family owned.

TANGER OUTLETS

278 Shoppes on the Parkway Rd, Blowing Rock 800-720-6728 – www.tangeroutlet.com/blowingrock Largest outlet mall in the High Country with great deals on your favorite designers and brand-name stores. 43 stores. Off US Hwy 321 just south of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

TATUM GALLERIES

5320 Hwy. 105 S, Banner Elk – 828-963-6466 www.tatumgalleries.com Fine furniture and accessories for 25 years. Interior design, outdoor furniture and window treatments. Closed Sunday.

looking down at an assortment of shops

from the top of Sugar Mountain

52

| January 2014

Tour France on the trip of a lifetime! delicious meals, gorgeous landscapes, small all-inclusive guided tour 2014 Tour Specials - Book in full by Dec 30th and receive $250 bonus per person 828.423.3148 - ruellesdefrance.com

Dress for the occasion...

BUY ONLINE OR AT THE FARM DURING A FARM TOUR Keep Your Fork Farm 1194 Marshall Smith Rd., King, NC 27021 For details about farm tours: www.trufflesnc.com Call for information: 336-631-8080

Invest in Your Future Through America’s Past

Monday–Saturday 10-6 Monday―Saturday 10-6 Sunday 12-4 One Page Avenue One Page Avenue Suite 141 Suite 141 Grove Arcade, Asheville Asheville Grove Arcade, 828.257.2570 828.257.2570

Resolve

To Make Warm Memories

Celebrating 40 years of honest, reliable service in business

WNC’s oldest, full-service coin shop

Wright’s Coin Shop 1271 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville 828-298-5402

Hearth, Heat & Home STOVES | FIREPLACES | INSERTS

Over 20 years of Custom Design & Installation 2614 Hendersonville Road | Arden, NC | 28704 828-684-1535 | WrightsFireplaces.com

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com

53

by EMI CHIAPPA-STARNES

The Best Cellar at The Inn at Ragged Gardens

E

emi also has a

cooking show with her sisters, collaborating with Jamie Oliver.

Find out more at thechiappas.com

photos by ellen gwin

I was excited that my write-up this month for Capital at Play took me even further into the mountains of Western North Carolina, to Blowing Rock, a small town known as “The Crown of the Blue Ridge.� I had never been to Blowing Rock, about two hours northeast of Asheville, and the drive was simply breathtaking, so I knew I was going to be in for a treat.

54

| January 2014

<

Go ahead...T E AR IT OU T! Unless this isn’t your co py, then go get your own...

T

he town may be quite small, but it is bursting with character, and I was lucky enough to be heading to The Best Cellar restaurant at The Inn at Ragged Gardens. Upon entering the Inn it felt like I was transported back into a English country pub with its dark paneling on the walls and comfy arm chairs. I instantly felt at home.

One of the most charming aspects of The Best Cellar are the different pockets sprinkled throughout the restaurant, each with their own atmosphere to suit your mood. It was cold outside the night I dined there, so I chose a cozy spot in the Wood Room next to a fi re. The combination of the roaring fireplace with the hearty comforting delicious food was perfection. But if the Wood Room doesn’t strike your fancy, you might want to try the Wine Cellar Cave, which is intimate and secluded, the Garden room, which looks out into the garden, or the gorgeous Wine Cellar itself, which happens to be the perfect setting for a private dinner party, wedding, or rehearsal dinner.

I was blown away by the service at the Best Cellar. Not only was our waitress sweet and friendly, but also her attention to detail and knowledge of the menu was key in helping me choose which dishes to try, as everything on the menu looked superb, making it a tough decision. Per her recommendation, I had the pleasure of starting with the Fried Oyster Spinach Salad, which was served with an exquisite hot bacon dressing.

It was a great way to start the meal. For an entrée I had the North Carolina Mountain Trout topped with jumbo shrimp and a creole sauce bursting with flavor, the recipe for which has been gladly given to the readers of Capital at Play. Josh Emerline, the head chef, can be thanked for the heart warming dishes that come out of the kitchen. He was trained by the former Best Cellar Chef and has been working in the kitchens here for 13 years.

The cuisine at The Best Cellar can be described as upscale mountain casual, but that description hardly does it justice.

It really is so much more. The combination of the warming, welcoming atmosphere complemented by the comforting delicious food makes for a perfect place to dine in the picturesque town of Blowing Rock.

But even though it may look like something out of a fairytale,

Trout with Creole Sauce One Serving

Ingredients: ½ cup diced celery ½ cup diced onion ½ cup diced green pepper 1 ½ cups diced tomatoes ½ tsp. cayenne pepper Directions: preheat oven to 400°. sautee first seven ingredients until onions are just translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste. while sauce is cooking, season trout filet with salt and pepper, dredge lightly

½ tsp. gumbo file powder ½ tsp. chopped fresh garlic 3 shrimp, grilled Fresh trout filet

in flour, and sear flesh side down in a small amount of olive oil. Turn filet once, and continue cooking in a 400° oven for 10 minutes. remove trout from oven, top with Creole Sauce, and grilled shrimp.

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com

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The Best Cellar has had its fair share of difficulties getting to where it is today. Both The Inn and the restaurant are owned by Rob Dyer and Lisa Stripling, but the location of The Best Cellar has only been at The Inn at Ragged Gardens since 2006. Its previous location was a charming turn of the century building which Rob told me was oozing with eclectic character, but tragically, it burnt to the ground. After realizing that they would never be able to recreate the ambiance of that building, they decided to move The Best Cellar to The Inn. Having never been to the previous location I can’t compare the old to the new; however, with a fresh pair of eyes I can comment on the beautiful setting in which The Best Cellar now sits.

I cannot wait to return, especially during the summer when they have music on the lawn on Friday nights, which has been known to attract crowds of up to 500 people. But for now, here we are still in the midst of winter, and I can’t think of a better place to spend a snowy evening than huddled around a warm fireplace at a cozy inn eating some of the most delicious comfort food this area has to offer.

The Best Cellar is open for dinner seven days a week May through November, and Thursday through Monday during the winter season.

The combination of the roaring replace with the hearty comforting delicious food was perfection.

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MoDern

Remedies, Ancient Wisdom written by dasha morgan

|

photos by anthony harden

Native Touch brings time-tested remedies into the modern age, by manufacturing with a personal touch

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riving along U.S. Highway 19, to go to Native Touchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home office in Andrews, NC, I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but be awed by the beauty of the Nantahala River as the water ebbed and flowed along the many turns and curves with the road at its border. Then as I arrived, there was an incredible red sunset which silhouetted the Pisgah Mountain range in view with great splendor.

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 59

joseph and l ar alyn riverwind 60

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his set the stage for my introduction to an all natural skin care product, produced from herbal plants under the watchful eyes of two Native Americans.

Joseph, a Caribbean Native, and Laralyn, a Cherokee/Creek descendant, RiverWind both showed incredible warmth and enthusiasm upon my arrival.

Joseph is the President, and his wife, Laralyn, is the Company’s CEO. It was a long drive deep into Western North Carolina, and I was glad to have arrived safely.

In 2008 with the recession hitting the United States hard that year, the RiverWinds decided to focus their attention solely on a small line of skincare products made from proprietary formulas.

In their Gallery of Native American arts and crafts in downtown Murphy, their customers just couldn’t get enough of the skin care products, although sales of other items plummeted. They decided to close the Gallery and concentrate on developing and producing Native Touch skin care products. From then to now, the company has continued to grow. Last year the revenue was three times that of the year before. Native Touch was featured by CNN Money, which recognized Joseph RiverWind as “A Veteran on the Front Line of Small Business.” The company was nominated for the Martha Stewart Audience Choice Awards. The RiverWinds were named the 2012 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Minority Enterprise Development of Western North Carolina.

Laralyn and Joseph RiverWind’s skin care products base their formulas on their understanding of plant life and the many curative properties found therein. The Native Touch products are totally natural, totally vegan and exclude dyes, perfumes, beeswax, and chemical preservatives. Their product has grown from the wealth of knowledge that they have learned from their forefathers. Through trial and error they are now producing a quality product for others to use and enjoy at an affordable price.

Their all natural herbal body care products have received acclaim for amazing medicinal properties and curative powers.

Wounds that are not healing seem to suddenly close up and disappear. Many of their products are antiviral, can kill bacteria like staph, and can relieve pain. However, the RiverWinds are not allowed to advertise this, as these allegations are not proven with clinical trials nor sufficiently tested in scientific January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 61

“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.”

Black Elk - Oglala Sioux

“Man’s heart away from nature becomes hard.”

Standing Bear - Ponca Nation

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laboratories. Customers have told them personally—for instance, one saying, “I’ve never found anything that worked until I found your product,” and Laralyn’s own father healed an unsightly large wound by applying her Warrior Bear Rub. The proof is in the pudding.

In fact it was Laralyn’s Native American father who taught her about plants and their curative properties over the years. He explained the medicinal properties of plants found in nature to his daughter. She studied biology at Valdosta State University in Georgia and is a doctoral candidate of naturapathy through Trinity School of Natural Health. With this knowledge, she started experimenting on her own to see if she could find something to help her with her severe skin problems. In particular she needed to alleviate her dry hands, which had become so torn up by washing so much in medical school. They had become painful, and the prescriptions given to her were hardly effective. By experimenting and searching using essential oils and plant extracts, she managed to find remedies to help and nourish her skin. Clinical studies showed that some of the oils have an antibacterial or antifungal effect (tea tree and lavender essential oil), while others improve blood circulation and alleviate pain (rosemary oil). Hospital-acquired infections and antibiotic-resistant bacteria could be helped through the use of many essential oils.

By using these ingredients in a product, people could be healed.

Out of this grew “Rooting Bear Rub,” an intensive moisturizer. It is made with only pure, unrefi ned shea butter, rosemary, tea tree and lavender essential oils. Her hands and those of her coworkers became soft again, not dry and flaky. Eventually she began to market the product. When asked about the name of the product, Laralyn says, “Bears know what to forage for and what roots to dig to treat whatever ails them,” so she followed their example to produce a recipe.

Out of this grew a name. How many of us know what a bear eats and forages for? Not many in this century! Certainly not many of today’s city dwellers would have the faintest idea of what a bear has to eat (other than their birdseed). It would take someone knowledgeable about the forests and the daily life of a bear to have this information, something perhaps only a Native American could tell us as a result of their long history of living, hunting, and foraging on the land.

Joseph RiverWind handles the financial and business aspects of Native Touch. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Mercer University in social science, where he graduated cum laude. Upon graduation Joseph was in sales with Bath & Body Works, a national body care business. From 1991 to 2000 he was in the military. To his dismay he was stateside during Desert Storm. He found that military life taught him that despite long hours, hard work and little sleep, you can accomplish your goal.

Now back as a civilian in the United States, he is the War Chief of the Jaquar Clan and Warrior Society (which consists of military veterans) of the Ma’Oconuco Taino Indian Nation of Boriken and the United States. The Island Arawak “Tainos” were the original inhabitants of the Caribbean Islands and Florida, and as Joseph puts it,

In fact it was Laralyn’s Native American father who taught her about plants and their curative properties over the years. He explained the medicinal properties of plants found in nature to his daughter.

“Out of the Indian approach to life there comes a great freedom—an intense and absorbing love for nature, a respect for life, enriching faith in The Supreme Power, and principles of truth, honesty, generosity, equity, and brotherhood as a guide to mundane relations.”

Luther Standing Bear - Oglala

“...everything on the earth has a purpose, every disease an herb to cure it, and every person a mission. This is the Indian theory of existence.”

Mourning Dove - (Humishuma) (Christine Quintasket) Okanogan - Salish 1888-1936

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 63

l ar alyn riverwind

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Cree Prophecy:

“When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money.”

“We, Taino Indians, were the ones who discovered Columbus wandering lost in the ocean.” In fact Columbus first called the tribal people, “Indio” from the Italian meaning “in God,” not for the country of India. According to the Smithsonian magazine, the Taino were long believed to have died out, having been miserably treated by the Spanish settlers in the 14th and 15th century, but recent genetic studies funded by the National Science Foundation have revealed what modern day Taino Indians have known all along. They were never wiped out or extinct as is portrayed in history books. They survived by hiding in the mountains, just like the Cherokee. The Taino survived on several islands in the Caribbean, where they are thriving today. There are even Taino Indian children that were sent to the infamous Carlisle Indian Boarding School.

Joseph RiverWind is a descendant of the Taino Native American Indians of the Caribbean and Florida, who inhabited these territories long before the Seminoles settled that area in the 19th century. Joseph grew up in the mountains of Puerto Rico, where many Taino Indians survived throughout the centuries and where the highest concentration of his people can be found compared with other islands. There are many Taino bands throughout the country, and in Pennsylvania there is a large Taino community called Ma’Oconuco with their home always being on the island of Boriken, better known as Puerto Rico. Joseph and Laralyn RiverWind both have tirelessly made an effort to educate the public concerning Native American issues, history, culture and the arts to all age groups, from

kindergarten children to military generals. They participate in storytelling, drum circles, and other Native cultural activities.

Indeed, there is a lot that all of us need to learn on that subject and those years of history.

Now Laralyn and her husband, Joseph, market and sell a full line of skin care products that is rapidly becoming better known and recognized as a needed product. The FDA considers it cosmetic; but the industry calls it “cosmeceutical.” Their products feed and nourish the skin. There are soaps, body scrubs, bath salts, and moisturizers—with names that remind one of the woods, nature, and the outdoors. You have Flower Maiden, Morning Song, Medicine Man, and Mountain Mint Soap.

You have Blue Corn Sugar Scrub. The soap has an added gift.

The paper package that wraps the soap is embedded with live seeds. Don’t throw it away, plant it. Last year the paper had daisy seeds. This year it has shamrocks. The seeds change with the season and the year. Then there are Bath Salts—Rose Petal, Deep Breath, and Dreamcatcher. Don’t you just love the names?

They bring you into another world, the world of Mother Earth.

The moisturizers are made from 100% plants and are named with bears in mind. The Grizzly Bear Rub is for the working man’s hands; Rooting Cub Rub, for the very young skin; and Warrior Bear Rub, for those fighting on the front lines of health who need all the help they can get. The Warrior Bear Rub has gotten rave reviews from people who truly need medicinal help for infections that seemingly cannot be cured. For animals lovers, there is the Paws and Hide Rub, an all natural salve for

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 65

dogs, horses, cows and other animals. It can help with hot spots or incisions perhaps from barbed wire, and noteworthy is the fact it does not contain an antibiotic. Alas, this rub cannot be used on cats, as their livers cannot process the essential oils.

Presentation is a big part of retailing, so the individual label of the containers for the Native Touch products have lovely graphics, all made in house. There are small bears and Hiawatha-like heads surrounded by leaves, plants, or undulating graphics. Only a small quantity of the product is usually needed when applied, so the containers themselves are quite small. The display cabinet for retailers follows the Native American theme.

The items are on shelves in a canoe-shaped box cut in half with signage at the top. This can sit on a store’s counter, or there is a full cabinet available with storage below. Ken Brockway, who has the Knotty Termite in Murphy, crafts the displays for Native Touch.

A Musical and Spiritual Side Music is a big part of the RiverWind’s lives. They are both accomplished musicians and have won awards for their band, the Blessed Blend. The sounds they project are quite haunting, lovely and unique. They compose and perform original and ancient songs blending the Native American and Celtic Music.

They weave harmonic sounds from these two ancient cultures.

You find yourself being called into the woods so you can speak to your spirit. They have played at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, the Smoky Mountain Highland Games, Brasstown, and many other venues. Joseph is a vocalist and plays various First Nations flutes—which began when his father gave him his first flute at the age of four—drums, bagpipes, guitar, tin whistle, and bodhrán. He has won Taino Musician of

the Year 2012. Laralyn is also a vocalist, plays the Celtic Harp, Native American flute, Native drum, and percussion. Amongst many other activities, Laralyn manages The Blessed Blend band. Together they produced three albums that have been released by The Blessed Blend, receiving eight nominations for a NAMMY (Native American) music award. Their album, Tribal Thunder, brought home Rock Album of the Year 2011.

For more information and to hear some of their music, go to www.theblessedblend.com.

Both Laralyn and Joseph emphasize that “spirituality is integrated into their daily lives.” They strive to listen to the Creator’s voice in the midst of a storm. It is traditional for Native Americans to go on Vision Quests by going into the forest for four days to ask the Creator “What should we do next? We pray for a vision of the future.” In fact a Native American wisdom is, “You are known for how much you give, not for how much you have.” They take their spirituality seriously. They have a relation with the Creator, who helps them find their direction.

This is infused into what they do every day.

Helping others is a big part of what motivates both Joseph and Laralyn, and what drives these extraordinary people to produce their all natural herbal body care. Their lives are full with many activities, but they have landed upon a skin care product that nourishes, heals and helps the skin using only natural products. They want others to benefit from this. All of the products are formulated from proprietary recipes taken from ancient understanding and knowledge. To find a Native Touch product for yourself in the Asheville area, go to the French Broad Co-Op on College Street or the Greenlife on Merrimon Avenue. Gift packages are available. They can also be purchased online at www.nativetouch.us.

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Raleigh warehouse district being considered for new parking deck Beacon Partners’ Gregg Sandreuter is leading construction of the 23-story SkyHouse Raleigh apartment building, a $60 million project. The $54 million Charter Square office building, among other proposed large-scale projects for downtown, could lead to a shortage of downtown parking. Raleigh Planning Director Mitch Silver has been monitoring parking spaces downtown, which are currently seem to be abundant at 40,000 spaces.

Silver explained, “With these projects, parking spaces will be spoken for, so we have to consider building a parking deck in the warehouse district…On the west side, businesses are struggling.” In downtown Raleigh, 8,500 spaces are city-owned, which according to Raleigh city staff, is a high percentage for a mid-sized city.

Keer America to bring jobs with yarn spinning plant in Indian Land Keer America Corp., a Chinese yarn spinner, intends to spend $218 million to bring 500 jobs to the Indian Land community in South Carolina. Keer America is a subsidiary of The Keer Group of Hangzhou, China, which spins cotton yarn in a large facility in China that has more than 2,000 employees. The company says it also operates an office at Suite 809, 112 S. Tryon St. in Charlotte. Now, it is purchasing 140 acres in Bailes Ridge Business Park and a nearby area for a manufacturing building that will total at least 100,000 square feet. Keer will also set up its U.S. headquarters in a separate 20,000-square-foot building

on the property. Production at the site could begin as soon as mid-2015. This serves as the much-delayed Project Vino that has been discussed for more than six months in Lancaster County. Jobs in the company’s production area should pay $13 to $15 an hour, which local officials note is higher than the county’s current average manufacturing salary. Keith Tunnell, president of Lancaster County Economic Development Corp., revealed the name of the company this morning but did not elaborate on the project. Sources say construction should start on one or both of the Keer buildings during the first quarter of 2014. Lancaster County is selling a $7.7 million revenue bond that will be used for infrastructure at the site, which is at the intersection of S.C. Highway 160 and Bailes Ridge Road, a few miles east of U.S. Highway 521. One source estimates that state and local incentives for the project would add up to nearly $70 million, but Lancaster County officials claim incentives will fall short of that level. In addition to the infrastructure bonds, the county is expected to offer incentives that will reduce Keer’s property taxes for 15 years. South Carolina is expected to offer the company million of dollars from a state program that rebates employees’ state income tax payments to the corporation.

Randolph Hospital to expand newly certified oncology rehabilitation program Randolph Hospital, in Asheboro, has become the first hospital in North Carolina to achieve STAR certification for its oncology rehabilitation program, which brings together a range of services to cancer patients to help them recover and survive longer.

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The program received was certified by Massachusetts-based Oncology Rehabilitation Partners, with the designation coming as hospitals and health systems are investing more in survivorship programs for cancer patients. Randolph’s Mary Beth Jenkins, a physical therapist who is the orthopedic service line manager, has overseen the STAR certification process. She’s part of a 25-member team that includes oncologists, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and home health providers. Jenkins explained that oncology rehabilitation has brought together this wide range of providers from multiple disciplines to focus on helping cancer patients live their lives more fully and actively during and after their treatment. “The team that we put together to be certified is extremely dynamic…Once a patient is recognized as a rehab candidate, the whole rehab team decides what they might need,” she said. The idea is for oncologists to be more aware of therapies outside of directly treating the cancer, with those in the rehabilitation fields becoming more familiar with how their services can be applied to the issues cancer patients deal with. Jenkins claimed the vast majority of cancer patients could benefit from rehabilitation services, though often those directing their cancer treatment are unaware those services are available, or how to apply them.

The program is continuing to educate providers who might be able to refer patients to the program, which now has nearly six patients participating. STAR-certified programs are expected to become more prevalent in the state. Novant Health is pursuing certification for its oncology rehab programs that will be launched across its 14-hospital system.

Foundation awards grant to Wake Forest capitalism center The Thomas W. Smith Foundation is offering a $600,000 grant to the BB&T Center for the Study of Capitalism at the Wake Forest University Schools of Business.

The award, which will be paid over a period of three years, will encourage and support learning experiences in the school that explore the moral foundations of capitalism and expand the center’s scholarship and ability to provide educational tools like visiting lectures, meetings, and conferences. James Otteson, executive director of the BB&T Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University, explained: “There’s no better time to explore the morality of capitalism…This gift will sponsor courses to explore what the moral purpose of business in a just and human society means to us and future generations.”

The center, created in 2008, promotes an intellectual community dedicated to understanding the moral role of business and capitalism.

Charlotte competing for new Boeing jet facility Charlotte is among at least 15 cities around the nation considering a bid for a Boeing factory that will build the company’s new 777X jets. The Boeing Co. has requested a proposal from Charlotte for the plant, which could bring up to 8,000 jobs to the winning bidder. Other cities in the running reportedly include North Charleston, South Carolina, and Huntsville, Alabama. Ron Carlee, Charlotte city manager, Bob

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Morgan, Charlotte Chamber president, and Ronnie Bryant, president of the Charlotte Regional Partnership, all declined to comment on the project. A spokeswoman for the N.C. Department of Commerce says it also does not discuss projects that might be active. Despite the abundant land around Charlotte Douglas International Airport and the $90 million intermodal freight yard opening there in 2014, there are said to be many questions remaining when it comes to how serious Boeing might be, and how serious Charlotte and North Carolina could be. According to Boeing spokesman Doug Alder, a proposal to keep 777X wing production at a Boeing plant in Everett, Washington failed when the unionized workforce rejected a contract extension there. Governors in Missouri and Alabama are allegedly piling the attention on Boeing with the intent of attracting the jobs to their states. Missouri is working on a package of $150 million in annual incentives to be offered up to the jet maker. Alder said Boeing is looking to place the 777X production either at a company facility or a supplier’s facility that would be best for the company.

Any major incentives package could be difficult to pass here with the current state finances in North Carolina and lawmakers reduced incentives during the most recent session. In addition, Governor Pat McCrory has spent much of his time encouraging

more emphasis on retaining companies already doing business in the state. One version of the 777X jet, a long-trip version that can stay in the air for up to eight hours, already has orders waiting. Boeing recently announced that airline customers in Europe and the Middle East have requested 259 of the jets.

Boeing plans to deliver that long-trip version in 2020.

Red Ventures to add jobs and open Charlotte office Red Ventures hopes to hire 200 new employees as it adds three national clients.

“We pride ourselves on being a great place to work for the best people…And we plan to attract the absolute best talent as we quickly grow our team over the next few months,” Red Ventures CEO, Ric Elias, explained. Red Ventures is seeking inside sales staffers as well as engineers, Web designers and database administrators. The company is known for its generous employee benefits, including an indoor basketball court at the Indian Land headquarters and company-sponsored working vacations to tropical locations. The new clients, which the company labels as “partners,” are AT&T, Verizon and National General Insurance. Red Ventures plans to end 2013 with 2,000 employees in the Charlotte area and at other branch locations.

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The company leased 34,351 square feet in the University City building and has an option to purchase the building and the 24 acres on which it’s located. Another available option is to expand into another 20,000 square feet in the building. Red Ventures has grown by 40 percent per year for the last four years.

Company officials anticipate the third building on the Indian Land headquarters campus to be complete in April. The most recent expansion at the campus includes a six-lane bowling alley, beer garden, multiple on-site restaurants, fitness facilities and an amphitheater.

Duke Energy starts up Sutton plant Charlotte-based Duke Energy Progress has started commercial power production at its 625-megawatt L.V. Sutton near Wilmington. It is the fourth major combined-cycle natural gas plant that the company has put in service in the last three years.

It replaces a 575-megawatt coal plant that operated on the site. Conversion to the cleaner-burning natural gas is supposed to reduce emissions significantly. Compared with 2007, when the coal plant was in regular use, sulfur emissions will be 99 percent lower, nitrogen oxide will be 97 percent lower and carbon dioxide will be 41 percent lower.

S u n S e t

M a r k D o r s e y D e s i g n s

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“We continue to transform our power plant fleet while maintaining our focus on generating electricity that is both reliable and affordable…Our new natural gas plant is another stride forward in meeting customer needs using highly efficient, increasingly clean energy sources,” explained Allen Clare, the Sutton plant manager.

Duke Progress built the plant to serve base-load needs of customers in the Carolinas. Duke plans to approach regulators this year about permitting its two Carolina utilities to prepare plant construction based on capacity available from both utilities together. The utilities currently have the authority to use plants on either system to meet maximum power needs in real time. That is the joint-dispatch feature of the 2012 Duke Energy-Progress Energy merger that saves Carolinas customers fuel costs by utilizing the least-expensive resource available. In addition, Duke Progress and Duke Carolinas say they could save money by implementing plans to phase in capacity together.

According to the utilities, that could allow for less construction for reserve capacity and could delay the need for construction of some new plants. It is necessary for the two utilities to get permission from regulators in both states to proceed with capacity planning that way.

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by CAMILLE STIMACH

Keep It Simple, Part 2:

C

camille is Founder and Executive Director of Dollars and Common Sense.

Living within our means, is it still a problem? Yes and no.

Numbers show that the accumulation of credit card debt is down this year and that in fact there are those who learned something since the recession. Average credit card debt still remains around $7,100.00 per average household, yet those who are indebted have balances around $15,600.00.

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here are a number of reasons and a variety of ways that people use credit cards. Some are still trying to keep up with the Jones’s and will do what it takes to have those things, even if it means accruing more credit card debt. Others like to take advantage of some of the rewards that credit cards offer, while some people will continue to use their credit cards just for emergencies. There is also the few that will use credit cards just to pay their bills each month and then pay their credit card in full at bill time.

Whatever the reason, consumers need to know the ins and outs of how to use credit to their advantage.

Interest rates depend on credit scores, and when you have a good FICO score (Fair Isaac Corporation—a pioneer credit score company), credit can be your friend. There are those who bewail the use of credit cards and say that we should all use cash. In a perfect world that makes complete sense to me, but in our current reality I don’t see that being possible for the majority of people. You need credit for so many things: home loans, car loans, student loans, renting, even some jobs want to know what your credit is like.

When I was a banker and young people would come into my office wanting to apply for a credit card, I would ask them why they wanted one; what were there intentions for that card? I also asked them what their personality type was; did they like to shop a little too much? Did they have a hard time differentiating between a want and a need? Ultimately, did they trust themselves with a credit card? Every now and then you had that rare young adult who just “got it” and understood money and finance. I never tended to worry too much about them; the answers they provided me gave me confidence they would use that card accordingly. The majority however, after having the discussion, realized they were not ready for a credit card. I believe it is wise to start building credit around the age of 23 or 24, with the exception of some who can establish at an earlier age; they are rare though.

What I found to be most effective with my customers was giving them some easy ways to use a credit card, keeping it simple. If you know that you have to pay your cable bill each month, just call up your cable provider and give them your credit card number. Let the credit card pay your cable bill and you pay your credit card each month on time and in full.

What the credit bureaus see is someone who pays their debt in full and on time and that in turn helps one maintain a good credit score. There were always those customers though who felt nervous having a credit card on their person. My answer to that was: write down your 16 digit credit card number, the

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expiration date and the 3 digit security code on the back and then cut your credit card into pieces. Proceed with the following process of the cable bill example above.

Some of the most effective credit card users are those who put everything on their rewards credit card and have the money in their checking account to pay that bill in full at the end of the month; they keep their credit score high and reap the benefits of the rewards card. Very few, unfortunately, have that discipline.

Anyone who tells you a credit score below 700 is good is not being honest. I know we have a credit score chart of worst to best scores, but, having worked most of my life in the financial sector I can tell you anything below 700 is not going to get you decent rates. You will always get the best rates with scores of 700 and above. 740 and higher will get you even better rates. One of the biggest questions I get asked by young adults is, “How do I build credit?” Back in the day when I was a young adult and we had a very different financial system, one could obtain a charge card at Kay Jewelers, Sears or any department store. This is not the case anymore, any type of credit card or charge card is not so easy to come by. The best way to establish credit is by applying for a secured credit card and most credit card companies and banking establishments offer these.

With a secured card, your credit limit is based on a security deposit that you send to the Credit Card Company or bank. For example, if you give your bank $300.00 they will provide you with a secured credit card in the amount of $300.00.

The card is secured against your money. Pay one bill a month with that card; pay it on time and in full. After about a year of on-time payments with a secured card, you'll be ready to apply for and be approved for an unsecured card. Once you are eligible for an unsecured credit card, you can close your secured card account and get your deposit back.

A practice most people do not follow is checking their credit report once a year. You can pull your credit for free once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com. This is a website that the three credit bureaus provide. For your scores you pay a little extra but it is worth it. One wants to make sure that all trade lines on your report are in fact yours. Are there any discrepancies? Is your information current?

As cumbersome as it might be, people should be responsible for reading credit card offers and their credit card statements. I make my high schoolers review credit card applications and statements, and what they find is that these applications and statements tell you everything you need to know. People can’t say that they didn’t know the rules or consequences of that particular credit card. Believe it or not, credit card companies put all you need to know on these documents. It may not be what people want to hear, but it is in fact true…sorry.

| January 2014

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January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 75

Pick a Card, Any Card written by jim murphy

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photos by anthony harden

A

s traffic hustles up and down Sweeten Creek Road in Asheville, it’s easy to ignore the low-slung business park that sits just south of I-40. A narrow access road winds past a UPS delivery center and a couple of smaller, anonymous buildings until finally, tucked away in the back, sits a sprawling complex that houses a worldwide leader in its industry, an American manufacturer—yes, Made in America—that dominates its niche of 21st Century industrial technology. The company is PLI. In all likelihood you’ve never heard of PLI—and you’re probably carrying one of their products in your wallet.

“If you’ve stayed in a major hotel anywhere in the world, you’ve used our product,” says Mark Goldberg, President and CEO. His right-hand man, Peter Krauss, picks up the theme: “If you’ve gone to a major retailer, you’ve probably used our gift cards.” Or if you have a supermarket discount card (called “Loyalty cards” in the business), you’re also an unknowing PLI user.

Warming to the topic, Mark and Peter begin to ping-pong the facts of their place in the plastic card market. First Peter: “We signed an exclusive deal with Hilton Worldwide in January of this year. We also have Starwood and Marriott as clients.”

Mark continues: “We also manufacture cards to play slot machines for several casinos. We serve the cruise lines. In the hospitality category, we have 80 percent of the domestic market and 60 percent worldwide.”

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 77

“To sell a customer just one product is silly. We joke in our sales meeting, ‘Would you like fries with that?’ Now we’ve moved beyond that to, ‘Would you like a milkshake?

How about apple pie?’” peter kr auss 78

| January 2014

Peter moves on to the retail market. “We work with just about every major retailer. Barnes and Noble, Target, Victoria’s Secret, Domino’s, LL Bean, the Gap.” He rattles off a list of clients that sound like a virtual shopping mall. “We supply their gift cards, loyalty cards, point of purchase displays.”

Goldberg and Krauss take a visitor on a tour of their building, a printing facility and telephone sales center that covers 130,000 square feet. That’s about three acres, three football fields. The space is large enough to accommodate 310 employees on the printing floor and in the international telephone sales center.

optical sorter, or a plotter die-cutter. (We’ve also come a long way from photo offset.) The sheets are printed, cut, stacked and packaged in a series of sleek, seemingly effortless operations.

Peter estimates the equipment represents an investment well in excess of $10 million, and Mark adds, “We have redundant equipment to deal with any emergency. If we have a reprint, or were not satisfied with something, we can literally stop the press and go back on a job and make sure we deliver what the customer is expecting.”

“That’s the huge distinction,” Peter adds. “We’re a sales orga-

The printing area includes several rooms where computer technicians monitor the operations of massive machines that pump out more than two million cards a day.

The space is brightly lit and quietly active. The machinery produces a hum that provides a muted background sound quiet enough to allow normal conversation. The technicians perform their tasks with an economic efficiency that points out how far we have come from the brawny, sweaty era of the rust-belt industries. Blank sheets of plastic run through apparatus such as an Indigo digital press, a flatbed digital press, a high-speed

nization that happens to manufacture its own product, not a manufacturer that has to sell its product. There’s a distinct cultural and philosophical difference in what we do and how we do it. So when we always put the customer first, everything else has to fall into place to make sure we’re serving his ultimate need.”

The plant is so big and runs so smoothly that one would guess it has been several decades, perhaps a couple of generations, in development. One would be mistaken. Mark Goldberg enjoys recounting the company’s relatively brief history.

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 79

mark goldberg , pli president & ceo

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“The business actually began in 1988 right here in Asheville— in the basement of the step-father of the man who is now our chief financial officer.” He laughs at the complicated relationships. “At the time I was living in Miami, and we began as strictly a sales organization. Someone else manufactured the cards.

We were doing well enough that I moved here in 1990, and a couple of years later we realized that if we wanted to provide the level of service we needed for our customers, we’d have to start making our own product. So we went about learning how to print on plastic.”

That was in 1993, a mere 20 years ago. Goldberg explains the learning curve had some steep stretches.

“In commercial printing, it’s all very open. Everyone does pretty much the same thing, and they’re all willing to share what they know. Plastic printing is nothing like that. Everybody’s got their own secret recipe and secret sauce and product. Nobody shares any information. There’s a lot of voodoo in printing on plastic and then laminating and applying mag stripes.”

They learned their lessons, and along the way, Mark realized a secret ambition.

“I was always told growing up that I would never make it as a jack of all trades, so I set out to find a position where I could prove people wrong. And this is it. We have constantly changed our size, our focus, our product, like IT systems, manufacturing equipment. It’s only been in the last ten years that I didn’t have the work shirt hanging in the closet to strip a press.

My hands got dirty a lot. But the joy in later years was growing to a size that I could take some of those hats off.”

The key cards have been the anchor of the PLI line, which now numbers more than 100 products. And as business has grown, the percentages have shifted. Mark explains: “Now the hospitality cards account for about 70 percent of our business. The key cards themselves are about 50 percent.” Again, Peter joins the statement. “Three to four years ago hospitality represented 80 to 90 percent of our business, and it has continued to grow. But the growth of our other product lines has been so fast that, while hospitality keeps getting bigger, it now represents only about half our business.”

As the company grew, it acquired Locktech and became Plasticard-Locktech International. But that full name has become a formality limited to things like legal documents.

“We consider key cards from a marketing perspective a mini billboard.

Think about the number of times that a guest looks at that card on a daily basis.”

Rise to the Occasion The day-to-day identity is simply PLI. As chief sales and marketing officer, Peter Krauss was looking for ways to improvise additional sales.

“We consider key cards from a marketing perspective a mini billboard. Think about the number of times that a guest looks at that card on a daily basis, you’ve got advertisers who want to promote their product and service to those same hotel guests. It was a match made in heaven. The advertisers actually pay for the card, the hotel gets a free card, the advertiser gets to promote his product to basically a captive audience, and we get another revenue stream. So we have an entire division of our company that handles that.”

Peter’s realm is the sales center, which shares a common wall with the printing plant, but appears to be in a different universe. Here the sound is muffled under the insulation of several dozen telephone cubicles, where the sales staff contacts PLI’s 35,000 active customers.

Peter says they also have an international staff that works from 10 pm to 7 am to reach clients in different time zones. He says many of the calls go to established clients, selling additional products and services.

“To sell a customer just one product is silly. You’ve already got the relationship established, you’re already in there. You want to sell that customer as much as possible. So we’ve continued to expand our portfolio of products. We joke in our sales meeting, ‘Would you like fries with that?’ Now we’ve moved beyond that to, ‘Would you like a milkshake? How about apple pie?’ So we’ve added all these incremental elements of products and services that we’re able to offer a customer a onestop shop.”

Under the category of “milkshake and apple pie,” he lists the printed material in hotel rooms, such as TV listings, room-service menus, even “Do Not Disturb” signs. Employee ID cards and credentials are part of the ancillary products, along with street graphics and banners. And as their product line has

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expanded horizontally, they have also expanded vertically, serving the client at every step from sales pitch to delivery of the finished card.

Mark picks up the narrative. “We look at this in terms of the end user. What does the customer really need? And then we

They had no such hesitation when it came to gift cards— which presented a new set of challenges.

“With gift cards, the orders can become complicated,” Peter says. “We do all the personalization, the specialty packaging.

We even do the distribution, the logistics of getting it to all their retail stores. So we’ll do a drop shipment to every one of their 1100 or 800 locations, whatever it is. We just did it for the craft store Michaels, for Victoria’s Secret stores, things of that nature.”

Beyond the logistics, Mark says the gift cards pose their own complications. “We produce different versions of the same card for a client. They’ll give us a variety of designs and have us run a million of each of them. It was a big transition for us when we went from hotel key cards to adding in the gift and loyalty. In the key cards we’re making millions and millions of the same thing. In the gift card market we’re making millions and millions of unique items.

So there’s a huge amount of data and logistical management

“With gift cards, the orders can become complicated,” Peter says. “We do all the personalization, the specialty packaging. We even do the distribution, the logistics of getting it to all their retail stores.” figure out how to do it. There’s been a few times when we look at something and say, ‘No that’s not where we want to go.’ For instance, credit or debit cards. We looked around and saw a lot of other companies doing that, and, frankly, doing it quite well.”

The grin returns as he continues, “Besides, we need to leave something for someone else in the industry to do.”

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| January 2014

behind it. The basic key card costs about five cents to produce.

But when you add all those elements in, a five-cent product becomes a 12-cent product.”

Considering the growth, the worldwide sales, the multiple products and services, one is tempted to conclude that Goldberg and Krauss never stop working, but they both confess to a number of outside interests.

Mark and his partner have recently sold their house in the Montford area of Asheville and are building a home in the Ramble. An enthusiastic cook, Mark says the new house is designed around the kitchen—which will include a pizza oven.

Asked if he has any hobbies other than cooking, Mark says, with a straight face, “Eating.” He admits, “I probably have more food photos on my iPhone than family photos.” When the conversation turns to his reading preferences, the straight face dissolves into a sardonic grin. “My email,” he says. “I get about a thousand a day.”

Peter also manages to mix an outside life in with his PLI commitments. Until a recent back injury curtailed his athletics, he was an active soccer player. He moved to Asheville three years ago with his wife and daughter. “International travel is a huge passion of mine,” he says. “And I’m fortunate that my job takes me to different parts of the world.”

At this point it might be easy for the company to sit back, rest on its laurels, simply maintain its current position. But Mark and Peter are still going full speed ahead. “It’s really the thrill of the ‘what next,’ ” Peter says. “Mark and I are always looking around the corner. We’re always talking to our customers, asking, ‘What are you looking for? Forget what you need today; what is your need for tomorrow?’ And we’re trying to stay ahead of that curve. That’s the stuff that excites me. If I just came in here every day and sold cards, that wouldn’t be very exciting.”

Mark nods along with Peter’s thoughts. “This is going to keep getting bigger,” he says.

And how long will they keep pushing the envelope? “As long as we’re having fun.”

Disciplined Investing: Who’s got the ball and what’s the game plan?

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January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 83

by KATIE MOORE

Super Bowl Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Beer & Cheese

K

katie is the owner of The Cheese Store of Asheville located in the newly renovated Weinhaus.

When The Cheese Store of Asheville partnered with the Weinhaus in its newly renovated space that also includes the Cork & Keg wine bar and tap room, we were incredibly excited about the concept of cheese and wine in one locationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;retail as well as an in-house menu for the bar area. The other, more often overlooked part of the picture, is cheese and beer in one location. For some reason we often forget about how well cheese and beer complement one another.

84

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love is

forever

T

here is an abundance of literature that makes the connection between cheese and beer. We know that both are derived from grasses, the grasses are broken down in order to produce the end product, and both are aged. Historically, beer and cheese were commonly made on family farms. When I think about modern beer making, the ingredients and the ability to play with flavors, I see strong similarities with cheese making and creating new tastes and textures.

It makes sense that these two entities go hand in hand. I’ve learned that it isn’t so apparent to others. Back in the early 2000’s, I offered to help with the menu at a Super Bowl party. I made a fantastic meat and cheese platter with some traditional cheeses, some not-so-traditional cheeses, added a couple of meats and fi lled it out with nuts and fruit. I thought the host was going to faint when he saw what I brought to fill out the table. The beverage of choice at the party was beer, ranging from a keg of Budweiser to bottled craft beers. This was over ten years ago, so craft beers were relatively new to the scene. And certainly folks didn’t think about having a cheese platter on their super bowl table.

Guests arrived hungry, grabbed a beer and dug into the chili, chicken wings and sliders. Slowly folks began to experiment with the cheese and meats. Numerous guests made comments about their surprise at how well the cheese went with their beer.

By the end of the game the chili and wings were still in abundance, but my cheese platter was long gone.

Pairing cheese and beer is not as complicated as pairing cheese and wine. Beer is more forgiving and has a wonderful astringency to it that is a perfect palate cleanser.

The nutty fruity flavors in beer and cheese can be easily highlighted and bring out flavors that go unnoticed without the combination. The best way to pair is to have a selection and let people experiment. Here are some guidelines that might be helpful: Wheat beers and fresh cheeses (Chevre, Mozzarella) Porters and rich creamy cheeses (Delice de Bourgogne, Brillat—triple cream bries) Ales and sharp cheeses (Black Diamond, an aged cheddar, or Asiago) Lagers and washed rind cheeses (Taleggio or Grayson) Stouts and tangy, nutty cheeses (Aged Gouda or Ossau Iraty, a sheep milk cheese from France) So as you prepare for the Super Bowl or are thinking about party menus don’t forget about cheese.

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world

news

Southwest buys LaGuardia slots from American Airlines Southwest Airlines Co. purchased gate slots from American Airlines for six daily round trip flights at New York LaGuardia Airport. The deal surfaced from airport slot divesting by American Airlines as part of its merger deal with Tempe, Arizona-based US Airways. The merger deal cleared an antitrust lawsuit following airline agreements to give up some flight slots at LaGuardia and Washington’s Reagan National airports.

Southwest had been leasing the gate slots from American and now has ownership of those. Southwest’s own merger partner, AirTran Airways, currently has 27 daily fl ights to and from LaGuardia and the American deal will bring six additional round trip flights. Dallas-based Southwest is the second largest carrier at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Jordan said Southwest would bid, along with other airlines, on the American-US Airways slot divesting at Reagan National Airport.

Twitter unleashes ad retargeting Twitter unleashed retargeting on its platform, offering advertisers the opportunity to tailor messages to specific people based on their browsing history outside of the Twitter platform. The move was not unexpected, as the company had been experimenting with retargeting since July 2013 with a small group of partners. Retargeting has proven to be an effective, lucrative and easy to scale form of online advertising, so the addition has important implications for Twitter’s revenue potential. One agency that participated in the testing for Twitter

was San Francisco-based AdRoll, a fast growing company that targets ads across more than 60 platforms, including Google and Facebook. Twitter named AdRoll and eight other agencies, including San Francisco-based Quantcast, as initial providers of the retargeting service. Adam Berke, AdRoll’s president, said the five advertisers participating in Twitter’s tests on average got twice as much response to their advertising with retargeting.

Retargeting is a big deal for Twitter, as it was for Facebook when it launched its FBX exchange in 2012, for several reasons.

Berke mentioned one significant reason, which is the ability to command premium prices as well as being well suited to mobile advertising, as Twitter gets a huge amount of its visitors via mobile devices. “Ads and agencies are desperate to find ways to reach consumers on mobile devices…This might be the most effective ad targeting method on mobile,” he said.

Anheuser-Busch to invest $10 million in Williamsburg Brewery Anheuser-Busch intends to make a new capital investment of $10 million into its brewery in Williamsburg, Virginia.

According to company officials, the investment will help expand the brewery’s packaging operation and other production needs and is part of more than $39 million that has been invested in the facility since 2011. “The continued investment in our Williamsburg brewery allows us to expand our brewing and production capabilities, as well as make upgrades to increase the energy and water efficiencies of our operation,” explained Pete Kraemer, vice president of supply and head brewmaster

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for Anheuser-Busch. The Williamsburg brewery serves Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia and the District of Columbia. It produces more than 40 different Anheuser-Busch beers. Anheuser-Busch operates a total of 12 breweries, 17 distributorships, and 23 agricultural and packaging facilities across the country, representing a capital investment of more than $15.5 billion.

Apple wants Samsung to pay for legal bills Apple is requesting for Samsung Electronics to pay $22 million of the legal bills that the iPhone and iPad maker has obtained for defending its mobile device patents in a courtroom battle. The money sought in documents recently filed would be in addition to the $930 million in damages that juries decided Samsung owes Apple Inc. after hearing evidence of patent infringement in two separate trials held in a San Jose, California, federal court during the past 15 months. Apple is asking U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh to order Samsung to pay $15.7 million in attorney fees.

That would allegedly cover less than one-third of the more than $60 million that Apple claims it owes its lawyers in the case.

In addition, Apple wants Samsung to reimburse its lawyers for $6.2 million in various expenses. A hearing has been scheduled for January 30 to examine Apple’s requests.

Samsung has vowed to appeal the damages that the juries awarded Apple, and another patent infringement trial involving more recent models of the companies’ mobile devices is scheduled for 2014.

Chinese scientists upbeat on development of invisibility cloak Mainland scientists are gradually more confident of creating the world’s first invisibility cloak, using technology to hide objects from view and make them “disappear.”

The technology would have obvious military uses such as developing stealth aircraft, but Beijing thinks the research could lead to wider technological breakthroughs with broader uses, scientists involved in the research explained. The research teams include scientists at Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The central government has funded at least 40 research teams over the past three years to develop the idea. The primary methods are developing materials that guide light away from an object, creating electromagnetic fields to bend light away from what one is trying to hide and copying nature to make hi-tech camouflage materials. A team led by Professor Chen Hongsheng at Zhejiang University recently released a video showing a device that made fish invisible. The same technology also evidently made a cat “disappear.” The device was made of a hexagonal array of glass-like panels, which obscure the object from view by bending light around it. Other mainland teams have made similar breakthroughs. Professor Ma Yungui, an optical engineering specialist at Zhejiang University, said his team would soon announce their latest finding: a device that stops objects being detected by heat sensors or metal detectors. This device is the size of a matchbox, but it could be enlarged to permit weapons to pass through security checkpoints.

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World’s ‘most expensive Christmas wreath’ on sale at London florist A Christmas decoration, believed to be the world’s most expensive wreath, is on sale for nearly $4.6 million. Studded with 16 rubies and 32 diamonds, this Christmas wreath is one that certainly belongs inside. The wreath was made by a London florist and is decked with a vivid red 17.49 carat ruby, a 3.03 carat yellow diamond and a Helleborus flower head containing 22 loose diamonds totaling 2.64 carats. All the stones in the 60cm wreath are removable and the greenery has been sourced from its maker Pasi Jokinen-Carter’s home in Finland. The florist, who has worked for Danish, Norwegian and Spanish royalty, said he had already had inquiries at his shop Flor Unikon Flowers in Clerkenwell. The wreath is available from VeryFirstTo.com.

UPS may be eyeing drone delivery Amazon.com Inc. CEO Jeff Bezos has recently stirred up some discussion when he said his company hopes to use drones to deliver packages to homes. Now, the United Parcel Service has reportedly been experimenting with its own version of small,

fl ing carriers.

According to a UPS spokesman, “The commercial use of drones is an interesting technology, and we’ll continue to evaluate it. UPS invests more in technology than any other company in the delivery business, and we’re always planning for the future.’

UPS is likely keeping its plans somewhat close to the vest because any project involving the commercial use of unmanned aircraft is likely years away from being legal and operational.

However, some do not believe such a program would take so long to become a reality for a company such as Amazon or UPS. Colin Guinn, the North American CEO for drone manufacturer DJI, said that a safe, operational fleet could be within reach in about 18 to 24 months. According to Sean Humbert, director of the University of Maryland’s Autonomous Vehicle Laboratory, the current limitations of “sense and avoid” technology remain chief among the operational hurdles that must be overcome. “You can fly overhead and through Google Maps figure out where the building is. You can get an octocopter right out in front of a building or on top of it…But in terms of actually ducking down into the urban clutter and navigating unknown objects, including things like phone lines, that’s the technology

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| January 2014

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that isn’t there right now,” Humbert explained. In addition, any drone program would require approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Shell calls off plans for multibillion-dollar project Royal Dutch Shell PLC has decided not to pursue a multibillion-dollar Gulf Coast project it previously proposed. In September, the company said it was considering building a gas-to-liquids facility in Louisiana that would have produced 140,000 barrels of petroleum products per day. Shell’s investment in the project would have been a minimum of $12.5 billion, and Louisiana offered Shell an incentive package that included a performance-based grant of $112 million. However, Shell officially said it would not move forward with the project: “Despite the ample supplies of natural gas in the area, the company has taken the decision that GTL is not a viable option for Shell in North America, at this time, due to the likely development cost of such a project, uncertainties on long-term oil and gas prices and differentials, and Shell’s strict capital discipline.” Shell had been pursuing efforts to grow the natural gas-to-liquids sector of the energy industry.

Krispy Kreme expands in India Following earlier success in the country, Krispy Kreme has decided to open its first store in Delhi in northern India as the doughnut maker expands its international footprint. The new doughnut cafe is the first of 35 planned in northern India by its new franchise partner Bedrock Foods Pvt. Ltd. The new store will feature Krispy Kreme’s “Doughnut Theater” viewing area where customers can watch the doughnuts being cooked, filled and topped. As the company signed its first South American franchise deal in September and in October opened its first store in Singapore, the past few months have been busy for Krispy Kreme outside the U.S. borders.

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Moving all of Asheville, Haywood, Madison, Brevard, Buncombe January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 89

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What some business owners have to say about Asheville’s permit and inspections process— and why others are afraid to talk about it LEM ON AD

Old joke: fellow walks into a bar, sees a sign that says, “All the beer you can drink for twenty- ve cents.” Puts down his quarter, orders a beer, drinks it, orders a re ll.

Bartender brings it, says, “That’ll be twenty- ve cents.”

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inspections begins with the following we’re-from-the-government-and-we’re-here-to-help passage: Whether you are an Asheville homeowner replacing a water heater, a small business owner starting a new restaurant or a contractor building an office building, your project will need to obtain a permit. The process for obtaining a permit depends on the scope of your project. City of Asheville staff can help you determine the route you will need to take through the development process for your project…

The first two sentences, some business owners say, are true…

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sheville, North Carolina, continues its latter-day-boomtown attraction of small, independent businesses, particularly food service establishments and boutique retailers. But as the tide of new and infill construction and remodeling continues to rise, more than a few startup owners are complaining of being swamped by a draconian permitting and inspection process that leaves them feeling like the man who found out the hard way that if he wanted more beer, he’d have to pay for it.

The City of Asheville website’s section on permits and

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Taken aback, the customer says, “The sign says ‘All the beer you can drink for twenty- ve cents.’” Bartender indicates the empty rst glass. “That,” he says, “IS all the beer you can drink for twenty- ve cents.”

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CUSTOM CARS & RESTORATIONS

stomers!

Thank you to our cu siness for 30 years in bu

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BR YO ING UR U S S

The third—the part about being helpful… not so much.

Ben Reese, a retired Air Force officer, has been trying since the summer to open a “dueling piano bar” he decided to name Off the Wagon. He was fortunate enough to capture an already well-known location on historic North Market Street.

(The building itself originally contained Asheville’s first chamber of commerce and, for the last twenty-some years, housed Cinjade’s, a popular night club.)

Reese figured his permitting process would be pretty straightforward and inexpensive. He was, after all, just replacing one bar with another; most of his work would amount to redecorating and some minor rearranging. No new construction or structural changes. So Reese applied for the permits he thought he needed, supplied a set of drawings detailing his proposed changes to the building, and got on with his project. He even went ahead and put up a website which describes Off the Wagon’s ambiance, its service, its availability for parties and even a line of merchandise. The website’s copy is written in the present tense, as though it’s already a reality.

Which has become a little embarrassing, because as of this writing Off the Wagon still isn’t open and won’t be fully functioning when it does open; and that, according to Reese, is because he has been involved in a harsh learning curve concerning the city of Asheville’s permitting and inspection process.

First, the city refused his plans, saying he needed a “design professional” to render them. He made several calls to the department to ask for details, but could not reach the right people and his voice mails went unreturned. So he went to an architect, who, Reese says, asked, “Why do you need me?” On the strength

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January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 91

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of that reaction, Reese returned to Off the Wagon and started work. Suddenly, he says, the very inspectors he’d been trying to contact were all over his project like white on rice. Reese says Asheville deputy fire marshal Rodger Martin said Off the Wagon

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grounds that Reese had failed to comply with various state codes.

Reese called the North Carolina Department of Inspections in Raleigh and was told he had violated no state codes and that “some local code” must be involved. When he relayed this conversation to city inspectors, he was referred back to Raleigh.

Then, Reese says, a delegation from the city’s stormwater department accused him of dumping wastewater from Off the Wagon into the city’s stormwater system and threatened to fine him $25,000 per day until he fixed the problem.

Reese says he and his crew spent six hours in freezing weather exploring the stormwater drain in an alley outside the club, could find no source of runoff, and called the city to take a look. Stormwater inspectors arrived, looked, and said they’d made a mistake: the wastewater in question was coming from a line next door, three feet away from Off the Wagon’s.

A provisional certificate cut Off the Wagon’s legal occupancy

“But,” the owner said, “You’re going to have trouble getting most of them to talk. They’re scared to death of [the permits/inspections department]. You get on the wrong side of them and they can hassle you to death.” would need a $1,200 permit to install a new sprinkler system (at an estimated cost of $52,000) although the existing sprinkler system was only a few years old. The fire marshal, Reese says, cut off the building’s electricity then and there.

Then, according to Reese, assistant building safety director Mark Case yanked Off the Wagon’s certificate of occupancy on

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to 99 persons. Once his sprinkler system is installed, Reese says he’s been told this figure will be allowed to increase to 160—less than a quarter of the building’s capacity of 700, on which Reese’s entire business plan is predicated. He predicts he’ll be able to open on that basis in early 2014, some five months after his original target date.

Stories of several businesses who have recently encountered permitting or inspection problems at least as bizarre as Reese’s were related to Capital at Play by a successful, long-established downtown Asheville business owner who said he had first hand knowledge of them. “But,” the owner said, “You’re going to have trouble getting most of them to talk. They’re scared to death of [the permits/inspections department]. You get on the wrong side of them and they can hassle you to death.”

Sure enough, of three business owners the source suggested as contacts, only one—Reese—was willing to talk. Another potential contact said, “Thanks for reaching out! However, I prefer to not make a statement and do not want our business to be included in the article.” The third suggested contact was Kentucky-based Greer Companies, owners of the Asheville Cheddar’s restaurant, which located here in 2006. The source said Greer is accustomed to paying around $15,000 for permits

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and inspections on a new store, but that the process for the Asheville store amounted to some $46,000. When asked to verify that information, Greer spokesperson Shannon Kerkhoff replied, “Unfortunately, we don’t have convenient access to that information at this time since we opened the Asheville Cheddar’s in August of 2006. We have moved our corporate offices since that time, so once again that information is difficult to find. I apologize for not being able to help you with the information you need.”

Startup cost records for a franchise store? Difficult to find?

And the aforementioned source is being referred to herein as “the source” because the source, in furnishing the above information, spoke on condition of strict anonymity.

“I’m on good terms with these people myself,” the source said.

“I’d just as soon keep it that way.”

To read previous editions of Red Tape, or to view this article online, just scan this QR Code. capitalatplay.com/redtape

January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 93

Events

Jan

october- january 5

Lego Brick Sculptures at the North Carolina Arboretum north carolina arboretum , 100 frederick law olmsted way, asheville Picture nearly 500,000 LEGO® bricks, 27 amazing sculptures and 14 incredible displays. The Arboretum’s eight acres of formal gardens and exhibit hall will be decorated with 27 sculptures created by LEGO® brick artist and renowned children’s author, Sean Kenney. “Some Assembly Required” will take visitors into a larger-than-life LEGO® brick world. Based in New York City, Sean Kenney is one of only 13 LEGO® Certified Builders worldwide. In addition to Sean’s pieces, the Arboretum will also be featuring creations from LEGO® enthusiasts in the community. Children and adults alike are invited to enter the “Some Assembly Required” LEGO® Brick Competition.

Participants will design and build their display, which will be on view in the Baker Exhibit Hall. More than $2500 in prizes will be awarded to the top entrants.

admission: free with the standard parking fee november-january 2

21st Annual National Gingerbread House Competition the omni grove park inn , asheville Competitors from around the country travel with their edible creations to be a part of the Annual National Gingerbread

House Competition. The display is open to the public on Sunday through Thursday, excluding holidays from10am-10pm, and for resort guests only on Friday and Saturday.

admission: $10 parking per vehicle 828 -252-2711 eXt 8045

november-january 5 Holidays at the Smith-McDowell House Museum smith - mcdowell house museum , 283 victoria rd, asheville See the time-line of authentically decorated period rooms that showcase the evolution of Christmas celebrations and decorations.

admission: $10 adults | $6 college students $5 children (ages 8 -18) 828 -253 - 9231 | www.wnchistory.org january 1-31 Eileen Ross Featured Artist of the Month opening reception: jan 3 , 5pm - 8 pm

16 college street in downtown asheville The Asheville Gallery of Art’s featured artist for January will be Eileen Ross. The public is cordially invited to the opening reception for the artist. The exhibition, “Colors of Jazz,”

N

LAKE LURE

ADVENTURE COMPANY

water skiing wakeboarding fishing tours boat rentals

wakesurfing kayaking tubing paddleboarding

call for reservations: 828-625-8066 lakelureadventurecompany.com 94

| January 2014

So you know when and where

depicts Eileen’s impressions of jazz musicians as she paints to the rhythms of her favorite jazz pieces. The show will be on display from January 1 - January 31, 2014. Regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

828 -251-5796 | www. ashevillegallery- of-art.com january 4

Christmas Tree Recycling Project 9am -2pm field 3 , jackson park , hendersonville Rain or shine, Christmas trees will be chipped into mulch. To collect mulch, bring a box or bag. This event is coordinated by ECO in cooperation with Henderson County Parks & Recreation.

828 - 692- 0385 | eco -wnc .org january 11

Chili Cook Off 12pm -2pm

veritas christian academy gym , fletcher Fletcher’s Chili Cook-Off will have tasting open to the public.

It is sponsored by Fletcher Parks & Recreation.

admission: suggested donation $5 fletcher town hall : 828 - 687- 0751

january 17 & 18

Eisenhower Dance friday & saturday 8 pm diana wortham theatre at pack place With virtuosic dancers and thrilling choreography, one of the nation’s premier contemporary dance companies, Eisenhower Dance, blends drama, momentum and force with technical brilliance in its performances. Eisenhower Dance captivates with innovative choreography and stunning technique.

admission: regular $35 | student $30 children 12 and under $15 student day- of-show ( with valid id) $10 828 -257- 4530 | www. dwtheatre.com january 17-19

American Kennel Club (AKC) Dog Agility Trial friday-sunday 8 am -3 pm

wnc agricultural center mcgough arena

At this event, sponsored by Blue Ridge Agility Club, you can see dogs jump hurdles, race through tunnels and climb over A-frames at high speed. Spectators are welcome, but asked to please leave the dogs not participating comfortably at home.

admission: free 828 -713 -3278 | www. blueridgeagility.com

Architectural and Illuminated Sign graphics for Western North Carolina 828-251-2211 www.fastsigns.com/241 January 2014 | capitalatplay.com 95

Events january 23

Marc Bamuthi Joseph: Martin Luther King Jr. Week keynote speaker

Founder of Youth Speaks and Life is Living

7 pm in unc asheville’s lipinsky auditorium

Named one of America’s Top Young Innovators in the Arts and Sciences, Marc Bamuthi Joseph is a National Poetry Slam champion, Broadway veteran and was a featured artist on Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry on HBO. Joseph created Youth Speaks, where he mentored 13- to 19-year-old writers, and he co-founded Life is Living, a series of festivals designed to activate underresourced parks and affirm peaceful urban life through hip-hop arts and environmental action.

free and open to the public cesap.unca . edu | 828 . 258 .7727 january 25

7th Annual Winter Warmer Beer Festival 3 pm -7pm | us cellular center in asheville As the event gets bigger each year, this year’s Winter Warmer event has moved up to the arena level of the U.S. Cellular Center (Asheville Civic Center) to allow for more space. Included with each ticket is a souvenir mug, samples during the event, and food provided by a local caterer. Music for this year’s festival is still being determined. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to our local non-profit partnership, the Western North

Carolina Alliance (WNCA). Purchased tickets prior to January 6th will be mailed, with any tickets purchased online from January 7-24 available at will call. V.I.D. tickets are sold out for 2014.

admission: general $45+ | d. d. ticket $21+ www. ashevillebeerfest.com january 23 -25

Dirty Barbie and Other Girlhood Tales 8 pm | diana wortham theatre, asheville Named a Top 5 Pick at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, this performance transports audiences back to the best, and the hardest, moments of childhood. The show is part of the theatre’s Intersections Series and is a special event in conjunction with the 2014 Asheville Fringe Arts Festival. In Dirty Barbie and Other Girlhood Tales, author/actor Denise Stewart examines the secret lives of girls, the way we play, and the unsupervised side of childhood in a show full of humor and depth.

admission: regular $22 | student $18 student rush day- of-show tickets $10 828 -257- 4530 | www. dwtheatre.com january 26

Baroque Vibes

the masonic temple, 80 broadway, asheville In a spell-binding program transcending the boundaries of the traditional Baroque setting, Baroque Vibes moves the heart

Imagine if your medical bills exceeded $25,000 a month.

MAGAS DAUGTHER BY ANDREW WYETH

MAGAS DAUGHTER BY ANDREW WYETH

ROXANNE FRUE BY BETH BOONE

ROXANNE FRUE BY BETH BOONE

Your Wyeth or your wife.

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Brother Wolf Animal Rescue takes in pets with special needs every day. As such, we spend over $25,000 each month on medical care alone.

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and swings Elizabethan-era tunes, ravishing works by Baroque masters Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Philipp Telemann, vintage gems from 20th century songwriters and tangos.

admission: $15 advance | $20 at the door $5 for students www. pan - harmonia .org december-january 26

Chetola’s Festival of Lights chetola resort, 500 main st, blowing rock Beautiful Chetola and its surrounding grounds are illuminated at dusk and remain lit through January 26.

admission: free january 23 -26

Blowing Rock Winterfest Join folks for the Polar Plunge, WinterFest, Chili Cookoff, and other favorite winter events set against the picturesque winter backdrop of Blowing Rock, North Carolina. New this year is Chillin’ with the King Bees Blues Concert and Cocoa and Canvas. Tickets are available at Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce (132 Park Ave, Blowing Rock, NC) or online.

concert admission: $25 877-295 -7801 or 828 -295 -7851 www. blowingrockwinterfest.com

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january 21-27

Asheville Restaurant Week As Asheville is home to nearly 250 independent restaurants, 20 regional tailgate markets and a growing number of craft breweries, the commitment to using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, has earned Asheville the designation as one of the top ten food and wine destinations in the United States. You will find various restaurants that embrace the key tenets of farm-to-table dining, and can enjoy the tastiest cuisine during Asheville Restaurant Week.

admission: $15 - $30 per person ashevillerestaurantweek .com january 28

UNC Asheville Department of Music Faculty Showcase Concert 7:30 pm | unc asheville’s lipinsky auditorium

Performances by UNC Asheville Music Department faculty.

admission: $5 music .unca . edu | 828 . 251. 6432 january 31

River Dance North Chicago 8 pm | schaefer center for the performing arts at appalachian state university admission: $20 | 800 - 841-2787 | appstate. edu

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Black Orthodontics Chose A Bank Whose Approach It Embraces.

Kelly Davis, Professional Banker and Dr. Keith Black, Black Orthodontics

Dr. Keith Black says his orthodontic practice has always been about relationships. He chose Forest Commercial because he knows, like him, they treat clients like friends.

“Forest Commercial is convenient, competitive with their rates, and they offer better customer service. They foster an environment where relationships are key.

“Their technology enables us to scan all our checks and make deposits remotely from our computer, which makes us more efficient.

Yet when we walk in their office, they still know our names. And Kelly Davis, our Professional Banker, is always on top of our

account and proactive in addressing our needs.

“I’m in an industry with a lot of young professionals, and I’ve referred several of my colleagues to Forest Commercial because it can take care of their practices and take care of them personally, doing everything from home loans to business and equipment loans.

And they’ll do it in a conscientious, efficient manner that means less work with more results. Because that’s what Forest Commercial does for me.”

For a closer – and more rewarding – financial relationship for your business or practice, talk to one of our Professional Bankers today.

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