Jim & Jen Lauzon
Life on the LaZoom Bus p.10
Stratton & Alberico
Innovative Spa Management p.64
The Free Spirit Of Enterprise
Outriding with
Purpose p.46
c a p i ta l a d v e n t u r i s t
Off-road Mountain Biking Trails: creation and location. p.78
colu m ns
Wine for Warm Weather p. 30 Part Two: Keep your “Dream Home� from Turning into a Nightmare. p. 56
Volume V - Edition VII complimentary edition
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The Free Spirit Of Enterprise
publisher & editor
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6
| July 2015
this page :
Detail on side of the LaZoom Bus
on the cover :
Outrider vehicles on the road. Article on p.46 photos by Anthony Harden
F E AT U R E S vol. v
10
TOP HATS & FEISTY NUNS JIM & JEN LAUZON
ed. vii
46
OUTRIDING WITH PURPOSE DANIEL RHYNE, JESSE LEE & TOMMY AUSHERMAN
64
INNOVATIVE SPA MANAGEMENT CHRISTINA STRATTON & ILANA ALBERICO
July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
7
C ON T EN T S LE QU
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ke a look at the ay it’s because ble to advance. r challenges, in
solutions
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Lulu’s consignment photo by Oby Morgan
20
37
78
Shop Thrifting Consignment Shops in Western North Carolina.
Grab a drink with your best friend
Trailblazing
colu m ns
briefs
lo c a l i n d u s t r y
30 W ine for Warm Weather Written by Hunt Mallett & Jonathan Ammons
56 P art Two: Keep
your “Dream Home” from Turning into a Nightmare.
l e i s u r e & l i b at i o n
Don’t leave your dogs whimpering for an outing, take them with you!
32 Carolina in the West 60 The Old North State 74 National & World News
Written by James Johnson
c a p i ta l a d v e n t u r i s t Off-road mountain biking in Western North Carolina.
events
90 July is all about national
independence. Not just in the United Sates, but also in Somalia (July 1st), Belarus (3rd), Algeria and Venezuela (5th), Argentina and South Sudan (9th), Bahamas (10th), Colombia (20th), Belgium (21st), Maldives (26th), Peru (28th), and Vanuatu (30th).
Magazine Retraction: June 2015 V05E06 “On-The-Go” food truck article: Appalachian Smoke BBQ is owned by J.D Medford. Ceci’s Culinary Food Adventures never owned or partnered with Bouchon, but owned La Soleil which is where Bouchon is now located. In “Brian Boggs Chairmakers” the book “The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking” is by James Krenov.
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Wyman Tannehill as “The Nun”
10
| July 2015
Jim & Jen Lauzon
Top Hats & Feisty Nuns: Life on the LaZoom Bus written by emily ball ard
|
photos by anthony harden July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
11
W
alking through the busy streets of downtown Asheville you will encounter great restaurants, unique shops, street festivals, art galleries, coffee shops, and, of course, a nun riding the tallest bicycle you have ever seen, closely followed by a long purple bus with gold embellishments and loud laughter flowing from the curtained windows. The LaZoom tour bus and its cast of characters have become a symbol of Asheville culture and tourism, embodying a city that accepted a young couple with a crazy idea they thought just might work in this quirky town. Ten years and many nuns later the LaZoom business is booming and the laughter is infectious. A New Orleans Beginning
Jim and Jen Lauzon were just two young self-proclaimed punk kids living in New Orleans when they met. They both had a flair for the creative arts and a mutual sentiment toward counterculture. New Orleans provided the perfect stage for the couple’s interest in costume art and performing. Meeting the couple years later you can envision their younger selves street performing, developing their comedy routines, and testing the boundaries of their artistic gift. “I would be in costume around town and people would stop and want to take my photo. I started to daydream about a business that could utilize that sense of quirk. So I bridged that with tourism and then we came up with the bus idea,” Jim recalls. But the couple’s life wasn’t quite ready to launch a business and the bus idea was pushed to the back burner while they made a few key decisions about their future. Jim and Jen decided to make a move to North Carolina. Originally thinking they would move to Wilmington to be close to the beach, they were told to check out an eccentric little town called Asheville, and it was love at first visit. Never the conventionalists, when they decided to get married they had no interest in a traditional wedding. Performers at heart, the ceremony was game show themed with all the attendees being active participants. The wedding would be the catalyst for their future endeavors in a number of ways. After they pulled off their unorthodox interactive wedding, they knew they really had something. Since they were able to plan it on a limited budget they used the money that their family gifted to them for the wedding to buy a house, which would later become equity for them to get a loan for the business. They had always envisioned their bus rolling through the streets of New Orleans with a burlesque feel and Dixie music blaring, but after Hurricane Katrina they started to ask around town to see how the idea would be perceived in Asheville. With 12
| July 2015
positive feedback in hand and a $30,000 small business loan to start, the wheels were put into motion.
Setting the Stage The first step of this unconventional business plan would be finding the most integral part of the business, a character in its own right, the bus. The couple headed to Pittsburg for a bus auction. They humorously recall having no idea what they were doing. While other serious buyers came with mechanics on hand to scrutinize the engine capabilities, the Lauzon’s had two main criteria: long and tall. Assuming that other buyers were confirmation that the bus was in working order, they didn’t even look under the hood. “Our testing of the bus is that we could stand in it,” says Jen. She gestures with her hands above her head, measuring an invisible length criteria. “Yeah, I could wear a top hat in this. There was only one bus that was long enough that we could put a stage and a decent size audience inside and that you could wear a top hat in.” Of course neither of them had CDL licenses so driving it back themselves was out of the question. They hired a company to bring it to them, and they traveled back to Asheville to await the arrival of their newly purchased baby. Their new big bundle of joy would finally arrive at midnight on a dark and stormy night, dramatically appropriate. They planned to park the bus in the backyard of their small West Asheville property, a lot about 40 feet across, a seemingly perfect spot for their new 40 foot bus. As the rain poured down, the driver arduously tried to fit this monstrosity in its new home, taking down branches in its path and most likely shocking the neighbors from their slumber. “All night we were holding our heads and in the morning we were having our coffee, looking out at this thing bigger than our house, and thought…What did we do?!?” says Jim.
Jim as “Sister Bad Habit”
On bus character, Earlene Hooch played byDelina Hensley
July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
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“When we first started, we said let’s just imagine, instead of being the parade announcers talking about the parade as it goes by, let’s be the parade announcers and we ARE the parade going by everything.” Wyman Tannehill as “Beer Man”
Over the next six months they would take on the task of transforming the bus into what they dreamed would be their traveling stage. It was painted and outfitted to their liking. They admit that at this point they were just making it up as they went along. “The first day, when we rolled the bus out of the yard having a friend’s dad drive it to get inspected, we were riding, holding onto the sides. We had been in it for so long never knowing if it would actually work, and it was rolling, and we were like ‘Oh my god!’” Jen and Jim look at each other mimicking their scared and amazed expressions and demonstrating them holding on for dear life while the curtains were flying in the wind. And work it did. Inspections were clear, and other than a few minor details they were ready to roll. They were so caught up in the process that it wouldn’t be until later that they would look back on how they got there. Jim says that his experience working with Mardi Gras parade floats, a time working for Disney, and even being an Amtrak conductor all attributed to their success. “I put all the pieces together and was like ‘Oh, it’s like we have a rolling parade.’ W hen you are so close to something you don’t really understand what’s going on sometimes.”
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audience, pointing to random objects outside of the bus. As they talk about those first experimental, years they look at each other and laugh, providing a glimpse into the performers that they were at the beginning. You can sense the giddiness they must have felt. Fresh, inspired, and at times grasping. These two business owners and performers began to develop a routine. As the bus travelled around the town they had grown to love, the two of them sat in captain’s chairs at the front of the bus, sometimes facing each other, sometimes facing the audience, playing off of each other’s humor in a comfortable way that maybe only husband and wife can achieve. “When we first started, we said let’s just imagine, instead of being the parade announcers talking about the parade as it goes by, let’s be the parade announcers and we ARE the parade going by everything.” Eventually their natural roles would emerge, and while Jen was adamant on developing a concrete script to follow, Jim was less interested in memorizing lines and more interested in off the cuff characters. So lovingly, Jim was kicked off the bus in order for his creative characters to hit the street in an interactive way. “It was just a nice way for me to get off the bus and to be more of an element of surprise, instead of ducking in the stairwell and getting changed into characters,” Jim says. It was around this point in time that the couple realized that their dreams were coming to fruition. Jim says that he had always had a recurring vision of sorts. This vision involved an old man sitting in a barber shop getting his haircut when a gorilla runs by the window being chased by a guy in a safari outfit yielding a net. When the old man is shocked, the barber looks up and says, “Oh, that’s just Jim Lauzon.” Jim always aspired to be the town character, and at last he finally was. But as Jen would point out, instead of a gorilla, it would take the form of a nun.
Sister Bad Habit What could be considered the official town character of Asheville, Sister Bad Habit, was born in the usual organic Lauzon way. As they were going through their costume drawers they pulled out a white bandana with black fabric hanging
clockwise from left:: Wyman Tannehill as a bee, buzzing around bus riders The Nun enjoying a cold beer on the tour Bus rider labeled a sinner
July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
17
off of it, a comical nun habit of course. And in Jim’s creative mind the perfect accessory for this character would be fire, and so she carried a fire torch in her pocketbook. Jim feels that this was the easiest character he ever did because, having attended catholic school as a child, he had plenty of material to pull from. In fact, Sister Bad Habit is “loosely” based on an actual nun from his childhood. “Sister Pauline was the best. She was really strong, very virtuous, never wrong, and kind of very cute and curmudgeonly,” says Jim, as both he and Jen emphasize the never wrong attribute. This nun character would take on a life of her own, and she can be spotted around town riding bicycles, chasing after purple buses, or enjoying a tasty beverage at one of the local bars. She is actually featured on the label of a local craft brew, an appropriate image for a town often called the cesspool of sin.
Business Today What started out as a humble dream has morphed into a successful business. The startup costs were minimal as far as business standards go, and the pair praise Mountain Bizworks for teaching them the hard facts of running a business and
18
| July 2015
offering them advice and support along the way. The Jim and Jen comic duo has grown into a bona fide company with twelve staff members. “We grew so slowly and organically with the town holding us up and helping us. That was the best part, how much everyone wanted us to succeed.” When they first started the business they were driven by fear. They worried not so much that they would fail, but that they wouldn’t be accepted. They have found the opposite to be true, and have instead felt fully supported by the community, the chamber of commerce, and even the occasional run in with the police for running lights or harmless fender benders. But as the business has grown, inevitably it has changed and, as with most businesses, there have been some growing pains. The chemistry between Jim and Jen is what had the audience eating out of their hands, and by the fifth year they knew how to make it work, but they also began to feel burnt out on performing and realized it was time to relinquish some of their duties. “One of the hardest things is transferring and finding the right type of person to fill our shoes when you don’t even really know how to define what you are doing. So finding the right replacements was difficult, and even the script is being rewritten and strengthened right now.”
So the two stepped off of their stage with full confidence in their team that they say could each individually have a one man show and are truly capable of stepping into their roles on the entertainment side of the business. Although it has been a challenge, they took a year off to take an online business course. They realized they were wearing too many hats and that there was some inner disorganization that was weighing them down. “We spent most of last year going step by step and giving a label and descr iption to ever y position and every task. Our business is stronger and we are so clear about everything. We are able to grow the business in the ways we were hoping to do years ago but were trapped underneath the bus, but now we are on top of the bus screaming ‘Yeehaw!’.”
Jen says that it was important for them to unplug in order for them to move forward. The future will involve a kid’s program, black history tours, a band on a bus brewery tour, and maybe even a new branch since they have found a model that works. Both Jim and Jen talk about their business with passion and love. Although stepping off the bus has been an adjustment, it has also been a way for them to realize the significance of what they have created. “Last summer, not being on the bus, walking downtown, the streets were packed, all of a sudden I hear this music and laughter and the bus comes blowing right through Pritchard park and Augusta Wind had jumped off the bus and people were cheering for her as she is running through the crowd. And my heart just melted and I thought this is awesome. We are doing everything and more than we originally imagined.”
“We are able to grow the business in the ways we were hoping to do years ago but were trapped underneath the bus, but now we are on top of the bus screaming ‘Yeehaw!’.”
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local industry
this page : A shirt and jewelry
at Excellent Seconds
facing page (clockwise from top):
Setup in Feather Your Nest Children’s clothes in LuLu’s photo by Oby Morgan
Lamps and furniture at LuLu’s
Consignment Shops in Western North Carolina
Shop
Thrifting written by marie bartlett
|
photos by anthony harden
There was a time when walking into a consignment shop meant looking over your shoulder to ensure that no one recognized you. Stigma reigned – despite good, solid merchandise and rock bottom pricing. Shopping on the cheap just wasn’t done, at least among the image-conscious. But that was then. Following the recession in 2008, the tables turned. Consignment shops flourished as one of the few businesses that actually grew in hard times. A paradigm set in, changing mindsets and values among shoppers of all stripes. Suddenly, consignment was “cool.” According to the National Association of Resale Professionals (NARTS), resale - a general term which encompasses consignment, donation sites like Goodwill and thrift stores - is a multi-billion dollar a year industry and remains one of the fastest growing segments of retail. There are currently an estimated 25,000-plus resale, consignment, and nonprofit resale shops across the United States, attracting customers from every economic level. One consumer research group says between 16-18 percent of all Americans will shop at a thrift store during any given year, 20
| July 2015
and about 12-15 percent will go the consignment route. That compares with about 21 percent of shoppers who stick to major department stores. The resale market’s rise is due in part to consumers who are more value conscious than ever before, but it’s also due to a higher sense of eco responsibility from those who see the good in recycling rather than wasteful disposal. Plus, it’s just plain fun. “It’s the thrill of the hunt that hooks them,” says Bette Knapp, owner of Feather Your Nest, at 1215 Greenville Highway in Henderson County, “and yes, times have changed. People from every economic level seem to love a bargain now.” Bette’s store is one of dozens of consignment shops throughout Western North Carolina, many of which not only survived the 2008 recession, but thrived, riding the wave that brought a new attitude to “gently used” items. The business model for consignment shops is fairly standard: sellers agree to turn over their item for a specified period of time, usually ninety to 120 days. Revenue between consignor and consignment shop is split,
July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
21
local industry
Select Furniture
generally fifty-fifty, but that varies. Pricing is more fluid; much depends upon the item, its condition, current trends, and what the market will bear. Once the contract period is up, unsold items are either returned to the seller or donated. Feather Your Nest carries upscale furniture, home décor, and fine jewelry. Bette’s customers are typically retired and often looking to refurnish a second home. She attracts sellers with top brand name furniture and is very selective about what she accepts on consignment – a trait shared by many of the more successful consignment shop owners. Her merchandise is also clean and well organized, another key buying and selling point that brings both customers and consignors to her door. A former bookkeeper who lived in Naples, Florida, before coming to the North Carolina mountains, Bette says she went into consignment, well, just because. “I like to shop for bargains myself, and I’ll try anything. So I thought I’d try this too.” In business since 2007, she’s now at her third location, moving from a 600-square-foot store to her current space of 4,000-square-feet. Working with more than 1,300 consignors, she pays them fifty to sixty percent of revenue. Merchandise is kept for 120 days, and those items that remain unsold must be picked up by the seller. Otherwise, Bette is on the phone to them. Feather Your Nest is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am till 4 pm. Feather Your Nest has no website, but Bette can be reached at (828) 693-3535.
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| July 2015
LUGGING ITEMS TO A SHOP TO ENSURE THEY WILL BE accepted is circumvented when consignment stores are willing to work with digital photos of items via email, as is the case at Nikki’s Select Furniture Consignment at 330 Rockwood Road in Arden. Sellers e-mail a photo along with the manufacturer’s name, the dimensions, and condition of the piece. If interested, Nikki contacts the consignor and they agree on a selling price. Consignment period is ninety days and consignors receive 50 percent of the item’s sold price. After thirty days, if the piece hasn’t sold, the price is discounted in stages in an effort to help sell the item. Sellers have a week to pick up unsold items. Though technically, the item becomes the property of Select Furniture after ninety days, Nikki says they make a reasonable attempt to contact the seller, donating the item as a last resort to nonprofits. Nikki much prefers the term “gently used” fine furniture and home décor, where she carries, literally, thousands of items throughout her 5,000-square-foot facility. Six years in the business she, along with her husband, Tony, a former marketing executive in Florida, ran a consignment shop in Banner Elk, North Carolina in 2008 before moving to Asheville where there were more year-round opportunities. “The economy went off the cliff in 2008 so we had to decide what to do next,” says Tony. “I knew marketing and branding could go hand in hand with consignment, and Nikki wanted to own a business, so why not?” While Nikki is full owner, he handles the finances and serves as her right hand man. With
Tami Michael
Dayna Pelle
Sheila Pelle
advertising backgrounds, they both believe in the inherent value of a good commercial, so they promote the shop through TV and on their well-designed website. Nikki’s background shines through in her elegant displays and the store’s homey 5,000-square-foot atmosphere, which opened in 2012. “I also worked for an interior designer in Florida,” she explains, “and fell in love with décor after I learned about color and design. I wanted a place that felt good when people walked in, and I wanted to help them decorate their own homes without having to go out and buy everything new.” Though the store is still in an early growth stage compared to consignments that have been around a decade or more, Nikki knows what works in home decor and says her plan is to specialize in making homes look better, whatever that takes. “When my customers come through my door,” she says, “I want them to feel like it’s opening the door to my home. Everything is prepared, cleaned, and ready for show, just as I would do for my houseguests. The difference is, they’re also coming in for a bargain.” Store hours at Select Furniture are Tuesday through Saturday from 10am until 6pm. Visit their website at www.selectfurnitureconsignment.com or call (828) 654-9797. WITH SELECT AMONG THE NEWEST CONSIGNMENT SHOPS, AT LEAST in Buncombe County, among the oldest is Excellent Seconds, now in its twenty-ninth year. Located at 959 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville, it has been known to attract and keep customers willing to drive three hours just to shop there. Owner Tami Michael, says, above all, don’t call her business a “thrift store.” Her specialties are ladies apparel and accessories – shoes, scarves, accessories, and handbags. She estimates that she has anywhere from 900 to 1,000 items in the store at any particular time, in a space relatively small – about 400-square-feet. An Asheville native, she majored in psychology during college but decided to try running a business instead. “I never really thought of doing anything else,” she says. “My niche is that everything I carry is nice. I’m very particular about my merchandise and I look for the unusual – boutique pieces, funky lines of jewelry or bags – and I find them all over the country, paying the shipping to have them sent to me. It’s incredible stuff.” At first, she says, customers came in for better brands of merchandise they couldn’t afford elsewhere. But now, they come in to save a few bucks on whatever they can find, and they bring a new attitude. “Shopping consignment today is a proud thing to do,” she says. “But quality is important and so is cleanliness, organization, and a place that looks and smells good when you walk in. I’m pretty obsessive about all three.” Like most consignment stores, her split with consignors is fifty-fifty, and unsold items, after ninety days, are either returned to the owner or donated. She rarely advertises, preferring word of mouth and customer loyalty – like the woman who kept coming back even though she had moved three hours away. Excellent Seconds is open noon till 5pm (no days listed) according to its Facebook page, with additional details available by calling the store at (828) 251-2332. SISTERS-IN-LAWS SHEILA AND DAYNA PELLE CO-OWN FRUGAL DÉCOR and More at 1100 W. Chapel Road in Asheville. Their 8,000-square-foot facility offers “gently used” furniture and accessories, as well as pieces suitable for repurposing. The do-it-yourself (DIY) types who want to create a unique look are the perfect client base for them (Sheila is an avid DIY and a local paint July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 23
local industry
En Plein Air Locally-Owned Galleries, Shops, Wine Bars & Restaurants
enthusiast), but in business since 2010, they cater to anyone looking for a great find and a good deal. Currently, they have more than 2,000 consignors. “We both sold furniture at one time,” Dayna says, “and we often heard people ask where they could sell their used items that were still in good shape. They didn’t necessarily want to give them away, donate them, or have a yard sale.” The women found a factory store that had once carried John Deere equipment and opened it as a showroom for furniture and accessories. Friends and acquaintances brought items, and within six months it was full. Neither had any idea it would grow so fast, for the recession was in full swing. But it was, they said, “a grand time to open.” They pay a fifty-fifty split on items for up to 120 days, then sell or donate to nonprofit organizations if there are no buyers. “Consignment is a way to recycle or repurpose good furniture and get a return on part of your investment,” says Dayna. “It also allows us to help the community.” Frugal Décor is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am till 5pm, closed on Sunday and Monday. Visit their website at www. frugaldecorandmore.com or call (828) 277-5700.
THE HISTORIC
GROVE ARCADE on
BATTERY HILL
Open Daily
•
One Page Avenue
828.252.7799 24 GA_Capital_June15.indd 1
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Downtown Asheville
www.grovearcade.com
| July 2015 5/12/15 7:59 AM
ONE OF THE LARGEST A ND PER HAPS FASTEST growing consignments in Western North Carolina is LuLu’s, now at two locations in Fletcher, North Carolina. Family-owned and operated since 2006, it provides more than two dozen jobs in a total of 20,000-square-feet (both locations) and partners with more than 12,000 consignors. A minimum of 1,000 new items come through the business each day. Owner Angie Heidenreich, originally from Minnesota, was a military wife and mother who moved from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Asheville with her family in 1994. A homemaker with four small children underfoot, she took a part-time job in a consignment store for a year and enjoyed it. “I was always a consignment shopper,” she says, “and I saw the need for these type stores.” With supply and demand in full
Nine and dine.
Angie Heidenreich swing, she found a 3,000-square-foot space in Fletcher and opened her first store in 2006. It took off, taking Angie by surprise. “I learned that people were becoming really savvy when it came to saving, recycling, and selling their things. So we grew quickly, allowing us to expand three times in three years.” She has no idea how many customers come through her store. (That number isn’t tracked.)
“Every week we donate a truckload of unused items to local charities, including Council on Aging of Henderson County, which benefits Meals on Wheels, and several local school clothing closets.”
©2015 Omni Hotels & Resorts
9 AND DINE
160
$
for two guests
The 2008 recession actually helped her business as a mix of clientele, male and female, young and old, came to look for bargains and shop. “I offer everything from a $16.00 pair of shoes to a $800.00 leather couch,” she says. Her store is clean and well-organized, divided into categories from women’s clothing and accessories in one section, to children’s items in another. Pricing is based on past experience, or researched online, with automatic markdowns every twenty days. In her first location, at 3461 Hendersonville Road, consignors can drive up and drop off goods. Free accounts are set up for each consignor, with a designated account number and online access. Once a balance is established and items sold, the consignor can cash out at the register or request payment by mail. Monies in the account never expire.
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local industry
Feather Your Nest
Since 1977
HANDMADE
RUGS
FOR THE RECORD The terms “thrift store”, “resale”, and “consignment” are often intertwined and misconstrued as the same type of establishment. THRIFT STORES are generally run by nonprofits like Goodwill and Salvation Army. They, too, are booming, but they accept donated items and do not generally handle consignments, at least not in large quantities. A RESALE STORE can be either thrift or a consignment business.
Hand knotted one-of-a-kind rugs Turkish, Persian & Caucasion 562 Long Shoals Rd. Arden NC 28704
828-687-1968
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| July 2015
For a look at latest trends, statistics, and predictions for the resale market industry, visit the National Association of Resale Professionals at www.narts.org.
Vintage Fab
But, due to rapid growth, the store was, by Angie’s account, “bursting at the seams.” By January 2015, LuLu’s kept its first location, converted it to a children’s store and clearance center, and moved down the street to 3699 Hendersonville Road. That location includes adult clothing, home décor, and a large variety of new and used furniture. Like many better consignment stores, no broken, damaged, or unclean items are accepted. LuLu’s features a long list of “What to Expect When Consigning” on its website and promotes the fact the store has earned several awards from the Asheville Chamber of Commerce and WNC Family Choice Awards as an outstanding business. “Giving back to the community is another huge initiative for us,” Angie says. “Every week we donate a truckload of unused items to local charities, including Council on Aging of Henderson County, which benefits Meals on Wheels, and several local school clothing closets.” Her business model incorporates a philosophy of hard work and integrity. “Otherwise,” she says, “you can’t make it in this business.” Her husband and four daughters join in as needed to help out at both stores, making LuLu’s a family affair. LuLu’s is open Monday through Saturday from 10am till 6pm. Visit their website at www.ilovelulus.net or call (828) 687-7565. CHRISSY FILKA, OF THE BEEHIVE RESALE SHOP, ON MAIN Street in Hendersonville, moved from Richmond, Virginia, to Hendersonville in 2002, soon discovering a small shop well known to the small town. It was owned by Bette Carter, the only shop of its kind downtown, and had remained open for thirty-three years on North Main Street, long before consignment shopping was fashionable. Its niche was unique fashion finds and excellent prices, plus friendly customer service. By 2006, Chrissy, whose background was mortgage banking and technical writing, was a regular shopper, indulging her weakness for high quality shoes and other must-have bargains. “I had no sales experience and had never worked in retail,” she says, “but when I learned Bette was retiring, I decided to buy the store, even though I was terrified of the big investment.” The leap worked, but only after she closed one of two side-by-side properties, reorganizing and utilizing every ounce of space. She works with about 500 active consignors and remains selective about merchandise, specializing in boutique and department store brands of women’s clothing only. The split for sellers is sixty/forty (they get 40 percent) and she has two to three part-time employees at any time. Pricing is determined by condition, style, and item appeal – shoes and purses are currently in high demand. She carries quality brand names of both, along with new, stylish jewelry. Unsold items are donated, with the buyer receiving tax credit. She has a loyal customer base, finding most new customers through social media and her website. A surprising number of consignment shops throughout Western North Carolina use Facebook as a means of communication with customers, as opposed to a website. What makes her consignment store stand out, she believes, are really the hallmarks of all good consignment shops – cleanliness,
Frugal Décor and More
July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 27
local industry
Her shop hours are Monday through Thursday from 10am till 5pm, Saturday ten to six, and Sunday noon till four pm. Find her on Facebook – the Beehive Resale Shop, or at her website www.beehivesale.com.
a shot in the arm. She looks for unusual retro items that you can’t always find in a typical antique shop – vintage clothing; a grandmother clock from the 1980s; a pink alarm clock with a built-in cigarette lighter; furniture that ranges from the 1940s to the 1980s. “We’re the only coffee shop in Mars Hill,” she says, “and since it’s a university town, we get people from all over the state.” She pays consignors a generous 70 percent and keeps her store open year round.
IN M A R S HILL, BILLIE LYONS, owner of Vintage Fab, across from Mars Hill University, opened in November 2013. She says only about five percent of her merchandise is based on consignment, but with customers coming into the shop that doubles as the Bees Knees Coffee Shop consignment items provide
FURTHER NORTH, AT THE BANNER Elk Consignment Shop, in Banner Elk, North Carolina, Realtor Susan Brown,
a pleasant atmosphere, detailed organization, a decent location, and excellent customer service. “The greatest compliment I receive when people come into my store,” says Chrissy, “is ‘I had no idea this was a consignment shop. I thought you were retail.’”
Open year round, Vintage Fab hours are 8am till 8pm, Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday. For details visit the website at www.vintagefabmarshill.com or call (828) 680-1221.
offers home furnishings and accessories in two locations – a small house and a cottage at 414 Shawneehaw Avenue. Total square footage is about 3,600 feet and the location is smack in the heart of tourist country. Her yen for consignment began when she would visit her college-age son in Wilmington, North Carolina and find high quality items at a much reduced price. “I saw these unique places popping up every where,” she says, “so my husband, Mike, and I bought a piece of commercial real estate and decided to open our own shop in May 2009.” Now in their seventh year, they sell good quality furniture, mostly to people looking for a special piece or planning to furnish a second home. Yet they cater to everyone and look upon their consignors as people with whom they share a close relationship.
make it a LILLY kind of
SUMMER
One All Souls Crescent • Historic Biltmore Village Asheville, NC • 828.505.8140 • www.shoppalmvillage.com www.facebook.com/Palm.Village.Asheville
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Photo of store Courtesy of Banner Elk Consignment Cottage
“Our business is a house,” Susan says, “so it looks like a living room when you walk in. Everything is displayed as though each is a little vignette. It’s staged and cleaned regularly, to the point where customers often think we’re retail. That’s so important, to make them feel welcome in a nice, clean shop.”
Banner Elk Consignment Cottage is open Tuesday through Saturday 10:30am to 5pm. Visit the store’s Facebook page for updates or call (828) 898-5733. ADVERTISING A ND MARKETING for many consignments stores is often by word of mouth, but more often than not
DesignAvenue HOME FURNISHINGS
these days, each store also has a website, a Facebook, a blog, or a Yelp page to help spread the word. Some use paid advertising as well. By all accounts, the future of consignment shops remains bright, even if the economy refuses to stay the course. At least that’s the consensus of the experts at the National Association of Resale Professionals (NARP). As we progress from a disposable to a recyclable society, consignment chains and franchises will rise and shops will brand themselves with specialty goods targeted at specific markets, is NARP’s current prediction. “Resale is the ultimate in recycling,” says one frequent consignment shopper. “Besides, if you know what you’re looking for, a twenty dollar bill will get you five or six items of better quality, than a single twenty dollar item at a major retail store.”
FURNITURE MADE IN AMERICA
* FREE DESIGN CONSULTATION
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM M-F •10:00 AM - 2:00 PM SAT 828.687.3690 • WWW.DESIGNAVENUEASHEVILLE.COM AIRPORT ROAD DESIGN CENTER •3 DESIGN AVENUE, SUITE 101FLETCHER, NC 28732 ( TAKE RUTLEDGE ROAD OFF OF AIRPORT ROAD BETWEEN SONIC & IHOP ) July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 29
Wine for Warm Weather
H hunt mallett
is the owner and operator of Weinhaus, located on Patton Avenue in downtown Asheville, North Carolina. jonathan ammons is an
area food and wine writer that works at the Weinhaus.
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A
S SUMMER CR EEPS IN A ND THE temperatures creep up, it gets harder and harder to choke down those heavy reds we got used to drinking in front of the fireplace or pairing with our stews during the winter. Warmer weather calls for something fresh, lithe, and airy. I start yearning for something different, something to pair with salads and fresh fish, something to pair with sitting by the pool or on the patio.
A growing trend of late has been low octane wines, light Rieslings from Germany and Vinho Verdes from Portugal are ideal go to’s. With the rise of craft “session” beers — also notably lower in alcohol— it can be hard for a wine drinker to keep pace with their beer pounding compatriots, hence, the 20% growth in the import of low alcohol wines within the last year in the States. The beer and wine industries in America have seen similar trends in their consumers’ preferences. The phase of the “bigger and bolder” love of over-ripe, high alcohol grapes in wine and pushing the limits on hop concentration in beer has left more than a few taste buds begging for mercy. These over-the-top wines and beers don’t match up well with food; they overpower most pairings and are relegated to sipping on their own, maybe with some water between drinks to moderate the effects. Our summertime suggestions to come back to earth for easy-drinking wine include a couple of favorites. The slightly effervescent, crisp flavors of Broadbent’s Vinho Verde make an appealing wine for lounging around the back yard in your hammock, and checking in at a mere 9% alcohol, it’s easy to quaff down a few glasses without any regret,
| July 2015
especially at a price of only $9.99 per bottle. Vinho Verde literally translates as “green wine,” that is to say that it is young wine, bottled, ready to drink. The spritz developed from malolactic fermentation occurring in the bottle left a cloudy appearance from sediment. Modern producers favor completing malo-fermentation before bottling and putting the sparkle back through carbonation to keep the wine clear. If you’re looking for something more fruit forward, Clean Slate’s Dry Riesling is a compelling selection. Packed with minerality and spice, hints of peach, and riding at a low 10.5%, it’s an easy choice to sip on all evening. Many of Germany’s winemakers are starting to ferment out more of the abundant sugars present in Riesling grapes. This dryer style has long been present in Alsace, and it presents new and different opportunities for food pairings than the traditional Rieslings of Germany. If you’re looking for something crisp and light, but don’t want to sacrifice your booze content, there’s always a nice, dry Rosé. My father (Dave Mallett) began preaching the virtues of dry Rosés as far back as the late 1970s when America was just starting to wake up to fine wine. At that time,
H the country’s education of wine had started off on the wrong foot. Unfortunately, the populous was inundated with sweeter, simple Rosès like Lancers, Mateus, and the made-up name – White Zinfandel. It has been an uphill battle ever since, but we are delighted to see a new appreciation of Rosé as it becomes popular with both red and white wine lovers. An ideal pairing with a variety of foods from the grill, Rosés have enough flavor to keep up with spices and meats without the heavy body that often overpowers fish and chicken. The lightly fruity flavors also often complement spicier foods, which can be a difficult pairing for fans of dry wine as sugary wines are typically used to balance heat. Our current favorite is 3 Messes Basses Rosé. It is named for the writings of Alphonse Daudet; it is a crisp, light and berry centric rosé, perfect for an early summer evening, and perhaps you’ll also impress that rare fan of Spanish literature. This wine comes from the Ventoux region of the Rhône Valley in France, and is made of Grenache, Cinsault, and Carignan, in a 60%-20%-20% blend.
WITH THE RISE OF CR AF T “SESSION” BEERS — ALSO NOTABLY LOWER IN ALCOHOL— IT CAN BE HARD FOR A WINE DRINKER TO KEEP PACE WITH THEIR BEER POUNDING COMPATRIOTS, HENCE, THE 20% GROWTH IN THE IMPORT OF LOW ALCOHOL WINES WITHIN THE LAST YEAR IN THE STATES. Surely you’ve fired up your grill by now, right? Pairing with grilled foods can be tough. The temptation is to go with big, bold flavors to keep up with the smoke and the char, but that can often overpower something like a bratwurst or chicken. Grilling fish or shrimp? Why not head to the Rhone Valley? 3 Messes Basses offers a fantastic Rhone Blanc (white wine) of Clairette and Grenache Blanc. If you have pork or beef on that grill, 3 Messes Basses also offers a rouge (red) blend of Grenache, Carignan, and Syrah, all three varieties are a bargain for a measly $14. Avoiding heavy reds is always advisable this time of the year; it can certainly be harder to finish a glass of an oaky, jammy Zinfandel or Cabernet on a warm night. But it is also always wise to remember that no wine is the wrong wine as long as you enjoy it and share it with friend. July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
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CAROLINA in the
WEST [
news briefs
Degree in Aviation buncombe county
A-B Tech, with the assistance of local flight school WNC Aviation, is launching a new program of study. Located in South Asheville near the airport, the program will offer an associate’s degree in applied science for aviation enthusiasts. Enrollees will have the choice of pursuing an aviation management career track or training for a restricted airline transport pilot license. Students pursuing a pilot license and FAA certification will pay A-B Tech tuition plus $40,000 for flight training. To offset the cost, scholarships will be offered and GI Bills will be honored. Students wishing to pilot jetliners will graduate with 250 hours applied to the 1500 hours of flight time required for licensing. Interest in the class is high. Richard Coman, who chairs
]
the Aviation Management and Career Pilot Technology program, expects fifty students will be enrolling for classes that begin on August 18. Demand for pilots is also high, with 30,000 expected to retire in the next five years. Classes will be offered in space shared by a Mars Hill University satellite. A-B Tech administrators are looking for an independent campus to establish a self-contained program so as to be eligible for additional state funding. A-B Tech’s will be the third aviation program to be offered by a North Carolina community college.
You’ll Love the Harwells buncombe county
Paul Hedgecock won first place in the Bright Ideas Rocket Pitch prize competition hosted by Western Carolina
: Fletcher Town Hall
University. His innovation was Ugo Tour NC Mountains, billed as “the official travel and tour guide app for Western North Carolina’s spectacular Blue Ridge Mountains.” Ugo Tour is available for both Apple and Android devices. In addition to being a GPS providing maps and directions with links to the web sites of nearby businesses and attractions, Ugo gives people reasons to go. Ugo provides fast utilitarian facts and brief blurbs. It also supplies sneak-preview videos of stores for ambience-conscious shoppers and educational videos on historical, cultural, and scenic places. If that’s not enough, the app takes advantage of today’s storytelling craze, being replete with episodes of the fictional Harwell family. Actors cast in roles specially designed for Ugo, the Harwells are a comedic Charlotte family whose dad takes them to the mountains to find more meaning in life. Through their vignettes, tourists can relate to a place by watching the Harwells walk, talk, and play around in it. Hedgecock’s prize, worth $2500, will be added to sponsorships from the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, NC Scenic Byways, Smoky Mountain Host, and Storypoint Media.
CASE STUDY
“For a building that is brand new, these letters fit so well, it looks like it’s been here for 50 years already.” -Mark Biberdorf, Town Manager, Fletcher, NC
Fletcher Town Hall
The Town Manager of Fletcher, NC requested a bid to sign the front of the new town hall and install way-finding signs to direct visitors. Their budget was conservative, they wanted a classic look to complement the new architecture while a ribbon-cutting deadline was fast approaching. We chose Times New Roman for the font and specified aluminum plate letters for the building. All the signage was painted to match the building’s trim and best of all, we completed the project 2 days before opening ceremonies.
Fletcher, NC
DESCRIPTION:
12” Tall non illuminated letter set, stud mounted with spacers. Duranodic
NOTES:
PREPARED FOR:
Pro Proposed placement and appearance
Mark Biberdorf
Town Manager - Fletcher APPROVED BY:
17'-9" 1'-0"
The Town Manager of Fletcher, NC requested a bid to sign the front of the new town hall and install way-finding signs to direct visitors. Their budget was conservative and they wanted a classic look to complement the new architecture. Best of all, we completed the project 2 days before opening ceremonies.
CASE STUDY
COPYRIGHT: THIS DESIGN IS THE PROPERTY OF FASTSIGNS ® OR PURCHASER. ORIGINAL DESIGNS REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF FASTSIGNS ® UNLESS SPECIFICALLY STATED IN YOUR CONTRACT THAT YOU HAVE PURCHASED THEM. NON-CREATIVE WORKS PRODUCED UNDER CONTRACT ARE THE PROPERTY OF PURCHASER.
Proposed Fascia F Letter Set ・
COPYRIGHT LAWS PROHIBIT THE COPYING OR USE OF THIS DESIGN WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF FASTSIGNS ®, ASHEVILLE.
DATE: 04/24/2014
CONCEPT BY: M.S.
CONSULT CONSULTANT: L LT TA NT: A TA ANDY FIELD
CONCEPT ID: FLETCHER TOWN HALL LETTERS 61392 MS
SCALE: 1/2” = 1’
PAGE: 1 OF 1
ILLUMINATED NATED DIVISION D I V I SI DI 1202 Patton nA Ave. ve. • Asheville, Asheville, NC NC 28806 2 p 828.251.2211 51.2211 f 828.251.0005 828.251.000
“For a building that is brand new, these letters fit so well, it looks like it’s been here for 50 years already.” - Mark Biberdorf, Town Manager, Fletcher, NC
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FASTSIGNS® ILLUMINATED DIVISION
1202 Patton Ave. Asheville, NC 28806
Ready to get started? Your FASTSIGNS consultant is more than ready to help.
(828) 251-2211 www.fastsigns.com/241
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Asheville
REVISION:
Meet Your Herbs in the Techno Age transylvania county
Herbal remedies conjure thoughts of running around in the forest and communing with nature. Gaia Herbs gives the scene a twist for the digital age. The company has seriously upgraded its website, MeetYourHerbs®, first launched in 2010. With headquarters in Brevard, North Carolina, Gaia grows 6.5 million plants a year on farms in the United States and Costa Rica. It then produces liquid extracts, powders, teas, and capsules for sale through independently-owned health food stores and trusted online retailers. MeetYourHerbs® is designed to help people research herbs alphabetically or by the malady they are trying to cure. Beyond that, the site provides pictures of the plants in their natural habitat and videos of their growth, harvest, and processing. Codes on the product may be used to pull up the results of all relevant batch tests. Raw material DNA validation, biomarker concentration levels, and negative tests for microbes, pesticides, and heavy metals are all posted. Users are invited to share stories and use the site in other ways to network. Founder Ric Scalzo says he’s interested in going
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the old north state
national & world
beyond trust to demonstrate the company’s commitment to purity, integrity, and potency in all its products. This furthers the corporate mission of “cultivating health and well-being by stewarding sustainable relationships between plants and people.”
Big Fore henderson county
The historic Lake Lure Golf Club became the first Western North Carolina course to be certified by the United States FootGolf Association (USFGA). FootGolf follows the same rules as regular golf except the balls are replaced with soccer balls; the clubs, with feet. Players aim to kick the ball into a 21-inch-diameter metal-lined hole. The sport began in 2006, with the first tournament held in the Netherlands in 2008. Since then, the Professional Golfers’ Association of America and the World Golf Foundation have credited the game with adding new life to marginalized golf courses. Lake Lure manager Dale Minick decided to pursue the sport as “something interesting and different.” But footgolf is not entirely novel. More than 300 courses are now USFGA-certified. Lake Lure’s nine-hole course was designed by Carlos
carolina in the west
Stremi of the USFGA. Distances from tees to holes at Lake Lure range from 60 to 400 yards. This course will be a little more challenging than others due to its rolling hills. Currently most footgolfers are middle agers who played soccer in their youth. To help grow enthusiasm for the sport, Minick wants to organize tournaments as well as an adult league to play on Friday nights. He is trying to draw more kids into the sport as well.
Small Is Beautiful & Booming buncombe county
2015 is off to a good start in Historic Biltmore Village, where nine new businesses will have opened shop by June. Like most other retail centers, the village suffered a slump with shops closing during the recent recession. Biltmore Village, initially created as the town of Best 117 years ago by George Vanderbilt, was modeled after an English country village and designed to serve the needs of Biltmore Estate workers and even included a church. Tree-lined brick sidewalks connect shops in period architecture. Taking credit for the new wave of business is the Historic Biltmore Village Partnership,
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Exit 4c off I-240 • Guided Fly Fishing trips 29 Montford Ave, Asheville • Fly Fishing Classes 1-800-227-6732 • Fly Tying Classes www.HunterBanks.com July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
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formerly the Biltmore Village Merchants Association. The group’s approach to recruiting is to instruct its members to go about telling their friends and acquaintances how nice the village is. Keeping with the theme of Asheville’s trademark eclecticism, the new tenants will include two massage therapists (Elevate Healing Arts Studio and Flow Bodyworks), an acupuncturist (also with Elevate), an art gallery (Surface), and a yarn store (Yummi Yarns). Three clothiers (Boheme, Bette, and Mountain Merchandise) and a boutique real estate office (Carolina Mountain Sales) will also be moving in. Existing businesses are also seeing an uptick in sales from a beneficial pulse in the small community. The partnership wants visitors to know there is no shortage of parking in the village; there is a little-known 152-space garage under Chicos.
will go toward production, and the rest will pay for transmission to Spartanburg County, South Carolina. The endeavor is expected to create 800 construction-stage jobs over about four years, and company officials insist they will not ask for any economic development incentives or other forms of tax breaks. The decision makes fiscal sense in light of record low pricing on cleaner-burning natural gas. Unfortunately, the lower prices are made possible by fracking, a practice environmentalists claim contaminates groundwater and causes earthquakes. What’s more, Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens recently placed a de facto moratorium on fracking in the state, holding up the issuance of permits until challenges to oversight board appointments can be resolved.
Help for Etsy Sellers Always Something Wrong buncombe county
Duke Energy has decided to close its plant on Lake Julian that has been providing safe, reliable electricity to the population of Western North Carolina for years. The decision followed a full-court press by media whipping up concerns about coal ash ponds throughout the state. A week before the announcement, Duke agreed to pay $102 million in fines for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act. The fines are on top of costs of remediation, for which Duke is accepting full responsibility. Asheville Beyond Coal, a consortium of environmental groups, including MountainTrue, the local chapter of the Sierra Club, and the Southern Environmental Law Center, have long been campaigning to close the plant, even though demand for its services have doubled over the last forty years. Replacing the plant will be a hybrid natural gas and solar electrical plant. Duke is expected to invest $1.1 billion in the new facility. $750 million 34
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buncombe county
Etsy, an online marketplace for selling unique, handmade items, can be a jungle. It can be difficult for sellers to stand out in the crowd of 1.4 million vendors offering 32 million items. Sellers pay Etsy twenty cents per listing, but if they don’t want to be at the bottom of a list of a thousand entries, they may pay another twenty cents. For people like Raina Lee Scott, who earns her living selling from two e-commerce shops, the costs add up. While coaching handcrafters in the art of Etsy, Scott ran into Annika Schauer, a student of web coding. Three months ago, Schauer floated their idea of creating websites automatically from Etsy listings online. The immediate response was three pages of email responses. And the requests just kept coming. So, the two ladies, with assistance from business whiz Christopher Craig, started BeesWax Websites. With forty-five beta testers in nine countries, BeesWax is scheduled to go live June 21. To appeal to the creative types on Etsy, BeesWax will offer a choice of fonts and colors. Whatever text, data, and photos
sellers add to Etsy is immediately displayed on their BeesWax website. The added bonus is BeesWax will keep up with trends in keywords, metadata, and other search engine optimization tricks to keep sellers in the first couple of pages of Google, Yahoo, and other search results. BeesWax will charge $12.99/month for the service, but sellers signing up before June 21 can enjoy a reduced rate of $6.50/month for their first year with the promo code AVLBIZ.
Brues Nues macon county
There is nothing new about announcing another craft brewery opening in Western North Carolina, except this is the first one for the Town of Franklin. According to local legend, buddies Ken Murphy and Lenny Jordan had both been high-ranking executives in Atlanta before retiring to Macon County a few years ago. Both kicked out of the house by their wives with the hope they would find something to do in their free time, they discovered craft beer, the world of which Jordan described as a rabbit hole. The duo bumped into Tommy Jenkins, who happened to be the director of the Macon County Economic Development Commission, and the threesome devised upon a strategy to convert the old town hall into something that would revitalize the local economy, while proving a viable business venture in and of itself. They found twenty-nine investors on short order, and the renovations began. In awe with the overhaul, the two got down to business and hired Noah McIntee, former director of brewing operations at a couple of breweries in Buffalo, New York, to make the potion that fuels what has become known as the Lazy Hiker Brewing Company. The owners now look around the joint and see friends and strangers sharing good times and feel they are accomplishing their mission. McIntee and the owners appreciate being the only craft brewer
in a rural setting two hours from Atlanta and an hour and a half from Asheville’s hopping beer scene.
Why Wait for Your System to Crash? buncombe county
TSAChoice will bring a new Network Operations Center online at its corporate headquarters in Asheville. State-of-the-art technology at the center will facilitate wider monitoring capabilities and reduce the amount of time it takes to completely resolve customer issues. The center will be staffed by three engineers and one operator. Two huge, 60-inch monitors will display data for monitored networks and realtime dispatch information. The center was designed to meet the needs of the company’s Complete IT (CIT) customers, but its resources will be available for all TSAChoice clientele. Rather than calling a technician whenever their system crashes, subscribers to the CIT program receive daily preventive maintenance monitoring with unobtrusive midcourse corrections from technicians. Among other things, the techs handle updates, remove viruses, and manage license renewals. Should disasters happen anyway, the techs will speedily restore systems to full operability with no compromise of data, and work to prevent the same mistake from happening twice. TSAChoice handles complexities of IT integration for businesses in the Asheville and Greenville, South Carolina, areas. It employs over sixty technicians to provide assistance with network design, purchase, installation, and maintenance. TSAChoice also offers training.
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HISTORICAL BILTMORE VILLAGE 32 All Souls Crescent Asheville, NC 28803
July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
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L leisure & libation
Places to grab a drink with your dog
Simcoe at Hi-Wire Brewing (human Abigail Dickinson)
written by jim murphy photos by sadr ah schadel
July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 37
leisure & libation
Willie Mojica and his rescue dog Bama at Twin Leaf
Two dogs walk into a bar… That’s not a joke anymore. In North Carolina, as well as every other state except North Dakota, dogs are welcomed at restaurants with outside seating. That should not come as news to anyone who has strolled past the many outdoor restaurants of Western North Carolina. From Great Danes to Chihuahuas, man’s best friends can be spotted lounging under tables or lapping at the water bowls put out for their convenience. The dogs and their people both are enjoying this relatively new adventure. “I bring him with me as often as I can,” said a smiling Charlie McCoy. He and his dog, Cooper, were having lunch at the Mellow Mushroom in downtown Asheville. Charlie was enjoying his sandwich, and Cooper was enjoying the attention from surrounding tables. Charlie is typical of the dog owners who bring their pets out for a meal. He likes to talk about Cooper, who is part Boxer, part unknown, and all personality. “He likes the attention,” Charlie says. “He likes people. He’s a special little guy.” A water bowl sat untouched as the dog turned his full attention to a diner at a neighboring table, who was petting 38
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Cooper. “I like having him here,” the neighbor said. Cooper preened his appreciation as Charlie grinned. The canine presence began more than a decade ago when Florida decided to loosen the health regulations that prohibited pets anywhere that food was served, including patios and sidewalk tables. Pretty soon other states made similar decisions, and a trend was born. In North Carolina the state health department updated its regulations in 2010. The new restaurant rule contains all the standard legalisms, for instance defining dogs as canis lupus familiaris. Larry Matthews, state environmental health chief, said, “the language in the previous rule was unclear.” Some restaurants were reading the rule to mean they could allow dogs in outside dining areas. “We decided to review the rules and recommend revisions. We consulted public health veterinarians, the FDA, and other jurisdictions. And we got a lot of public comments.” The public was strongly in favor of more dog access, and the Commission for Public Health voted to open the patio doors in the summer of 2010. The rule requires dogs to be physically restrained and prohibits them from passing through indoor areas of the
L Jeff Bridgman, with rescue dog Penny at Wedge Brewing Co
restaurant. It makes exception for service animals and specifies that pet access is at the option of the restaurant owner. Larry Matthews stressed that last condition. “The rule does not require a restaurant to admit animals. It simply says nothing prohibits animals. It’s at the owner’s discretion.” In a business sense, that’s not much of an option. “We embraced it because it’s a peer pressure thing.” David Lindell, general manager of the Mellow Mushroom, says management discussed the dog issue at length. “You can’t be the only restaurant with a patio to deny dogs in Asheville. It’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t. We knew there was no way we could be the restaurant that stood out because we don’t allow dogs.” David Lindell showed a measured attitude on the dog issue, but other restaurant managers sounded more positive. “We’ve had our moments, but overall it has been a good experience for everyone. I think it’s fine,” said Steve Larson, owner of Murphy’s Saloon in Boone. “Our clientele is pretty local. A lot of people know each other, and they know the dogs. Our waitresses are good to the puppies. They bring them water in bowls we use only for the dogs. We call them dog specific bowls. Overall having the dogs around is probably good for business.”
Shiva the chihuahua and her human Reade Walker, at Wedge Brewing Co
July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 39
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leisure & libation
Willie Mojica and his rescue dog Bama at Twin Leaf
None of the restaurant people we spoke with could quantify just how good —or bad—the presence of pets might be for their business, but Pablo Gomez, general manager of Luella’s Barbecue in Asheville, offered an indication. “That’s why we opened our patio,” he said. “It’s not only for people who want to be outside, but also for people who have dogs.” Luella’s went to the expense of adding a patio partly to accommodate the canine market. “The plan was oriented to make people feel comfortable coming here. People like to walk their dogs and bring them in while they have dinner. Some of the dogs are regulars here. We recognize them when they come in.” Adding a patio to attract the canine clientele is a sign that going to the dogs might mean good business, but some restaurants have taken it a big step further: dog menus. Bistro 17 on Hilton Head Island and the Square 1 Burger chain in Florida offer chicken-and-vegetable dishes designed to set tails wagging. It is not only restaurants hanging out “Pets Welcome” signs. Hotels and motels are also bidding for the business of vacationers who can’t bear to leave behind their best friend, who is, after all, a full-fledged “member of the family.” The expanded pet options have spawned a small industry of websites that cater to pet-friendly experiences. The standard search sites, such as Yelp or Urban Spoon, include “Pet Friendly” categories, and other sites specialize in dog accommodations and services. One of the largest of those pet-specific sites is Bring Fido (www.bringfido.com). It lists 40 dog-friendly restaurants in Asheville and includes listings for towns from A (Arden) to W (Weaverville) in the surrounding area. Each listing has a short description of the place, the menu, and whatever customer reviews it might have. The website has been online for eight years now and, Rebecca Barnett, social media manager says, it gets a million unique users a month. “We were able to double in size each of the first five years, and we’re still growing,” she says, listing two reasons for their growth. “When we started, there was not an organized location for this information, so when people found us they were very happy to have this resource. Also, statistics indicate a larger percentage of millenials have dogs than baby boomers. More young people with dogs means a greater demand for dog accommodations.” The numbers are enough to get the attention of any entrepreneur. According to the American Veterinary Medicine Association, more than 43 million families claim
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nearly 70 million dogs as part of the family. With a market that size strolling down the avenue, one can imagine every restaurateur saying, “by all means, please take a table on our patio.” But to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln: “You cannot please all of the people all of the time.” Not everyone is a dog lover. “Of course a few people complain,” says Mindy Jones, general manager of the Town Tavern in Blowing Rock. She is quick to add, “but for the most part, everyone enjoys them.” Larry Matthews at the state health department echoed the positive response. “I’m not aware of any complaints,” about dogs at restaurants, he said. “Of course most of the complaints would be made to the local health departments, which enforce the state health regulations. But we haven’t gotten any feedback” to indicate that there may be problems, he said. Dav id Lindel l at the Mel low Mushroom expanded on an aspect of the dog market that is not all cute and fuzzy. “It comes right down to each individual. Some people are very good about keeping their dogs under control; some people aren’t. Some people understand they can’t bring their non-service dog inside when it starts to rain; some people don’t.” David says they get only a couple of complaints a year about dogs on the patio. And he classifies the problems caused by dogs as “small hassles here and there. Even
“We have a little sign out front, saying ‘Dogs Welcome.’ And we put out water dishes and give them free dog biscuits. The dogs don’t cause a mess or raise a fuss. And they get attention. People passing by will stop a few minutes and talk with the owners.
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Where classical music spends the summer. 80 performances. 7 weeks. 1 unforgettable season. JUNE 18 - AUGUST 2, 2015 Join us for our 79th season as Beethoven, Mozart and Bach come to life under the stars. Artistic Director Keith Lockhart’s lineup of guest artists features AndrÊ Watts, Ilya Yakushev and Johannes Moser, plus special BMC Presents performances that include appearances by the Steep Canyon Rangers and Garrison Keillor. Tickets and information at brevardmusic.org and 828.862.2105.
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Simcoe at Hi-Wire Brewing (human Abigail Dickinson)
some of the things we had trouble with in the beginning have subsided. People who have troublesome dogs began to realize it, and they’re naturally adjusting. Everyone thinks, ‘My dog is nice’. But someone with a dog that begins to act aggressively on the patio will begin to understand that none of the other dogs are doing this, so perhaps my dog is the problem. And now they leave the dog at home.” Would it be easier to run the business without dogs on the patio? “Absolutely.” Dogs may present an occasional hassle, but some restaurant owners welcome them with open arms — and biscuits. Tommy Wright, general manager of Mike’s on Main in Hendersonville, has trouble concealing his enthusiasm when the topic turns to dogs. “We have a little sign out front, saying ‘Dogs Welcome.’ And we put out water dishes and give them free dog biscuits. The dogs don’t cause a mess or raise a fuss. And they get attention. People passing by will stop a few minutes and talk with the owners. I think it’s great. Pets can go on vacation with their families.” It’s also a matter of keeping the customers happy. “We have regulars that come in every day,” says Mindy Jones at the Town Tavern in Blowing Rock. “I’m sure they would be offended if I didn’t let them bring their dogs.” Patio dining is delightful on those mild, sunny days when the great outdoors lives up to that description: great. But what about those other days, the windy, chilly, drab days of winter when the threat of rain or snow sends us searching for shelter?
L
If you want to bring your best friend along on those days, you’ll have to forego a meal, but you can still enjoy a beer with Fido by your side. The law prohibits dogs inside any building that serves food, but they are allowed in places that confine their servings to the pourable variety. Dogs are allowed in bars if they do not serve food. In Western North Carolina the most readily available establishments that meet that food restriction are breweries. And while non-food establishments that serve the full range of spirits are hard to find, in this part of the country breweries are hard to miss. Most of the craft breweries have more in common than their product. They generally occupy older industrial buildings, where tall stainless steel containers serve as a backdrop for the bar area, with its concrete floor, big-screen TV mounted on a wall (and usually showing some sports event), a back bar featuring about a dozen taps, and a series of hand-chalked signs announcing the varieties of suds available on any given day. Somewhere behind the bar stands a small display of sports trophies. Several of these dog-friendly establishments are neighbors on Asheville’s south slope. Twin Leaf Brewery seats about 80 people, and owner Tim Weber says, “there’s always dogs in here, as many as six or eight at a time; and, they never cause any problems.” He’s happy to have dogs as an auxiliary clientele, but he is quite unhappy with the regulation. “It just doesn’t make any sense. Customers can bring in their own food and sit inside here and eat it. But I can’t legally serve food if we have dogs in here.” He shakes his head in resigned frustration. Larry Matthews at the health department says simply, “the regulation governs food for sale to the public.” It doesn’t prohibit customers from bringing their own food. July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 43
leisure & libation
Twin Leaf opened just a year ago, but just down the street Green Man has been serving suds since 1997. With no food menu, dogs are allowed, even welcomed, inside the building as
Another South Slope brewery is Hi-Wire, where two dogs of indeterminate heritage were among the bar patrons recently. They greeted each other with tails wagging and dutifully accepted the cooing and petting of random customers. “They’re fun. Really cute,” said bartender Tenni Arslanyan. “Having the dogs around livens up the atmosphere. People appreciate the fact that they can be comfortable bringing their dogs here.” Not all the breweries are food-free, so anyone planning to take the dog out for a beer should make sure they’re going to a place that can allow pets inside. The regulation has been in effect for five years now, and it has widespread approval, both from the public, the restaurant owners, and the state officials. It appears to be here to stay. “We see no reason to amend that rule,” Larry Matthews says. “We haven’t had any complaints, and it seems to be working well.”
“We decided to review the rules and recommend revisions. We consulted public health veterinarians, the FDA, and other jurisdictions. And we got a lot of public comments.” The public was strongly in favor of more dog access, and the Commission for Public Health voted to open the patio doors in the summer of 2010. their humans try to decide which flavor to try among the ten craft beers on tap. Humorous signs cover the walls, including one that warns: “Don’t let our regulars scare you off.”
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L FRIENDLY PLACES
Many Western North Carolina communities have restaurants with outside dining facilities where dogs are welcome. Here is a partial listing compiled from the website www.bringfido.com.
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»» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»
Sunny Point Café Mayfel’s Posana Café Westville Pub Laughing Seed 131 Main Avenue M White Duck Taco Zen Sushi Rhubarb Wedge Brewing Co Hi-Wire Brewing Twin Leaf Brewery
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Local Beans, Squash, Cucumbers, Peppers, Tomatoes, Peaches, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, along with all the local cheese, wines, jams, jellies, honey, hand crafted gifts and more available at the Market. Find seasonal plants in the Garden Center The Ice Cream/Deli Shop is now open with homemade ice cream available! 570 Brevard Road, Asheville, NC www.wncfarmersmarket.org July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 45
Outriding with Purpose Tommy Ausherman, Jesse Lee, & Daniel Rhyne
written by arthur treff photos by anthony harden
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Enjoying the handling of the Outrider vehicles
H
ybrid cars that run on a combination of electricity and gasoline are everywhere, and gaggles of bicycles can be seen in every city. But what about hybrid bicycles; the ones incorporating pedal power, augmented by electric motors? Why do we rarely see them? Most of the hybrid bikes on the market are heavy-duty bicycles that have an electric drive system to aid the rider in climbing hills. Too heavy to be ridden at speed by pedal power alone, and too underpowered to keep up with traffic, these bikes have not really caught on except in flat urban areas where traffic speeds are slow, distances short, and there are no hills to challenge the bike’s electrical system. Outrider USA in Fletcher, North Carolina, has a product line that they believe solves this problem. Not an electric car, not a moped, nor an electrically assisted conventional cycle. Instead, they have designed a three-wheeled vehicle that the rider can pedal to a respectable bicycle pace, supplemented by a state of the art electrical system, which can accelerate the vehicle to ride with the auto traffic on rural roads. “Our vehicles are the best way to move one person on or off road, while keeping them safe, healthy, and exhilarated,” says Jesse Lee, one of the three founders. Capital at Play was treated to an extended test drive of an Outrider Alpha 422 recently and the experience was a game changer. Settled into the seat between the front wheels, the rider places their feet on the forward-mounted pedals. This recumbent position allows for powerful pedaling due to positive lower back support. Once pedaled up to four miles per hour, electrical power can be fed with a twist of the throttle, but hang on. Electric motors, unlike gasoline engines, can deliver full torque from idle, and the acceleration is silently breath taking. Swinging onto Hoopers Creek Road from a stop, we quickly caught the auto traffic clocking 35 mph. The hum of tires on the pavement and whirr of the motor were the only sounds emanating from the Outrider trike, leaving our ears open to birdsong and passing auto traffic. We next turned onto the sinuous and hilly Terrys Gap Road, where the Outrider Alpha didn’t disappoint us. Want to sit back and enjoy the visceral thrill of cornering and the long views? No problem. Stop pedaling and stay on the throttle…for many hours without recharging. Want to get a workout while still chasing down cars? Easy— keep pedaling, shift up to a higher gear, and back off the throttle a little. July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 47
Engaging the electric assist motor
For the first time, a human in almost any physical condition can get a workout on the scenic, yet hilly roads, that Western North Carolina is famous for. On the Outrider Alpha 422, you can continue to burn calories and not hold up traffic, even on vertiginous pitches that would punish Olympic class cyclists. These three-wheeled vehicles have broken records and garnered well-deserved international attention for the effort. But the summer of 2015 promises to be the most exciting season yet for the six-year-old company. Outrider USA will begin shipping a new product: the Horizon; a full-suspension, off-road capable trike that can be used by anyone, including quadriplegic riders. Opportunity called the Outrider office one day in 2013, and the right people answered the phone. A consulting project, to help a customer who had lost use of his limbs build his own electric trike, exploded into a new product, for a ready and willing target market, funded by a six-figure-yielding Kickstarter campaign. How did three men in their twenties achieve such an enviable position? Like most entrepreneurs, an idea became a hobby, which morphed into an obsession. Like-minded friends were pulled into the vortex, and the project was shared on the Internet. Suddenly, one day, people wanted to buy what the lads were building.
History Daniel Rhyne and Tommy Ausherman were roommates attending Appalachian State University who commuted to school on bikes, which turned out to be more challenging than expected... Plying the back roads of Boone in all weather on a bike was tough, and the hills are plenty; but their biggest concern was 48
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safety. Both men had had run-ins with cars, particularly when they were pedaling slower than the flow of traffic. Tommy and Daniel started to design an electric motor assist they could install on their bikes to get them up to speed when needed. They bolted a ponderous but powerful motor and heavy lead/ acid batteries to Tommy’s mountain bike. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked. Tommy and Daniel named the beast. “T-Wrex was fast,” says Tommy, “but all that steel and batteries overwhelmed the lightweight bicycle; I could feel the frame flex over bumps and rounding corners. It took me through a year of commuting, but the wind resistance at speed was significant and the single front brake didn’t stop the heavy bike very well.” The pair began to research recumbent riding positions and tricycle frames. Closer to the ground, a recumbent bike’s wind resistance is lower, as is the center of gravity; perfect for mounting the motor and batteries. Daniel and Tommy settled on a tadpole trike frame (two front wheels with a single rear) which they purchased from a company in the United Kingdom named, KMX.
Could this be a Business? In the fall of 2009, ‘Skunk’ made it’s debut on Boone’s roads. The trike carried it’s 125 pounds down low. It handled, stopped, and accelerated better than T-Wrex. This pedal/electric vehicle could reach 56 mph, and it became Tommy’s main mode of transportation. He had enjoyed the building and design process so much that Tommy thought that he could turn his interest into a part-time occupation to help get him through school. He created a website chronicling his build history and finished products. Tommy
also formed an LLC and became a distributor for the trike frame company, KMX. “After almost a year on the trike,” says Tommy, “I began to see through my lovestruck eyes some opportunities for some very large improvements on my faithful steed, namely, in the motor department.” Research revealed that large, radio-controlled helicopters used powerful, lightweight motors to drive the main rotor blades. Using one would drop motor weight from 25 pounds to five, in a package the size of a coffee mug; this was huge news… but could it power a trike? Internet forums introduced Tommy to Matt Schumacher, a fellow electric vehicle zealot, who was also designing an electric drive system around the RC motors. Tommy was perfecting his trike product, and Matt’s business, DaVinci Drive Components, was selling drive components to DIY e-bike builders. Their cooperation and technology sharing was mutually productive and devoid of competition…problems were solved. The ‘Transition 1’ trike was launched in summer 2010. Months spent researching and engineering had shaved 40 pounds from the vehicle, which increased the speed and, more importantly, mileage — a lighter vehicle is easier on the motor and batteries, allowing greater distances between recharging. “With the increased capability and range of the new trike,” says Tommy, “I found myself using it for almost everything. My car would often be parked for days on end, and all of my traveling miles accomplished on the trike.”
…and then there were three. Meanwhile, two hours away at Elon University, another midnight flame was burning. Jesse Lee, a student in the Environmental Studies program, was hounding his professor about alternative energy and proposing fantastical vehicles. His professor, Jack Martin, who also taught at Appalachian State, handed Jesse a phone number saying, “call Tommy Ausherman, because I don’t know what to do with you, and Tommy’s as crazy as you are.” One phone call, followed by a visit, confirmed that, Jesse, Daniel, and Tommy were kindred spirits. This was the summer of 2009. In addition to shipping the first trike purchase order, the trio formed a business called FFR Trikes, and the Transition 1 was redesigned. The Transition V2 sported drive train tweaks, as well as more robust electronics enclosures and rear fender. Tommy, Daniel, and Jesse each have their specialties, which have served them well. The technical idea guy is Tommy; eager to push the envelopes of speed, distance, power, or handling. His ideas would be nothing without Daniel, a hands-on pragmatist, who takes Tommy’s dreams and shapes them into a vehicle, and then figures out how to scale the design for manufacturing. Jesse’s forte is team building and communication, and thus, has a natural marketing ability. It has been his content marketing work that has elevated Outrider’s market perception out of the $250 July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 49
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bolt-on, bicycle kit manufacturer, and into a slot of it’s own, namely, a totally new category of transportation. FFR became Outrider USA, and the company was selling on average ten trikes per year. In 2012 the results of four years worth of product engineering were brought to a joyous conclusion in the Alpha 422 product. A quantum leap in technology from the original ‘Skunk’ platform, this vehicle was unlike any that had come before in ultralight electric vehicles, so to prove it, Outrider attacked some records (see sidebar).
The Big Slowdown With all these records and international press attention, you would think that life was grand for the three men behind Outrider USA, but the opposite was the case. With a high manufacturing cost and a product price tag hovering around $10,000, they were selling only ten vehicles per year, not enough to sustain them.
“We had to meet Chris face to face, so we flew out to Colorado,” says Tommy, “which if you knew our financial situation and how low our spirits were, you’d realize what a big commitment that was.” Additionally, Daniel, Tommy, and Jesse were sharing a tiny, inexpensive, and very primitive living space, as well as working 12+ hour days together. Up until 2013, their main sustenance was the shared dream of engineering and building the best single passenger vehicle…money was secondary. With an ultra efficient drive and control system, Outrider had created possibly the only vehicle of its kind. It had three wheels and a comfortable riding position. The rider could achieve a great workout; with the electric assist, she could keep up with auto traffic going 45 mph, so one could actually use the bike to commute in the mountains. Regardless, market perception pigeonholed Outrider’s products as expensive toys.
On the Horizon The grueling, four-year effort had taken its toll. Poor and burnt out from long workdays, the partners decided to sell the company, and sought appropriate advice. Business brokers told the trio it was going to take approximately two years to find a buyer; in the meantime more work had to be done on the company to make it attractive to buyers; this was not good news.
Matt Godfrey of Outrider USA with the venerable Alpha
Outrider World Records: hill climb
Horizon rough prototype suspension
The Pike’s Peak course in Colorado is the most challenging road in America, with 156 sharp corners, over 12.42 miles at a 7% average grade, climbing 4,700 feet of elevation gain. On July 14th, 2012 the Outrider team set a new course record of 23 minutes and 32 seconds for the Pikes Peak Pedal Electric Hill Climb. As if that weren’t enough, the Outrider vehicle had so much power left at the end of the race that it was ridden down, then back up at full power — averaging 31 mph up the relentlessly steep grade — all without recharging. world ’s fastest
On April 8, 2014 a modified Outrider Alpha 422 with Tommy Ausherman aboard, achieved a top speed of 85.9 mph on the runway at Hendersonville, North Carolina. This is a world record for a sub -100 pound vehicle, regardless of the fuel source: gas, jet, electrical, or human powered. world ’s farthest
Tommy Ausherman rode an Outrider Alpha from Asheville to Charleston, South Carolina, a distance of 225 miles over the course of 12 hours, setting a world record for the longest distance ridden on an electric bike in 12 hours. July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
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right Outrider vehicles
out for a cruise
far right The Outrider
shop in Fletcher, NC
below The Horizon Prototype
ready for testing
Feeling desperate, Tommy spent an evening writing and mapping his thoughts, wondering how the business plan could be recreated to include financial sustainability as well as a greater sense of purpose. He hoped that somehow, Outrider could be put to work on something that served humanity; nothing came to mind, but Tommy had faith that something good would come from the turmoil. Two days later, the office phone rang. An excited customer named Chris Wenner was on the line. He’d designed and built a trike, and Outrider had been advising him with the frame geometry and had sold him key drive components. Chris is quadriplegic, and the trike project took him two years to complete. He had just returned from his first test ride of his trike and Chris was overjoyed. It was the first time since his spinal cord injury that he felt like himself again. Wenner was an avid adventurer and mountain biker before he became paralyzed at age 17 in a diving accident. His unbridled joy was a shot of adrenaline for the exhausted trio. What Chris said next was to be prophetic. “I want to make this experience available to other people like me,” said Chris, “will you guys partner with me to make this happen?” Had Outrider just found the greater purpose Tommy was hoping for? “We had to meet Chris face to face, so we flew out to Colorado,” says Tommy, “which if you knew our financial situation and how low our spirits were, you’d realize what a big commitment that was.” 52
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“The time spent in his presence was an education,” says Jesse. “At first, we tiptoed around not sure how to speak to a Chris without offending him. He schooled us on communication, how the hand controls on his trike work, but most of all, he educated us on how he (and others like him) got through the day.” Outrider returned from the trip energized; they would work to create an adaptive trike. The trio now had something more meaningful to work on. They reached out to other victims of spinal cord injury via Internet forums, such as Apparelyzed. com, to gauge interest in an adapted Outrider trike product. It would have to be a completely new design, which was appropriately named Horizon. To fund Horizon’s engineering and initial production costs, they decided to mount a crowd funding drive on Kickstarter. com. The cornerstone of the campaign was Chris Wenner’s story: How a physically challenged man reconnected with his adventure-driven soul through piloting an electric trike. It was content marketing personified. Crowd funding is more than raising funds. The global group of potential customers can become a marketing think-tank, providing product feedback, which streamlines the design process and inspires confidence in the project. Not only did the Kickstarter campaign raise more than $126,000, by the end, our trike-trio knew which features and benefits to build into the Horizon product.
Life Intervenes In the midst of the excitement surrounding the Kickstarter campaign, Daniel received an employment offer he could not turn down: production manager for Belmont Textile Machine Company (BTMC), the business his grandfather started back in 1955. In addition to making more money, Daniel would be helping mange the success of his family’s business, something he had always desired. “It was a difficult choice for me,” says Daniel. “Outrider was, and is, the most amazing thing I’ve ever been involved in, and by taking this job, I would be moving away from my two best friends.” Daniel would continue to be a partner in Outrider USA, but he had to relocate to Mount Holly, North Carolina. While this story may seem bittersweet from the emotional perspective, there is a silver lining for both companies. BTMC designs and builds specialized machinery for handling yarns used in the rug making industry. Additionally, they have long been making specialized steel and aluminum parts for the Outrider trikes.
Hold that Thought The Horizon will be the first Outrider USA product not based on a purchased KMX frame. Horizon’s frame has been purpose-designed and solids-modeled to lower the overall center
of gravity (CG) in a monocoque configuration. The new frame will be built around heaviest components, the battery boxes, which will become stressed frame members. With a lowered CG and lighter weight, Horizon should be the quickest and most efficient product yet. The management team wisely did not put all their eggs in the Adaptive Sports market, so Horizon’s running chassis was designed to be a standard platform with mass-market appeal as an ATV. With some clever engineering Outrider can adapt the vehicle to accommodate people with widely varying physical challenges. With the frame being manufactured from scratch, the vehicle’s parts count increases, putting more emphasis on manufacturing process control. Since most of the parts will be built at BTMC, who better to manage it all than Daniel? The new position was a win-win.
Global Interest The first Horizon production assembly is slated for August 2015. A total of 50 vehicles will be built. Seven are being sold to adaptive sports centers which will be used as market seeds allowing disabled customers to test the product during a test ride. Thirty-five individuals have purchased the new vehicle sight unseen, eleven of which pulled the trigger during the Kickstarter campaign. July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
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The Kickstarter buzz garnered Outrider wider media attention, well beyond the e-bike centered, gadget-geek publications who had discovered them (see sidebar). After reading some of the press pieces about them, you might get the impression that Outrider’s entry into the adaptive sports space was marketing spin disguised as personal meaning. We found the opposite to be true. Sitting across a breakfast table from Jesse and Tommy we were impressed by their contagious excitement and candor. Spend any time talking with the three Outrider founders, and their sincerity will announce itself, unprovoked.
Transition to New Markets
Marketing staff at Outrider will be very busy this summer, trying to coax product traction within the adaptive sports arena. Additionally, they will be seeding two other targets — ecologically minded commuters and tour operators.
The adaptive sports market push and the successful crowd funding brought an undisclosed private investor to their team. Outrider’s founders feel the weight of responsibility to customers as well as investors, but so far do not feel their style or decision-making is impacted at all by this new money source. Growth can spell trouble for the inexperienced business owner. The lads wisely availed themselves of mentoring programs they
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found on the Internet. They have received help from SCORE Asheville, where experienced entrepreneurs coach the new business owners on a variety of subjects. Through this, and other Entrepreneur in Residence programs, Outrider drafted a plan to manage the growth, which revealed that they could not orchestrate long term and short term goals without some additional help.
They used some of the investment dollars to add five new employees, in 2014, to help cover product engineering, assembly,
NEWS
sales, and marketing. *It’s important to note that Outrider is not spending any funds to move into a larger facility, nor overspend on expensive tooling. Marketing staff at Outrider will be very busy this summer, trying to coax product traction within the adaptive sports arena. Additionally, they will be seeding two other targets — ecologically minded commuters and tour operators. Outrider believes that tour companies with a fleet of Horizons could offer long-range group tours in scenic areas. Riding the length of the Blue Ridge Parkway on an Outrider trike could well be a destination vacation. This concept has been working for ages in the international motorcycle tour industry. If the products weren’t impressive enough, the Outrider team’s drive, commitment, and enthusiasm is contagious. They’re so open and honest, that even if you have no interest in their products, you’ll leave the meeting not only liking them and believing in their cause, but you’ll find yourself cheering for them, hungry to hear how it all turns out.
S
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Outrider Media Attention: unc t v
bike rumor
red bull adventures online
at v connection
yahoo auto online inhabitat gizmag electric bike review electric bike . com electric bike report electric bike action
huffington post curiosit y the gear junkie new mobilit y fast company tree hugger the active times mother nature net work
July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
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part
2
Keep your “Dream Home” from Turning into a Nightmare.
L
AST MONTH, I TA LK ED A BOUT SOME OF the potential pitfalls and challenges to building your own custom home. Problems that too often result in someone like myself being called in to mitigate and resolve. Many of these hurdles can be avoided through proper planning and a little foresight. This month, I’ll dig a bit deeper and talk about some of the more detailed aspects of licensure, insurance, contracting, and finance.
What else should you know about these players in North Carolina?
J
james johnson
Leads the Van Winkle Law Firm’s Construction & Professional Design group. He is licensed in North & South Carolina.
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Savvy owners will ask for claims and litigation histories. It’s not uncommon to see periodic claims on projects, but a repeated patterns of litigation should be viewed with caution.
according to the applicable building codes. Despite this fairly simple rule, it’s not uncommon to see unlicensed builders “brokering” a third parties’ license, or owners talked into “pulling the permit” for the unlicensed general contractor to then handle this project. A license inquiry is available through the internet at www.nclbgc.org.
licensure
insur ance
Residential home designers are not legally required to be licensed as an architect; however, only North Carolina Architects licensed by the North Carolina Board of Architects are permitted to hold themselves out as “architects.” Licensure of architects is through application, examination, and regular ongoing education, and the Board maintains disciplinary authority over its licensees. A license inquiry is available through the www.ncbarch.org. Contractors contracting with owners to build an improvement over $30,000 are required to be licensed through the North Carolina Licensing Board. An owner can permit its own project as an “Owner-Builder,” which means the owner is responsible for seeing the home is completed
Professional designers are able to insure their professional services against “errors and omissions.” The idea that the designer is standing behind their work financially is an important consideration for an owner in choosing a construction strategy. “Stock plan” packages available for sale are generally sold on the condition that the purchaser will contract with a “local” designer to ensure the building meets codes and can be sited appropriately on the particular home site, which leaves additional risk with the owner. The amount of insurance and the characteristics of that insurance should be considered as part of the planning stage. The idea of a “fully insured” builder, as a marketing suggestion that insurance is available to address any
| July 2015
J problems in workmanship, is misleading. The typical liability insurance carried by the builder will have little coverage for building problems, but will cover claims for personal injury and other property damage which arise out of the negligence of the contractor. Conversely, a surety bond offers contractual security that the builder will fully perform all aspects of the contract—valuable protection—but these are rarely used on typical residential projects. Although unpleasant to consider, in the event of a major problem on the project, the owner may be left to look to the assets of the builder to cover delay costs, lien claims, or remediation of defective work. The North Carolina Licensing Board establishes limits of working capital for contractors; owners are often surprised that contractors with “unlimited licenses” have to post surprising little in working capital. While start up businesses may offer a more economical price, the safety net may be thinner in a worst case scenario, which should be considered by owners. Builder risk insurance is a separate project specific property policy that protects against accidental loss and damage to property, work, tools, and materials, and should be written to cover the interests of the contractor and owner, as well as the subcontractors. construction contr acting
Now that the owner has selected a team, it’s time to break up the party, and move back to opposite sides of the table to negotiate the construction agreements. When it comes to contracting, the industry parties have a distinct advantage over the owner in that they usually possess certain forms of agreement which they have developed over time, and these will be the starting point in the negotiation. What should the owner know when it gets to the table? First, it’s not uncommon for owners to contract separately with a designer and contractor on terms which are incompatible and inconsistent between the two agreements. This is not how to start a project with everyone “on the same page.” So to overcome this? You can pursue industry form documents, or else straighten them out yourself. Typically, an architect led project will start using the American Association of Architect (AIA) industry form agreements. These documents have been offered for over a century and are periodically updated and have extensive commentary and court decisions published concerning interpretation issues. These documents are meant to be used as a “family” so that terms have the same meaning across the different agreements. Other industry form agreements exist, including those issued by the National Association of Home Builders and Consensus Docs. Whether the owner starts from industry form documents or a custom agreement, preparation of the contract involves several steps. First, the contact needs to reflect the working agreement between the parties. It’s no use talking about an agreement to build a certain house in a certain amount of time at a certain price, and then sign something that reads totally differently because the parties never put in the time to get it right. The contract is designed to capture the written intent of the parties,
and clarity is key. Clarity takes time and deliberate effort to achieve, so put the time in. I am always surprised that two parties will spend months working up to an agreement and then expect the agreement can be reduced to writing overnight. Patience is a virtue.
HOWEVER, THE OWNER MUST RECOGNIZE THAT THE LENDER IS LOOKING AF TER ITS OWN INTERESTS IN THIS TR ANSACTION, WHICH ARE SECURING COMPLETED COLLATER AL FOR THE MONEY IT HAS LOANED.
In addition to expressing the main terms of agreement, the contract will address a laundry list of other matters between the parties as to process, roles, duties, and miscellaneous obligations. Depending on how the contract is written, the common risks of a construction project will be allocated between the parties. A negotiated final agreement usually reflects a delicate treaty between the parties as these risks. Unless negotiating these agreements is your day job, this is a job for your construction lawyer [“ehh ehemm…!”]. There are plenty of nuances in these agreements, and an ounce or two of prevention almost always exceeds the cost of the cure. construction finance
Cash is the lifeblood of a construction project, and much of the agreement and management of the project will be related to the money. There are a number of important considerations on money issues, including pricing the construction contract, working with a construction lender, and ensuring that money paid reaches subcontractors and suppliers to prevent liens from being attached to the owner’s property. The construction contract may be bought out in a number of different ways. Lump sum or fixed price agreements can effectively fix a price, but a comprehensive set of plans and specifications is critical to fix what is included in the price. Most fixed price contracts also have some open ended items, such as allowances for owner driven selections, and a “concealed conditions” clause, which allows the contractor to seek additional time and compensation to address hidden conditions such as subsurface water or rock. Defining how the lump sum gets periodically disbursed to the contractor is another important consideration. Cost-plus contracts define a set of costs to be reimbursed to the contractor, and then apply an additional fee or mark-up to pay July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 57
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An owner using construction financing from a third party the contractor in overhead and profit. Cost-plus contracts can reduce lender may receive some assistance in obtaining the form the amount of “contingency” a builder might add to its lump sum of agreement with the builder, and even additional eyes on price, and thereby reduce the overall cost to the owner. However, the construction from the lender’s inspector. However, the owner owner must remember that budgets and estimates accompanying a must recognize that the lender is looking after its own interests Cost-plus agreement will not limit the actual cost unless the parties in this transaction, which agree to a “Cost-plus up to are securing completed a Guaranteed Maximum collateral for the money it Price” or a “G Ma x” has loaned. The lender’s agreement. Under this form AS IN ALL THINGS, FAIRNESS IS disbursement schedule of agreement, the owner OF TEN DETERMINED BY THE may be back loaded so pays cost plus its fee until BEHOLDER, BUT IT IS A TENANT that the bulk of the loan a certain price is reached, OF RISK ALLOCATION THAT THE proceeds pay out towards after which the contractor the end of construction, is required to cover the cost PARTY IN THE BEST POSITION TO which can introduce stress of completing the project. G INSURE A RISK, OR GUARD AGAINST to the owner and builder. Max agreements may also IT, SHOULD BEAR THAT RISK. And, the owner should incentivize the contractor be aware that a lender by splitting savings below undertaking inspection of that maximum price at a a project is to look after its interests, and case law holds that the negotiated ratio. A project can also be sold as a land/home package, owner typically has no right to rely on the lender to safeguard where the house and lot are sold together, either before the home its interests. is constructed or after. These transactions must be scrutinized North Carolina, like most states, allows contractors and from a real estate purchase standpoint as well as a construction designers to secure payment for the improvement of property contract agreement, and the interplay between real property issues through enforcement of mechanic’s liens. North Carolina’s lien and contract issues should be well considered before closing.
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J laws are codified in Chapter 44A of the general statutes. A detailed discussion of lien law is outside the scope of this article, but an owner will want to acquire a basic understanding of these laws and establish a strategy to protect against liens throughout the course of construction. A savvy owner will require a contractor to issue a Notice of Contract at the commencement of the project to limit liens of lower tiered subs and suppliers and will use lien waivers to reduce the risk of liens. In line with comments above, the owner should not rely solely on the construction lender to manage this process. risk allocation
As mentioned above, the process of forming a construction agreement is all about identifying risks and allocating those risks between the parties in a fair manner. As in all things, fairness is often determined by the beholder, but it is a tenant of risk allocation that the party in the best position to insure a risk, or guard against it, should bear that risk. We have discussed common construction insurance coverages, which should be viewed as a first defense to project risks. other common risks to be addressed include :
—— Risk of injuries on the job site, which the contractor is in the best position to manage and control; —— Pre-construction site issues or differing site conditions, which will usually be allocated to the owner; —— Risk of design errors, which are usually allocated to the owner who holds a contract with the designer; —— Delayed completion issues, which will usually impact all parties’ costs, and can be addressed through extension provisions and/or liquidated damage schedules; —— Risk of third party claims, which can be addressed through agreements for indemnity. In conclusion, the opportunity to imagine and complete a unique custom home is a special opportunity and one that many consider a singular achievement and life goal. It is however a challenging undertaking and one that requires proper planning on the front end to avoid problems on the back end.
—— Escalating construction costs, which in a lump sum agreement, these are shifted to the contractor, but in a cost-plus agreement, this risk is on the owner;
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THE OLD
NORTH
STATE [
news briefs
All-in-One Personal Emergency Alerts charlotte, nc
In sixteen days, Ben Stagg’s Halo WX smoke detector had raised $62,677, or 125 percent of his goal, on Indiegogo’s crowdfunding site. Halo WX is an all-inone emergency alert system. Stagg began work on the idea after his father survived a tornado that killed 160 in Joplin, Missouri. His father just happened to hear a weather alert on an old radio in the barn and narrowly escaped into a cellar. Following that, another family member’s home burnt to the ground. The Halo WX first integrates flash fire, smoldering fire, and carbon monoxide detection into a device that looks and sounds like an ordinary fire detector, except it talks, and flashes brightly as well. Whereas some smoke
]
detectors do not register fire conditions until ten to fifteen minutes after onset, the Halo WX will go off in seconds. Addons are available for local hazards, such as tornadoes, earthquakes, flash floods, or nuclear disasters.
Miller Deems A&B Perfect Fit denver, nc
Excavating contractor A&B Trenching was acquired by Miller Pipeline of Indianapolis. Operating for thirty years out of North Carolina, A&B specialized in pipeline fabrication and installation. At the time of its acquisition, the company employed 200 with a presence in three states. Miller, established in 1953, is one of the country’s largest contractors for laying
utility pipelines. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vectren, a Fortune 1000 energy holding company with over $5 billion in assets. Its distributors supply natural gas to about a million customers and electricity to 141,000. Through other subsidiaries, Vectren offers a number of nonutility energy products ranging from coal production to energy infrastructure. The move represents Miller’s sixth acquisition in ten years. A&B’s president Scott Allen will be retained in management, as his company assumes Miller’s name. A&B is expected to be fully integrated into Miller within a matter of weeks.
Making Carpet Cleaning More Excellent charlotte, nc
TTI Floor Care will be opening a new “center of excellence in marketing” in a location to be named in Charlotte. TTI is a unit of Techtronic Industries Company, headquartered in Hong Kong and specializing in the manufacture and sale of power tools, electronic instrumentation, and solar-powered lighting. Its Floor Care operations in Glenwillow, Ohio, handle a number of vacuum cleaner brands, including Hoover, Dirt Devil, Oreck, and Royal.
Picasso?
or not so?
Classes • Yarn • Kits & Supplies • Accessories Burnsville: 17 West Main St. Burnsville, NC 28714 828.678.9890 www.yummiyarns.com
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Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6 Thurs 10-8 Sun 1-4 | July 2015
Biltmore Village: 18 Brook St. Suite 105B Asheville, NC 28803 828.575.2094
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The idea to establish a center of excellence is based on a successful pilot launched for TTI’s manufacturing operations in Cookeville, Tennessee. The company has advertised for thirty-three positions, in finance, pricing, and management, for the North Carolina site. Talent and a high concentration of consumer durables companies were cited as reasons to locate in Charlotte.
State Gets Different Film Industry charlotte, nc
tesa Labtec announced plans to internationalize with a new office in Charlotte. Based in Germany, tesa Labtec is in the business of manufacturing film drugs. The technology behind Listerine Breath Strips makes possible the dispensation of drugs in film form, for situations where swallowing with water is either not possible or not advisable. tesa Labtec improved on the idea, making films that dissolve in the mouth, but are absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract in the same manner as pills or liquid pharmaceuticals. The company also develops and manufactures skin patches for drug administration. The new office will be built in response
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carolina in the west
national & world
to increasing demand stateside. tesa’s LabFactory in Langenfeld is an R&D force to be reckoned with, boasting state-of-theart technology and twenty-five years of experience for meeting customer needs. Its Hamburg factory mass produces orders using the patented Transfilm, Rapidfilm, and Mucofilm brands. tesa Labtec combines pharmaceutical expertise with the engineering savvy of its parent company, tesa, a manufacturer of self-adhesive products and coatings, which has been in business for 125 years.
Fighting Rural Blight
the old north state
by BENANOVA, a company Richter cofounded in 2013 with help from NC State. EbNPs carry small amounts of antimicrobial silver ions on a biodegradable core. They are deliverable in small, targeted dosages, making them twenty times more efficient per unit mass of active ingredient than the next-best product on the market. EbNPs could decrease the amount of unnatural pesticide chemicals used by 90 percent, reduce the amount of money spent combating blight by more than 25 percent, and, of course, increase crop yields. BENANOVA is dedicated to solving problems in the agrichemical and cosmetics industries.
raleigh, nc
Alexander Richter, a Ph.D. candidate in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department at North Carolina State University, has won a $15,000 Lemelson-MIT National Collegiate Student Prize for a new pest control idea. The competition awards innovations in healthcare, transportation, food and agriculture, and consumer devices. Richter took the prize in the Food and Agriculture category with a delivery system for antimicrobial and antifungal agents. The concept uses environmentally benign nanoparticles (EbNPs) developed
Better than Diesel salisbury, nc
Agility Fuel Systems will be opening a new, 204,000-square-foot production facility near a number of original equipment manufactories north of Charlotte. Based in Santa Ana, California, Agility designs and produces tanks and fuel systems for heavy-duty trucks and buses that run on natural gas. One selling point for the site is it has room for another 100,000square-feet of production space, which Agility expects it will need; demand for
80 Charlotte Street Asheville, NC 28801 (828)252-1594 CarpetOneAsheville.com July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 61
the old north state
Free Sewing Classes with a new sewing machine purchase
vehicles that run on natural gas should, by all indications, continue to rise. The first facility in the industry to be vertically-integrated, it will be tooled for CNG cylinder production, structure and cover fabrication, state-of-the-art painting, and fuel system assembly. Agility advocates the use of natural gas in heavy transportation vehicles because it costs half as much as diesel fuel, and the price differential is expected to maintain for decades. Natural gas burns cleaner than diesel with a 20-25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, no particulates, and reduced volatile organics, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides.
For The Love of Sewing:
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Feather Your Nest
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| July 2015
After negotiating with legislators, Airbnb representatives were “happy to announce” they would begin collecting state taxes as well as local taxes for Buncombe, Durham, Mecklenburg, and Wake counties. The alternative would be for hosts to deal with the accounting complexities. Airbnb is an online network that connects travelers to overnight accommodations in private homes. It is the company’s position that hotel tax laws were designed for corporate lodgings with legal and financial staff, not for people trying to rent out a bedroom. Airbnb first came under fire in San Francisco and Portland, where hotel interests complained the new trend was siphoning business away from the established innkeepers. Regulation and tax assessments, they argued, could help level the playing field. Looking for a less selfish angle, they added short-term rentals were reducing available housing stock in these days of housing shortages. Airbnb now facilitates bookings for 500,000 listings, ranging from castles to sailboats, in 192 countries. Before adding the state of North Carolina, the company collected taxes in six American cities and Amsterdam.
Raleigh Gets Laffer raleigh, nc
Following an increase in revenue collections, the general assembly is considering cutting corporate income taxes even further in 2016. The state first reduced its corporate income tax rate from 6.9 percent to six percent for 2014, and further reduced it to five percent for 2015. A law passed in 2013 authorizes the legislature to reduce that rate to four percent if the state collects more than $20.2 billion from taxes in fiscal year 2014-2015, which ends June 30. Barring a major miracle or catastrophe, forecasters are placing revenues around $21.4 billion for the year. Decreasing the tax rate from five to four percent is expected to cost the state $109 million. However, the tax decrease is intended to motivate more taxpaying companies to locate in the state. The degree to which this will offset the projected losses is anybody’s guess. If revenues for next fiscal year are at least $20.98 billion, then the rate could drop to three percent for 2017.
Inmar Challenge at Flywheel winston-salem, nc
July 20, the Inmar Digital Health Challenge will have a winner. Beginning in May, teams were invited to submit proposals for answering the question: How can disparate data sources be leveraged to discover health-related correlations and insights that enable individuals and their support groups/ families to collaborate, monitor, and improve a patient’s health? Applicants are competing for a $25,000 prize and possible funding to bring their ideas to market. Inmar is seeking innovations for making healthcare more personalized, precise, and accessible, while still increasing efficiencies and containing costs. The company is in the business of handling a plethora of technical details to simplify transactions, while providing
Solutions Without Limits actionable analytics in real time. It is sponsoring this year’s event at Flywheel, a 10,000-square-foot facility that offers workshops for entrepreneurs. Finalists will converge at the facility, which avails a number of business resources to members, ranging from meeting space and office equipment to a pool hall and coffee bar. It will assist with allocating resources and providing mentors. Flywheel is supported by three businesses: Workplace Strategies, Wildfire, LLC, and Storr Office Environments.
Let’s End This Frustration durham, nc
Ansible is a company headquartered in Durham that develops systems to automate IT. It was named after a machine in an Ursula Le Guin novel that delivers answers instantaneously across the galaxies. The company’s website describes the problem at-hand. “Instead of making the lives of developers and sysadmins easier, we were now managing the management systems with a messy combination of custom code, heavyweight agents, and point solutions. And none of these tools were built for the cloud.” Conceding there must be a better way, the company announced it would be hosting Ansible Collaboration Day at the OpenStack Summit in Vancouver. Participants will brainstorm ways to drive improvements in existing technologies. OpenStack is an open-source software platform that allows organizations to operate their own private cloud. It is a powerful tool, but the multiplicity of components that must interact seamlessly has proven frightening to potential adapters. The resulting product should be more reliable and easier to manage.
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written by marie bartlett photos by anthony harden
Christina & Ilana
Will Take the Risk, So Guests Can Relax 64
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lef t :
Christina Stratton right :
Ilana Alberico
Innovative Spa Management July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 65
lef t to right :
Christina Stratton & Ilana Alberico
Take two dynamic young women, mix with instant connection, add a steady drumbeat of hard work, a healthy dose of nerve, borrowed cash and maxedout credit cards, a bit of luck, a dollop of the 2008 recession, and what do you get? If you’re in the right place at the right time - as they were - you get a thriving spa management business that catapulted from nine employees working in a basement in 2006, to an astounding 220 employees today. With current revenue estimated at $6 million, headquarters for Innovative Spa Management (ISM) are now a state-of-the-art, twostory building in downtown Asheville where the women share a gleaming, upscale office. The lower level houses a burgeoning line of skin care products with a dedicated staff that mix, package, and ship the aromatic oils and natural skincare out the door. Meet Ilana Alberico and Christina Stratton, founding partners of the company, who once referred to themselves as the “spa girls.” Now, it’s no stretch to call them “the spa experts,” leaders in a specialty industry that is relatively new. Named to Inc. Magazine’s exclusive 5000 list of America’s fastest growing companies and North Carolina’s Top 100 companies in 2013, Innovative Spa Management, the leading Five-Star 66
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Spa Management firm in the country, provides conceptual and strategic planning, feasibility studies, consulting, and design development for newly opened spas in luxury markets. Once a spa is in place, ISM manages its growth through their Five-Star Quality Assurance programs. The Five-Star means, in a nutshell, “operative excellence and an unsurpassed spa experience,” according to the company’s website. Beginning with two spas in Asheville (their oldest) which they own, the company now manages more than sixteen properties nationwide, including their newest, the Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida. The goal is to meet the needs of resort, hotel, and residential communities with turn-key solutions that range from employee training to wellness and lifestyle programming, ultimately enhancing the core business of the property. In addition, ISM has a full product line in spa, skin, and body care, which is poised to take off. Though spa management is relatively recent, spas have been around since the Greeks and Romans turned bathing regimens into a fine art. Popular internationally, the spa industry in the United States alone generates more than $14 billion a year and employs more than 350,000 people. Strong growth is expected to continue. Even the recession of 2008 didn’t slow it down after people reduced their traveling and hotels had to look for ways to shift costs. That’s where and when Innovative Spa Management found its niche, taking aim at luxury markets. It was a crazy gamble, one of several, for the women partners. “We reached out to hoteliers and explained we would take on the employee risk,” says Ilana, “along with the spa products and the training. In exchange, we’d split the revenue. The model was win-win, and we grew faster than we ever imagined.”
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Revenue grew a whopping 399 percent within a three-year period and competitors were few and far between. Only a handful of spa management companies exist in the United States. One international firm, WTS, is in thirty-three countries and uses a traditional, no-risk model, so Innovative Spa Management had no blueprint to follow. The “spa girls” were, more or less, on their own, though part of a growing trend in women-owned businesses. (According to a 2015 American Express State of Women-Owned Businesses Report, the total number of businesses across the country has increased by 51 percent during the past 18 years, but the number of women-owned businesses nationwide has increased by 74 percent, a rate 1.5 times the national average.) The company’s rapid expansion has finally slowed, and both partners say that’s by design. It was time to take a breath, regroup, and maybe even do a little rear-window gazing. Their journey began in 2005 over a mattress. Born to a couple who grew organic food and lived mostly off the grid long before it was cool to go “green,” Ilana’s family and other like-minded people were heavily involved in developing the first food co-op in the Asheville area, the French Broad Food Co-op. Drive and motivation, she says, were instilled in her early and so was the entrepreneurial spirit. “My mother had a master’s degree in early childhood education and helped start four preschools in Asheville. My father was a registered nurse, so the essence of their careers was to serve. My father also cautioned me not to be a “jack of all trades and master of none,” so I really had to think about my choices and direction. Though my childhood was unusual in that material things were not that important to us – we had no microwave, dishwasher, or dryer - I was highly creative, assertive, and driven to succeed.” After attending the College of Charleston in South Carolina, Ilana returned to Asheville and opened a pottery studio with her first business partner. Although she loved the craft, she could barely pay the rent. A job opened up at the Grove Park Inn, where she spent her days picking up towels and greeting clients in the resort’s newly opened spa. “I had no car yet, so I walked everywhere, including to work,” she recalls. “The luxury spa environment was foreign to me, but its contents were familiar. I noticed the guests were massaged with aromatherapy oils, something my parents had used on my scrapes and scratches when I was a kid. A lot of people were also eating wholesome foods and thinking holistically about their health, so I related to that too.”
Yet what impressed her most was the way a guest would walk in, stressed to the max, experience their relaxing spa treatments, and leave as though they were floating on clouds. “I had to know more,” she says. “So I began taking the massage therapists to lunch and picking their brains about their jobs. Less than a year later, I was a licensed massage therapist and was offered a management position at the Grove Park Inn.” At about the same time, her only brother, Bodhi, seven years older than Ilana, was diagnosed with insular thyroid carcinoma, a terminal illness. Ilana recalls his last words to her. “I know you are going to be golden. Just keep going and don’t let anything get in your way.” He died soon after, at the age of twenty-nine. “His courage still inspires me today,” Ilana says. Across town another woman, Christina Stratton, had just moved to Asheville from Los Angeles, California, with her husband, Doug. Growing up in Orlando, Florida, she – like Ilana – had an unconventional childhood.
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“In the girl group,” she explains, “we had to split everything five ways. I made more money waiting tables. “Both my parents were married several times and we moved around a lot,” she says,” so I always felt a little different. Plus, I was a redhead – which I hated – with an Irish personality. We had our struggles. My mom was a single parent, and at one point we lived in a hotel. But I thought it was great. I had access to a pool and Jacuzzi and cable TV.” What would have broken some, however, made Christina stronger. Independent and an over-achiever, she worked hard not to add extra burdens to her mom. Popular in school, she used her self-deprecating humor to poke fun at herself, an admirable trait that’s evident today. She also learned that adaptability was crucial to getting along in the world, and she still utilizes that skill to work with all types of people throughout her business dealings. A talented singer by the age of five, performing arts fit her extroverted style. “I was compelled to pursue my passions in the entertainment industry,” she says, “and was never shy of voicing my thoughts and opinions, or afraid to try new things.” In college at Florida State University, Christina majored in communications with a minor in theatre, obtaining a bachelor of science in broadcast communications in 1995. She graduated in three years while working a full-time job in order to pursue her next dream – Hollywood.
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By the end of 1995, Christina, a singer, songwriter, and actress, had hit the ground running in Los Angeles. Through talent and sheer grit, she made the right connections and eventually beat the odds by forming a five-girl pop group called i5, or International Five. As lead singer, Christina was the lone American, supported by four girls representing other countries. Success followed when the group had a top 40 song on the charts and toured the country, opening for pop icons that included NSYNC (a highly successful 1990s American boy band led by Justin Timberlake) and Britney Spears. “I was twenty-six,” Christina says, “and felt that I had already clocked more life experience than someone twice my age.” But it was never a way to earn big bucks. “In the girl group,” she explains, “we had to split everything five ways. I made more money waiting tables. Plus, the pop industry was starting to change in music and feel. We were probably about to be dropped from our label and I decided to go solo. So I left the band in 2001 and began pursuing another goal, that of professional song writing.” Though she got a publishing deal, developing songs for artists that included LeAnn Rimes, Pink, Celine Dion, and others, she also became a mother for the first time. That’s when she and her husband, Doug, began looking for a better place than Los Angeles to raise their daughter. They had made real estate investments in Los Angeles. that sold at the right time, allowing them to move across country in 2005. Once in Asheville, Christina turned her attention to the idea of opening a spa. In her travels she had been exposed to some of the most luxurious spas in the nation, which had sparked her initial passion. “The peace, calm, and relaxation I found within the spas was such a refreshing change to the whirlwind of tours, photo shoots, media interviews, and fan frenzies I had experienced as part of the entertainment industry,” she says. When Christina and Doug went mattress shopping after moving to Asheville, she mentioned her interest in opening a spa to the salesman, who said he had an ambitious girlfriend and she had talked of opening a spa too. “You need to contact Ilana,” he said, handing Christina a phone number. When Ilana never called her back, Christina took the direct approach and marched herself into the Grove Park Inn’s spa, asking for the supervisor. 70
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Ilana recalls their first face-to-face meeting. “I walk out and see this woman with curly hair and these gorgeous green eyes, and I thought, wow, she’s so open and effusive. It was an immediate, trusting connection.” “And I,” Christina counters, “see this beautiful, bubbly person with big eyes and hair pulled back in a bun. My first impression was that she might be a little too conservative for my style, but her personality lit up the room with its energy. The only time I had witnessed that before was in my five-girl band.” Like two sparks igniting, the women sat down and talked about their mutual passion for the spa industry. Both said they were risk-takers; both wanted the independence and freedom of their own business; both felt their paths were destined to cross. Ilana was twenty-three; Christina thirty-one. Then Ilana snuffed out the flame. “I’m moving to Florida in a week and I’ll be gone for at least nine months.” She had been recruited as Spa Director at a Four-Diamond resort in Naples, leaving behind her boyfriend, Vincent Alberico (who would become her husband). Yet both understood the opportunity could fast track her plan to improve the spa industry in all the ways she envisioned. “I saw large gaps in education, training, and management,” Ilana explains, “especially for spa directors. I also saw an opportunity for the spa industry to become more than just massages in pretty places. It needed to become focused on wellness. I knew that I wanted to have a profound, positive influence on the spa and wellness industry, Aromatherapy and when I met Christina, I realtesters for their ized that we, together, could make skincare line Privai it happen as partners.” Ilana left for Florida in October, 2005, promising to stay in touch. True to their word, the pair continued to communicate, sharing their dreams of opening a spa together in a good location, with well-trained people, quality control, and excellent management that could deliver an optimal spa experience. Ilana says she had the vision and operational savvy and Christina had the knack for “seeing” brands and knowing what felt right, along with the chutzpah, to make it work. “I learned a lot about marketing and branding in the entertainment industry,” Christina says. “It was boots on the ground, but with our girl band, I instinctively knew what we should look like and how we should position our brand in order to land a TV deal and sponsorships.” She says she has since honed her skills for interior design, branding, and marketing concepts, applying them to Innovative
Product line Privai in manufacturing facility
Spa Management and the Privai skin care line the company has developed. With Ilana still in Florida, the two women began sharing floor plans for their initial spa site. Located on College Street in Asheville, it would become the first of two fully-owned operations still in business as of 2015. Their second purchase was Suraj Spa Salon on Hendersonville Road. But their ultimate goal was to provide the resources to manage other spas, creating a model that would serve to improve and enhance a new or existing facility at five-star hotels and resorts. “We both had big dreams” says Ilana. “But we needed to build a template through our first, self-owned facility. Our vision was three-part: spa operations, education, and spa products, with thoughtful design and nationally credited training as our specialty.” “I had one question for Ilana from the start,” adds Christina. “What is our goal with this undertaking? Too many entrepreneurs just want to get in, make their money, and get out.What if, instead, we grew something that sustained us and the people around us?” They agreed to a fifty-fifty split as co-founders, incorporated the business in 2007, hired employees, and began the process of building a company from the ground up. Initially, they worked out of Christina’s home. Spa Theology opened with nine employees. They devised their model – unique in the spa business – for higher standards of training among all spa employees, not just those in management positions. “Our niche is our training,” says Christina, “and remains the same whether it’s a Three Star or a Five Star property. Unlike other firms that use vendors for training, we provide training in-house, following a standardized model that teaches employees how to make the guests feel most comfortable. Throughout the facility, from design to treatment room, we weave an extraordinary guest experience.” But it was tough going, working from a spare bedroom and basement while the first, downtown site was under renovation. Christina had a one-year-old child to care for, and both she and Ilana were putting in seventy to eighty hour work weeks. When the College Street spa opened, Ilana remembers it was
busy from the get-go. “The first night, we provided over 40 treatments and felt that our guests left happy and the team who worked with us were feeling confident. But we also had a mountain of laundry that had accumulated throughout the day because we thought we could handle it in-house.” They hired someone for daily operations and agreed to travel and speak at industry conferences, negotiating new spa contracts through their expanding list of contacts. Yet they were conducting business at their own expense. “During those first two years,” says Christina, “I ran through every penny of savings that I had. Ilana maxed out her credit cards and borrowed funds. End of the month was coming up again and it was like D-Day: if we couldn’t turn a profit by June 30, 2008, a year after we incorporated ISM, we would give it up and find a “real” job. We honestly weren’t sure what to do next.” She says their two spas made revenue, but the funds were funneled back into ISM to sustain it as a separate business, as opposed to paying themselves a salary. “By then,” says Ilana, “we were about a quarter million dollars in debt and hadn’t taken a dime of revenue. Finally, right as the month closed out, we got a check from our first ISM client.” Another remarkable thing happened. Ilana made a cold call to the Biltmore Estate and got patched through to Mr. Cecil by accident. “I shared the Five Star service vision of our newly formed spa management company and recommended we add a spa to the Inn,” she says. “He graciously put us in touch with the appropriate person.” It took over a year of meetings and feasibility study work, but eventually they were granted the contract to construct a spa – a huge boost to their up-and-coming business. Shortly after, the Grand Bohemian Asheville in Biltmore Village was announced. Part of the Kessler Collection, an autograph collection of the Marriott family-owned boutique hotels – and a targeted market for ISM – it would likely need a spa too. “My stepfather happened to be on the board with the Kesslers, who owned the Grand Bohemian property,” says Christina. “He mentioned us to them. But there was little response. So Ilana and I did what we do best – put up or shut up. We picked up the phone and made a cold call to Mrs. Kessler’s home, asking her about a spa and if we might be able to set a meeting.” July 2015 | capitalatplay.com
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Though nothing happened right away – deals like this can take up to a year – the wheels began to turn. Hard core business meetings followed in which the two women were required to explain why they, small town newcomers in spa management, were the right fit to manage the Kessler spas. Christina’s husband, a talented architectural designer, came up with a hit design. “We had a lot of due diligence and validation to prove,” Ilana says. But eventually, they got the deal. It was a major turning point for the partners and the company as a whole. Since then, they have entered markets in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, New Mexico, and Cashiers, North Carolina. Aside from the Kessler Collection properties, their high-profile roster includes The Living Spa at El Monte Sagrado in Taos, New Mexico, and the Ritz Carlton Bal Harbour in Miami, Florida. Their latest launch is a new Privai Wellness and Spa facility at the Royal Palm in South Beach, Miami, which opened June 11. Their challenges have been huge; their growth likened to a bullet train that has, at times, threatened to jump the tracks. Along the way, mistakes were made. Ilana says one of the biggest challenges was locating the right talent. “Our goal was to always find people who were smarter than us. The industry, in general, has a limited labor pool of trained executives able to manage growth and multiple locations. So it was difficult getting the right people in place.”
They went through a list of high-powered executives and paid each one big bucks – more than they paid themselves – with an expectation of getting viable results in return. Hiring and firing resulted in lost trust within the company on the part of other employees, and, ultimately, lost revenue for the partners due to turnover. “But we didn’t know what we didn’t know,” Christina says in retrospect. “If we had spent the money on a terrific business consultant at the start, it would have worked much better.” Apart from locating the right executive talent, was venturing outside what they do best. Example: They opened a Spa Academy in the same location where their rented offices were first housed off Sweeten Creek Road. The intention was good; the results not so much because it took their focus away from employee growth and development, and focused resources on people looking for initial licensure. “We graduated more than a hundred people with a one hundred percent pass rate and created long term loyalties,” says Ilana, “but it cost us a fortune and was a huge distraction. It also took some of our best spa leadership away from employees and their training. Graduates of the program didn’t want to leave Asheville to work in a spa elsewhere, say in Florida or Georgia. With a limited number of jobs in our area, they ended up going to competitors. In the end, we realized we needed to
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stay focused on our current employees and transition the brick and mortar academy into a portable, traveling training program for our employees.” By 2012, they finally had a great leadership team, including a human resources department, an accounting department, creative department, regional directors, spa directors, and staff level associates. They credit their employees with making the business successful. Their spa therapists, Ilana is quick to add “have been incredible from the start.” Their skin care line, Privai, is a natural extension of their spa consulting management. Currently, it’s only about three percent of their business revenue, but “now has legs and a whole new identity,” says Christina, “with phenomenal feedback from customers.” Both partners are wives and mothers. Christina’s daughter is ten, while Ilana has a three-year-old girl and an eighteen month old boy. Both face domestic challenges that come with running a multi-million dollar business while attempting to keep things at
home on an even keel. It’s exhausting, exhilarating, wonderful, and awful all at the same time, they both say, a counterpoise familiar to working women everywhere. “The hardest part is finding balance,” says Ilana. “But we’re working on it. We’ve learned how to say no to projects that take away from our core focus, and now that we have accomplished leaders in place, we have never been more confident. We know who we are in the industry.” If they have bottom-line advice for other women entrepreneurs, it would be this: Find your confidence, don’t lose yourself in the company, and get a really good team, including a business consultant, in place at the start. Above all, remember that your employees are the most important part of your company. So treat them well. “Then don’t look back,” says Christina. “Have a partner you can trust, which is absolutely critical. And oh yes— know when to shut up.”
It’s exhausting, exhilarating, wonderful, and awful all at the same time, they both say, a counterpoise familiar to working women everywhere.
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Story of Little Interest hartford, connecticut
Boston Federal Reserve’s president Eric Rosengren said he expected the Fed to refrain from raising interest rates a little longer. He also warned holding interest rates flat too long could have dangerous side effects. The statement came a couple weeks before the United States central bank’s monetary policy committee was going to meet to weigh the pros and cons. According to Rosengren, the United States economy has not rebounded sufficiently to convince Fed officials the economy will reach recovery targets any time soon. They are waiting to see a steady two percent inflation rate. The latest metafactor blamed for the sluggish economy was the harsh
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winter. Robust trading was expected to follow, but it didn’t. Rosengren said considerations that could influence the Fed’s decision are largely out of their control. He named talks with the International Monetary Fund creditors and Greece as an example. “Disorderly outcomes” could result if Greece defaults or declares bankruptcy. China’s economic slowdown could also bring surprises. The United States economy actually contracted during the first fiscal quarter.
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Ulta Beauty outperformed projections, according to the cosmetics retailer’s first-quarter report. Stock values hit
record highs following an announcement that, among other statistics, year-overyear net sales had increased 21.6 percent to $868.1 million; the company netted over $1 billion in the previous quarter. 101 stores were added to the total, new brands were offered, and inventory increased 8.9 percent. Success is attributed in part to the fact that Ulta is a hybrid of Sephora and CVS, offering prestige cosmetics and low-cost “mass” items. All store fronts also feature a full-service salon. A marketing strategy Ulta executives are finding successful is using targeted marketing in lieu of discounts and promotions. Color cosmetics are the company’s best seller, with prestige items outpacing the well-selling mass. Skin-care products and perfumes are showing mixed results. Investor’s Business Daily gave Ulta stock a composite rating in the 97th percentile, as compared to all other stocks.
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Avago’s $37 billion offer to take over Broadcom would make it the world’s third largest chipmaker. The company’s second-quarter earnings per share were
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up 151 percent due to an increase in revenue of 135 percent. Revenues for the third quarter are projected to come in somewhere around $1.7 billion. Broadcom shares first rose 21 percent with news of a pending merger. With a combined revenue of $15 billion, the post-acquisition Avago is expected to bring in $15 billion, behind Intel and Qualcomm. This marks a trend in chipmaker acquisitions and mergers. For example, in March NXP Semiconductors announced its intention to purchase Freescale Semiconductor for $11.8 billion. Analysts see the deals as spurred by economies of scale, but also by efficiencies broadly-diversified manufacturers can bring to the ‘Internet of Things.’ With a number of devices, parts, and apps entering the smartphone market, huge conglomerates can command pricing by offering bundles and packages.
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You probably didn’t miss it, but SkyMall, the producer of those seatback magazines on airlines, went bankrupt in January. Although the magazines disappeared, SkyMall’s online presence remained in
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business. Now, C&A Marketing, which purchased the brand for $1.9 million in April, is attempting to revitalize it. SkyMall was enjoyed by readers, but its products were deemed ill-considered for the audience. Products like a six-foot Yeti were not exactly what travelers wanted. Vendors, like Scott Jordan, who makes travelers’ clothing with a lot of pockets, wanted to bring the magazine back in a smarter way. Besides better matching products to the captive audience, SkyMall may provide ways for readers to scan or reserve products. Xhibit, SkyMall’s former owner, blamed the magazine’s failure on air passengers using the magazine to identify products to purchase at a discount on Amazon. Bricks-and-mortar SkyMall stores might also show up in airports.
Neverland Asking $100 Million
the amusement park, are gone. What remains are 22 structures featuring a 12,000-sqare-foot main home with six bedrooms and servants’ quarters. The 2680-acre estate is located in the beautiful rolling hills of the wine country surrounding Santa Barbara. Jackson had purchased the property for $19.5 million in 1987. Barrack’s company, Colony Capital, Incorporated, acquired it during the housing crash, when Jackson himself was experiencing financial difficulties. Colony is now asking $100 million. According to a report recently published by Christie’s International Real Estate, there is nothing unique about housing prices in that range or higher. Fad-like, billionaires around the globe are generating high demand for trophy properties. The property has since been renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch, and it is listed by three agents working for different companies.
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The late pop star Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch is up for sale. Owner Thomas Barrack, Jr. reports the property has been “restored to the original elegance Michael first envisioned,” but any “telltale signs” of the pop star, including
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with a space program. With an emphasis on high-tech, the leaders want to build the Middle East’s first space research center, which will offer a master’s degree in space studies. The complex is scheduled to be completed within five years and will cost approximately $27 million. Within six years, the UAE would launch an unmanned space probe called Hope, which will orbit Mars for up to four years. The decision is motivated by concerns about the future of the oil industry, which accounts for forty percent of the UAE’s economy. At a recent press conference, Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed estimated UAE gas and oil reserves could be depleted within fifty years. The director of the space agency, Dr. Mohammad Nasser Al Ahbabi, expressed interest in making the UAE’s satellite program less dependent on South Korea, Russia, and Kazakhstan. Skeptics believe the UAE is not dedicating enough time, money, or staffing to realize its goals. For example, the UAE has invested an average of $540 million a year in its space program, compared to Russia’s $3.7 billion and India’s $1 billion.
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The fourth annual Pioneers Festival entertained 2,500 participants with innovations in biotechnology and artificial intelligence. The main draw was Kirk Alhborn’s Hyperloop, a mass transport system for moving people at speeds that would normally make them ill. Prodigy Easton LaChappelle of Unlimited Tomorrow displayed brain-operated artificial limbs. Now nineteen, he began creating robotic prosthetics with a $400 piece after meeting a girl whose parents had spent $80,000 on hers. LaChappelle says inventing is simple; it’s getting the money that’s a problem. Hanson Robotics introduced the robot Hans, an automaton covered in frubber that allows his face to simulate human expressions; and long lines awaited a
chance to wear the Oculus Rift created by Vienna University of Technology to experience a virtual skydive. Rob Rhinehart’s Soylent is now being sold by the Czech company Heaven Labs. Offsetting creepy memories of a movie with a similar name, Jacob Krejcik is calling his version of Soylent “Manna” and selling it from Heaven Labs. Soylent is reportedly a tasty means of supplying all nutritional needs with no sugar, saturated fat, or artificial flavoring. Attempts to create synthetic milk through cellular engineering, rather than relying on animals, is a project undertaken by a company called Muufri.
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Airbus has announced it will open an innovation center in the Silicon Valley. A week prior to the announcement, Enders and high-ranking Airbus management professionals toured the Silicon Valley to collect ideas for moving the company into the digital revolution. Headquartered in Blagnac, France, Airbus is a manufacturer of widely used commercial airliners. It employs approximately 63,000 in sixteen locations in four countries. Boeing’s CEO Jim McNerney agrees there is not much innovative about the industry’s innovation processes anymore. He said he wanted Boeing to emulate Apple in concept development. While traditional methods of bringing new aviation products to fruition are taking as much as twenty-five years, tech companies are putting out drones that are fast consuming market share.
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It looks like Google is striving to be all things to all people. At its annual I/O developer conference, the company most famous for its search engine announced
plans to rival Apple and other tech giants. At the top of the bill was Brillo, Google’s version of the ‘Internet of Things.’ Brillo would allow a number of devices, like smartphones and thermostats, to communicate with each other. Android Pay will replace Google Wallet, being accepted by over 700,000 retailers, from Macy’s to McDonald’s to Uber. Android Pay will be able to authorize transactions with fingerprint recognition. To compete with the Apple Watch, Google is introducing Android Wear. Competing with Facebook and Samsung, Google will introduce Jump, a camera capable of capturing the world in 3-D virtual reality; and Google Photos will allow the storage of unlimited, high-quality photos in the cloud. To date, Google has test-driven its self-driving cars a million miles.
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Amazon announced patrons purchasing a $99 Prime membership would qualify for free, same-day delivery for millions of items. There are qualifiers, though. Prime Free Same-Day Delivery will be available in only fourteen metropolitan areas, and purchases must total at least $35. Congestion in the nation’s third and fourth largest cities, Chicago and Houston, precluded availing the service there. Amazon had already offered same-day delivery for $5.99 in seven major metropolitan markets. Offering the service for free is likely to spur demand, but Amazon will be ready. It has been expanding its distribution centers, hiring 6000 new warehouse workers. Amazon is fairly confident increased sales will cover the distribution costs. Amazon’s first-quarter shipping costs this year were already $2.3 billion. 41 million Americans, or 13 percent of the population, already subscribes to Amazon Prime. Members spend an average of $1100 a year, compared to the $700 average of nonmembers.
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written by toni sherwood photos by chris & laurie neubert
of pisgah are a sorba
Deep forests, gorgeous waterfalls, and stunning views, Western North Carolina offers miles of rugged trails for mountain biking enthusiasts. Part of the fun is discovering a new trail and finding out what it has to offer. With so many variables of skill level, solitude, and accessibility to choose from, planning your adventure begins with finding the trail that’s right for you. Capital At Play consulted with the experts to help you find the perfect spot for your summer ride. July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 79
capital adventurist
bent creek With 38 miles of trails, Bent Creek is one of the most popular biking spots in Western North Carolina. A segment of the Pisgah National Forest, this destination sees a lot of traffic. The two main parking areas, Rice Pinnacle and Hard Times, can fill up quickly on a beautiful day. Both parking areas access a plethora of trails. A major advantage Bent Creek offers are the highly visible trail markers that indicate what type of traffic is allowed (horse, bike, hike, or any combination). Trails are color-coded and signs direct visitors back to the parking area. The U.S. Forest Service manages the Pisgah National Forest, and most people naturally assume they maintain the trails. “Historically the forest service was mainly concerned with managing woods, not recreation,” Greg Leister explains, “because recreation doesn’t generate funding.” Leister is the president of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), a local chapter of the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA). This nonprofit mountain biking advocacy group is made up of volunteers who work in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service to maintain trails. 2015 marks their ten-year anniversary partnering with conservancy groups to advocate for recreation, and finally things are starting to change. “There’s a nation-wide plan revision beginning now and going forward over the next 15 years,” Leister says. The hope is that managing recreation will become part of the U.S. Forest Service’s main directive. SORBA has brought attention to the benefits of maintaining trails, such as clean water systems. But SORBA doesn’t do it alone, they often partner with The Back Country Horsemen of North Carolina (http://bchofnc.org/), as well as local hiking groups, to share trail maintenance. “A lot of these trails are actually old logging roads,” Leister explains. “They were not designed for mountain bikes, hiking, and horses.” Those of us familiar with the Bent Creek area have seen the affects of water damage on the main dirt road above Lake Powhatan. Leister speculates that an old culvert backed up. Unfortunately the U.S. Forest Service often lacks funds to maintain and repair these situations. Eventually, water flow caused a huge avalanche of trees, rocks, and mud, making the trail barely crossable and dangerous. SORBA works to prevent this type of damage from occurring by rerouting trails, clearing brush to encourage water flow, and keeping drains clear. They also check regularly to keep trail markers up-to-date. The Hard Times parking lot in Bent Creek feeds into a wide dirt road that forks at the creek bridge, with the lower road leading to Lake Powhatan, and the upper road leading to a long uphill slope. Single-track trails branch off both roads into a network of well-marked trails. But according to Leister, the crown jewel of Bent Creek is Green’s Lick, which is accessed from the Rive Pinnacle parking 80
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Rider in Save the Trails 2014 DuPont State Forest lot. This is the ultimate ride: 45 minutes uphill and the longest downhill ride at 20 minutes. This ride requires endurance, but pays off with incredible views and bragging rights. Weather and erosion can rapidly affect trails. Only those very familiar with the area would know of these transitory changes. Leister highly recommends getting trail maps and updated information from local bike shops before setting out: local bike shops near bent creek :
www.carolinafatz.com/ www.motionmakers.com/
Bike shops can also be a good way to link up with like-minded folks for group rides. The Blue Ridge Bicycle Club offers weekend family-friendly rides through the Bent Creek area resuming this fall:
http://blueridgebicycleclub.org
FROM ASHEVILLE: -
Take I-26 E to NC-191 S/Brevard Rd. Take exit 33 from I-26 E 8 min (6.8 mi) Follow NC-191 S/Brevard Rd. Turn Right onto Wesley Branch Rd. and follow to parking
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capital adventurist
Take I 40 to exit 46A for I 26 East to Hendersonville Take I 26 east to Exit 40 Turn right off Exit 40 onto NC 280 Take NC 280 south 16 miles to US 64 Turn left onto US 64 and go 3.7 miles to the stop light Turn right onto Crab Creek Rd. and go 4.3 miles Turn right onto DuPont Rd. and go 4.2 miles Note that DuPont Rd. becomes Staton Rd.
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With so many beautiful waterfalls to discover, DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF) is a biker’s dream. There are 90 miles of trails and dirt roads spread out over 10,000 acres. From easy wide roads to single-track trails, there are trails for every skill level. Hikers, horses, and mountain bikes share DSRF trails. There are only a few short connectors leading to waterfalls where bikes are not allowed. The successful trail sharing formula of DSRF is a model of how all types of trail users can ‘play well together.’ The ‘trail courtesy triangle’ directs the flow, instructing bikes to yield to both hikers and horses. One unique aspect of DSRF is the rocky granite surfaces that make up many trails; the soil tends to be more sandy and quick to drain. After a big rain, trails in Pisgah Forest can be flooded and muddy, making DSRF a better post-rain destination. The Cedar Rock/Burnt Mountain loop is a great example of a quick-drying trail, and both trails are mountain biker favorites. Originally called DuPont State Forest, the “Recreational” part of its name was added in 2011 when a bill was passed emphasizing management of the area’s recreational aspects, including trails. Because of this, DSRF has leeway to improve trails and even create new trails that might be restricted in a park managed by the U.S. Forest Service. “Over the six years I’ve lived here the DuPont area has exploded,” Leister says, “there are far more visitors there now. The Friends of DuPont Forest are a good, dedicated crew with deeper pockets to make projects happen.” Trail Dynamics LLC coordinated with volunteers to reroute many DSRF trails to make them more sustainable, including the Corn Mill Shoals trail and Laurel Ridge trail. A highly recommended newer trail is the lower Airstrip trail. With so many trails intersecting, there are countless options. DuPont Forest’s popularity may be attributed to Triple Falls, which was a location used in The Last of The Mohicans, and more recently in The Hunger Games. The Friends of DuPont website offers free map downloads and even a GPS map for smartphones:
FROM ASHEVILLE, NC AND OTHER CITIES VIA I 40:
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www.dupontforest.com/
July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 83
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b r e va r d Unlike Bent Creek and DSRF, which are fairly contained, the Brevard area of the Pisgah National Forest is much more spread out and vast, which means some truly remote trails. Although the trails are managed by SORBA, Leister says signs in this area often ‘disappear’, perhaps dismantled by rebellious teens or locals who don’t want tourists on their trails. This means a map is critical, but so is the advice of experts who know the area. “At Turkey Pen Gap if you go down one way it’s an hour and a half; the other way it’s four hours,” Leister says. To make maintenance more complicated, Brevard’s clay-based trails easily erode to the point where there are two choices: reroute or close the trail. One of the biggest and most successful projects SORBA has completed was the Big Dig in 2014, which was a logging road to trail conversion on ‘lower black’ mountain trail. This 58-day project involved several local bike shops, with volunteers cataloging over 800 hours. Tackling long stretches of trail that were eroding, the team rerouted trails to induce more effective drainage. The projects included a new bridge, new berms, and streambed reinforcement. “Clean water is a huge issue for the Forest Service,” Leister says. Keeping streams clean supports the entire forest ecosystem.
The amount of work required for continuing maintenance of trails and for projects like the Big Dig may surprise some cyclists and hiking enthusiasts. “The public typically hikes in pleasant weather when drainage issues lie dormant,” Leister says, “but once a big rain hits, signs of flooding and erosion become clear.” The Big Dig is now completed, making ‘lower black’ an easily accessed destination, as well as a great example of successful rerouting. The black mountain trail ascends in difficulty as it ascends in elevation, with ‘lower black’ being the easiest, ‘middle black’ mid-range, and ‘upper black’ the most challenging. The Brevard area provides the ultimate solitude; you may not see but one or two people on the trail. In a remote area like this, it’s advised to tell someone where you are going, carry extra food, and a flashlight. “Take a paper map with you in case your phone can’t get service or the battery dies,” Leister adds. There are two local bike shops located at the mouth of the Davidson River; Sycamore Cycles stocks area maps:
http://sycamorecycles.com/ And if you want to grab a beer before or after your ride, The Hub bike shop even has beer on tap:
www.thehubpisgah.com/
dig Rock armoring crew
Volunteers rerouting Lower Black Mountain trail 84
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FROM ASHEVILLE: - Take I-26 to exit #40 (Airport Rd. / Hwy 280) - Turn on to Airport Rd. (Hwy 280) heading south and go 11 miles - Turn right on to Turkey Pen Rd. and go approximately 1.2 miles on a very narrow dirt road - Turkey Pen trail head and parking are at the end of the road
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July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 85
capital adventurist
b l a c k m o u n ta i n / r i d g e c r e s t The towns of Black Mountain and neighboring Ridgecrest sit at the foot of the Pisgah National Forest. This segment includes Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the Appalachian Mountains. One legendary trail that any avid biker must ride is the Kitsuma Trail. With a backdrop of Mount Mitchell and over a dozen switchbacks in the climb, this 10-mile loop pays off with a 2.8-mile descent towards the Old Fort picnic area. To get to the Kitsuma trailhead, take exit 66 off of I-40 toward Ridgecrest and turn right at Dunsmore Ave. Take a quick right on old U.S. 70, where you’ll pass Ridgecrest camp on the left. Follow the road down to Yates where you’ll make a quick right and an immediate left on Royal George. The trailhead lies at the end of the road. Epic Cycles is a great place to get maps and local info right in downtown Black Mountain before you set out:
www.epiccyclesnc.com endless tr ails If the abundant trail choices in the Western North Carolina area seem overwhelming, why not hire a guide? The Bike Farm is a guide service that is permitted in the Pisgah Forest and DSRF. They offer half, full, and multi-day rides made to order, catering to all ability levels. They have male and female guides. They even offer a rent-a-riding-buddy program for those looking for a more casual alternative to a full-blown guide. As they say on their website: “The only way to ride like a local is to ride with a local.”:
Save the Trails 2014 in DuPont State Forest
www.bikefarmpisgah.com
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Tr ails
Take I- 40 East Take exit 66 off of I-40 toward Ridgecrest Turn left on Craven Hill Circle then right onto Old US 70 Stay on Old US 70 till you reach Yates Ave. and take Royal Gorge Rd. the trailhead lies at the end of the road
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facing page :
top: Drain clearing during the Bent Creek “winterizer” trail day on always popular Greenslick trail middle: Volunteer meeting before the start of the Public Lands Day project on Lower Trace Ridge bottom: Volunteer trail class before the Bent Creek “winterizer” work session this page :
below: Public Lands Day project 2014 on the Lower Trace Ridge reroute
Another way to learn the specifics of a trail is to volunteer for a workday. Last October SORBA partnered with REI to reroute the lower Trace Ridge trail to keep sediment from flowing into Mill’s River. Over 70 people came out to help. This two-year project was just completed and a grand opening is planned for this year. Volunteers range from avid bikers to nature lovers looking to socialize while improving the forest. A typical trail workday is about four to six hours. The tools used are simple hand tools like shovels and rakes. Often a local bike shop sponsors a meal for volunteers. Everyone meets at the closest point to the trail, then hike into the area where the work actually takes place. For more remote locations, SORBA can access forest service fire roads gated to the public. One way SORBA gets funding is through a grant by the Recreational Trails Program through which they have received $200,000 in funds designated for trail work since 2013. Because the grant stipend matches volunteer hours, Leister encourages anyone interested to get on a trail crew through the SORBA website, or even volunteer to be on the board. “We have a great core group of people that recognize the work never ends,” Leister admits. “As soon as you get one area done you have to start all over.” July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 89
july
EVENTS july 1-12
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying 2pm and/or 8pm Wed-Sun Flat Rock Playhouse 2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, NC No, this isn’t one of those carpetbagger hotel spiels advertised on the radio. In this musical satire, a window washer works his way to the top with a self-help book. The musical first opened on Broadway in 1961, and has since won seven Tony Awards and the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. You may remember the tune, “A Secretary Is Not a Toy,” but other themes, like “I Believe in You,” and “Company Way,” conjure images of some of the stuff we put up with in the corporate world.
>Tickets: $15-40 > 828-693-0731/flatrockplayhouse.org
july 4
Music on Main Street: Patriotic Tribute Show 7-9pm Hendersonville Visitor Center 201 South Main Street, Hendersonville, NC The 17th Annual Music on Main Street concert series, which usually features oldies and beach, will swing toward the patriotic for the holiday. Organizers encourage visitors to bring a chair, but leave pets, alcoholic beverages, and coolers at home.
> Free > 800-828-4244 or
different, Google “47th Annual Roasting of the Hog,” and you will be directed to exactly one place. Once again, the Beech Mountain firefighters are going to prepare pork and turkey. But you have to eat like a Southerner, so they are going to be serving fixin’s and Moon Pies, too. Dinner will be served at six, and, in typical fair fashion, there will be plenty of music, vendor tents, and children’s activities. This event is sponsored by the Town of Beech Mountain, its Chamber of Commerce, and the TDA.
>Tickets: Advance $15, Gate $20, Children under 7 - Half Off
> 828-387-9283 or beechmtn.com july 6
historichendersonville.org
Chamber Music: The Shanghai Quartet
july 4
7:30-9:30pm
47th Annual Roasting of the Hog
Scott Concert Hall, Porter Center Brevard College Brevard, NC
5:30-10:30pm Beech Mountain Ski Resort 1007 Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain, NC If you want to watch fireworks on the Fourth of July, just wait ‘til dark and look up. But if you want something a little
Featured works will be Haydn’s “String Quartet No. 34,” Bartok’s “String Quartet No. 4,” and Ravel’s “String Quartet in F major.” Formed at the Shanghai Conservatory in 1983, the quartet is now world-renowned, and continues
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to play distinguished music centers in Asia, Europe, and North America. To date, they have thirty recordings to their name. You may have even heard them in a movie soundtrack or two.
>Tickets: $25 > 828-862-2100 or
july 9 -12 60th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games & the Gathering of the Clans 9am-4pm Macrae Meadows US Highway 221, Linville, NC
brevardmusic.org
july 9 - 26
Driving Miss Daisy 2pm and/or 8pm, Wed-Sun Flat Rock Playhouse – Downtown 125 South Main Street, Hendersonville, NC Wanna cry? Consider watching a drama of a simpler time, but a time marked with pride and prejudice. A Jewish woman of standing loses her independence with age and has to hire a Negro to help to drive her around. For the next twenty-five years, this odd pair learn lessons in love and understanding as they adjust to their differences and awaken to their similarities. It’s a beautiful message, all played out by live actors at the Playhouse.
For something way out of the ordinary, visit the Highland Games. Of course there will be kilts and bagpipes, parades and a marathon. But visitors will be able to talk to genealogists to discover their clan, and then have a chance to buy their own tartans. Then they’ll be able to compete in one of three kilted runs. They can also watch grown men throw hammers and telephone poles, turn cabers, toss sheafs, and wrestle. Border collies have several slots on the schedule for showing off their sheep-herding skills. Lots of Scotch music will be provided and taught. There will even be a Gaelic Mod, or a Gaelic song competition. Organizers want to keep it low key, so if you sing flat . . .
>Tickets: $15-40. > 828-693-0731 or
flatrockplayhouse.org
> Admission: Adult $15 Thu, $20 Fri,
$30 Sat, $15 Sun; Children 5-12 $5/ day; Toddlers under 5 Free; Full Package $75 > 828-733-1333 or gmhg.org
july 11
Coon Dog Day 8am-11pm Historic Downtown 6 East Main Street, Saluda, NC 52 years ago, the Coon Club held a chicken supper fundraiser. Now, look what happened. 52 years later, 10,000 people with their dogs are drawn to sleepy Saluda to enjoy a day of summer sunshine with food, crafts, live music, dancing in the streets, and even a parade.
> Free > 828-479-2581 or saluda.com july 11
Winged Creatures of the Night Twilight Tour 7:30-9:30pm Cradle of Forestry Historic Site 49 Pisgah Highway, Suite 4, Pisgah Forest The evening will begin with an introduction to winged nightlife in the outdoor amphitheater. Children will get to make their very own night creature craft. Then, participants will stroll about the
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July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 91
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> Admission: Adult $6,
15 and under $3 > 828-877-3130 or cradleofforestry.org
july 11, 18 , 25
Cool Summer Nights at Tweetsie Railroad Until 9pm Tweetsie Railroad 300 Tweetsie Railroad Lane, Blowing Rock, NC
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Carolina summer evenings are so beautiful. A rich biodiversity of trees in rich forest and pine greens silhouette vibrantly against the slate grays and rose hues of sunset in sultry forms reminiscent of a Maxfield Parrish painting. Then, in shady glades where the right mix of light and dark is reached, the fireflies come out to play, sending a message to humankind by shining their light and always moving upward. The mood is just right for adding a happy place to your memories, so why don’t you go by train? The folks at Tweetsie invite you to see nature at its best with a cool evening breeze on your face. Evening trains will run all Saturdays in July except on the 4th.
>Tickets: Adult $41,
Children 3-12 $27, Children under 3 Free > 828-264-9061 or tweetsie.com
july 11, 18 , 25
Shindig on the Green 7-10pm Pack Square Park 121 College St., Asheville, NC If you don’t know what a shindig is, come find out. Organizers invite members of the public to “come around along about sundown” and “bring your instruments, families, friends, lawn chairs, and blankets.” The event features Appalachian 92
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music and dance every way you want it with a stage show and informal jam sessions throughout the park. The intent is to recreate the good ole fashioned days when folks would just pull up to the porch with banjos and fiddles for some down-home, country, neighborly fun.
> Free > 828-258-6101x345 or folkheritage.org
july 16 -19 Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands 10am-6pm US Cellular Center 87 Haywood Street, Asheville NC Twice a year, juried crafters fill both floors of the old civic center. This year, about 200 artists will be displaying and selling creations of clay, fiber, and metal. All are members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Formed in 1930, the guild started holding fairs in 1948 to showcase Appalachian handicrafter talent. The event now draws 20,000 visitors a year. In addition to showcasing and selling, a number of vendors will be demonstrating their talents, consistent with the guild’s mission of educating the public about traditions in the local arts.
> Admission: Adult $8/day, 2-day pass $12, Children under 12 Free
> 828-298-7928 or
southernhighlandguild.org
july 16
Blue Ridge Parkway: The Mission Era and More 5:30pm Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center Auditorium 195 Hemphill Knob Road (milepost 384), Asheville, NC The Blue R idge Parkway (BR P) is world-renowned for its natural beauty.
Now, the Preservation Society of A sheville and Buncombe County (PSABC) is pretty sure it will get some recognition for its historicity. The parkway has over 900 structures, ranging from rustic, nineteenth-century cabins to contemporary masonry and glass. Blue Ridge Parkway cultural resource specialist Steven Kidd has just completed an inventory of these diverse structures for a National Historic Landmark (NHL) nomination process. Technical support was provided by NHL program manager for the Southeast, Cynthia Walton. Both will be sharing their findings at a special event arranged by the PSABC with sponsorship from the BRP Visitor Center and Terry and Ted Van Duyn.
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> Suggested Donation: $10 > 828-254-2343 or psabc.org july 17
Folkmoot Parade of Nations 1pm North Main Street to the Haywood County Courthouse Downtown Waynesville, NC It is easy to understate Folkmoot. An international festival of brilliant swirling colors and human talent, Folkmoot is one of the region’s truly world-renowned celebrations. Amazing folk dancers, who know how to put on stupendous shows, have come from over 100 countries to participate through the years. Events will run through July 26, with festivities coming as far east as the Diana Wortham Theater in Asheville. The Parade of Nations and Grand Opening are a chance to see every single group perform. Consult a schedule for events and ticketing. The parade is free; the Grand Opening is ticketed, and it will be held at the Stompin’ Ground in Maggie Valley.
> Admission: Adult Reserved $25-30,
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Adult General Admission $20, Children 12 and under Half Off
> folkmootusa.org July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 93
events
july 17-18
Southeastern Gas & Petroleum Expo 8am-6pm Fri, 8am-4pm Sat Maggie Valley Festival Grounds 3374 Soco Road, Maggie Valley, NC Maggie Valley Carpet Golf and Country Store Antiques are sponsoring a memorabilia fest to celebrate anything to do with old cars. Items rumored to be on display include old gas pumps, license plates, gas station signs, road maps, toys, and the proverbial “much more.”
> Admission: Adult $5, 12 and under Free
> 423-623-2723 july 17-18
Spruce Pine BBQ Championship & Bluegrass Festival 4pm Friday until Downtown Spruce Pine Competing chefs will roll into town Thursday afternoon to set up camp so they can start cooking the next morning. After they’ve been cooking awhile, the public will be invited in to saunter around eating tent food and enjoying entertainment from clogging teams and local musicians. The fair atmosphere will shut down for the night at 10pm, but the chefs will be working up their masterpieces into the wee hours. On Saturday the public will be invited back at 10am. Although the chefs will be judged by a team of experts, there will be a public tasting and judging competition at 11:30. Winners will be announced at 3:30. The event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Spruce Pine.
9:30am-12:30pm Chimney Rock State Park 431 Main Street, Chimney Rock, NC In this month’s episode, naturalist Clint Calhoun will share some of his favorite things about Hickory Nut Gorge. The gorge is home to 36 rare plant and 14 rare animal species. The hike will be moderately strenuous.
> Admission: Adult $22, Youth 5-15 $12, Passholder $7, Grady’s Kids Club $5
> 800-277-9611 or
chimneyrockpark.com
july 18
Train History Day 10am-4pm Cradle of Forestry 11250 Pisgah Highway, Pisgah Forest, NC This could be a busy day for train people. Train historian Jerry Ledford will be presenting slides showcasing the importance of trains in the logging industry at 10:30am and 2pm. Following each presentation, visitors are invited to walk the Forest Festival Trail to see the 1914 Climax locomotive on display and learn about its history and how it worked. Members of the Asheville Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society will have an HO-scale model on display to show how trains are put together and how they move through the yard. Memorabilia, including photos and old railroad lanterns, will be on display.
> Admission: Adult $5, 15 and under
> 828-237-1125 or
> 828-877-3130 or
sprucepinebbqbluegrass.org
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Naturalist Niche: Mountaintop Excursion
> Admission: Fairgrounds Free, Music areas $8-10, Public tasting $10
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july 18
Free
ccarpenter02@fs.fed.us
july 18
19th Annual Chalk It Up!
Do you miss drawing all over the sidewalk? Here’s your chance. If you can be one of the first 150 artists to reserve space, you can compete for prizes. Sidewalk and chalk are provided, but space is limited. If you miss the deadline, all is not lost. You can still take a stroll and take in everybody else’s pastel masterpieces – until it rains. Rain check days will be July 25 and August 1.
DOWNTOWN
AVL
9am Narnia Studios 315 North Main Street, Hendersonville, NC
t
h oug h T ou til t Un en Y i h a tW e... to W r d o Jus a M H for r You e ob Oct
> Free > 828-697-6393 or narniastudios.com
july 19
Asheville Triathlon 6:45am Asheville Rec Park Azalea Road, Asheville, NC iDaph and Right on Time Productions had so much fun last time, they are bringing the Asheville Triathlon back. The race begins with swimming in a 50-meter pool, continues with cycling across rolling hills, and ends with a fast, flat run. The course is appropriate for all levels of triathletes. Participation is limited to 350, and may be sold out. But not to worry. Spectators are always welcome. There will also be a kids’ Splash N’ Dash as soon as the grownups finish in the pool.
> Registration:
Triathletes $20-$120, Spectators Free > 828-684-0812 or idaph.net/events/asheville-triathlon
LEAF Community Arts, Cap tal at Play, Bootsy Collins’ Rubber Band, Red Baraat, The Main Squeeze, Old Landmarks & many others invite YOU to come enjoy the 1st Annual LEAF Downtown AVL.
AUGUST 1st - 2nd, 2015 Save the Date: Fall LEAF Festival at Lake Eden: Oct. 15-18
In the HEART of Downtown Asheville
For lineup & event info:
FREE to the Public.
ALL are Welcome!
Pack Square Park
LEAF Downtown AVL is sponsored in part by:
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events
july 23
Dulcimer U Concert 7-9pm Bac Theatre, Western Carolina University 200 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee, NC Following a summer course on the mountain, dulcimer students will showcase what they have learned.
>This is not a ticketed event. > 828-227-2479 or wcu.edu july 24
Cruisin’ With Blossman Friday Night Classic Car Cruise 6-9pm Blossman Gas Appliance & Hearth Center 170 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, NC Folks with classic, custom, street rod, rat rod, or other some-such vehicles are invited to show them off. Hot dogs and chips will be provided for a donation. Attendees are invited to bring a side dish or dessert to share.
> Free > 828-329-4971 july 24
Symphony by Chetola Lake 5:30-10:30pm Chetola Resort 500 Main Street, Blowing Rock, NC
You may pack your own picnic, order a picnic from Blowing Rock Market (828-295-7373) or Cheeseburger Grille (828-295-0211), or pull out all the stops with a reservation with Chetola (828295-5505). The resort is offering three dining options: Picnic on the Lawn ($14/person), Pre-Symphony Dinner ($65/person), and Symphony Dinner on the Patio ($110/person). Fireworks are sure to follow.
>Tickets: Advance $35, Gate $40, Children under 12 $15 > 828-295-7851 or symphonybythelake.com
july 25
Concerts in the Park Series 7-9pm Cecil Park, Biltmore Park Town Square 2 Town Square Boulevard, Asheville, NC Kat Williams will provide the entertainment for this month’s last-Saturday event. The park is located near Hickory Tavern and Brixx Wood Fired Pizza. Williams is a native Ashevillian who sings all genres, but specializes in Motown and jazz.
| July 2015
to make people smile than anything else. Participants can sprint or crawl to the party at the finish line, the only requirement is that they wear white and agree to be splashed with paint every so often. The event is actually on tour, Asheville being but one stop in well over 300 in over 50 countries. Who said exercise is boring?
> Registration: $35-$50 > thecolorrun.com july 31
Astronomy Night at the Cradle With PARI 7:30-10pm 49 Pisgah Highway, Suite 4, Pisgah Forest, NC The Pisgah Field School and the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) will have telescopes set up to help members of the public get starry-eyed. Representatives will be on-hand as guides to the friendly skies. Kids’ activities and short films will be on-hand for those with shorter attention spans.
> Admission: Adult $15, 6 and under Free > 828-884-3443/ cfaia.org
> Free > 828-209-2000 or biltmorepark.com july 25
How ’bout this for a dinner date. Imagine a serene Carolina summer evening. By a lake. On an expansive lawn. Under the stars. Listening to the smooth musical stylings of a regionally-acclaimed orchestra. The Southeast Tourism Society rates this as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast. This year, 96
Swiss-born Cornelia Laemmli Orth, in her seventh year as conductor, will lead the Symphony of the Mountains in an interpretation of iconic themes from the motion picture industry.
The Color Run Shine Tour 2015 7:45am YMCA of Western North Carolina 30 Woodfin Street, Asheville, NC What will they think of next? The Color Run is an untimed 5K intended more
If your organization has any local press releases for our briefs section or events that you would like to see here feel free to email us at events@capitalatplay.com Please submit your event by the first day of the month preceding your event.
2-Button Seersucker Tailored Fit Suit:
Cool & Comfortable in any Climate!
ASHEVILLE
Historic Biltmore Village 9 Kitchin Place 828-274-2630
STORE HOURS
SEERSUCKER
Mon.-Fri. 9:30am-7pm Sat. 9:30am-6pm Sun. 12pm-5pm
July 2015 | capitalatplay.com 97
Pre-K at Carolina Day: Transformations begin here.
Now is the time. At Carolina Day, our smallest begin their transformation into young students prepared with so much more than the basics. • Curriculum crafted with intention to open young minds to big ideas. Well-rounded, well-researched, inquiry-based, forward-thinking. • Teachers highly trained in brain and social development, who create
www.carolinaday.org 828.274.0757
joyfully engaging classes for eager, curious children. • Warm, welcoming community of support for students of all backgrounds to find safe harbor for exploration and growth. Schedule a visit and contact our Tuition Manager today.
“I believe curious and courageous teachers help make curious and courageous students.” July 2015 98 Cathy Walters,| Pre-K — Faculty
BMW i3
THE ALL-ELECTRIC BMW i3.
BUILT IN A WIND-POWERED FACTORY, WITH THE STRENGTH OF CARBON FIBER AND BMW PERFORMANCE.
To create the first-ever all-electric BMW, we reinvented everything but the wheel. A body of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) — a revolutionary material half the weight of steel and just as strong — surrounds a striking interior made with natural, renewable resources like eucalyptus wood and plant fibers. And it all comes together in a factory powered by four onsite wind turbines. Best of all, beneath everything, the BMW i3’s 170-hp electric motor and 184 lb-ft of instant torque make it breathtakingly clear: this all-electric is all BMW. For special lease and finance offers available through BMW Financial Services, visit bmwusa.com.
BMW of Asheville
649 New Airport Road
Fletcher, NC 28732
828-681-9900
bmwofasheville.com
Experience the Difference. ©2015 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.
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