Capital at Play December 2018

Gillie Roberts Ware Boutique p.16

Local Industry

Dining Off the Beaten Path p.37

Western North Carolina's Free Spirit of Enterprise colu m ns

R ebranding For The Right Reasons

Highland Brewing Company recently updated its iconic logo for a new era. p.50

Corporation or LLC?

Which is better for you? p.72

Christmas

Every Day of the Year at The Olde World Christmas Shoppe

p.58

2018 s w ee t a nd

savory p.76

Volume VIII - Edition XII complimentary edition

capitalatplay.com

December 2018

THE EXPERT IN MEN’S APPAREL:

For All Occasions

2

ASHEVILLE: Historic Biltmore Village • 9 Kitchin Place • 828-274-2630 STORE HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 9:30am-7pm • Sat. 9:30am-6pm • Sun. 12pm-5pm | December 2018

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

3

Our Favorite Stories of 2018

Off ice staff members reveal their favorite Capital at Play stories from the recent past…

“7 Truths And 1 Lie About Bar Ownership”

“Farmers Are Fired Up For Hemp”

September ______________________________

June ______________________________

Real-life perspective, from someone who truly knows what they are talking about because—as the chart at the beginning of the article indicates—the truth is also a lie. Oftentimes this is the case in life and business. It isn’t always clear which way to go or what the reality of things are. Rather, it’s a matter of perspective and initiative on going forward that can make either option or path the eventual reality.

- Oby Morgan, Publisher

It came out right before the big boom of media attention on this industry in our region, and within the next few months there were CBD oil shops popping up everywhere. Besides our being ahead of the curve, I also enjoyed visual elements of the piece, particularly the chart on the number of farmers in each county now licensed for growing hemp. Having grown up in a farming community, it’s great to see them have some new opportunities, since many cash crops have fizzled out.

- Bonnie Roberson, Art Director

“The ABCs of Alcohol Rules & Regulations”

September ______________________________ I’m particularly proud of how during the past year we have put additional—and enlightened— emphasis upon datadriven business sector reports that tackle some of the more pressing issues entrepreneurs face. This one beautifully pulled the curtain back on the regulatory hurdles alcohol makers and sellers have to contend with in North Carolina.

- Fred Mills, Editor

“Paradise Found: Urban Orchard Cider Co.”

“Hellbenders Or High Water: Oxbow River Snorkeling”

August ______________________________

The subject matter is novel; the photos of fish were wonderful; the article flowed well. It piqued my curiosity— any other rivers in the USA have this?

I tend to like the more unusual articles on specific subjects rather than the large overall industry overviews with lots of facts and figures.

- Dasha Morgan, Copy Editing

“Operation Simulation: Better Than Unicorns”

September ______________________________

April ______________________________

This was certainly my favorite story to write this year. I loved getting to peek behind the curtain of what was already one of my favorite local brands.

Plus, I was finally able to incorporate all those college-era readings of Paradise Lost into something practical via my choice of subhead titles!

- Emily Glaser, Social Media Editor

The story certainly grabbed my attention enough to want to go try it out. And after a fun evening engaging in virtual reality games at Better Than Unicorns, my eyes were opened to a myriad of new experiences. But my sore muscles the next day did not feel so “virtual”!

- Katrina Morgan, Account Executive

4

| December 2018

“Creditworthiness, Collateral, and Capital: Funding Options For Entrepreneurs And Startups” August ______________________________

It goes to the heart of any entrepreneurial venture. Cash is basically just credit, and without rolling in credit and commensurate risk-taking, any new venture will run into a stone wall.

-David Morgan, Account Executive

“7 Truths And 1 Lie About Bar Ownership”

September ______________________________ If only for the title! Actually, it’s a very good overview of the business side of the bar business. Yes—I, too, once wanted to open a bar shortly after college. At that point in my life I would have probably made a whole lot of new friends and lost a whole lot of money. Free drinks, amiright?

- Roy Brock, Account Executive

“Hellbenders Or High Water: Oxbow River Snorkeling”

August ______________________________

& “Things Worth Having: Collectors And Collecting” (April): For the former, I was totally immersed in the fun and funny storytelling about a novel venture. The graphic arts were stand-out, as this was the first time I had read anything that made me feel like I was swimming in murky water. The latter was a trippy article, more ADD than stream-of-consciousness. I loved how it parodied pretension in both historical and psychological analyses.

- Leslee Kulba, Briefs/Events Editor Share your pick with us on social media.

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

5

Western North Carolina's Free Spirit of Enterprise

publisher

THE INNOVATORS OF COMFORT™

Oby Morgan associate publisher

Jeffrey Green managing editor

Fred Mills briefs and events editor

Leslee Kulba Nordic

copy editors

contributing writers & photogr aphers

Leah Ashburn, Jennifer Fitzgerald, Emily Glaser, Anthony Harden, Bill Kopp, Marla Hardee Milling, Michael Palermo art director

Bonnie Roberson social media editor

Emily Glaser

Dasha O. Morgan, Brenda Murphy

Information & Inquiries November 21 - January 14

RECEIVE $200 OFF

*

Stressless ® seating when you donate $50 to charity.

Or

RECEIVE $400 OFF * Stressless ® Mayfair recliner and ottoman or Stressless ® Mayfair office chairs when you donate $50 to charity. *See Store for complete details.

109 BROADWAY

BLACK MOUNTAIN

(828) 669-5000 Mon. - Sat. 9am - 5:30pm TysonFurniture.com SPECIAL FINANCING See store for details.

6

| December 2018

Capital at Play is Western North Carolina’s business lifestyle magazine. It embodies the idea that capitalism thrives with creativity—that work requires an element of play. Exploring everything from local industry to the great outdoors, Capital at Play is inspiration for the modern entrepreneur.

In every edition we profile those who take the risk, those who share that risk, and those who support them—telling the untold story of how capitalists are driven by their ideas and passions.

We cater to those who see the world with curiosity, wonderment, and a thirst for knowledge.

We present information and entertainment that capitalists want, all in one location. We are the free spirit of enterprise.

gener al advertising inquiries

for editorial inquiries

e-mail advertising@capitalatplay.com or call 828.274.7305

e-mail editor@capitalatplay.com

for subscription information

Roy Brock, David Morgan, Katrina Morgan

subscribe online at www.capitalatplay.com or call 828.274.7305

marketing & advertising

Editorial content is selected and produced because of its interest to our readership. Editorial content is not for sale and cannot be bought. Capital at Play is financially sustained by advertisers who find value in exposure alongside our unique content and to the readers who follow it.

This magazine is printed with soy based ink on recycled paper. Please recycle.

Copyright © 2018, Capital At Play, Inc. All rights reserved.

Capital at Play is a trademark of Capital At Play, Inc. Published by Capital At Play, Inc. PO Box 5615, Asheville, NC. 28813

Capital at Play is protec ted through Tr ademar k Regis tr ation in the United States. The content found within this publication does not necessar ily ref lec t the views of Capital At Play, Inc. and its companies. Capital At Play, Inc. and its employees are not liable for any adver tising or editor ial content found in Capital at Play. The ar ticles, photogr aphy, and illus tr ations found in Capital at Play may not be reproduced or used in any fashion without express wr it ten consent by Capital At Play, Inc.

Your Guide To Asheville’s Finest Properties

$5 M

$4.5 M

$3.995 M

49 ACRE EQUESTRIAN COMPLEX

ASHEVILLE ENGLISH MANOR 193 Stratford Road Laura Livaudais | 828.712.5445

LUXURY FAMILY COMPOUND 1007 Wayah Road John Clark Kent | 864.784.9918

$1.799 M

$1.5 M

1820 John Shehan Damian Hall | 828.817.2046 www.tiec.farm

$2.295 M BILTMORE FOREST

31 Cedar Hill Drive Mike Davis | 828.301.6773

Mike@IvesterJacksonBlackstream.com

$1.15 M DOWNTOWN VIEWS 461 Windswept Drive Mike Davis | 828.301.6773 461WindsweptDrive.com

$789 K LE PETITE CHATEAU 4 Chantilly Drive Mike Davis | 828.301.6773

Mike@IvesterJacksonBlackstream.com

Laura@IJBProperties.com

John@IvesterJacksonBlackstream.com

$3 M SCOTTISH BORDER CASTLE 77 Castle Ridge Road Damian Hall | 828.817.2046 CastleLadyHawke.com

$1.45 M

MONTFORD BEAUTY

CANE CREEK ESTATE 1126 Cane Creek Road

Laura@IJBProperties.com

Kim@IvesterJacksonBlackstream.com

Kim@IvesterJacksonBlackstream.com

$875 K

$882,900

254 Pearson Drive Laura Livaudais | 828.712.5445

$1.15 M LAUGHING ROOSTER FARM 500 Mountain View Road Britt Allen | 828.450.8166 Britt@IJBProperties.com

$598 K

Kim Gentry Justus | 828.301.3330

LAKEVIEW PARK

Kim Gentry Justus | 828.301.3330

Laura Livaudais | 828.712.5445

DOWNTOWN CONDO 21 Battery Park Avenue Laura Livaudais | 828.712.5445

$590 K

$525 K

280 Stratford Road PT. 185 & 186 Laura@IJBProperties.com

ORGANIC FARM 72 Homefire Cove Road

BREATHTAKING MOUNTAIN VIEWS

Kim@IvesterJacksonBlackstream.com

Carol@IJBProperties.com

Kim Gentry Justus | 828.301.3330

FAIRVIEW ESTATE 488 Lambeth Walk

782 Hidden Hills Drive Carol Parker | 631.834.9943

Laura@IJBProperties.com

PLANTATION STYLE ESTATE 135 Parker Jamison Meg Atkinson | 843.601.4191 Meg@IJBProperties.com

2018 | capitalatplay.com IvesterJacksonBlackstream.com | 18 S. Pack Square, AshevilleDecember | 828.367.9001

7

Capital at Play has partnered with Bclip Productions to bring the pages of each edition to life, just for you. Featured at Capitalatplay.com and our Facebook page, we give you exclusive interviews and insider info on the people, places, and faces of Capital at Play has partnered with Bclip Productions to bring the pages of each edition to life, just for you. Featuring a new enterprise throughout Western North Carolina. Visit us on social media or at our website to see the latest 60 Seconds at Play.

second video every two weeks, we give you exclusive interviews and insider info on the people, places, and faces of enterp throughout Western North Carolina. Visit us on social media or at capitalatplay.com to see the latest 60 Seconds at Play NOVEMBER VIDEO

RYOBI QUIET STRIKE PULSE DRIVER AVL TECHNOLOGIES DISASTER RELIEF PRODUCT VIDEO P RODUCT L AUNCH VIDEO

COCONUT BAY BEACH R ESORT P ROMOTIONAL VIDEO

VOLVO CE C USTOMER STORY TESTIMONIAL VIDEO

MARKETING AND TRAINING VIDEOS FOR BUSINESS At Bclip we do more than tell your story. Our business-first mentality and combustible creativity set us apart from other video production companies.

It’s our mission to help our customers sell their products, train their staff, and entertainINcustomers with video.

We strive to eat, sleep,P and think like the FOX HUNTING WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA wonderful companies we work with. photo by DonWestPhotos.com at Tryon Hounds

( .76)

www.bclip.com MARKETING AND TRAINING VIDEOS FOR BUSINESS 8

| December 2018

At Bclip we do more than tell your story. Our business-first mentality and c creativity set us apart from other video production companies. It’s our mis help our customers sell their products, train their staff, and entertain custo video. We strive to eat, sleep, and think like the wonderful companies we w

on the cover : THE OLD WORLDE Christmas Shoppe is full of Santas of all types. thi s page :

SNOWGLOBE AT Old Worlde Christmas Shoppe, photos by Anthony Harden

w 60 prise y.

combustible ssion to omers with work with.

F E AT U R E D vol. viii

16

A VERY ASHEVILLIAN BEACON GILLIE ROBERTS

ed. xii

58

CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR BRUCE TOMPKINS

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

9

C ON T E N T S d e c e m b e r 2 018

photo courtesy Bistro at Everett Hotel

37

76

lo c a l i n d u s t r y

Dining off the Beaten Path

Rural Fine Dining in Western North Carolina

insight

l e i s u r e & l i b at i o n

Sweet & Savory 2018 Our Annual Look at Local Cottage Industry Entrepreneurs

colu m n

12 O rchard Inn

Marc & Marianne Blazar

50 Rebranding For The Right Reasons

Written by Leah Ashburn

briefs

30 Carolina in the West 54 The Old North State

72 Corporation or LLC? p e o p l e at p l ay

8 8 Of Valley & Ridge:

A Scenic Journey Through the Blue Ridge Parkway, Benefiting Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation

10

| December 2018

Written by Michael Palermo

events

90 Deck the halls, y’all—it’s

that most wonderful time of the year….

Stay up to date on breaking business news throughout Western North Carolina with our NEW WEEKLY EMAIL NEWSLETTER,

where you can receive exclusive giveaways and access. www. capitalatplay.com/coop

NOV 5 – DEC 16, 2018

Give the gift of employment by joining Asheville Express Employment Professionals’ 6th Pay It Forward Hiring Drive as we work to place 100 job seekers from November 5th through December 16th, 2018. Being out of work during the holidays can be particularly tough and we would like to make sure as many people as possible earn a paycheck just in time for the season of giving.

Join us in our effort to help put 100 people to work in our community, bringing hope and encouragement to them and their families.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP 1. Hire an Express employee for at least one week

POSITIONS TO CONSIDER

MAKE A DIFFERENCE To learn more about the

• File clerk

Pay It Forward Hiring Drive

Data entry clerk November 5thhelp and put December 16th. Not Joinbetween us in our effort to XXX people to work in •our community that week,and bringing hope how you can and • Accounting clerk only will you gain a qualified worker to help meet encouragement to them and their families. participate, contact your your needs, but that worker will earn a paycheck

• Receptionist

before the holidays.

• Administrative assistant

2. For each Express employee hired, we will make a $10 donation to MANNA Food Bank. A single

• General labor • Assembly

$10 donation will provide 30 meals to those in

• Forklift Operator

need.

• Pick and pack

3. Share our campaign with other area businesses to assist us with our vision of employing and

local Express office:

1979 Hendersonville Rd Suite B Asheville, NC 28803

• Warehouse • Warehouse clean up

providing a paycheck for 100 unemployed people during the holiday season.

828-654-8101 jobs.ashevillenc@expresspros.com December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

11

nsight

photos cour tesy Orchard Inn

MARIANNE & MARC BL A ZAR

ORCHARD INN

Stroke OF Destiny I

Marc and Marianne Blazar spent three years searching for “the perfect B&B” —and they found one, tucked into our own Blue Ridge Mountains.

t is no secret that Western North Carolina is where some of the nation’s most beloved lodging and dining options can be found. Once in a while, those options even merge—as in the case of the Orchard Inn, located just a little over a half-hour south of Asheville, in Saluda.

At the Inn, guests can choose between a cottage or a bed-and-breakfast room, relaxing in front of fireplaces and on private decks, enjoying amenities such as whirlpool baths and a spa, taking in the beautiful mountain views, and dining at their acclaimed farmto-table Newman’s Restaurant. Rumor has it that those guests will be making reservations for a return visit to Orchard Inn before they have even checked out…

“We purchased the Orchard Inn,” recalls co-owner Marc Blazar, “on November 1st, 2010, after having criss-crossed the country for three years in search of the perfect bed-andbreakfast for us. We kept returning to the greater Asheville area and eventually fulfilled our destiny here in Saluda.”

Perfect, indeed. Marc and his wife, Marianne, not only found their dream venue, in the process of acquiring Orchard Inn they also inherited a piece of Western North Carolina history. Built nearly a century ago, in 1926 by the

Brotherhood of Clerks for Southern Railway and originally called the Mountain Home, the structure was intended to be used as a cool-mountain getaway by railroad employees and their families, most of whom lived in the hot lowlands of South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana. Later, with the

“What appealed to us about the Asheville area was the natural beauty, the friendliness and authenticity of the people, and the four seasons.”

12

| December 2018

decline of the regional railroad, Mountain Home changed hands several times during the ‘60s and ‘70s, in the process also undergoing a series of name changes (White Stag Inn, Wayside Inn, Railroad House). A major renovation took place in 1981, followed by another succession of owners.

And then, eventually, the Blazars discovered it.

“We lived in St. Thomas, USVI, for 20 years then moved to Boca Raton, Florida, so our sons could go to high school in the States,” says Marc, detailing the circuitous

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

13

STAY IN THE cozy Twin Poplar Cottage

insight

path he and Marianne took in reaching the mountains. “We were both corporate event photographers prior to becoming innkeepers and had the privilege to travel with our clients all over the world, always staying in five-star properties. And with a photographer’s eye for detail, we paid attention to those little things that combine to create an unforgettable experience in places like Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton Resorts, always knowing that one day we would have our own property.

“We had begun our three-year search for an inn in Napa Valley, California. What appealed to us about the Asheville area was the natural beauty, the friendliness and authenticity of the people, and the four seasons.”

Per Marc’s comments, above, regarding the “little things” he and Marianne had come to value, ensuring that their business met their high standards wasn’t necessarily a foregone conclusion. “The main building is 92 years old,” he notes.

“There was much ‘deferred maintenance’ required for the first several years. We continue to upgrade and enhance our rooms, bathrooms, and common areas. There’s always something!

But we have made the Orchard Inn an elegant mountain retreat where every one of our staff is trained to be friendly, professional, and accommodating. We delight in exceeding our guests’ expectations, day-in and day-out.”

Those expectations, of course, also involve the dining accommodations, and Marc is particularly proud of what they’ve been able to accomplish with Newman’s Restaurant.

“Newman’s is a fine dining farm-to-table culinary experience—it has been voted by OpenTable (the online restaurant-reservation company) as the best in the area. Every seat in the restaurant has fabulous views of the surrounding mountains. It’s intimate, romantic, and elegant, and with attentive professional service. Our menu changes weekly and is seasonal depending on what is being harvested in our own organic garden and by our local farmers. Every dish is

VIEW FROM Newman's Restaurant

Deck the Halls with B.B.Barns!

LOCALLY GROWN & LOCALLY OWNED FOR 30 YEARS GARDEN • GIFT • LANDSCAPE COMPANY

The Christmas Shop at B.B.BARNS Artificial Christmas trees, garlands & Thymes Frasier Fir Line, Trim-A-Tree Décor & Christmas Home Décor. Live Frasier Fir Christmas Trees, Wreaths, Garlands & Swags arrive before Thanksgiving! Customized design for your greens is offered at the Christmas Design Bench.

Wreath designed by Letha Hinman

14

| December 2018

meticulously hand-crafted by our very talented and creative chef, Aaron Edwards. Our daily breakfasts are amazing, too!”

He adds that Marianne is also a chef and was originally from Vienna, Austria, where some of the best chefs in the world train: “She learned to cook at age four from her grandmother and has brought her European flair to our kitchen.”

“Every seat in the restaurant has fabulous views of the surrounding mountains. It’s intimate, romantic, and elegant, and with attentive professional service.”

MOUNTAINVIEW SUITES

Not content to rest on just laurels and accolades, the Blazars view their success to date—Marc indicates that in seven years of business, they have more than doubled revenues (specifically: 2 ½ times) from when they took the property over—as a reason to expand and keep finding new ways to make their guests feel special.

“We [recently completed] the construction of a new building,” says Marc, also with a note of pride. “It’s open and getting rave reviews.

It consists of two luxury suites with amazing mountain views, and a spa below where we have a yoga/conference room, plus two spacious treatment rooms for therapeutic facials and massages.

“We feel the spa will be a fabulous additional amenity for all our Inn guests—and for the residents of Saluda, Tryon, and Hendersonville as well.”

The Orchard Inn is at 100 Orchard Inn Lane, Saluda, NC. More details can be found about the Inn and Restaurant online at www.orchardinn.com.

December 2018 |

deltechomes.com 828.253.0483 capitalatplay.com 15

16

GILLIE ROBERTS | December 2018

A Very Ashevillian Beacon With her sustainably-inclined boutique Ware, Gillie Roberts is receiving her master’s degree in life. written by emily gl aser

|

photos by anthony harden

W

are proprietor Gillie Roberts is well-acquainted with assumption.

There’s the widely held belief, for example, that “sustainability”— the foundational tenet of her College Street shop in downtown Asheville—refers solely to matters of environment, a fallacy that Roberts verbally dismantles for shoppers every day.

Then there’s the matter of her age. At just 26, Roberts finds herself increasingly accustomed to queries and comments in the vein of, “Could you give this to your manager?”—a sentiment she dismisses with a smile and a nod.

And then there’s the store itself, a minimalist beacon in the midst of a profusion of downtown shops stocked with cluttered shelves and hippie knickknacks. Her white walls and scrupulous stock of simple goods spur visitors to speculate her origins, usually presuming Los Angeles or New York City.

Which is yet another hunch the Brevard native expels.

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

17

Ware’s is an esthetic that frequently earns the characterization “un-Ashevillian,” garnering those erroneous assumptions of Roberts’ origins; but to a new, growing contingent of locals, it’s a look, feel, and stock of goods that is actually very Ashevillian indeed. As the local population shifts to accommodate a new generation of natives and transplants, so is it shifting to accommodate their new ideals—ideals very in-line with Roberts’ own.

What, exactly, is a “new Ashevillian”? Well, it’s an individual who values all tenets of sustainability (environmental, as well as economic and ethical). The new Ashevillian is youthful and defiant in the face of (or perhaps because of) it. And the new Ashevillian has traded in kaleidoscopic gauchos for oatmeal hued linen trousers, patchouli for palo santo, and extravagant follies for practical minimalism. So, to Roberts’ contemporaries— well-educated, outspoken, and confident millennials—her Ware shop is a representation of the part of Asheville we know and love.

Gillie Roberts is not the first of her kind, but her shop, Ware, is, and it stands as testament to, and in support of, a new generation of woke Western North Carolinians.

Road to (No)Ware Roberts comes by her conscience congenitally. “My friends and family all lovingly call my mom the witch doctor,” Roberts says with a laugh. Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1986, her mother cured herself 18

| December 2018

with Chinese and alternative medicines. That was enough to convince the Robertses to raise their children within such a lifestyle, and the family migrated south from Connecticut (where her father, an investment banker, had been commuting to New York City) to the East Coast hub for alternative medicine: Asheville.

Or rather, Brevard, where Gillie grew up in a way that folks outside our spirited community might called “nonconformist.” (One example of her atypicalness: Her grand act of teenage defiance was using Dove deodorant instead of the natural alternatives on which she was raised.) When it came time to consider college, the bohème gravitated toward the arts; she sent her intent to enroll to SCAD (Savannah College of Art & Design), envisioning a career in fashion design and merchandising.

But a trip to Appalachian State University in Boone wooed Roberts with its promises of a more traditional college experience and, more specifically, its Sustainable Development Department. “I sat in on a class and realized pretty much immediately that that was the kind of content that I wanted to study, and that the creative pieces of my brain would always be there for me to tap into, should I want them,” she remembers.

Without hesitation or regret, Roberts cancelled her enrollment (and scholarship) at SCAD and enrolled at AppState, where she studied sustainable international development with a concentration in community economic development (and a Francophone Africa concentration too, for good measure). It wasn’t until some years later

that Roberts’ pre-college preoccupation with fashion merchandising would find new roots in her Asheville storefront—though her interest in craft was abiding. It was there that her seemingly contrary interests in sustainable development and fashion coalesced in her studies (and, eventually, in her store).

“My interests,” Roberts explains, of her collegiate studies, “have always been in community economic development, obviously, but specifically craft and how people maintain livelihoods with traditional crafts.” Thanks to industrialization, immigration, and a lack of demand, rural communities and their traditional crafts the world over are disappearing. Yet, as she points out, there is a demand for those crafts—right here in the Western world: “How do we bridge that disconnect between people being able to support themselves on a craft that has been in their family, or in their community, or in their tradition for generations and generations, and the people who want them here, without exploiting people and the planet?”

It is an admittedly complex question, especially for a college student, but one that fueled her studies and, later, Ware.

Like so many starry-eyed and well-meaning intellectuals, Roberts’ first post-college career move in 2014 took her to Washington D.C. and into nonprofits, where she worked as an intern at Fabretto Children’s Foundation, helping to deliver children’s nutrition and education programs in Nicaragua. When her hopes for full-time employment with the nonprofit fizzled, she next took up a position at a government consulting firm, where her experience in grant writing translated almost seamlessly into government project proposals.

As you may have guessed (there we go making assumptions again), government consulting was not Roberts’ preference, so when an opportunity arose with Change Lives Now (a Brevard nonprofit founded by family friends, and the subject of her high school senior project), she sprang at the call. In the spring of 2017, she quit her job and, like her parents before her, emigrated back to the mountains; from here, she planned to move to Nairobi to help execute and implement a new transition program for graduating high school students entering college.

It was during her travels in the interim between jobs that the plan collapsed. “I was December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 19

SO MUCH MORE... toiletries, home goods, laundr y balls line the walls at Ware.

in Mexico, and I got a call from the folks we worked with on the ground in Nairobi,” says Roberts. “They said, ‘Hey, the political instability has escalated such that it is not safe to be here. You would effectively be a liability.’” She adds that though nothing catastrophic had happened, the tension of elections was rising—a precursor to conflict in the past. “I was in equal

really lucky that I was with this friend who’s the friend that you love and hate for their persistence and hole-poking in all of your stories,” she shakes her head, grinning. “He was like, ‘You hear the things you want to do—why aren’t you doing them?’”

Roberts countered with the practicalities and risks, but eventually, with much prodding and contemplation, realized

“You hear the things you want to do—why aren’t you doing them?” measure grateful for their heads-up and a little concerned because I had already quit my job.”

Roberts spent the remainder of her travels “aggressively note-taking lists and lists and lists of the things that I had wanted to do,” and garnering opinions from a friend. “I was 20

| December 2018

that with a little finagling and a new perspective, she could do something in line with her dreams.

Ware was initially imagined as Trade, a partnership with another friend who could lend merchandising expertise to Roberts’ foundational knowledge of sustainability. “She

eventually realized that it wasn’t where she needed to be, and I was far enough along the line mentally… and I was like, ‘Well, maybe, you know, I could still do this’,” Roberts remembers, her voice tinged with the incredulity of the decision. Nine months later, Ware opened its doors, without fanfare or announcement, on a Thursday afternoon in July of 2018.

Treading Ware-ily Those nine months comprising the interlude between Roberts’ decision to pursue Ware on her own and opening its doors were toilsome, wearisome, and blessed by blind guilelessness. “I’m realizing that naïveté is super beneficial in the early stages [of a business], because if you don’t know your constraints, you just keep moving forward,” Roberts says, of her experience as a new entrepreneur.

Perhaps the greatest and most unforeseen challenge at the outset was funding. “I just dramatically underestimated the

amount of effort that it took to go into funding something,” she admits. Without personal capital or an investment from direct family members, Roberts decided to move forward with a friends/family round of fundraising. She sent out a flurry of emails, illustrating her idea and soliciting investments. (Her goal was small enough that it didn’t have to be registered, a fact that did not preclude a stress-inducing volley of paperwork and calls with the North Carolina Department of Revenue.)

Spurred by her outreach, her friends and family provided the equity to fund her initial investment, and Roberts returned to her lender, Mountain BizWorks, money in hand—and lease in hand, too, a causality dilemma with which Roberts wrestled. “In order to sign a multi-year commercial lease, you have to prove that you have the finances to pay rent on an on-going basis” she explains. “But in order to get money from an institution, they like to see that you have a space.”

It’s the classic chicken-or-egg scenario: You can’t get a loan without a space, and you can’t get a space without a December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

21

loan. But with some fortuitous help from her parents, Roberts was able to secure a commercial space on College Street in Asheville, formerly home to Moonstone Mountain.

When questioned about her choice of location, especially considering that downtown Asheville’s commercial leases are arguably the most expensive in the region (a fact that’s contributing considerably to the monopolization of the neighborhood by corporate franchises), Roberts’ logic is sound: Though her products are categorically a luxury, her margins are low, which requires high exposure and traffic.

She considered other neighborhoods, including Biltmore Village, South Slope, and West Asheville, but recognized that only downtown afforded the retail environment she’d need to thrive.

“Retail stores drive retail traffic,” she notes. “With restaurants, people know they want a meal, they know they want a specific kind of meal, they seek it out, and they leave. With retail, people want to just go shopping. So, they walk. I needed to be in that path.”

With her space and investment procured, the loan process continued unheeded. Roberts was then faced with the overwhelming task of transforming a former hokey, ‘90s-era gift shop into a refined, modern boutique. She merged her own vision and eye for design, the 22

| December 2018

dexterity of her roommate, and the able bodies of her friends in order to accomplish her concept.

The ceilings—partially black due to the previous installation of an old timey photo booth—and the walls—swathed in primary colored mountainscapes— were achromatized under layers (and layers) of primer to a neutral white.

A team of five friends built the simple shelves that line Ware’s eastern wall.

Roberts herself soldered her clothing racks, and her roommate crafted dressing rooms to divide the open space. She pried up cobalt blue carpet tiles from the landing, but reconsidered her decision to change the rest of the flooring, instead leaving the light woodgrained vinyl, now adorned with her own touch: speckles of primer from previous projects.

The end result is a shop that feels bright and open, despite its lowerthan-street-level location; modern and austere, notwithstanding homey, timeless touches like well-worn oriental rugs and a squishy leather couch; and well-stocked in the face of Roberts’ fastidious product standards (more on that later).

Through both the mental and physical challenges implicit to founding a retail business, Roberts remained buoyantly assured, despite being a self-defined pessimist. Her motto throughout those

CLOTHING R ACKS Rober ts built herself display Ware's clothing options.

nine months and today is, “Pessimism didn’t get us to the moon,” a reinterpretation of Helen Keller’s own, “No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.” It’s a perspective familiar to many hopeful entrepreneurs at the outset of their odyssey: unerring optimism, a healthy dose of naiveté, and tenacious hope for what could be, until it becomes what is—in this case, Ware.

The Wares of Ware Roberts touts another mantra: Progress isn’t perfect, but it must be persistent. “That helped a lot in getting products in the store,” she says of the axiom. When the new merchant began considering the criteria for the products she’d peddle at Ware, the list of requirements was long and the products that satisfied them short. So, it was in the light of that perspective that she slackened her conditions. “I was like ‘It doesn’t meet every single criteria, but it’s significantly better than everything else on the market, and that’s enough for me right now,’” she says.

So, what are those criteria? In other words, how did (and does) Roberts choose the products that line her bricked walls?

Before we define the specifics, it’s important to first understand the definition of “sustainability,” the foundation of all Roberts’ requirements.

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 23

“Sustainability, as I use it (which is the international development understanding of the term), is a three-pillar concept encompassing environmental responsibility, ethical practices, and economic health at both micro and macro levels,” she explains. “This is obviously more holistic than the way it is more popularly used in reference to environmental work.” She describes sustainability as a Venn diagram with three wide loops labeled as “environmental,” “ethical,” and “economic” (or if you prefer your alliteration with p’s: “people,” “planet,” and “profit”), and the slim space where the arches all overlap defines true sustainability.

Ideal ly, it ’s in this space that all of Ware’s wares reside.

Realistically, Roberts settles for products that meet at least some of her standards— standards that are simple, but surprisingly scarce in our present-day, fastfashion economy.

“In addition to being well-made, durable, functional, and attractive, I require the products I bring into Ware to check at least one of the following boxes: “Produced in an environmentally responsible and innovative way.

“By a company who treats workers at every stage on the supply chain ethically by Western standards.

“Has some profound economic impact, whether locally produced or employing a group or community that might otherwise struggle to sustain living wages.

“Produced by a company with a fully integrated and/or transparent supply chain, which often means they are also accomplishing many of the above points.

“Is some sort of traditional craft and supports the carrying on of that cultural legacy and financial viability of doing so.

“Supports environmentally sustainable lifestyle practices—think reusable straws, alternatives to disposable bags, beeswax wrap, etc.

Roberts scoured not the internet, but Instagram for her vendors. She began first with a spreadsheet of some 400 companies that she’d compiled.

24

| December 2018

“Is produced by a brand with significant charitable operations—some people call those ‘give-back brands.’ (I should add that I am a particularly harsh judge of these brands, because I feel strongly that their product should be incredibly well done and meet all of the tenets of sustainability before they venture into charitable causes.

Wonders of Ware What checks Gillie Roberts’ boxes? Products that are as pretty as they are practical. Check out a few of the vendors that meet her standards.

Bonus points: These businesses are all woman-owned.

Fillaree WHAT: A zero-waste, sustainable soap company.

WHERE: Durham, NC WHY: Multiple soap lines, including a hand and body soap, all-purpose cleaner, and dishsoap, use essential-oils (so they ’r e natur al and wholesome). The company is thorough in its work to reduce plastic and single-use, single-purpose products; the soaps come in glass bottles that are refillable at stations in a multitude of cities (you’ll find one in West Asheville), or by subscription.

BOXES CHECKED: ;; Produced in an environmentally responsible and innovative way

Pamut Apparel WHAT: Handcrafted, organic, and eco-friendly apparel.

WHAT: Yoga mats made in the US from recycled wetsuits

WHERE: Raleigh, NC

WHERE: Encinitas, CA

W H Y: T h e sus t a ina bl e apparel company makes simple garments by hand or, in the case of their tees, in a co-op cut-sew shop. That shop, Opportunity Threads, works with largely Central Amer ican refugees who become part-owners in the factory. The pieces are made with an eye for economy and the environment; for example, the designer uses fiber-reactive dyes instead of plant-based dyes, which require an enormous amount of water.

WHY: When wetsuits begin to lose their efficacy, surfers usually send them to the landfill, where the neoprene never breaks down. But Suga collects those wetsuits and grinds the neoprene into yoga mats, resulting in a grippy mat that, unlike most, can be cleaned.

BOXES CHECKED:

;; Supports environmentally sustainable lifestyle practices

;; Produced in an environmentally responsible and innovative way

;; By a company that treats workers ethically at every stage on the supply chain

;; By a company who treats workers at every stage on the supply chain ethically

Learn more at: fillaree.com

Suga

Learn more at: pamutapparel.com

BOXES CHECKED: ;; Produced in an environmentally responsible and innovative way. ;; Produced by a brand with significant charitable operations (member of 1% for the Planet) Learn more at: sugamats.com

YEWO WHAT: A line of brass jewelry and teak and sewn home goods and accessories.

WHERE: Based in Asheville and Malawi, East Africa W H Y: T he fou nd e r s — friends of Rober ts—have refitted a traditional craft (teak carving) and new skills (brass metalwork) into a viable, modern-day source of income for a community in rural Malawi. Artisans adhere to trendy aesthetics in making items like brass jewelry with fashionably geometric dangles.

BOXES CHECKED: ;; Produced in an environmentally responsible and innovative way ;; By a company who treats workers at every stage on the supply chain ethically ;; Has a profound economic impact on an otherwise struggling community/economy ;; Produced by a company with a fully integrated and/or transparent supply chain ;; Carries on cultural legacy of traditional craft ;; Produced by a brand with significant charitable operations Learn more at: yewo.org December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 25

Congratulations to the 2018 girls’ cross country team on their fifth consecutive state championship!

...and lasts a lifetime.

At Carolina Day School, we are proud of our successful athletic program, and especially proud of the processes we use to achieve these outcomes.

With an emphasis on the whole student-athlete, our balanced approach creates young men and women who process, reflect, find their voice, analyze performance, and learn how to use mistakes to their advantage—as learning

Co-ed • Independent • Pre-K/12 College & Life Preparatory #playsmarter #wildcatpride #cdslearns

26

| December 2018 CarolinaDay.org

tools for understanding—both in class and in uniform. CDS Wildcats: celebrating 100+ state championships and countless academic successes since 1936. Inquire and visit now for 2019-2020.

828.210.9157

admission@CarolinaDay.org

Otherwise, they’re just producing more junk that the world doesn’t need. This stems from my belief that we would need far less charity in the world if companies took care of their employees and the environment every step of the way.)”

Armed with that lengthy but elastic checklist, Roberts scoured not the internet, but Instagram for her vendors. She began first with a spreadsheet of some 400 companies that she’d compiled over the course of [several years]. “It encompassed where they’re producing, the kinds of things they produce, what their social component is, what they’re doing for the community economic piece, what they’re doing for the environment, and how they change over time,” Roberts notes, of the collection of companies. “That is effectively where I drew from when I started to source products for the store.”

Though Roberts fashions herself a social media-phobe, when she transposed her spreadsheet onto the Instagram platform, it transformed from a simple list into a vast, complex network of brands that fell within the confines of her conditional prerequisites. “Instagram was pretty pivotal for me because of all of the communities around brands on Instagram,” she says. When she followed one brand she knew, she’d be directed to a dozen new ones; Instagram became the Hydra of social media and sustainability.

“It very quickly became very unwieldy to maintain the spreadsheet, because the Instagram network was so robust that I could just keep following and following and following and following,” Roberts remembers. But even in this plentitude of brands there was a hitch: “I found very often what would happen is, I would find a brand that checked all my boxes— except aesthetically. And that was a big key for the store.”

Roberts was hyperaware of the connotations associated with sustainable products (namely, that they weren’t aesthetically appealing), and of her role in dismantling them.

She wanted to stock products that appealed to all customers, regardless of their perspective on sustainability. “A lot of times I was thinking, ‘Would someone who does not give a flying flip about any of the sustainability ethos come in and still buy these products?’ Because that’s crucial,” she explains. “Those people still have money, and whether or not they care, they are supporting my business and my ability to support the brands in the store if they come in and want to shop.” Her intention wasn’t to stockpile plainly beatnik brands, but to present a refined selection of quality goods that were, to the surprise of customers, also sustainable, while simultaneously building a reputation as a resource for thoughtfully sourced and responsible goods.

Her reasoning behind prioritizing aesthetics is simple: “It doesn’t matter how sustainable something is if people don’t want it in their homes. If people don’t want it in their lives. If they don’t want to wear it. It doesn’t matter how well it was made, it shouldn’t have been made because it’s not going to get used. And so, I wanted to show, somewhat stubbornly, but also kind of in my own form of protest or activism, that you could December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 27

have things that were well-made and beautiful and functional, and that you could run a business like a business and it would succeed under all of those tenets.”

Call it stubborn or tenacious, Roberts eventually accomplished her goal, and continues to do so today. Even with the challenges presented by her strict provisions of sustainability and aesthetic, Roberts keeps her shelves stocked with a rotating spectrum of well-made, well-sourced products, ranging from home goods to apparel, travel essentials to body products (see sidebar for some examples). “People are shocked that I could find enough products in the world to fill an entire store,” Roberts laughs.

Roberts recognizes that a store in itself is almost contradictory to the movements she supports—and admits that it’s those tenets that prevent her from being a truly great salesperson.

“I’m not very good at selling for the sake of selling, but I am really good at talking about the things that matter to me,” she justifies, even conceding that sometimes she’ll tell a customer not to buy a product, if it won’t be put to use. “For me, it’s more that I don’t want anyone to walk out of this store with a product that they feel was a sales pitch. If they walked out of the store with a product they’re going to use for the lifespan of the product and completely deplete, then I’ve done my job.”

Wareing On We’ll allow ourselves one last assumption: Roberts is only getting started.

“My goal with Ware is for the company, not me personally but for the company, to become an authority on conscious lifestyle, sustainable lifestyle, intentional consumption, all of those things. For people to come in and know that they can turn their brain off because it’s all going to be the best in its category.” Roberts recrosses her legs, folded beneath her on the above-mentioned squishy leather couch. She anticipates growing pains inherent to a position of leadership in any industry, especially a new one like sustainable merchandise; there are the challenges of selling online, for example (though she already suspects that Instagram would be instrumental), and the fact that most of the companies she supports don’t currently have the inventory to support a successful, nationally distributed online retailer.

Though her ambitions for Ware are far-ranging, they begin locally, with a strong community of dedicated shoppers—a community made up of New Ashevillians.

“I’m getting increasing numbers of people, locals, saying, ‘My friends said I had to come. I came. It’s beautiful.’ People

106 Sutton Ave Black Mountain, NC 828.669.0075 towncountryfurniture.net

50 - 60% OFF TOP BRANDS EVERYDAY!

S H O P LO C A L • FA M I LY O W N E D A N D O P E R AT E D B U S I N E S S 28

| December 2018

are incredibly complimentary,” she says of business thus far. But, she adds, with a caveat: “I do struggle with the kind of dichotomy of the people who want to come and

She laughs, waves aside her tangent. “No, I genuinely still want people to be buying things to last them forever—but it doesn’t come without its consequences.”

A s she approaches the si x month anniversary of her business, Roberts considers the challenges and surprises of entrepreneurship thus far, like the weight of perpetual decision making (“Now, when I walk into any space, I’m so painfully aware of the fact that everything in the room has been a decision by someone, from literally whether or not that corner is vacuumed to the paint color.”) and the ripple effect of a single purchase or a single return. But in all of these processes, Roberts finds growth.

“This is my master’s degree from the school of life,” she smiles. In truth, it’s an education that’s bilateral, as Roberts continues to dismantle assumptions about sustainability, Ware, and the very annotations of what it means to be Ashevillian.

As she approaches the six month anniversary of her business, Roberts considers the challenges and surprises of entrepreneurship thus far, like the weight of perpetual decision making and the ripple effect of a single purchase or a single return. appreciate the product the most are the people who are less likely to make impulse buys. So that’s great, and I want that community, and that community needs to exist around the store for it to exist in the long term—in the short term, I really need tourists.”

CAB234_shoes_halfAd_r2.qxp_Layout 1 4/5/18 7:12 PM Page 1

Time to increase your business' footprint?

Ready to see your business grow?

At Carolina Alliance Bank, our family of loan experts can help make sure your growth is do-able, sustainable and right for your situation.

So stop by today, and let us help you put your best foot forward.

Here for You. Every Day.

Spartanburg • Greenville • Asheville Anderson • Charlotte • Easley • Hendersonville Powdersville

carolinaalliancebank.com

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 29

CAROLINA in the

WEST [

news briefs

One-Man Band buncombe county

Moog Music has released its first polyphonic synthesizer in over 35 years.

The Moog One is available with either eight or 16 voices, and each voice has three voltage-controlled oscillators, two analog filters, a dual-source analog noise generator, a mixer with external audio input, four low-frequency oscillators, and three envelopes. Further complicating things, the keyboard can handle three timbres, split or layered, each with its own sequencer, arpeggiator, and onboard effects. The synth has 61 keys, 73 knobs, and 144 buttons. “More” buttons access additional options on an LCD screen.

Sixty-four presets can be front-loaded for easy access, but thousands can be stored and quickly retrieved with searchable tags and categories. One of the coolest features

]

is a “Phone Home” button that connects directly to the Moog Factory where technicians can remotely access the instrument.

The Moog One retails for $5,999-$7,999; but for the artist who is not yet sold, the marketing team at Moog has compiled a series of videos featuring big names in the industry with modern videography.

Century-Long Symbiosis buncombe county

One hundred years ago, George Vanderbilt commissioned Frederick Law Olmsted to oversee landscape architecture for the Biltmore Estate’s 125,000 acres. One part of Olmsted’s vision, however, plans for an arboretum, never came to fruition. So, when the North Carolina Arboretum was established in the nearby Bent Creek Experimental

REDUCE YOUR MONTHLY POWER BILL! TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FEDERAL TAX CREDITS AND REBATES!

30

| December 2018

Forest by the state’s General Assembly in 1986, it was in no small part a tribute to Olmsted. The arboretum’s website says Olmsted’s influence “permeates the planning, design, and management” of the venue’s 434 acres. Now, the arboretum has named Vanderbilt’s grandson George H.V. Cecil the inaugural member of its Olmsted Society. The society was formed to recognize gifts of $2,500 or more for the arboretum’s educational programs and exhibits. Efforts to help get plans for the arboretum off the ground in the first place are among Cecil’s many philanthropic contributions to initiatives promoting aesthetic community development. State and local funds, gifts, grants, memberships, and volunteer hours help support the trails and gardens, exhibits, demonstrations, plant shows, and lectures enjoyed by over 500,000 people who visit the arboretum each year.

Farm Gets a Hand haywood county

USA Farm Labor just celebrated its third facility expansion since locating in Waynesville in 2008. Manuel and Kathy Fick moved to the United States from South Africa, and their interest in opening the business was primarily to

55 the old north state

connect people from their native country with work on American farms. USA Farm Labor hires temporary agricultural workers through the H-2A visa program.

Before hiring somebody with an H-2A visa, a farmer must advertise jobs in at least one local newspaper and three newspapers in out-of-state areas where agriculture is prevalent. USA Farm Labor places workers from over 80 countries, and the company coordinates with US Citizenship and Immigration Services to get workers’ paperwork in order before they enter the country. Most work 10 months on a large farm in one of any number of states, and a high percentage of workers will return for one or more seasons. The Ficks believe demand for their services will grow even more as the government more strictly enforces immigration law.

neighbors, alarmed by the prospect, hired attorney Brian Gulden. The nonprofit was seeking a special use permit to run a center where clientele would voluntarily commit. Neighbors argued if the clientele could voluntarily enter, they could voluntarily leave; and with the reputation people with addiction have for breaking and entering, they didn’t want them wandering around at all hours. Gulden proposed the applicants should have to qualify to run an assisted care facility to deal with persons with mental illness, but representatives from First Contact countered they would only be treating addiction. In a public hearing that spanned three days, everybody seemed to agree there was need for the facility. Opponents said it didn’t belong in a residential area; supporters explained the site had been selected because the church was willing to donate it.

Homeless Mission

The Cat Chases Its Tail

henderson county

watauga county

The Henderson County Zoning Board of Adjustment voted unanimously against the establishment of a drug treatment center across the road from Mud Creek Baptist Church. The applicant, First Contact Ministries, wanted to provide a service urgently needed in the community, but

Local leaders enjoyed a roundtable discussion with United States Representative Virginia Foxx at the American Legion Hall in Blowing Rock. They had gathered to learn what was being done about an estimated $500 million in deferred maintenance for the Blue Ridge Parkway. As if the

carolina in the west

backlog weren’t imposing sufficient delays, processes for approving projects will consume even more time. Maintenance is not the only thing the National Park Service is letting go in light of budgetary constraints.

Staffing is running a 38% vacancy rate, and people can’t be hired without a federal background check, which takes six to nine months to complete. While waiting for an answer, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has assumed responsibility for addressing critical maintenance needs. Foxx informed leaders at the roundtable about two bills, HR 2584 and HR 6510, which she expected would be merged into one and pass with bipartisan support in the lame-duck session this year. The combined bill would create a National Park Service and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund. Supported by revenues due from the federal government for the harnessing of oil, coal, gas, or renewables from federal lands, the fund would spend up to $1.3 billion on national parks by 2023.

Cashing in the Bank watauaga county

Brushy Fork Environmental Consulting of Mountain City, Tennessee, has begun work on a project that will restore 2,800 feet of the banks of the South Fork New

// TRANSFORMING SPACES INTO EXCEPTIONAL PLACES™

C A L L F O R A F R E E C O N S U LTAT I O N & 3 D R E N D E R I N G

828.202.5287 | www.thegarageauthority.com

LOOKING TO GIVE THE PERFECT GIFT? WHY NOT THE PERFECT GARAGE! December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 31

carolina in the west

Partnering with donors and nonprofits to inspire giving since 1978.

Generosity. Mu l tip l ie d . www.cfw nc.o rg

River. The project is headed by the nonprofit New River Conservancy (NRC), which has applied for numerous grants from various government agencies, one with good prospects originating with the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund. To restore the riverbanks, which are caving in and undermining a greenway, the NRC is lessening grades, planting native vegetation, and creating a riparian buffer zone. Because the restoration will mitigate flooding and expand opportunities for river recreation, NRC River Builder Coordinator Chelsea Blount noted this was a rare situation where the organization is helping vegetation, aquatic life, and humans. Work was delayed at least two years while conservation easements were secured from property owners. Other cooperating partners include Watauga County, the Town of Boone, and the Resource Institute. The entire project is expected to cost $500,000.

An Outside Chance western north carolina

Top: Massive Photo Booth Middle: Photo courtesy of Harris Middle School | December 2018 32 Photo courtesy of Brackett Bottom: Town Farms

The Appalachian Regional Commission announced it would give a $940,000 Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) grant with a $787,000 required local match to a project called Growing Outdoors: A Regional Approach to Expanding WNC Outdoor Industry and Jobs. The initiative is described as aligning resources with needs, or connecting the dots between invention, labor, and production. Goals include launching 35 new outdoor businesses, expanding 100 existing businesses, training 125 students for outdoor industry jobs, creating 150 jobs, and attracting $10 million in new investment. As part of the program, Western Carolina University plans to announce five or six new outdoor industry programs next year. Whether they will take the form of concentrations, degrees, or certifications is yet to be determined. The project is a collaboration of economic development coalitions, networks of professionals in the outdoor

industry, and other groups. POWER grants originated three years ago to support post-coal economies. While the area has no active coal mines, it is home to supporting industries, including manufacturers of mining equipment and parts and coal-fired power plants.

Not Taken For Granted transylvania county

A request for a state grant that would cover over $19 million in capital needs for Transylvania County Schools was denied.

The funds would have gone toward new construction at Brevard High School and Rosman High and Middle schools.

The county is currently trying to pass a $68 million bond referendum for school capital projects. Had it gotten the grant, the bond revenue could have been applied to capital improvements at other schools.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction informed the school system it had been one of nineteen to submit an application, and requests had exceeded $245.7 million this year. Superintendent Jeff McDaris said he wasn’t surprised to learn the county had not been selected by the state; the grant was geared more toward Tier 1, or more economically-distraught counties. While the rejection letter invited the county to apply again in future cycles, it is expected the grants will be going to help schools devastated

by Hurricane Florence for a while.

Expand Rural Healthcare clay county

Five months after Erlanger Health System announced it would be expanding into Western North Carolina with the acquisition of Murphy Medical Center, Chattanooga’s largest hospital announced it would be expanding into Hayesville.

Plans include a new physicians’ office and an Erlanger Express Care facility, which will be Clay County’s first urgent care center. The new Erlanger services will be provided in the building that formerly housed Hayesville’s Dollar General.

institutional banking, wealth management1 and insurance1 services are why customers have trusted us with their financial well-being for well over one hundred years.

Over 100 years.

Forever First. ®

Murphy Medical has been operating a physicians’ office in Hayesville since before the merger, but the expansion will bring a family practitioner onboard, as well as a regular rotation of specialists.

The center will accept walk-ins and schedule appointments, and it will treat acute and chronic illnesses and provide routine exams and preventive education for people of all ages. The construction, contracted to Noon Development of Chattanooga, should begin soon, and the center should open early next year. While Erlanger is undertaking many large expansions in Tennessee, executives said they hoped this would be but the first of many expansions in North Carolina.

The Best of Both Worlds buncombe county

David Vogel, founder and CEO of Voloridge Investment Management in Jupiter, Florida, sees climate change opening opportunities for investment in healthcare, insurance, and agriculture.

While he is not disclosing details of his strategies, he recently told Bloomberg he is investing in real estate in the Asheville area. He said he expects Asheville housing values to continue to escalate as rising sea levels cause more and more Floridians to find the 2,000-ft. elevations attractive. Citing research by Attom Data Solutions, the Bloomberg article noted that, over the last 10 years, home values in areas of the country not yet traumatized by climate change have grown relative to those in areas susceptible to wild fires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.

Attom noted the differential would be much greater if areas prone to natural disaster were not also oftentimes havens of amenity-rich natural beauty.

Who We Are

Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, First Citizens is the largest family-controlled bank in the United States. Because of our heritage, we understand the importance of helping people do more with the money they earn, save and invest. Carefully stewarding our customers’ financial resources is always among our highest priorities.

Who We Are

Founded in 1898, First Citizens Bank is one of Founded in 1898, First Citizens Bank is one of the nation’s strongest the nation’s strongest and most stable financialand most stable financial institutions, providing a broad range of 7 than years – 3.25% 500 locations in 19 states.APR* institutions, providing a broad range of bankingbanking services at more services at more than 500 locations in 19 states.

Our steadfast commitment to building lasting relationships has made us one of the country’s leading financial institutions for both consumer

Our steadfast commitment to building lasting and commercial customers. This long-term approach along with our relationships has made us one of the country’scompetitive product offerings in areas such as business, commercial, leading financial institutions for both consumerinstitutional banking, wealth management1 and insurance1 services are why customers have trusted us with their financial well-being for well and commercial This long-term At First Citizens,customers. customers benefit from a high level of personal service and our integrated approach to helping people and over one Ready hundred years. to get started? businesses achieve goals. After all these years, we remain committed to the values and principles that have allowed approach along withtheir ourfinancial competitive product Headquartered inKampe Raleigh, North Carolina, First Citizens is the largest us – and our customers – to prosper.

Barry offerings in areas such as business, commercial, family-controlled bank in the United States. Banker Because ofIIIour heritage, we Vice President, Business Ready tobanking, get started? institutional wealth management1 andunderstand the importance of helping people do more with the money Barry Kampe 108 Patton Avenue 1 insurance services are why customers have they earn, save and invest. Carefully stewarding our customers’ financial Vice President,�Business Banker III Asheville, NC 28801 108us Patton Avenue ® trusted with their financial well-being for wellresources is always among our highest priorities.

828.280.1167 Asheville,�NC�28801 over 828.280.1167 one hundred years. barry.kampe@firstcitizens.com barry.kampe@firstcitizens.com Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, First 1 Wealth management and insurance services are not available in all areas. Consult with yourfi local banker. rstcitizens.com Investments in securities, annuitiesfamily-controlled and insurance are not insured bybank the FDIC orin any federal government agency; may lose value; are not a deposit or other obligation, or guaranteed by, any Citizens is the largest bank or affiliate; and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested. the United States. of our heritage, we Member FDIC. Equal HousingBecause Lender .

1 Wealth management and insurance services are not available in all areas. with your local banker. APR* understand the importance of helping people 7Consult years – 3.25% GOH-011 05.18 Investments in securities, annuities and insurance are not do more with the money they earn, save and firstcitizens.com insured by the FDIC or any federal government agency; may invest. Carefully stewarding our customers’ lose value; are not a deposit or other obligation, or guaranteed by, any bank or affiliate; and are subject to investment risks, financial resources is always among our including possible loss of the principal amount invested. Member highest priorities.

FDIC. Equal Housing Lender .

Over 100 years.

Forever First.

At First Citizens, customers benefit from a high level of personal service and our integrated approach to helping people and businesses achieve their financial goals. After all these years, we remain committed to the values and principles that have allowed us – and our customers – to prosper.

Ready to get started?

Barry Kampe Vice President,�Business Banker III 108 Patton Avenue Asheville,�NC�28801 828.280.1167 barry.kampe@firstcitizens.com 1 Wealth management and insurance services are not available in all areas. Consult with your local banker.

Investments in securities, annuities and insurance are not insured by the FDIC or any federal government agency; may lose value; are not a deposit or other obligation, or guaranteed by, any bank or affiliate; and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested.

Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender .

GOH-011 05.18

firstcitizens.com

No More Pedaling mitchell county

John Bailey opened Blue Ridge Cycle earlier this year with the intention of renting electric bikes for touring around

Your source for Hearth & Patio needs 264 Biltmore Ave. Asheville, NC | 828.252.2789

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

33

carolina in the west

town or cruising the Blue Ridge Parkway.

He spent over a year researching bicycles before settling on the only two models made by the Electric Bike Company in Newport Beach, California. There are no gears, but an onboard, on-demand motor provides enough boost to allow a typical peddler to go 25 mph. Batteries can hold a charge for more than 40 miles, and the motor has an estimated life of 18 years.

Both are warrantied. Other features include front and rear hydraulic disc brakes, leather seats, and an LED headlight. All parts are plug-and-play for easy maintenance. Bailey wanted to go into the business of renting the cycles for $25/hour, $60/4 hours, or $90/8 hours. He still rents, but he finds people want to buy the bikes once they try them, new bikes retailing for $2,000 and up. Bailey enjoys riding the bikes with his grandchildren. It’s free advertising in a town where many people had not even heard of electric bikes before.

now down to 47%, or about 150,000 gallons a day. West had been contracted to make recommendations for accessing a supplemental water source, a topic of interest since the drought in 2010 practically dried out the town’s reservoir, Buckeye Lake. West recommended building a new intake off the Watauga River and perhaps a well on private property for pumping water into the reservoir. A staff report indicated the supplemental source would be helpful not only for droughts, but for major electromechanical failures as well.

Beech Mountain’s comprehensive plan calls for replacing most of the town’s water lines and several sewer lines. In April the town received a total of $3.74 million in NC State Water Infrastructure Authority loans and Connect NC Bonds to upgrade some of the oldest mains, lines, and connections.

watauga county

The Town of Beech Mountain’s water system is so run-down, there has been talk about a state-imposed moratorium on any new taps. Earlier research had indicated the system was losing over half the water it produced, but a recent study by West Consultants indicated that number was

Turn Indicators Western Carolina University launched the North Carolina Data Dashboard in June. Intended for use in the western part of the state, it has already found interests as far away as Chapel Hill and Raleigh. The dashboard analyzes over 12 pieces of economic data from the state’s westernmost counties. Sources consulted include the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Federal Reserve Economic Database,

limited memberships now available. visit biltmore.com/bscc or call 828-257-5959 for membership information.

mention this ad and receive a free round of sporting clays when you join ($30 value).

34

| December 2018

More Than Food buncombe county

haywood county

Water To The Beech

and the US Census. Users can work the dashboard to research demographics including home values, income levels, or gross domestic products at the county level. Their search would begin by selecting one of the sectors displayed on the dashboard. They would fine-tune their inquiry and, in the end, receive printable charts. The software is designed for academic use, but its promoters expect it will be valuable to policymakers and entrepreneurs, among others. The dashboard is sponsored by the Gimelstob-Landry Distinguished Professorship in Regional Economic Development, the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise, and the Office of the Provost at the university.

Asheville Independent Restaurants (AIR) released the results of a survey of its members intended to show their economic impact. Respondents employed a total of 2,400, a number that extrapolated to all 120 members reaches 6,000. The average hourly non-tipped wage was $13.75; tipped, $19.46. This compares to the $11.72 average hourly wage reported for the Food Preparation & Serving Related category across the entire Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Yet, 91% of respondents admitted

to making charitable contributions, with a significant portion of funds staying in the Asheville area. In 2017 the average cash and in-kind donation total reported by survey respondents was $19,993, with some AIR members reporting charitable gifts totaling over $50,000. Extrapolating this over the entire membership, it was estimated AIR members contributed $2.14 million that year. Another finding was that AIR members have tremendous staying power. 61% of members have been in business at least five years; 39%, 10 years; and 17%, more than 20 years.

A Greenway Depot transylvania county

Brevard City Council approved a railroad depot project. At a cost of $530,000, the old depot would be rebuilt on city property, where it would become a rest stop for the Estatoe greenway and a gathering space with room for the performing arts.

Mayor Jimmy Harris encouraged citizens to contribute to a fund that to date has raised 15% of anticipated costs. Donors of at least $100 would get their name on a brick. Then, in response to public pressure, council decided to hold a public forum for input on the project. Citizen Geraldine Dinkins led the charge, complaining that the price of the depot restoration had escalated from $200,000, and the town

already has abundant quality meeting spaces as well as world-class auditoriums at the Brevard Music Center. As for restrooms and trailside amenities, many other organizations have been waiting for those since before the depot plan was conceived. Dinkins saluted the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club in Hendersonville for executing what she considers a real depot restoration. Transylvania’s plan calls for reconstructing the depot with original boards that had been stored. Council has yet to set a date for the public hearing.

Housing for Artists buncombe county

The Center for Craft and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce commissioned a study by Artspace Consulting of Minneapolis, Minnesota, to quantify the need for artist housing and creative space in Asheville. The city has a reputation as a mecca for the arts, yet artists were known to be leaving the area due to an inability to keep up with escalating costs of living. The study, which began back in 2015, included meetings with over 200 stakeholders and opinion leaders and a survey of over 1,435 people. The researchers determined most artists who stay in Asheville will need low-income housing. Most already work a second job, and most have considered leaving the area. The report recommended

building 168 units of affordable housing in a multifamily project in the River Arts District and 81 studios in the old Ice House on Riverside Drive. (See the October 2018 issue of this magazine for more on the arts/housing study.)

Best Practices For Bears buncombe county

Black bears are in the woods, on camera footage, and on our friends’ Facebook pages. But half a century ago, the bears were a threatened species. Now there’s a population sufficient to warrant a collaboration of North Carolina State University and the state’s Wildlife Resources Commission. Wildlife biologists are now in the middle of a five-year project known as the North Carolina Urban/Suburban Black Bear Study. They’re trapping and tagging the bears and recruiting citizen scientists to help with observation.

Children’s author (and Capital at Play contributor) Amy Cherrix teamed up with the field researchers to learn firsthand what they’re doing and write about best practices for peaceful human coexistence.

Aimed at middle-school reading levels, Backyard Bears: Conservation, Habitat Changes, and the Rise of Urban Life follows Cherrix’s explorations and features cute, world-class photographs along with informative graphics.

WE’RE LOCAL WE’RE GLOBAL ® Home is the Nicest Word There is

What does your dream home look like? Let’s talk about it today!

Marsha Neese Broker Associate - REALTOR® mneese@beverly-hanks.com C: 828-707-5297

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

35

36

| December 2018

local industry

photo courtesy of Gamekeeper Restaurant

Dining

OFF THE

Beaten Path

Call it The Bourdain Effect: We pull back the curtain on some of our region’s outside-of-Asheville best-keptsecret dining options for discriminating gourmands and adventurous foodies alike.

Sign up for our WEEKLY newsletter for a chance to win dinner for two!

written by bill kopp December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 37

local industry

W

EVERETT HOTEL BISTRO

estern North Carolina diners have no shortage of dining options—fine and otherwise —throughout the region.

But while the culinary offerings found in the cultural hub of Asheville are many, so, too, are there a number of superb restaurants in and around smaller cities and towns. Such establishments may be well-known to locals and return visitors, but—more often than not—the wider public is unaware of these hidden gems.

These fine eateries—places like Bryson City’s Bistro, The Gamekeeper near Boone, Weaverville’s Glass Onion, and Star Diner in Marshall—share a commitment to fresh, uncluttered, and delicious food. They’re the kind of restaurants frequented by in-the-know locals who forgo the drive to Asheville. But why should they have all the fun? Herewith we’ll pull back the curtain on some of Western North Carolina’s best-kept culinary secrets.

38

| December 2018

photos cour tesy Bistro at Everett Hotel

LAROCQUE, RAVENNA, & MASTEJ

The Bistro: The House That Meatloaf Built In 2010 business partners Scott Mastej and Ron LaRocque launched The Cork and Bean Coffee Shop in the historic Bryson City Bank building. A rebranding occurred in 2013, as the Cork and Bean Bistro, with a full restaurant menu: “Kind of a mountain social house and eatery,” says Mastej.

And then in 2015 the business partners opened a boutique hotel upstairs in the same building. Today, the combined establishments are known as the Everett Boutique Hotel & Bistro. For the kitchen of their sophisticated Bistro, LaRocque and Mastej recruited a heavy hitter.

Chef Neil Ravenna was born in Vermont and attended culinary school in upstate New York. By age 30, he had earned the position of Executive Chef at the University of Alabama. During his nearly two decades there, Ravenna also served as director of a culinary school focused on preserving Southern cooking and culture. Even then, Ravenna found himself in greater demand.

“Chambers of Commerce would put on ‘How to Open a Bed and Breakfast’ presentations,” he recalls, “and I would do the food part.” He lectured expertly on sustainability topics and sourcing local food.

After time spent as a personal chef in Miami, Ravenna was ready for a change. “I missed Vermont, but I didn’t want an eight-month winter,” he says, with a laugh. In 2015 he was thrilled to discover Bryson City and the Bistro. Revealing his independent and creative streak, he explains, “It’s perfect, because it’s not a corporate gig. The Bistro is privately owned, so it was a blank palette where I could do whatever I wanted to do.”

That mindset meshes well with Scott Mastej’s approach. A former Coca-Cola executive, he too longed for the excitement and freedom that comes with independence. And when he made the jump, it was momentous; without prompting, he recalls the date. “I left corporate America on June 25, 2005.” Initially, he and LaRocque opened a rustic furniture store in Bryson City, but when the former bank building became available, they took another leap, this time into coffee and wine. “And it just grew from there,” he says, smiling proudly.

Ravenna says that there are definite Southern overtones to the Bistro’s menu, but only as a starting point. “Our cuisine,” he says, “has been described as ‘Southern food, turned on its side.’” The menu changes seasonally, and Ravenna encourages his kitchen staff to come up with ideas: “Most everybody that I have in the kitchen has been to culinary school and/or doing this for a long time.” Recipes start with something relatively familiar, but then the chef makes inspired ingredient changes that take the dishes (and their flavors) to unexpected places.

“We put an étouffée on the menu,” he explains, “But it’s not a traditional étouffée.” The Bistro’s take on the beloved Cajun dish features a sausage made of smoked duck breast, wild boar, and cranberry right alongside the more traditional andouille sausage. “It’s served with brown rice instead of white, and I put a rosemary and red pepper shortbread—with red pepper jam—on top of it,” Ravenna says.

“I take a recipe and make it my own, changing some of the ingredients to fit our locale.”

Though a typical home cook might take slight issue with the assertion, Ravenna characterizes the Bistro’s signature entrees as “nothing complicated.” But his approach is clearly

Ultimately, the goal is for the guest to “have the closest relationship with the food as they can, as if they were making it from scratch themselves.”

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 39

local industry

CHEF KEN GORDON

diner-focused. “I don’t dictate what the trends are,” he insists. “The public does that.” He and Mastej laugh conspiratorially when asked to name the Bistro’s mostrequested entree. “The house that meatloaf built” is how they jokingly refer to the restaurant. The Bistro’s meatloaf uses humanely-raised and -processed Creekstone beef, local sausage, lamb, and bison, all wrapped in nitrate-free, applewood-smoked bacon. It’s drizzled with a sweet red sauce, and the elevated-traditional plate is finished with hand-mashed red baby potatoes and grilled green beans.

“Simple, comfort food,” beams Ravenna.

The Bistro’s preparation of local rainbow trout is also massively popular. Whenever possible, the Bistro features locally-sourced yields from the regions’ farmers, brewers, distillers, and other food and beverage artisans.

Scott Mastej lists some of the Bistro’s guiding principles: “Starting with as few as possible ingredients, keeping them as local as possible, and using organics when possible.”

Ultimately, the goal is for the guest to “have the closest relationship with the food as they can, as if they were making it from scratch themselves.”

“I cook for the aww,” Ravenna says. “I want a customer to smile and say, ‘Aww!’” “Our slogan is, ‘Eat with integrity and live with gratitude,’” Mastej concludes. “And Neil lives that every day with the kitchen.”

The Gamekeeper: Beyond the Ordinary The Gamekeeper represents destination dining in two ways. The restaurant’s menu deftly balances adventurousness with a direct, no-nonsense approach: “Get the best and the freshest, do the minimal to it, and get it to the diner,” is how chef/co-owner Ken Gordon puts it. And getting there—at least some of the time during the year—can be a challenge. Situated on a mountainside some seven miles southwest of Boone, the Gamekeeper can be inaccessible when winter weather strikes. “Every other weekend in the winter, we’re wondering how much snow are we going to get, when’s it going to come, how’s it going to come,” says Gordon, with a good-natured chuckle. “And it’s a challenge. But it’s okay; that’s part of what makes it fun.”

Gordon and his wife Wendy R. Sykes-Gordon (also a chef) opened the Gamekeeper just before Thanksgiving in 2000. Prior to their purchase, the restaurant had been run by a semiretired couple. “They came out of retirement and said, ‘Hey, let’s do a restaurant again!’ And then they thought, ‘What the hell were we thinking?’ They were ready to get out,” Ken says. “And we were ready to get in.”

A decade earlier, Ken and Wendy had attended Appalachian State University, and they had hoped to remain in Boone after graduation. “That lasted a couple 40

| December 2018

photos cour tesy of Gamekeeper Restaurant

of months,” Ken says. “And then we realized, ‘You know what?

We’re going to make $6 an hour.’ So, we went back to my hometown in High Point.”

“So, to get great stuff we had to get in touch with local farmers.

Eventually, more farmers started getting in touch with us.”

Ken took a job at Noble’s Restaurant; he considers the nine years he spent working for chef/owner Jimmy Noble an apprenticeship. He rose to the position of Executive Chef, but the mountains were calling. Wendy went to Boone to visit a friend, and when she came home, Ken asked her how her trip went. “She started to cry! She said, ‘I want to move back,’” Ken recalls. “It was a pretty easy call at that point.”

The Gordons had been thinking for quite awhile about opening their own restaurant in Boone. But their vision didn’t exactly line up with their reality. “We were going to

find the perfect spot downtown,” continues Ken, “to open a vegetarian restaurant.”

The Gamekeeper had—and still has—a reputation worthy of its name. Menu offerings include duck, bison, venison, elk, and even emu; not exactly vegetarian diner fare. The landlord strongly suggested that they keep the name, but initially, Ken wasn’t so sure that was a good idea. “I was concerned that it December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 41

Vintage is

always

in style.

We buy diamonds, fine jewelry and old gold.

Evaluations are free with no obligation and we know how to get you more when you sell.

We take the mystery out of buying Estate Diamonds and fine Pre-owned Jewelry. Since our beginning when David L. Yaffin became “Boston’s Diamond Broker” in the 1920s, we’ve helped thousands to appreciate the quality and savings provided by selecting pre-owned diamonds. Our story is truly an evolution of tradition. For sixty years, we served St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area and now, Richard S. Yaffin is proud to celebrate the twelfth anniversary of Estate Jewelry Ltd. in historic Biltmore Village.

HISTORIC BILTMORE VILLAGE 2 BOSTON WAY, ASHEVILLE, NC 28803 42

For store hours call or go Online | 828.274.7007 | EstateJewelryLtd.com | December 2018

local industry

photos cour tesy of Glass Onion

was going to scare people: ‘I don’t want to eat game. Do you have anything ordinary to eat?’” But in the end, Ken and Wendy decided to stick with the name. “And we thought, ‘Well, if we’re going to do that, let’s make sure that about 50 percent of our entrees are game,” Ken says. “And it ended up being a very, very smart thing. I appreciate that he talked us into that.”

But Ken and Wendy brought much of their vegetarian-focused mindset to bear on the menu; that approach enlivened the offering in important ways. “I’m still going to braise some stuff and let it cook forever,” Ken says, “but the whole vegetarian idea was, ‘We’ll find the best carrot, and we won’t try to cover it up with anything. We’ll cook it just right and put it on the plate. And hopefully someone will say, ‘This is the best carrot!’

That’s always been the goal.”

The Gamekeeper’s culinary perspective draws from traditions worldwide, subtly and harmoniously combined. “We appreciate the Appalachian culture and heritage. But there’s a world of food out there,” Ken says. “So, we may take a little influence here and there.” But mainly, it’s the mountains that inform The Gamekeeper’s menu.

“Bison used to run through here thousands of years ago,” Ken points out. “So, I feel good about putting that on the menu. And Native Americans identified and used so many plants, so it’s nice that we have some foragers who are bringing those kinds of things to our back door.”

That kitchen back door is the thing that most excites Ken Gordon’s creativity. “When we first got into the restaurant, there was no local distributor,” he explains. “So, to get great stuff we had to get in touch with local farmers. Eventually, more farmers started getting in touch with us.” Today, he also works closely with Caleb Crowell’s New Appalachia distributor, a key player in the region’s fresh food network. “Oh, look! Let’s get

some of that. We’ll work with that,” Ken says, when he surveys his produce and meat options. “That’s the inspiration.” And the Gordons’ inspired culinary vision is what keeps diners coming back, weather permitting.

Glass Onion: Global Italian Meets Small-town America Chefs Eddie Hannibal and Natalie Byrnes both grew up in Eastern Long Island, New York. The rural farming and fishing communities are in close proximity to the Hamptons, a hub of fine dining. “It’s quite the resort area, so there were always lots of restaurant jobs,” Hannibal says. Though they hadn’t yet met, both of them were, in Eddie’s words, “sucked into the industry early,” and clearly loved the work. He went on to a kitchen apprenticeship in Miami, while Natalie studied at Johnson & Wales University in nearby Providence, Rhode Island. “We both ended up back in Long Island, working for the same people in two separate restaurants when we met,” Hannibal says. “And the rest is history.”

A key moment in the couple’s shared history would be when they made the decision to move. “I was 50,” Hannibal says.

“And I didn’t want to move when I was 60.” So, they looked at options around the country, and were intrigued by Western North Carolina. “We happened upon Weaverville; it has the appeal of the small-town America that we grew up in,” he says.

“Everybody’s friendly and very welcoming; you know everybody on the street.”

Even though downtown Weaverville is less than ten miles away from much-larger Asheville, it can feel like a different world. “In Weaverville proper, there are no real franchise stores; December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 43

local industry

CHEFS BYRNES AND HANNIBAL

we really like the vibe of it,” Hannibal says. And ultimately, that vibe drove the couple’s relocation decision. “It was more [about] where we wanted to live than where we wanted to do business.”

In truth, they were just as enthused about opening a restaurant in Weaverville. Named after the Beatles song on 1968’s The Beatles (aka The White Album), Glass Onion opened in 2012.

The restaurant has seating for 65 patrons, plus bar seating.

And like the other restaurateurs profiled for this story, Eddie and Natalie have a no-nonsense approach to food. “We call it global Italian,” Hannibal says.

“The trick to Italian cooking is that it’s very simple and features clean ingredients.”

Glass Onion’s perspective favors fairly simple presentation that highlights the ingredients. “And not a lot of ingredients,” Hannibal emphasizes. “Just a lot of flavor.”

Hannibal knows what his diners want. “And I try to serve what people would expect to eat,” he says. That means a menu featuring many traditional favorites. Starters include items one would expect to find in a traditional Italian eatery: Caesar salad, grilled eggplant with mozzarella and basil pesto, and a Bosc pear and slow-roasted beet salad, to name a few.

But the creative culinary spirit cultivated by Hannibal and Byrnes means that diners will find a clever spin on tradition as well. “I make a fried calamari with a graham cracker crust,” Hannibal says. “It’s very different… and very, very popular.”

Main courses at Glass Onion include savory presentations of chicken, ribeye, pork loin chop, and local Sunburst trout. “And people come far and wide for our scallops,” Hannibal says. But perhaps most interesting is Hannibal’s grilled Scottish salmon featuring celery root purée and creamed leeks. Like most of the restaurant’s menu selections (even the pasta, on request), it’s gluten-free.

Hannibal’s kitchen is very accommodating when it comes to vegan requests, too. “I can make my risottos without animal product in them,” he says. “That’s never a problem. We offer vegan, veget ar ian, and g luten-free options throughout our menu.”

No Italian restaurant would be complete without pasta on the menu. Glass Onion keeps a half dozen pasta choices on its board, with fresh, handmade pasta as an option. All include as many fresh ingredients as possible— tomatoes, ricotta cheese, greens, and so on. Hannibal’s most intriguing pasta dish, though, features game: “We make a really nice wild boar Bolognese.” He’s also quite proud of his dessert offerings, adding, “I make the best coconut cake and triple chocolate cake you’ll ever have.”

In the end, it’s all about uncluttered quality, and satisfying diners. “You find what people want to buy and you sell that to them,” Hannibal says. And both he and Natalie take great pride in fulfilling diners’ expectations. “It takes a lot of mental energy

“It takes a lot of mental energy and physical execution to make a dish,” he admits. “So, to have it come out the way you envisioned it is very rewarding.”

44

| December 2018



RESTAUR ANT R E CI PE S Salt Roasted Beets Chef Sonoskus' from Star Diner

Ingredients: 1# small red beets 2 oz. light olive oil ¼ cup kosher salt, course

This story making you hungry yet?

Try some of the Featured Chefs’ favorite recipes at home.

Almond Cake

Chef Byrnes & Hannibal’s from Glass Onion Ingredients:

1 or 2 cup pesto (visit our website for an extra Cashew Pesto Recipe from Chef Sonoskus)

Directions: PREHEAT the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash & dry beets, rub down with oil. Place beets in a baking dish & cover with salt. Cover the baking dish with foil. Cook for 2 hours or until fork tender. Allow to cool until safe to handle with hands. Using paper towels, rub the skin off and then cool in fridge for 2 hours, until completely cool. Remove from fridge & dice to ¼”. Combine beets with pesto (toss in large mixing bowl). Top with a dollop of room temperature goat cheese.

Butternut Squash Bisque

8 oz. butter 8 oz. sugar 14 oz. almond paste 1/2 tsp salt 6 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp almond extract 1 cup flour 1 tbsp baking powder

Directions: CREAM butter and sugar in robot coupe or food processor. Add almond paste and salt to butter mixture a little at a time until incorporated.

Slowly add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract to butter mixture. Add flour and baking powder to butter/egg mixture until incorporated; do not overwork. Prepare springform pan with butter and dust with sugar.

Bang out excess sugar. Pour batter into springform and give a good bang out of the springform to release some of the air. Convection oven 300 degrees about 1 hr 10 mins; Conventional 325 degrees 1hr 20mins.

Bake until lightly brown, or until edges pull away from the pan.

Chef Gordon’s from Gamekeeper

Ingredients:

Cut this page and keep it!



2 ea. butternut squash 2 med yellow onions, diced ½ bunch celery, diced ½ lb. butter 2 lg sweet potatoes 4 cups chicken stock (or canned broth)

1 cup apple juice ½ tsp apple cider vinegar ¼ cup brown sugar ½ tsp +/- nutmeg 1 pt. heavy cream salt & white pepper to taste

Directions: PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out guts. Place squash flat side down onto lightly oiled baking pan and add @ ¼ inch of hot water to help it steam. Bake until soft to the touch. Allow to cool some and scoop out flesh, discarding skin.

While squash is baking, sweat onions and celery in butter in a 2-gallon soup pot. When onions are soft, add stock, sweet potatoes, cider, and squash. Bring to boil, then cut heat back to low. Allow to simmer until sweet potatoes are soft. Puree mixture with stick blender or in food processor or blender. Use caution with this step, since the hot liquid can splash. If using a blender or food processor, puree mostly the solids adding just enough liquid to keep the mixture fluid. A kitchen towel draped over food processor is a good idea as well. After cleaning the soup from the walls, return to it to the pot and season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cream and adjust the seasoning.

DISCLAIMER: If it seems too thick, add more liquid. If it needs more cream, add some.

White Chocolate Bread Pudding Chef Ravenna’s from Everett Hotel & Bistro

Ingredients 1 1/2 loaves of square white bread with the crust cut off 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips or chunks 1 qt. heavy cream 2 t good vanilla

1 vanilla bean cut in half length wise, and seeds scraped out 7 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 2 cups dark brown sugar 1/2 cup coca powder

Directions: PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the crust off the bread and place it like bricks in a 9x13 baking dish, not greased, 3 layers deep.

Melt the white chocolate chips in the heavy cream; add vanilla and the inside of the bean. Then mix eggs with sugar until pale yellow.

Combine eggs/sugar mixture with melted chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Pour over bread, making sure it soaks all into the bread.

Combine Coca and brown sugar and sprinkle on top, making sure to cover the entire top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour; the pudding will rise considerably; remove from oven and it will settle.

Cut as you like, and serve.

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 45

local industry

THIS FORMER GAS station hides a tasty secret.

BRIAN SONOSKUS

46

| December 2018

photos by Anthony Harden

and physical execution to make a dish,” he admits. “So, to have it come out the way you envisioned it is very rewarding.”

Eddie Hannibal’s direct and plain-spoken manner is reflected in the clean, orderly, and straightforward environs of Glass Onion, a place in which simple, flavorful food is front and center. “It’s what a restaurant should be,” he says.

Star Diner: Culinary Star of a Once-forgotten Mountain Town At first glance, a disused concrete building in a tiny Western North Carolina town subject to river floods might not seem the ideal location for a fine dining restaurant. But Chef Brian Sonoskus saw the potential in both the town—Marshall—and the building, a former gas station. He opened Star Diner in February 2017; the small eatery has quickly established itself as one of the hottest restaurants in the region.

Two decades ago, you would have been hard pressed to find any restaurant in downtown Marshall. Bypassed by highway development, the downtown, a short strip along the northern banks of the French Broad River, mostly kept to itself.

Marshall began a creative renaissance in the 21st century when local residents, led by potter and activist Rob Pulleyn, successfully lobbied to save the historic Marshall High School building. Constructed on Blannahassett Island—a 1000-foot long eyot in the middle of the French Broad

“I do what I can,” Sonoskus says. “But I don’t buy just because it’s local; it’s got to be the best product I can find.”

River—the property has since been renovated and placed into use as exhibit and studio space for many of the region’s creative artisans.

Meanwhile, 20 miles upriver in Asheville, Brian Sonoskus was a leading light in the region’s restaurant business. For more than a decade as the public face of Tupelo Honey, he oversaw the Asheville restaurant’s expansion from a single location to a successful network of more than dozen eateries.

When he decided to strike out on his own, he made a strategic decision to locate outside Asheville.

He was intrigued when he learned that local business owner Bud Nachtman was in the midst of renovating an old gas station in downtown Marshall. Sonoskus saw potential in Nachtman’s vision. “For the last couple decades at least, people had been saying that Marshall would be the Next Big Thing around here,” December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 47

local industry

he says. The renovation aimed to give the building “a really nice, old-timey atmosphere filled with cool antiques,” Sonoskus remembers, “making it a talking point of Marshall.”

“And then he wanted to find someone who wanted to run a business out of it,” Sonoskus says, with a smile. “That was me.”

Sonsokus’ culinary background comes from his family. “I started out grandmother-taught,” he says proudly. “My whole family are good home cooks.” He was the first one to make food a profession, though. After starting out working in a New Jersey restaurant, he went on to culinary school at Johnson & Wales University. “I’ve been working in the business 35, 36 years now,” Sonoskus says.

The intimate vibe of Star Diner comes through in the service, and the atmosphere reinforces that aesthetic. There’s seating for 26 diners inside the cozy space, but no outdoor seating.

“We have a train that goes right by the back of the building,” Sonoskus explains with a chuckle. “We’re not really looking to get plates covered with coal dust.”

Sonoskus characterizes his culinary vision for Star Diner.

“We do things in a little more of an old-school way,” he says.

“Comfort eclectic Euro-Americana: classic dishes, slightly reinterpreted to my taste.” Signature dishes include beef tenderloin with classic bordelaise sauce and asparagus, and

Eat

Drink

Be Merry!

169 Charlotte Street Asheville, NC 28801 828-575-9525 metrowinesasheville.com SMALL SHOP SERVICE *FREE & EASY PARKING*

48

LARGE SHOP SELECTION

| December 2018

a lobster fettuccine dish. “And a lot of people say that our almond-crusted Carolina mountain trout is the dish you have to have when you come here,” he says.

Star Diner sources ingredients locally when it makes sense.

“I do what I can,” Sonoskus says. “But I don’t buy just because it’s local; it’s got to be the best product I can find.” He raises his own egg-laying chickens and visits local farmers’ markets.

The resulting yield influences the menu. “Currently, we’re doing scallops with roasted carrots and kale and roasted shallots,” he says. “It comes with a chimichurri and a scallop Beurre blanc; that’s a nice one.”

Sometimes Sonoskus starts with a basic idea, letting the food guide him toward a finished menu item. “We’ve got a pork belly in the brine right now,” he says. “I’m not quite sure what we’re doing with that yet, but it will involve Brussels sprouts.” His love of food comes through in conversation. “We do a lot of different things; they’re all my favorite dishes,” he says.

“I like to create,” says Brian Sonoskus. “I like to do comfort foods that are true to my past, my background, and my heritage, and I like to be able to create things that are done perfectly.”

Like his food, his ultimate culinary goal is ambitious and straightforward: “It’s going to be the best meal you have.”

FEATURED RESTAUR ANTS > >the

> >gl ass

bistro

onion

24 Everett St., Bryson City, NC 28713 828.488.1934 www.theeveretthotel.com/bistro

18 N Main St., Weaverville NC 28787 828.645.8866 glassonionasheville.com

HOURS Dinner: Mon.—Thurs. 4:30PM —9PM, Fri.—Sat. 4:30PM—9:30PM, Sun. 4:30PM—9:30PM, Brunch Sat.—Sun. 8:30 AM —3PM (closed in January)

HOURS Every day 11:30AM—3PM and 5PM – 9PM

> >the

gamekeeper

3005 Shulls Mill Rd., Boone NC 28607 828.963.7400 gamekeeper-nc.com

> >star

diner

115 N Main St., Marshall, NC 28753 828.649.9900 facebook.com HOURS Wed.—Sun. 5:30PM—8:30PM, Sunday brunch 12 noon—2PM

HOURS Hours vary seasonally (check website), but at the time of this this writing they are Thurs.—Sat. 5PM—9:30PM.

NATURE’S JEWELS

nably harvested tagua nut organic alternative to plastic, for the earth, or makers, for you.

TREAT YOURSELF THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!

With a visit to The Largest Consignment Store in WNC… 20,000 sq ft of shopping fun!

3699 Hendersonville Rd. Fletcher, NC 28732 (Clothing, decor, furniture & more!)

MON – SAT: 10 – 6

Stuyvesant Plaza, 1475 Western Ave, Albany 10 COLLEGE ST. DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE Offer valid at participating stores until 12/31/17 with this coupon.

Not valid with other offers or discounts, purchase of gift cards, Oriental rugs, 828-254-8374 Traveler’s Finds or consumables. One coupon per store per customer.

code shown in ad. se request barcode file from Marketing—

Use this logo for reductions only, do not print magenta. Do not reduce this logo more than 35%. Magenta indicates the clear area, nothing should print in this space.

You may reduce the logo to 30% without the tag and strap lines.

Color of Wood Block Motif critical match to Pantone 1805.

Letters print Pantone Process Black.

828-687-7565

|

www.ilovelulus.net December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 49

column

Rebranding For The Right Reasons

Highland Brewing Company recently updated its iconic logo for a new era.

“W

H Y WOULDN’ T YOU DO IT?

The company runs itself.” It’s my favorite quote from a well-intentioned friend, circa 2010, regarding my questions about joining the family business. No doubt he saw eternal happy hours and spontaneous international travel in the name of research, while cheerful brewer-elves made liquid gold.

L

le ah ashburn

is the president and second generation family-owner of Highland Brewing Company in Asheville.

50

The perception wasn’t unusual—craft beer was growing faster and faster and Highland was one of the more established breweries in the country, especially in the Southeast, where all of our beer was sold.

It was around that time that I heard my other favorite quote from someone I had just met: “I’m thinking of opening a brewery. I heard it’s an easy way to make money.” About 5,000 new breweries later in 2018, it’s not easy, and I make half of my prior income. But it’s amazing.

Also around the time of these comments, I was facing a life change. Three of them, actually— marriage, moving, and a new job.

Marriage was the easiest decision of the three.

After 48 years, you know when you know.

When I say to Ashevillians that I lived in Charlotte, some responses sound like condolences. I admit, I didn’t know what I was missing. But after 27 years in the same place, it was hard to leave some friends.

| December 2018

(Other than that, I don’t miss it.)

The job change entailed joining the family business.

There are obvious benefits when you have a great relationship with your father and an incredible company and industry, but the responsibility… and the complexity…

The company, as it turns out, does not run itself.

However, it does require some basics. The basics I learned at home from my parents, and in my career as an independent consultant from 19982011, are the same concepts I practice at Highland.

I understand why my father didn’t hire me in the mid ‘90s. I realize what he was listening for in our conversations in the 2000s. He heard enough to offer me a job in 2005, which I declined, then accepted in 2011.

Before his offer, he was listening to my successes— but, I think, more closely to my failures, because how you get back up reveals much more than how you stay standing. For example, during my consulting

L career, my biggest competitor brought in a new technology that put my smaller company at a disadvantage. I didn’t have the resources to compete in that arena. So, I went back to basics: value, trust. I was an educator in a consultant setting, and the greatest value I could provide was what I loved about the job the most: education. It gave me joy and gave customers lasting value. It was a great lesson in the sustainable effects of being authentic.

You could say I left a job as an educator to become a student of the brewery. My father’s company was great fun and had some similarities to his engineering company, which he owned

FROM THE START, I WAS ENCOUR AGED TO PUT MY STAMP ON THE COMPANY. from 1978 to 1986, and which took our family from New Jersey to Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1985. He still quotes the motto of North Carolina: “To be, rather than to seem.” Being honest and real were themes that ran from home to engineering to brewing.

It was clear that we would be authentic in our love for beer. Quality and consistency in every beer. But we dive into rabbit holes of basil, peaches, genetic differences in desirable and terrible (for beer) bacteria… It’s diametrically opposed to traditional manufacturing practices. But it’s where inspiration lives, which is at the heart of our industry. Creating more room for innovation and inspiration has helped us grow. Also, the more brains, the better in idea-generating. Black Watch (Double Chocolate Milk Stout) was inspired by a hospitality staff member who is a self-proclaimed chocoholic.

Drew’s Scotch Ale is a recipe from an intern-turned-seller-turned-brewer, who made such a great beer on the pilot

We provide personalized & immediate service Need expensive medications not covered by your insurance? Many generic cost much less: Our generic Viagra (sildenafil) is, on average, 500% less expensive than other pharmacy’s

Overall, we charge less than 50% of the markup on branded medication when compared to chain’s

Our Tamaflu is less than $100 We offer customized daily medication packaging at no extra cost to you.

LOCALLY OWNED

30+ YEARS

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

51

column

system as a young brewer, we’re making it again. Expanding the space for creative input has engaged more of our staff, led to more experimentation and better beers in a broader range of styles. So, our authenticity can slow efficiency, but it leads to better products—in our case, better beers.

There’s another facet of authenticity that took me years to embrace. It’s far more personal. From the start, I was encouraged to put my stamp on the company. Dad said, “Make it yours.” I took some steps right away, and arguably too soon. I changed our packaging and planned an insanely complex anniversary celebration with 20 beers. I started a race to raise money for local greenways. The energy I felt around these projects was great! I love graphic design, details, and greenways, so it felt fresh, fun, and it felt like me.

*** A few years later, in 2018, I stepped on the gas: We executed a full brand refresh. Terrifying. But here’s what we had faced already: 70% of family-owned companies fail in their second generation (and 88% by the third, and 93% by the fourth). There was huge risk in moving to our second generation. But what was the alternative? My father just turned 78. It was me or someone else outside of the family, and family leadership was important

to us. It’s similar to the brand refresh, which was also a huge risk. But the risk of doing nothing was greater than the risk of acting. And the deep dive into our company identity revealed that our greatest statement, our beer, no longer aligned with what we considered to be our brand. We had a great run with our original brand, but over 20 years later, we hardly resembled the company from 1994. Without question, the industry had seen explosive growth and change. If the world changes around you that much, standing still has the same effect as moving back. So, we say “yes” to change…

We took three paths to find our branding partner. First, some of our savviest people pulled together the most outstanding new brands they could find. Second, I talked with branding companies at the national brewers conference trade show. Third, I called industry contacts and asked for recommendations. We narrowed the field and interviewed six teams. One group rose above, Helms Workshop of Austin, Texas, and the owner knew the history of our company! He had spent every summer of his life in Black Mountain and could fill in pieces of the Highland story as I told it.

We considered a small change—the John Deere, Starbucks, or Wendy’s brand approach that has many iterations, some imperceptible to the consumer. But we learned that nothing short of a massive shift would reflect our vision and our story.

In 2015 we had kicked off a new era in beer—Highland IPA,

santa gave us a visit too ask us about natural looking revive-a-smile. you’ll be glad you did.

Advanced implant treatment from experienced oral surgeons

52

| December 2018

More comfortable & secure than dentures!

Giving you a new smile in one day!

828.255.7781 | rockclifforalsurgery.com

4 Medical Park Dr, Asheville, NC

Early’s Hoppy Wheat, King MacAlpin Triple IPA, Black Watch Double Chocolate Milk Stout… Our team was feeling energized, fresh. But our brand relayed Scottish. Surveys showed that some consumers thought we were an import. Others thought

WE MOVED FROM A COMPLETELY SCOT TISH MESSAGE TO ONE THAT REFLECTS US ACCUR ATELY—THE PIONEERING SPIRIT THAT FOUNDED US AND DRIVES US TODAY we should be making Scottish beer. (Good point.) And 74% of current customers surveyed told us our packaging was outdated and/or needed to change.

So, in order to align our brand with our beer—in order to be authentic—we had to go all out. When you invest in a close-up of your company, I recommend investing in multiple resources, including your own staff, and be open to concepts you have

never considered. It’s best if you don’t enter the process with a solution in mind. In our case, the misalignment was crystal clear.

Research was critical to the process. The Brewers Association (a large American trade group made up of brewers, suppliers, distributors, craft beer retailers, etc.) provided a way for brewers to be part of a Nielsen study. Also, the branding company did its own research; we did a customer survey; and I did an internal survey. The confluence that played out was amazing. Themes arose around quality, community, independence, authenticity, and family.

We had several conversations with Helms Workshop before any visuals were presented. And several conversations about visuals then morphed into our final result. Execution took a monumental communal effort from marketing, supply chain, packaging, sales, and our distributors. It was worth the effort. We moved from a completely Scottish message to one that reflects us accurately—the pioneering spirit that founded us and drives us today, our mountain home in Asheville, and our bright outlook.

Now I have new language and a new look for this company that I already knew and loved. The confidence and energy arising from this alignment is tangible and healthy for our entire team. In our Southeastern footprint and at home on this hilltop, our staff, distributors, retailers, and consumers are more connected to Highland than ever.

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

53

THE OLD

NORTH

STATE [

news briefs

Real Systems Are Not T/F winston-salem

In order to get a degree from the Wake Forest University School of Business’ Master of Science in Accounting program, students will now have to take four courses in business analytics. Dean Jim Willis explained, “There’s a critical demand for accounting professionals who possess highly-technical analytics skills, critical thinking, and the ability to tell a compelling story to influence business decisions.” Business analytics are now demanded for anything from audits and due diligence to tax planning. The school hired Tom Aleman to teach the curriculum. Aleman comes from Deloitte, where 36 years of handling complex data projects won him a reputation as a leader in the fields of analytics and forensic technology. The introductory course will

]

teach students how to frame questions constructively. The second course will teach statistical methods for dealing with the gray areas that will always exist in nonbinary data sets, and the third will focus on the science and ethics of visual data presentation. The finale will handle the hardest part, getting the boss to take one’s work seriously.

Troubled Waters lumberton

Residents and business owners of Lumberton filed a class-action lawsuit against CSX. The complaint argued CSX had been negligent because it had not constructed a floodgate for the gap in the city’s levee created by a rail underpass.

Litigants dispute alleged claims that CSX

did not know the underpass was a point of vulnerability, because the city was flooded two years ago as waters from the Lumber River rushed through that very location, displacing 1,500 residents for months. The complaint further accuses CSX of threatening to sue for trespassing any city official who attempted to build a temporary berm as Hurricane Florence approached. A berm was finally constructed by hundreds of volunteers, civil servants, and members of the National Guard after an emergency order was secured from Governor Roy Cooper. But the emergency berm failed during the storm, resulting in what the plaintiffs deem to be irreparable damages.

A statement from CSX indicated the company has at heart the best interests of its business and all its employees, customers, and suppliers in Lumberton. The rail line said it was working with the city on a permanent solution.

Driving Profits wilmington

A freight broker walks into a bar… and an Inc. 5000 company happens.

But not so fast. Ryan Legg, who says he didn’t do well in college, was working as a bartender when he was recruited for a

A Unique and Independent Real Estate Company since 1979 54

23 Arlington Street Asheville, NC 28801 | 828. 255.7530 | www.appalachianrealty.com | December 2018

30 carolina in the west

small freight company in Wilmington. He then accepted an offer from a large company in Cincinnati, where he managed the transportation of produce from the growers to the warehouse. He and a partner started a business doing the same for about ten years before his partner bought him out. He signed a noncompete agreement, waited three years to the day, and then set up MegaCorp Logistics back in Wilmington. Then, in less than a decade of operation, MegaCorp made the Inc. 5000, a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. Last year, MegaCorp did about $180 million in business, and Legg is on track to do over $300 million this year.

Legg employs 250, and most of his sales reps earn at least six digits. MegaCorp is a third-party logistics company that handles large shipping orders for both producers and trucking companies.

Clients include Walmart and Chobani.

Designers in Town

designers. The videos are available on TDN’s website as well as Roku, Apple TV, YouTube, and Facebook. Since 2013, the programs have been viewed by over 16 million. eDesign will tap TDN’s network of 5,000 independent designers to provide consumers with a one-stop shop for interior design. Participating designers will build their own profiles for the TDN website and create their own packages and pricing. Each package will include two initial design concepts and up to three rounds of revisions. The platform will let consumers look at name-brand and custom products, try them out in augmented reality, and cut a deal with a designer. The process starts with taking a quiz to narrow the selection of designers.

Once a designer is selected, the consumer will share themes and must-haves. After the final round of revisions, consumers will have a design board and a curated shopping list for ordering products from the platform, all at once or over time.

Designers will receive a commission on furnishings sold.

high point

eDesign launched at a High Point market event attended by stars from the upcoming season of The Design Network (TDN) programming. TDN creates and posts online-TV videos of celebrity

Driveway Time Share chapel hill

A $150 towing bill inspired UNC Chapel Hill student William Lewis to go

the old north state

into business. He was living in a house with insufficient parking, so he had to rent a parking space from the city, and the only availability they had was miles away. Sometimes, Lewis would try to get away with parking nearer, but a couple times each semester he’d get a ticket or a tow. He therefore partnered with another student, Tadros Ghanem, and a graduate, Colin Bergey, to launch Parking Rebel.

People with underutilized driveway space can register on parkingrebel.com. They provide their address, proof of residence, and a photo of the space. Their listing can then be viewed on an interactive map by registered renters who pay online with plastic. Within two weeks, over 75 people had listed their spaces, and demand was outstripping supply. Like several shared-economy gigs, this one leverages the middle ground separating consumers from corporate-rate sales while giving sellers income from something that’s just sitting around. The trio hopes to soon make Parking Rebel an app.

Keep it Insulated gastonia

Recently making the Inc. 500 is Bob Goulet of Gastonia. Goulet has been an auto mechanics enthusiast since a

192 Brock Creek Road Horse Shoe 28742

MLS #3420420 Private 5.4 acre estate in gated subdivision with year round views.

3 Bedroom 2½ Bath Approx Sq Ft. 2841

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

55

the old north state

neighbor loaned him an old Chevy for practice when he was twelve. Before he graduated high school, Goulet was building his own race cars. He now runs Saprex Advanced Solutions. Goulet started the business in his home garage, where it took him about eight years to perfect a means of insulating pipes that carry fluids with extreme temperatures. His patented Axiom system consists of a one-size-fits-all sock made of layered insulation.

It is slipped over a pipe and clamped, resin is applied, and the piece is baked. Axiom is highly modifiable, and it withstands temperatures over 2000oF, as well as common forms of chemical and mechanical wear and tear. Goulet finally got his break in 2016 when Kenworth and Peterbilt expressed interest. He was given only 60 days to deliver, so he purchased an abandoned textile factory, leased more space for fulfilment, and worked 100hour weeks. Axiom is now used in most Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks, and Goulet has contracts with Freightliner and Volvo.

Goulet employs seven and keeps most of Axiom’s supply chain on contract so production can scale with demand.

The Caterpillar Transforms clayton

A recent Reuters article called attention to how the Caterpillar plant in Clayton is managing to survive the 2018 American tariffs. Six months after they were abruptly imposed on aluminum and steel, the factory, which manufactures front-end loaders, was going strong, thanks to belt-tightening begun in 2016. Cuts began with mass layoffs when demand was down.

Business rebounded, but management kept the former twoshift operation down to one with a four-day week by shaving minutes off processes here and there. Now, the plant outputs more with 30% fewer employees, many of whom do not work full-time. Keeping things organized uniformly, to the point of asking suppliers to arrange the items in all shipments the same way, has cut down time lost looking for things. Caterpillar has also automated what it can, replacing forklifts with conveyor lines, for example. A major move was redesigning the machines assembled for sale with 20% fewer parts and less steel. A lot of manufacturing takes place abroad, too. Additional measures going into effect include price increases and a requirement that managers reduce the cost of manufacturing every product by at least another 5%.

Gold for Gas & Groceries matthews

Best known for their long receipts in the checkout line, rewards programs offer points with options to get even more points by upgrading to gold or platinum. Ingles has been partnering with Shell gas for fuel rewards, and now Harris Teeter has extended its fuel rewards program beyond its own gas stations to BP and Amoco. The program allows Harris Teeter’s VIC (Very Important Customer) cardholders to earn one fuel 56

| December 2018

or email Callie: cdavis@fo

point for every $1 spent on qualified groceries; more points are earned per dollar spent on gift cards and prescriptions.

The rewards are redeemable in 100-point increments valued at 10¢/gallon each up to a maximum of $1/gallon off a single gas purchase of up to $35. Customers can earn as many points as they like, but they expire on the last day of the following month. BP executive Jo Brecknock described the program as satisfying customer demand for more choices in rewards programs. Headquartered in Matthews, Harris Teeter operates 245 stores in seven states and Washington, D.C..

Four Seasons is Every Moment Matters. provider in We to serving the C o m p a s s i o n f oWhen r L iliving f e with a FourSeasonsCFL.org of Co serious illness, Four Seasons helps you make the most of your moments and feel better doing it.

Call to learn more.

(866) 466.9734 FourSeasonsCFL.org

Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees lexington

In response to a complaint about price gouging, a Wake County Superior Court Judge issued an injunction against a tree-cutting service. It barred three businesses owned by Alva Wilson Lewis from advertising or offering tree or debris removal services in the state. Lewis must now give the state the businesses’ bank records and balance sheets and a list of clients served since September 7. The complainant said she needed three trees removed from her property following Hurricane Florence. An associate from A1 Tree & Storm Relief approached her, falsely representing that the company was a fully-insured, certified arborist. Lewis’ agent first quoted her $4,000 for the job, raised the price to $7,000, and then billed her for $12,000.

Lewis told the court he did not overcharge, but a “tree expert” consulted in the hearing estimated the work at no more than $6,400. Lewis’ three businesses are A1 Tree & Storm Relief, A1 Tree and Storm Damage Relief, and Big Al & Sons Tree Service.

The North Carolina Justice Department received at least 700 complaints about price gouging during Hurricane Florence.

Care Navigation, Home Care, Palliative & Hospice Care, Bereavement Support, Clinical Research

C O N S T R U C T I O N . B U S I N E S S . E M P LOY M E N T.

Delivering Where You Are wilmington

For two weeks following Hurricane Florence, Amazon operated a pop-up pickup location at its Whole Foods Market in Wilmington. It consisted of a staffed tent and Amazon Prime van in the parking lot and served people whose homes were inaccessible to delivery trucks; particularly, those living in temporary shelters. It also received shipments for disaster relief agencies. For its two weeks of operation, customers merely had their Amazon orders weighing less than 35 pounds sent to 3804 Oleander Drive. Shipping rates were the same as if the packages had gone to the consumers’ homes. Wilmington already has an Amazon Locker, but it is typically at-capacity.

Had Amazon not set up the temporary delivery spot, people would have had their orders shipped to stores or held at the local UPS or FedEx terminal. Shipping terminals, however, are typically in industrial areas away from the community centers that are converted to shelters.

PAUL CAPUA, Founder & AV-Preeminent® Rated Civil Trial Lawyer

Now Open in Asheville!

Offering a team-based approach and 24 years of experience.

Meet us and learn more at capualaw.com 9 Walnut St., Ste. 3D, Asheville, NC | 164 S Depot St., Boone, NC

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 57

SANTA'S COMING to town.

58

| December 2018

Asheville’s Bruce Tompkins doesn’t wait until the first week of November to start putting up the holiday decorations in his retail store…

Christmas

EVERY DAY

of the Year written by jennifer fitzger ald

|

photos by anthony harden December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 59

ONE OF TOMPKINS' elves helping a customer.

SANTA'S HERE

ORNAMENTS ABOUND

60

| December 2018

C

C

CHRISTMAS CAROLS SERENADE YOU AS YOU WALK IN the front door. A salutation of “Merry Christmas” is directed at you with a friendly smile. A countdown with the number of days to Christmas is prominently posted. And these are the greetings you receive very day of the year at The Olde World Christmas Shoppe.

Bruce Tompkins is the owner of the store that offers “everything you ever wanted for Christmas.” Ornaments and collectibles in a wide range of price points are showcased in the circa early-1900 house located at 5 Boston Way in Asheville’s Historic Biltmore Village.

Tompkins was born in South Georgia in the little town of Thomasville, Georgia, also the birthplace of actress Joanne Woodward. He likes to tell young people that he is from the same town as Paul Newman’s wife. Oftentimes, they look at him at ask, “Who’s Paul Newman?”

Tompkins, who attended Emory University in Atlanta, previously had a career in marketing with Southern Bell that kept him in Atlanta until they offered him an early retirement.

“We bought several of these buildings [in Biltmore Village] in Asheville about a year before I retired,” remembers Tompkins.

“We didn’t move up here until 1992. We bought these buildings in 1989 and opened the Christmas Shoppe in 1989. And then decided—why don’t we move up there? Our six children had

basically left home. Two were still in college at the time. It worked out well. I’m so glad I’m not in Atlanta right now. It’s a great place for young people to find jobs, but it’s miserable as far as traffic is concerned.”

You may think that in order to open a Christmas store you would have to be related to the Clark Griswold character in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie. Or perhaps wear a Santa hat 365 days a year. This is not the case for Tompkins—he declares that he is not a Christmas fanatic. While the holidays were a big deal for him and visible everywhere when he was growing up, he opened The Olde World Christmas Shoppe because he saw the potential of a good investment.

“I had a sister up here that managed a Christmas shop that was already in the Village. We figured we could open a Christmas shop and she could manage it. Over a short period of time, that didn’t really work out. My wife would come up here and sometimes I would come up on the weekends until I retired in ’91, and then we moved up here.

“I had a lawyer in Atlanta that dealt with the Ingles property department, and Atlanta is not a great investment place for property—you can get real lucky, but that’s basically it. The Ingles people recommended that I come look at the Village.

They felt like it was going to take off. And it did.”

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 61

Smart personal investing for all of life’s seasons

The store was initially located in the building across the street. Tompkins relocated to the current larger location in 1992.

Tompkins’ wife, Brenda, passed away in 2015. He credits her with having a knack for Christmas: “My wife was very good at it. She was very decorative. And we hired some people to help us with that.”

Vital Visitors For a tourist location, a Christmas store is ideal. Tompkins knows and values the tourists who visit Western North Carolina and his business every year. This summer, he saw customers from every corner of the world and every continent except Antarctica.

The Christmas holiday season appears to be getting bigger and arriving earlier each year. Holiday movies and music can now be found even before the Halloween pumpkins are put away.

828.274.7844 | info@wofm.us www.WhiteOakFinancialManagement.com Every Investment Strategy Has The Potential For Profit Or Loss.

62

| December 2018

“We get the locals starting around Thanksgiving. We have a good number of locals who come in that are collectors and we carry things that people collect Christmas-wise. But the rest of the year is basically tourists. I question why some of the people come up here. A few weeks ago, we had two separate couples from Australia. Why would someone from Australia come to Asheville, North Carolina? We get a lot of people from Great Britain and Scotland and South America. “[Asheville is] probably one of the top 10 culinary destinations in the United States, and I think that brings people. We usually ask anybody we wait on where they are from. I guess the most—Illinois and Indiana are very prevalent.

Florida would be the number one.”

Special events such as the recent World Equestrian Games in Tryon and the Chihuly Glass Sculptures at Biltmore also bring an uptick in tourists. While the Christmas Shoppe offers seasonal merchandise, it is open year-round. (His staff includes manager Laura Rathbone and five part-time employees, a few college students among them.) The busiest months are, as one might expect, November and December. As Tompkins pointed out, locals start visiting the shop around Thanksgiving or before, but it is those out-of-town visitors who sustain the

BRUCE TOMPKINS December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 63

bottom line for the rest of the year. An after-Christmas sale is held each year to prepare for inventory.

But what happens in January as people are taking down their holiday decorations and packing them away?

“We’re dead,” admits Tompkins. “Since we do so much those later months, we have the wherewithal to carry us through. Even though January is pretty dead, it is [also] dead in Asheville.

You can go to the mall and rarely see anyone. We start picking up again in April.”

Decorations will be the second highest expense for Christmas celebrators, after gifts. LendEDU polled consumers last year and discovered Christmas decorations will be responsible for 12.69 percent of the total holiday cost, or $89.95. This is not surprising, considering that many trees are decorated before December 1 and light displays shine brightly as neighbors strive to be the “brightest and best” on their block.

Brightest and Best

The selection of merchandise at The Olde World Christmas Shoppe is displayed elegantly throughout the two-story building. The upstairs is fittingly called “Candyland,” as all the ornaments have a sweet treat theme. Downstairs, one room is dedicated to collectibles that include ANRI woodcarvings, Inge-Glas, and Christopher Radko ornaments. Byers Choice handmade figurines are a popular line with a distinctive look.

People return each year to add a piece to their collection.

There is even a layaway plan for those higher dollar items.

And the Christmas holiday season appears to be getting bigger and arriving earlier each year. According to a new Pew Research Center survey, nine in ten Americans (90 percent) say they celebrate Christmas. Gone are the days when Christmas “appears” after Thanksgiving. Holiday movies and music can now be found even before the Halloween pumpkins are put away.

64

| December 2018

Christmas Wonderland

CUSTOMERS HAVE so much to look at and enjoy.

Customers like to browse and look at the colorful displays that include both inexpensive and very expensive items.

“The most challenging part is keeping up with inventory— what changes from year to year, and can we stay on board with these changes,” explains Tompkins. “Because there is a lot of stuff that fades and new things come up. You’ve got to keep a range of decorative type stuff. Some people don’t like some things and other people like weird things. So, we try and mix it.”

An annual buying trip to the Atlanta Merchandise Mart provides Tompkins’ staff with a look at new items. He describes the event as “probably the biggest in the world. It’s held in January. By going to that show we see the new things. Those people have done research on what’s good to carry or what’s not good to carry, and we see things come up, do very well, and then fade.”

The new merchandise gets integrated with classic holiday items such as German Smokers and Nutcrackers, snow globes and Santas—even a replica of the iconic lamp from beloved cult-fave movie A Christmas Story. Pet ornaments are a good December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 65

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A customer exploring the wonders of the Christmas Shoppe.

Safely packaging up a customer's order.

A selection of ornaments on a tree.

This sign gets kids ready for the hunt for a Christmas Pickle. If they f ind the right one, they get a lollipop.

Ever yone smiles at the Shoppe, ‘cause it's Christmas all year round!

Wreath specifcally made for the Asheville resident.

66

| December 2018

seller that can be personalized with your pet’s name.

Asheville-themed ornaments are also big sellers, along with bear ornaments, which could be considered a tribute to the two bears that are seen roaming around the Village.

Ornaments made locally are carried whenever possible, and beautifully decorated wreaths are designed in-house.

Displays are changed constantly as merchandise is sold and new products arrive.

“A lot of the stuff we carry the big box stores don’t. The big box stores are seasonal with Christmas.

We’re not. We do very well in the summertime with tourists.”

A large Christmas pyramid adorns the large window display and mesmerizes those walking by the store. Several smaller versions are also available of this decoration that has its roots in the folklore of the Ore Mountain region of Germany. Made up of a pyramidal outer frame with candle holders and a central carousel with a rotor at the top driven by warm air from the lit candles, they are typically decorated with nativity scenes and other Christmas figures.

Most now operate on electricity rather than candle power.

Many of the ornaments have a vintage, retro feel that dates back to the 1940s and ‘50s. “When I was a child, you bought those ornaments in dime stores,” says Tompkins, somewhat wistfully. “Now you don’t,” he adds, referencing the price point that is much larger than a dime.

Since the opening of the Christmas Shoppe, the landscape of retail shopping has changed considerably in the wake of big box stores and Internet shopping. Tompkins maintains that to his knowledge these changes have not impacted his business—the store does not offer online sales—saying, “A lot of the stuff we carry the big box stores don’t. The big box stores are seasonal with Christmas. We’re not. We do very well in the summertime with tourists. I think a lot of people just enjoy the Christmas environment in this shop.

We get a lot of compliments on it. People come in—and some of these people will stay in this shop for two hours doing nothing but looking.”

Flashback Biltmore Village is thriving today with unique shops and popular restaurants, but when Tompkins purchased three buildings in 1989 it looked very different. There were some “mom and pop” businesses, but often when a building was rented, it wouldn’t be long-term.

“The Village was semi-slum,” he recalls. “And I don’t say that like a New York slum. It was low-end, and a lot of the houses were in need of repair of different degrees.

Then a lady came along and opened Chelsea’s Café & Tea Room. After we started renovating some of these December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 67

buildings, I think people that had strong businesses were desirable to make their business out here. Now it’s a great tourist destination.”

Tompkins still owns two buildings in the Village—the one, of course, where The Olde World Christmas Shoppe is located, and the one across the street which he rents to Estate Jewelry Ltd..

“These houses were built right around 1900, 1904.

A lot of people want to say that the people who worked at the (Biltmore) House lived in this Village—that’s not really true. The head veterinarian on the Estate lived in one of the Village houses, but the average worker at the Estate couldn’t afford to rent out here. A lot of them lived on the street behind us and those are smaller houses.”

(Speaking of common wisdom regarding Biltmore Village: When asked about the dreaded flooding issue that seems to come up at least once a year, Tompkins happily reports that in all of his years of being in business, the shop has only flooded once—in 2004, with four-to-five inches of water on the floor downstairs.)

Since Tompkins moved to Western North Carolina in the early 1990s, the area has seen many changes, including the continued growth of Asheville. There are some downsides to this growth in his opinion, though.

“I love this town. I’m a Rotarian and I participate very much in that. I like where I live—near Beaver Lake. I love the restaurants. My kids love to come up here when they can. I like the town. I’ve been here long enough where I have seen a lot of changes. If you moved here five years ago, you haven’t seen that many because we were well on [the current expansion] path. Asheville probably has some of the highest real estate in the state. And we have three colleges here. The average two-bedroom apartment rents for about $1,400 a month. That’s very hard for a college student.”

Experiencing Christmas Store manager Laura Rathbone says the people are her favorite part of working there, and she likes looking for items that are fun and unique to add to the selection of merchandise.

During my visit I overheard her talking to a couple originally from Arkansas who now live in Raleigh. After spending one night in Asheville, they ate breakfast and made one stop in the Village to check out the Christmas ornaments and purchase one for a gift. Another customer comes in from Minnesota, then Oklahoma, then Simpsonville, South Carolina. She speaks to each of them, asking where they are from and sharing a laugh.

“I really hope we are creating a Christmas atmosphere so they can leave the street or anything else behind and come in here and it’s a wonderland,” she tells me 68

| December 2018

RED AND GREEN and elves all over.

GIFT SHOPPING MADE EASY

b i lt m o r e v i l l ag e Asheville | 828.505.0342 Open daily 10am-Midnight

Custom pools and spas.

We create unique backyard environments 1200-C Hendersonville Rd. Asheville, NC • 828-277-8041 • waterworkswnc.com Swim Spas by American Whirlpool.

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 69

later. “That’s what, really, I think is important. Saying ‘Merry Christmas’ when you walk in the door—some people say you’re rushing it, but that’s not the point.

The point is that we would really like for people to experience Christmas and feel what they can create at home.”

Rathbone wants the shop to offer something for everyone, including children. She notes that there are limited activities for children under the age of 12 in the Village, so a scavenger hunt for kids is now in place inside the shop. The hunt is for a Christmas Pickle ornament, based on the old German tradition of the pickle being the last ornament hung on the Christmas tree and the first child to find the pickle receiving an extra present.

The prize in this hunt—a lollipop.

On another fun note, a sign behind the counter states, “4 days since the Elves Broke Something.”

Rathbone says this is a fun way to track if and when an employee or customer breaks an ornament—a unique twist on the Lost Time Accident scoreboards many companies post.

Santa visited the shop while he was vacationing in Asheville this summer, and he is expected back on December 1 during this year’s Dickens in the Village

“I really hope we are creating a Christmas atmosphere so they can leave the street or anything else behind and come in here and it’s a wonderland. That’s what, really, I think is important. Saying ‘Merry Christmas’ when you walk in the door.”

CAPDec18

11/6/18

2:35 PM

Festival, held the first weekend in December. The festival includes strolling carolers dressed in Dickensian era costumes. Carriage rides and warm roasted chestnuts help set the mood for a perfect holiday weekend throughout the Village.

Page 1

gift it LILLY

Historic Biltmore Village • One All Souls Crescent Asheville, NC • 828.505.8140 • www.shoppalmvillage.com www.facebook.com/Palm.Village.Asheville

70

| December 2018

“The City (of Asheville) has helped us with it,” says Tompkins. “We have a guy name Joey Moore who’s a musician in town, and he does stuff like that and works with events. He has always been on board with us and helps with the Dickens weekend festival. It’s busy and it’s fun. We have food vendors. It’s just fun.”

If given the opportunity, Tompkins would do nothing differently with his business. He never tires of the Christmas carols or the echoes of Merry Christmas throughout the shop. He appreciates the fact that only red and green pens are available for customers to sign their credit card slips. From his upstairs office he has witnessed the revitalization of Biltmore Village and seen the surrounding city and region grow in popularity for locals and visitors alike.

And perhaps most importantly, he offers a dose of Christmas cheer to those who enter The Olde World Christmas Shoppe throughout the year.

“It’s just hard to be in a bad mood in a Christmas store!”

$2.2 Million BUSINESS ACQUISITION SBA LOAN FOR

BUSINESS

VISIT:

“Thank you HomeTrust for helping us execute our business strategy!”

HTBForBusiness.com OR CALL: 828.350.4144 December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

71

column

Corporation or LLC?

You plan to start a business and start making money— first, though, have a conversation about who will run that business and how those profits will get allocated.

“S

M michael palermo

is a business attorney practicing in Western North Carolina (and Chicago).

HOULD WE FORM A CORPOR ATION

or a limited liability company?” This is, by far, the most frequently-asked question I get from startups. Rather than just spout a bunch of general rules about why corporations are the best structure or why you need to form an LLC—which, frankly, do my clients no good—I back them up from this checkbox formality and get them to think about who has an “interest” in their business.

That is: Who will be making decisions within the business; who has an interest in the business that might not rise to the decision-making level; and what profits will the various parties be expecting for their investment. After considering these factors we can then decide “corporation or LLC.” I’ve found that new business owners often fail to consider who will be making decisions within the business—or who thinks they may be making decisions. Your Uncle Bob, who gave you $100k seed money, might want to show up at the shop every day and make critical decisions about the business; you might just want to use his money, pay him his dividends, and see him on holidays. That’s a huge divide between the expectations of the two, which invariably will lead to conflict. “Corporation or LLC” doesn’t solve this problem.

***

At their most basic, corporations and LLCs are agreements between the owners of a business 72

| December 2018

allocating decision-making authority, risks, and profits. This is where I get my clients’ attention.

I’m making them have uncomfortable conversations with interested parties. Before their business might even be launched, they’re making sometimesdifficult decisions about running the business.

The decision might even be, do they want to continue with their current partners? I’ve presided over more than one meeting with folks starting a business where this conversation also ended the business. In one meeting I had with three prospective owners, the guy who was putting up all the money for the business thought he should get most of the profits and run the business; the guy whose manufacturing process was to be used thought he should get most of the profits and run the business; and the guy who introduced the two thought he would be running the business and getting most of the profits.

That business never got past that meeting.

M This example perfectly illustrates my point: Before prospective business partners get to “corporation or LLC,” they first need to decide who will be making the decisions and how profits will be split.

Then we can talk about fitting those goals into “corporation or LLC.” The reality is that most smaller businesses should be corporations, in my opinion. They are the simplest to manage, decision-making hierarchies are clear, and profit allocation is done with simple math. Also, they have been around for over a hundred years, the rules are well-established, and investors and courts are comfortable working with them.

THE CAUTION HERE IS THAT IF SOMEONE OWNS SHARES IN A CORPOR ATION, THEY’LL BE ALLOWED TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS REGARDING HOW IT IS RUN.

So, who makes decisions in a corporation? There are actually three groups of interested parties who make corporate decisions: shareholders, the board of directors, and officers. Between corporate statutes and tradition, there isn’t a lot of variety in allocating control within a corporate structure.

Shareholders make the broadest decisions, and then only a few (keeping in mind there can be overlapping authority, depending on the outcome of that conversation): They elect the board of directors; they might vote on liquidation or bankruptcy of the business; they may vote on whether to issue more shares of the business or change the bylaws; and that’s about it. The caution here is that if someone owns shares in a corporation, they’ll be

Are you ready to solve the DUMPSTER Great news! Sutera is coming to WNC PROBLEM? No Costly & Unsightly Enclosures Required Saves Parking

Regulation MS4 Compliant

Vertical Compaction = Less Pickups Maintenance Free

Animal Resistant

“Our firm has specified several of the Sutera Systems for our clients and we have been extremely impressed with the product as compared to the traditional containment systems used for waste management. Its self-contained design provides a solution that is easy to install and maintain while eliminating odors and promoting recycling. All in all, it’s affordable, clean and aesthetically pleasing, and comparatively speaking it certainly seems to be a better solution from the conventional solutions.”

Joseph Pazdan II, Managing Principal McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

www.suterausa.com info@suterausa.com

Tel. 1-866-524-9082

MULCH | SAND | GRAVEL | MASONRY TOOLS | BOULDERS | BUILDING STONE | THIN STONE | FLAGSTONE

:: ASHEVILLE :: 321 SWEETEN CREEK ROAD 828.575.9400

:: BREVARD :: 415 ROSMAN HIGHWAY 828.883.9680

WWW.FRENCHBROADSTONE.COM December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 73

column

allowed to make at least some decisions regarding how it is run.

The board of directors makes broad, strategic decisions: They determine what direction the business should take; who the officers should be to implement that vision; officer compensation; whether to pay a dividend; and, often, approving spending above a certain amount.

Finally, the corporate officers make the day-to-day decisions to actually run the business in line with the board’s direction.

The bylaws may contain spending limits at which point officers have to get board approval, but ordinarily, the board delegates authority to the officers to do what is necessary to make profits. Corporations are simple. Decision-making authority is structured and clear, and division of profits is straightforward.

Here’s where it gets fun because neither of these have to be connected to the other.

A person can have an economic interest, but not be a member; a person can be a member, but not have an economic interest.

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES CAN GET REALLY COMPLICATED, REALLY QUICKLY, WHICH IS WHY I DISSUADE MOST STARTUPS FROM FORMING THEM.

***

It’s not so simple as that with LLCs. The cool thing about LLCs is that the right to make business decisions, and the right to receive profits, can be allocated and apportioned completely separate from each other.

Let’s start by identifying the two basic pieces of an LLC: One can be a “member” of an LLC, and one can have an “economic interest.” A member gets to vote on company business, much like a director in a corporation. An economic interest holder has a right to receive profits from the company.

74

| December 2018

They are separate and non-dependent interests. Tumble these up, mix them in a mixer, reapportion them however it suits the owners. I think an example will best show how this can work: I had a client back in Chicago who wanted to start a wine bar, but he wanted most of the profits paid to his daughter. She was 14 at the time and obviously couldn’t operate a wine bar. So, we set up a single-member LLC where my client was the sole member and contributed all the capital to the business; the

daughter was to receive 80% of the economic interests (profits) and the father was to receive 20%. As the sole “member,” he made all the decisions about running the business. Instead of him earning the money and being taxed on it, then giving it to her and it being taxed again as a gift, she made the money directly. (Of course, I work with a CPA when putting together complicated structures like this.)

Another recent example: An engineering firm I represented allocated both voting and profits among the two members—67% and 33%, respectively. The 67% member had authority under the operating agreement to make all the decisions. She died; and, by law, her “membership” disappeared (memberships don’t necessarily pass to heirs or subsequent purchasers of an economic interest—another cool thing about LLCs). That meant the 33% member became the sole, thus 100%, member now running the company; but the profits were still split 67/33 percent, with the 67% being paid to her estate. It was a bit of informal succession planning: Had her “membership” passed to her heirs, the 37% member would be subject to the business decisions of people he didn’t want to be, or plan on, partnering with.

Usually, member voting rights are apportioned either per capita (each member gets one vote) or proportionate to the member’s investment (contribute 20% of the capital, your vote weighs 20% toward decisions). Often, though, member voting

rights are per capita but economic interests are distributed proportionately. See how fun this is getting? Sometimes a toplevel manager or a founder with a strong vision might demand a membership allocation such that he can make all the business decisions without fretting that the other members will secondguess his every move. I did this once for a client to entice a sales manager to switch companies; the client gave him 51% of the member voting rights, even though he was given a much smaller percentage of the profits. We then built some “fail-safes” into the operating agreement in case they had to oust him. This illustrates how control and the right to receive profits can be apportioned pretty much how the client wants.

Limited liability companies can get really complicated, really quickly, which is why I dissuade most startups from forming them. And that’s before considering the tax implications, which are similarly complex.

So the answer to, “Should we form a corporation or a limited liability company?” is “Yes! Form a business and start making money!”

But first, have a conversation about who will be making decisions, and how the profits will be split. Then form your business.

Michael Palermo is a lawyer who has represented billiondollar companies and two-person cupcake shops. If your business fits between those, he can probably help you.

Featuring Asheville’s Best Food and Drink

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 75

& sw ee t

savory

~2018 ~ written by marl a hardee milling

76

| December 2018

leisure & libation

It is time for one of our favorite features of the year, and it has been since 2013—a chance to investigate cottage businesses that started in a small kitchen or basement and morphed into a much bigger scale operation. The businesses we chose to profile this year all have two things in common: They are based in Western North Carolina, and they have all moved production of their products to Blue Ridge Food Ventures, which is a 24/7 shared-use commercial kitchen on the Enka campus of AB-Tech.

Executive Director Smithson Mills says Blue Ridge Food Ventures (BRFV) first opened in 2005 and makes it easier for small companies to get started. “There are two main things we bring to the table,” he explains.

“The first is the physical space and physical infrastructure necessary to manufacture, and the second is the technical knowledge we have to formulate products, negotiate the regulatory environment, and meet the expectations of the marketplace to allow the companies to enter with a professionally packaged product that can sell well to consumers.”

In the past 12 months, BRFV has provided space and expertise to 50 companies. While demand is high, space availability continues to open up as successful companies move on.

“Our fastest growth companies ultimately grow out of us,” say Mills. “Right now, we have three million-dollar-plus companies that are in the process of building out their own facilities or arranging their own production.

When they leave, we’ll bring in smaller companies and hopefully grow them into million-plus companies. We are constantly having our hearts broken because our biggest clients leave us.”

Buchi Kombucha began using BRFV in 2009 and now has its own multimillion facility in Marshall. Mills gives a nod to this company as one of the most successful to launch from BRFV. “I think they are now the largest private employer in Marshall, and they are buying other kombucha companies around the country. They’re on a fast growth track.”

Other success stories include Smiling Harrah’s Tempeh, Lusty Monk Mustard, Roots Hummus, Vortex Donuts, and No Evil Foods. (Several of these business—among them No Evil Foods and Roots Hummus, have been featured in the pages of this magazine in the past.)

As for the five new companies we are profiling in this article, Mills predicts, “Come back in three years’ time, and one or two of them may be the next million-dollar company.”

You can bet Capital at Play will be watching.

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 77

leisure & libation

BRIGET TE DEAN

Witch I Love Your Hair! Innovative Hair Products When Zack and Brigette Dean came to a pivotal crossroads in career planning in February 2017, Zack said to Brigette, “Why don’t you bottle your magic and make it a product?”

Brigette had been creating her own hair product for herself and her friends, but she didn’t immediately recognize its business potential. She jokes that with her Romanian and Greek ancestry she’s “like a gypsy or a little witch making up potions,” and one of those potions was a vegan, chemical-free, cruelty-free spray that’s great for reshaping and revitalizing hair. She’s also an avid fan of the ABC TV show Shark Tank, and Zack reminded her that many entrepreneurs begin crafting products in their basements and then grow into multi-milliondollar corporations when others love the products just as much as the creators do.

Within days of his suggestion, they brainstormed a company name and came up with Witch I Love Your Hair! They wanted something that would be funny, yet quickly reveal the purpose of the product. They’ve trademarked the phrase “Witch I Love Your,” which allows them to add on other products.

“We started it from my phone,” says Brigette. “I made the label and logo and bought the domains. I literally learned everything about starting a business from Google. Every question I had I would type into Google—it became my personal mentor and we also watched a lot of Shark Tank.”

78

| December 2018

They were living in Gulf Shores, Alabama, at the time, and Zack’s contract position as entertainment director at a music venue was cancelled. Brigette had been working as a DJ at proms and weddings. Their past includes being in a band together, so they knew they could find new work in the entertainment field, but they were growing weary of separate gigs that kept them apart for long hours. Launching the hair business would allow them to work together doing something fun.

Shark Tank led them to a decision to go “all in” on their idea. Some episodes would showcase entrepreneurs creating a product as a side job or hobby. Others didn’t have money to fully fund their venture or suffered from fear of failure. “We saw a lot of people who wouldn’t make the risk and the sharks would always ask them, ‘Why not?’” says Brigette.

They sold almost everything they owned, packed the rest of their belongings and their dog, Bama, into their Prius, and headed toward Western North Carolina. They’ve since added another canine friend to the mix. They adopted Dwight from an area shelter and named him after Dwight Shrute, a character on the TV show The Office.

Zack’s parents had retired to Sapphire and agreed to let Zack and Brigette move in and focus on building a business in their basement. “If you want real motivation, just move in with your family and tell yourself you need to make sure you didn’t make a mistake. That’s the motivation to get you going, for sure,” says Brigette.

They worked like crazy hand packing bottles and shipping them, working on their Instagram platform and creating YouTube videos. They had a goal of moving out of Zack’s parents’ house in six months—they actually made the move in three photos cour tesy of Witch I Love Your Hair!

months to their current home in Cashiers. “I honestly believe the support of having people rooting for you and celebrating with you directly in the house is 100% the reason we were able to grow so fast,” says Brigette. “You can do anything when your family believes in you.”

Their drive and enthusiasm for their emerging business even caught the attention of producers for Shark Tank. “We can talk about it now, but we had to secretly go through the process without telling anyone,” explained Brigette. “We auditioned for Shark Tank in Atlanta in April of this year. We went through a couple rounds of casting where we’d send more videos and they’d send us more questions. We went pretty far, but we didn’t make it past the last round.”

While they had hoped to have a shark on their team, the show rejection proved positive because it forced them to find a solution to their expansion needs. They knew they couldn’t keep up with demand by filling bottles themselves. While researching co-packers, they found out about Blue Ridge Food Ventures and worked out a business relationship.

The difference in what they are able to produce is amazing.

“They can do in one day what it used to take me two months to make,” says Brigette.

Right now, they are producing 5,000-6,000 bottles each month of their multiple products and hope to keep growing and expanding their product line. They have a hair mist, face serum, and yoga mat cleaner, and expect to soon reveal a new body product.

One of the things that sets these products apart is that Brigette uses crystal chips in her bottles. Actually, her first

“When we first started, I remember just screaming that 10 people had watched a video of mine.” business involved wrapping crystals for jewelry pieces. “I realized that like nail polish or spray paint or anything with a thick consistency that doesn’t mix well, there’s usually an agitator inside—something you shake. I had crystal chips at home. I had been putting drops of essential oils in water for myself and to make it mix better, I put in some crystals. I didn’t realize at first that I had stumbled onto something really potent. It allows you to use the oils in your product without them being diluted, without changing their chemical nature.

We joke that it’s an arm workout, but you let the magic mix up with the crystals every time. You mix it every time you need it. It’s also a cool sound because it’s in an aluminum bottle.”

Even though Blue Ridge Food Ventures has taken the pressure off of their production needs, they are still actively hands-on

BRIGET TE AND ZACK DEAN

and have a great strategy for dividing the responsibilities. “Zack does the heavy lifting,” says Brigette. “He does fulfillment of orders, shipping, packing, and getting the inventory from place to place. He’s the backbone of how the product gets to people. I’m the backbone of communication, all things Internet, customer service, and making silly videos. I’m able to maintain and manage our entire store, orders, customers, anything I can imagine from my phone. It makes me think this really is magical—this is witchcraft right there.”

YouTube videos are another part of the reason this company exists. “I fell deep into a hole of curly hair videos on YouTube,” she confesses, “and I never returned. They say you should do the job that’s your guilty pleasure. What’s the job you would love if you could do it all day? I admitted to my husband that honestly, for me, I love watching curly hair videos. I can watch them a million times. I just wanted to follow that. I really love hair.”

They sell direct to consumer through their website. They have sold wholesale directly to salons and other retailers, but they’re slowly making a move to distribution, which will allow them to reach more customers than they could on their own.

“We have no idea how this whole witchy ride ends, but we’re excited to see how it will unfold,” says Brigette. “When we first started, I remember just screaming that 10 people had watched a video of mine. We get to work together and spend time together and make people feel good. Anything else is just a bonus. If you can enjoy the fun of how unknown and scary and rollercoaster ride entrepreneurship is, it’s kind of like the most daredevil thing we do. I’m just sitting at my desk, but I feel like I’m skydiving.”

Find out more at Witchiloveyourhair.com December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 79

leisure & libation

Darby Farms Health-Conscious Elderberry Syrup Jeni Dover had been making elderberry syrup for her family for years, but she experienced its potential first hand when her husband, Daniel, came down with the flu a few years ago. When she saw him curled up on the couch under a load of blankets beside a wood stove, she made him get a flu test. It came back positive and she gave him elderberry syrup every two hours.

She and her daughter also took the syrup to boost their immune system. Daniel bounced back quickly, and Jeni and her daughter never came down with symptoms.

Last January, after making a batch of the syrup, she put up a message on Facebook to see if any of her friends wanted some. “We try to treat as much as we can in our family naturally and holistically,” says Jeni. “I wanted to help other families stay well. Elderberry has existed for millennia and people have used it for better health. Now in the past 100 years, people have forgotten about medicinal plants to overcome sickness. They rely on antibiotics, but that can result in anti-resistant viruses.” Daniel added,

Black Mountain many times, and had used a processing facility for their meat birds in Marion. They thought moving to the area might be in their 10-year plan, but rising real estate prices in Georgia prompted them to make the move sooner.

“A farmer couldn’t justify the price of land there—it was going for $10 to $15K an acre,” says Daniel. “Prices up here are about $8,000 less per acre. The climate is more stable as well.

In the Georgia heat spells our animals would suffer. We’re kind of climate refugees. I believe in climate change. I’ve seen it in farming. The season starts earlier now and goes longer into the fall. We’re adapting to it.”

They sold 20 head of cattle and 20 head of sheep for a down payment and purchased 76 acres. Forty acres are pasture and the remainder is wooded.

“We are technically a holistic farm,” says Daniel. “We’re beginning to integrate trees and medicinal herbs into the pastures where the animals are, so they can work together

“Our slogan is ‘Straight up good-for-you stuff.’

We put only the stuff that really needs to be there.”

“We believe in modern medicine, but we also believe in balance. It’s about taking your own medical care into your own hands and giving people options.”

The response to her online post surprised them. More than 300 requests for the syrup rolled in within three days.

The Dovers own Darby Farms (named after Jeni’s grandfather Paul Darby) and had relocated from Monroe, Georgia, to Union Mills in Rutherford County a little more than a year ago. They sell eggs and chickens to restaurants and a few small distributors in Atlanta. While farming in Georgia, they had also raised cattle, sheep, hogs, ducks, and turkeys. They loved the Western North Carolina area and had visited 80

| December 2018

symbiotically. We’ll be putting in nut crops— hickory nuts, pecans, and other cultivars that work in this climate. We’re going for certified organic. It’s a three-year process. All of our plant-based proteins will come out of here certified organic. Animals will provide fertility and also provide trimming. The animals help us make the farm perform. People are going more plant based, but we have to achieve balance.

Plants can’t exist without fertility from the animals. That’s the way it’s been for millions of years. You can’t fight nature.”

When the clamor for their elderberry syrup began, they had to make a big shift in their business model almost overnight. They decided to go with it and see how it worked out. Since photos cour tesy of Darby Farms

HEADED OUT for deliver y and selling Elderberr y to the owner of Nature's Storehouse in Tr yon.

that pivotal decision, they’ve produced 4000 bottles of elderberry syrup and the demand continues. They expect to produce 21,000 bottles for the upcoming flu season.

“A few trees grow wild on our property,” says Daniel. “We picked those during the summer and plan to plant more and more.”

At this writing their elderberry syrup is in about 40 stores, but that number continues to increase. “Yesterday alone we added five stores and by the end of the week we’ll have two to three more,” says Jeni. “We have it in pharmacies, health food stores, general mercantile stores, and with some small distributors in Atlanta. We love supporting local, independent stores. We will ship direct to consumer if someone contacts us and they don’t have a store nearby, but we don’t currently have any way to click and buy online.”

In Asheville it is found at French Broad Co-Op, West Village Market, Hopey and Company, and Littlest Birds. Sona Pharmacy in Hendersonville offers free delivery. Other area stores include Carolina Mountain Pharmacy in Candler, Earth Heart in Marion, Zoolies Natural Food Market in Waynesville, Plum Natural Market in Forest City, Food Matters Market and Café in Brevard, Nature’s Storehouse in Tryon, and many others.

An 8-ounce bottle retails for $19.99; 16-ounce for $29.99; and an 8-ounce infant/kid’s version for $21.99. “Our slogan is ‘Straight up good-for-you stuff’,” says Jeni. “We put only the stuff that really needs to be there.” They avoid artificial flavoring, thickeners, and preservatives, and use organic and wild crafted ingredients. The syrup labels indicate it contains elderberries, raw honey, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. The syrup can be taken daily for immune support. In cases of the flu, Jeni recommends taking it every two to three hours to lessen the symptoms.

“Neither of us are physicians and we can’t give medical advice, but I do have customers who take the syrup for diabetes and high blood pressure,” says Jeni. (She adds that it is wise to check first with your primary physician before using the syrup to see if it has any interaction with prescribed medications.)

They began offering a new vegan version in November. It’s a simple syrup sweetened with coconut nectar and good for infants and those following a vegan lifestyle.

The syrup has a two-year shelf life prior to being opened. Once it’s open, it needs to be refrigerated and will last four months.

When it became apparent that the demand would stress the output from Jeni’s kitchen, they found Blue Ridge Food Ventures and currently make elderberry syrup there about every two weeks. “We are going through their co-packing sector,” says Jeni.

“With three children (ages one, four, and 14), a farm to run, and no family living nearby, it’s wonderful to know production will start at BRFV even if we’re running late.”

They have a motor home that serves as an office and as a way to transport the product.

“I say we’re the traveling elderberries,” says Jeni.

Find out more at Facebook.com/darby.farms

DANIEL LOADING up for shipping at BRF V. December 2018 | capitalatplay.com

81

leisure & libation

Firewalker Hot Sauce

HABANERO PEPPERS

HOT SAUCE BEING mixed by owner Franco Donohue.

82

| December 2018

You might say it was a love of football that put Franco Donohue on a path to becoming a food entrepreneur. While growing up in the ‘80s, before Direct TV or cable companies were offering dozens of channels, he says the only way to see your football team play would be to go to a sports bar.

“I can remember going with my dad and brother to sports bars to watch football, and of course, at a sports bar you eat hot wings,” says Franco.

“One week I’d order mild wings. Another week I’d get my courage up and order medium.” As he experimented with different flavors and levels of heat, he became obsessed with spicy food.

That obsession carried into his college days at Appalachian State University in Boone, where he studied business. One day he was bored and thought he’d whip up a hot sauce using whatever was available in his kitchen. His roommates sampled the brown concoction and said, “Man, this is bad!” He agreed and threw it in the trash, but he wasn’t daunted by the challenge to create something better.

“I worked in restaurants and bars all through high school and college, but I never cooked,” he explains. “I waited tables and bartended. I started messing around with other ingredients in my kitchen because I wanted to make something for myself that would be good to eat.”

His experimentation continued, and he would share different versions with friends, co-workers, and people who lived in his apartment building.

“Over a couple of years, I sporadically made tiny batches in my home and got some good feedback, but I didn’t have any mindset of starting a business,” he says. “After about five years of tweaking my recipe, people started wanting to give me money for it. A good friend of mine went on a ski trip and took a bottle of my sauce. Her friends ate it over the course of the trip and two of them wanted to buy more. That was the first time that someone outside of my circle of family and friends says, ‘Wow. Where can I buy this?’”

When he met Ali, the woman who would become his wife, they began talking about forming a hot sauce company. That was around 2011. But things really started heating up when they decided to give the hot sauce away as party favors at their wedding in 2012.

“We had a long, festival wedding—three days and two nights with local bands Sanctum Sully and Underhill Rose. One played the rehearsal and the other did the wedding. We had 10 kegs over the weekend from local breweries and decided to offer our guests Mexican and BBQ. Mamacita’s catered one night and Moe’s BBQ catered another night, and we had our hot sauce there. The owner of Mamacita’s says, ‘Hey, what’s this?’ I told him it’s a hot sauce I created and planned to start a business. He says, ‘I really like it and we’d love to carry it.’ The next day, Sam, a partner in Moe’s on Sweeten Creek Road, says, ‘Wow, this is great. We’d love to have it in our restaurant.’ ” So just like that, they entered wedding life with a brand-new business and two commercial accounts.

He had also become friends with the owners of Appalachian Vintner.

He didn’t even consider it as a potential retail spot for his hot sauce, since at the time they only carried beer and wine. He just wanted them to try it, but when they did, they wanted to sell it.

Another strong connection came during Asheville’s Food and Wine Festival in August 2012. Franco set up a table with samples of the sauce

photos cour tesy of Firewalker

and within the first hour, Chef Joe Scully, co-owner of Corner Kitchen and Chestnut restaurants, stopped by and tasted it. “Right there on the spot he says, ‘You should sign us up for four cases’,” says Franco. “He says he appreciated the flavor profile that it’s not just spicy, but has the flavor of all the ingredients first with the heat coming second.”

Six years later, Firewalker Hot Sauce is found in about 150 restaurants and stores in the Asheville area including Ingles, Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, and Earth Fare. “Most of the restaurants are within an hour’s radius of Asheville,” he says. “Whole Foods in Cary has our sauce and Earth Fare has it in stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. We’re in about a quarter of Ingles’ stores.”

Customers can also purchase bottles of the sauce at Firewalkerhotsauce.com, as well as shirts, hats, and other merchandise. They sell Firewalker Original, which Franco says is about a “5” or “6” out of “10” on the heat index, and a Firewalker Running with the Reaper version, which he says is about an “8.”

“We also do a lot of collaboration. Over the past six years, we’ve done four beer collaborations.

Hi-Wire brewing used our original hot sauce for two versions of its rum barrel aged firewalker porter, and Pisgah Brewing uses it for a seasonal brew, which is a spicy chocolate mole stout. A lot of restaurants also use the hot sauce in their kitchens. Wicked Weed Brewing uses it in their Firewalker pimento cheese. At the Grove Park Inn, we’ve been on the menu at Edison’s and the Sunset Terrace in the remoulades for crab cakes and fried green tomatoes.

Over at The Montford Rooftop Bar at Hyatt Place, they’ve had it for a medium heat chicken wing, and it’s also used at Pack’s Tavern, Mojo Kitchen, and Foggy Mountain.”

Even though his hot sauce has a three-year shelf life, Franco doesn’t like to mass produce the product. He prefers to go into Blue Ridge Food Ventures for production multiple times a month to deliver the freshest product possible to his customers.

“I really don’t know how a company that produces something that has to be cooked and bottled could start

from the ground up without having a facility like Blue Ridge Food Ventures,” he enthuses. “They have hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment—it’s a great facility.”

They don’t use a co-packer to produce the sauce for them.

Franco says he is very hands-on and wants to ensure that his product is made according to his own expertise. “I don’t make it all myself. I don’t have that many arms,” he says.

“I have a great crew. During the actual production, there’s only so much square footage and we really can’t get more than eight people in there at a time, so when we make hot sauce, there’s about eight of us.”

He also ensures the quality of the ingredients used.

“We’re actually one of the only companies that has three

“We have other stuff in the works, but we’ll wait until it’s exactly how we want it to taste. We won’t rush to create a new flavor,” different farms where we grow our own peppers. One farm is in Asheville. One is in Blacksburg, Virginia, and the other is in Greensboro. They are all family farms. In Virginia we have a greenhouse where we grow peppers all year round.

We also have a strong desire to use seeds from our peppers to grow new peppers.”

What’s next? “We have other stuff in the works, but we’ll wait until it’s exactly how we want it to taste. We won’t rush to create a new flavor,” says Franco. “I started this company with the desire to not mask people’s food. We want our flavors to complement the food you are already eating and use a diverse list of ingredients in the hot sauce.”

He names such things as lemons, limes, cranberries, dill, and carrots. “There are a lot of flavors inside the hot sauce that pairs well with a lot of different foods.”

Find out more at Firewalkerhotsauce.com

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 83

leisure & libation

photos cour tesy of Munki Foods

Munki Foods Trail Mixes The story of Munki Foods sounds familiar as it follows a path that many food entrepreneurs take. Gretchen Brown started getting creative in the kitchen and had fun producing snacks that would include some of the flavor profiles that her husband, Matthew, enjoyed while living in his native England. As they tested and sampled different snacks she made, and as friends and family also offered positive feedback, they ultimately decided to produce on a larger scale and offer for sale.

“I was always making stuff to remind Matthew of home and to do a mashup of British and American flavor profiles,” says Gretchen.

They launched Munki Food Company about three and a half years ago and have enjoyed rapid expansion. They offer a line of globally inspired trail mixes and they’re working on a line of granola.

“A lot of the foods in England have a lot of flavor and curry plays a big role. We have Shiva Palace Almonds and Jamaican Jerk Cashews. On the American-influenced side, they offer Beer City BBQ, Bananarama Walnuts, and Espresso Yourself Mocha Walnuts. The product line goes from sweet to spicy,” she says. “We mix nuts and fruits in all of them.

When we do demos, we demo all five at a time to capture a lot of different tastes. We can hit a lot of different people.”

They’re looking at a 2019 launch for their granola and they’ll begin with four flavors. “They have unique profiles as well,” Gretchen says. “They’re not just honey and nut. We push the boundaries and use a lot of flavors.”

Gretchen graduated from Western Carolina University with a degree in professional writing and editing. She began writing instruction manuals for watches and ended up learning the design and layout process. Her 84

| December 2018

GRETCHEN AND MAT THEW

husband studied design in England and continues to work in that field today. He also designed the logo and packaging for Munki Food products.

Gretchen and Matthew met in Orlando, Florida, when they both served as lifeguards at a water park called Wet ‘n Wild. They chose the name Munki because it’s a fun term of endearment for them. “Cheeky monkey is also a term used in the U.K.. We’ll call each other that. We call the dogs that.

Anything fun or playful is monkey to us,” says Gretchen. “We say, ‘Let’s take a name that means love to us. Something that’s positive, fun, and tongue in cheek.’ We wanted to stand out, but we didn’t want people to associate it with an animal.

So, we changed the spelling up to make it a little more fun.”

When they were ready to begin the business, they got a break with Kituah Market, which was once located in Biltmore Village. It has since closed, but served as a springboard for the launch of Munki Foods. “We launched there before the farmer’s markets, and it hasn’t stopped,” says Gretchen. “I was working full-time until recently and Matthew still works full-time.

We’re just now getting ready to more aggressively grow the company.”

Ingles was one of the first major retailers to carry their products and they’re currently in about 60 Ingles stores with the potential to grow. “Ingles runs a local Asheville food program. They have helped us to get our feet wet.”

She also praises Blue Ridge Food Ventures, which is where they now produce the trail mix. “Asheville is super lucky to have BRFV. Without it, many companies would struggle to get started,” she says. “They help out on the initial process and protocol. It’s wonderful not having the overhead to rent your own facility with all the huge machinery. We run the back end

of the business—shipping and all of that out of our home office in North Asheville.”

Their background in design is one of the main reasons they believe they were able to quickly get on store shelves. “Because we started with our packaging design and professionally printed styled bags, we were able to get into places faster than a lot of people starting out because we had a store-ready presence. We jumped in feet first and wanted to go out and put out something that was fun and bold.”

Customers can currently find Munki Foods in a variety of stores in Western North Carolina, Greenville, and Spartanburg, and a couple of places in Tennessee, but the plan is to keep extending into other areas. It’s also easy to purchase on their website. Individual packages begin at $5.99, and multi bag collections (six bags) are priced at $35.77.

Their number one best seller is the Espresso Yourself Mocha Walnuts. “We use coffee from Dynamite Roasting in Black Mountain,” says Gretchen. “We try to use local/regional ingredients. I love Dynamite Roasting—that’s what we drink. I knew I wanted to do a coffee flavor, but coffee can be acidic. It took a little while to get there.”

As for their home life, it’s just Gretchen, Matthew, and their Husky, Luca. “By not having kids, we have more time to travel,” she says. “If we’re going to Canada or California or back to England, we like to eat a lot of different foods. We go into different grocery stores to see what they’ve got and what flavors are popular around the world. We see if there’s something that would translate well into our area. It’s a fun way to go about it.”

She also praises Blue Ridge Food Ventures, which is where they now produce the trail mix. “Asheville is super lucky to have BRFV. Without it, many companies would struggle to get started,”

Find out more at Munkifoodcompany.com December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 85

leisure & libation

COREY MARINO

Catering by Corey Corey Marino of Weaverville knows where she’ll be every weekend—creating meals, appetizers, and other fare for weddings and other special events in the kitchens at Blue Ridge Food Ventures, and then attending to other catering details on-site at the events.

“We book every weekend at BRFV and rent by the hour,” she explained. “That’s where we make everything. We have storage there—it’s our home base.”

The shift to her own catering company happened pretty organically. She went to Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte and worked at the Omni Grove Park Inn for six years as a cook for diners on the Sunset Terrace. Parents of a friend had a luxury vacation rental home and they booked her to provide meals for guests.

“That’s really how I got into catering and the point where I found out that I love catering,” says Corey.

Her business is structured this way: She only accepts events on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and limits it to two events per day. If the events overlap, she has a lead banquet captain who will run one wedding while she runs the other one. They will accept specialty events, but at present 90% of the business is composed of wedding catering.

“I have a wonderful crew of about 30 people who work with us,” she says.

“We have booked 80 weddings this year,” she says. “We do about four a weekend.”

86

| December 2018

This schedule fits in nicely with her husband’s work. Tré Marino, his dad, and his brother work together in Pinnacle Landscapes. Tré works Monday through Thursday, which provides coverage of care for their two kids—a five-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old son.

photos by Evan Anderson

“We have booked 80 weddings this year,” she says. “We do about four a weekend. We provide our menus online at cateringbycorey.org. We are primarily upscale Southern with Latin influences, but we can customize everything. The menu just gives people a good idea of the pricing. Pretty much whatever they want on their menu we can create. We use a lot of BRFV clients, which is nice and convenient. We get our pork and beef from Hickory Nut Gap Farm, trout from Sunburst Farm, seasonal veggies from area farmer’s markets, seitan from No Evil Foods, Tempeh from Smiling Harrah’s, and Woogie’s Beer Mustard.

The menu showcases such items as Asheville Egg Rolls, filled with No Evil Foods seitan and coleslaw and served with Woogie’s Beer Mustard, for $3.99 per person; Strawberry Merlot Soup with cinnamon crème, $3.99 per person; Almond Crusted Trout, featuring trout from Sunburst Farms, $13.99 per person; 5-oz Filet of Beef from Hickory Nut Gap Farm, $15.30 per person; and Bruschetta Tofu at $6.50 per person.

Buffet prices are in the $35 per person range and plated dinners average $45 per person. That includes the staffing

as well. “We did a four-course plated dinner with elaborate appetizers as well as a late-night snack. That was probably our most elaborate wedding,” she says.

Corey has learned over the years to have a Plan B for unexpected situations and challenges: “We have worked at a lot of different venues around Asheville and some are in a field with no running water and no electrical. We come prepared for those types of things. We’ve learned to roll with anything.

I do a site visit prior to every wedding.”

She’s built her business entirely by referral. “Most of my clients come through venues I’ve worked with.” She says she serves as the inclusive caterer at Chestnut Ridge and is also frequently booked for events at Yesterday’s Spaces and The Barn at Honeysuckle Hill, both in Leicester, and The Cabin Ridge and Point Lookout Vineyard, both in Hendersonville.

“We’re always at different venues, which is fun because we get to explore our area every weekend. I really love what I do and feel super lucky to do what I love. It’s a dream job.”

Find out more at Cateringbycorey.org

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 87

People Play at

1

2

3

4

5

7

8

6

1. Anita Slavkoff & Benjamin Walls 2. (L-R) Carolyn Ward, J.D.Lee & his wife Stephanie, with Grace & George Auten

88

| December 2018

3. Alan & Carolyn Ward, with Eve Powell 4. John MacKah & Dotti Smith 5. Clary & Chase Pickering

6. Representative John Ager & his wife Annie 7 . Naomi Henry & Mark Henry 8. Artists Erisa & Jeff Harris

Of Valley & Ridge: A Scenic Journey Through the Blue Ridge Parkway, Benefiting Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Zealandia | Asheville, NC | October 26, 2018 Photos by Bren Photography 9

10

13

9. Wyatt & Kim Stevens 10. Chip & Judy Anderson 11. Paul & Wyndy Bonesteel chat with an artist

11

12

14

12. (L-R) Jim Barber & his wife Linda, with Janet & Michael Foster 13. Guests enjoyed an open bar and delicious spread in the formal dining room of Zealandia

14. (L-R) Dotti Smith, Missy Taylor, Lauren Redfearn, Christine Kitterman, & Harisson Redfearn

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 89

events

december

EVENTS – december 31 North Carolina Arboretum Winter Lights Holiday Tour november 16

6-10PM North Carolina Arboretum 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC

8AM-8PM Grove Arcade 1 Page Ave, Asheville, NC They always manage to deck the halls of this spacious historical architectural gem with splendid taste. It’s well worth a stroll any day, but very special events will be cropping up on occasion.

> 828-275-1993 > grovearcade.com

– january 4 2018 National Gingerbread House Competition Display december 1

Find warmth in the darkest part of the year. Contemplate and celebrate the meaning of light – with 500,000 points of energy-efficient LEDs. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and listed prices do not include processing fees.

>Tickets: Adult $18, Child (5-11) $12, Infant FREE > 828-665-2492 > ncarboretum.org

Omni Grove Park Inn 290 Macon Ave, Asheville, NC

Those unacquainted would be amazed what one can do with gingerbread for this world-famous competition.

Unregistered guests are welcome to visit during low-traffic times specified on the website. Half of parking proceeds will benefit local charities.

> Parking: Self $20, Valet $25 > 828-438-5800 > omnihotels.com

– january 1 Grove Arcade Winter Wonderland december 1

– january 6 Eighth Annual Deck the Trees november 30

9AM-10PM

Monte Vista Hotel 308 West State St, Black Mountain, NC In the tradition, Christmas trees are decorated by local groups, and guests “vote” for the most beautiful through donations to the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry’s Fuel Fund.

> Donations: Appreciated > 828-669-8870 > themontevistahotel.net

– december 2 Toe River Arts Holiday Open Studio Tour november 30

10AM-5PM

Spruce Pine Gallery 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine Over 100 artisans and crafters open their studios to a self-guided tour on a road less traveled. The artists’ reception is Friday from 5:30-7:30 at the Spruce Pine Gallery.

> 828-682-7215 > toeriverarts.org

Protecting your assets, while providing the responsive service you deserve.

Business Home

Auto Life

Health Boat

Hometown Friendly. Multi-State Strong.

(828) 253-2371 90

| December 2018

77 Central Avenue, Suite C, Asheville, NC 28801 www.BankersInsurance.net

december 1-2

december 1

Asheville Flea for Y’All

17th Annual Make-A-Wish Benefit Concert

9AM-5PM (Sat), 10AM-4PM (Sun) WNC Agricultural Center 1301 Fanning Bridge Rd, Fletcher, Nc This shop-op holds potential as the quest rages for that special something for that special someone – antiques, vintage, and handmade one-offs. The bonanza is brought to you by local antiquers Christi and Simon Whiteley and Rebecca Nicholas.

6-11PM The Orange Peel 101 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC

Artists include Chappell with Artimus Pyle, The Log Noggins with Andrew Reed, Mojo Collins, Up Dog, Heather Gillis, and Sunday Social Club.

>Tickets: $14 > 828-398-1837 > nc.wish.org

> Admission: Adult $3, Child FREE > 828-687-1414 > wncagcenter.org

december 3

Hendersonville Community Band Holiday Concert

december 1 & 8

Merry Christmas Greens Market

9AM-2PM Clem’s Cabin 1000 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville, NC

3-4:30PM Blue Ridge Community College Concert Hall 180 West Campus Dr, Flat Rock, NC

your complete your complete Fabric center The French Broad River Garden Club will sell unique gifts and seasonal decor, handmade of natural materials. All proceeds will benefit scholarships for students of Largest selection horticulture and environmental science.

Fabric center

> fbrgcf.org argest selection of upholstery fabric in WNC

Selections run the gamut with “Morning Has Broken,” “Greensleeves,” “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” “Gesu Bambino,” and more.

> Admission: Adult $10,Fast, Student FREE of upholstery friendly Fast, fabric in WNC service friendly service

Drapery material/lining | Comforter and bedspread material

apery material/lining | Comforter and bedspread material

. 25 North

U.S. 25 North

|

Fletcher, NC

| YOUR Fletcher, NC | 684-0801 COMPLETE FABRIC CENTERS Largest selections of upholstery fabric in WNC! LOCATIONS IN: Fletcher & Black Mountain fletcherfoamandfabric.com

|

684-0801

> 828-697-5884 > hcbmusic.com december 6

The Inaugural Venture 15 Awards and Venture Asheville Honors

6-9PM Isis Music Hall 743 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC The 15 fastest-growing startups with headquarters in Buncombe or Haywood County will be honored. Awardees are selected by committee on the basis of their Compounded Annual Growth Rates, but they must be nominated to win.

>Tickets: $21.72 > 828-575-2737dfs > isisasheville.com december 7

Olde Fashioned Christmas 5-8PM Downtown Main Street, Hendersonville, NC

Believe in Abundance

From dreams to reality, let us help you choose the pathway.

How can we make life easier for you?

Offering tax strategies and financial coaching, custom-designed to help achieve your goals.

Tax • Financial Management • Business Growth Securities offered through 1st Global Capital Corp. Member FINRA, SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through 1st Global Advisors, Inc.

40 N. FRENCH BROAD AVENUE, ASHEVILLE NC 828.258.2323 | CLKCPA.COM

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 91

events

Shops on Hendersonville’s historic Main Street will be open late for shopping and sharing a good dose of customer-appreciation hospitality.

> visithendersonvillenc.org december 7

Ye Olde Fashioned Christmas at the Heritage Museum Why Choose Sylvie as Your Tour Guide to Provence, France?

“You see part of France most Americans don’t see and learn the history of a beautiful area of France.”

Les M.

Sylvie Delaunay | 828.423.3148 provencedetours.com

5-8PM

Henderson County Heritage Museum 1 Historic Courthouse Sq #4, Hendersonville, NC If you’re careful, you’ll avoid getting stickies from the delicious light refreshments on the ornaments and other unique gifts for sale at the museum’s store. The Hendersonville High School Bearcat Brass has the audio covered.

> 828-694-1619 > hendersoncountymuseum.com/hchm/ december 8

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

7:30-9PM Brevard College – Porter Center 1 Brevard College Dr, Brevard, NC

The tradition launched in 1918 at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge carries forward with a free service of Christmas readings and age-old carols sung by the college’s Chamber and Concert choirs.

> 828.884.8211 > brevard.edu/the-porter-center/ december 8

It’s Our Business To Make You Look Good.

7 Convenient Locations!

Call (828) 253-3691 Or visit Online at swannanoacleaners.com

92

| December 2018

Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra presents Holidays at the Movies 3-4:30PM & 7:30-9PM

Blue Ridge Community College Concert Hall 180 West Campus Dr, Flat Rock, NC Musicians work to rekindle memories of Christmas past through theme songs from holiday classics on the silver screen.

>Tickets: Adult $40, Youth (0-39) $25 > 828-697-5884 > hendersonvillesymphony.org december 9

Free Planet Radio Album Release 4-6PM Congregation Beth HaTephila 43 North Liberty St, Asheville, NC

The band invites you to a “sound meditation” with selections from their new album, Stillness. The sound is described as world fusion and calming.

>Tickets: Advance $22.29, Day of Show $27.47 > 828-253-4911 > freeplanetradio.com

december 12-19

Asheville Nativity

5-8PM (Mon-Fri), 12-6PM (Sat, Sun) First Baptist Church 5 Oak Street, Asheville, NC

In its third year, local area churches come together to celebrate with nativity sets donated from around the world. Last year, 260 sets from 60 countries were enjoyed by 1200 visitors. Volunteers from the different churches are loaning the sets and signing up for hospitality and music shifts.

> ashevillenativity.org december 13

Vivaldi Gloria

7:30-9PM Brevard College – Porter Center

1 Brevard College Dr, Brevard, NC The Transylvania Choral Society and Brevard College Chamber Singers collaborate on a most excellent work by the masterful composer.

>Tickets: $10 > 828- 884-8211 > brevard.edu/the-porter-center/ december 14 -22

A Christmas Pudding 7:30PM (Fri & Sat), 2PM (Sun) Black Mountain Center for the Arts 225 West State St, Black Mountain, NC Front Porch Theatre at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts presents producer David Birney’s amalgamation of song, story, and poetry from Twain, Shaw, Shakespeare, Longfellow, Dickinson, etc.

The Free Spirit of Enterprise

W E S T E R N N O R T H C A R O L I N A' S

Business Magazine view the current edition or find a pick-up location online

C API TALATPLAY.C OM

> Admission: $20 > 828-669-0930 > blackmountainarts.org december 14

An Appalachian Christmas

7:30-9PM Grace Lutheran Church: 115 East King St, Boone, NC To honor Mountain Home Music’s founder, Joe Shannon, Appalachian performing artists donate their talents to raise funds for the Hospitality House and Santa’s Toy Box.

> mountainhomemusic.com december 14 -23

A Christmas Carol 7:30PM (Fri-Sun), 2:30PM (Sun) Land of the Sky UCC: 15 Overlook Place, Asheville, NC December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 93

events

The Montford Park Players present a free, all-teen version of Charles Dickens’ classic tale of redemption and connection.

> 828-254-5146 > montfordparkplayers.org december 15

Holiday Craft Show

9AM-3PM North Carolina National Guard Armory 2025 Spartanburg Hwy, East Flat Rock, NC Thirty juried crafters display at the Henderson County Crafters Association’s third and final free show of the year.

> 828-674-5157 > hendersoncountycrafters.org december 16

A Swannanoa Solstice

THIS SEASON

GIVE OPPORTUNITY

It’s t he gif t th a t c a n ma k e a l l t h e differenc e a n d it ’s s o e a s y t o g i v e .

Ever y t im e y o u d o n a t e a n i t e m o r s h o p i n our sto re s, y o u ’re s u p p o r t i n g p ro g r a m s that he lp lo c al p e o p l e fi n d e mp l o y m ent and achie v e fi n a n c i a l s e c u r i t y.

Thank y o u f o r c ar i n g .

And happy h o lid a y s .

SH O P .

D O N AT E .

MA K E A D IF F E R E N C E .

100% local | goodwillnwnc.org | December 2018 94 nonprofit | 100%

2PM & 7PM Diana Wortham Theatre: 18 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC To warm up the darkest days of the year, this 16-year tradition brings together high-profile musicians (Al Petteway, Amy White, Robin Bullock, David Holt) in a celebration of local folk music. Supplies for homeless persons finding empowerment with Homeward Bound of WNC will be gratefully collected.

>Tickets: $20 – $60 > 828-257-4530 > dwtheatre.com december 16

Celebration Singers’ Yes, Virginia – The Musical 4PM First Congregational Church: 20 Oak St, Asheville, NC The Celebration Singers of Asheville Community Youth Chorus is a nonprofit musical education program serving talented singers grades 2-12—the kids have performed locally with Asheville Lyric Opera and Asheville Choral Society, additionally appearing nationally (including at Carnegie Hall).

>Tickets: Donations appreciated > 828-230-5778 > singasheville.org

NATURE’S VITAMINS & HERBS Est. 1996

– january 1 Iceless Skating Rink december 18

Mike Rogers, Doctor of Pharmacy, Amber Myers, Holistic Herbalist, & Bill Cheek, B.S. Pharmacy

11AM-7PM Hendersonville Visitor Center 201 South Main St, Hendersonville, NC Each year, around holiday-time, the rink goes up. This year’s rink features two curling lanes. Skates are provided and included with admission. Proceeds benefit Henderson County America in Bloom.

> Admission: Adult $8, Child $5 > 828-768-4413 > hendersoncountyinbloom.com december 21

Lindsey Stirling’s Wanderland Tour

7:30-10:30PM US Cellular Center, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium 87 Haywood St, Asheville, NC

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE ON CBD OIL & SUPPLEMENTS Charlotte’s Web, Palmetto Harmony, Kingdom Harvest & Green Mountain CBD Gaia, Pure Encapsulations, Thorne Research, Barleans, Professional Brands, and More!

752 Biltmore Avenue Asheville | 828-251-0094 naturesvitaminsandherbs.com | M-F: 10AM-6PM Sat: 10AM-4PM

The violinist of dance/electronic music fame is touring with her new Christmas album, “Warmer In The Winter”. Tickets are going fast.

>Tickets: $46.50-$72.50 > 828-259-5736 > uscellularcenterasheville.com december 26 -31

Midnight Blast Holiday Nights 9AM-12AM Appalachian Ski Mountain 940 Ski Mountain Rd, Asheville, NC

The slopes are open extended hours between the holidays.

They’ll also be open Christmas Day from 1-10PM to raise funds for the ski patrol; and on New Year’s Eve starting at 4PM with fireworks closing out the year.

> 828-295-7828 > appskimtn.com december 26 -31

Family Animal Encounters 2-3PM Chimney Rock State Park

61 Weaver Blvd, Weaverville, NC 28787 ✆828.645.8811 1888 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville, NC 28803 ✆828.676.0047 3340 Boylston Hwy, Mills River, NC 28759 ✆828.891.4545 812 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804 ✆828.505.3672 December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 95

events

431 Main St, Chimney Rock, NC

FEATHER YOUR NEST CONSIGNMENT SHOP Specializing in upscale one-of-a-kind furnishings, housewares, home decorative items and vintage & fine jewelry.

New items arriving daily!

Tuesday through Saturday | 10am to 4pm 1215A Greenville Hwy. Hendersonville, NC

828.693.3535

FEATHER YOUR NEST STAGING AND DESIGN SERVICES

Bette Knapp

Susan Schaefer

Chimney Park will be open for spending time with the kids, surrounded by spectacular views, made more expansive after the shedding of leaves. Each day at 2PM, park naturalists will talk about survival in the park this time of year.

(P.S. The elevator is running.)

>Tickets: Adult $15, Youth $7 > 828-625-9611 > chimneyrockpark.com december 29

Jamie Laval’s Celtic Christmas

8-10:30PM Asheville Community Theatre 35 East Walnut Street, Asheville, NC In the tradition, Tryon’s world-famous fiddler and storyteller, Jamie Laval, surrounds himself with world-class talent to celebrate ancient Celtic traditions in music, dance, poetry, and story.

>Tickets: Standard $35, Premium $40 > 828-254-1320 > ashevilletheatre.org

Western North Carolina's Free Spirit of Enterprise

Follow us on Social Media!

december 31

E XC LU S I V E S , A N D M O R E !

96

| December 2018

Cirque Musica Presents:

Crescendo with the Asheville Symphony 8PM until US Cellular Center 87 Haywood St, Asheville, NC

World-class jugglers, acrobats, and contortionists in brilliant costume will interpret selections by the symphony.

>Tickets: $15 – $85 > 828-259-5736 > uscellularcenterasheville.com december 31

New Year’s Eve Apple Rise

6-7PM & 11PM until Historic Henderson County Courthouse Hendersonville, NC

Anybody wishing to go to bed early may celebrate with the Greenwich Mean Time countdown at 7PM. Eastern Standard celebrations begin at 11 with noisemakers, giant Jenga, warming stations, and a 2018 hit parade played by a live DJ.

> 828-697-4884 > hcprd.com

New Year’s Eve Celebration – Live Music with SoulPlay

7PM until Beech Mountain Resort 1007 Beech Mountain Pwy, Beech Mountain, NC

SoulPlay will be funking out for the latenight ice skating. They specialize in classic, funk, disco, beach, and Top 40; but they’ll take on any special request and dedication.

> Admission: General $10, With F O R T I C K E T G I V E AWAY S ,

december 31

Skating $25 > 800-438-2093 > beechmountainresort.com

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 at least six weeks in advance.

VERTICAL PANEL SAWS

EDGEBANDERS

PUTSCH® USA TECH CENTER 352 CANE CREEK ROAD FLETCHER, NC 28732 WWW.PUTSCHUSA.COM/SAWS 800-847-8427

VERTICAL ROUTERS

HORIZONTAL BEAM SAWS

Putsch® Panel Processing proudly serves the Carolinas and beyond with machinery made to increase the quality and production capacity of fabricators in the woodworking, plastics, composites and other panel processing industries. Putsch® also offers complete spare part, technical support and onsite service. Please call 828-684-0671 or email info@putschusa.com for more information.

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 97

We see them when they’re sneaking, They know when you’re away.

We know that they are bad not good, So call us (SCW) for goodness sake!

855-914-2553 | www.scwsecurity.com

Call SCW Security today for your FREE site visit Check in from Anywhere FREE Tech Support 3 Year Warranty 98

| December 2018

December 2018 | capitalatplay.com 99

100

| December 2018