A dream come true. By Tracy McCoy
I
love a great story. One of humble beginnings that includes hard work and ultimate success. You know the kind with a strong family who works hard and has a can-do attitude even in the face of adversity. It’s one thing to watch it on the big screen, but entirely different to sit down to an interview and hear it for yourself. In this issue I will share the story of Janene (Pooh) Lancaster, her husband Todd, and ultimately their beautiful and bright daughter Madison. Born in Hickory, North Carolina, Pooh’s father moved his wife and five children back to his hometown of Cherokee, North Carolina, on the Reservation, in 1973. Mr. Cooper and his wife took a leap of faith soon after and built the first commercial hotel, a Holiday Inn, in the family’s cow pasture. “I grew up in the hospitality industry right there in Cherokee,” she says, “not just hospitality, southern hospitality!” The hotel had a gift shop and Pooh says she always wanted to be a shopkeeper, so she would gather things from the gift shop and set up a table in the conference room, selling to hotel employees. Fast forward a couple decades and she meets and marries a handsome fellow who shares her dream of entrepreneurship. Add to the story three incredible children: Nicholas, Madison and Andrew. The Lancasters purchased the Native American Craft Store in Cherokee. “I was proud of my heritage and loved being able to display the art and crafts made by locals,” Pooh says about the shop she still owns today. The couple bought not one business in Cherokee, but two. Todd became the owner of Smoky Mountain Tubing. The business offers what is now the number one tube trip in Western North Carolina. With over 250 rafts there is no waiting in line to enjoy tubing in the smokies. Owning both businesses and raising three children kept the couple beyond busy, but that’s how they like it. Now, you may be wondering how this story involves Rabun County… hold tight I am getting there. When Pooh sees a need in her community it has been her goal to fill it. Living near Bryson City, North Carolina she knew there was nowhere for women to find clothing and accessories without traveling to Asheville. Pooh decided to open a clothing store called Madison’s on Main, offering an option for women to find the things they needed closer to home. Madison, twelve years old at the time, worked right alongside her mom in the business. It only made sense to utilize the upstairs space over Madison’s on Main in Bryson City, so they created two suites for guests to stay. The Suites by Madison can be found on VRBO and offer a great option for a night away but close to home. If you’ve met Pooh or Madison you know they are smart, confident and beautiful, both inside and out. The pair is unstoppable, even when faced with life altering circumstances. In 2010, Pooh got very sick; the diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma put her down. It was summer in Cherokee. On July 4th weekend with her mom in the bed, her future
58 GML - May 2021
