Asheville, NC: 2009 by Journal Communications

asheville 2009 | imagesasheville.com | video vignettes

north carolina

welcome to foodtopia Green Giant Residents embrace eco-friendly mindset

Eye Candy Excellence Galleries provide full spectrum of arts sponsored by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce

16 2009 EDITION | VOLUME 7

ASHEVILLE NORTH CAROLINA

CO NTE NT S F E AT U R E S 12 GREEN GIANT A prevailing sustainability-focused mindset ensures continued growth in eco-friendly businesses and initiatives.

16 BLESSED BY NATURE The North Carolina Arboretum celebrates the region’s rich botanical diversity.

20 WELCOME TO FOODTOPIA An abundance of quality, distinctive dining establishments makes eating here an extraordinary experience.

28 SERENE COCOA BEAN SCENE Several sweet spots in town aim to satisfy the needs of even the most discriminating chocolate aﬁcionados.

32 EYE CANDY EXCELLENCE Local galleries provide the full spectrum of arts experiences.

54 CELEBRATIONS MADE TO ORDER From ﬁlm, food and ﬁne wine to music, comedy and culture, Asheville festivals suit every interest.

24 IT TAKES A VILLAGE Biltmore Village retains its historic charm through recent expansions that have brought new visitors.

58 HOME OF THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT Biltmore Estate, Biltmore Village and The Grove Park Inn ensure there’s no place like Asheville for Christmas.

ON THE COVER Photo by Lynne Harty Three Treasures by Matthew Miroslav Kabat

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Simplify with Carolina Mornings Carolina Mornings has a much sought after selection of the finest vacation rentals in the Asheville area, from captivating Blue Ridge Mountain chalets and log cabins, to elegant downtown lofts and luxury villas located at the center of Historic Biltmore Village. World-class concierge services … We take pride in planning every detail of your special occasions and milestones, and leave the celebrating to you! We will have spa appointments booked, tee times confirmed and reservations secured. When you stay with Carolina Mornings, expect to be showered with free exclusive activities, superior amenities and detailed, personal attention. Elegant and intimate Biltmore Village Villas … Our Biltmore Village Villas are included on the National Register of Historic Places. Find yourself enveloped in warm grandeur evoked by terrazzo marble floors, 11-foot corbelled ceilings and inviting, stylish decor. Enjoy the comfort and convenience unique to this stately enclave nestled in the heart of Historic Biltmore Village. Free, every day of your stay … Our complimentary, one-of-a-kind Mountain Discovery Pass entitles you to experience a diverse taste of Asheville. Enjoy a free pass to the following activities, each day of your stay – whitewater rafting, skiing, golf, trolley tours, indoor entertainment center for kids of all ages, plus tranquil cruises along Lake Lure!

828.398.0712 www.CarolinaMornings.com

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ASHEVILLE BUSINESS 42 Downtown’s Best Friend The city’s center ﬂourishes today thanks in large part to Public Interest Projects seeing its promise in the 1990s.

D E PA R TM E NT S 8 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Asheville culture

37 Portfolio: people, places and

44 Manufacturing Meets the Next Generation Today’s positions mean elevated skill sets and much larger paychecks.

events that deﬁne Asheville

51 Education

46 Biz Briefs

53 Sports & Recreation

49 Economic Proﬁle

57 Arts & Culture 61 Health & Wellness 63 Community Proﬁle: facts, stats and important numbers to know

This magazine is printed entirely or in part on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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ASHEVILLE NORTH CAROLINA

SENIOR EDITOR LISA BATTLES COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITOR JESSY YANCEY ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER MATT BIGELOW STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DANNY BONVISSUTO, PAMELA COYLE, ANNE GILLEM, KELLI LEVEY, DAN MARKHAM, JOE MORRIS, JESSICA MOZO, AMY STUMPFL DATA MANAGER RANETTA SMITH REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER COLIN WRIGHT SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN M CCORD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BRIAN SMITH PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER ALISON HUNTER GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, JANINE MARYLAND, JESSICA MANNER, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER WEB PROJECT MANAGERS ANDY HARTLEY, YAMEL RUIZ WEB DESIGN LEAD FRANCO SCARAMUZZA WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR, SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITORS/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS, BILL McMEEKIN MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM MANAGING EDITOR/CUSTOM KIM NEWSOM MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, RICHIE FITZPATRICK, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP COMMUNITY PROMOTION DIRECTOR CINDY COMPERRY DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR JAMES SCOLLARD IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE CUSTOM/TRAVEL SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

imagesasheville.com THE DEFINITIVE RELOCATION RESOURCE

What’s On Online nl

DOWNTOWN DRUM CIRCLE Experience the electric energy of the downtown drum circle held in Pritchard Park every Friday night during warm weather months. Watch this and other quick videos in the Interactive section.

RELOCATION Considering a move to this community? We can help. Use our Relocation Tools to discover tips, including how to make your move green, advice about moving pets and help with booking movers.

PHOTOS We’ve added even more prize-winning photography to our online gallery. To see these spectacular photos, click on Photo Gallery.

FACTS & STATS CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

Asheville is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce 36 Montford Ave. • Asheville, NC 28801 Phone: (828) 258-6101 • Fax: (828) 251-0926 www.ashevillechamber.org

Go online to learn even more about: • Schools • Health care • Utilities • Parks • Taxes

LOCAL FLAVOR Asheville’s diversity of quality dining options make it home to the world’s ﬁrst Foodtopian Society. Get a taste of local ﬂavor in our food section.

VISIT ASHEVILLE ONLINE AT IMAGESASHEVILLE.COM ©Copyright 2008 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent. Member

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ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE Asheville magazine gives readers a taste of what makes Asheville tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts. “Find the good – and praise it.”

– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

Member Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce

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Almanac

Breweries Are Hopping Here’s a toast to Asheville, a hit among microbrew enthusiasts. The city is home to a number of these ventures, including Highland Brewing Company, which brews on site. Bruisin’ Ales is a renowned beer-only store with nearly 700 brews from around the world, and Black Mountain’s Pisgah Brewing Company is one of the nation’s few certified organic breweries. Meanwhile, Asheville Brews Cruise provides a bus tour of three of the city’s best breweries – Highland, Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company and French Broad Brewing Co. In addition, keeping everyone up to speed on all of the latest developments in microbrewing is the Beer Guy Tony Kiss, a Citizen-Times columnist.

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy

Leader of the Pack The infrastructure is in. Now come the visuals. Work continues on Pack Square, a 6.5-acre park in the historic central district of downtown Asheville. Current construction includes a natural amphitheater overlooking a performance stage, with an interactive water fountain in front. Plans also include a mid-park area with a pavilion that will create an overall focal point for visitors. Other attractions will include a veterans’ memorial, a paved plaza and original works of art by regional artists. Pack Square will ultimately cost $20 million to build, and its completion is scheduled for September 2009.

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Aah, sweet bliss. National Public Radio correspondent Eric Weiner has traveled the globe, visiting some of the world’s most contented places to compile his book, The Geography of Bliss. It was published in 2007, and the only U.S. city that he highlighted was Asheville, N.C. “You’ve got mountains, beautiful mountains all around,” Weiner says about Asheville in his novel. “You have a tremendous, thriving, artistic community. You have cafés everywhere – every other shop is a coffee shop or a bookstore. “You have a really strong sense of community here. And if I’ve learned anything from researching this book, it’s that other people matter. There’s no such thing as personal happiness – your happiness is part and parcel of those around you,” he writes.

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Astounding Sounding Take note: The Asheville Choral Society is now 150 voices strong. During 2008-09, the choral group is celebrating its 30th anniversary of bringing concerts to Western North Carolina audiences. The chorus is made up solely of volunteers, with many of them having considerable choral experience as professional musicians. The music director is Lenora Thom, who was appointed in 2000 following the retirement of founding director and Music Director Emeritus Dr. Robert P. Keener.

Fast Facts Q AmericanStyle Magazine ranked Asheville No. 2 in 2008 among its Top 25 Small-City Art Destinations. Q Mount Mitchell is at an elevation of 6,684 feet, making it the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. Q In 2008, Forbes listed Asheville No. 26 among its 200 Large Metros that are the Best Places for Business & Careers. Q Biltmore House, America’s largest home, has 250 rooms, 65 fireplaces, 70-foot ceilings, an indoor bowling alley and priceless antiques.

Gifts by the Gifted Need a gift that says Asheville? The Asheville Shop is located in the Asheville Visitor Center, inside the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce building on Montford Avenue. This isn’t the typical souvenir shop, however. While you’ll find the usual things that can serve as mementos of a trip, the inventory includes more out-of-the-ordinary items, such as works by local and performing artists. Also available are books on the Asheville area, as well as cookbooks and locally made food products.

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Q Money.com ranked Asheville No. 41 in its 2008 listing of the 100 Best Places to Live and Launch Careers.

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Almanac

Dollars and Sense Bank on it: Asheville is home to a number of quality banking institutions. There are large, multi-branch institutions like BB&T (the oldest bank in North Carolina) along with Wachovia and Bank of America. All of these institutions credit their longevity in part to their dedication to community involvement. New community banks also seem to be on the rise here, with two founded just in the last year. They are Forest Commercial Bank and Pisgah Community Bank.

Asheville At A Glance

Move It, Move It Moving to Asheville? Lucky you. The Asheville Chamber of Commerce can help you make the transition with ease, thanks to its Complete Asheville Area Relocation Kit. The kits include a phone book, relocation magazine, area map, visitor guide and real estate information. Other publications feature information on banking, storage, insurance and schools. The kits are available for $24.95 online at www.ashevillechamber.org.

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POPULATION (2007 ESTIMATE) Asheville: 72,789 Buncombe County: 226,771 LOCATION Asheville is in Western North Carolina, tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Two major interstates, I-40 and I-26, intersect just outside the city limits.

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BEGINNINGS Asheville was incorporated in 1797 and named in honor of North Carolina Gov. Samuel Ashe. FOR MORE INFORMATION Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce 36 Montford Ave. Asheville, NC 28801 Phone: (828) 258-6101, Fax: (828) 251-0926 www.ashevillechamber.org

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Hendersonville vil e WATCH MORE ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of Asheville at imagesasheville.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.

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Green

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ECO-FRIENDLY MINDSET PREVAILS THROUGHOUT EVERYDAY LIVING STORY BY KELLI LEVEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

espite what Kermit the Frog croons, it actually is easy being green – at least in Asheville, where numerous companies, educational institutions and a growing number of private-public partnerships teach ways to save Mother Earth. People taking on new construction and remodeling projects have a host of resources here to ensure their projects are as environmentally sound as possible. They range from large firms that can oversee building projects from start to finish to specialists in sustainable plumbing systems, energy efficiency and even green-minded interior design. A mainstay for 40 years, Deltec Homes has built its business by creating eco-friendly round homes for its customers while teaching other builders and individuals how to reduce their energy consumption. In addition to building new homes, Deltec’s green team works with customers throughout the year to help them find products that will reduce their environmental impact. “In Asheville, it’s almost expected to do business this way,” says Deltec President and CEO David Hall. “The folks here hold the environment at another level.” Deltec was instrumental in starting the BuildSmart Alliance, a nonprofit group that brings together experts in energy consumption reduction with companies from around western North Carolina that have established themselves as leaders in green building. “We’re trying to make this a one-stop shop for homeowners, and the people in this group have years of experience and loads of integrity,” Hall says. Deltec and another local company, The EcoBuilders, have garnered national acclaim for their building practices and were chosen to build a home for the season finale of the television show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” in New Orleans. Standing at the ready for people tackling green makeovers of their own is Build It Naturally, a local business that renovated a former gas station for its headquarters, where it stocks natural, non-toxic, recycled and renewable building

Deltec Homes is known nationally for its eco-friendly round homes, as well as for educating other builders and individuals about reducing energy consumption.

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and interior design elements. These businesses are just a few of many options available to people exploring ways to build or renovate spaces with the environment in mind. Several locally based Web sites provide listings of these businesses, as well as tips and advice on green home building issues and considerations, such as the Mountain Home Guide and the Sustainable Home, which may be found by visiting www.themayberrygroup.org. The site is maintained by Phillip Gibson, director of community outreach for the Warren Wilson College Environmental Leadership Center in nearby Swannanoa. In 2008, the college cracked the top four among 10 Coolest Schools in the Sierra Club’s annual Green College Guide edition of Sierra magazine. The college has gained such recognition because of several key initiatives on campus, such as its sustainably operated farm, garden and forest that provide food and lumber for the college. In addition, the college’s Mountain Green Lunch and Learn Series provides a forum for in-depth discussions about best practices for developing the region, with green walkabouts afterward to give participants a first-hand look at examples of what they’ve discussed. “In everything we’re doing, we’re trying to convey the informa-

tion and examples either by modeling or teaching,” Gibson says. During the institution’s annual service day, students in the INSULATE! program weatherize homes of elderly residents. “The students manage the entire program, from the energy audits before and after to the actual installation of insulation, and they do the actual work,” Gibson says. “The way we educate the students is by allowing them to do the work and empowering them with the contacts. I’m transferring my knowledge to the students.” In addition, a conference the school sponsors each year on green construction issues continues to grow and attract an ever-broadening audience. And coming soon to downtown Asheville is the National Center for Sustainability, with the structure itself planned to be “the centerpiece of a massive adaptive reuse/historic preservation and building effort,” says Development Director Steve Cochran, who is a partner in Sustainability Strategies LLC, a strategic planning and management consulting firm. Cochran says that the center will work with groups already within the region that provide opportunities for public/private partnering while also attracting new organizations that are taking leadership roles in the sustainability movement.

Warren Wilson College senior Rachel Buedal, left, and junior Nina Otter, right, study near the Doug and Darcy Orr Cottage, one of two buildings on campus with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold rating.

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“In Asheville, it’s almost expected to do business this way. The folks here hold the environment at another level.”

Build It Naturally specializes in natural, non-toxic, recycled and renewable building and interior design elements.

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Blessed by

Nature

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THE REGION’S BOTANICAL DIVERSITY SHINES AT THE NORTH CAROLINA ARBORETUM STORY BY JESSICA MOZO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

f you don’t already have an appreciation for nature, you will after visiting The North Carolina Arboretum. The 434-acre site includes 65 acres of cultivated gardens, 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, indoor and outdoor exhibits, guided Segway tours, two gift shops, the Savory Thyme Café and one of the finest bonsai collections in the nation. “The North Carolina Arboretum tells the plant story of our region,” says Angie Chandler, director of external affairs. “We’re known for our Appalachian culture and heritage, but there’s an important

natural heritage here, too. We’re in one of the most botanically diverse areas in the world. The arboretum helps tell that story and foster an appreciation for plants.” An affiliate of the University of North Carolina, The North Carolina Arboretum educates visitors in a fun, hands-on way. For example, the arboretum was the first to offer Segway tours in the Asheville area, a concept that is now hugely popular. “Our guided Segway tours last three hours and allow you to see the entire 434 acres,” Chandler says. “You go through all different types of forests and get a better understanding of our botanic

diversity. They’re a lot of fun for groups and families, though there are some age restrictions.” The arboretum’s bonsai collection includes more than 100 display specimens, ranging from Japanese maple and Chinese elm to American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. “The bonsai collection lets you see miniature versions of the plants and trees you’d see in our forested land,” Chandler says. Visitors can attend lectures on topics such as beginning the art of bonsai, building a birdhouse, nature journaling

The North Carolina Arboretum spans 434 acres and focuses on education, economic development, research, conservation and garden demonstration with respect to landscape, architecture and plant sciences.

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and painting in the garden. “We work with local plant groups and master gardeners to offer classes on things like herbs and container gardening,” Chandler says. In 2007, The North Carolina Arboretum opened its environmentally friendly Baker Exhibit Center. The building hosts traveling exhibits that change about three times a year.

and the flowers are changed to suit the season. The 2008-09 quilt garden featured plants arranged in the kaleidoscope block pattern. Created in 1986 by the North Carolina General Assembly, the arboretum has deep roots that can be traced back to the 1800s when renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted created the landscape design for the Biltmore Estate.

“Our mission is to provide an exceptional experience, and when people get here, they’re just wowed.” “We have had art exhibits, environmental exhibits and exhibits on insects and the extinction process. All the exhibits focus on plants,” Chandler says. Nine major plant and cultural shows take place at The North Carolina Arboretum each year, including the Carolina Dahlia Society Show in September and the Asheville Quilt Show in August. “The Asheville Quilt Show is phenomenal. There are around 250 quilts from around the country,” Chandler says. “There’s a connection between quilts and plants because historically the dye used to color fabrics came from plants.” There even is a quilt garden that, when viewed from above, resembles traditional patterns used in quilt design. A basic design is chosen for each year,

“His dream was to create an arboretum in Asheville, and the land we’re on was once part of the Vanderbilts’ property,” Chandler explains. “So in some respects, we are the fulfillment of that dream.” Open every day of the year except Christmas Day, the arboretum prides itself on being very accessible to visitors and locals alike. There is no admission charge, but parking is $6 per vehicle. “Our mission is to provide an exceptional experience, and when people get here, they’re just wowed,” Chandler says. “The arboretum provides a sense of peace and serenity and gives people great memories. You can enjoy tremendous natural beauty and learn something at the same time.”

A sculpture titled A Hedge Against Extinction by Martin Webster Below right: A visit to The North Carolina Arboretum provides both a lesson in local plant life and a delight to the senses. Far right: The arboretum opened its environmentally friendly Baker Exhibit Center in 2007.

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Welcome to

Foodtopia

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RESTAURATEURS ENSURE THAT EATING HERE IS ALWAYS EXTRAORDINARY STORY BY JESSICA MOZO PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

sheville residents’ passion for delicious, healthconscious, locally produced food is an important thread in the city’s cultural fabric. That’s why Asheville is home to the world’s first Foodtopian Society, an initiative of the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau that celebrates the city’s thriving food scene. “Asheville has a truly unique restaurant atmosphere,” says Dwight Butner, owner of Vincenzo’s Ristorante & Bistro. “Those of us in the food industry here see ourselves as colleagues, but at the same time, there’s enough rivalry among us to keep us all producing great quality, creative foods.” To learn about the Foodtopian bliss Asheville residents and visitors enjoy, curious epicureans may visit the official Web site at www.foodtopiansociety.com and watch food videos, snag recipes from area restaurants and read suggestions for local food adventures. There are even profiles of local chefs and farmers and an interactive Ask a Farmer feature that lets visitors talk with local producers directly about everything from starting a backyard vegetable garden to the benefits of eating organic foods. Many of the Foodtopian Society’s member restaurants are also part of the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association, or AIR, a flourishing organization of more than 60 restaurants dedicated to fostering a stronger business environment for locally owned and operated restaurants. Vincenzo’s is one such enterprise. “We’re a 20-year-old institution and one of the founding members of AIR, so we’ve been involved with the development of Asheville’s food culture,” Butner says. “We helped pioneer dining in downtown Asheville.” Vincenzo’s boasts an award-winning menu of classic Northern Italian dishes. Popular items at Vincenzo’s include the Filetto Gorgonzola, two seared filet medallions accompanied by a Gorgonzola cream sauce, pine nuts and caramelized shallots, as well as the Ossobuco Milanese, braised veal shank Try the shrimp and sausage chile relleno, left, and beef tenderloin, right, at Martha Nell’s. Above right: David Barker and Natalee Ayottee enjoy lunch at Bistro 1896.

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“When you use heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil, it gives the true ﬂavor of the mountains.” and vegetables served on saffron risotto. “We’re proud of our excellent seafood, too, and we maintain the quality of the restaurant by using local produce whenever possible,” Butner says. “Sometimes we take local products and put an Italian twist on them.” Fiore’s Ristorante Toscana near Pack Square is another AIR member that contributes to Asheville’s Foodtopian atmosphere. “Our concept is Tuscan cuisine,” says Fiore’s chef and co-owner Anthony Cerrato. “It’s fresh, local products delivered as an art form. When you use heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil, it gives the true flavor of the mountains. I go to local farmers markets and handpick a lot of our produce myself.” Fiore’s has been open for 12 years and is named for Cerrato’s Italian grandfather, Fiore Cerrato. Some of Fiore’s best-selling dishes include Tuscan Duck and Figs and Portobello Crab Napoleon. “We use local, organic fresh figs, stuff them with goat cheese and wrap them in fresh basil and prosciutto. They’re served with marinated grilled duck breast,” Cerrato explains. “The Portobello Crab Napoleon is an appetizer with sautéed fresh lump and claw crabmeat, scallions and tomatoes in a sherry cream sauce, layered between grilled Portobello caps

and puff pastry.” In the mood for creatively prepared Southern cuisine with a Texan kick? After 19 years, the restaurant previously known as Café on the Square has revamped its concept and has a new name, Martha Nell’s. The restaurant offers comfort foods such as mountain rainbow trout and crawdads, fried chicken, salads, vegetable pot pies, salmon croquettes and more. Plus, its floor-to-ceiling windows make it a great place to peoplewatch downtown. “When people come here, sometimes it’s their only visit to the South, so we showcase all types of Southern cuisine and how delicious it is. Not everything is fried,” says Vonciel Buchanan Baudouin, co-owner of Martha Nell’s with Michel Baudouin and Tracy Adler. Like Vincenzo’s and Fiore’s, Martha Nell’s incorporates local meats, herbs and produce whenever possible. “Asheville has a such a plethora of home-grown food suppliers that it’s almost an embarrassment of riches,” Baudouin says. “Regional and seasonal food just tastes better. A blueberry from North Carolina will taste better than a blueberry from Michigan because you cut out all the travel time. And these growers are our neighbors, so we like to support them.”

Fiore’s Ristorante has developed a following with its Tuscan-inspired seasonal menu using local, fresh products. Left: Vincenzo’s Ristorante & Bistro offers live music nightly in an elegant yet lively atmosphere.

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It Takes

Village

SHOPPING COMMUNITY RETAINS HISTORIC CHARM AS IT EXPANDS

STORY BY DANNY BONVISSUTO

he past and the future intersect at Biltmore Village, a quaint shopping community at the entrance to the Biltmore Estate. Originally built between the late 1890s and early 1900s by Richard Morris Hunt and Frederick Law Olmsted – the same architect and landscape designer Biltmore Estate owner George Vanderbilt commissioned for the family grounds – the collection of two-story English-style cottages connected by brick sidewalks now houses many independent businesses, such as Interiors of Asheville and Jazzy Giraffe; art galleries Bellagio and Bella Vista; and restaurants Rezaz Restaurant and Enoteca and Kismet Café. “It is really a community of entrepreneurs,” says Stan Collins, president of Biltmore Village Association and the owner of a shop within the community, Once Upon a Time. “In every one of these cottages, the business is run by people who created it.”

For Laura and Hal Mahan, biologists and owners of The Compleat Naturalist, Biltmore Village was the only choice that made sense when they opened their store 16 years ago. The shop’s goods focus on the scientific and educational sides of nature and include geology tools, telescopes, binoculars and more. “We chose this location for its proximity to the Biltmore Estate, which gets the largest tourist draw in Asheville,” Laura Mahan says. “But more than that, we wanted to be independent, and Biltmore Village certainly allowed that. It supports and encourages small business, which is what we wanted.” Similar considerations led Kevin Westmoreland and his business partner, Joe Scully, to open The Corner Kitchen, a pan-American breakfast, lunch and dinner spot, in Biltmore Village five years ago. “We like that it’s a historic district, and going into this 110-year-old building felt like recycling,” Westmoreland says. “We liked being around other locally owned small businesses

Recent expansions to Biltmore Village blend seamlessly with the design of its original 1890s structures.

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PHOTO BY ANTONY BOSHIER

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because that’s what gives Biltmore Village its appeal to other people. They come in, and shop owners recognize them when they walk in the door. It’s more of a community of businesses than a mall.” As part of the continuing growth of Biltmore Village, the Bohemian Hotel Asheville Biltmore Village, part of the Kessler Collection of luxury hotels across the country, opened during the 2008 winter season. The 104-room, Tudor-style hotel with a fine-dining restaurant, lounge, spa and art gallery “essentially duplicates the exterior look within Biltmore Village,” Collins says. “We hope to complement what’s already existing in the community,” says Jacqueline Edwards, director of sales and marketing for the new property. “We’ve taken into account the historical components of Biltmore Village with the construction of the hotel.” Collins says he hopes the hotel will yield returns for the other businesses there by increasing foot traffic. “It’s ideal in the sense that there’s a place where people can come and stay and walk around the village,” he says.

PHOTOS BY IAN CURCIO

Biltmore Village shoppers will find everything from national brands to one-of-a-kind items at locally owned boutiques and galleries, all in a quaint, historic setting.

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Serene

Cocoa Bean Scene

SEVERAL SPOTS AIM TO SATISFY SWEET TOOTH STORY BY ANNE GILLEM PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

rom truffles and dipped strawberries to pastries and fudge, Asheville is a chocolate lover’s paradise. At The Chocolate Fetish, French Broad Chocolate Lounge and newcomer Kilwin’s Chocolates, Fudge and Ice Cream, there’s always something delectable to tempt a sweet tooth. The Chocolate Fetish, at 36 Haywood St., has been a fixture for more than two decades. Sue and Bill Foley bought the business seven years ago after retiring from a career that took them all over the world. “We bought it, and combining Bill’s marketing and sales background and my background in food, and having lived in Belgium and other places, we were able to grow the business and bring new ideas and new things to it,” says Sue Foley. “We’ve worked hard to make it very much like a lot of European chocolate shops.” The Chocolate Fetish is known for its truffles – both American-style and European-style. All of the shop’s truffles are made without preservatives and without vegetable oil. “The only thing added to them is flavorings,” Foley says. “We try to keep them as simple as possible – they’re just as pure as possible in flavor.” 28

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Chocoholics, rejoice. Asheville is home to a handful of confectioners with the sole purpose of satisfying the sweet tooth of residents and visitors. These artfully presented candies are carried at Kilwinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chocolates, Fudge & Ice Cream.

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In April 2008, Kilwin’s Chocolates, Fudge & Ice Cream joined The Chocolate Fetish and French Broad Chocolate Lounge as the newest arrival on the city’s burgeoning sweets scene. All three businesses are located downtown.

Another unique offering at The Chocolate Fetish is the Smash Cake, which can make any occasion especially memorable. The dessert is a work of art with a solid chocolate shell. To serve the cake, it is smashed with a hammer, to the delight of guests, Foley says. French Broad Chocolate Lounge opened at 10 S. Lexington Ave. in February 2008, about a year after Dan and Jael Rattigan followed their dream and founded French Broad Luscious Chocolates, purveyor of a wide variety of truffles and caramels. Their products are served in the lounge. “We want to provide a space for people to come and enjoy and taste chocolate – to have a unique experience in which they can relax and be in an environment that is nurturing to the enjoyment of tasting food and savoring it,” says Dan Rattigan. In addition to truffles and desserts, the lounge serves pastries, wine, beer and French-press coffee. A signature offering is the Liquid Truffle, a European-style sipping chocolate served warm in a glass. Tom and Marcy Gallagher left law careers in Florida to move to Asheville, where they opened a Kilwin’s Chocolates, Fudge and Ice Cream franchise in April 2008. At Kilwin’s, located at 26 Battery Park, the Gallaghers offer hand-paddled fudge, caramel corn, caramel apples, chocolates, chocolate-dipped strawberries and 32 flavors of ice cream. “It has been a wonderful thing for all of us and we hope for Asheville, too. It’s a fun place,” says Marcy Gallagher. “Our products speak for themselves; the main thing that sets us apart is our customer service. We want our customers to be happy when they come in and even happier when they leave.” Sue Foley says the nature of the inventory certainly helps. “Having a chocolate shop is just such a neat thing because most of the time the employees are happy,” Foley says. “It’s a fun environment to be in. The customers are happy; most of the time they buy something and they leave happy.” ASHEVILLE

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Eye

Candy GALLERIES PROVIDE FULL SPECTRUM OF ARTS EXPERIENCES

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN

BRIAN M C CORD

iles Bender says art is among three vital things that consistently draw people to Asheville. “About 2 million people a year come here to experience the Blue Ridge Mountains, while around 1.5 million tourists arrive to see the Biltmore mansion,” says Bender, who co-owns The Bender Gallery on Haywood Street with his wife, Bernadette. “Meanwhile, approximately 500,000 visitors travel here specifically because of the excellent variety of fine visual art.” Bender adds that while some galleries around the United States might struggle during difficult economic times, art venues in Asheville always seem to do well. “This city has long been an arts destination, but things

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Details of a shimmering glass work titled Portal by artist Peter Muller, on display at The Bender Gallery

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really seemed to take off about 15 years ago or so,” Bender says. “We are close to Charleston, Atlanta, Knoxville and Charlotte, and those people like to go away for weekends. Often times, they drive to Asheville.” The Bender Gallery is the region’s largest glass art gallery, as well as one of the largest galleries in all of Asheville. “We represent more than 100 glass artists, with many of them living throughout the country while some even reside around the world,” Bender says. “Collectors tell me that our quality and diversity is what they appreciate about us, and why they keep returning so often.” Another top stop in Asheville for excellent art is Blue Spiral 1, a 15,500-square-foot, threelevel building that offers Southeastern fine arts and crafts. Blue Spiral 1 annually presents 30 exhibitions of sculpture, paintings, objects and photography. And at Grovewood Gallery, exhibits include handmade American crafts by 500 artisans who specialize in ceramics, glass, jewelry, garden sculpture and studio furniture. Even the building that houses Grovewood Gallery is unusual – a 1917 English-style cottage. Meanwhile, American Folk Art & Framing showcases wood-fired pottery of the region. Many of the artists featured in the gallery also have works in the Smithsonian Institution and other American museums. “The pottery on display is created by potters who are still digging their own clay and who continue to fire in wood-fired kilns,” says Betsy-Rose Weiss, owner of American Folk Art & Framing. Weiss says she was a collector prior to owning her gallery and points out that many of the artists she represents are true visionaries in the pottery field. “Like the other art venue owners in Asheville, I know my gallery, I know my artists and I know my clients,” she says. “The artists we deal with at American Folk Art are acclaimed, and the excellent reputation of our gallery and others in Asheville is exactly why so many art enthusiasts travel here each year.”

A free-form blown glass bowl by Robert F. Clair is displayed in the forefront of Bottled Emotions by Jeff Crandall at The Bender Gallery. PHOTO BY BRIAN M CORD Right: Grovewood Gallery Top right: American Folk Art and Framing showcases wood-fired pottery of the region. C

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Cornering the Market COMMUNITY GROCERY STORE PRIDES ITSELF ON DIVERSE INVENTORY AND CLIENTELE

he inventory at Grove Corner Market includes basic groceries, specialty foods, themed gift baskets, beer, wine, sundries, bath and body care products, a hot bar and, most recently, a salad bar and prepared meals. The Perch, the upstairs sitting area, started hosting youth open-mic afternoons in October with performers as young as age 5. Original artwork rotates every month or two. In addition, the space is used for Spanish classes, wine tastings, board meetings and corporate parties. The shop, part of the Grove Arcade Public Market, celebrated its first six years in business in December 2008. Co-owner Rosanne Kiely hopes year seven brings more of what the spot has become known for – diverse offerings and clientele. “We really like that it is a welcoming place,” she says. “All aspects, all parts of the community come in here, from those on fixed incomes and the elderly to vacation people and the high-end condo people. They are all in here rubbing shoulders.” Building such a community foundation took time. Traffic was slow in the first few years, Kiely says, so the owners tinkered with the store’s offerings and schedule as downtown density picked up. Today, store hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., considerably extended beyond their initial hours of operation. The store also will deliver and cater. Wine and deli sales anchor the market these days, and Kiely still stocks some of the specialty foods with which the market began, but has fine-tuned the selection. Downtown Asheville, it seems, did not have a big appetite for preserved lemons or lingonberry spread. Like a true entrepreneur, though, Kiely used the lingonberry spread that sat on the shelves to create the market’s signature sandwich: turkey lingonberry on sourdough currant bread. “What has helped us more than anything is time,” Kiely says. ASHEVILLE

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Grove Corner Market is located in The Grove Arcade Public Market and proudly offers everything “from PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) to caviar.”

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Today’s News Brought to You by AvL

hat was one man’s hobby 15 years ago has become a successful local enterprise that employs 150 people. The company, AvL Technologies, makes mobile satellite antenna systems for the U.S. military and news agencies around the globe. The company started in 1994 when Jim Oliver undertook a project for a friend. Oliver had been running a satellite company in Atlanta and, after selling it, considered this new venture a hobby. Oliver got more requests and had to decide

whether he had a hobby or a business. Luckily for Asheville, he picked the latter. He hired his first employee in 1998 and moved into a business incubator at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College. Major global news events in the last decade have created a more pressing need for on-the-spot communications for news gatherers, government agencies and relief organizations. Increasing the speed of communication usually requires new and improved technology;

in this case, satellite antennas that could be easily mounted atop trucks and operations sites. “We invaded Iraq, and the dam broke,” says Oliver, AvL’s founder and president. When CNN was getting its digital images back to the U.S. more quickly than the military, AvL put together a system for the ground forces. Traditionally, parts orders from the front line were carried by floppy disk by truck back to camp, until that job became simply too dangerous. To meet that challenge, AvL came up with an antenna that could find a satellite with the punch of a single button, enabling troops to send their orders back to camp digitally. The company already had created a similar system that was well received by Red Cross responders and volunteers because of its easy use. AvL maintains a good relationship with the community college, which continues to provide a dependable stream of job candidates. Oliver says India, China and other countries are a growing market for AvL’s products. But the bottom line is all about home. “We are all about creating jobs for Asheville,” Oliver says. “Our basic business philosophy is to do good work and make a good product.”

AvL Technologies specializes in mobile satellite antenna systems.

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Well-known local restaurateur Joe Eckert serves as president of the Asheville Downtown Association.

BRIAN M C CORD

Preserving Downtown’s Unique Flavor

oe Eckert grows businesses, helped grow downtown Asheville and has started growing vegetables for his restaurants. These days, Eckert has his focus trained on how to further nurture downtown development. Eckert is president of the Asheville Downtown Association, a group that aims to be “the voice of the people.” For a city known as an artsy, funky haven that draws residents looking for something different, this next stage holds many important considerations and decisions for city leaders. “The first generation was getting people here, developing small businesses,” Eckert says. “The second phase is major development, with major hotels and condominiums.” Eckert is a grassroots guy. He and his wife, Joan, relocated from outside Philadelphia. They started The Laughing Seed Café in 1991 in the basement of the YMCA. The popular vegetarian spot moved to its Wall Street location two years later and is now a downtown institution. Its foyer serves as a community resource center. Jack of the Wood, a Celtic-styled pub also owned by the Eckerts, is on the first level. Green Man Brewing and Tasting Room, another Eckert project, is a few blocks away. “We got here right at the dawn of this whole growth,” Joe Eckert says. “We felt fortunate and satisfied. People were coming from all over. It was the flavor. You could tell people were really looking for it because they weren’t getting it in bigger cities or the suburbs.” Now, the challenge is to encourage investment while maintaining the great quality of life downtown Asheville already has, Eckert says, adding, “We have to have a balance.”

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Brimming With Creative Energy

IAN CURCIO

rtist Jonas Gerard is all about energy and says Asheville is brimming with the good kind. Born in Morocco in 1941, Gerard and his family fled the country’s political turmoil and moved to the U.S. when he was 13. After establishing a national reputation in Miami, he checked out Asheville at the suggestion of his daughter, who is head of the art department at East Tennessee State University. He moved and opened his studio in 2007. “There is something about this place,” Gerard says of Asheville. “I could feel it in the air.” Gerard regularly does “performance paintings” to music in his River Arts District studio. “My work is about the process of allowing creative energy to come through,” he says. “When I perform outdoors, or in the studio, I feel on the spot. They come here to see the truth, and you’ve got to give them the best you’ve got. The colors, the music, tell me what to do.” Mostly self-taught, Gerard works with acrylics on canvas, mixed media, collage, and painted wood and painted steel sculpture. The bold, expressive paintings all but jump off the canvas. We the People, a commissioned work to mark the U.S. Bicentennial, is now part of the Smithsonian’s permanent collection. Gerard’s work is in numerous museums as well as public and private collections. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines in Oslo, Norway, Sassoon Fashions in New York and Diageo, United Distillers & Vintners in Miami are among the many entities that have commissioned special pieces. On the local level, Gerard was voted the Asheville Arts Council Artist of the Year in 2008.

Renowned artist Jonas Gerard creates a painting in his studio located in the River Arts District.

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Restoring a Deco Dining Destination D serves breakfast and lunch, and the basement will hold a wine cellar and special event venue that will seat 150. “We are basically having to redo the entire basement level, because nothing was down there,” he says. “In the main dining area, we replaced light fixtures, built a nice bar on the mezzanine floor and just restored what was there.” Within the top of the structure, Moberg added 1 1/2 floors and built 10 condominiums ranging in price from $250,000 to $750,000. They were not a

eveloper Steve Moberg had his eye on the S&W Cafeteria building for several years. The building on Patton Avenue is one of downtown Asheville’s Art Deco landmarks and earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Moberg had the building under contract in August 2007 and moved fast, preserving its distinctive interiors and exterior flourishes. Today, patrons at the building’s two new restaurants are surrounded by details that Douglas Ellington, the original architect, once wrote added “a note of gaiety.” One of the grand, arched windows is the backdrop for a bar that is part of S&W Steak and Wine, an upscale restaurant opened in May 2008. Moberg kept the original marble steps; the walls have porcelain tiles; and the soaring ceilings are of sculpted plaster. The architectural treasure also houses a casual eatery, Corner House Café, which

hard sell, he says. Ellington came to appreciate the Art Deco style during his studies in Paris and became known for incorporating color to exterior facades. Touches of blue, cream, gold and green help make the S&W, built in 1929, one-of-a-kind. Ellington, who died in 1960, certainly left his mark on Asheville, including his own summer home and First Baptist Church, which also is on the National Register. – Stories by Pamela Coyle

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The historic S&W Cafeteria building was completed in 1929.

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Business

Downtown’s

Best Friend PUBLIC INTEREST PROJECTS INC. HELPS CITY CENTER SURVIVE AND THRIVE STORY BY JOE MORRIS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

ven though whole sections of it had fallen upon hard times by the early 1990s, downtown Asheville still had plenty of potential. Luckily for many historic buildings that might be gone today, Public Interest Projects Inc. came along and saw promise. PIP is a real estate development firm that was founded by Julian Price and Pat Whalen. Price, a philanthropist, and Whalen, an attorney, had an interest in seeing downtown rebound, but as a mixed-use city center that would offer both residential and business development opportunities. The two provided access to capital as well as management assistance to start-up businesses, while at the same time bought properties for conversion into living spaces. Almost 20 years later, the list of successes is exhaustive, and PIP is credited by many with creating the vibrant urban core that is associated with today’s

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downtown Asheville. To get a sense of the type of business that has blossomed after connecting with PIP, consider the first: the Laughing Seed. “Joe and Joan Eckert had a vegetarian lunch counter at the Asheville YMCA, and we believed Asheville would be excited to support a great vegetarian restaurant,” says Karen Ramshaw, vice president at PIP. “PIP provided financing and worked on management issues with them for a few years. When Joe and Joan opened Jack in the Wood, they had the necessary business experience, and PIP had only a minor financial role in their new venture.” That model of pitching in early, then stepping back, has also been the approach PIP has taken at Zambra, a restaurant that the organization operated until it brought in Peter Slamp as general manager and Adam Bannasch as executive chef. The two now have formed a partnership and are buying the restaurant with their portion of a ASHEVILLE

profit-sharing system. “We came here about three years ago, and when the opportunity was presented to me to basically invest in the restaurant along with Peter, I went for it,” Bannasch says. “PIP is really big on bringing people into the downtown area, and they’re very influential in Asheville. They’re an asset to have in your corner.” Early on, PIP realized that housing would be key to any kind of sustained downtown vitality, so it began purchasing and rehabbing historic structures. An early project, the fire-damaged Carolina Apartments, was redone and is consistently fully occupied, while the Smith Carrier Building – also known as the old Penney’s building – was the first of many condo projects. Happily for Jim

and Laurel Houser, they were able to get in on that project early. “We were looking around downtown for a second home,” Jim Houser recalls. “We were told to talk to PIP, and we toured the building with Karen. It was a hulk, but you could see the potential. We got to the top floor, saw the windows and the views, and signed up.” That was almost 20 years ago, and Houser says that PIP’s residentialrenovation knack remains unblemished. “They have a real sense of how to do a unit that appeals to a good spectrum of people,” he says. “They’re very smart, and success has followed that, but they also have a big heart and do things that are good for the city.” Indeed, PIP has a definite vision.

“Asheville is a working city, not a theme park, and downtown is going to grow,” Ramshaw says. “We need to be sure that we grow well – that the elements that have contributed to the success of our downtown, such as sustainable local businesses, an environment that welcomes and nurtures a diverse crosssection of our community, a safe, walkable environment, a vibrant arts community and a range of housing options, are protected.”

WATCH MORE ONLINE | Enjoy a glimpse of downtown Asheville at imagesasheville.com.

Clockwise from above left: Downtown Asheville owes much of its visual appeal to real estate development firm Public Interest Projects Inc. PIP has had a hand in several downtown businesses, including the development of Zambra tapas bar and restaurant. Left: PIP renovated the Smith Carrier Building to include residential space for condominiums.

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Business

Manufacturing Meets the

Next Genera

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TODAY’S POSITIONS MEAN ELEVATED SKILLS AND GREATER PAY STORY BY PAMELA COYLE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

hese are not the manufacturing jobs of your grandfather’s generation or even your dad’s. They are highly technical, require more skill and pay much better, and the greater Asheville area is building a reputation as a place for them. According to the Asheville Metro Business Research Center, the manufacturing sector pays the highest average wages in Buncombe County. The current challenge is creating a steady pipeline of skilled workers to fill these positions. That’s why employers are reaching out to create specialized training programs to do exactly that. They’ve got the help of the Economic Development Coalition of Asheville – Buncombe County and The Asheville Hub, a community leadership group that has targeted advanced manufacturing as one of seven regional strengths. “The overarching goal is to strengthen partnerships with manufacturing and education to communicate to students the very viable opportunities in Western North Carolina,” says Clark Duncan, the EDC’s director of business and industry services. “The message goes out to all of them. You need engineers, management, design, research and development and production. Manufacturing is a wealth creator across all income levels.” Eaton Corporation, which makes equipment for electrical distribution and control, is one of the region’s largest private employers, with more than 1,000 people at two facilities. All prospective

manufacturing employees must take a 55-hour training course at AshevilleBuncombe Technical Community College that covers basic electrical concepts, lean manufacturing, basic math and measuring and teaming skills. “It’s been working very, very well,” says Mike Keenan, Eaton’s manager of human resources. “In the last two to three years, we’ve brought in 200 new hires.” Unison Engine Components, which makes rotating jet engines, grabs potential employees even earlier. It started an apprenticeship program in fall 2005 with eight students from Pisgah High School. The program has expanded to Madison and Asheville High Schools, and Unison offered jobs to all six of its recent apprentices, says Heidi Alexander, a human resources generalist. The big companies aren’t the only ones benefiting. Smoky Mountain Machining, a shop that started in 1978, grew from about 50 to more than 80 employees in the last year. The demand for turbine engines and components is so great that the company has turned down work because it didn’t have enough space or machinists, says controller Danny Hardin. Smoky Mountain gets most of its employees at the EDC’s annual Homecoming Job Fair, which drew 50 employers and more than 800 job seekers in 2007. “They come home for Christmas, and we try to capture them while they’re here,” Hardin says.

Trevor Burchfield is an apprentice at Unison Engine Components.

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Business | Biz Briefs

BRIAN M C CORD

and individual clients. But it’s the work they do behind the camera and in the editing room that carries the most promise for clients. “The ability to broadcast video on the Internet is causing our market to explode,” says Eric Larson, who operates Stellar Media with his wife, Marian. “We help people get videos online through things like YouTube or viral marketing.” A second business operated by Larson, Wedding Bell Videos, serves as a weekend complement to the Monday-Friday operations of Stellar Media. But both businesses carry the same commitment from the company’s founder. “We believe in creating high-quality digital media at a price businesses, organizations and individuals can afford,” says Larson, who has two other fulltime employees at Stellar Media’s studio in Candler.

EcoTrips utilizes environmentally friendly Global Electric Motorcars to transport its passengers to destinations in and around the city.

GEM OF AN IDEA Russell Keith’s Global Electric Motorcars combine the convenience of the taxi with the gasoline requirements of a bicycle. Keith operates EcoTrips, an environmentally friendly transportation system for tourists, wedding parties, nightclub visitors and other interested parties in Asheville. His two-car fleet of streetlegal GEM vehicles can carry up to five passengers, plus baggage, in and around the city. The cars are enclosed with seat belts and have heating for cold weather to ensure a safe, pleasant trip. “They are like souped-up golf carts,” Keith says of his vehicles, which can travel up to 30 miles per hour and run for about 35 miles before they need recharging. 46

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The EcoTrips service runs from 9 a.m. to midnight weekdays and until 2 a.m. on weekends. As more residents and tourists take advantage of this emission-free system of travel, Keith is encouraging customers to call in advance for reservations. Guests can book a block of time to allow for numerous trips, or call for a single run. CRAFTING A PERFECT MESSAGE YouTube videos have to come from somewhere. In Asheville, they’re increasingly coming from Stellar Media. The four-year-old company provides several core services, including editorial, video, animation and Web site development for its mix of business, nonprofit

CFOs FOR HIRE For many customers of CFO Consultants, a successful engagement of the Asheville firm can be measured when they no longer require its services. CFO Consultants provides part-time, interim and temporary financial executive services to companies throughout the region. Clients can be those between management hires, companies in a transitional growth period or smaller companies that are not yet in need of a full-time financial manager. “A lot of the companies we work for have outgrown a bookkeeper, but are not old enough, or large enough, to have a controller,” says Mike Sowinski, the founder of CFO Consultants. “They’re in that critical and challenging growth role, and a lot of them get to the size where they eventually have an in-house function.” Sowinski and fellow consultant Aaron Blackmoor provide financial management, analysis and forecasting beyond the scope of the typical bookkeeper/accountant for their clients. And CFO Consultants tailors its services to meet the individual client’s needs, whether it’s a one-time, short-term effort or an ongoing service to companies that keep the analysts on retainer. WOODWORKING NIRVANA During Tom Gholson’s active woodworking days, he kept a tally of the merchandise he needed but could not ASHEVILLE

find locally. When his list grew long enough, Gholson opened a store with all of those elusive items. His store, Asheville Hardware, has become a woodworker’s paradise, providing the equipment, instruction and other accessories for the serious woodcrafter. “It’s everything a woodworker needs, including advice,” says Rebecca Gholson, Tom’s wife and business partner in Asheville Hardware. The downtown shop, housed in a renovated Art Deco building at 91 Biltmore Ave., offers hand tools, stationary shop tools, precise measuring tools and exotic and domestic woods, plus a large book and DVD section. Additionally, the Gholsons established a woodworking school in the building’s basement, with experts teaching a variety of courses. The store’s commitment to the trade has resulted in a customer base that will travel up to 100 miles to shop there. “Professional and amateur woodworkers are passionate when they find a quality brick-and-mortar store,” Rebecca Gholson says.

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PUTTING THE BIO IN BIOWHEELS The proprietors of BioWheels have long been proponents of green living. And when they rehabbed a former car dealership to house their bicycle shop, they demonstrated that commitment. The company’s restoration project resulted in the first green commercial building in Asheville. Their restoration includes all non-toxic stains and seals, ductless air conditioning and a solarpowered water-heating system among its eco-friendly elements. “We decided it was time to walk our talk and put the bio in BioWheels,” says Eric Krause, who operates the store with his business partner, Matt Johnson. BioWheels, located at 81 Coxe Ave., is a complete retailer, offering bikes, rentals, repairs and accessories. The store is the second of its kind, following the blueprint established by the original operation in Krause’s native Cincinnati. Krause is not just a businessman, but also a cyclist. And it was his many trips to Asheville as a competitive rider that

convinced him that this was the optimal place to open a second BioWheels. “Some call it a mecca of bicycling,” Krause says. DESIGNERS BY THE DOZEN Realizing a plan for a new bedroom or updated kitchen cabinetry is a lot easier at Airport Design Center. The year-old facility offers one-stop shopping for building and renovating. Each of the 12 tenants in the complex’s two buildings offers complete displays of its products. “It’s all showrooms,” says Ron Pronyk, who developed and owns the facility on Rutledge Road. “You can see all the products.” Tenants range from Pella Windows and Louisville Tile to Design Avenue Home Furnishings and Christie’s Lighting Gallery. Jackie Teague, owner of Design Avenue, says the breadth of offerings at the design center is a benefit to all the occupants, adding that the business owners don’t hesitate to direct customers to other tenants in the facility to handle separate design needs. – Dan Markham

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AppleWood Manor Inn $VNCFSMBOE $JS "TIFWJMMF /$ Â&#x2026; -BSSZ BOE /BODZ .FSSJMM JOOLFFQFS!BQQMFXPPENBOPS DPN XXX BQQMFXPPENBOPS DPN 1847 Blake House Inn 3PZBM 1JOFT %S "TIFWJMMF /$ Â&#x2026; -FTMJF ,JNCBMM CMBLFIPVTFJOO!DIBSUFSJOUFSOFU DPN XXX CMBLFIPVTF DPN Chestnut Street Inn & $IFTUOVU 4U Â&#x2026; "TIFWJMMF /$ Â&#x2026; -B%POOB BOE +PF -BTLP JOOLFFQFS!DIFTUOVUTUSFFUJOO DPN XXX DIFTUOVUTUSFFUJOO DPN Inn on Main Street 4 .BJO 4U Â&#x2026; 8FBWFSWJMMF /$ Â&#x2026; %BO BOE /BODZ 8BSE SFMBY!JOOPONBJO DPN XXX JOOPONBJO DPN 1889 WhiteGate Inn and Cottage & $IFTUOVU 4U Â&#x2026; "TIFWJMMF /$ Â&#x2026; 'SBOL 4BMWP BOE 3BMQI $PGGFZ JOOLFFQFS!XIJUFHBUF OFU XXX XIJUFHBUF OFU

I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

ASHEVILLE

Business | Economic Profile

ASHEVILLE BUSINESS CLIMATE Asheville has both low unemployment and strong job growth. Fueling the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sound business climate are stable population growth, a healthy housing market, expanding professional services, robust small business and health-care industry growth, and a steady tourism industry.

TAXES

2.5% County Sales Tax

4.25% State Sales Tax

TRANSPORTATION Asheville Regional Airport 61 Terminal Drive, Suite 1 Fletcher, NC 28732 (828) 684-2226 www.flyavl.com Asheville Transit 360 W. Haywood St. Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 253-5691 Mountain Mobility 2000 Riverside Drive, Suite 17 Asheville, NC 28804 (828) 258-0186 www.buncombecounty.org Nolfolk & Southern Railway (404) 529-1591, www.nscorp.com Southeastern Stages (404) 591-2750 www.southeasternstages.com Asheville Greyhound Station 2 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805 (828) 253-8451 www.greyhound.com

MORE EO ONLINE

6.75%

The Asheville Hub 439 Vanderbilt Road Asheville, NC 28803 (828) 274-0828 www.ashevillehub.com Mountain BizWorks 153 S. Lexington Ave. Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 253-2834 www.mtnmicro.org

Total Sales Tax

$.945/$100 Residential Property Tax

$1.5/$1,000

HIGHER EDUCATION

3 Number of 2-Year Colleges

Commercial Property Tax

ECONOMIC RESOURCES Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce 36 Montford Ave. Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 258-6101 www.ashevillechamber.org Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County 36 Montford Ave. Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 258-6101 www.ashevillechamber.org

10,779 2-Year Colleges Student Total

3 Private 4-Year Universities

3,197 Private 4-Year University Student Total

1 Public 4-Year Universities

3,639 Public 4-Year University Student Total

imagesasheville.com INDUSTRIAL SITE LINKS More facts, stats and community information, including relocation tools and links to resources.

www.ncsitesearch.com www.wnccpe.com gis.ashevillenc.gov

ASHEVILLE

I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

ASHEVILLE

Education

Building a Plan That Works PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS MATCH RESIDENTS’ SKILLS WITH BUSINESS NEEDS

ASHEVILLE

as well as our students and parents, know where to go to get information and find resources for workforce development and education.” The area’s manufacturing sector has been the most recent target of workforce development efforts, and it was through coordinating with several of those businesses that a regional approach gained momentum, Duncan says. “We had not been filling up the workforce with the right mix, and certain areas within advanced manufacturing were having great opportunities for

growth, but were still seeking the right talent in the marketplace,” he says. “That’s been everything from the $15- or $20-an-hour machinist up to the $80,000-a-year engineer, and we’ve been working overtime to fill that gap.” The summit that Copeland spearheaded, Duncan adds, allowed participants to share information and arrive at a key concept. “Let’s collaborate, let’s put our heads together and come up with a unified effort,” he says. – Joe Morris

“We are particularly focused right now on connecting current and future talent to our growth clusters.”

BRIAN M C CORD

he synergy created between educational institutions and businesses can make or break a local workforce, and no organization is more aware of that than the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. “The need to develop a quality workforce for the needs of existing business and industry, as well as potential new business and industry in the region, is why the Chamber devotes a lot of time and effort to this issue,” says Laura Copeland, vice president, workforce development/public policy, for the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. “We are particularly focused right now on connecting current and future talent to our growth clusters in advanced manufacturing, health care, tourism and hospitality, and construction.” With that in mind, Copeland and Clark Duncan, the Chamber’s director of business and industry services, are working in tandem with the Partners In Education Board to create a regional workforce collaboration and have held a summit to serve as an initial planning session. Happily for all parties involved, there are several programs in place that can serve as guides. One example is Mission Possible, a collaborative venture between Mission Hospitals and Buncombe County Schools, which places students in grades 10-12 who have met certain criteria in positions at the hospital. Another is The Biltmore Academy, which allows high school students from their freshmen year on up to work at the Biltmore Estate, learning about a variety of careers through job shadowing, apprenticeships and certificate/college study opportunities. The goal of the collaboration is to bring such programs in line with broader economic development initiatives, Copeland explains. “It’s a dream of mine to see the whole region come together to coordinate all of our efforts,” she says. “I want to see all of our existing businesses and industries,

Anthony Medford trains Robert Ledford, a recent high school graduate and apprentice at Unison Engine Components. Unison is one of several area companies responsible for job growth in the advanced manufacturing sector.

I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

ASHEVILLE

Sports & Recreation

Covering All Their Bases PRO BASEBALL TEAM BOASTS LONG HISTORY OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

ASHEVILLE

Smith says baseball players and team staff members make a total of nearly 500 visits to schools each year to mentor, as well as attend career days and read to students. The Tourists also get involved in a number of civic events and help several

local charities. “In 2007, the Asheville Tourists contributed $492,000 to charity,” Smith says. “We appreciate the support that the community gives us, so the team enjoys returning that support in as many ways as we possibly can.” – Kevin Litwin

STAFF PHOTO

he Asheville Tourists have an impressive history on and off the baseball diamond. The Tourists professional baseball team is the Class A minor-league affiliate of the Colorado Rockies and has been a part of the Asheville sports and entertainment scene since 1897. The team started out as the Asheville Moonshiners and then became the Tourists in 1915. Today, the Tourists play in the 16-team South Atlantic League that spans from New Jersey to Georgia. Asheville has won five league titles in its long history, with the earliest championship coming in 1915 and the latest in 1984. “Our home stadium is McCormick Field, which opened in 1992 and seats 4,000 spectators,” says Chris Smith, assistant general manager and community relations liaison. “That seating capacity gives us one of the smaller fan bases in the league, but we draw very well. Asheville is an excellent baseball town, as evidenced by how long the team has been here.” Palace Sports and Entertainment, whose interests include the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association and the Detroit Shock of the Women’s National Basketball Association, marked three years of owning the Asheville Tourists in 2008. “As for our association with the Colorado Rockies, we have been their Class A farm team since 1994,” Smith says. “Prior to the Rockies, the Tourists have been a minor league affiliate for nine other Major League Baseball teams, including the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and even the Brooklyn Dodgers.” Quite a few Major League Baseball players have called Asheville home during part of their careers. Those players include Todd Helton, Jake Westbrook, Shawn Chacon, Jason Jennings, Juan Uribe and Brad Hawpe. “For all of our baseball endeavors, the team is also especially proud of its overall community involvement in Asheville,” Smith says. “We strive to be successful both off the field and on it.”

The Asheville Tourists Baseball Club has been part of the community since 1897, starting as the Asheville Moonshiners and becoming the Tourists in 1915.

I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

Residents and visitors alike enjoy the many major festivals in Asheville, including Light Up Your Holidays featuring carolers and fireworks; Bele Chere each July; and Organicfest, which includes a whimsical parade for kids.

I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

ASHEVILLE

Celebrations Made to Order FESTIVALS SUIT EVERY INTEREST STORY BY ANNE GILLEM

uring any given week in Asheville, there likely is a festival going on where you might see a top-notch film, enjoy gourmet food and fine wines, listen to music, or laugh at the jokes of a standup comedian. Asheville’s tag line, Any Way You Like It, aptly describes the many events locals and visitors alike can take advantage of during the course of a year. “The grand promise of Asheville is ‘visit here; your life will be enriched,’” says Kelly Miller, executive vice president and executive director of the Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau. “That’s the simple promise we can give people who come and experience this area. Festivals make up a huge part of that functional and perceived emotional benefit of visiting Asheville. From Shindig on the Green to the Brewgrass Festival, to a myriad of other offerings almost every weekend, you can pretty much have a unique and authentic experience specific to our area.” One of Asheville’s newest offerings is set at the spectacular Biltmore Estate. The inaugural Field to Table Festival was held Sept. 19-28, 2008, honoring Biltmore owner George Vanderbilt’s determination to make his estate self-sustaining. The event featured cheese making, canning, sorghum making, bluegrass music and demonstrations by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project at River Bend Farm. Then, at the Biltmore Winery, cooking demonstrations, seminars, wine and cheese tasting and talks by noted Southern cookbook authors brought participants “to the table.” Vanderbilt’s “ongoing legacy of sustainable agriculture makes Biltmore a logical location to illustrate the field-to-table connection,” says Elizabeth Sims, vice president of marketing and communication for Biltmore. “The Field to Table Festival not only celebrates Biltmore’s food and wine traditions and Appalachian heritage, but also our continued commitment to buying and growing locally.” The respected Asheville Film Festival celebrated its sixth anniversary Nov. 6-9, 2008, screening about 80 films at a variety

ASHEVILLE

of venues within walking distance of each other downtown. Character actor Brad Dourif, known as the voice of the doll Chucky in Child’s Play and for his role in the HBO series “Deadwood,” was honored with a career achievement award. “The Asheville Film Festival is a way to highlight Asheville as a venue for films, but also to highlight some of the talent that exists here,” says Diane Ruggiero, superintendent of cultural arts in the city’s parks, recreation and cultural arts department.

“Festivals make up a huge part of that functional and perceived emotional beneﬁt of visiting Asheville.” “We do have a loyal following. It’s nice when filmmakers ask if they can submit their film for competition. So, little by little, the word is getting out both locally for audience attendance and in the industry for filmmakers,” Ruggiero says. Other popular festivals include the Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival in July; the Goombay Festival, celebrating African and Caribbean culture, in August; the Great Smokies Craft Brewers Brewgrass Festival in September; and for the calendar-conscious, the Trinumeral Festival, a music and arts festival held on the date the day, month and year align. The next festival will occur Sept. 9, 2009. Visit www.exploreasheville.com for an even more complete listing of Asheville-area festivals. I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

“Asheville’s first & only signature steakhouse”

Breakfast 6-11 a.m. Dinner 5-11 p.m. Extensive wine & beer selection ,OCALLY OWNED OPERATED s See our menus & photos at www.chophouseasheville.com

22 Woodfin St. Asheville, NC 28801 (Adjacent to Four Points by Sheraton)

Save Money. Smell the Flowers.

Looking for ways to save money on gas and help the environment? The EPA wants to share some smart driving tips that could give you more miles per gallon of gas and reduce air pollution. Tips like making sure your tires are properly inflated and replacing your air filter regularly. And where possible, accelerate and brake slowly. Be aware of your speed ... did you know that for every 5 miles you go over 65 mph, you’re spending about 20 cents more per gallon of gas? If you’re shopping for a new car, choose the cleanest, most efficient vehicle that meets your needs. If we each adopt just one of these tips, we’d get more miles for our money and it would be a little easier to smell the flowers. For more tips and to compare cleaner, more efficient vehicles, visit

www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.

I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

ASHEVILLE

BRIAN M C CORD

Arts & Culture

A painting by Jonas Gerard is among impressive works that are part of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s growing collection. The art is displayed throughout the building that houses the visitor center and Chamber offices.

Front Door to the Arts MANY ORIGINAL WORKS GRACE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HEADQUARTERS

triptych painting by local artist Ann Vasilik hangs in the first-floor meeting room at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. The masterpiece is 20 feet long and shows Asheville at sunset from a mountain range east of downtown. Meanwhile, a 12-foot steel and chrome sculpture titled Tree adorns the outdoor grounds at the front door of the building, while a large work by local master Jonas Gerard immediately greets the eyes of guests in the indoor concierge area of the Chamber’s visitor center. Even an outdoor sign on the Chamber building is artistic, thanks to the talents of Steebo Design. The sign lists the Chamber’s hours along with various bits of tourism information. “Asheville is known as an arts destination, ranking second in the United States in terms of art for cities with populations under 75,000 – only behind Santa Fe,” says Richard Lutovsky, president of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. “It makes sense that the Chamber displays some local artwork in our new three-story building that is located downtown on Montford Avenue.” Lutovsky says Asheville is home to numerous galleries and active artist guilds. As a result, the Chamber began talking with artists and gallery owners to bring in examples of their own works, and it has resulted in compelling displays within the Chamber’s headquarters. ASHEVILLE

Some of those exhibits include a piece by Robert Johnson that was donated by Blue Spiral 1 gallery, and the building also features works from artists Lynn Hardy and Colleen Webster. There are also two additional original works by Ann Vasilik. “Merrimon Galleries donated six paintings of the Urban Trail that runs through Asheville, and I have a beautiful 4-by-5-foot painting by Peter Alberice that hangs in my office,” Lutovsky says. “Peter is the present chairman of the board for the Chamber, and is an accomplished artist himself.” There is even artwork that hangs in the Chamber’s boardroom catering area. “Laurey Masterson is a talented photographer who took some great pictures of Asheville’s Western North Carolina Farmers Market, and her finished work now graces our boardroom kitchen,” Lutovsky says. Lutovsky himself is an art aficionado, with his office filled with collections of glasswork, pottery and paintings that he personally owns. “The Chamber is actually looking for more glass pieces to put on display in the building, plus we are working with two artists to get their work showcased here,” he says. “We believe there is a significant benefit to both artist and Chamber because of the traffic we generate. Over 24,000 visitors came through our front door in October alone.” – Kevin Litwin I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

Home of the

Holiday Spirit

Christmas trees line the Tapestry Gallery of Biltmore House.

I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

ASHEVILLE

Miles of garland greet holiday guests at Biltmore Estate. Right: The Grove Park Inn offers several holiday packages.

SIGNATURE ATTRACTIONS ENSURE THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HERE FOR CHRISTMAS STORY BY BY JESSICA MOZO

hen fall color fades into the crispness of winter, it’s hard not to get in the holiday spirit here. Carolers serenade shoppers on the streets of Biltmore Village, thousands of twinkling lights adorn historic shops and horse-drawn carriages roll along the streets. The Biltmore Village Dickens Festival, always the first weekend in December, is just one of the ways Asheville celebrates Christmas. “It’s a very busy weekend; people are surprised by all the activity,” says Stan Collins, president of the Biltmore Village Merchants Association and owner of Once Upon A Time, a shop that sells children’s books and toys. “We provide spontaneous entertainment by choral groups, musicians and instrumentalists. You could be shopping in a store, and a poet may come in and recite ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. Or maybe a woman might come in and play Christmas music on a harp.” The Biltmore Village Dickens Festival has been an Asheville tradition for 20 years. “People love it,” Collins says. “The carriage rides are very popular with families and kids, and a man roasts chestnuts right on the street.” The massive Biltmore Estate celebrates the holidays on as grand a scale

ASHEVILLE

as is expected from the largest privately owned home in the U.S. “It is really remarkable and truly magical,” says Hannah Parks, special projects coordinator for Biltmore Estate. “It’s larger than life, but practical enough that there are things people can translate into their own homes.” Candlelight Christmas Evenings at the estate allow guests to tour the Biltmore House after dark and see it as it would have appeared at the turn of the century,

year from all over the country, and they’re an integral part of our holiday décor,” says Jay Winer, director of public relations for The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa. The Grove Park Inn’s gingerbread competition has been featured on ABC’s “Good Morning America” for the past 12 years, and the inn has done four onehour specials on the Food Network. In December, the inn sparkles with 25 themed Christmas trees. The many events, seminars and

“Christmas has become so commercial, and this experience lets you stop ... and go back to a quieter, simpler time ” warmly lit by fireplace and candlelight. “Christmas has become so commercial, and this experience lets you stop in the busyness of the season and go back to a quieter, simpler time,” Parks says. At The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, the holiday season gets off to a sweet start in November with the annual National Gingerbread House Competition. “We received more than 300 entries last

guest packages available at Biltmore Village, Biltmore Estate and Grove Park Inn have become a tradition for residents and visitors alike. “Our Christmas package includes a 3-foot fully decorated and lit tree that’s yours to keep, and it’s delivered to your room when you check in,” Grove Park’s Winer says. “We do that so you can enjoy the warm fuzziness of Christmas even away from home.” I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

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Please visit our Web site at: www.drwilloughby.com 192 E. Chestnut St., Ste. B Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 255-0936

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ASHEVILLE

Turning Loss Into a Gain HOSPITAL AND BUSINESSES PARTNER TO HELP RESIDENTS LIGHTEN UP FOR LIFE

sheville is home to some pretty big losers these days – and the city couldn’t be more pleased. Thanks to Lighten Up 4 Life, a team weight loss challenge initiated by Mission Hospitals in January 2008, local citizens are shedding pounds and enjoying healthier lifestyles. “We had talked about doing a ‘Biggest Loser’ contest here at the hospital, but then decided to include the business community,” explains Becky Brown, Mission Hospitals marketing manager and co-coordinator for Lighten Up 4 Life. “We partnered with the Chamber, and they helped us reach out to local businesses. The response was incredible, and more than 50 percent of participants stuck with the program to the end, culminating with the 5K Chamber Challenge in June 2008.” For the program, corporate teams made up of four team members competed to lose the greatest percentage of body weight. In the end, more than 3,000 participants from more than 200 area

businesses dropped a total of 20,124 pounds. “Everyone had a lot of fun, but more importantly, I think businesses recognized that it’s in their best interest to promote health and wellness among their employees,” Brown says. “One of the great things to come out of Lighten Up 4 Life is an employer’s council, which meets every other month to present information and share resources and ideas to keep momentum going throughout the year. They recognize that this is an important issue and want to make Asheville a healthier community.” Brown says that she expects 2009’s program will be even bigger. “This year, we’re going into the faith community, partnering with various congregations,” Brown says. “We’re also opening the challenge up to non-businesses, so you might have four friends from a neighborhood form a team. We can also match up four individuals to form a team.” As UNC Asheville’s Health and Wellness Department chair and associate

professor, Keith Ray is optimistic about Lighten Up 4 Life. “The level of interest in 2008 far exceeded expectations, and we’re hoping that it will be even more successful this year,” says Ray, adding that UNC Asheville expects to build on its already solid partnership with Mission Hospitals to help expand the program. UNC Asheville recently broke ground on its North Carolina Center for Health & Wellness, a state-of-the-art facility designed to enhance student learning while promoting healthier lifestyles within the community. Located in the heart of UNC Asheville’s campus, the 133,500-square-foot facility is expected to open late in 2010. “Our community leaders are committed to the development of Asheville as a health and wellness mecca,” Ray says. “Programs such as Lighten Up 4 Life represent a real opportunity for everyone, and it’s something UNC Asheville intends to be part of – for our students, faculty and the community in which we live.” – Amy Stumpfl

In January 2008, Mission Hospitals and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce worked together to create the Lighten Up 4 Life weight loss challenge, which culminated in the 5K Chamber Challenge that June.

ASHEVILLE

I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

Health & Wellness

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Get Up and Running

ompetitive and amateur-level runners alike are familiar with Jusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Running, which has emerged as Western North Carolinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s running headquarters. Opened in 2002, the shop carries a wide range of shoes, clothing and accessories designed to help runners of all levels. Perhaps more importantly, Jusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Running provides information on local races, training and more. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People stop in to chat about upcoming races, cool trails, injuries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you name it,â&#x20AC;? says store manager Jane Roane. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more than a store.â&#x20AC;? Roane says that there is a huge running movement under way in Asheville, with â&#x20AC;&#x153;races popping up all the time.â&#x20AC;? Popular events include the annual Bele Chere 5K, the Black Mountain Greenway Challenge and the Shut In Ridge Trail Run. A number of training camps and clubs also provide an outlet for running enthusiasts. But perhaps the most unique resource Jusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Running has to offer is the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s owner, Norm Blair. An experienced elite runner, Blair has lived most of his life in Asheville and is widely considered the local authority on the sport. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is to provide all of the equipment and information people need, from walkers to world-class runners,â&#x20AC;? Blair says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a lot of runners who are new to the area or vacationing who come in with questions. And the great thing about Asheville is that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to go very far to find good trails with beautiful scenery.â&#x20AC;? Blair says that some of the most common inquiries involve the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique terrain. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a lot of people who are shocked by the hills,â&#x20AC;? he says with a laugh. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It takes time to adapt, even if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been running for years. People come in and ask, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there any place flat to run?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; We just smile and say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;No.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Amy Stumpfl

ASHEVILLE

Community Profile

ASHEVILLE SNAPSHOT As a resort and therapeutic health center since the late 1880s, Asheville has long been a destination for visitors searching for a mountain escape, its population climbing to nearly 30,000 seasonal residents in 1890. More Art Deco architecture built in the late 1920s and early 1930s can be found in downtown Asheville than in any other Southeastern city outside Miami.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES CLIMATE

25.8 F January Low Temperature

62.7 F July Low Temperature

83.3 F July High Temperature

GOVERNMENT OFFICES City of Asheville 70 Court Plaza Asheville, NC 28802 (828) 251-1122 www.ashevillenc.gov Buncombe County Administration 205 College St. Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 250-4100 www.buncombecounty.org

Mountain Xpress 2 Wall St. Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 251-1333

Asheville Public Works Department 161 S. Charlotte St. Asheville, NC 28802 (828) 259-5935

CITY LINK

Asheville Fire and Rescue 100 Court Plaza Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 259-5636 Asheville Police Department 100 Court Plaza Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 252-1110 North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles - Driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Services and Vehicle Services, www.ncdot.org

www.ashevillenc.gov

MORE EO ONLINE imagesasheville.com More facts, stats and community information, including relocation tools and links to resources.

MEDIA OUTLETS Asheville Daily Planet 224 Broadway Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 252-6565 Asheville Citizen-Times 14 O. Henry Ave. Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 252-5610

Kensington Place Apartments Located six miles south of the Biltmore Estate on Hwy. 25A (Sweeten Creek Road).

Interior Design Space Planning Furniture Flooring Maintenance 4UNNEL 2OAD s !SHEVILLE .# s WWW OEASHEVILLE COM

ASHEVILLE

For a Lifestyle You Deserve 1, 2, 3 beds (garages available) Corporate units available

200 Kensington Place Asheville, NC 28803 (828) 687-0638 (866) 232-9534 www.kensingtonplaceapts.com

I M AG E S A S H E V I L L E . C O M

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5 0 G I V E N S E S TAT E S 3 8 G ROV E WO O D G A L L E RY 52 H I C KO RY FU R N IT U R E M A RT 3 0 H O LI DAY I N N A S H E V I L L E B I LT M O R E 6 3 K E N S I N GTO N P L AC E A PA RT M E N TS

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questions answers

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