1000 x 90

Business After Hours: Join the Avery County Chamber at Linville Falls Winery April 12

By Jessica Isaacs

Interested in getting to know some local entrepreneurs? The Avery County Chamber of Commerce will host its next Business After Hours event from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on April 12 at Linville Falls Winery.

Linville Falls Winery. Photo by Ken Ketchie.
Linville Falls Winery. Photo by Ken Ketchie.

Held each month at a different local venue, these events provide an opportunity to get together, exchange information and make new friends for chamber members and prospective members.

“The goal is to bring our businesses, members of the chamber and friends together to encourage one another,” said Avery Chamber Executive Director Melinda Martin Pepple. “Someone attending might have a need for, say, a reputable dentist, or an attorney they can turn to. This is a chance to lift each other up and communicate. It’s all about networking, and it helps to build our businesses.”

Linville Falls Winery

The stunning grounds of Linville Falls Winery will play host to this month’s event, which will feature some of its award-winning wines, live music from Dave Calvert and a sampling of food from other local establishments.

“We love our chamber and we love what the chamber does for us and how they support every business, not just ours,” said Linville Falls Tasting Room Manager Linda Wiseman. “We look forward to hosting the After Hours event so we can give the chamber more opportunity to invite people to get involved.”

The winery sits on a picturesque 40-acre farm that features 10 acres of vines, a Christmas tree farm and a state-of-the-art tasting room in a facility that mimics California wineries.

This time around, Elk Mountain Riding Company will be on hand, giving you a chance to tour the grounds on horseback.

Lily Livermore, a wine steward at Linville Falls who spends a lot of time riding the trails with her own horses, said it will be a great experience for all involved.

“The trails on the property are very safe and well kept,” she said. “It offers many panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.”

Not yet a member of the chamber? No worries. If you’re interested in joining, the After Hours events are the perfect opportunity for you to get involved.

Linville Falls Winery. Photo by Ken Ketchie.
Linville Falls Winery. Photo by Ken Ketchie.

“The whole goal is to add to our membership so that we can support the chamber, support one another and let people know what businesses are here in our county and surrounding counties,” Pepple said. “Because we are also a visitor center, folks usually come to us first when they get to the area. They want to see the chamber because we are a representation of the local businesses.”

The Avery Chamber serves approximately 350-400 members every year, and offers unique personal services for each, like offering them a website through averycounty.com.

“We work to advertise for our members and can offer them a website. It’s a double whammy for them if they have their own already, and it’s an advantage for folks who don’t have a website because the chamber is here to provide one for them,” said Pepple. “There are a lot of good perks to being a member. Of course, we would love to increase our membership and let the people of our county know who’s available.”

Planning to attend the April 12 event? Call the chamber at 828-898-5605 to RSVP.

For more information, check out averycounty.com.

The Avery County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center is located at 4501 Tynecastle Highway Unit 2 at the intersection of N.C. Highways 105 and 184 in Banner Elk. It operates from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays during spring and summer months.

 

Linville Falls Winery. Photo by Ken Ketchie.
Linville Falls Winery. Photo by Ken Ketchie.
Linville Falls Winery. Photo by Ken Ketchie.
Linville Falls Winery. Photo by Ken Ketchie.