March 23, 2023 The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce hosted its first Business After Hours of the year Tuesday evening at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum.
Held once a month, Business After Hours provides networking opportunities for its members, gives business owners a chance to meet one another, and offers opportunities for conversations related to local businesses and the community.
March 13, 2023 Studio M Salon of Blowing Rock now has a new look and location, the historic Blowing Rock Ice House on Maple Street. Owner and hairdresser Maria Roberts moved her studio from 304 Sunset Drive to 140 Maple St. to continue her business solo. By Maddie Lipe
March 13, 2023 Women’s History Month is celebrated every March. In honor of Women’s History Month, High Country Press is spotlighting women-owned businesses in the High Country and the local entrepreneurs who founded them. This week, High Country Press is spotlighting Kathy Carlin, owner of Appalachian Hair Salon. By Sebastian Dionicio
March 12, 2023 One Lees McRae College alumnus is striving to make a difference and help as many people as possible overcome their everyday challenges. Over the past two years Darius Malbon has published three books that address deep topics like suicide awareness, finding one’s purpose, and racial unity in order to spark conversations. By Harley Nefe
March 9, 2023 It’s not often that I get to interview a mascot, but today was an exception. In this exclusive interview, learn more about some of Hutch’s shenanigans as well as his goals for the Watauga Humane Society. Follow him on Facebook to see where his latest adventure will take him. By Kris Testori
March 8, 2023 Guitars are the most popular musical instrument in America, the electric version recently surpassing pianos in a national survey. But, while makers like C.F. Martin and Company can produce some 250 per-day (specialized guitars taking up to six months) the nation’s demand for the stringed instrument is huge, somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,500,000 annually being purchased. By Peter Morris
March 1, 2023 Coyote Kitchen & Lost Cantina is excited to announce that they’re completing some major interior renovations and have expanded the existing restaurant located at 200 Southgate Drive, Boone NC. The expansion adds new seats and gives the restaurant more of an open concept feel. They’ve also added a new full bar, which will have over twenty Lost Province beers on tap and a creative craft cocktail menu. The bar and expanded section of the restaurant will be open for business Friday, March 3, 2023.
February 27, 2023 The combined talents and skills of local photographers Jonathan and Bonnie Burton have long been acknowledged and respected in the High Country and far beyond — their work displayed on walls of homes and businesses throughout Boone, across the United States and abroad. It came as no surprise to many that the couple was recently named Photographers of the Year during the annual (High School) Senior and Youth Sports National Conference, also known as SYNC, held in Orlando, Fla. By Sherrie Norris
February 22, 2023 It has been announced by Tuesday Morning’s home office in Dallas, Texas, that the Boone location of the home goods retail store is one of 17 across North Carolina set to close soon; it is among 263 of the chain’s 464 stores in 39 states already in the midst of liquidating inventory. Three years ago, there were 700 of the stores nationwide. By Sherrie Norris
February 16, 2023 In the last article for High Country Real Estate, the number of homes sold was analyzed, showing the growth in number of units pre-pandemic through the end of 2021, noting a 63% increase in units sold from 2018 to 2021. As promised, this article will take a look at the increase in home values from 2019 through 2022. For the purposes of this article, data is drawn from the High Country Association of REALTORS® for the seven counties (Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes) that make up the North Carolina High Country. As the article title indicates, median prices of homes in the High Country will be used, since extreme data points can easily throw off averages. By Bill Aceto
February 15, 2023 The Watauga County Board of Education held an open meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at their main office on Pioneer Drive. Superintendent Scott Eilliot, Vice-Superintendent Steve Combs, and board members Gary Childers, Jason Cornette and Marshall Ashcraft were in attendance. Elliot started the meeting by praising the transportation department of Watauga County Schools for checking the roads throughout the previous night after snow and ice fell in some parts of the county. By Zack Hill
February 10, 2023 BOONE, NC – The Watauga Economic Development Commission (EDC) met Thursday, February 9, 2023, forits first meeting since the Watauga County Board of Commissioners re-organized the group. Recently appointed at-large members Suzanne Livesay (Appalachian Theatre) and Lee Rankin (Apple Hill Farm) were in attendance for their first meeting while Dan Meyer (Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, retired) was the lone at-large member that previously served on the Watauga EDC.
February 9, 2023 Mast General Stores in Valle Crucis and Boone continue their commitment to supporting its food security partner, the Hunger and Health Coalition, by donating $1 for each pound of bulk candy purchased the weekend before Valentine’s Day, February 11 and 12.
February 9, 2023 The North Carolina High Country is made up of seven counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey. From Boone to Burnsville, Blowing Rock to Banner Elk, Wilkesboro to West Jefferson, the High Country is filled with the beauty of nature, the small town spirit with big-hearted hospitality, and more points of interest than can ever be seen. In early 2020, when the CoVid-19 pandemic began, the world changed. Not just with the universal use of masks, social distancing, the rush to create a vaccine or the incredibly sad loss of life around the world, but in ways that could never be predicted. One of those changes was a shift in the real estate market, most markedly in the North Carolina High Country. By Bill Aceto
February 3, 2023 Sharon Crisman, a marketing professional, purchased Christopher’s Wine and
Cheese in 2013. She said she didn’t know anything about wine at the time, but has enjoyed
learning the industry, developing her own taste for wine, and forming friendships with customers
over the years. She renamed the shop to Sunset & Vine in 2017, moved to a new building and
expanded the business. By Jan Todd
January 31, 2023 With ringing in the new year, there is a lot of focus on resolutions – especially when it comes to wellness and its eight dimensions: financial, vocational, intellectual, social, environmental, spiritual, emotional, and physical. And there is a locally owned Avery County yoga studio that believes in the holistic and multidimensional approach to wellness and strives to provide an inclusive safe space for people of all ages. By Harley Nefe
January 20, 2023 The Avery County Board of Commissioners discussed a multitude of topics during a workshop session on January 11. All Commissioners-Chairwoman Martha Hicks, Vice-Chairman Tim Phillips, Dennis Aldridge, Wood Hall (Woodie) Young, Jr. and Robert Burleson were present. County Manager Phillip Barrier, Jr. said the board members did not vote on any issues, but they reached a consensus on several—most notably hiring an animal cruelty officer and a developing a new county recreation center
January 10, 2023 The unexpected death of Kenneth Wilcox on Saturday, Jan. 7, leaves a huge void in the High Country business community and especially his hometown of Boone. If there is one name associated with community development, leadership and local real estate in Watauga County, it has been that of Wilcox. By Sherrie Norris
January 2, 2023 Avery County is seeking sealed bids from qualified General Contractors for the renovation of, and addition to a building, at 358 Beech Street in Newland that will serve as the new headquarters for the Avery Department of Social Services (DSS).
The new building will double the size of Avery’s current DSS offices, according to project architect Bobby Patterson of Architectural Design Associates of Clemmons, NC. By Tim Gardner
December 7, 2022 The Watauga County Community Foundation (WCCF) recently presented two awards honoring members of the community for their philanthropy and efforts to make Watauga County a better place. The awards were celebrated at a reception on Nov. 10 at the Blowing Rock Conference Center. WCCF posthumously awarded the Spirit of Philanthropy Award to recognize Audrey Bentley and Dr. Don Saunders.
November 21, 2022 Famous Toastery, the 25-plus unit better breakfast, brunch and lunch franchise, has always stood out with quality ingredients, a made-from-scratch menu and a commitment to excelling in the better breakfast segment. Now, it’s rolling out a not-so-basic menu for the Fall season in partnership with local North Carolina favorite Abby’s Better Nut Butter. Available until November 27th at specific locations, including all corporate locations and select franchise locations, customers will be able to come in and taste the “Famously Fresh” new Fall food and beverage menu at Famous Toastery.
November 14, 2022 The Mustard Seed Market is pleased to present its 3rd Annual Artisan Holiday Market this December. The Artisan Holiday Market will take place on the Mustard Seed Market’s campus Friday and Saturday, December 2nd and 3rd, from 10 AM-5 PM. “We expect this to be our most festive event of the year,” states Mustard Seed Marketing Manager Madeline Stewart. “With over 40 applicants this year, we had to rearrange our previous layout to include more vendors. As a result, we have repeat vendors from our past events as well as new artisans this year.”
October 26, 2022 Boone, NC: Area residents are encouraged to visit their local Boone Drug location and register to receive free vitamins for every member of their household. A 30-day supply of Good Neighbor Pharmacy Complete Multivitamins for children, adults, seniors and pre-natal customers, are available free of charge from the only locally owned and independent drug store in the area. Your neighborhood Boone Drug pharmacist can assist you in getting started with this free program. While it does seem too good to be true, there is never a cost to the customer and insurance is not required.
October 19, 2022 Officials from Blue Ridge Energy and SkyLine Membership Corporation/SkyBest Communications, Inc. met with members of the Watauga County Commission on October 6 to provide the latest update on fiber construction activity in eastern Watauga County, where crews from both companies have been constructing both aerial and buried fiber that will bring gigabit-capable broadband connectivity to residents and businesses.
October 7, 2022 In 2022, F.A.R.M. Cafe celebrated its tenth anniversary of serving in the High Country by hosting various fundraisers, screening a documentary produced by Beth Davison, and continuing the mission of “feeding all regardless of means.” The purpose of F.A.R.M. Cafe has always been to address the needs of food insecurity while also providing a space where community is created. Executive Director Renee Boughman and the F.A.R.M. Cafe Board of Directors have worked to insure the continued success and commitment of the organization to its mission.