Mar. 16, 2017. While it may not come as a shock to residents and frequent visitors of the High Country, CarRentals.com, part of Expedia, Inc., recently named Boone to its list of “25 Best Small Towns in the Country.” The site used several factors to arrive at the final list, which includes small towns from all around the country. By Bailey Faulkner / Read more…

March. 14, 2017. Local favorite and “Boone’s oldest dive” Murphy’s Pub has been purchased by a group of investors and another staple of the High Country, international charity organization Wine to Water. The change in ownership of one of Boone’s signature bars was announced yesterday as longtime owners Erik and Steve Larson and Tom Phillips sold the restaurant and historic downtown Boone building to the groups. By Cramer Lewis / Read more…

March 14, 2017. In February of 2017, Flango expanded her tours to Blowing Rock using the same concept and design she structured for the Morganton tours. Nancy has been fortunate in her venture in Blowing Rock and it has enhanced her all around business outlook. By Christy Anne Traylor / Read more…

Mar. 14, 2017. While the addition of a team to the High Country surely has football and sports fans excited, the style of play will be very different to that of ASU’s home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium. While the NAL generally shares many of the rules established by other arena football leagues, there are a few key distinctions to be made. By Bailey Faulkner – Logo Courtesy of the High Country Grizzlies / Read more…

March 14, 2017. The Southern Appalachian region is well-known for strong old-time and bluegrass fiddling traditions. Southern Louisiana has a strong fiddling culture of its own that helps drive Cajun music. These traditions come together at the Jones House on Sunday, March 26, when Joel Savoy and Kelli Jones-Savoy present Cajun fiddle workshops and an evening house-concert performance. / Read more…

Mar. 7, 2017. Saturday marked another day of successful fundraising for Boone’s Two Rivers Community School. The school hosted its second annual Two Rivers Live event at Center 45 where community members and local businesses gathered to support Two River’s Mountain Adventure Program. By Bailey Faulkner – Photos by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

Mar. 05, 2017. Last Wednesday, March 1, Booneshine Brewing Company celebrated the release of their first canned beer. The release has already been a major hit for this growing brewery, which was completely sold out of the 16 oz 4 packs in just two days. By Cramer Lewis / Read more…

Mar. 2, 2017.The High Country Grizzlies kicked off the month of March with its first practice in franchise history on Tuesday night. Originally scheduled to hold practice at Hardin Park, the team took to the field at the Sofield Indoor Practice Facility on ASU’s campus for a 31 player, no-pads practice after weather conditions forced the new team indoors. By Bailey Faulkner – Photos Courtesy of the High Country Grizzlies’ Facebook Page / Read more…

Mar. 2 2017. Whether you’re looking for something thrilling, dramatic, heartfelt, funny or all of the above, you’ll find it in Boone theaters this weekend. Get your tickets, grab some popcorn and get comfy at Regal Boone Cinema 7! / Read more…

Mar. 2, 2017. Cows and humans have a very special relationship. We humans and our cows have lived side by side, or maybe across the pen from each other for thousands of years. One prime reason is because of cows’ milk. All mammals produce milk for their young, and milk from cows is the most popular among humans for many reasons. Ounce for ounce, cows’ milk is the most complete food we humans can consume. By Kenneth V. Glover – Photos Courtesy of Kenneth V. Glover / Read more…

Feb. 24, 2017. Instead of a ceremonial groundbreaking with shovel in hand, Fulton and Denise Lovin took an ax to an interior wall on Thursday evening to celebrate the beginnings of their renovation of the historic H.W. Horton Building into the Horton Hotel. The Lovins are turning the old building in downtown Boone into a hip and cozy, three-story boutique hotel with an elevator, a cocktail lounge and rooftop deck with a fire pit. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

Feb. 21, 2017. New Orleans might be pretty far away, but that won’t stop the High Country from celebrating Mardi Gras this year! The Bayou Smokehouse & Grill in Banner Elk will throw its annual Mardi Gras party this Saturday, February 25. The day will be full of giveaways, specials, music and Mardi Gras spirit. By Bailey Faulkner – Photos Courtesy of Winston Ammann and Ken Ketchie / Read more…

Feb. 16, 2017.Good news for TApp Room goers: the local favorite recently hosted the grand opening of The Annex, the restaurant’s new entertainment wing housed in the former Klondike building. Rolling with momentum from its new expansion, TApp is looking forward to kicking off a new chapter in Boone’s music and entertainment scene. By Bailey Faulkner – Photos by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

Feb. 8, 2017. The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce honored 4 Forty Four Construction with the Business of the Year award at its annual awards luncheon on Tuesday. The luncheon, held at the Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock, recognizes outstanding businesses and individuals that have made a positive impact in Blowing Rock and the High Country. By Bailey Faulkner / Read more…

Feb. 2, 2017. From material girls to men without hats, fans of the 1980s will flock to Beech Mountain this month for the sixth annual Totally ’80s Retro Ski Weekend. The weekend, consisting of four days of tubular awesomeness, takes place Feb. 23-26 at Beech Mountain Resort and throughout the town of Beech Mountain. / Read more…

Jan. 30, 2015. Although Carolinians won’t have their home team to root for this year, Super Bowl LI will nevertheless provide sports fans with an exciting end to the 2016-2017 football season. This year’s game will be held at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas this Sunday, February 5 with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. The event will be televised by Fox. By Bailey Faulkner / Read more…

Jan. 30, 2017. The Boone Chamber of Commerce hosted Mountaineer Quick Lube’s grand opening on Wednesday, January 25. Mountaineer Quick Lube is located at 1505 US Hwy 421-S in Boone. General Manager Brad Wilson, who has 18 years of experience in the car business, cut the ribbon at the grand opening. / Read more…

Jan. 26, 2017. The owners of the Banner Elk Café & Espresso Lodge are expanding their enterprise with a 1,900-square-foot addition for the Tavern, which is replacing a stand-alone structure that housed a barbershop and chiropractor clinic in the past. The Tavern component is being tied into Les and Cindy Broussard’s two restaurants, coffee shop and ice cream parlor, located in downtown Banner Elk and across the street from the historic Banner Elk School. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

Jan. 24, 2017. Planning to dine out this week and take advantage of the specials? Make sure you check the website’s restaurant participation hours page before you decide where to go. Then show up, check in, chow down and share your experience on Instagram using #dineindie and tagging @hcplatecrawl. By Jessica Isaacs. / Read more…

Jan. 18, 2017.On Tuesday evening, the Avery County Chamber of Commerce met for its Annual Avery Chamber Open House. In past years, the Open House has been held at the Chamber. However, this year, the Mountain Community Bank offered to host.By Katie Benfield- Photo by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

Jan. 18, 2017. If investing in the local business community is part of your New Year’s resolution, then don’t miss the 2017 Economic Kickoff Breakfast on Tuesday morning, Jan. 24. The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce will host the breakfast and presentation at Appalachian Ski Mountain, but spaces are filling up fast, so make your reservations as soon as possible if you’d like to participate. By Jessica Isaacs. / Read more…

Jan. 17, 2017. The Waterfront Group, which purchased The Lodges at Eagles Nest in foreclosure about several years ago, is currently giving the former Sunrise Shopping Center an estimated million-dollar facelift. By Jesse Wood • Photos by Ken Ketchie / Read more…

Jan. 17, 2017. Brought to us through Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s We Can So You Can Foundation, the rail jam will make history this year and take place at the Daniel Boone Amphitheater. All proceeds from the event will support revitalization of the amphitheater, which has been home to the venerable Horn in the West outdoor drama for more than six decades and remains a treasured piece of High Country history. By Jessica Isaacs. Photo by Ken Ketchie. / Read more…

Jan. 16, 2017. VPC Builders is the focus of the next Today’s Builder Television Show to air. An award-winning television show, Today’s Builder showcases the finest custom and semi-custom homebuilders and developers in the construction industry. The show will air on CW every Saturday in January at 12:30 p.m. / Read more…

Jan. 13, 2017. The Uber app will launch in the Boone area on Tuesday. “We’re excited to bring safe, reliable transportation options and flexible work opportunities to Boone, North Carolina,” said Michael Black, general manager for Uber in North Carolina. By Jesse Wood / Read more…

Jan. 13, 2017. “Some places do smaller versions of their existing menu, and most places to a mix of that and some creative new menu items. A lot of places use it as a chance to try out new things with very little pressure,” said Pepper. “It’s a way for chefs to have a good time and express themselves.” By Jessica Isaacs. / Read more…

Jan. 12, 2017. With Chamber President Jo-Ann McMurray out sick, her husband Tom asked local resident Roy Krege (who’s always quick to step up and help out) to read the remarks and announce the winner of this year’s Person of the Year Award. Although the recipient’s name would be a surprise to him, too, Krege was more than willing to take the microphone, as he almost always does at local functions. By Jessica Isaacs. Photo by Ken Ketchie. / Read more…

Jan. 12, 2017. On Wednesday January 25 between 11am and 2pm everyone is welcome to F.A.R.M (Feed All Regardless of Means) Café at 617 West King Street for another ‘Buy Boone Lunch’ day. Boone Dug is the second company to participate in this opportunity. Just like each day at F.A.R.M Café guests can donate what they are able to for a great lunch. On this day, Boone Drug will cover the cost of the meal through a generous donation. Each and every additional donation will be utilized by the café in its mission to fight insecurity in the High Country. / Read more…

Jan. 4, 2017. Applications are now being accepted for the two ScaleUp WNC cohorts for 2017. The deadline to apply is January 29. Visit ScaleUpWNC.com for more information and to apply. / Read more…

Jan. 3, 2017. “It’s kind of like a dream come true. My husband and I always wanted to have a classic vehicle, and we decided, what better way than to let Gadabout’s buy it? So now, it’s incorporated into the business. Gadabouts is like one of our children, so we bought him a car.” By Jessica Isaacs. Images by Wayfaring Wanderer. / Read more…

Dec. 30, 2016. Want to celebrate the New Year with food from the High Country’s favorite Thai restaurant, Cha Da Thai? If so, be sure to note a change in its schedule that will take effect on Jan. 1. By Jessica Isaacs. Photo by Ken Ketchie. / Read more…

Dec. 16, 2016. Whether you’re looking for something thrilling, dramatic, heartfelt, funny or all of the above, you’ll find it in Boone theaters this weekend. Get your tickets, grab some popcorn and get comfy at Regal Boone Cinema 7! / Read more…

Dec. 22, 2016. Reprinted from High Country Magazine, December 2016.
It’s standing room only in the Fincke Art Gallery, which plays to a packed house of enthusiastic buyers waving cash in the air, the sounds of vibrant conversation roaring in a smoke-filled hall. At the podium stands 21-year-old Charlie Travis, the youngest auctioneer in the state of North Carolina. By Jessica Isaacs. / Read more…

Dec. 20, 2016. Merchants up and down King Street decked out their storefronts for this year’s window decorating contest, and designer bridal shop Did Someone Say Party? took home first place with a double window scene inspired by Christmas magic and the bohemian beauty of its new line of gowns from the Lillian West collection. By Jessica Isaacs. Photos by Ken Ketchie. / Read more…

Dec. 19, 2016. Susan Freshcorn with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s Charlotte and Blowing Rock offices has earned the prestigious Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) designation in recognition of her experience, knowledge, and expertise in the luxury residential market. / Read more…