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Realtor Sales Up 8 Percent to Start 2019


March 14, 2019 Regional home sales for the first two months of the year have been the busiest in a decade, according to the latest monthly report from the High Country Association of Realtors®. Home sales are up 8 percent compared to the start of last year, and up 29 percent compared to the start of 2017. Meanwhile interest rates continued a slow decline through February, and remain below their levels a year ago. In the first two months of the year, area Realtors® sold 287 homes worth $90 million, according to the High Country Multiple Listing Service. It records all Realtor® activity in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties. 

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Carolina West Wireless Hosts Grand Opening of New Location on Blowing Rock Road


November 12, 2018. Carolina West Wireless has a new home in Boone. A special ribbon cutting event took place on Friday morning, November 9, at the newest location for Carolina West Wireless, 1126 Blowing Rock Road. The event was hosted by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and featured several fantastic prizes for people that chose to come out to the open house event. The grand prize was a pair of tickets to see the Carolina Panthers take on the Seattle Seahawks on November 25. Other prizes included three months of free service, gift cards to local restaurants, local attractions and golf courses, premium products such as tablets and speakers, Appalachian State tickets and more. “I just wanted to thank the Chamber for coming out and hosting this opportunity. The chamber always does a fantastic job of supporting local business and we’re grateful for their support. They’re customers of ours so they certainly practice what they preach in supporting local businesses,” said Todd Elledge, Director of Marketing for Carolina West Wireless. By Nathan Ham

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Monkee’s of Blowing Rock Owners Jess and Kenneth Discuss Their Community Involvement and New Summer Trends


June 25, 2018. On Main Street in Blowing Rock, there’s a bright little fashion store that’s always happy and welcoming. Monkee’s has been open since 2001, when Wendy Burgette and her daughter Melissa White used to own it. However, in 2012 Jessica and Kenneth Wehrmann, a lovely young married couple, bought the store from them. Since then they’ve really changed how the store operates, and how involved it is in the Blowing Rock community. By Elly Murray

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Inside Scoop: Ben & Jerry’s Coming to King Street Once Building Renovation Is Complete


Feb. 26, 2018. The old PNC Bank at 671 West King Street is being renovated into a Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop, according to a company representative. “We do have a new shop opening in Boone, likely late spring or early summer,” said Lindsay Bumps, Public Relations Media Maven for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. “Our local franchisee is working on renovating a historical building to house the new Scoop Shop.” Although the franchisee, Lee Warden, was unavailable for comment, Bill Dixon, principal for Appalachian Architecture, said the former PNC bank would see a return to its old aesthetic from the 1940s. By Luke Weir

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Boone Welcomes reFresh Your Space to the High Country During Chamber Ribbon Cutting Event


Feb. 23, 2018. Eric Reeves has done a lot of traveling in his years as a flight attendant, but the Appalachian State graduate decided to return back to where it all started and open up his new business, reFresh Your Space. reFresh Your Space specializes in home staging for customers that are trying to sell their properties and need that clean, fresh look to catch a buyer’s attention. The company works with both home owners and real estate companies. Reeves graduated from Appalachian State in 1991 with a degree in advertising. After graduation, he got the opportunity to travel around the world as a flight attendant for United Airlines for 18 years. While he was a flight attendant, Reeves lived in Chicago and attended the Harrington Institute for Interior Design.. By Nathan Ham

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The Blowing Rock Chamber Presented Its Awards Luncheon On Tuesday at the Green Park Inn


Feb. 14, 2018. The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce hosted its 31st Annual Awards Luncheon on Tuesday at the Green Park Inn. Charles Hardin, president and CEO of the chamber welcomed the packed dining room and gave an overview of chamber news for the past year. The chamber ended 2017 with 519 total members and 28 chamber partners. The luncheon featured award winners and recognitions of chamber members. 

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2018 Begins With Busy Month of Home Sales; 136 Homes Worth $34.61 Million Sold in January


Feb. 14, 2018. Rising interest rates didn’t deter home buyers in January, with local Realtors® marking the new year with continued brisk business. The first month of the year – with its traditional snow and wintry weather mix – is usually one of the calmest, but not in 2018. Home buyers remained active in the High Country area, with sales within Ashe, Alleghany and Avery counties the best in more than a decade. There were 136 homes worth $34.61 million sold in January, according to the High County Multiple Listing Service. It records all Realtor® activity in the four-county area. It was the busiest January since at least 2007, when 112 homes worth $29.26 million were sold. It’s a 32 percent increase from last January (103), and a 19.3 percent increase from January 2016 (114). 

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Hobby Lobby to Open Boone Store Early Next Year

Feb. 12, 2018. Hobby Lobby will open a new store in Boone next January, according to the corporation’s communications coordinator, Bob Miller. The new Hobby Lobby is rumored to take the place of JCPenny and adjacent storefronts in the Boone Mall, according to shop owners familiar with plans. Currently, Hobby Lobby has 28 locations in North Carolina, according to Miller, and opened their 800th store nationwide on Jan. 8.

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The Williams YMCA of Avery County is a High Country Sports and Fitness Activities Jewel


Jan. 5, 2018. Something for everyone. Perhaps no other term better personifies the many programs offered at the Williams YMCA of Avery County for people of all ages and any physical fitness level. Since its opening in 2007, the Williams YMCA of Avery County truly has fulfilled its mission statement of: Putting Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all. By Tim Gardner

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Celebrating the New Year with the High Country’s Bars

For the adults ages twenty-one and up, the High Country bars are inviting you to celebrate New Year’s Eve with the best. Depending on where you are staying, here is a list of some  of the High Country bar celebrations.

  • Bayou Smokehouse and Grill
  • Boone Saloon
  • The Cardinal
  • The Local
  • Lost Province Brewing Company
  • Twigs Restaurant and Bar

Compiled by Kate Herman

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F.A.R.M. Cafe Celebrates the Holidays with Art Unveiling, Tree Decorating, & Volunteer Thanks!

Dec. 6, 2017. F.A.R.M. Cafe invites everyone to come and celebrate the holidays in a unique F.A.R.M. Cafe style on Friday December 8 at 5 PM.  The celebration will be a thank you for all the volunteers who help to make the Cafe happen.  Everyone is invited to contribute an ornament featuring a food or farm theme to the decoration of the F.A.R.M. Cafe Community Christmas Tree.  In addition, there will be an unveiling of a new Downtown Boone Community Scene above the historic lunch counter where the classic model train will once again come back into operation.

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High Country Impact Fund, Area’s Only Angel Investor Fund, Seeks To Support Local Startups


Nov. 2, 2017. When Pete Catoe founded ECR Software as a college student at Appalachian State University in the late ‘80s, he could have benefitted from an organization like Startup High Country, which provides seed-stage capital and mentorship to young, high-growth companies. “Certainly. I had an angel investor who basically loaned me $7,000, and I was able to pay off some debts, so I could start my company,” Catoe said. “Absolutely, it would have helped.” By Jesse Wood • Photos by Ken Ketchie

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Ramer Named Senior Director of Public Relations of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty

Oct. 30, 2017. Elise Ramer has joined Premier Sotheby’s International Realty as the company’s senior director of public relations. Ramer’s public relations career spans over fifteen years with experience including luxury brands, residential and commercial real estate, and consumer products. “Elise’s strategic public relations background and strong media relationships developed over many years will be an important asset to our company,” said Nicky Lutgert, Vice President of Marketing for Premier Sotheby’s International Realty.

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Eagles Nest Marketplace To Celebrate Grand Opening, Ribbon Cutting Oct. 20 in Banner Elk


Oct. 19, 2017. The Waterfront Group, owner of The Lodges at Eagles Nest, is celebrating the grand opening of the Eagles Nest Marketplace, formerly known as the Sunrise Shopping Center, on Oct. 20 from 3 to 7 p.m. The Eagles Nest Marketplace is located at the base of Beech Mountain Parkway, just on the outskirts of downtown Banner Elk. This shopping center used to house establishments like Zuzda before the Waterfront Group began renovations to the 20,000-square-foot facility. By Jesse Wood

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Beech Mountain Resort Celebrates a Half Century as the Highest Slopes in East


Oct. 19, 2017. A milestone occurs this winter in the North Carolina mountains. Beech Mountain Resort marks 50 years of skiing on the highest elevation slopes in eastern America. The resort had a new vision for Southern skiing when it debuted in the winter of 1967-68. It was the only North Carolina resort built around an alpine village, and remains that way today.

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Zerbini Family Circus Comes to Boone Wednesday October 18, 6 p.m.

https://www.hcpress.com/asu-news/zerbini-family-circus-comes-boone-wednesday-october-18-6-p-m-high-country-fairgrounds.html
October 17, 2017. On Wednesday, October 18, the Zerbini Family Circus will be coming to Boone. They will perform at the High Country Fairgrounds, which is located at 748 Roby Green Road. Adult tickets cost $15.00. Kids ages twelve and under are free, with the purchase of an adult ticket. Additional kids tickets cost $10.00 per kids.There is a limit of two free tickets for kids ages twelve and under, per adult ticket. Tickets are available online or at the door. There will be one showing only. The show starts at 6:00 p.m. By Kate Herman – Photos by Zerbini Family Circus

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Introducing Kristi, of RockFoodies and ‘Chef’s Table’ – Oct. 25: Vidalia

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Oct. 10, 2017 Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Kristi and I am a food writer and author of the blog, triadfoodies.com and the new rockfoodies.com.
My family and I just moved to the beautiful High Country. We’ve been here exactly 5 weeks. With the exception of four wonderful years at App State, I’ve lived my entire life in the Triad. Over the summer, my husband and I decided to follow our heart and dreams and move to this area.

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The Haunted Horn: The Curse of Wendigo and Daniel Boo Starts This Weekend

https://www.hcpress.com/arts/haunted-horn-curse-wendigo-daniel-boo-kid-friendly-trail.html
July. 26, 2017. Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s We Can So You Can Foundation presents the Curse of Wendigo every Friday and Saturday in October. The event is located at the Horn in the West’s Daniel Boone Amphitheater. There are two events offered: The Kid Friendly Trail/Daniel Boo and the Haunted Trail.The Kid Friendly Trail/Daniel Boo is open from 6:00 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. The Haunted Trail is open from 8:00 p.m.- 11:00 p.m. By Kate Herman – Photos by Appalachian Mountain Brewery

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Art of Oil Relocation: New Location Grand Opening Thursday October 5 From 4:00 to 7:00

https://www.hcpress.com/asu-news/art-oil-relocation-new-location-grand-opening-thursday-october-5.html
October 3, 2017. On Thursday The Art of Oil will host their new location grand reopening from 4 p.m.- 7 p.m. The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 4:30 p.m, and is being provided by the Boone and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce. The company was formerly located on King Street, and is now located in the Shops at Shadowline. There will be beer, wine, and tastings of over 60 different oil oils, balsamic vinegars, gourmet foods and other gift items. There will be live music, pricing specials, and double stamps on frequent buyer cards. By Kate Herman – Photos by Tammie Jolly

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The Haunted Horn: The Curse of Wendigo and Daniel Boo Starts This Weekend

https://www.hcpress.com/arts/haunted-horn-curse-wendigo-daniel-boo-kid-friendly-trail.html
October 6, 2017. Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s We Can So You Can Foundation presents the Curse of Wendigo every Friday and Saturday in October. The event is located at the Horn in the West’s Daniel Boone Amphitheater. There are two events offered: The Kid Friendly Trail/Daniel Boo and the Haunted Trail.The Kid Friendly Trail/Daniel Boo is open from 6:00 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. The Haunted Trail is open from 8:00 p.m.- 11:00 p.m. By Kate Herman – Photos by Appalachian Mountain Brewery

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