At the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s 13th annual Elected Officials Reception on Aug. 16, local politicians acknowledged that the intensity of recent city and county government scandals have sometimes pushed other issues to the side.
Trump administration’s trade war worries WNC businesses
Local farmers and manufacturers express concern about the impact retaliatory tariffs sparked by new Trump administration trade policies could have on their businesses.
Local business news in brief from our issue of Aug. 15, 2018
Perhaps your business needs startup capital to make your idea fly. Or maybe rubbing elbows with lawmakers will give you an edge. Opportunities for building business skills, attracting investment and developing business relationships abound in WNC throughout the late summer and into the fall, and our business news in brief will keep you in the know.
Homestay short-term renters push for looser kitchen definition
On Aug. 13, the Planning & Economic Development Committee recommended that staff throw out the kitchen sink from the current definition. Council members Gwen Wisler, Vijay Kapoor and Julie Mayfield moved to adopt a new “maximum flexibility” definition for kitchen spaces.
Tryon saddles up for World Equestrian Games
Outside of the Olympics, the World Equestrian Games (which, like the Olympics, take place every four years) are the biggest competition in the world of horse-related sports. And this year, those games will take place in horse-crazy Tryon. Ironically, the only local resident competing will ride for his native Ecuador.
Business news in brief from our issue of Aug. 1, 2018
A local real estate company reports on the area’s hot real estate market, Asheville business folk meet and nonprofit Mountain BizWorks’ efforts get to promote diverse small business ownership get a big boost with a $650,000 funding commitment from Wells Fargo.
Bringing It Home 2018 aims to inspire future entrepreneurs
Aja Cobbs feels fortunate to have her father as a role model. “My father owns his own business; I have a role model to inspire me to be an entrepreneur,” says the 26-year-old, whose interactive Art Trap House exhibit has traveled to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Atlanta. “What about those youth who have no friends […]
Local business news in brief from our July 25, 2018 issue
Gaia Herbs announced a 140,000-square-foot expansion in Mills River, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce launched a regional analysis to study workforce and employment challenges in Buncombe and nine other WNC counties and Blue Ridge Community College announced it will offer a pair of new classes on dog grooming.
Council agenda includes policing data, new transit plan
Members of Asheville City Council will hear an update on Tuesday, July 24, on efforts to boost transparency of policing data and will decide whether to approve an ambitious new plan for the city’s mass transit system.
Commission recommends approval of Maxwell Street STRs
On July 19, the Asheville Planning and Zoning Commission approved a rezoning request against the recommendation of city staff that would allow two properties on Maxwell Street to serve as short-term vacation rental properties.
Local business news in brief for the week of July 18, 2018
In our weekly roundup of business news in brief, Jeff Kaplan takes the helm of Venture Asheville, while local printing concern Allegra Marketing Print Mail was named No. 16 on the Top 100 Quick and Small Commercial Printers compiled by Printing News in its annual survey.
Local outdoors outfitters keep things stylish and environmentally friendly
Sylvan Sport founder Tom Dempsey says the inspiration for his company’s adventure camping trailers comes from spending time outdoors — and there’s no better place to find inspiration than this area. “We couldn’t do what we do anywhere else,” he says.
How will new downtown construction affect Asheville’s future?
Local architects, preservationists and city officials discuss the evolving look of downtown Asheville.
Local business news in brief for the week of July 11, 2018
In this week’s roundup of local business news, Jacqueline Grant of Roberts & Stevens is named president of the N.C. Bar Association, Mountain BizWorks announces new classes, Pardee UNC Health Care names three new board members and more.
Seasonal workers swap security for adventure
“It feels like a migration of birds,” says Eli Mills, seasonal employee at the North Carolina Outward Bound School. “Every year we come up on the mountain in the very early spring, and slowly, people start trickling in from whatever adventure or work they’ve had over the last few months.”
Area economy continues growth, low unemployment
Positive economic news keeps coming, with Buncombe County boasting the state’s lowest unemployment rate for 38 consecutive months, and numbers showing strong growth in most sectors of the local economy.
Asheville Workplace Challenge highlights local companies’ environmental leadership
In conjunction with the work of the Energy Innovation Task Force, the Asheville Workplace Challenge aims to expand participation and engagement in the program, which recognizes the efforts of local companies as they do their part to create a more sustainable future.
Armed with data, local groups aim to boost minority business ownership
A new study sponsored by a coalition of local organizations and funded by Mountain BizWorks and the City of Asheville identifies a long list of markets where Asheville has room for local expansion. The New Economy Coalition hopes to use the study to boost the number of minority-owned businesses in Western North Carolina.
Mission Health sale could create massive community nonprofit
HCA’s purchase price for the system, plus Mission’s remaining net cash and investments, would fund a nonprofit foundation specifically devoted to boosting public health in the region. At a meeting of the Council of Independent Business Owners, President and CEO Ron Paulus claimed that the new organization’s assets, which could range from $1 billion to $2 billion depending on the final sale price, would make it one of the three largest foundations in North Carolina and the richest foundation per capita anywhere on the planet.
County approves GE incentives, launches new early childhood ed initiatives
Though breaking news about new Wanda Greene indictments made it hard for elected officials and members of the public to focus on anything else, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved $685,000 in incentives for a planned local investment by GE Aviation and announced two new early childhood education initiatives during its meeting on June 5.
Planning, permitting focus of spring city manager’s development forum
Roughly 80 attendees had lunch on the city while hearing updates related to development, design and construction at the May 17 city manager’s development forum. City officials said permitting activity is significantly lower in the current fiscal year than last year.