Top lawyers, disaster loans and a new retail store in Biz Briefs from our issue of Aug. 29

On the move

• Garden Party, a new retail shop in the former location of The Drygoods Shop at 474 Haywood Road in West Asheville, will hold its grand opening on Thursday, Aug. 30, 5-9 p.m. Owners Tarleton Walmsley and Seth Connelly will treat guests to CBD-infused cocktails from Spirit Savvy Cocktails and small bites made by Atlanta-based chef Julia LeRoy of Produce and Provide.

  

• Dave Walters has joined the sales and development team of Balsam Mountain Preserve, a low-density, conservation-orientated private residential community to lead a specialty task force to promote green homebuilding on the mountain.

Loans available for businesses affected by Subtropical Storm Alberto

Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and private nonprofit organizations to support recovery from flooding associated with Subtropical Storm Alberto, which began on May 15, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced. The loans are available in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Madison, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania and Yancey counties.

Applicants may apply online at DisasterLoan.sba.gov.

Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. Applications must be submitted by April 8 for consideration.

Kudos and honors

• Kit Cramer, president and CEO of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, is one of 40 North Carolinians selected as an NC Influencer by the Charlotte Observer, The News & Observer and the Durham Herald-Sun. Cramer and her peers will be surveyed throughout this election year on issues of statewide concern.
• Sixteen attorneys with The Van Winkle Law Firm in 25 different areas of law have been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2019. Additionally, one Van Winkle attorney, Mark A. Pinkston, was recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” in bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/ insolvency and reorganization law. Only a single attorney for each specialty and location can be selected to that honor. This is Pinkston’s second year to hold the distinction.
• Caroline Knox was also cited as a “Lawyer of the Year” in elder law. Knox has practiced law for 18 years; seven months ago, she launched her own Asheville elder law practice, Knox Law.
• Jonathan W. Yarbrough of Constangy, Brooks & Smith and Prophete, LLP was named to The Best Lawyers in America 2019 for employment law (management) and litigation (labor and employment).

Business calendar

• Sept. 2-9 is Asheville Entrepreneurship Week, a celebration of Asheville startups, innovative businesses and entrepreneurs. Events include the Living Asheville Arts Festival (LAAF), two lunch-and-learn sessions at The Collider, an introduction to the local startup scene, a media panel,  TedXAsheville and a tour of four local co-working spaces. For more information, contact event organizer Emily Breedlove at 828-347-6240 or Emily@HatchAVL.org.
• Park Ridge Health will partner with Franklin Covey to present The Five Choices to Extraordinary Productivity on Thursday, Sept. 20, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in the Virginia C. Boone Mountain Heritage Building at the WNC Agricultural Center, 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher. The event benefits the Henderson County Education Foundation. Tickets are $149 for an individual; team discounts are available. More information and registration at PRHevents.com.