Among those who are skeptical, the point of contention is whether a business improvement district overburdens downtown taxpayers for basic services that should be provided by the City of Asheville and Buncombe County.
Tag: Randy Talley
Showing 1-12 of 12 results
Food and beverage workers union eyes future growth
Asheville Food and Beverage United seeks to interrupt “the abusive culture that just keeps being perpetuated,’” explains Jen Hampton, the union’s lead organizer. Her work in the service industry spanned over 30 years, with the last 16 in Asheville.
Opening soon-ish: New restaurants face ongoing obstacles and delays
For many first-time and established restaurateurs, the current market and supply chain issues continue to create ongoing challenges for new projects. For some local chefs, the result has meant pushing back start dates, while depending ever more on the ambiguous promise of “Opening Soon.”
WNC reacts to new living wage rate
Just Economics of Western North Carolina updated its hourly living wage for all Buncombe County employees to $17.70 in January, a 40-cent increase over the 2021 living wage for employees without employer-provided health insurance — and a $1.90 hourly raise for those with insurance.
What’s new in food: Faux Lox Foods launches in Asheville
Vegans and vegetarians craving a lox bagel now have options thanks to Faux Lox Foods. Also: television personality Samantha Brown visits Asheville; Metro Wines hosts its latest tasting; and more!
What’s new in food: Green acres, green students and a Baby Bull on the loose
The city of Asheville has farmland available in East Asheville for local growers, plus Growing Minds revamps its website, Baby Bull opens in the old Broth Lab space, Well-Bred Bakery heads downtown and more local food news.
More vegan dining options are sprouting up in Asheville
Chefs and restaurant owners whose menus support plant-based choices have witnessed a steady increase in interest and responded in kind.
Tourism businesses patch together local, federal funds in bid for survival
Restaurants, brewers, hoteliers, tour companies and retailers were all among the 449 named Paycheck Protection Program beneficiaries with headquarters in Asheville. At least 46 of those entities also received help from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority to fill needs unmet by the federal loan effort.
Earth Fare reopens in West Asheville
The Westgate store is the first of eight Earth Fare supermarkets to reopen.
Local buzz: Yaupon tea takes the Asheville stage as a native source of caffeine
A black tea made from the yaupon holly, the only known caffeinated plant indigenous to North America, is creeping onto Asheville store shelves and coffee shop menus.
The sweet future of sorghum
Now that people are more conscious of what they are eating, says sorghum grower Doug Harrell, sorghum is becoming a more sought-after product. With vitamins and minerals like thiamin, iron and calcium, Harrell says “it is probably the healthiest sweetener in the nation today.”
The third place: Green Sage looks ahead with Westgate location
The opening of the third Green Sage location in Westgate Shopping Center brings co-owners Randy Talley and Roger Derrough full circle: The pair established the first Earth Fare store in that same plaza 20 years ago. But with this newest manifestation of their healthy, fast-casual café concept, Talley and Derrough clearly have their sights set on the bigger picture.
