Cape Fear Living Magazine Fall 2019

Fa l l 2 0 1 9

the

true blue Experience

Dr. George

Wilmington's Dermatology Darling

CBD Oil

Everything you wanted to know

The Kuchar Family

Building a global wine business

Connecting Cape Fear Cultures

Features

flavors

faces

roSÉ. now lighter.

non-gmo

vegan

gluten free

0g Sugar

dry roSÉ wine from the loire valley in france and SParKling water from the auStrian alPS

P e r f e c t ly Pa i r e d f o r yo u r a c t i v e l i f e S t y l e our PromiSe to you: nothing artificial . no added SugarS . colorS or flavorS . @roSewinewater

THE STRANDS W i l m iNgTo N’S fi R S T R ESiDENTiAl HouSEboAT CommuN iT y ENjoy liviN g iN THE miDDlE of iT All, WHilE STill bE iN g iN you R oWN pEACEful WATERfR oNT oASiS .

SpECi A l pRE-Co NSTRuCTioN pR iCiNg

Dreams Built on Water

WWW.AT lANTiCHouSEboATS. Com 910.251.6165 iNfo@ATlANTiCHouSEboATS.Com

1, 2, & 3 bE DR o o m S AvAi lA bl E

f eatur es // Fall 2019

17 Fall Fashion Fusion

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de pa rtmen t s // History & Legend 10

The Ice House

Arts & Entertainment 14

PinkSocks: in pursuit of global good

Food & Drink 38

Blue passion

44

Wilmington's global family wine business

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Carolina Bbq gospel

Health & Wellness Fashion & Beauty 17

fall fashion fusion

Home & Garden 26

Modern Living in Historic Spaces: ROW Back Door Kitchen Tour

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WATERMAN’S WATCH

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Wilmington's DERMATOLOGY DARLING

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CBD: The miracle compound taking the world by storm

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Contributors

writers & photographers

Fall 2019

Publisher

Ryan Hedspeth Marketer, traveler, surfer, guitar player, music fan, food and drink enthusiast. A North Carolina native that loves to take the long way home.

Naari Honor Avid vinyl collector, appreciator of the obscure, loves all things Poe and binge watches Star Trek reruns on the weekends. Enjoys discovering the hidden gems in Wilmington and eating insane amounts of seafood.

Leping Beck

publisher@capefearlivingmagazine.com Editor

Colleen Thompson

editor@capefearlivingmagazine.com Graphic Design Samantha Lowe

samantha@capefearlivingmagazine.com Director of Marketing Liz Wiles

elizabeth@capefearlivingmagazine.com Copy Editor Amanda Lisk Amanda bio to: Wife, mom, award winning journalist, Yorkie lover, boater.

Colleen Thompson Writer, picture taker, light chaser, raconteur, sommelier, foodie, wanderer, wild beach seeker.

Sara Beck

sara@capefearlivingmagazine.com PROJECT MANAGER Jeanne Murphy

jeanne@capefearlivingmagazine.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Amanda Lisk

amanda@capefearlivingmagazine.com Marisol O'Connor

marisol@capefearlivingmagazine.com

Raul Sojo Montes A borrowed eye from the tropics.

Loves walking his dogs all over Wilmington. An influential manager of the Fantasy Baseball era. Much smarter in Spanish; even got a novel published.

Michael Raab Dog lover, photographer, documentarian, and musician. Avid rock ‘n’ roll listener. Finds interesting stories wherever he looks.

contributing writers

Ryan Hedspeth · Naari Honor · Amanda Lisk Michael Raab · Colleen Thompson

contributing photographers

Denny Culbert · Meagan Forbes · Ethan Gaskill · Melissa Hebert Elmer Murillo · Raul Sojo Montes · Eric von Bargen for event submissions:

info@capefearlivingmagazine.com published by

Live Local 360 LLC

Fa l l 2 0 1 9

thE

truE bluE ExpEriEncE

dr. george

wilmingTon's dermaTology darling

cBd oil

everyThing you wanTed To Know

The Kuchar Family

Building a gloBal wine Business

ConneCting Cape Fear Cultures

FEaturEs

Flavors

FacEs

Cover Photograph by Raul Sojo Montes; Spanish Octopus Ragu San Marzano Tomatoes, Fried Potato Gnocchi, Spanish Octopus, Olives, Caperberries prepared by Chef Bobby Zimmerman 6

ca pe f ear l i vi n g / fal l 2019

All contents in this publication are the property of Live Local 360 LLC. Reproduction or use of the contents in this magazine without authorization by Live Local 360 LLC is prohibited. Live Local 360 LLC takes every effort to provide correct and accurate information that is published in this magazine. Live Local 360 LLC accepts no liability on behalf of contributing parties for any inaccuracies or copyright infringement. Live Local 360 LLC also cannot be held responsible for any services or claims provided by our advertisers.

Cape Fear Living Magazine is designed as an art, culture, and community resource.

Our staff loves to hear from our readers. Contact us at

info@CapeFearLivingMagazine.com

l e t t e r s tot h e E d i t o r

Jarrett Bay Boatworks

Cape Fear Living Magazine stays true to its namesake: the Cape Fear... and beyond. Jarrett Bay's inclusion in their Summer 2019 issue was a Sum

mer

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pleasure. Writer - Liz Wiles - covered all angles of

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our organization and the great production and digital

Travel& advenTure

ay ks t Bo r ret Ja rB o a t wh in g is rtf e spo styl a in l in aro C th s n o rw in ee r a w e an ie k l in n how fra the in s l ifCel o u d

artwork exceeded our expectations. Thank you for telling my story - our story - in such a professional

stal coachic Co

nn

Feat

eCt

ure

ing

e Cap

s

Fea

u r C

ors Flav

ltu

in Style

manner.

Written By: Liz WiLes photography contriButed By: Luke Peterson, scot t tayLor , Marc Montocchio, and debra todd

— Randy Ramsey / President & Founder res

Face

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of Jarrett Bay Boatworks

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cape fear living / Summer 2019

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JOLO Winery & Vineyards

Our experience with Cape Fear Living Magazine

Bakeology

exceeded our expectations and the team is

She handled our style well. It was a perfect synopsis of who

them in the future. They told our story and visually

We had the pleasure of working with Amanda Lisk.

exceptional. We look forward to working with

we are, and where we're going. We were also impressed

presented our business with excellence and grace.

with the page format and layout - it's perfect for social

— JW Ray / Founder JOLO Wines

media, a plaque, etc. We did receive several copies of the publication. We'd love more! We kept one for each of us, and another for the shop, and customers have taken the rest!

— Allen Renquist / Owner, The Donut Inn

Howie Franklin

My husband and I have a home in Southport that we visit every Summer from Charlotte, NC. I am a filmmaker and my husband is a physician.

This year was the first time that I noticed Cape Fear Living

Community Proud

What a terrific story on Howie Franklin in the recent

Magazine and so picked up a copy to read on the beach. I came

Cape Fear Living magazine. Having been born and raised in

across your Howie Franklin story, A Life in the Clouds, and what

Southport, I can remember when the airport was a dirt and

an absolute surprise. I haven't enjoyed reading an editorial piece

dusty run way and hard to get to because of the deer stands

in a magazine that much in a long time. It was outstanding, you

and major brush!! Howie has brought the facility a long,

should consider turning this into a documentary.

long way.

I never write to magazine's but I felt compelled to let you

The photography was outstanding as well. We at The

know how much I enjoyed this article and how excellent I thought

Preserve are so proud to see our buildings featured as

y'alls entire publication was. I have asked a friend of mine in

background in one photo - be sure that your magazine and

Southport to please continue sending me a copy, which appears

your great story on Howie will be well-read here in our condo

to come out seasonally. Looking forward to the next issue.

community.

— Kristine Logan / Charlotte

— Lola Burgess /

Southport

We would love to hear from you. Please email us at editor@capefearlivingmagazine.com. Letters will be edited for length.

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History&legend

t he

ICE HOUSE

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Written By: Michael Raab

In the late 1800s, ice was valuable cargo. Ships docked in New England ports where large chunks of frozen lake surfaces were cut out, loaded up and covered with sawdust. The ships then made their way down the east coast of the United States and up the Cape Fear River, docking at the Ice House in Wilmington to unload. The Ice House was an important destination for decades—until mechanical ice-making came along. Following this technological advance, the ships stopped coming, the trade ended and the Ice House went dormant—until 1990.

That year, Riverfest weekend found downtown Wilmington to be a sort of shopping district, a sort of business district and sort of this-and-that. Joe Carney, Jim Bath and another investor had re-opened the Ice House on Saturday, October 6th as an open-air beer garden. Music became an integral part of its story from day one; Arthur “Lovewhip” Shuey and his band, along with saxman David Schartman and his combo, E.C.O., filled the Ice House courtyard with cool blues and hot jazz.

“I had always thought a lot of downtown Wilmington,” says Carney. “It started off as a real estate investment, and one thing led to another.” His partner, Jim Bath, also had some interesting ideas for the Ice House, like the tug parked in the lot. “Jim Bath was the inspiration. The tug came from across the river, originally from the salvage yard. It was formerly owned by the Shah of Iran because he owned the shipping company that owned the tugboat,” says Carney.

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The Ice House later became the home of the Blues Society of the Lower Cape Fear. Music was a marvelous eclectic mix, from flamenco by William “Paco” Strickland to Southern blues by Charlie and Rose Lucas, folk acoustic served up by Gary Allen, funky stuff by Tommy B & the Stingers, indie rock by Calamity and even shag competitions by local dance groups. It became, as Carney described, “a fun place that was more than a bar. It became a community center. Everyone had a good time downtown, which was just as it should have been.” Regular patron Connie Nelson said, “Day or night, you could count on great music and an enthusiastic crowd.”

In 1995 Carney sold his share to Karl Tutt and Frank Greathouse. The new owners re-opened the Ice House on March 1, 1996. They wanted to keep the community feel of the original beer garden, but at this point the environment was changing in the downtown district.

Even with the shift in ownership, the Ice House continued for awhile as an important part of downtown Wilmington’s history. In 1998, the Sultry Suthun’ Sundays CD was recorded live at the Ice House by Brad Thomas. It featured many prominent Cape Fear musicians, and a release party was held. The building also became an integral part of the wildly successful television series “Dawson’s Creek.”

Above: The iconic tug was named Olivia and was originally owned by the Shah of Iran.

Opposite: Wilmington's unofficial troubadour, Gary Allen, often entertained patrons at the Ice House. ca pefea rliving mag a z in e .com

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History&legend

In the episode entitled “Parental Discretion Advised” that aired on May 26, 1999, the cast was studying inside the Ice House when it caught fire and burned down.

When problems began brewing with the new ownership, the Ice House era that made downtown Wilmington what it is today began drawing to a close. Stacey (Harrell) Shaw leased the building on December 1, 2003, and opened it up as the Ice House Pub on December 15th. The very next day, Ice House Properties LLC bought the building and served an eviction notice to Ms. Harrell on December 19th—after she had invested $20,000 in renovations. On March 26th through 28th of 2004, there was a Save The Ice House Big Blowout Bash, and many Ice House musicians performed to help Ms. Harrell recoup some of her investment. Donnie Kornegay headed up the all-day affair, cooking hotdogs and hamburgers for a $10 all you could eat and drink. At the end of the event, everyone signed the Ice House walls.

Clockwise: 15 years ago the Ice House was leveled to make room for condos; 15 years later the condos never happened and the property is a parking lot.

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The Ice House went down on April 26, 2004 with plans for 30-unit condo development, but that development never happened. A 10th Anniversary Reunion was held in downtown Wilmington on April 27, 2014 to a packed house and featured live music by bands and musicians who had previously played at the Ice House. Five years later, a documentary, “The Ice House—The Rise and Fall of a Legendary Landmark,” was released on April 26, 2019 to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the Ice House going down. Ultimately, the leveled Ice House property became what Joni Mitchell had written about in “Big Yellow Taxi”: “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” Mitchell was talking about Hawaii, but the lyrics fit downtown Wilmington just as well. ¶

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a r t & e n t e r ta i n m e n t

In Pursuit of Global Good

M

Many of us would agree that the driving force behind significant change is the people who fight for it. What most can’t agree on is what that fight looks like. Meet Nick Adkins, the “kilt-wearing, pink furry, bike riding, healthcare MBA,” and founder of the Pink Socks movement— a movement with the potential to positively change the world for the better, one pair of pink socks at a time.

But what are pink socks, you ask? Well, the answer to that question is two-fold. Pink Socks are the name of a quirky pair of pink knee-high socks covered in black mustaches. Pinksocks is also a philosophy spread by a tribe of individuals who share a common school of thought: belief in an individual’s ability to bring about change in the world by simply spreading love and humanity through no-stringsattached gifting.

“Pinksocks aren’t a product. They’re always a gift, given as a gesture of love and kindness,” says Nick Adkins. “They’re a token, a reminder of when someone took the time to look into your eyes and say, ‘It’s good to see you,’ make a connection, and share a gift.”

The pinksocks movement materialized in 2015, but the concept manifested in 2010 after Adkins attended Burning Man, an event held in a temporary city constructed in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, geared towards art and community.

“So, here’s how the pinksocks movement began. I went to Burning Man for the first time in 2010 to disconnect. To unplug. I found 70 thousand people living in heart space without the construct of judgment or prejudice or fear.”

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ca p e f ear l i v i n g / fal l 20192019 Summer

Every year the Burning Man Project creates Black Rock City, a temporary playa located in the middle of the dessert that, for a week, is home to thousands of individuals who share the same ideals reflected in the organization’s 10 principles: Radical Inclusion, Gifting, Decommodification, Radical Self-reliance, Radical Self-expression, Communal Effort, Civic Responsibility, Leaving No Trace, Participation and Immediacy. The goal of the organization is to “lift the human spirit, address social problems, and inspire a sense of culture, community and civic engagement.”

Nick describes his first experience at Burning Man as “mind-blowing” and he found himself wondering if the concept could live beyond the week-long playa in the desert. Inspired by one of his favorite Black Rock City principles, gifting, the pinksocks movement began to formulate.

“My friend Andrew Richards and I gave away 100 pairs of pinksocks as we walked around a medical conference in Chicago in 2015.

We were wearing pinksocks, and every time someone noticed them we’d stop, introduce ourselves, make a connection, and pull out a pair of pinksocks from our backpack to gift to them. At that conference, #pinksocks went viral on Twitter, and the movement was (accidentally) born.”

The pinksocks movement started in the healthcare community, and many of its wearers include prominent figures in both the medical and science communities. Eric Topol, world-renowned cardiologist, geneticist and digital medicine researcher was one of the first people to receive a pair of pink socks.

“We can’t always control governments (and) politics, but what we can control is how we interact with each other, one person at a time, one smile at a time, one pair of pink socks at a time.”

—

N i c k

“I asked him if we could take a picture together with his pinksocks so I could tweet it,” Adkins divulges on his website. “He said yes, and then he retweeted it to his followers, and the next thing I knew people were coming up to me asking me what my story was—and if they could have some pinksocks.”

Nick and Andrew continued to attend medical conferences gifting pinksocks. In less than five years, the movement spread beyond healthcare, creating the pinksocks tribe which now includes more than 100 thousand people.

“The core message that’s on the label of the pinksocks – “the world is full of good when you believe it, you see it – keep doing that!” – resonated more strongly than I could have ever imagined.

We established the Pinksocks Life Inc. non-profit to help sustain the movement that grew from the ground up. The nonprofit is 100% funded via donations and is a force-multiplier, supporting other public charities by amplifying their message on social platforms, especially Twitter,” shares Adkins.

Nick Adkins and his pinksocks crew will be in Wilmington, NC to attend the Cucalorus Festival scheduled to take place from November 13th through November 17th. Adkins will be the keynote

A d k i n s

speaker at the Connect Conference and will discuss humans’ need to connect in his keynote entitled “The Power of Connection.”

What should we expect from his keynote? “I wouldn’t recommend expecting anything – just be open, willing, and present to have the experience. We’re going to explore the magic of what happens when you give yourself the permission and the self-space to say YES. We’re going to remind ourselves of the power of connection, and that we’re all in this together,” says Adkins.

“I wake up each day and follow the pinksocks hashtag on Twitter, and I have my mind blown, seeing all the good things that people are doing around the world. It’s great seeing everyone celebrate each other and the things they are doing to make the world a better place.

If there are one hundred thousand people around the world today who are in the pinksocks tribe who are each creating one, two, five, ten, fifty smiles each day, think of the exponential ripple effect of the good energy sent into the universe.” ¶ To learn more about Adkins, Pinksocks Life, Inc., and the pinksocks tribe, visit pinksocks.life on the web and follow Nick and fellow tribe members on Twitter @nickisnpdx.

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fa s h i o n & b e au ty

Fall Fashion As summer sets sail over the horizon, m ak e way for e d gy fall styles. This season’s 2019 couture line-up fuses old

Fusion

with new as oversized sweaters of the 80s an d an k l e b o o t s o f the 90s re-surface.

Denim hemlines rise u p an d f l a r e o u t , statement necklaces an d an i m a l p r i n t s a b o u n d an d t h e classic bow-tied tux is back with gusto.

Scroll through the following pages for a taste of fall on the c o a s t . Sa y h e l l o t o

Š Elmer Murillo

Fa l l Fa s h i o n F u s i o n .

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“The 2019 fall fashion season is so much fun.

Think 70s Halston. Think 80s chunky sweaters.

And, you won't be able to escape animal print.

Meadowlark focuses on updated classics with an edge, so I buy accordingly, always looking for unique items. I also like to "push" our clients out of their comfort zone or typical box, a bit.”

Kendall Hurt Owner, Meadowlark Meadowlark

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meadowlark_shop The Forum · 1121-G Military Cutoff Rd. · Wilmington www.meadowlarkshop.net

1. V-n e c k l e o pa r d p r i n t m i d i d r e s s 2. A l b u ry s w e at e r i n n at u r a l w i t h R o m a n i a b l a c k s k i r t 3. N e u t r a l s n a k e p r i n t h i g h n e c k t o p w i t h h i g h-wa i s t, s e a m e d pa n t a n d M i c k e y C a l f s k i n b a g 4. T w i s t n e c k d r e s s w i t h J e m s p r i n g b o k b a g P h o t o g r a p y: E l m e r M u r i l l o; M o d e l s: E s t r e l l a B r i l l a n t e, K y l i e L u n d y; S t y l e d b y: K e n d a l l H u r t; H a i r a n d M a k e u p: N ataw s h a V o n d r a k; L o c at i o n: S e a pat h T o w e r s a n d Ya c h t C l u b

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“Put on your favorite pair of heels and you are ready to take on the world.

It doesn’t solve your problems but it gives you a better perspective of where you stand and where you want to go.” Jacqueline van Schaick, owner, Per Fidem.

‘Per Fidem shoes are a fusion of classic and modern design. Our products are not only crafted with the best Italian leathers but are handmade by Italian artisans who take pride in their work.”

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Jacqueline van Schaick Owner, Per Fidem Per fidem perfidemleather Lumina Station · 1904 Eastwood Rd. Suite 107 · Wilmington www.perfidem.com

1. Carmen Red Suede ankle Boots 2. Laura Calfskin leather bag 3. Daniela Leopard Heel/Renata Saffiano leather tote bag 4. Tatiana Top Handle Handbag P h o t o g r a p y: E l m e r M u r i l l o; M o d e l s: E s t r e l l a B r i l l a n t e, K y l i e L u n d y; S t y l e d b y: J a c q u e l i n e va n S c h a i c k & J u a n i ta S h o t w e l l; H a i r a n d M a k e u p: N ataw s h a V o n d r a k L o c at i o n: S e a pat h T o w e r s a n d Ya c h t C l u b

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fa s h i o n & b e au ty

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ca p e f ear l i v i n g / fal l 2019

“There has never been an easier time to wear denim. From skinny to flared, cropped to full length, low slung to belly button high… the options are boundless! There are flattering silhouettes for nearly every body type readily available.

The driving trend in denim is not so much about style as it is about the fabric and fit.

The jeans most coveted now look authentic (like your favorite vintage pair) but they are constructed from soft, finely woven denim in fits that have been perfected over years and years— a harkening to denim’s rich heritage but with a touch of modern.”

Kelly Amato Owner, Oliver Oliver oliverclothing 1055 Military Cutoff Rd. · 103 · Wilmington www.oliverclothing.com

P h o t o g r a p y: E t h a n G a s k i l l; M o d e l: R a c h e l S t e v e n s; S t y l e d b y: K e l ly A m at o; H a i r a n d M a k e u p: C l a i r e Sv e n s s o n, B l u s h

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fa s h i o n & b e au ty

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“We are thrilled to be celebrating 50 years in the Cape Fear region. For the upcoming 2020 season slim fit is in!

Cape Fear Formal Wear has recently undergone a complete retooling of our wedding suit and Tuxedo lines everything is brand new, not to mention the latest trends for prom season at the most competitive prices in Wilmington.”

Jason Seller Owner, Cape Fear Formal Wear C a p e F e a r F o rm a l W e a r 412 South College Rd. Suite #52 · Wilmington www.capefearformalwear .com

1. and 2. Ultra slim fit Parker Notch Tuxedo by Ike Behar P h o t o g r a p y: E r i c v o n B a r g e n; M o d e l: L a n c e E l l i o t t; S t y l e d b y: J a s o n S e l l a r s; t r a n s p o r tat i o n: BMW M850i c o n v e r t i b l e p r o v i d e d b y BMW o f W i l m i n g t o n

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2 “10% proceeds go to Childhood Cancer Research.�

Amber Godwin Owner, Anchor Beads Anchor beads www.anchorbeads.com 1. Long Chinoiserie Necklace - made with porcelain chinoiserie beads, cork and bamboo beads 2. Classic Bead Necklace - made with bone and recycled glass African beads.

P h o t o g r a p y: E r i c v o n B a r g e n / E l m e r M u r i l l o ; M o d e l: K y l i e L u n d y

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home & garden

Modern Living i n H is t o r ic S pa ces

T

R O W B a c k Doo r Ki t che n Tou r Written By: Naari Honor

T h e r e i s t h i s s p e c i a l p l a c e i n W i l m i n g t o n w h e r e p a v e d r o a d s t u r n i n t o r e d b r i c k , a n d t h e s m e l l o f m a g n o l i a t r e e s p e r m e a t e s t h e a i r .

T o u r i s t s f l o c k h e r e t o t a k e i n t h e s i t e s , b u t f o r W i l m i n g t o n r e s i d e n t s , t h i s a r e a i s h o m e ; r i c h i n h i s t o r y a n d r o b u s t w i t h p r o g r e s s .

There is this special place in Wilmington where paved roads turn into red brick, and the smell of magnolia trees permeates the air.

Tourists flock here to take in the sites, but for Wilmington residents, this area is home; rich in history and robust with progress.

The Historic District of downtown Wilmington, encompassing 230 blocks, is considered one of the largest historic areas listed on the National Registry. Within this space, you can find quaint shops, a beautiful Riverwalk and a plethora of historic homes. And it is within these homes that one can experience the past while living in the present.

“The Historic District is filled with homes, from modest cottages to grand mansions and everything in between,” says Phoebe Bragg, President of Residents of Old Wilmington. “The houses vary in age, architectural style and interior design. The thing they have in common is that each home is unique.”

Residents of Old Wilmington (ROW), is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that is rooted in the historic perseveration of downtown Wilmington neighborhoods. The organization’s major fundraising event, the Backdoor Kitchen Tour, will see it’s 14th year on October 12, 2019. The tour will feature nine historic homes owned by ROW members and families.

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“Our members volunteer their houses, and our BDKT committee selects a variety of styles, sizes and ages of the homes in order to give our guests a cross-section of life in the Historic District,” Bragg comments.

The tour came about in 2005 in an effort to raise money for the community. Former ROW President Alice Mitchell formed a committee during her tenure to research the best ways to fundraise. Inspired by home tours in Charleston, South Carolina and Key West, Florida, the Back Door Kitchen Tour began.

“Because all ROW members live in the downtown historic district in unique houses, that was a perfect fit for us,” says Bragg.

This year’s tour includes Queen Anne, Victorian and Greek Revival style homes. Despite the tour being called the Back Door Kitchen Tour, the event actually allows residents of historic homes to open up their doors to the public to showcase how modern folks live in historic spaces. Attendees are able to explore only the main floor of the home.

“People love to have the opportunity to step inside an old home,” says Michael Smith, owner of the 1899 Queen Anne home that will be onview for the tour. “Even though the focus is the kitchen, participants get to see and enjoy the entire downstairs of the home.”

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home & garden

Patrica and Paul Lawler moved into their 1860 Greek Revival style home located on Walnut Street in March of 2007. Tour guests will get to walk the 150-year-old original pine floors and view the rooms that were once used as a waiting room, exam rooms and a pharmacy.

“The house was a doctor’s office for almost 40 years, and that’s why we have two front doors,” Patricia Lawler explains. “It was Dr. Daniel Roane, an African American physician that was here. This was his clinic, and he lived two doors down”.

Peter and Pam Gonzales are two chefs at heart that poured their soul into designing the perfect kitchen for cooking, entertaining and fellowship. The kitchen includes a state-of-the-art Sub-Zero refrigerator and wine storage cooler as well as a beautiful royal blue BlueStar eight-eye range.

“Friends will say that we have too many (ranges),” says Pam. “I say we have just enough; four for him and four for me!”

One of the oldest homes in Wilmington and on the tour is the HoggAnderson home built in 1810, which is owned by husband and wife Patricia and Lew Lobosco.

“It was a Salvation Army hospital for girls,” Lew says as he reads from a copy of the newspaper clipping announcing the hospital’s opening. “When the girls came here, they had to have a birthing room.”

As many as 73 girls resided in the home, and 59 babies were birthed in the space before the site was relocated in 1925. In addition to this, the home was used in 1918 by the Red Cross to make bandages for World War I soldiers. It is estimated that 50 to 100 women met in the home every morning to take part in the task.

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Mary Grace Denton and Peter Maloff have lived in their 1870 Neoclassical home located on Walnut Street for close to three years now. Dr. Robert Martin Fales, physician and author of the book “Wilmington Yesteryear,” had the home constructed and practiced in it for many years before moving into the Murchison building.

“In the original home this was Dr. Fales waiting area,” Mary Grace comments as she points around the living room. “And that is where he saw his patients. This door leads out onto the porch and there's a different sidewalk down the side of the yard, so it was truly a separate entrance for the patients.”

Like many ROW members, the couple did not do any major renovations, which in turn helped with preserving much of the home’s character.

Every home on the tour has its own story and embodies an air of uniqueness. While the tour is designed to raise money, it is also an opportunity for visitors to learn the history of many of the homes they pass by on a daily basis.

Proceeds from the Back Door Kitchen Tour go back into the community—another way the organization fosters a sense of community, progress and pride for all Wilmingtonites.

“The money we raise stays in downtown,” says Bragg. “ROW has given grants to DREAMS, Kids Making It, the Children’s Museum and our battleship. Last year we made donations to the Bellamy Mansion and Burgwin Wright House for hurricane repairs”. ca pefea rliving mag a z in e .com

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home & garden

Of all the beautiful homes on the tour, just which kitchen would Phoebe Bragg love to see again if given an opportunity?

“I would revisit my mother's kitchen. It was the heart of the home and our gathering place. It was filled with sunlight and overlooked fields and cow pastures. She had a flour bin where she kept her dough bowl, and she made biscuits twice a day,” says Bragg.

Wilmington has had its share of good and bad when it comes to the town’s history. But it is efforts like these that help the community move further towards progress and healing. ¶

T o l e a r n m o r e a b o u t t h e R e s i d e n t s o f O l d W i l m i n g t o n a n d t h e B a c k D o o r K i t c h e n T o u r , v i s i t t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n ' s w e b s i t e a t w w w . r o w i l m i n g t o n . o r g .

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home & garden

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Written By: Amanda Lisk

·

Photography By: Meagan Forbes

With a design landscape already in play and furniture pieces acquired, Wrightsville Beach homeowners call on the eyes of Big Sky Design to bring it all together.

Using rich hues of navy and orange, tailored fabrics and unique fixtures, Big Sky designer, Jo Howell effectively layers in the finishing touches by blending masculine, contemporary with soft feminine for a comfy, yet modern coastal look. With a view of Harbor Island from the living room, this project is appropriately entitled, Waterman’s Watch.

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home & garden

Ki t che n n oo k A custom build of dark mahogany table tops to contrast the classic coastal white table base and shiplap on the walls. “We brought personality and style into the space with fabrics,” says designer Jo Howell.

A modern geometric fabric was chosen for the roman shades and paired with a leopard print on the custom bench cushions. “The wooden beaded pendants are a nod to the nautical inspiration but still elegant,” says Howell.

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Pow d e r r oom Howell worked with the existing blue vanity top in the powder room, adding a bit of glam to the space with hammered gold sconces, new mirror, and metallic grasscloth wallcovering.

Nav y Splashes of navy are carried throughout the house, from the entry accents to the office window treatments, master vanity, and living room chairs.

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home & garden

Desi g n t i p “A crisp navy and orange color palette, gold lighting and hardware, and modern furniture styles add a little glamour to the modern beach home,” says Howell. Custom window treatments, bold light fixtures and metallic accents create a nice pairing of textures and sophisitcation.

Abou t Big Sky Design is a woman-led team of design mavericks specializing in mixing in art with function that adds meaning to the space. With more than 20 years of design, Big Sky creations have been featured in some of the country’s top home décor media outlets including Houzz and HGTV.

BIG SKY DESIGN Jennifer Kraner; founder, president, principal designer www.bigskydesignonline.com bigskydesign

Designer : Jo Howell Project: Scott & Lisa Diggs, " Waterman's Watch" Project

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Food& Drink

Blue Passion Written By: Colleen Thompson Photography By: Raul Sojo Montes

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T

T

There are many characteristics that resonate deeply with me about chefs. There is an odd connection rooted to the same respect and passion I have gleaned interviewing and observing musicians. Throw in winemakers and they are collectively my favorite people to spend time with.

They all share the following: Discipline. Dedication. Practice. Energy. Fellowship. Respect.

It’s not an easy life. The hours are grueling. The rewards and accolades few and far between. They’re driven and fueled by pure passion and creativity—total immersion for the sake of their craft. Just a tad obsessive. Bobby Zimmerman is that guy.

That chef.

The expression of his creativity and passion has come to life through his restaurant True Blue Butcher & Table.

It’s a big, beautiful space that has been designed to feel like you’ve just walked into your favorite neighborhood spot, only more elevated and elegant and sophisticated without being stuffy or pretentious. The ambience is simply cool and comfortable, the attention to food obvious and meticulous.

We meet in the True Blue bar on a Wednesday morning. Zimmerman, behind his cool exterior and blue striped apron, is a little agitated and distracted, checking messages on his phone.

The pork butt’s delivery is late; that will put the kitchen staff under pressure and could affect tonight’s menu. He’s all business today and most days too, I’m guessing.

He tells me right off the bat that this story is not about him.

It’s about the food. It’s about the amazing team he has behind him. “And most importantly, it's about the idea of having a trustworthy place to eat.”

I tell him I am here to listen to HIS story. So why don’t we just start with the name?

Spanish Octopus Ragu

San Marzano Tomatoes, Fried Potato Gnocchi, Spanish Octopus, Olives, Caperberries This dish was designed for the True Blue fall/winter menu, focusing on a robust tomato and pork ragu to compliment an olive oil infused Spanish octopus. The fried potato gnocchi provides a pillowing luxuriousness. This dish will also be featured in the sharable section of the dinner menu.

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Food& Drink

True Blue. A Madonna fan perhaps?

“I was trying to come up with a name for the restaurant,” Zimmerman tells me. “I Googled the word trustworthy and directly under it, the name true blue pops up. Turns out it’s a slang term for a linen that was made in Coventry, England, during the middle ages.”

True blue is supposed to derive from the blue cloth. The town's dyers had a reputation for producing material that didn't fade with washing—it remained 'fast' or 'true'. True blue became a moniker for the real thing. It also happened to inspire the iconic blue and white striped butcher aprons.

“So, no, not the Madonna song,” he smiles. “But ‘True Blue,’ is actually a song by my favorite band, Bright Eyes.”

“The funky, indie rock collective?” I ask. ”…I am a blueblood—I will admit that. I dance in blue shoes and wear a blue hat. Live in a blue house on a blue street, in a blue town by a blue creek. I write my blue songs with my blue pen. I sing the blue notes to my blue friends. Now I don't know that much about you, but I like you because you are true blue.”

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“Yeah that’s the one,” he says, his cool exterior relaxing a little.

Huh, there it is, that music connection. Mr. Zimmerman and I are going to do just fine.

“I have been blessed to be surrounded by amazing food my entire life. I wanted my restaurant, True Blue, to reflect the passion and knowledge I’ve accumulated as a chef over the years.

I wanted it to be all about the food,” says Zimmerman. “Completely ingredient driven and entirely focused on flavor and quality ingredients that have their own stories to tell.”

He tells me about a new sous chef he just hired, and how he wanted to demonstrate and convey the idea of super simple but intentional flavors letting the ingredients dictate the menu and tell the story of the dish.

“I took new potatoes and cooked them in our own rendered beef fat, I added some sea salt and ground pepper and then chucked in a handful of mixed, fresh herbs that I flash fried.

Simple, not flashy. He was like, ‘Oh wow, I don’t think I’ve ever tasted potatoes like this before.’”

Products with integrity are emphasized, like the olive oil Zimmerman sources from Spain from a fourth-generation producer who only makes 10,000 liters a year. Zimmerman even knows the exact day the olives are harvested. Or, the honey that comes from a farm in Charlotte, and the ham and charcuterie from Chapel Hill’s ethical farmhouse, Lady Edison; and the specially blended spices from Asheville’s Spicewalla.

“The other side of the True Blue concept, was the idea of having a neighborhood butcher, which almost doesn’t exist anymore,” says Zimmerman. “How do you have that conversation about different cuts of meat? What makes one cut more special than the other? How do you cook it to get the best expression of flavor from it?”

Zimmerman wanted to start that conversation with his diners.

Even the True Blue servers are prepped at being able to have those conversations, answer the questions and offer up tips. Tips like frying steak in beef fat and finishing it off with crunchy Maldon sea salt. Conversations about choosing ribeye, because it has the most flavor, but also knowing that there are three different cuts on a ribeye and why all three will offer up a totally different eating experience.

“Beef quality is incredibly inconsistent, and you will find different qualities from different places during different months. I like to support North Carolina farmers, but it isn’t always possible if I’m looking for the best beef all the time,” Zimmerman explains. “Minnesota happens to be producing the best beef right now. We also care for every cut of beef individually. Beef doesn’t tenderize until after 21 days, and 28 days is even better. At the

“I still work the line. It’s the part I love the most. Behind the line, sweating— that’s where I belong. Whether I owned one or five restaurants, I would always need to spend two to three hours in the kitchen with the food. I’m compulsive about the consistency of every sprig of herb, every garlic clove, every slice of potato, every trace of sauce on the plate. That’s the fun part.” ­—

C h e f

B o b b y

Z i m m e r m a n

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end of the day we want to serve it at its best. Serve it truthfully.”

Truth and food. So where does that come from?

“I grew up in eastern Iowa, in a small town called Clinton.

At 13, I got a job at a gas station truck stop as a dishwasher. For a truck stop it was a pretty sophisticated place that made not terrible food,” says Zimmerman.

“I learned to make pate choux there,” he smiles. “My first prep job was to make like 900 miniature eclairs. I actually still use the cinnamon roll recipe I learned there on the True Blue menu, with a slight twist of course, but basically the same. From there I graduated from prep cook to line cook. When I was 16 years old, the head chef completely ghosted one night,” he says, laughing. “I basically had to cook my way through chaos. I had no choice really. I actually just wanted to be a musician. I would cook the line and then go and play in the band on Friday nights. But after that adrenalin rush—cooking through that crazy service—I knew that was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

He moved to Mississippi with his family in his senior year and is quick to tell me it sucked.

“My family moved for the Casino in Bay, St. Louis. I took a job serving hot dogs at a stand and happened to meet chef 42

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Gary Barnette, who offered me a job in the kitchen at the casino.

Although moving did suck, I realized later in life that I'd be a different man, and a different chef, had I not made that move.”

After a stint at culinary school, Zimmerman worked the line through a string of kitchens ending up in New Orleans and working for “some badass New Orleans Chefs, who literally drank all day. A two million dollar restaurant, and the chef would start ordering spiked lemonades at 2 p.m. Bourdain was accurate in his description of chefs back then. I’m grateful it’s not like that now and it will never be that way in my kitchens.”

Looking for something different in a place which wasn’t yet over traded, he landed in Wilmington, NC as the executive chef at Country Club of Landfall, where he stayed for six years. From there he left the kitchen completely to work for food distribution group Southern Foods. For five years, Zimmerman spent the time exploring the world’s finest food suppliers and researching every inch of the supply chain, all the while prepping and planning True Blue.

His talents are constantly flexed, but they remain unassuming, making his prowess that much more palpable. “I still work the line. It’s the part I love the most. Behind the line, sweating—

that’s where I belong. Whether I owned one or five restaurants, I would always need to spend two to three hours in the kitchen with the food. I’m compulsive about the consistency of every sprig of herb, every garlic clove, every slice of potato, every trace of sauce on the plate. That’s the fun part.”

Teaching and mentoring young chefs and keeping things creative and innovative in his kitchen is also part of the fun. Allowing young chefs to create, uninhibited. Like recreating cereal milk.

“Cereal is actually what chefs live on. So it started out as a joke and ended up as a challenge. Create the taste of cereal milk completely from scratch. We started out with crème brûlée batter and added lemon zest and spices and in the end, we were like, ‘Oh wow, this totally tastes like cereal milk.’ We didn’t end up using it on the menu, but we did have fun.”

If it stops being fun, it becomes a checklist, a to-do list. Coloring outside the lines is where imagination and innovation stems from.

“Being a chef is tough. Being a business owner is even harder.

I still eat dinner sitting on a five-gallon drum. I haven’t had a day off since I got the keys to True Blue. I am always working.

I try really hard to not be the arrogant, self-absorbed chef that screams at his team all the time. It’s not a good look. I’ve gotten better at it; I make sure I take good care of my chefs, and I’m starting to take better care of myself too. I love owning a restaurant, every day there is something new to do, something that True Blue needs from me.”

Cereal and five-gallon drums aside, I ask Zimmerman about the best meal he’s ever eaten.

“A 20-course tasting menu,” he says without hesitation, “at Wylie Dufresne’s WD-50 restaurant on the Lower East Side. An Avant-garde, era-defining restaurant. The dinner started at 9 p.m. and ended at 1:30 with a bunch of chefs curating the menu for the following day, all the while drinking a lot of wine.”

So let’s bring this conversation full circle—please tell me you’re a wine guy.

“I’m a wine guy. But after a dinner service, honestly, I’m just swirling savvy B or whatever is around,” he laughs. “But I love wine. I love the mystery in wine. I don’t just drink it, I really do study it while I drink it. I look for all of the individual flavors. I was lucky early on in my career; I worked for a chef who made me very conscious of my own palette, studying and exercising it.

Wine is a great way to keep exercising.”

By the end of our chat, we’ve touched on all the things driving Zimmerman’s passions: food, music and wine. The pork butt’s have arrived. The food gods will be smiling down on this evening’s service, and the chef is a happy man. ¶ ca pefea rliving mag a z in e .com

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Food& Drink

wilmington's global family wine business

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I

Written By: Ryan Hedspeth

If you were to ask Rob Kuchar to describe his family, he would have a hard time knowing exactly where to stop.

Starting would be easy. He would begin with his wife, Amy, his one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Aylen, his parents, Amy’s parents, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins that he grew up with in the rural farming community of New Lothrop, located just outside of Flint, Michigan.

The challenge would be for him to know where to stop listing the family he’s collected along the way. You see, Rob is not a handshake kind of guy.

Meet Rob and you’ll quickly understand, it’s all about hugs, positivity, and the company he keeps.

This is not only a personal philosophy but one that has guided his path through the global, wine import business over the past 22 years.

“I had no real intention of getting into wine,” says Rob. “When I was in college, I worked as a merchandiser for my roommate’s father that ran a local Budweiser distributor.

I ended up becoming good friends with one of the local wine managers that shared my territory and when a sales route became available, he offered me a job and I accepted. I had no idea what I was doing but he was a great guy so figured he would show me the ropes.”

He caught on quickly but it wasn’t until a few years later that Kuchar found his true passion for the wine business, on a business trip to California that had him touring the wineries of the Alexander Valley, Dry Creek, Napa, and Sonoma.

“When I saw the miles and miles of vineyards, the fields, it felt like home. I immediately realized that the most important people in the wine business were the ones wearing flannel shirts and jeans, the family farmers that had been honing their craft for generations. That’s who I wanted to work for,” says Rob. And that is exactly what he set out to do.

Above: Rob and Amy Kuchar, owners of Wilmington-based Boutique Beverage Opposite: Partner wineries - Casa Vinicola Botter, Italy and Survalles, Chile

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Food& Drink

A few years later, Rob and his wife, Amy, relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina where they started their own wine business. This began their journey of identifying small to mid-sized winemakers that could use help in getting their products to market.

“There are many family owned and operated wineries around the world that want to grow grapes and make great wine, but don’t want to invest in creating brands, forming sales and marketing plans, managing distributors, or hiring a sales force to sell into the US market.

That’s where we come in.”

The concept actually had roots back in New Lothrop.

“My cousin, Jay, who has been an integral part of the company from day-one, his family had two exchange students – one from Chile, named Luis. Years later, Luis contacted Jay and told him about his close friends who owned a winery in Chile and they wanted to learn how to sell wine in the US. When we had samples sent, the quality was so good I thought they gave me the wrong pricing.

They now produce our Contempo Chardonnay, Dry Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Carmenère.”

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As it turned out, Luis’s friends were at Vina La Rosa, the longest continually owned and operated family winery in Chile. The Kuchars have now been working with them for over six years with new products in the pipeline.

The winemakers Rob and Amy consider a part of the Boutique Beverage family have continued to grow to encompass family-owned wineries throughout Argentina, Chile, France, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and in the US. “We started with a kernel of an idea that grew very rapidly,” says Amy. “We also quickly came to realize that we needed help so we recruited some of our own family back in Michigan and beyond to help us out.”

With a distributed team and collective family working remotely from Michigan to North Carolina to several of the top wine making regions in the world, Boutique Beverage was finding great success but something was missing.

“We liked Charlotte but it wasn’t until I had to cover a vacant distribution route for a few months in the Cape Fear region that I realized this was where we needed to be. I knew Amy would love it and this would be the place we would want to start our own family,” says Rob. The Kuchars started spending some time in the area and in 2013 moved the entire operation to Wilmington, North Carolina.

Today, the import and brand development agency, Boutique Beverage, as well as the sales organization, Executive Beverage, and their 18,000 square foot distribution center continue to connect family-owned wineries from around the world to wine consumers in the US. While the 19 varietals and 31 labels that make up their portfolio are available in restaurants and bottle shops, their focus has always been on bringing high-quality, high-value wines to market through grocery retail. While highly competitive for importers the size of Boutique, grocery is where the Kuchars feel like they can best connect with the wine drinkers that value their model.

“The grocery store is where you shop for your family,” says Amy. “The families that produce our wines enjoy them as a part of their family experience and we develop and price our brands to be enjoyed the exact same way.”

Competing for shelf space with Gallo and Constellation, behemoths in the wine business, has required Rob and Amy to get to know the retailers on a personal level as well.

According to Rob, “I’ve been very fortunate to have created meaningful connections with some of the leaders in the grocery wine business. It all started with Ed Cook at Harris Teeter which

This page clockwise: Partner winery: Viña La Rosa, Chile; Rob Kuchar and Cape Fear Living’s, Liz Wiles, talking shop; George Long, Amy’s dad and Wilmington warehouse manager.

Opposite: Part of the local team, the Kuchar's and the Hedspeths or Two husband and wife teams running sales and marketing.

began in one store and evolved into our wines being available chain wide. From there, we’ve moved into relationships with Kroger, Lowes Foods, Food Lion, Ingles, and many others. We are so appreciative and simply couldn’t have done it without their support.”

Six years later, what do they think of living in Wilmington?

“Wilmington offers an amazing energy and sense of community,” states Rob. “It’s creative and entrepreneurial, and people are doing great work here. The lifestyle approach to being about your business and your business being about you, it just drew us in. Sure, the beach and everything the Cape Fear Region has to offer greatly appealed to us but what locked us in was the group of friends we met here.

They’ve felt like family from day one. For us, it’s family first and we really missed being so far from Michigan.”

But do you remember that wine manager in Michigan that gave Rob his start in the wine business?

That’s Mike Spaven of Coastal Beverage, one of Boutique’s distributors located right here in Wilmington. His wife, Mary, works for Boutique as well. As does Rob’s mom, Monica, and Amy’s parents, George and Pat, who semi-retired to Wilmington a few years ago just in time to welcome their granddaughter, Aylen, into the world.

With a smile, Rob muses, “I suppose we’ve managed to bring a little bit of Michigan to Wilmington but what we’ve built here is so much larger than any of us individually or where we physically stand today. Pick up a bottle of wine, pour a glass, and imagine where those grapes started their journey. Now, consider all those people that positively affected it along the way. Those are our people and I couldn’t be more thankful to be a small part of their efforts.” ¶ ca pefea rliving mag a z in e .com

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Food& Drink

Rob’s Top Wine Picks Sea Salt® Sauvignon Blanc “This is a frizzante-style Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand with very light effervescence or bubbles. Sea Salt is Amy’s favorite wine we produce and has developed somewhat of a cult following. For brunch, our friends like to splash it with ruby red grapefruit juice and call it a MimoSea. It’s light, crisp, and a lot of fun to drink.”

Chevalier du Grand Robert® Bordeaux Clairet “I believe we’re still one of only three importers to bring Clairet into the US. We label it a dry rosé, which puts it in the ballpark, but it has much more body and richer color. The difference is that Clairet is ‘on the skins’ to extract color, tannins, and structure for about three to four days, compared to two to three hours with traditional rosé. We sell it as a red wine drinker’s summer wine and it’s probably my favorite we produce.”

Contempo® Inferno® “We trademarked Inferno as a proprietary name for a red blend about nine years ago. A few years later, my attorney contacted me and said that someone in California was trying to trademark the same name but he had blocked it. A year later, a friend texted me a picture of Apothic Inferno and asked how this could be possible. Amy quickly investigated and found out that Gallo Winery filed a word mark for ‘ApothicInferno’ as one word. This is why the words appear side by side on their label. We laughed, and of course were proud that we were ahead of Gallo on anything, let alone a red blend name.”

Rosé Water® “We’ve starting to extend beyond traditional wine products and have just launched Rosé Water, a blend of French Dry Rosé wine from the Loire Valley and sparkling water from the Austrian Alps. Super simple, light, clean, and nothing artificial, we’re really capitalizing on the active wine drinker that wants something refreshing but steers clear of the spiked and sparkling trend. It’s getting an enormous amount of attention so we’re really excited.”

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A local importer of global wines

Boutique Beverage is a family owned, wine import company located in Wilmington, North Carolina. Sourcing a diverse selection of wines from all over the world, we strive for

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deep color and all

this “super rosé” is one of the region’s true, hidden gems. Enjoy

a n d a s e l e c t R e d B l e n d.

s l i g h t ly c h i l l e d , w i t h

g r o c e r y r e ta i l )

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Food& Drink

Carolina

BBQ Gospel Time. Wood. Smoke. Heat: are all ingredients to a real barbecue.

Carolina BBQ , adds one other essential element: a whole hog.

Written By: Colleen Thompson Photography By: Denny Culbert

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Using “everything except the squeal,” to quote writer, Upton Sinclaire, whole hog barbecue, might just be one of the most delicious and obsessed over slow cooked culinary traditions there is. As bbq goes, it stands apart from other styles. Embedded in tradition, it has garnered the distinction of a rooted, Carolina foodway.

Sam Jones, is a man who knows a thing or two about this. You see, Jones is a third generation pitmaster and operator of Skylight Inn BBQ, which was originally opened in 1947 by his grandfather in Ayden, North Carolina. Both the Skylight Inn and Jones have become icons in the world of barbecue, garnering a James Beard in 2003 for “America's Classics,” and again in 2018 as a nominee for “Best Chef Southeast.”

Across Eastern North Carolina, ‘cue’ means a whole pig that’s cooked slowly over wood until perfectly tender, then chopped up (not pulled) with bits of crispy skin, and mixed with a vinegar-based sauce, before being devoured alongside cornbread or piled high on a bun.

“I’m a product of that barbecue, having eaten it all my life. I’m also a product of my community and my state. There’s always a Yeti cooler full of Cheerwine, the beloved cherryflavored soda and North Carolina’s finest elixir, in the back of my Super Duty pickup.”

The truck is also equipped with lights and sirens because it doubles as an emergency vehicle, because Jones just happens to be the fire chief in Ayden. The irony of his two callings: building fires and putting them out.

“In my mind, barbecue is whole hog cooked over wood. I say that because I was raised in Eastern North Carolina, and that’s all we’ve ever done,” says Jones. The steps Jones takes to cook his hogs, are no different to the ones taken a century ago. “My granddaddy Pete Jones always said, ‘If it’s not cooked with WOOD it’s not BBQ.’” More than the sum of its parts, the technique is very physical and painstakingly slow. To do it right, you need time: about 12-24 hours. You need strength: to haul a 200 pound animal carcass to the pit. You need wood: a lot of split oak.

“In Eastern North Carolina, we don’t eat our pork pulled. We chop it. The ingredients for our chopped barbecue are simple, but don’t go thinking it’s just pork and vinegar. The pork has to have the right ratio of lean meat, fatty meat, and crispy skin,” says Jones.

Regarded as the oldest continuous form of barbecue in the United States, when you consider that it’s been a part of history and heritage for more than 300 years, it’s easy to understand the pride and passion that North Carolinians have for whole hog barbecue.

John Shelton Reed, co-author of “Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue,” tells us that the technique most likely originated in the Caribbean in the 1500s, when pigs were first introduced to the islands. It flourished in the South when Caribbean-born slaves brought the style of cooking to North Carolina and would cook whole animals to feed large groups of people, often as a celebratory feast for the end of harvest season. When they needed something acidic to flavor the sauce, they settled for vinegar, because lemons – their preferred ingredients – didn’t grow anywhere in the state.

Only a few dozen authentic, whole hog barbecue joints remain in North Carolina. The skill, tradition, process and length of time required for it to come together, makes it celebratory.

“I think the time-consuming part of it makes it less appealing for people to do. So, when it does happen, it’s a big deal. Also, there is a social element that exists with whole hog that other things can’t do,” says Jones.

“BBQ has always been about community for the Jones family.

We’ve learned a thing or two about building bonds by barbecue pits. Build a block pit in your backyard, and you’ll be surprised how quickly and easily you can bring a community together.” ¶ In their book Whole Hog BBQ, Sam Jones and co-author Daniel Vaughn share step-by-step instructions for cooking a whole hog at home. They also share memories and stories along with classic family recipes, including cornbread, coleslaw, spare ribs, smoked turkey, country-style steak, and pig pickin’ cake.

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Food& Drink

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA BARBECUE SAUCE Makes about 1 quart We have both a sweet barbecue sauce and a vinegar sauce that we bottle.

The vinegar sauce is not the same vinegar mixture we pour over the hogs as they’re chopped, but some folks like to pour a little on their barbecue sandwiches whether or not we think they need to. That’s why we refer to it at the restaurant as “table sauce.” I liken this style of sauce to a dressing more than a sauce. It is thin, and shouldn’t be overapplied. A straightforward, simple, vinegar based sauce elevates the natural flavor of pork. Some sort of magical thing takes place with the acidity in the vinegar and the natural fat in hogs.

Ingredients 3 cups apple cider vinegar 1⁄2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper 2 tablespoons ground black pepper 1 tablespoon chili powder 1⁄3 cup Texas Pete Hot Sauce 1⁄2 cup bottled barbecue sauce (sweet)

Directions In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix until the sugar is well dissolved. Alternatively, place in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously until the ingredients are combined.

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Food& Drink

BISCUIT PUDDING WITH CHOCOLATE GRAVY Serves 12 to 15 The best thing my grandmother gave to my mom, including my dad, is the recipe for her biscuit pudding. The best thing mom ever made, besides me, is this biscuit pudding with chocolate gravy. I haven’t found the verse yet, but I think somewhere the Bible says that biscuit pudding was really the reason that Lazarus was raised from the dead. My mom also made a chocolate gravy that she poured over the top. That also may have been what Jesus rubbed on the blind man’s eyes.

Grandma Jones didn’t make this dessert all the time, but when she did, she’d always send me home packing a big square of it.

I once took it to school to eat at lunch. A few at my table were curious about it, and asked for a taste. I actually got in a little trouble for trying to share that biscuit pudding for fifty cents a square. The administration wasn’t having it something about a noncompete clause so I had to stop. It was an early taste of being an entrepreneur.

Pudding Ingredients

Directions

3 (9.5 ounce) cans Butter Me Not Biscuits or any canned biscuit

To make the pudding, crack the biscuit cans open on the edge of the

with “butter” or “buttery” in the description

counter. I thought it was so cool when my mom did that. Bake the bis-

4 cups whole milk, at room temperature

cuits according to the instructions on the can. Set the oven temperature

1 cup salted butter, melted

at 350°F. Grease a 9 by 13 - inch baking pan. Combine the milk, butter,

4 cups sugar

sugar, eggs, nutmeg, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer or food

5 large eggs, at room temperature

processor. Mix to combine.

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Gravy Ingredients

Crumble the biscuits by hand into the mixture. Continue to mix until relatively smooth. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes,or until the pudding is stiff and lightly browned on top. While the pudding

1⁄4 cup cocoa powder

is baking, make the gravy. Sift the cocoa, sugar, flour, and salt together

1 cup sugar

Into a 12 - inch skillet. Slowly pour in the milk, while whisking, and

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cook over medium-high

Pinch of kosher salt

heat, while stirring, until the gravy thickens to the consistency of a thin

2 cups whole milk

pudding, about 8 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add the cubed

1⁄4 cup cold salted

butter. Stir until the butter is melted and the gravy is smooth. To serve,

butter, cubed

place a scoop of pudding into each bowl and top with a ladleful of gravy.

Reprinted by kind permission from Whole Hog BBQ by Sam Jones & Daniel Vaughn, copyright © 2019. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc.

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H e a lt h & W e l l n e s s

W i l m i n g t o n ' s

DERMA T OLOGY

Darling

D r . R o s a l y n G e o r ge

shares all…

Botox, fillers, lasers, and the inside scoop on exclusive new breakthrough treatments coming soon.

O

Written By: Amanda Lisk Photography By: Melissa Hebert

On the top floor, glass doors open into a crisp, modern office.

It’s another busy day at Wilmington Dermatology Center, the practice of Dr. Rosalyn George and her dermatology, cosmetic and clinical research team.

Dr. George opened WDC in 2008 to provide both medical and cosmetic dermatology with a focus on bringing in the latest treatments and technologies often only found in larger cities.

Her focus on cosmetic results were a natural progression from being an expert on all things skin-related. Today, Dr. George is a trainer for cutting-edge aesthetic treatments such as Botox and fillers and actively participates on advisory boards and clinical trials related to next-generation treatments.

“I think the unique thing about us is our ability to layer the treatments. Anybody can just go in and do one thing or the other, but to know how to get people that global improvement by the right combination of the treatments we offer is probably what makes us unique,” says Dr. George.

Dr. George and her experienced staff see a mix of both difficult to treat dermatology cases and individuals looking

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for expertise on how to look and feel younger. WDC has been voted the top dermatology practice and top cosmetic practice in numerous publications. They are also the number one Botox dermatology office in all of North Carolina and ranked in the top 1% in the nation for cosmetic treatment volume.

Moreover, Dr. George’s ability to create a natural look for patients is what fuels her following. Review sites are flooded with patient accolades who say Dr. George knows how to point and shoot like no other.

She smiles and explains.

“It’s just the experience of learning how to do that and listening to the patient and looking at them. I have to see my patients move, I have to see them animate, I want to see them talking for a little while … there are all these little nuances to facial anatomy. It’s not cookie-cutter; you need to tailor the injections to that person,” explains Dr. George.

Whether medical or cosmetic, it is abundantly clear dermatology truly brings Dr. George joy.

Dr. George and just a few of her experienced team members.

As a chief investigator for clinical research, she’s the first to find out about new products and treatments in the works, because she’s the one conducting the trials.

Here to break down how treatments work and the inside scoop on game-changing advancements is national trainer, contributor to scientific publications, wife and mom—Dr. Rosalyn George.

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H e a lt h & W e l l n e s s

The treatments, the results,

The Future “It’s amazing in 10 years how much things have changed and how many new developments are on the horizon. It’s a very exciting time in my field,” says Dr. George.

Botox: The Biggest Bang for Your Buck

After

Before 60

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FDA approved since 1989, Botox ® is an injectable wrinkle muscle relaxer, specifically designed to smooth what Dr. George calls “dynamic wrinkles” or wrinkles that move: eye wrinkles and forehead lines. Dr. George also uses Botox for the neck and chin. Botox is cost effective, the results are instant and last several months.

“I have to say Botox is the biggest bang for your buck.

There’s a lot of evidence now on the preventative use of Botox, so people really don’t get wrinkles, versus waiting until you have a lot of wrinkles and then treating,” says Dr. George.

Many new Botox-like products are available today, all of which Dr. George likes and uses, such as Dysport and Jeuveau, referred to as Newtox. It is important, however, to make sure those who treat have experience in facial anatomy, advanced techniques and the ability to correct if necessary.

“Because people’s faces change, their musculature changes almost every time you inject. One side might be stronger than the other, so you might need to add an extra unit here or there to get the best result. There’s some art to it,” says Dr. George.

WDC was the first to pioneer Ulthera in Wilmington and has been a consistent top provider. Ultherapy provides a non-invasive lift using ultrasound energy to strengthen collagen just under the skin.

Fillers: Plump Up The Volume

Regenerative Medicine Platelet-Rich Plasma: The Game Changer

Fillers do what Botox can’t; they add volume back to the face. While Botox fills wrinkles around the eyes and upper face, fillers are gels injected to the mid and lower face for enhancement.

“What’s happening in the aging face is that we’re losing collagen. We lose bone just like we lose bone in other parts of our body, and we lose fat in our faces. We really have to recreate structure; everything is not just filling a line,” explains Dr. George.

Dermal fillers plump and lift, from cheeks to lips to providing jawline definition. Voluma, Instalift, Vollure, Juvederm, Restylane Refyne/Defyne and Bellafill are just some of the dermal fillers offered at WDC. Fillers are slightly more expensive than Botox but last longer—up to five years depending on the type.

Platelet-rich plasma is a game changer. WDC is already offering Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatments to promote hair growth, and it can be paired with other treatments like Fraxel and Infini to promote more collagen. PRP treatments use a small amount of one’s own blood; platelets are separated in a centrifuge and then re-injected into the injured areas, releasing growth factors that promote natural tissue healing.

“Combining platelet-rich plasma with energy-based devices tends to enhance outcomes,” says Dr. George. “So, that’s the next frontier—having these natural products that you might even harvest from someone’s own body to help regenerate their skin and underlying tissues,” she explains.

Coolsculpting and Cooltone: A New You Lasers and Non-Invasive Treatments: An Energy Boost For a more aggressive lifting and tightening, it’s time to bring in an energy-based device. There are various types at WDC: Lasers such as Fraxel and Pico, Radio frequency devices such as INFINI Genius and Ultrasound devices used for Ultherapy.

WDC is the very first in Wilmington to offer the INFINI Genius, which combines radio frequency and micro-needling technology to lift and tighten the face. The Fraxel® Dual laser addresses wrinkles, pigmentation from the sun, acne and scarring. WDC was the first to pioneer Ulthera in Wilmington and has been a consistent top provider. Ultherapy provides a non-invasive lift using ultrasound energy to strengthen collagen just under the skin.

This fall, WDC launches another game-changing treatment for the body called CoolTone. CoolTone is a brand new treatment that will be exclusively offered at the WDC starting this fall to strengthen and tone the muscles in the abdomen and buttocks. WDC is already number one in Eastern NC for CoolSculpting and offers the fastest hair removal treatment and the most advanced tattoo removal treatment.

Full Facial Rejuvenation: About Face WDC is a local and nationwide leader in innovative treatments for full face rejuvenation; the perfect combination of treatments with the Dr. George touch.

“The most rewarding patients I help are people who maybe have had accidents or traumas in their younger years, like car accidents, and as they age their face is pretty asymmetrical. Being able to balance that out for them and give them the confidence to feel like themselves is a huge deal for me,” says Dr. George.

“I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting to look your best. We put on mascara, we get our hair done—taking care of our skin is no different.” ¶

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H e a lt h & W e l l n e s s

CBD T h e m i r a c l e c o m p o u n d t a k i n g t h e w o r l d b y s t o r m Written By: Naari Honor

1

119 million. That is the number of Americans over the age of 12 who reported that they take some type of prescribed tranquilizer, sedative or pain killer in a survey conducted by the federal government. Out of that number, 19 million people admitted to misusing their medications. It is no secret that our country is plagued with a serious opioid problem. But what if there was an alternative to taking potentially addictive medications? Well, there just might be, and it’s been around for centuries. And just what is this potential miracle compound? Its name is Cannabidiol, but many know it as CBD.

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“ Man y p e o p l e d o n ’ t realize that there are ac t ual ly t wo di f f e r e n t p l an t s t h a t c o n t a i n CBD .

T h e r e i s t h e m a r i j u ana p l an t an d t h e h e m p p l an t . T h e m a r i j u ana p l an t i s h i g h i n THC an d l o w i n CBD , t h e h e m p p l an t i s h i g h i n CBD an d l o w i n THC . ”

— Ta r a M c C r a r y , independent advocate an d p r e s i d e n t i a l f o u n d e r for Green Compass Global

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CBD products are taking over store shelves, and the list of acclaimed health benefits seems to grow by the hour. But what do you really know about this miracle compound? We turn to two local experts for a bit of clarity on the matter.

“Many people don’t realize that there are actually two different plants that contain CBD,” Tara McCrary, independent advocate and presidential founder for Green Compass Global, explains. “There is the marijuana plant and the hemp plant. The marijuana plant is high in THC and low in CBD, whereas the hemp plant is high in CBD and low in THC.” Unlike THC, CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning users will not experience a high as one would ingesting THC. Although hemp and marijuana plants may smell and look the same, hemp plants do not contain more than 0.3 percent THC. Think of hemp as a close relative to the marijuana plant.

Users of CBD oils and CBD infused products report significant decrease in pain and anxiety. Studies have also found that the compound helps reduce depression in both animals and humans and

may be beneficial in relieving cancer related symptoms. In addition to these benefits, many report little to no side-effects, and studies have shown that using CBD does not impact brain function or cause addiction.

The cultivation of hemp, a variety of cannabis, can be traced back to China in 2800 BCE. It was also used in the Mediterranean countries of Europe and spread throughout the rest of Europe during the Middle Ages. Hemp plants were found to be sown in Chile in the 1500s prior to making their way to North America.

“As a nurse of 23 years, I could not have been more excited at what I saw,” Tara McCrary comments. “So many health benefits are being reported. We started asking our own friends and family what they knew about CBD and found many of them were already using a product or knew someone that was. We became involved with Green Compass before we even had a product to offer.”

Although we can find traces of CBD woven throughout our historical fabric and plastered on billboards for miles around, not all CBD products are created equal. As with anything, the steps taken

quality with purpose. organically grown, pure, safe and effective.

Helping people Feel Better and live Better witH CBd Green Compass is committed to being a trusted name in the CBD industry bringing quality products from our farms to your door. orDer online at

themCCrarys.GreenCompassGloBal.Com

toDD anD tara mCCrary Independent AdvocAte At Green compAss GlobAl

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910.471.0725

to cultivate and manufacture products from the plant are what help to determine its quality. Green Compass takes pride in the methods they use to ensure they are providing the consumer with a safe and quality product.

“CBD is not a regulated industry at the moment. It is important to know the source of your CBD,” Tara warns. “Whatever the soil has in it and is rooted in becomes part of the CBD you consume.

You can end up with heavy metals, fungi and harmful bacteria if you don’t know where it’s coming from.”

Green Compass Global hemp farms are located in Whiteville, North Carolina with affiliate farms across the US. Their farmers are sixth-generation farmers and graduates of NC State’s Agriculture program. Their hemp plants are organically grown and free of pesticides and insecticides. Their farmers are a part of the Industrial Hemp Pilot Program created by North Carolina legislature in 2016, and they’ve consulted NC State professors on how to go about cultivating a quality plant. Additionally, Green Compass uses a thirdparty lab that tests every crop for chemical makeup, including CBD

and THC levels. Customers can scan a QR code on every bottle of Green Compass oils to view the Certificate of Analysis. And recently, the company added topical creams and pain patches to their product line that are registered with the FDA. One can’t help but think that this type of dedication to quality is what has led to Green Compass becoming one of the first CBD companies who will receive a USDA certified organic label for their hemp crops in October of 2019.

However, Green Compass isn’t the only CBD company making a name for itself in North Carolina.

In 2016 Hempleton Investment Group partnered with Hemp Farmacy Inc. to open its first retail franchise in 2018. While Hempleton’s corporate offices are located in Wilmington, the Hemp Farmacy retail franchises stretch across Virginia and the Carolinas.

“The Hemp Farmacy was built as the retail model of Hempleton's vertical farm to cabinet initiative,” says CEO and founder Justin Hamilton. “The goal was to build a retail dispensary that was linked directly to the farm that offered customers trustworthy products along with accurate education.”

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H e a lt h & W e l l n e s s

Hemp Farmacy, the first cannabis member to be inducted into the International Franchise Association, has two retail franchises in Wilmington and additional stores in Raleigh, Jacksonville and Fayetteville. There are also plans to open franchises on the Eastern Seaboard, Florida, Arizona and Tennessee.

“The stores have played a major role in not only cracking the stigma around cannabis, but they have also been models to allow Hempleton the data it needed to build the first hemp franchise in America,” Hamilton explains.

While it has been legal to grow hemp in North Carolina for research purposes since the 2014 Farm Bill, in December 2018, the United States Congress voted to approve the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. Commonly referred to as the 2018 Farm Bill, the bill legalized hemp and hemp-derived products. This opened the door for farmers establishing hemp farms in North Carolina and across the United States.

“The 2018 Farm Bill is a very important piece of legislative history, and the long term effects for the industry will be powerful,” says Hamilton.

However, despite the passing of the bill, there is still some confusion in the industry. “The primary misconception in the market currently is the use of the cannabinoid and term CBD. CBD is a 66

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very popular cannabinoid and has tons of benefits to the consumer, primarily as an anti-inflammatory, “ Hamilton says. “However, there are hundreds of other cannabinoids with just as many or even more specific benefits to the body.”

It is organizations like Hempleton Investments and Hemp Farmacy that are using their research to improve and educate about the industry.

“The market demands, regulations, legislation and even consumer education levels can change just over a couple of months, and a company and its employees have to be versatile enough to make the shift with the industry, or else the company is destined to fail,” Hamilton says. “It is important to have a partner or a proven and trusted system like The Hemp Farmacy Franchise to follow and work with as these changes impact the market.”

Despite the uncertainty in the CBD industry, one thing is definitely clear: CBD is here and taking the business, medical and farming communities by storm. It is up to you to decide just what role you will play as CBD becomes increasingly popular in today’s everevolving consumer market. ¶

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