Capital at Play January 2017

Lin Johnson-Carlson

Matt Parris

Not by Bread Alone p.18

Laying Down Roots p.76

Western North Carolina's Free Spirit of Enterprise

p.

34

COMPLETE LIST OF MANUFACTURERS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

Relighting

Beacon A Local

p. 54

Beacon Linens is on the cusp of something big—and looks to bring new jobs to Swannanoa in the future.

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Volume VII - Edition I complimentary edition

capitalatplay.com

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Wine Myths Busted (Pt. 2)

Drinking Better Wine while Spending Less Money p.46

A Promise to Keep

What Policies to Expect from the Trump Administration p.68

January 2017

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| January 2017

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January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

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s I write this, it’s a little before Christmas, and I’ve just gotten back from a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the unveiling of the University of North Carolina at Asheville’s brand new STEAM lab, located on the northern end of the city’s River Arts District, near the UNC-Asheville’s campus. The lab is positioned as a unique educational intersection between the arts, engineering, and technology, and it stands to become a valuable regional resource.

What, you ask, does this have to do with our annual Manufacturing in Western North Carolina special issue? Potentially, quite a lot.

When we first starting doing these yearly manufacturing reports, the idea was to draw attention to an aspect of this area that, by some measures, went underreported, what with the media typically fixated on tourism as the key driver of the regional economy. No slight intended to anyone involved in the tourism industry, of course; but as my late grandmother was fond of saying, of the numerous textile mills—at the time, all running three shifts daily—in my home county, “Folks around these parts always making something, you know?”

That’s the whole point: People are still making something, as the profiles, commentary, and comprehensive, 18-county list of manufacturers we’ve compiled here demonstrates. There are traditionalists like metal fabricators, furniture craftsmen, and makers of textiles, alongside contemporary adopters of the manufacturing ethos, including craft beer brewers, artisanal foodstuff creators, and technology innovators. And let’s not overlook the regional artist scene as a companion economic force: The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design recently conducted a survey of the craft/maker community (data to be used to develop programming with Mountain BizWorks), and determined that “the craft sector is an important source of employment” here, with respondents reporting “a range of 1 to 19 full-time and 4 part-time employees, [with] 52% of the makers having production lines.”

To circle back to my comment about the opening of the STEAM lab this morning, while watching some of the UNC-Asheville students proudly standing up to be acknowledged, I was struck by the realization that some of these young adults will go on to be among the next generation of manufacturers and maker-economy visionaries, learning cutting-edge art, tech, and engineering skills today in order to carry the torch forward into tomorrow. I wouldn’t be surprised if, in a Capital at Play manufacturing special ten years from now, one of that issue’s profile subjects tells us that he or she got the inspiration for their now-successful business while working on a project they hatched at that lab. You read it here first.

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| January 2017

Sincerely,

Fred Mills

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Key School Open House February 23

8 a.m.- 9:30 a.m.

For parents interested in applying to our division for Grades 2-8 students with language-based learning differences January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

5

Western North Carolina's Free Spirit of Enterprise

publisher

copy editors

Oby Morgan

Dasha O. Morgan, Brenda Murphy

associate publisher

contributing writers & photogr aphers

Jeffrey Green Fred Mills

Anthony Harden, Emily Glaser, Maggie Cramer, Jennifer Fitzgerald, John Kerr, Thomas Stevenson

briefs and events editor

gr aphic designer

Leslee Kulba

Bonnie Roberson

managing editor

Information & Inquiries Capital At Play is Western North Carolina’s business lifestyle magazine. It embodies the idea that capitalism thrives with creativity—that work requires an element of play. Exploring everything from local industry to the great outdoors, Capital At Play is inspiration for the modern entrepreneur.

In every edition, we profile those who take the risk, those who share that risk, and those who support them—telling the untold story of how capitalists are driven by their ideas and passions.

We cater to those who see the world with curiosity, wonderment, and a thirst for knowledge.

We present information and entertainment that capitalists want, all in one location. We are the free spirit of enterprise.

gener al advertising inquiries

for editorial inquiries

e-mail advertising@capitalatplay.com or call 828.274.7305

e-mail editor@capitalatplay.com

for subscription information

marketing & advertising

subscribe online at www.capitalatplay.com or call 828.274.7305

Roy Brock, David Morgan, Katrina Morgan, Pat Starnes

Editorial content is selected and produced because of its interest to our readership. Editorial content is not for sale and cannot be bought. Capital At Play is financially sustained by advertisers who find value in exposure alongside our unique content and with the readers who follow it.

This magazine is printed with soy based ink on recycled paper. Please recycle.

Copyright © 2017, Capital At Play, Inc. All rights reserved.

Capital At Play is a trademark of Capital At Play, Inc. Published by Capital At Play, Inc. PO Box 5615, Asheville, NC. 28813

Capital At Play is protec ted through Tr ademar k Regis tr ation in the United States. The content found within this publication does not necessar ily ref lec t the views of Univer sal Media , Inc. and its companies. Univer sal Media , Inc. and its employees are not liable for any adver tising or editor ial content found in Capital At Play. The ar ticles, photogr aphy, and illus tr ations found in Capital at Play may not be reproduced or used in any fashion without express wr it ten consent by Capital At Play, Inc.

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| January 2017

Exceptional heart care

close to home At Mission Heart, there’s a reason we’re consistently ranked in the top 2 percent of heart programs in America. Mission Heart has been a regional leader in cardiothoracic surgery and comprehensive heart care for more than 40 years.

To find a Mission Cardiologist who’s best for you, call

(828) 274-6000 mission-health.org/heart

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

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thi s page :

Repairing a broken yarn on a Hamrick Mills loom, photo by Oby Morgan

F E AT U R E S vol. vii

18

NOT BY BREAD ALONE LIN JOHNSON-CARLSON

ed. i

54

RELIGHTING A LOCAL BEACON

TEDD SMITH & STEVE HUTCHERSON

76

LAYING DOWN ROOTS MATT PARRIS

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

9

C ON T EN T S j a n u a r y 2 017

ult and time onals, finding p.

HAMRICK MILLS in Gaffney, South Carolina, photo by Oby Morgan

LIST

13 Those Who Make It insight

Spotlighting the hardworking people of our local manufacturing industry

colu m ns

Featuring: Patrick Kennedy: SylvanSport

Eric Lindquist: PLI

Ernie Houser: Charleston Forge

Chuck Murdock: Tri-Hishtil, LLC

Gordon Ramsey: AvL Technologies

Mike Roberts: Gaia Herbs

lo c a l i n d u s t r y

46 W ine Myths Busted (Pt. 2) 34 M anufacturers in Western Written by John Kerr

68 A Promise to Keep

Written by Thomas C. Stevenson, III

34

MANUFACTURERS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina

Capital at Play presents its annual roundup of currently operating regional makers.

briefs

30 Carolina in the West 50 The Old North State 72 National & World News

on t h e cov er Beacon Linens being processed at Carolina Dyeing and Finishing, LLC, located in Burlington, North Carolina. The entrance end of a pin tenter frame, which is like a large oven, is used to ensure stability and optimum wash shrinkage of the sheets. photo by Natalia McElroy Photography 10

| January 2017

p e o p l e at p l ay

88 Made In Henderson

County: BEC Students Tour Plastics Manufacturer Elkamet

events

90 Bug Out!

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January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

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| January 2017

nsight

Those Who Make It L AST JULY WE INITIATED OUR “INSIGHT” section as a way to spotlight additional Western North Carolina entrepreneurs and businesspeople in each edition of the magazine.

This time, as part of our annual manufacturing special, we’ve decided to vary the format slightly

and spotlight not only selected manufacturers; but also their valued employees, who describe aspects of their backgrounds and the actual work they perform. In this way, we hope to provide you with, er, insights into what goes into creating those products you purchase and use every day.

patrick ke n n e dy v i c e p r e s i d e n t o f o p e r ati o n s

COMPANY: Sylvansport YEAR FOUNDED: 2004 OWNER(S): Thomas Dempsey PRIMARY PRODUCT(S): SylvanSport GO, SylvanSport GO Easy, and a line of complementary “outdoor gear” accessories WHAT ABOUT YOUR JOB GIVES YOU THE MOST PLEASURE? I enjoy the complexity of manufacturing, whether it is the coordination of all the many processes, from bringing in raw materials to delivering a finished product to the customer, or increasing the consistency or efficiency of a single production operation. Every day is like a different puzzle that needs to be solved.

WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR JOB? As a small, rapidly growing manufacturer it is often difficult to extract myself from the day-to-day challenges and set aside time to think without interruption through the longer-term issues that come with growth, and the necessary solutions to those issues.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST MACHINE YOU EVER WORKED ON? Witzig & Frank Tri-flex 29-Axis CNC Machining Center.

235

commerce st. brevard, nc

www.sylvansport.com

28712 / 828-883-4292

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

13

insight

ch u ck m u rdock s e e d l i n e o p e r ato r

COMPANY: Tri-Hishtil, LLC YEAR FOUNDED: 2014 OWNER(S): Hishtil Israel, CentroSeia Italy, and Tri-Est Greenville, NC PRIMARY PRODUCT(S): Grafted vegetable plants WHAT ABOUT YOUR JOB GIVES YOU THE MOST PLEASURE? I’m able to do a little bit of everything: sowing, maintenance, and various projects on the side. The variety of what I encounter throughout a typical week keeps things interesting and challenging.

WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR JOB? Since we are truly agriculture, we are different from a typical manufacturer in that we are very seasonal, which means we also have an extremely slow off-season. I don’t like it when everything slows down; I prefer the fast pace of the peak season.

25

school house road, mills river, nc www.tri - hishtil.com

28759

/ 828-891-6004

WHAT WAS THE FIRST MACHINE YOU EVER WORKED ON? For my first project, I helped my stepdad wire the JCPenney at the Asheville Mall back in the 1980s. After that, I helped rebuild paper machines all over the Eastern United States. My favorite job was the initial construction of a natural gas power plant in Doswell, Virginia. At the time, it was one of the first power plants of its kind.

e ric li n dq u i st l e a d d i e cu t te r o p e r ato r

COMPANY: PLI (Plasticard Locktech International) YEAR FOUNDED: 1988 OWNER(S): PLI is an ESOP company, employee owned since 2014 PRIMARY PRODUCT(S): Manufacturer of hotel keycards, gift, loyalty, and membership cards, and a leader in specialty printing. Also offering a full line of services, including personalization, distribution, and warehousing.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR JOB GIVES YOU THE MOST PLEASURE? I really enjoy the fact that every day brings me new challenges, and I am always doing something different. It allows me to use my troubleshooting skills to learn new ways to run the machines more efficiently and teach those methods to others. It’s very satisfying to leave a job to the next shift knowing that they can run it with no problems because of the problem solving that I have done.

WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR JOB? It is funny, but the most difficult thing about my job is also what I love about it. It’s the not knowing what challenges the day will bring that makes my job difficult, yet rewarding.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST MACHINE YOU EVER WORKED ON? Bobst Die Cutter.

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| January 2017

sweeten creek industrial park, asheville, nc 28803 (facilities also in las vegas, chicago, & st. louis)

605

www.plicards .com

/ 800-752-1017

Made In Henderson County: Balfour Education Center Students Tour Plastics Manufacturer Elkamet, photo by Rachael McIntosh Photography

FRIDAY STAFFING IS PROUD TO SUPPORT MADE IN HENDERSON COUNTY.

gordon r a m s e y av l’ s co m p o s ite s te a m

Friday was made in Henderson County 37 years ago. Made in Henderson County provides awareness of the vast employment opportunities here with the 140 manufacturers that call our home their home too. Over 5000 student tours have been held since 2012 letting our children know that they can live, work and stay home in Henderson County.

COMPANY: AvL Technologies YEAR FOUNDED: 1994 OWNER(S): Jim Oliver PRIMARY PRODUCT(S): Satellite antennas and positioner systems. Flyway antennas can be packed into cases, shipped anywhere, assembled, and be ready to start communicating with satellites within minutes; they range in size from 60cm to 4.6M, and are made with carbon fiber or AvL-engineered composites. The antennas are used worldwide for military, civil service, emergency relief, and broadcast applications.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR JOB GIVES YOU THE MOST PLEASURE? I like that my job is different every day – it’s not a routine. I also like seeing the final product. We make good parts that work well in the field, and that’s important to me.

WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR JOB? The most difficult part of my job is trying to meet the schedule when we’re really busy. It’s also challenging to be consistent with our reflector manufacturing as our raw materials are very sensitive to temperature and humidity.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST MACHINE YOU EVER WORKED ON? It’s not a machine, but the first tool I worked on at AvL was the 1.8M reflector tool. We were making many 1.8M reflectors out of fiberglass at that time.

15

n merrimon ave, asheville, nc www. avltech .com

28804 / 828-250-9950

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insight

e rn i e h o u s e r w e l d e r — e m p loy e e s i n c e 1987

COMPANY: Charleston Forge YEAR FOUNDED: 1984 OWNER(S): Art and Susan Barber, Rick Grant PRIMARY PRODUCT(S): Hand-crafted metal and wood furniture WHAT ABOUT YOUR JOB GIVES YOU THE MOST PLEASURE? The most satisfying part is getting the tough custom projects completed and seeing the end result.

WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR JOB? The most challenging part of my job is also the most satisfying—the precise nature of the work that it takes to build our products.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST MACHINE YOU EVER WORKED ON? A welding machine was the first machine I learned to use here, just a few months after I started working here in 1987.

251

industrial park drive, boone, nc www.charlestonforge.com

28607

m i ke rob e rt s co n c e n tr ati o n tec h n i c i a n

COMPANY: Gaia Herbs YEAR FOUNDED: 1987 OWNER(S): Ric Scalzo PRIMARY PRODUCT(S): 200+ patented Liquid Phyto-Caps®, liquid extracts, functional powders, and herbal teas to support and maintain optimal health WHAT ABOUT YOUR JOB GIVES YOU THE MOST PLEASURE? It is, honestly, coming to work and knowing that we are making a difference in the lives of our customers through the products that we produce.

We are able to give people an alternative to how they manage their health, which is so important in this day and age.

WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR JOB? When things don’t work like they are supposed to; it’s the unknown factors of operating machines that can be challenging. When a machine isn’t operating at full capacity, it can throw our work schedule off.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST MACHINE YOU EVER WORKED ON? A super laper at American Thread, where I worked for 20 years. Many of the folks that we have at Gaia also came from American Thread, so the feeling of a family came, too. At Gaia, I first ran the bottling line before moving over to extraction and concentration. We extract the herbal constituents that are then concentrated down to prepare it to go into a final blend, which will then go into the capsule.

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101

gaia herbs drive, brevard, nc www.gaiaherbs .com

28712

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

17

Not by Bread Alone written by emily gl aser

|

photos by anthony harden

Red Pepper Chili Beer Bread. Molten Fudge Beer Cake. Beer Fudge Cookies. Corn Beer Bread.

For Lin Johnson-Carlson of Mimi’s Mountain Mixes, it’s all about that special ingredient.

18

| January 2017

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 19

I

s there anything more synonymous with grandmotherliness than baking?

A floral apron dusted with sugar and tied tight around a warm waist; the scent of baked things that catches in curled perms and slick buns alike; the gesture of a timeworn finger, coated in slick dough and proffered to the open mouth of an eager grandchild. Baking is familial, as warm and sweet as a mother’s hug, but it’s principally the realm of grandmothers, grandmas, maw maws, and, as of recently, Mimis.

Or, more accurately, a Mimi.

Walking into the headquarters of Mimi’s Mountain Mixes, home of simple bread mixes to which you add one mere beer, is like stepping into your own grandmother’s kitchen, but on a grand-er scale. Flour and spices sift through the air to settle on hairnets and in the smile lines around eyes. Scents also swirl in the air, especially when it’s time to prepare the mix for the company’s seasonal specialty, Punkin’ Fest Beer Bread.

“When they’re doing that, then we’ve got the cloves and the allspice and the ginger, and I just want to bathe in it,” Mimi says, then adds, with a twinkling eye and a laugh, “which wouldn’t be code, but…”

Lin Johnson-Carlson, known affectionately as “Mimi” to her three sons and ten grandchildren, and now the world, is full of this kind of contagious laughter and dad-sic-grandmother jokes. But like all good grandmas, it’s not all laughs; Mimi is also prone to pithy, idiomatic wisdoms, nuggets of insight served cool between those effervescent bursts of optimism. When she tells the troubled story of her last office job, she concludes with a sage observation: “You have to do your best, and if you do your best, the rest will come into place.” She pauses, looks you in the eye, a wide smile breaking across her face as she moves on to the next idealistic tangent. It’s the same threads of optimism and wisdom that weave through conversations with your shrewd grandmother, hands wrapped around warm cups of strong coffee, with fresh-baked bread on the table.

In fact, those are the exact circumstances under which this interview took place. The familial feel of Mimi’s Mountain Mixes isn’t just coincidence, it’s intentional. Family is Mimi’s priority. “We feel like we’re family here,” she says, raising a hand from her mug to wave, a gesture that encompasses the building and the people in it. And like the Mimi she is, she puts her people, whom she fondly refers to as “her ladies,” first.

“God made family first, actually church came second,

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| January 2017

and beer bread is so far down on the list. I don’t think God even had beer bread on his mind.”

We get sidetracked, talk about the value of family and optimism and kindness. But although beer bread is far down the line for both God and even Mimi, for us, it’s the subject.

In Times of Knead The first question is the obvious one: How did she become a peddler of beer bread mixes? You might think the answer is as obvious as the question, a tale of hours logged in commercial kitchens or culinary school, but the answer is, in fact, as antithetical as possible. “I was a mortgage loan officer for 25 years and a realtor for seven years before that,” Mimi notes, adding that she began her career in real estate in 1978.

It’s nearly impossible to imagine this image of motherly benevolence throwing around words like “mortgage” and “brokerage,” but for a long time, she did just that.

In 2005 Mimi received an offer she couldn’t refuse.

She traveled south from her home in Ohio to Fort Myers, Florida, one of the fastest growing real estate markets in the country. As a mortgage loan officer for Wachovia Mortgage, she managed two counties; the market was seemingly boundless. Until suddenly, it wasn’t. 2008 came, and with it the collapse of the greatest real estate boom in America’s history. Those regions that were so recently buoyed by fast sales sunk the fastest—particularly in Florida.

“I’d had a lot of ups and downs in the industry, but always weathered those storms; but then I was like ‘okay…’” Mimi remembers, of the crash. Paired with a host of other seemingly unweatherable odds—including a divorce from her husband of 33 years, also in 2008— and the road before her must have felt like being in a tunnel. But there was a warm light at the end—the glow of an oven light.

LIN JOHNSON-CARLSON January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

21

EACH ORDER is hand packaged and has specialized attention

In order to make ends meet, Mimi had reserved a booth at local farmer’s markets and sold baked goods. Prepared lovingly by hand in her home kitchen, the sweet breads and cakes beckoned to the palates of passers-by. “I started out doing all sorts of baked goods with tropical fruit in them because that’s what the tourists want. You’ve gotta know your market!” Mimi laughs and shakes a knowing finger in that classic salute of advice. “It got to the point where I’d sell out every single Saturday.” Moist breads spiked with the sweetened tang of fruit appealed to Florida’s natives and visitors, a sunshiny vacation baked right into every slice.

But Mimi is, after all, a Mimi, and she missed her family. She returned to Ohio to be closer to her children and her beloved “grandkiddos,” continuing to bake in order to supplement her income. When one of her sons uprooted and settled his family in our Appalachian hills, she followed. It was 2012. It was an easy decision for Mimi. “I said, ‘Let me think about this, it’s a log cabin on a lake, in the mountains… uhh, yeah!’” she laughs. “I was ready for a fresh start.”

And a fresh start, in Hendersonville, is exactly what Mimi found. A new love with now-husband Gene. A sweet home in the woods. Days of respite spent floating down the French Broad and hiking muddy trails. And at the center of it all, a new business.

Beer into Bread Mimi is the definition of the eternal optimist. She shrugs off negativity with a deft and subtle nudge, turns over topics to reveal the shimmer of a bright side, preaches platitudes 22

| January 2017

with an open heart and an unfaltering grin. But mention her last job—upon moving to Western North Carolina, she took a job as an outside sales rep for a local company in Asheville—and that grin hardens into a tight-lipped line. “There was just ridiculous pressure,” she remembers. “Everybody in the whole company was scared they were going to get fired, every day. And that’s no way to treat people. Hire the right people to begin with, train them well, and then let them prosper.”

In a stroke of fate that seems genuinely ironic, given her success now, Mimi was eventually let go because of what her employer described as a lack of success as a salesperson. In her typical twist of optimism, she seeks out the silver lining in her telling of the tale and its resolution. “It was a perfect opening,” she says, of her experience taking her employer to court in order to receive her withheld commissions. “We used the seed money to launch Mimi’s. All things were for the good. And my personal mission is to never treat people [like that former employer] treated employees. It has been a lesson well learned and has served me well.”

Mimi embraced this final opportunity to change her life’s path. “It was finally a chance at my age to do what I really, really wanted to do. I knew I’d really love it to be with food, and I knew it had to be a full circle thing. If it wasn’t a win-win, I wasn’t gonna do it.” She looks up from her coffee cup, her thumb actively tracing the rim. “I’ve always had a heart for people that have had some challenges, because I’ve had challenges, and if it weren’t for some very loving and embracing folks, there were times when I really didn’t want to go on.”

With a justly-earned bankroll, a hearty supply of optimism, and an idea, Mimi’s Mountain Mixes was born.

Actually, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Mimi had never stopped baking. She tweaked her recipes when she moved from Florida to Ohio and then North Carolina in order to appeal to her new market. “Of course, tropical is not the big push,” she says with her customary wry laugh. “That’s when I started taking baked breads, specifically beer breads, and people loved it, but it is very—to bake and cook and do all the shopping—that is very labor intensive. I was really starting to have some health issues with my legs and my feet; I’d just be miserable. So I thought okay, let’s tweak it, what do we need to do? So I started selling the mixes where they could just throw in a beer or a soda pop themselves. I always had a few baked that they could taste. Boom! They loved it. And January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 23

THE NOT so secret ingredient

24

| January 2017

so that started really as just, ‘Okay, maybe I’ve really got something.’ And then I started playing around with different f lavors and different things, not just breads, but cakes and cookies.”

At farmer’s markets and bake sales, business was booming. In a region where beer flows like water, any auxiliary product is an easy sale, especially one that combines the fizzy favorite with carbohydrates. And just over two years ago, Mimi decided to go “whole hog”—or, more accurately, “whole loaf.”

“We put our toe in the water two years ago at one little small store in Hendersonville, and we sold out the two days we were there,” she says, her eyes widening as if to transmit her own surprise, even years later. “He said, ‘I’ll take your product if you can be here the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving.’ I was sure we would bomb.

sprinkled across the Carolinas, from Raleigh to Greenville, and up into Ohio and Tennessee.

Nearly 60 stores in total, including boutiques and, of course, specialty beer and wine shops.

Daily Bread With that extensive and expanding market, Mimi’s Mountain Mixes has to maintain a swift and organized operation. These days, they do that from their new, recently expanded offices in Hendersonville. Half of the space is used for production. Stainless steel tables hold big mixing bowls in a similar sheen. Production manager Daniela explains the process of creating and packaging the mixes. The rotund bowls before her are filled with dusty, good-for-you ingredients: non-GMO, unbleached, and unbromated flour,

“We put our toe in the water two years ago at one little small store in Hendersonville, and we sold out the two days we were there,” she says, her eyes widening as if to transmit her own surprise, even years later.

I thought everyone would be at the mall, but it worked! Half the battle is showing up. People were so responsive to shopping local—it was fabulous, and literally we sold out.”

It was the final affirmation Mimi and Gene needed to commit to Mimi’s Mountain Mixes.

They rented a space in the basement below Dandelion Café in Hendersonville, carting weighted, industrial bags of flour and sugar down steep stairs. (Mimi: “We’re old! It was aging us!”)

Production grew quickly, as did their staff, a collection of young women gathered from less than perfect circumstances, often the local shelters, in need of stable employment.

True success came with their expansion into new commercial markets. Mimi reached out to local grocers and franchised powerhouses alike, pitching her mixes. “The answer’s always ‘no’ if you don’t ask, and I’m not above asking—a couple times,” she remembers. And it worked. Today you’ll find Mimi’s Mountain Mixes in scores of regional grocery stores, including Harris Teeter, Publix, Lowes Foods, Ingles, and soon Whole Foods,

sugar, and spices. Each of the six bowls holds 12 mixes, 72 mixes in total. On the next table, another employee divides the finished mixes into sandwich bags, which she plops into paper coffee bags and stamps and stickers with batch numbers and labels.

It’s a process that occurs three to four times per day, producing some 200 mixes every day on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Daniela smiles as she points at the powdery goods before her, white fingerprints staining her jeans, a smudge of flour across her cheeks. It’s easy, she points out. And it is.

Mimi’s territory, recently acquired, is the adjacent office. Part storage space, part breakroom, part office, it’s where Mimi convenes to perform the more tedious tasks of the business. Ask her her least favorite part of her job, and her response is immediate, accented by the frustrated flinging of her hands into the air: “Paperwork!” Here, Mimi completes that laborious paperwork, fills orders, chats with clients and retailers. It’s where she drinks her coffee and, on late nights, eats her dinner with Gene.

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 25

MIMI putting the wrap on a gift basket

Gene himself is now a full-time employee of Mimi’s Mountain Mixes, too. Retired from the banking industry, his province isn’t in the office, but on the open road. He travels constantly to check on their retailers, a schedule that gets him to every store every seven to ten days. “He’s a very people person, so he loves going in, taking to the manager, chatting with folks,” Mimi notes. “We would never have grown so much without Gene being so hands on.” You’ll also find Gene in Mimi’s old stomping grounds, manning the booths and tables at farmer’s markets across the mountains.

As you’ve certainly realized by now, Mimi and her team aren’t complacent in their success. They’re constantly growing into new markets—and new recipes. Developing these new recipes is the sole responsibility of Mimi, although she recruits an expert palate for taste-testing. “My poor husband ate so much really bad yeast products. He’s like, ‘Was this in the vows?’”

The hard work—and tireless tasting—always pays off, most recently with her beer soft pretzel mix, which quickly became their best seller. Other recipes range from savory to sweet, including a Red Pepper Chili Beer Bread, Italian Herb Beer Bread, Molten Fudge Beer Cake, Cinnamon Spice Coffee Cake Mix, Beer Fudge Cookies, and Corn Beer Bread, all retailing for a reasonable $6.95. And Mimi’s fiddling with even more mixes, 26

| January 2017

including doughnut and biscuit recipes and, to be released very soon, a beer pancake mix.

New recipes aren’t the only thing Mimi has up her flour-dusted sleeve. She’s already refining their online marketplace (at MimisMountainMixes.com) and gift basket selection, pairing mixes with handy pans and cute accoutrements. A commercial line also seems to be in the cards for Mimi’s: Ten pound bags of the most popular mixes, hand-delivered to local restaurants and food service stores, where chefs can quickly whip up beerfueled breads to pair with dishes for diners. Another possibility is fundraising. Rather than asking kids to go door-to-door with order forms for citrus or those curly shoelaces, why not outfit them with bags of delicious Mimi’s mixes. It’s easy to imagine Mimi’s mixes as the puzzle piece in a modern 2017 bake sale.

Perhaps the largest and loftiest designation on Mimi’s resume is “author.” She’s currently writing a book, Outrageous Optimism: Surviving and Thriving in a Wacky World! And although it would be easy to dismiss this as an unrealistic aspiration for other entrepreneurs, for Mimi, it just makes sense. Sharing her particular, unshakeable brand of optimism with the world doesn’t seem grandiose, but more a humble gift—a matronly passing of wisdom.

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Bread & Butter Mimi’s is a company rife with traditional measures of success. Sales are booming; expansion is constant; innovations, frequent. Not long ago they entered a competition hosted by the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce. They submitted their business plan alongside a host of other local pursuits, and subsequently won the Chamber’s Small Business Award.

Accolades include a billboard, advertising in newspapers, and business counseling advice (not that they seem to need it).

And yet, it all comes back to something so much simpler: a name, the name of the proprietor and the company itself— Mimi.

For her, it’s not just about business (although that certainly seems to come easily to her as well), it’s about family. Eight years ago, her youngest grandchildren named her “Mimi” and the epithet stuck. It defines who she is, what she does, every single day. That effortless effusion of love, the hallmark of grandmothers everywhere, is present in Mimi’s

very soul and, by association, her business. “My most favorite job in the whole wide world was being a mom. And now being a Mimi to my grandbabies, my grandkiddos.”

She pauses, then smiles. “And actually being a Mimi to everyone. I love this job; I love my awesome ladies.”

Her emphatic passion and empathy for her ladies is indicative of her relationship with them: It is indeed family.

For Mimi, family is her business model. She treats her employees with the same gracious kindness as she would her own family. On an even larger scale, family is her life model.

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| January 2017

The women she hires, decked in hair nets and aprons, come from unimaginable odds—just like Mimi herself. They don’t come from traditional means, and Mimi realizes that may make other employers wary, but for her, it makes them even

more promising. Among her many varied aspirations is the hope that her unique business model, of hiring folks from all walks of life and all backgrounds, will inspire other businesses, too.

“Basically it’s just looking outside the traditional means of hiring, because there are some very fabulous, untraditional means of finding fabulous, awesome people. And not just giving a handout, but you know, a hand to help pull up. You know, ‘Come with me, let’s grow together.’”

To illustrate the point, she grasps her hands, intertwining and lacing her fingers. “And if it’s a win-win for everybody, then sweet! So I’m hoping that perhaps other businesses will look at this and go, ‘Hey, that does work.’ And perhaps model it.”

Though she dreams of influencing other businesses and extending that helping hand to even more women, for now she’s content to share her love with the ladies already at her side. When an employee comes in to grab her bag at the end of the work day, Mimi stops the conversation to bid her adieu, sharing smiles and giggles and a final farewell, along with the words—emphatically yelled as her heels pass through the door—“Hugs and kisses!” It’s the kind of sweet send-off you’d expect to receive from your own grandmother, accented by a sugar-dusted kiss on the cheek.

For Mimi, family is her business model. She treats her employees with the same gracious kindness as she would her own family. On an even larger scale, family is her life model. She shares her mixes with a large community, infusing each recipe, even each bag, with her honeyed, familial good will. Every bag of Mimi’s Mountain Mixes carries a special message, a syrupy sweet note that portends her personal interest for every single buyer: “Mimi would put your picture in her wallet (if it was big enough), but she won’t put these icky things in this mix: no bleached flours and no soy, no aluminum, no eggs, and no dairy, no trans fat.” Another bag’s love letter begins, “Mimi loves y’all. She would put your picture on her fridge, but she’d never put these icky things in her mixes…” It’s these sentiments, so genuine and gentle and homey, that define Mimi and her mixes.

Ask Mimi her one hope for her breads and the folks who eat them and her response is immediate. “Feel the love,” she answers with a grin and a nod. “Feel the love in us here, in our products, in our mission, and even on our bags.” Like every recipe ever authored by a grandmother, the secret ingredient in Mimi’s Mountain Mixes is simple: love.

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CAROLINA in the

WEST [

news briefs

Economics of Party Rock Fire in One Minute henderson county

Among the rash of devastating Western North Carolina wild fires, Party Rock Fire, consuming 7,171 acres, was not the worst, but it dominated the news cycle as it threatened the beautiful Lake Lure resort community and the 125-year-old Esmerelda Inn and Restaurant. Long an attractor for the film industry, including in recent years Dirty Dancing, the inn had twice burned to the ground already. The area normally enjoys its season finale with clear, crisp air and blue skies providing the backdrop for reds, greens, and golds. This year, the season ended smelling at best like bacon, and the reds and oranges only rose in flames above a blackening forest. Lake Lure was evacuated, its businesses and roads closed. Lake Lure Coffee Shop was

30

| January 2017

]

one of the few places remaining open. It was running shifts to serve the 900-plus firefighters who had come to the area and were living in a makeshift compound. The Lake Lure Inn & Spa was open, but as a first-responder shelter, serving 810 meals one night. Public safety orders successfully cancelled numerous reservations, at least two couples decided to follow through with wedding plans. After 15 days of evacuation, roads were reopened, air quality remained dreadful, and those returning were warned to watch out for stump holes, falling trees, and other hazards. Beth Carden, executive director of the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority, spoke of the “desecration of our natural beauty” cutting into the area’s outdoor economy.

When the fire had been controlled enough to leave under the management of a crew from Oregon, the official cost of fighting it was up to $6,261,524.

Pacing Workload Amid Changing Rules buncombe county

FLS Energy has been acquired for an undisclosed sum by California-based Cypress Creek Renewables. FLS will become a wholly-owned subsidiary and retain its Asheville office with its full staff of 75. FLS was the third-largest developer and builder of solar projects in the state.

Marathon Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor in finding a strategic partner for FLS. Cypress Creek will benefit from FLS’ expertise in engineering, procurement, and construction as it strives to bring more of its outsourced activities in-house. Another benefit will be FLS’ skill in project financing, which has always been a critical factor in the solar industry. FLS will add 350 megawatts to Cypress Creek’s 735 megawatt portfolio, and contribute another 600 megawatts to its 4 gigawatt pipeline. The merger will make Cypress Creek the second-largest utility-scale solar developer in the United States. It has a presence in 15 states and plans to continue expanding. Greentech Media Research expects acquisitions will trend in the solar industry, due to excess procurement anticipating termination of the federal investment tax credit.

Regular workflow was compressed under

the deadline, leaving a void to greet the surprising decision to extend the credit through 2018, with a four-year winding-down period to follow.

Barking up the Right House mitchell county

The Bark House at Highland Craftsmen, Incorporated, was named a 2016 Record Product by Architectural Record magazine.

The prestigious award, now in its eleventh season, is a tribute to the product’s novelty, aesthetics, and functionality. Six judges from leading architectural firms selected the winning products from among 425 entries. Bark House is tree bark that comes in shingles or panels made of Recycled Appalachian Wood (RAW™). Not only does it work as a hearty, rustic exterior, it can be cut creatively for seriously engaging interior treatments. Two highlighted artistic applications of the product include the wrapping of buildings for contrast by Lyn Rice of Rice+Lipka Architects at the otherwise urban New York City Parson’s School of Design; and a 3,700-sq.-ft. facility David Jameson of Sherber+Rad designed to emulate the rings of a tree, progressing from coarse to fine surface treatments as

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the old north state

national & world

one moves toward the center of the building. Bark House is also the first product ever to have earned the Platinum distinction from the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Products Program, which found Bark House’s poplar shingle met certification standards for material health, material reutilization, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness.

Hiring off the Open Mic buncombe county

Business consultant Tom Ryan, who serves as the Entrepreneur in Residence at A-B Tech and Catawba Valley Community College, organized a fifth Talent Jam at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall this December. Talent Jams are a more elegant way for employers and prospective employees to meet than traditional job fairs. The platform is particularly helpful for filling technology positions, as Ryan says the industry lags in its recruiting strategies. The events, which cost around $20 plus cover for participants, have two segments. The first is an open mic where employers and employees get one minute to pitch themselves. Presentations must be tasteful and respectful, but they can be otherwise creative; for example, one

carolina in the west

chanteuse sang her pitch. The other segment is a freestyle mingle, the Jams providing a setting for ice-breaking.

Between 100 and 350 people have shown up at any given Jam, but some are just spectators. While the events are Ryan’s brainchild, he says they are growing in organic ways he would not have expected.

For example, employers have taken to inviting prospects to gauge how they perform under pressure. The last Talent Jam was held in Cork, Ireland, where on vacation Ryan saw the same needs for connecting jobs with people that he was trying to address at home. Ryan said 90% of attendees responding to a survey indicate they made meaningful connections at the Jams.

Fire & Ice avery county

Snowmaking technology has allowed ski resorts in warmer, drier climates to extend their seasons. But the recent drought, which set the stage for the area’s most devastating wildfires in recorded history, has proven problematic.

Machines must be adjusted to balance temperature, humidity, and wind speed to get the right mix of pack and powder; or the result could be poor. Western

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North Carolina’s six major ski resorts had planned on opening in time for the profitable Thanksgiving weekend, but a month without rain, warmer temperatures, and smog had all but Sugar Mountain postponing or suspending operations into early December. Sugar Mountain uses ponds on its property to make snow. Sugar met its target opening date of November 21, following over 40 hours of snowmaking, during “optimal,” “blustery” conditions with overnight temperatures falling as low as 16 oF. It has since been operating one lift and four slopes, but “current conditions” sometimes advise snow could be thin in places, and at presstime the tubing runs remained closed pending better weather. Last year, the North Carolina Ski Areas Association estimated the economic impact of the 2014-2015 ski season at $200 million.

Conventional Wisdom? henderson county

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The City of Hendersonville is about to issue a request for proposals for rehabilitating and expanding the Grey Hosiery Mill. Located three blocks from Main Street, the building is the last remaining historic industrial site within the city limits. The mill was built in 1915 and underwent two expansions before shuttering. The city bought the property two decades ago, and in 2010 commissioned a study that concluded the property could support a small convention center, but only with a full-service hotel. Then, a more recent feasibility study estimated the building could be converted to a hotel and convention center for $24.7 million, including land acquisition.

Samsel Architects of Asheville worked with Hendersonville planning staff to develop a general concept proposing 130-135 rooms and 7,900, 5,000, and 3,800 square feet of conference, restaurant, and retail space, respectively. The city would loan $1 million to the project with terms to be developed and provide streetscape amenities between the hotel and Main Street. The city plans

NOTHING SAYS

THANK YOU to select a developer in the spring, sign agreements this summer, complete the design review in the fall, and break ground the following winter.

According to the Book… buncombe county

This book has potential for outclassing apps. Great Smoky Mountains Vistas: A Guide, with Mountain Peak Identifications, for What to See and Do in and around the National Park, features the photography of Tim Barnwell. The book covers popular tourist attractions, as well as hidden gems in the wild areas of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. What sets it apart, though, is its format. Park visitors can pull off at overlook areas and open the book to the corresponding page. A photograph will clearly label mountain peaks, lakes, trails, and other natural formations with names in red and compass bearings, distances, and elevations in black. Adjacent pages tell of points of interest nearby. Then, for even more context, select aerial photographs complete the guide. Barnwell is a widely-published photographer of the Appalachian Mountains. His work illustrates his other books; various authors other books; collections in major art museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art; and hundreds of articles in magazines, including Time, Newsweek, and House Beautiful. The 176-page paperback was published as the National Park Service was celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Get Cracking buncombe county

The Asheville Nutty Buddy Collective kicked off a GoFundMe campaign with a Carnival of Nuts at the Toy Boat Community Art Space. Attendees could buy a $10 bag of tokens for food and games, and a silent auction offered items like a Wild Foods Hike with No Taste Like Home. Attractions included lectures and an aerial squirrel performance. Fair fare included pozole, chestnut muffins, and

nut beverages. Fifteen local merchants contributed food and goods to make the celebration a success. The Collective is trying to raise $10,000 for nut processing equipment. An estimated $5,500 would go toward what member Justin Holt referred to as “a large, powerful cracker.” Also needed are dehulling, drying, and separating machines. Five friends established the collective as a business in 2014 with a mission of bringing native fruit and nuts to marketability, with special emphasis on hickory, black walnut, chestnuts, and hazelnuts. The Collective’s efforts include working to procure long-term lease agreements for nut-centered orchards.

Predictable Emergencies, Are Not Emergencies swain county

Plans to rearrange Swain Community Hospital’s emergency department are being met with suspicion. Beginning January 3, the 12-8AM shift will be supervised by a nurse practitioner or physicians’ assistant instead of a physician. Replacing physicians and nursing staff with mid-level providers is a growing trend in emergency rooms across the country. Steve Heatherly, chief executive officer of Swain Community Hospital and Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva, argues assigning a physician to oversee the low-demand for overnight emergency departments in rural communities does not represent the best apportioning of limited human resources. Dr. Frank VanMiddlesworth, an emergency room physician at Swain, argues the decision was handed down unilaterally from Duke LifePoint, which recently acquired the hospitals, and that it prioritized cost containment above the health and welfare of the people of Swain and Graham counties.

Heatherly disagrees and wants to assure the public the changes will not have dramatic consequences. He further wants to debunk any claims that downsizing is preparatory to the hospital winding down and closing.

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local industry

Man•u•fac•ture

verb: to make, produce, mass-produce, build, construct, assemble, put together, create, fabricate, turn out, process, or engineer (something) on a large scale using machinery (see: ambiguous...)

I

n this space last year, we presented a roundup of manufacturers operating in our 18 counties of Western North Carolina, thinking that it not only might be of general interest, it also could serve as a valuable resource going forward. As we noted at the time, “There are many useful lists and organizations providing lists, either as a public service (as the many we spoke with do) or for sale. We found that, while these lists are relatively accurate at a local level, there were more discrepancies as the area of interest becomes larger.”

So the idea was—and with this year’s list, remains—to (a) independently verify, through good old-fashioned research, as much of the information as possible that was supplied to us; (b) subsequently compile a comprehensive master list, broken down by county, with the names of regional manufacturers along with the type(s) of products they create; and (c) additionally maintain it as an online database that

KEY

Business Name (Known date

established in Western North Carolina) Description of product Employees FT: Full-time PT: Part-time Otherwise, numbers represent a range.

Grandfather Vineyard & Winery

Ability Prosthetics & Orthotics, Inc. (1994)

Air-Vent Exteriors, Inc. (1984)

Landsman Forest Lawn Guard

Accurate Technology, Inc. (ATI) (1989)

Allegra Print & Imaging (1986)

Winery Employees FT: 3 PT: 3

Avery

Landscape & Detaining Walls

Addco Manufacturing Company

Winery Employees FT: 2 PT: 5

Auto Sway Bars

Winery

Winery Employees FT: 4

Buncombe

Banner’s Cabinets Incorporated

Custom Cabinetry & Doors

Blind Squirrel Brewery Brewery Employees FT: 25 PT: 5

Flat Top Brewing Co. Brewery Employees FT: 4 PT: 3

34

Linville Falls Winery

Vance Toe River Lodge

Banner Elk Winery

| January 2017

could be updated throughout the year (and with, potentially, expanded information).

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (and the North American Industry Classification System) describes the Manufacturing sector as comprising “establishments engaged in the mechanical, physical, or chemical transformation of materials, substances, or components into new products. [They] may process materials or may contract with other establishments to process their materials for them. Both types of establishments are included in manufacturing.” So we realize there’s a degree of ambiguity in any such investigation, and your comments and corrections since our list was originally published have been greatly appreciated. Our 2017 list is considerably lengthier than its predecessor, and wherever possible, we’ve included the approximate number of employees at each business. To view the online version, go to CapitalatPlay.com/resources.

A & M Tool - M Division, Inc. (1980)

Surgical Appliances & Supplies Employees: 10 -19

Instruments and Related Products Employees: 5- 9

Adams Products (1935)

Concrete Blocks & Bricks Employees: 20 -49

Addison Farms Vineyard Winery Employees PT: 5

Advantage Printing (1981)

Industrial Molds Employees: 20-49

Commercial Printing Employees: 10 -19

A-B Emblem - A Division of Conrad Industries, Inc. (1963)

Medical Equipment & Supplies Employees: 20-49

Embroidered Emblems & Patches Employees: 50-99

Aeroflow Health Care

Sunrooms, Awnings, Pergodas, Windows Employees: 20 -49

Commercial Lithographic Printing Employees: 5-9

Alliance-Carolina Tool and Mold Corp. (1964) Industrial Molds Employees: 10-19

Alliance-Carolina Tool and Mold Corp. (Plastics Division) (1983) Plastics Products Employees: 50-99

AMC, Inc., Steel Division (1984) Fabricated Structural Metal Employees: 10-19

AMCOR (1965)

Plastics Products Employees: 50- 99

American Backcountry Apparel

Andy Oxy Co., Inc. (1946) Industrial Gas Employees: 20- 49

Appalachian Technology, LLC (2001) Electronic Locks Employees: 20- 49

Appalachian Tool & Machine, Inc. (1990) Machine Shops Employees: 20- 49

Arcadia Dairy Farms, Inc. (1940)

Fruit & Vegetable Canning: Bottlers Employees: 20- 49

Archetype Brewing

Atlas Precision Mold, Inc. (1974)

Bhramari Brewhouse

Burial Beer

Atlas Precision, Inc. Tooling Division (1979)

Biltmore Estate Winery (1983)

C & H Tooling, Inc.(1981)

Machine Shops Employees: 20-49

Special Dies & Tool Die Sets, Jigs & Fixtures Employees: 20-49

Autronic Plastics Inc. API South (1998)

Custom Injection Molding Employees: 20-49

Avadim Technologies Medical Equipment Employees: 50-99

Avail, a Flextronics Medical Company (1995)

Brewery

Plastics Products Employees: 20-49

Asheville Citizen Times (1870)

AvL Technologies, Inc. (1994)

Newspaper Employees: 100-199

Asheville Distilling Co. Distillery Employees FT: 5 PT: 2

Asheville Hose & Equipment (1981)

Rubber & Plastics Hose & Belting Employees: 10-19

Asheville Metal Finishing, Inc., Div. of TLF, Inc. (1983)

Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing & Coloring Employees: 10-19

Asheville Paint & Powder Coat, Inc., Div. of TLF, Inc. (1992) Metal Coating, Engraving & Allied Services Employees: 20-49

Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company (1995) Breweries Employees FT: 60 PT: 100

Asheville Rubber & Gasket Co., Inc.

Special Dies & Tool Die Sets, Jigs & Fixtures Employees: 10-19

Astral Buoyancy Company (2003) Life Preservers Employees: 10-19

Mobile Satellite Antenna Systems Employees: 100-199

B & H Environmental & Sheet Metal Contractors Inc. (1976) Sheet Metal Work Employees: 5-9

Baity’s Precision Machining, Inc. (1985) Machine Shops Employees: 10-19

Balcrank Corporation (1982) General Purpose Machinery Employees: 20-49

Baldor Electric Company (1979) Mechanical Power Transmission Equipment Employees: 100-199

Balls Machine & Manufacturing Co., Inc. (1976) Solar Array Stands

Basofil Fibers, LLC (2002) Cellulosic Organic Fibers Employees: 10-19

Bee & Bramble Fine Meads Winery Employees FT: 1

Ben’s Brewery

Brewery Employees FT: 2 PT: 1

Brewery Employees FT: 3 PT: 3 Wineries Employees: 200-299

Biltmore Iron & Metal Company, Inc. (1948) Recyclable Material/ Scrap Metal Processing Employees: 10-19

BlackBird Frame & Art (2002) Frames

Black Mountain Ciderworks Cidery Employees FT: 2 PT: 1

Black Mountain Machine & Fabrication, Inc. (1985) Machine Shops Employees: 20-49

Brewery Employees FT: 9 PT: 8 Machine Shops Employees: 20-49

Carolina Knife Company, Inc. (1977) Hand & Edge Tools Employees: 20-49

Carolina Metals, Inc. (1985)

Aircraft Engine & Engine Parts Employees: 20-49

Carolina Ready Mix & Builders Supply, Inc. (2007)

Ready-Mix Concrete Employees: 20-49

Carolina StoneWorks (1894) Cut Stone & Stone Products Employees: 10-19

Blue Mountain Pizza and Brewpub

Catawba Brewing Co.

Blue Ridge Biofuels (2005)

Celtic Ocean International, Inc./Grain & Salt Society (1968)

Brewery Employees FT: 1 PT: 1 Organic Chemicals Employees: 5-9

Blue Ridge Chair Works Furniture

Blue Ridge Converting (1935) Nonwoven Fabric Mills Employees: 10-19

Blue Ridge Printing Company, Inc. (1974)

Commercial Lithographic Printing Employees: 10-19

BorgWarner Turbo Systems (1981) Motor Vehicle Parts Employees: 500-749

BP Solutions Group, Inc. (1925) Commercial Printing Employees: 20-49

Braiform (1996)

Plastics Products Employees: 100 -199

Brisco, Inc. (1966)

Commercial & Service Industry Machinery Employees: 20-49

Brewery Employees FT: 20 PT: 20

Food Products Employees: 20-49

City Bakery & Café (2001) Retail Bakers Employees: 20-49

Clark Communications (1976) Commercial Printing Employees: 20-49

Colbond, Inc. (1995)

Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Employees: 200-299

Crawford Sign Company (1952) Signs Employees: 5 -9

Creative Woodcrafters, Inc. (1976) Commercial & Residential cabinets Employees: 5 -9

Cross Canvas Company, Inc. (1986) Textile Bag Mills Employees: 20-49

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

35

local industry

Custom Packaging, LP (1970)

Corrugated & Solid Fiber Boxes Employees: 50-99

Dalton Distillery

Distillery Employees FT: 3 PT: 2

Daniels Graphics (1948) Commercial Printing Employees: 20-49

Fed Ex Kinko’s Office & Print Center

Great Eastern Sun Trading Company (1981)

Industries for the Blind (1936)

Flint Group (1941)

Green Man Brewing Company (2003)

Industry Nine Componentry

Commercial Lithographic Printing Employees: 20-49 Textile Machinery Employees: 300-399

FLS Energy, Inc. (2006)

Dave Steel Company, Inc. (1929) Fabricated Structural Metal Employees: 50-99

DC Creasman Manufacturer of Fine Jewelry Inc. (1979) Jewelry Employees: 5 -9

Prefabricated Wood Buildings Employees: 50-99

Eagles Nest Outfitters Parachute Hammocks & Outdoor Accessories

Eaton Corporation Electrical Division (1977) Motors & Generators Employees: 750-999

Goddess Ghee (2014)

Forest Millwork, Inc. (1991)

Grove Stone & Sand Company (1924)

Millwork (Including Flooring) Employees: 20-49

Frame It to a “T” French Broad Brewing Company (1998) Brewery Employees: FT: 4 PT: 4

French Broad Chocolates (2008) Chocolate, Confectionary Made From Cacao Beans Employees: 20-49

Frugal Framer Inc. (1975) Frames Employees: 5-9

Eaton Corporation - Electrical Division - Avery’s Creek (1977) Motors & Generators Employees: 200-299

Funkatorium (see Wicked Weed) Brewery

GE Aviation (1949)

Aircraft Engines & Parts Employees: 300 -399

Echoview Farms & Industries (2005) Textile Mills Employees: 5-9

Gennett Lumber Company, Inc. (1901)

Electrolux Major Appliances of North America (1987)

Millwork (Including Flooring ) Employees FT: 5 PT: 9

Major Appliances Employees: 100-199

Ginger’s Revenge

Essential Journey (2004)

Golf Associates Score Card Company/GA Printing (1970)

Brewery

Soaps, Lip Balms, Lotions, Bath Salts, Candles

Fahrenheit Brewing Brewery

Farnam Custom Products, Inc. (1981) Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens Employees: 50-99 Signs Employees: 10-19

36

| January 2017

Ghee in Multiple Flavors

Cut Stone & Stone Products Employees: 50-99

Groves Printing Company, Inc. (1960)

Commercial Lithographic Printing Employees: 5-9

Habitat Brewing Company Brewery Employees FT: 2 PT: 2

Harrison Construction (1965) Asphalt Paving Mixture & Block Employees FT: 100 PT: 199

Textile & Fabric Finishing (except Broadwoven Fabric) Mills Employees: 100-199 Bicycle Wheels

Injection Technology Corp. (ITECH) (1987) Plastics Products Employees: 100-199

Ism, Inc. (1983) Sheet Metal Work Employees: 20-49 Iwanna USA LLC (1976) Newspapers & Printing Employees: 50-99

Jacob Holm Industries (Americas), Inc. (2004)

Nonwoven Fabric Mills Employees: 50-99

Jewels That Dance (1983) Precious Metal Jewelry Employees: 5-9

Hi-Wire Brewing

Just Ducky Originals/ Children’s (1980)

Highland Brewing, Inc. (1994)

Karen’s Spice Kitchen (2016)

Highwater Clays, Inc. (1980)

Karpen Steel Custom Doors & Frames (1977)

Hillman Beer

Kearfott Guidance & Navigation Corp. (1955)

Brewery Employees FT: 21 PT: 7

Brewery Employees FT: 50 PT: 20

Lead Pencil & Art Goods Employees: 20-49 Brewery Employees FT: 8 PT: 4

Howling Moon Distillery Distillery Employees FT: 3

Commercial Lithographic & Digital Printing Employees: 20-49

Hoya of Asheville (1986)

Goodwill Industries of North Carolina Inc. (1968)

I Play, Inc. (1982)

Various Manufacturing Employees: 100-199

Infants’ Cut & Sew Apparel Employees: 50- 99

Goworx

ImageSmith Communications (1983)

Accessories For GoPro’s HERO ® Camera

FASTSIGNS (1995)

Brewery Employees FT: 15 PT: 15

Sustainable Energy Systems Employees: 50 -99

Frames

Deltec Homes, Inc. (1968)

Natural/Organic Food Distributor Employees: 10-19

Eyeglasses Employees: 5-9

Commercial Lithographic Printing Employees: 10-19

Infants’ Cut & Sew Apparel Employees: 20-49 Blended Spice Packets

Metal Window & Door Employees: 20-49

Electronic Components Employees: 400-499

Keen Impressions, Inc. (1991)

Commercial Lithographic Printing Employees: 10-19

King Bio, Inc.(1989) Pharmaceutical Preparation Employees: 50-99 Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. (1982) Doughnuts Employees: 20-49

Kwik Copy Printing (1984) Commercial Printing

Laser Precision Cutting, Inc. (1989) Plate Work Employees: 5-9

Lenscrafters (1997) Eyeglasses Employees: 5-9

Lentz Cabinets & Associates, LLC (1989) Wood Kitchen Cabinets & Countertops Employees: 20-49

Moog Music, Inc. (1978) Musical Instruments Employees: 50-99

Moss Sign Company (1994) Signs Employees: 10-19

Mountain Glass Arts Inc.

Pressed & Blown Glass & Glassware Employees: 10-19

Mountain Marble & Granite, Inc. (1994)

Lexington Avenue Brewery

Cut Stone & Stone Products Employees: 10-19

Lightheart Gear

National Wiper Alliance, Inc. (1996)

Brewery

Tents & Outdoor Apparel

Linamar Corporation (2011) Agriculture, Construction and Mining Machinery Employees: 50-99

Lookout Brewing

Brewery Employees FT: 4 PT: 3

M B Marketing & Manufacturing (1984)

GM Restoration Car Parts Employees: 5-9

Make Noise Co. (2012)

Electronic Gear & Synthesizers

Marine Systems, Inc. (1982) Plastic Products Employees: 10-19

Mathis Electronics (1980)

Nonwoven Fabric Mills Employees: 100-199

New Belgium Brewing Company Brewery Employees FT: 120

Nexus Technologies, Inc. (1997)

Electronic Engineering & Design Employees: 20-49

Noble Cider

Cidery Employees FT: 6 PT: 3

Normac, Inc. (1967) Machine Tools (Metal Cutting Types) Employees: 20-49

Nova Enterprises - Nova Kitchen & Bath (1978)

Printed Circuit Assembly (Electronic Assembly) Employees: 10-19

Cut Stone & Stone Products Employees: 50-99

Medical Action Industries, Inc. (1981)

Plastics Products Employees: 300-399

Surgical Appliances & Supplies Employees: 300-399

Metalcraft Manufacturing Corp. (1961) Precision Turned Products Employees:5-9

Milkco, Inc. (1982)

Fluid Milks Employees: 200-299

Mills Manufacturing Corp. (1952) Textile Product Mills Employees:100-199

Nypro Asheville (1988)

Ohio Electric Motors, Inc. (1979) Motors & Generators Employees: 50-99

Oliver Business Products (1969) Commercial Printing Employees: 10-19

One World Brewery Brewery Employees FT: 13 PT: 2

Open Brewing Brewery

Optical Cable Corporation (1990)

Plasticard-Locktech International (1988)

Electronic Connectors Employees: 50-99

Plastics Products Employees: 300-399

Orthopedic Appliance Company, Inc. (1960)

PolyLINKS, Inc. (1996)

Surgical Appliances & Supplies Employees: 10-19

OTS Corp. (1990)

Surgical Appliances & Supplies Employees: 20-49

Oyster House Brewing Co. Brewery Employees FT: 15 PT: 3

Palmer Wahl Temperature Instruments (1836) Temperature Instruments & Related Products Employees: 20-49

Parts & Systems Company, Inc. - PASCO (1987) Textile Machinery Employees: 5-9

Peco, Inc. (1973)

Lawn & Garden Tractor & Home Lawn & Garden Equip.

Employees: 20-49

Pentair Valves & Controls (1982) Industrial Valves Employees: 100-199

Perfection Gear, Inc. (1983) Speed Changers & Industrial High-Speed Drive & Gears Employees: 20-49

Plastics Products Employees: 20-49

Port City Amplification (2005) Guitar Amplifiers & Effects Pedals

Precision Products of Asheville, Inc. (1960) Machine Shops Employees: 20-49

Precision Products Performance Center, Inc. (1985) Motor Vehicle Transmission & Power Train Parts Employees: 20-49

Promatic Automation, Inc. (2000) Factory Automation Equipment Employees: 10-19

R & D Plastics, Inc (1979) Plastic Injection Molding & Engineering Employees FT: 10-19

Ramsey Group, Inc. (1989) Soap & Other Detergent Employees: 5-9

Randall King Knives Inc. (2003) Cutlery and Flatware (Except Precious) Employees: 5-9

Reich LLC (2010)

Perfection Tool Die & Mold (1987)

Transmissions & Parts, Automotive, Truck & Bus Employees: 100-199

Pet Dairy (1950)

Glass Products (Made of Purchased Glass) Employees FT: 10 PT: 19

Special Die & Tool Die Set, Jig & Fixtures Employees: 5-9 Milk & Ice Cream Employees: 20-49

PGC, Inc Parameter Generation & Control, Inc. (1977)

Temperature Instruments & Related Products Employees: 20-49

Pisgah Brewing Co.

Brewery Employees FT: 10 PT: 6

Renaissance Glass, Inc. (1976)

Rightline Gear

Automotive Accessories

Riverbend Malt House (2011) Malt Employees FT: 7

Road King Trailers, Inc. (2002) Boat Trailers Employees: 20-49

Roots Hummus (2006) Hummus Employees FT: 34 PT: 2

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 37

local industry

ST& F Precision Technologies & Tools (1992) Hand & Edge Tools Employees: 10-19

Samson Corp. (1993)

General Purpose Machinery (Merchant Wholesalers) Employees: 20-49

Screenprinting, Inc. (1994)

Commercial Screen Printing Employees: 10-19

Sew Link (1991)

Apparel & Home Décor

Shecology (2014)

Soap Nuts & Laundry Pills

Silver-Line Plastics Corp. (1962)

Springs Global (1972)

Thirsty Monk (3 locations)

Welding Unlimited (1995)

Stahlsac Inc. (1978)

Threshold Provisions

West Asheville Standup Paddle Boarding (WASUP)

Nonwoven Fabric Mills Employees: 50-99 Textile Bags & Canvas Employees: 10-19

Stampco Metal Products, Inc. (1969)

Energy Development & Conservation Employees: 10-19

Whistle Hop Brewing Co.

Trident Micro Systems (1996)

White Labs

Metal Stamping Employees: 10-19

Stephens Upholstery Company, Inc. (1972)

Reupholstery & Furniture Repair Employees: 5-9

Stepps Stone Work, Inc./J.R. Stone Sales, Inc. (1976) Cut Stone & Stone Products Employees: 10-19

SimpleShot Shooting Sports

Stuart Nye Hand Wrought Jewelry (1933)

Skyland Prosthetics & Orthotics, Inc. (1979)

Precious Metal Jewelry Employees: 5-9

Surgical Appliances & Supplies Employees: 10-19

Swaygo Gear (2001)

Smithway, Inc. (1980)

Sweeten Creek Brewing

Backpacks & Caving Gear

Truck Trailers Employees: 20-49

Brewery Employees FT: 3 PT: 6

Smokey Mountain Lumber, Inc. (1977)

T Precision Machining, Inc. (1999)

Millwork (including Flooring) Employees: 5-9

Smoky Mountain Machining, Inc. (1978)

T-Fab & Precision Machining, Inc., Div. of TLF, Inc. (1998)

TE Connectivity (1980)

Solarnomics (1976)

Relay & Industrial Control Employees: 200-299

Machine Shops Employees: 10-19

Southeastern Container, Inc. (1982) Plastic Bottles Employees: 100-199

Terra Forma Outdoor Solutions

Self-Adjusting Outdoor Chair

The Chocolate Fetish, LLC (1986)

Confectionery Mfg. from Purchased Chocolate Employees: 10-19

Southern Concrete Materials, Inc. (1958) Ready-Mix Concrete Employees: 200-299

The Old Wood Company (2007) Hand-built Wood Furniture

Spego, Inc. (1991)

Metalworking Machinery Employees: 5-9

Signarama. (2011)

Signs, Banners, Displays

38

Machine Shops Employees: 20-49

Machine Shops Employees: 50-99

CNC Machine Shop Employees: 50-99

| January 2017

Ornamental Iron & Steel Rails Employees: 20-49

Food Products

Plastic Pipe & Pipe Fitting Employees: 100-199 Slingshots

Brewery Employees FT: 30 PT: 16

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (1981)

Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration, & Warm Air Heating Equipment Employees: 500-749

TransEco Energy Corp. (2006)

Standup Paddle Boards Brewery Employees FT: 2 PT: 2

Wireless Communications Equipment Employees: 20-49

Yeast & Brewery

Turgua Farmstead Brewery

Brewery Employees FT: 106 PT: 86

Brewery

Turnamics, Inc. (1969)

Wicked Weed Brewing (includes Funkatorium)

Wilbert Vault. Co. (1966)

Precision Turned Products Employees: 20-49

Burial Caskets Employees: 20-49

Twin Leaf Brewery

Williams Plating Company, Inc. (1982)

Brewery Employees FT: 2 PT: 4

U.S. Gear Tools - Division of U.S. Group, Inc. (1971)

Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing & Coloring Employees: 10-19

Hand & Edge Tools Employees: 20-49

Wishbone Tiny Homes (2011)

Upcountry Brewing

WNC Pallet & Forest Products Company, Inc. (1959)

Brewery Employees FT: 7

Urban Orchard Cider Company

Cidery Employees FT: 10 PT: 6

Vertique, Inc. (1997)

Conveyor & Conveying Equipment Employees: 50-99

Vulcan Materials Company - Mideast Division (1964) Cut Stone & Stone Products Employees: 20-49

W. P. Hickman Company (1975)

Home Construction

Wood Containers & Pallets Employees: 20-49

Woogie Foods (2015)

Dipping Mustard Sauce

Wright Machine & Tool Company, Inc. (1970) Machine Shop Employees: 20-49

York Label, Inc. (1984) Commercial Printer Employees: 20-49

Zebulon Artisan Ales Brewery

Sheet Metal Work Employees: 50-99

Cherokee

Watershead Dry Bags

Andrews Brewing Co.

Waterproof Bags & Outdoor Products

Brewery Employees FT: 1

Wedge Brewing Co.

Andrews Truss, Inc.

Brewery Employees FT: 3 PT: 28

Roof & Floor Trusses

Calaboose Cellars Winery

Cherokee Cellars Winery Winery Employees FT: 2

Cherokee Scout, Inc

Newspapers & Printing

Creative Sportswear, Inc

Embroidery & Screen Printing

Industrial Opportunities Inc. Non-profit organization serving adults with disabilities from Cherokee, Clay, & Graham Counties.

Lidseen of North Carolina Inc. Contract Manufacturing. Punch Presses - Blanking thru Deep Drawing. Plasma Cutting, with Blowing & Assembly.

Production work only.

MGM Brakes

Brakes & Electronic Brake Monitoring Systems

Moog Components Group (1951) Motion Control Technology

Nottely River Valley Vineyards Winery Employees PT: 2

Snap-On Power Tools, Inc.

Eagle Fork Vineyards Winery Employees FT:3 PT:3

Lidseen of North Carolina Contract Manufacturing, Machining

Premium Knife Supply

Knife Manufacturing, Metals

Haywood Alltec Corporation (1991)

Lightning Protection Equipment Employees: 20-49

Associated Packaging Technologies (1996)

Packaging Equipment & Materials Employees: 50-99

Bearwaters Brewing Co. Brewery Employees FT: 4 PT: 2

Boojum Brewing (2 locations) Brewery Employees FT: 10 PT: 25

Canton Hardwood Company (1950)

Hardwood Dimension & Flooring Employees: 20-49

Shop Equipment & Automotive Diagnostic Tools

Consolidated Metco Inc.

Valley River Brewing

Cornerstone Printing & Design (1988)

Brewery Employees FT: 4 PT: 4

Valley River Vineyards Winery

Clay Advance Digital Cable

Wire, Cable, & Plastics Employees: 50-99

BC Machining

Contract Manufacturing, Machining of Metal Parts

Buckhorn Lumber & Wood Products

Wood Products Employees: Less than 50

Coleman Cable, Inc.

Wire & Cable Products Employees: 50-99

Commercial Vehicle Components

Commercial Printing Employees: 20-49

Evergreen Packaging (1908)

Paper Mills (Except Newsprint) Employees: 1000-2999

Evergreen Packaging (Extrusion Mill) (1999) Plastics, Foil & Coated Paper Bags Employees: 200-299

Frog Level Brewing Co. Brewery Employees FT: 2 PT: 2

Giles Chemical, A Division of Premier Magnesia, LLC (1950)

Inorganic Chemicals - Epsom Salts Employees: 50-99

Haywood Vocational Opportunities (1972)

Surgical & Medical Products Employees: 300-399

Holston Environmental Services, Inc (1977) Petroleum Lubricating Oil & Grease Employees: 5-9

Mountaineer Publishing Inc.(1887) Newspapers & Printing Employees: 20-49

Oaks Unlimited, Inc. (1982)

Kiln Dried Hardwood Lumber Employees: 20-49

Patti Boo, Inc. (1978) Screen Printed & Embroidered Apparel Employees: 5-9

Air Chek, Inc. (1985)

Measuring & Controlling Devices Employees: 5-9

All Juice Food & Beverage, LLC (1992) Food Products Employees: 20-49

AlphaTech, Inc. (1999) Machine Shops Employees: 20-49

American Cable & Rigging Supply, Inc. (1987) Lifting Products & Materials Employees: 5-9

American Pride, Inc. (2003) Wood Kitchen Cabinet & Countertop Employees: 20-49

Powell Wholesale Lumber Company (2002)

American Quality Foods/ Dover Foods (1994)

Roc-N-Soc Manufacturing (1990)

Asheville Thermoform Plastics, Inc. (ATP) (1998)

Sonoco

Atlas Bolt & Screw Company Div. of Marmon Group, Inc. (1984)

Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber & Planing Employees: 20-49

Nonupholstered Wood Household Furniture Employees: 10-19 Packaging Products

The Print Haus Inc. (1982) Signs; Commercial Printing Employees: 10-19

Tipping Point Brewing Brewery

WNC Paving Company (1960)

Flour Mixes & Doughs Employees: 20-49

Plastic Thermoforming Employees: 5-9

Nonferrous DieCasting Foundries Employees: 5-9

Automated Design Inc. (1985) Machining Manufacturer

B & L Distributing Company (2006) Stone

Asphalt Paving Mixture & Block Mfg. Employees: 50-99

Basic Brewing (2016)

Henderson

Belmont Equipment & Technologies (1995)

A & M Tool, Inc. (1980) Special Die & Tool, Die Set, Jig, & Fixtures Employees: 10-19

Able Industrial Service (1980) Machine Shops Employees: 20-49

Advanced Technical Welding, Inc. (1987)

Machine Shops (Welding Job Shop) Employees: 5-9

Brewery Employees FT: 2 PT: 2

EDM

Betech, Inc. (1991)

Machines for HVAC Sheet Metal Employees: 20-49

Blue Ghost Brewing Company Brewery Employees FT: 2 PT: 2

Blue Ridge Bracket Company (2009) Brackets

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 39

local industry

Blue Ridge Metals Corp. (1988) Motor Vehicle Steering & Suspension Components Employees: 100-199

Bold Rock Hard Cider (2015) Cidery

Boondocks Manufacturing, Inc. (1972)

Prefabricated Wood Buildings Employees: 5-9

BorgWarner Thermal Systems (Fletcher Plant) (1978)

Comax Industries (1987)

Fiberglass & Plastics (1983)

Hill Precision & Tool LLC (2015)

Congruent Concepts & Solutions LLC (2014)

Fieldco Machining (1989)

Honeycommcore LLC (2009)

Flat Rock Ciderworks

Imoco Inc. (1964) Sheet Metal/Fabrication Shop

Plastic Fabrication

Industrial Manufacturing & Fabrication

Continental Teves, Inc. (1997) Motor Vehicle Metal Stamping Employees: 750 -999

Continental Tool Works, Inc. (1995)

Gasoline Engine & Engine Parts Employees: 200-299

Special Die & Tool, Die Set, Jig, & Fixtures Employees: 5-9

Bromley Plastics Corp. (1992)

Country Marble, Inc. (1997)

Plastic Fabrication

Brotherstone Granite LLC (2005) Countertops

Cut Stone & Stone Products Employees: 20-49

Current, Powered By GE (2015) LED lighting systems

Burntshirt Vineyards Winery Employees FT: 10

Crothers Plastics Manufacturing (2008)

Byers Precision Fabricators (1942) Sheet Metal Work Employees: 20-49

Daystar Machining Technologies, Inc. (1999)

Paper Products Employees: 20-49

Baker

Clement Pappas of North Carolina, Inc. (1973)

Fruit & Vegetable Beverages Employees: 100-199

Coats North America (1951) Thread Mills Employees: 50-99

International Tela-Com of Asheville, Inc. (1969) Current-Carrying Wiring Devices Employees: 5-9

GB Industries (1995) Rubber Gloves Employees: 9

Jackson Steel, Inc. (1952) Ornamental & Architectural Metal Products Employees: 20-49

GE Lighting Systems, Inc. (1955)

Jade Systems (2006)

Electric Lighting Fixtures Employees: 500-749 Machining Manufacturer CNC Machining

Greenleaf Corporation (1977) Cutting Tool & Machine Tool Accessories Employees: 10-19

Ornamental Nursery Products

Jones Concrete Company (1980) Concrete Products Employees: 10-19

Kiln Drying Systems and Components, Inc. (1992) Industrial Machinery Employees: 10-19

Kimberly-Clark Corp. (Berkley Mills Division) (1945)

Hardin Company (1960)

Kingsway Ready Mix Concrete (1989)

Machine Shops Employees: 5-9

Diamond Brand Gear Company (2015)

Dreicor, Inc. (1988)

Sheet Metal Work Employees: 5-9

Elkamet Inc. (2006)

Plastics & Polymer Materials Employees: 50-99

Etowah Valley Equipment (1985)

| January 2017

Commodity & Special Chemicals

Delta Machining & Design, Inc. (1988)

Parts for Car Washes

40

Industrial Chemical Co. (2010)

Nonwoven Fabric Mills Employees: 200-299

Canvas & Related Products Mills Employees: 50-99

City Bakery (2016)

Non-Chemical Water Conditioning Systems

Aluminum honeycomb cores

Green River Picklers (2012)

Automotive sillplates & emblems

Manufacturer and wholesaler of bags & leather products

Fluidyne International LLC (1978)

Tool & Die Makers

Machine Shops Employees: 20-49

Demmel Inc. (2016)

Carolina Sewn (2002)

Premier Injection & Carbide Compaction Mold Supplier

Green Machine & Tool (1986)

Cane Creek Cycling Components, Inc. (1975)

Carolina Paper Tubes, Inc. (1979)

Flat Rock Tool & Mold (1971)

Dampp-Chaser Electronics Corp. (1947)

Bath & Body Products

Machining Manufacturer

Hard Cider Employees FT: 1 PT: 2

GF Linamar (2016)

Candy Cakes Bath Bakery

Carbo-Cut Inc. (1990)

Machine Shops Employees: 5-9

Plastic Fabrication

Electric Housewares & Household Fans Employees: 20-49

Motorcycle, Bicycle & Parts Employees: 20-49

Plastic Fabrication

Pickles

Pillow inserts, Duvets & Foam cut to size Employees: 20-49

Haynes Wire Company (1975) Wire Drawing Employees: 50-99

Hedrick Industries - Green River Quarry (1993) Stone

Hi-Flex Inc. (1983)

Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins

Highland Tool & Gauge, Inc. (1985)

Special Die & Tool Die Set, Jig & Fixtures Employees: 10-19

Ready Mix Concrete Employees: 10-19

Konkos Cabinets (2005) Custom-made Cabinets

Kyocera Industrial Ceramics (1967)

Ceramic Components Employees: 200-299

Kyocera Precision Tools Inc. (2014) Tools

Lassonde Pappas & Company Inc. (1965)

Juices, Teas, Lemonades, Enhanced Waters & Cranberry Sauces

Leisure Craft, Inc. (1979) Showcase, Partition, Shelving & Lockers Employees: 50-99

Levi Industrial Group, Inc. (1995) Machine Shops Employees: 5-9

Manual Woodworkers & Weavers, Inc. (1974)

Broadwoven Fabric Mills Employees: 100-199

Max Tec, Inc. (1983)

Design & Fabrication of Nonwoven Converting Equipment

McFarlan Bake Shop (1930) Commercial Bakeries Employees: 10-19

Medical Cable Specialist - MTI (1991)

Surgical & Medical Instruments Employees: 20-49

Meritor, Inc. (1982)

Automotive Products Employees: 400- 499

Microtech Knives (1994) Knives

Mills River Brewery Brewery Employees PT: 4

Mills River Millworks (2005) Moulding Products

Mimi’s Mountain Mixes (2014) Bread Baking Mixes (add beer)

Minute Man Products, Inc. (1971) Misc. Metal Products Employees: 20-49

MRM Engraving (2002) Engraving

MTI Medical Cables LLC (1995) Custom Wire & Cable Assemblies for Healthcare Industry

Multi-Packaging Solutions LTD (1959) Packaging Products

Nash Welding (1962) Welding

National Wood Products (1978) Wood Containers & Pallets Employees: 5-9

North American Trade (2015) Unprimed Centerfire Ammunition Brass Cases

Northern Crescent Iron (2009) Professional Blacksmiths

Ohlins USA (1976)

Automotive suspension systems

Old Castle Industrial Minerals-Fletcher (1948) Ground or Treated Mineral & Earth Employees: 10-19

Outrider USA (2009)

Electric Adventure Vehicles

Ox Paper Tube & Core (1981) 100 % Recycled Paper Tubes & Cores

Oxlife, Inc. (1988)

Surgical & Medical Instruments Employees: 20-49

Pepsi-Cola Bottling CO. (2004)

Precision Tool Dye Mold, Inc. (1986)

Precision Turned Product Employees: 10-19

Prince Manufacturing (1999) Metal Coating & Engraving Employees: 50-99

Putsch and Company, Inc. (1974) Food Product Machinery Employees: 20-49

Quality Rubber Manufacturing (1988)

Fabricated Rubber Products

Raumedic (2016)

Polymer Components for Medical & Pharmaceutical Industries Employees: 50-99

ResinArt East, Inc. (1992) Flexible Molding Employees: 20-49

Mountain Showcase Group, Inc. (1996)

Wood Kitchen Cabinets & Countertops Employees: 10-19

Welding

Precision Label Inc. (2003) Custom Rolls, Sheet, & Digital Labels

Brewery Employees FT: 4 PT: 4

Standard Tytape Company, Inc. (1954) Narrow Fabric Mills Employees: 20-49

Stone Connection Granite Interiors (2004) Stone Gallery Granite & Marble (2010)

Sanctuary Brewing Co. (2016) Brewery Employees FT: 4 PT: 3

Special Die & Tool Die Set, Jig & Fixtures Employees: 20-49

SELEE Corp. (1978)

The Oriole Mill (2006)

Machine Shop

TDM Corp. (1969)

Nonclay Refractory Manufacturing Employees: 100-199

Luxury Textiles

Shorewood Packaging International Paper (1959)

Sewing, Quilting & Crafting Supplies

PMA Tools (2006)

Portable Welding Service Inc. (1978)

Stag’s Head Brewing

Tate Machine Shop (1981)

Mountain Machine Inc. (1986)

Carpet & Rug Mills Employees: 20-49

Concrete Products

Showcases, Partitions, Shelving, & Lockers Employees: 5-9

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (1980)

Mountain Rug Mills (1950)

Southern Concrete Materials, Inc. (1984)

Custom Countertops

Printpack, Inc. (1989)

Automotive Glass Accessories

Brewery Employees FT: 2 PT: 9

Saluda Mountain Products, Inc. (1992)

Winery

Food Products Supplier Employees: 20-49 Cabinet Maker

Southern Appalachian Brewery (2011)

Custom Countertops

Folding Paperboard Boxes Employees: 100-199

Packaging

Pesticide & Other Agricultural Chemicals Employees: 20-49

Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards (2012)

Drinks

Mona Lisa Food Products, Inc. (1993)

Southern Agricultural Insecticides (1940)

Brewery Employees: 360

The Warm Company (1999) Times-News (1875) Newspapers Employees: 100-199

Tri-Hishtil, LLC (2014)

Grafted Vegetable Plants

Skyline Plastic Systems, Inc. (1990)

UPM Raflatac, Inc. (1985)

Smart Products (2016)

Valiant Fabrics (2007)

SMARTRAC NV (2004)

Van Wingerden Greenhouse Co. (1979)

Injection Molding Employees: 10-19

Check Valves & Pumps RFID Technology

Coated & Laminated Paper Employees: 300-399 Fabric

Prefabricated Metal Buildings & Components Employees: 10-19

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 41

local industry

Macon

Van Wingerden International (1975) Plants

Van’s Chocolates Inc. (1968) Chocolates

Vocational Solutions of Henderson County (1993)

Manufacturing-Medical Assembly & Printing Services

Deringer-Ney, Inc. (1972)

Currahee Brewing Company Brewery Employees FT: 5 PT: 2

Current Carrying Wiring Devices; screw machining & contacts Employees: 67

Drake Software (1977)

Dynamic Systems, Inc. (1967)

Tax Preparation Software Company Employees: 357

Duotech Services Inc.

Urethane & Other Foam Products (Except Polystyrene); foam plastics Employees: 25

Catawba Hardwoods and Dry Kiln (1984) Kiln Dried Lumber Employees: 7

Coats North America (1952) Thread Finishing Employees: 385

Columbia Forest Products, Inc. (1981)

Hardwood Plywood & Veneers Employees FT: 350

Electronic Solutions for Military Civilian Aerospace & Commercial Uses Employees: 35

East Fork Pottery (2010)

Franklin Tubular Products, Inc.

Mad Co Brewing

Fabricated Structural Metals Employees: 20-49

Harmony House Foods (2004)

Peerless Electric - Madison Manufacturing Company (1992)

Ethan Allen, Inc., Pine Valley Div. (1969)

Western Carolina Tool & Mold (1997)

Lazy Hiker Brewing Co.

Printpack, Inc. (1986)

Foothills Industry (1972) Subcontract Piecework Employees FT: 32 PT: 84

Vulcan Materials Company (1959) Cut Stone & Stone Products Employees: 20-49

Welding & Automation Inc.(1952) Welding

Welding Unlimited (1995)

Tubular Fabrication Employees: 80

Freeze Dried Food Products

Special Die & Tool Die Set, Jig & Fixtures Employees: 10-19

Brewery Employees FT: 13

Whole Log Lumber (1984) Lumber

Brewery Employees FT: 1 PT:3

Wilsonart International (1979)

Shaw Hardwood Flooring

Satulah Mountain Brewing Co.

Laminated Plastic Plates, Sheets, & Shapes Employees: 500-749

Winstrip Inc (2008) Plastic Trays

Wirtz Wire EDM, Inc. (1993) Machine Shops Employees: 5-9

Tektone Sound & Signal Manufacturing Inc. (1989)

Healthcare Communication Equipment Employees : 75

Madison

Zumco, Inc. (1974)

Advanced Superabrasives, Inc. (1993)

Machine Shops Employees : 5-9

Cutting Tool & Machine Tool & Accessory Abrasive Products; grinding wheels Employees: 45

Jackson Heinzelmännchen Brewery Brewery Employees FT: 2 PT: 1

Innovation Brewing Co. Brewery Employees FT: 5 PT: 6

Alcan Packaging (1986)

Recycled Paper

Sneak E Squirrel Brewery Brewery Employees FT: 3 PT: 10

| January 2017

Fontaine Vineyards Winery

Brewery

Industrial & Commercial Fan & Blowers & Fan Assemblies Employees: 62 Medical Packaging Employees: 195

McDowell Allied Industrial Company (1987) Custom Wooden Cabinet Doors Employees: 7

American Plastics (1998)

Custom Heating Injection Molding & Plastic Parts Employees: 5

AV Tech, Inc. (1977) Custom Machinery & Repair Parts Employees: 6

Baldor Electric Company (1996) Roller Bearing Assembly Employees: 142

Baxter Healthcare Corp. (1972)

Medical Flexibles Employees: 100-199

Medical Products - Intravenous Feeding Solutions & Kits Employees: 2,700

Avery’s Creek Machine, Inc. (2000)

Belle Nicho Winery

Machine Shops, Welding, & CNC Burning Employees: 5-9

Jackson Paper Co.

42

Hardwood Flooring Employees: 103

Commercial Ceramics

Winery Employees: 1

Carriage House Door Company (1906) Metal and Wooden Garage Doors Employees: 51

Crane Resistoflex Company (1987)

Plastic Lined Pipe & Fittings Employees: 167

Furniture Employees: 400

Haldex Brake Products Corp. (1985)

Automotive Brake Products Employees: 80

Industrial Timer & Lumber (1997) Kiln Dried & Hariet/ Surfaced Lumber Employees: 51

International Automotive Components Group North America, Inc. (1966) Automotive Carpet Employees: 720

Janesville Acoustics (1988) Non-woven Automobile Carpet Pad Employees: 196 Key Gas Components (2004) Valves for Propane & Natural Gas Equipment Employees: 42

Key Wood Specialties (2007) Custom Crating Pallets & Cut Plywood Employees: 8

Lewis Machine Company (1987) Machine Shop Employees: 5

McDowell County Millwork (2006)

Kiln-dried Lumber Saw Milling Employees: 22

Metal Industries of NC Inc. (2003)

Air Terminals & Fire Dampers For Industrial HVAC Employees: 130

Morganton Pressure Vessels LLC (2010) Air Pressure Vessels & Oil Separators Employees: 135

Oak Valley Hardwoods (2012) Kiln-dried Lumber Saw Milling Employees: 48

Parker Hosiery Mills (1946)

Tool Craft Inc. of North Carolina (1999) Production Machining & Manufacturing of Key Bolt Carriers Employees: 47

Total Quality Assurance Int. (2011)

Plastic Dunnage (Quality Inspection) Employees: 45

West Rock (1929)

Specialized Paper Board Manufacturing Employees: 350

Wilson Marble Company (1972) Cultured Marble Products Employees: 11

Men’s and Women’s Socks Employees: 10

Mitchell

Pleasant Gardens Machine (1964)

BRP US, Inc.

Machine Repair/Metal Fabrications Employees : 10

Recreational Vehicle Products

Quality Plastic Custom Molding (1988)

Brewery Employees FT: 1

Heat Injection Molding Employees: 15

RDM Industrial Electronics (1988)

Remanufacture Petroleum & Car-wash Electronics Employees: 65

SBFI North America (2012) Wood Products for Ergonomic Furniture Employees: 38

South Creek Vineyards & Winery Winery

Superior Machine of SC (1933)

High Grade Metal Repair & New Machinery Employees 39

Tilson Machine, Inc. (1980) CNC Lathe Machine Parts Employees: 100

Tool Company Industrial Corp. (1975) Service/Manufacturer of Cutting Tools Employees: 21

Dry County Brewing Co.

New Buck Corporation Wood Stoves & Grills

The Bark House at Highland Craftsmen INC (1990) Original Bark Wall Covering

Winding Creek Brewing Company Brewery Employees FT: 6

Cherry Mountain Cabinets Custom Cabinetry Employees: 3

CMI Automotive

Rutherford

Upholstery Fabric Employees: 16

A.E. Staley Pine Pallet

Crossair LLC

Pallets Employees: 1-9

Aallied Die Casting Company of NC (1988)

Custom Aluminum Die Castings Employees: 170

Abercrombie Textiles II LLC Jacquard Fabric Employees: 110

Alliance Precision Plastics Injection Molding Employees: 53

American MISO Company (1989) Miso & Soy Sauce Employees: 20

American Water Graphics, Inc Inks Employees: 20

APAC – Atlantic Inc. Paving Contractor Employees: 120

Associated Printing

Ventilation Systems, Air Pollution Control Equipment

Diamondback Tactical

Enforcement Apparel & Armor

Diverse Corporate Technology Communication Construction Employees: 7

Domtar Paper Co. Paper Manufacturer Employees: 1

Eaton

Hydraulic Hose Employees: 125

Ed’s Pallet World, Inc. Pallet Recycling Employees: 38

Elliott International Machinery Co. Machine Co. Employees: 12

Forest City Publishing Company (1969)

The Quartz Corp, USA

Printing Employees: 15

Newspapers Employees: 16

Unimin Corp., Schoolhouse Mine

Blue Ridge Distilling

Fulton Technology Corporation

High Purity Quartz

Distillery

Non-Metallic Industrial Minerals

Bonita Pioneer

Polk

Broad River Forest Products, Inc.

Mountain Brook Vineyards Winery Employees FT: 1 PT: 5

Overmountain Vineyards Winery Employees FT: 4 PT: 4

Parker-Binns Vineyard Winery Employees FT: 4 PT: 2

Russian Chapel Hills Winery Winery Employees FT: 3 PT: 2

Packaging & Labeling Services

Wood Chips Employees: 7

C F Reece & Son

Steel Fabrication & Machining Employees: 31

Carpenter Design Inc.

Wooden Pallet Repair & Recycling Employees: 80

Carpenter Mulch Products Mulch Products Employees: 15

Precision Machining Employees: 3

Gilkey Lumber Company Lumber Employees: 60

Heritage Classic Wovens, LLC Textiles Employees: 13

Horsehead Corporation Zinc Recycling

Hydra Tight

Onsite Machining Employees: 4

Ingle Weaving

Automobile Seatcovers Employees: 3 January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 43

local industry

KCH Services, Inc.

Ventilation Scrubber Systems Employees: 40

Lakeside Mills (1736)

Lumber Employees: 139

Plastic Packaging, Inc. (1957)

Flour, & Grain Milling Employees: 17

Flexible Packaging Employees: 20

Latco Concrete Products Inc. Ready Mix Concrete Employees: 4

R & D Weaving

Textiles, Woven Throws Employees: 9

Robbins Brick & Block, Inc.

Liberty Press

Manifold Business Forms, Promotional Items Employees: 20

Liberty Printing Inks

Water Based Printing Inks

Lipscomb Neon Signs (1973) Signs & Advertising Displays Employees: 20

Manual Woodworkers & Weavers (1932) Other Household Textile Product Mills

Masonry Distributor Employees: 32

Sonoco Molded Plastics Molded Plastics Employees: 135

Southeastern Rack Company Metal Finishing Racks/Baskets Employees: 12

Sunray, Inc.

Custom Polyurethane Products Employees: 44

Sunrise USA

Mayse Manufacturing (1969) Utility Buildings & Carports Employees: 9

McArthurs Inc.

Industrial Sheet Metal Fabrication Employees: 3

Meritor

Truck Drive Axles Employees: 91

Fleece Products

Team Air (1998)

Custom Oversized Air Handling Equipment

The Timken Co. Bearings Employees: 240

Thieman Manufacturing Technologies LLC

Milliken & Co. - Golden Valley Textiles Employees: 125

Metal Fabrications Employees: 20

Thompson Contractor’s Inc Crushed Stone

Oh Suzannah Apparel Employees: 25

Touchstone Fine Cabinetry

Ornamentals & Finer Welding Ornamental Ironworks, Gates, Furniture, Art Employees: 2

Outdoor Colors, LLC Hydrographic Finishing Employees: 27

Packaging Corp of America Corrugated Boxes Employees: 33

Custom Cabinets Employees: 90

Trelleborg Coated Systems U.S., Inc.

Polymercoated Fabrics Employees: 230

Tri City Molding

Metal Fabrications Employees: 5

Tri-City Concrete, LLC

Parker Hannifin Corp.

Motion & Control Technologies Employees: 151

44

Parton Lumber Co., Inc.

| January 2017

Ready Mix Concrete Employees: 21

Ultimate Textile, Inc Commission Textiles Employees: 38

Valley Fine Foods

Automated Tool and Machine Company Inc.

Custom Industrial Equipment

Ben’s Custom Woodwork (1984)

Frozen Specialty Food Employees: 130

Furniture

Verity Resins LLC

Bakery Products

Recycled Plastics Employees: 25

Walker Building Systems

Blue Ridge Bakery (2006) Blue Ridge Quick Print, Inc. (1978)

Commercial Printing

Roof Trusses Employees: 6

Bracken Mountain Bakery (1995)

Watts Regulator Co.

Brevard Brewing

Water Quality Product Employees: 80

Wells Jenkins & Wells Meat Market

Animal (Except Poultry) Slaughtering Employees: 10

WestRock

Packaging Products

White Oak Carpet Mills Carpet Employees: 11

Wilbert Plastic Services, Inc Molded Plastics Employees: 101

Swain Con Met (1995)

Bakery Products

Brewery Employees FT: 1 PT: 4

Brevard Chocolates Chocolates

Custom-built Cook Systems and Chilling Systems (1996) Machinery Manufacturing

Duke Medical Equipment International Diagnostic Imaging

Early Manufacturing, Inc. (2011) Hand Proofer

Earth Renewable Technologies Renewable Materials

Ecusta Brewing Company Brewery

Flymen Fishing Company

Structural Plastic Components for Truck & Trailer Industry Employees: 330

Fly Tying Materials & Fly Fishing Products

Mountain Layers Brewing

Edible Oils

Brewery

Nantahala Brewing Co. Brewery Employees: 20+

Shaw Industries Inc. (2008)

Carpet, Hardwood, Laminate, Tile & Stone Floor Products Employees: 55

Gaia Herbs, Inc. (1992) Hoffman Amps (1995) Musical Instruments

J Dillon Woodcrafters, Inc. (2007) Wood Products

Keir Manufacturing Inc. Ceramic Materials

Lbm Industries, Inc.

Transylvania Allegra Marketing, Print, Mail (2005)

Commercial Printer

Nonmetallic Mineral Products

Leather Specialties Company (2004)

Leather Grips for Music Instruments

M-B Industries, Inc. (1894)

Stamping & Wire Form Parts

McCall Technology, Inc. (1998) Surveillance Equipment

New Excelsior Inc. (2006) OGRE Outdoor Gear Research Experts

Products Geared to Outdoor Sports Enthusiasts

Oskar Blues Brewery Brewery Employees FT: 52 PT: 9

Patton Electronics Electronics

Pharm Agra Labs Inc. (1999) Pharmaceutical

Piney Mountain Sawmill (1977) Lumber & Plywood Products

Pisgah Coffee Roasters Coffee

Pisgah Labs, Inc.(1979) Pharmaceutical

Praxair Surface Technologies, Inc./Genie Products Division Thermal Spray

Reason to Bake Cookies

Rotating Machinery Analysis (1993) Software for Rotating Machinery Analysis

Sigma Plastics - New Excelsior, Inc. (2006) Pulp & Paper Mills

Signs & More, Inc. (1986) Signs

Smith Systems Inc. (1982) Semiconductor & Other Electronic Components

Stone Mountain Cabinetry & Millwork, Inc.

Carolina Timberworks

Furniture

Timber Frame & Post & Beam Structures

SylvanSport (2004)

Carroll Companies

Camping & Adventure Trailers and Outdoor Gear

Technical Design Associates Inc. (2009) Plastic Fabrication

Theros Groves Olive Oil (2015) Food Products

Leather

Charleston Forge (1984) Hand-built Steel & Wood Furniture

Dewoolfson Down Textiles

ECRS

The Sign Shop, Inc. (1972) Signs & Signboards

Tsuga Canopies

Portable Shelters

US Buildings

Clearspan Steel Buildings

Watauga Opportunities

Custom Thermoformed Medical Trays, Shipping Trays, Food Trays & Other Custom Plastic Products.

Retail POS Systems

Watauga Wood Products

Trend Performance Products

Goodnight Bros.

Country Ham(1948)

XP Climate Control

Tucker Creek Products, Inc. (1990)

H&T Chair Co.

Toxaway Concrete, Inc.

Cement & Concrete Products Plastic & Rubber Products

Architectural & Structural Metals

Wells Woodworks (1987)

Lumber & Plywood Products

Young Bat Company, Inc. (1993) Sporting Goods

Watauga Appalachian Mountain Brewery Brewery

Beech Mountain Brewing Company

Brewery Employees FT: 3 PT: 5

Blowing Rock Brewing Co. Brewery Employees FT: 18 PT: 37

Boone Industries Furniture

Booneshine Brewing Co.

Food Products

Beach Chairs, Umbrellas, & Cabanas

Log Homes Materials

Climate Control Systems

Yancey Altec Industries

Harmony Timberworks

Utility Products

High Country Timberframe

Bryant & Young Lumber Company, Inc

Custom Homes

Timber Frame Design & Heavy Timber Construction Services

Sawmill

Highland International

Fasteners

Paint

Fastenal

Hospitality Mints, LLC

Glen Raven Technical Fabrics, LLC, Burnsville

Food Products

Technical Fabrics

Lost Province Brewing Co.

HSM Solutions

Brewery Employees FT: 21 PT: 29

Furniture Components

Misty Mountain Threadworks

Mulch Supplier

Climbing Harnesses & Sewn Climbing Gear

Molecular Toxicology, Inc. Biological Products

Parker Lumber Southern Concrete Materials, Inc. Ready Mix Concrete

Brewery

This master list is a compilation of lists supplied to us by various organizations in North Carolina as appear below. However, these organizations are not responsible for our list of manufacturers as shown here, as in some instances we have made appropriate corrections and additions. We acknowledge that this list is not complete.

It may contain businesses that are no longer located or named as listed; the descriptions of their activities may also be incorrect. It is also inevitable that there are manufacturers currently operating in the 18 counties of Western North Carolina not shown on our list. Because of this, we welcome your corrections, and we will be happy to make those corrections to our online database of

manufacturers. If you know of a firm not shown here, or notice any errors, we encourage you to contact us at editor@capitalatplay.com.

[Note: Research here was conducted by Jennifer Fitzgerald.]

Thanks to: Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County, Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, Haywood County TDA, Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development, Macon County Economic Development, Madison County Development Services, McDowell Chamber of Commerce, Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, Rutherford County Economic Development, Swain County Economic Development, Transylvania Economic Alliance, Watauga County Planning & Inspections and Economic Development January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 45

column

Wine Myths Busted (Pt. 2) Three more myths debunked so you drink better wine for less.

J

A

john kerr

is the co-owner of Metro Wines located on Charlotte Street in downtown Asheville.

46

S THE VOLUME OF THE CON V ER SATION

rose, the eyes of customers at the surrounding tables began to gaze in the same direction. The exchange between the newly arriving diners and hostess was loud enough to rise above the ambient noise of this busy night: “I thought you allowed customers to bring their own wine.”

The couple had brought a special wine for their anniversary celebration. “Yes, that’s true, but I have to ask you a couple of questions first.”

The chosen place for their celebration was an acclaimed vegan restaurant. The hostess said the restaurant would serve their wine, but she needed assurance that the wine was vegan. The astonished couple had no idea that wine was composed of anything but grapes and could provide no assurance.

They enjoyed a wonderful night at the restaurant, but had to serve their special wine at a future occasion.

Isn’t wine just fermented grapes? And even if they add something, it can’t be animal products, right? But the practice of using animal products in wine making is almost as old as wine making itself.

Ancient Romans stumbled onto the fact that pouring egg whites into wine improved its taste. Over time, vintners found that other animal products worked too and expanded the tool kit to include gelatin, casein, shrimp shells, and fish bladders.

| January 2017

Why do vintners use animal products? Nearly every vintage has some unique flaw. The task of every vintner is to work around that flaw to make the best wine possible for that vintage. Some animal products attract chemicals that produce off flavors in wine. The chemicals attach to the product, which turns solid and is then removed. Roughly 60 percent of wine is made this way. This technique is used by many beer makers as well.

Little is perfect in this world, and what improves also takes away. This same technique removes some of wine’s desired flavors as well as reduces the differentiation between vintages. There is a band of vintners who avoid this and other techniques that alter wine’s flavors so that you experience the true taste of each vintage. There are two camps of thought here: Do you want to drink a consistent style of wine every year, or the best wine that can be produced in a given vintage? We each must make our own decision.

J Between this and the previous Myth Buster article (November 2016 Capital at Play), I think we’ve exhausted the topic of additives and flavorings in wine.

It’s not the most pleasant of topics. But with so many people focused on what goes into food, I wanted to make sure you knew that wine ingredients also cover the gamut of haute cuisine to junk food. Word to the wise: junk food wines can be expensive and haute cuisine wines are often at value prices. But let’s move on to a few of the traditional yet lingering myths in wine.

A CORKED WINE MEANS THAT A CERTAIN BACTERIUM HAS INVADED YOUR BOT TLE, MAKING YOUR WINE SMELL LIKE A CORK OR WET NEWSPAPERS. THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN TELL IF A WINE IS CORKED IS TO SNIFF OR TASTE THE WINE.

You should check /sniff the cork to see if the wine is good We’ll all been there. Your waiter at the fancy restaurant places the cork near you for your inspection. Many of us pick up the cork to sniff or inspect it. Many people think that sniffing the cork will tell you if the wine is off or “corked.”

But whether a wine is good or bad, the bottle end of the cork always smells the same—like a wet cork. A corked wine means that a certain bacterium has invaded your bottle, making your wine smell like a cork or wet newspapers.

The only way you can tell if a wine is corked is to sniff or taste the wine.

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 47

column

An inspection of the cork will tell you if a bottle has been leaking wine. Leaky corks let in air that can ruin your wine.

If the cork is leaking, you’ll see a streak of red or dampness along the side of the cork, and possibly dried wine at the top of the cork. But usually this is so obvious that the waiter will have whisked away the bottle before it even reaches your table.

If you’re at home, don’t automatically toss a bottle with a leaky cork. Many survive this, and you don’t want to waste a good bottle.

So where did this tradition of cork inspection come from? It is linked with another age-old tradition: wine fraud. Nefarious folk quickly learned that they could steam off wine labels of less renowned wines and replace them with the labels of expensive ones. The top wineries reduced this fraud by putting their name or logo on the cork. Waiters placed the cork on the table to give customers the opportunity to conduct their own inspection.

Wines taste better with age

My brother, Rob, a restauranteur in Los Angeles, is always looking for something special for his customers. When an

importer offered him a well-aged Barolo at a deep discount, Rob stocked up and offered it to his customers at a great price. But he soon put a disclaimer on the wine list, informing customers they could not send the Barolo back if they did not like it.

WINEMAKERS KNOW WE ARE AN IMPATIENT BUNCH, AND 95 PERCENT OF THE WINES THEY MAKE ARE MEANT TO BE ENJOYED WITHIN A YEAR AF TER THEIR RELEASE. The Barolo wasn’t bad. The problem was that many of his customers had never experienced an aged wine. When a wine ages, the tannins soften and the fruit dissipates. An aged wine is a subtle treat for many. But if you’re used to big fruit,

the

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distinctive flavors, and the bite of tannins, aged wines may not be for you. They do have an aura about them, but drink what you like and save yourself the expense.

And keep in mind that nearly all wines are not meant to be aged. Winemakers know we are an impatient bunch, and 95 percent of the wines they make are meant to be enjoyed within a year after their release. About four percent can be aged up to five years after the vintage date, and only one percent is made to be aged beyond that.

And that one percent of ageable wines is shrinking. Vintners now make much of the traditionally ageable wines in a style to pour now. They know that restaurants won’t store a wine for 10 years and neither will many of their customers.

There is a downside to aging wine. Quality varies among the bottles as wine ages. Even two bottles stored right next to each other can taste markedly different over time. So keep in mind that the longer you age a wine, the more bottles may not provide the remarkable experience you hoped they would.

Another danger is waiting too long to drink your wine. It’s a bit like the game show, The Price is Right, where the winning answer is the one closest to but does not exceed the item’s

actual price. Wine improves with age—to a point. Cross the line and the flavors drop off a cliff. The resulting swill is not even fit for salad dressing. This most often happens when you save a bottle too long for that right occasion or are too ambitious in building your wine cellar.

I can’t tell you how many times someone has told me they saved a special bottle for the right occasion only to have waited too long. Wine is about friends and family, and making memories. Serving a special wine is all you need to make it a special occasion.

Collectors sometimes buy so much wine they can’t drink it all before it goes bad. If you find yourself approaching this situation, throw a large party and become the most popular person on your block.

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THE OLD

NORTH

biscuits, the competition started in August, involving thousands of employees from the chain’s 700 restaurants.

The winners were selected from among seventeen finalists competing at the Research and Development Kitchen at Bojangles’ Support Center in Charlotte.

Finalists had to take a written exam and then prepare a batch of the soft, golden brown Southern staples, adhering to the company’s 48-step process. Biscuits were judged on form, color, and taste. This year, Sonya Lewis of Greensboro won in the company-owned store division; Taylor Butler of Jefferson City, Tennessee, in the franchise division. The champions each received $2,500 in cash and a trophy. On average, each Bojangles’ restaurant bakes 945 biscuits a day, with a fresh batch coming out every 20 minutes.

STATE [

news briefs

Mnemonic Devices sparta

Janet Tomkins is selling ragdolls for persons suffering dementia. Tomkins has a lifelong love for the elderly, which guided her into speech therapy. In her line of work, she frequently saw clients get agitated and wander. Other dolls for Alzheimer’s patients are on the market, but Tomkins added features like flowers, bows, and buttons to serve the same purpose as fidget aprons; a lavender scent to soothe patients; and a pocket to help with memory. Patients can keep photos of family members with names on the back in the pocket or things like eyeglasses that they are always replacing. The dolls are made entirely of fabric, integrating a number of textures and bright colors.

They retail for $49.95, with $1 of every purchase going to Alzheimer’s research.

]

Tomkins tried to source locally, but had to reach out to Vietnam to meet a workable price point. The first shipment arrived in August, and the next run will include beagle huggables for men. The dolls are sold under My Comfort Companion, a division of Tomkins’ company, Speechpath Tools, LLC, which sells developmental aids like cards, puzzles, magnets, and reminiscence books.

Shrimp & Grit

Persnickety about Its Biscuits

kitty hawk

Inland fishers fear new regulations for shrimp trawlers could put them out of business. The North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission is entertaining a petition from the North Carolina Wildlife Federation to protect fish nurseries. It would, among other things, more than

charlotte

Bojangles’ has announced the winners of its 20th annual Master Biscuit Maker Challenge. Described as a means for ensuring customers get only the best of its proprietary scratch-made buttermilk

your complete

Fabric center Largest selection of upholstery fabric in WNC

Fast, friendly service

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Fletcher, NC

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72

30 carolina in the west

halve the allowable size of shrimp nets, reducing the maximum head rope length from 220 to 90 feet. That, Commission Chairman Sammy Corbett said, would force three-fourths of shrimp trawlers out of compliance. Another proposal would limit a craft’s trawling hours to 36 per week, a move Brent Fulcher, chair of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, said could reduce catches by 30%. Shrimping in the Carolina sounds is disappearing as a livelihood, and the few remaining trawlers feel the new regulations favor habitat preservation for recreational fishers at their expense—if not their extinction.

David Knight, a consultant for the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, on the other hand, said the data and analysis indicate the state is losing too many fish to trawling.

the old north state

No. 2 and No. 22 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford Fusions, and will debut on Penske’s Verizon Indy Car Series. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Penske drivers will make celebrity appearances, participating in photo ops and autograph sessions, at Discount Tire and America’s Tire stores throughout the country. They will also be featured in Discount Tire tire safety programs, employee events, customer contests, and advertisements.

Team Penske and Discount Tire have partnered to win four championships with drivers Joe Logano, Ryan Blaney, AJ Allmendinger, and Brad Keselowski.

Discount Tire operates 925 retail stores in 31 states. The chain had to change its name to America’s Tire in some regions because other tire stores already used the word “discount” in their names.

ankle-high and below-the-calf designs. It stocks a 240,000 sq.-ft. distribution center in Mocksville and ships over a million units a month, for sale under a number of brands. The company has enjoyed a licensing agreement with the National Basketball Association since 2003. Twin City Knitting, founded in 1961, employs 150 and specializes in knee and overthe-knee socks, mostly as athletic gear for sports teams. Demand for its products has grown in recent years as high socks have become stylish women’s accessories.

Huron Capital Partners, LLC, is Sock & Accessory’s parent company, and it is searching for additional strategic acquisitions. Sock manufacturing is one of the few vestiges of the once-booming textile industry to remain in the state, labor costs for cut-and-sew manufacturing having pushed most operations offshore.

Pairing Long & Short Socks

One Layer of the Onion

How Drivers Pay the Bills mooresville

Discount Tire Company renewed its sponsorship deal with the Mooresvillebased Team Penske for 2017. Discount Tire and America’s Tire ads will feature prominently on Penske’s No. 22 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the seventh consecutive season. Associate sponsorships were renewed for the team’s

national & world

advance & conover

Two North Carolina customized sock manufacturers have merged. Sock & Accessory Brands Global of Advance has acquired Twin City Knitting Company of Conover. Sock & Accessory, founded in 1999, employs 130 and specializes in

raleigh

A recent state audit of the North Carolina Industrial Commission found that oversight for processing workers’ compensation claims had improved, but the agency was still falling short of targets for identifying and investigating potential fraud. All nonexempt companies in the

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the old north state

state that employ more than three people are required to carry unemployment insurance, at no cost to workers, to help cover costs of job-related injuries and death. In 2012, 30,000 nonexempt companies were caught operating without coverage, but the auditor’s office estimates the number could be as high as 52,000. Since launching new software in 2014, the commission has collected $2.5 million in penalties and fees and brought 1,300 employees into compliance. Even so, the auditors noted deficiencies in identifying noncompliant employers, including: the absence of a system for doing so; failing to complete investigations in a timely manner, cases requiring 632 days on average for a ruling; and inadequate oversight for investigations and penalty cancellations. The audit found 810 penalty invoices valued at a combined $9.35 million cancelled during fiscal year 2014-2015. The department blames understaffing, but the state can’t justify more hires until reasonable estimates of workloads and timeframes are developed.

Better Trade Through Expanding Waters wilmington

The North Carolina State Ports Authority entered into an agreement with the world’s two largest container shippers, AP Moller-Maersk Group and Mediterranean Shipping Company, to connect the TP10 route, named A mberjack, to Wilmington. The Amberjack rotation provides the fastest shipping service from Asia to Wilmington, running ten ships connecting Qingdao, Tianjin, Ningbo, Shanghai, and Busan with a number of ports in Eastern North America. It will provide the only direct shipping to the east coast from the Port of Tianjin. Each ship has the capacity to carry the equivalent of 86,000 to 102,000 standard shipping containers.

The ships would have been too large to pass through the Panama Canal locks were it not for expansions completed last August. They would also not have been 52

| January 2017

able to dock in Wilmington were it not for the recent widening of the port’s turning basin. The agreement fills a void created last August when Hanjin Shipping Company went out of business. Losing weekly shipments from China and Korea cut the port authority’s revenues 7-8%.

Closing a Landmark mooresville

After 35 years, Cotton Ketchie’s Landmark Galleries is closing. It had been home to numerous collections, including pottery, keepsakes, and handcrafted boats and lighthouses, all made by artist, photographer, and author Ketchie. The artist says he has no intention of abandoning his passion for conserving heritage and scenery.

Having visited 48 states and 7 provinces, there are places he wants to return to, and places yet to see. Although he had envisioned himself always working in the gallery, he attributed his change of heart to mounting rent and utility costs. Winding down the operation is expected to take a few months, after which time Ketchie will continue sales online or perhaps open a smaller shop for face-to-face interaction. Ketchie began his artistic career sketching houses and soon moved on to winning prizes for his watercolor landscapes. His award-winning photography and prints can be found in calendars, magazine covers, television segments, private collections of dignitaries, National Park Service visitor centers, and every North Carolina Welcome Center.

That Which Does Most May Not Sell Most winston-salem

The Wake Forest University School of Business hosted the Fourth Annual Retail & Health Innovation Challenge. The competition was sponsored by CVS Health and judged by a panel representing retail, academia, and healthcare. This year, 13 teams of college students accepted the

challenge. In the first round, they were given two minutes to pitch their concepts with no visuals. Four teams were then selected to move to the final round, where each had half an hour to display, demonstrate, and field questions. First place and $25,000 went to Orindi Ventures of Grand Valley State University for a cold endurance mask for outdoor workers and asthmatics. Second place and $10,000 went to a Clarkson University team for an antioxidant-rich herbal tea made of chaga mushrooms. Third place and $5000 went to the Resilience Project of Wake Forest for fun socks to be designed and made by cancer patients to fundraise for treatment and research. Another Wake Forest team, Accelerated NanoTech, invented a handheld device that uses a chip-based array of carbon nanotube transistors to analyze small samples of body fluid at the DNAlevel for early detection of lung cancer.

Because Spinal Fluid Leaks Are a Bear durham

A number of neurosurgical procedures, like spinal taps, that pierce the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord (the dura), leave the patient with cerebrospinal fluid leaks. This requires the patient to be readmitted for follow-up surgery, and it is not uncommon for the leaks to be fatal.

Fortunately, an intervention developed

by HyperBranch Medical Technology, Incorporated is now, following premarket approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration, available for use. AdherusÂŽ AutoSpray Extended Tip Dural Sealant combines a pre-assembled applicator and sealant formula.

The system improves access and visibility for applying a strong, robust, and watertight repair. In a clinical trial, patients treated with HyperBranch’s system experienced fewer leaks than those treated with another sealing product currently in use. Patients also suffered no device-related infections, whereas two infections developed in those treated with the other product.

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

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LOOMS at Hamrick Mills in Gaffney, South Carolina, photo by Oby Morgan

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Relighting A Local

Beacon written by jennifer fitzger ald

Beacon Linens is on the cusp of something big—and looks to bring new jobs to Swannanoa in the future.

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

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BEACON LINENS selection of colors, with all the quality

STEVE HUTCHERSON

TEDD SMITH

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he roots of manufacturing run deep through Western North Carolina—perhaps nowhere as deep as the Swannanoa Valley, where Beacon Manufacturing Company, founded by textile industry visionary Charles D. Owen II, was the lifeblood of the community. The decline of the textile industry brought the end of the Beacon plant in Swannanoa, but now, rising from those ashes, is Beacon Linens, a company that is delivering new and exciting products.

President Tedd Smith and Chief Executive Officer Steve Hutcherson are passionate about the new products that Beacon Linens is developing—most notably their Safe Haven Linens™ antimicrobial sheets. The sheets kill bacteria and viruses and offer both cost-savings and a new level of protection to healthcare facilities. While the Safe Haven Linens™ are not made locally now, Smith and Hutcherson are looking forward to a time when they can bring jobs back to the Swannanoa area.

“With any luck, there will be some people employed here in the not too distant future,” says Smith. “That would be a win-win because it was disturbing to see a company go out of business and people lose their life-long jobs and their livelihood—and the whole community be affected like that. It never should have happened.”

The Partnership Hutcherson has over 40 years of experience in the textile industry. He started working at Fieldcrest in product development before he finished school and held management positions with Fieldcrest, Wamsutta, JP Stevens, and Divatex throughout his career. He believes in product development and innovation to expand market possibilities. His knowledge includes worldwide sourcing and mill evaluations to guarantee the best manufacturing partners based on years of relationships.

Smith’s experience also spans 40 years and includes time with Beacon Blankets, Cannon Mills, and Owen Blankets. Most notably, he was the president of Beacon Blankets in 2001 after it was purchased from Pillowtex Corporation.

The team of Hutcherson and Smith is a superb match for the textile industry.

They first met in 1981 at a Belk Show, but never worked together until 2015 when they saw an opportunity to revolutionize the textile industry. As Hutcherson explains, over the years the pair had run into each other often and kept in touch.

“We also saw each other at markets and at charity golf events,” he says. “Since our product lines were very different (Smith, with blankets; Hutcherson, sheets), we never considered each other to be competitors.

“I thought, and still do think, that Tedd would be a good partner because he knows everybody in the industry, and everybody loves him. I, on the other hand, have been more involved in product development, sourcing, operations, with just a little selling. We complement each other very well. [So] we decided that we wanted to use our experience in the product lines that we know.”

Hutcherson and Smith asked themselves, why not stay in the field and use some creativity to solve some problems? They looked at the sheet industry, a $3 billion market each year, and realized that if they could obtain a small part of that market, they had the potential to see a huge return on their investment.

Smith adds they knew right away that they had to do something different.

“Steve probably knows the sheet business better than anyone in the United States—as far as how to make them and weave them, the finishes, the yarn count. photos by Anthony Harden January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 57

A JET DYE MACHINE, finishing: the sheets, in Burlington, NC. photo by Natalia McElroy Photography

And it’s so technical. It’s so much harder to get appointments with retailers now. You’ve got to have something unique that gets their attention. We couldn’t afford to have a ‘Me Too’ product—we needed something unique.”

Meanwhile, the Beacon Blanket plant in Swannanoa had closed in 2002. Not long after the plant’s shuttering, the Beacon building was destroyed by a fire set by an arsonist, and the surrounding community was left to mourn not only the loss of their livelihood, but their cultural and economic history extending back nearly a century. (See sidebar, page 62, about the history of Beacon.)

In the interim, Smith had opened an outlet store in East Asheville and realized no one was currently using the Beacon name. Having been one of the owners of the failed attempt to keep Beacon open, he reached back and grabbed hold of the name, a move he now describes as turning out to be “a pretty timely and smart thing for what we are doing now (with Beacon Linens) because that name is known throughout the country—Beacon Manufacturing, Beacon Blankets, Beacon Blankets Make Warm Friends—and Beacon was the largest blanket supplier in America from 1904–2002.”

“It’s ended up being a blessing in disguise because I don’t think we have anyone say yet, ‘I haven’t heard of that name.’”

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It Started with a Pocket The number one problem that retailers were hearing from their customers was that sheets didn’t fit, or if they did go on the mattress, they would come off while people were sleeping.

There was also an interest in the industry in microfiber sheets, but the biggest drawback was that it was hard to get the sheet to stay on the bed due to the slickness of the fabric.

Smith and Hutcherson found a solution to this problem by creating a fitted sheet that works with a simple construction.

They have applied for a patent for this problem solver they call the Beacon Pocket™. (If all goes as planned, they expect the patent to be issued in 2017; meanwhile, they started using the trademark designation this year as there was no competition for it, and by establishing the name “Beacon” in the trademarked term, it gave them the uniqueness to pursue use of it.)

They subsequently went to New York to participate in a retail market where they rented a little space at a textile magazine show. Their first appointment was with a senior executive from one of America’s top five retailers. He had 145 appointments and told them he would only be able to meet with them for three to five minutes. He quickly saw the sample of the pocket sheet and declared it the biggest product improvement he had ever

TEDD & STEVE showing off their pocket design. photo by Anthony Harden

seen in the sheet business. It was simple. There was nothing fancy about it. There were no special instructions that had to be followed.

When people see the design, they can’t believe it because it is so simple. It incorporates triangles into the corners that fit underneath the mattress corner so that the sheet stays in place.

The elastic is strong and pulls the sides, ends, and corners toward the center of the bottom of the mattress. This keeps the sheet smooth around the sides.

“We both have had patents before,” says Hutcherson. “We just got together and wrote up what we thought should be on the patent; made the drawing; hired a patent attorney; and then he guided us through the rest of it.”

BEACON has long been know for quality blankets. photo by Anthony Harden

A Safe Haven With the pocket design in place, the Beacon Linens’ team found themselves in a situation to make a huge impact on the healthcare industry. They received a call from North Carolina State University Adjunct Associate Professor Dr. Jim Watson, who worked at Beacon in the 1980s. They had shown him the durable fabrics they were using with a sample that had been used and washed over 100 times. It was nowhere near being worn out.

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 59

“You wouldn’t believe what this does for commercial laundries and hospitals,” says Smith. “The savings potential for this fabric in commercial linens is off the charts. This stuff washes and dries in about 40 percent of the time as traditional sheets. Also, it lasts so much longer that it helps get the cost down.”

Watson brought them in contact with PurThread, a North Carolina company manufacturing high performance, high quality antimicrobial fibers and yarns that kill bacteria, odor, mold and mildew. Their barrier to get to market was cost. Watson believed if he could connect Beacon Linens with PurThread, it would be an ideal match with both the fabric and design.

Beacon Linens is now the go-to market partner with PurThread in bed linens for retail, healthcare, baby, and pet products. There are other technologies offered with antimicrobial claims; however, the PurThread technology is unique. It is safe, permanent, and offers 99 percent efficacy.

“The savings potential for this fabric in commercial linens is off the charts. This stuff washes and dries in about 40 percent of the time as traditional sheets.

Also, it lasts so much longer that it helps get the cost down.”

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AN ORIGINAL Beacon Blanket pattern. photo by Anthony Harden | January 2017

“Partnering with PurThread was the obvious next step for us, as we look to create linens that work harder to make our customers’ lives easier,” says Smith. “The high performance and durability of PurThread’s antimicrobial protection adds another valuable and hard-working feature to our linen lines for healthcare and for the home. We both offer extremely long lasting benefits, so this is a perfect fit.”

PurThread’s silver-embedded yarn was recently shown in a study by the University of Arizona to kill 99.9 percent of MRSA, CRE, VRE, P. acnes, T. Menta, and other harmful bacteria and fungi on its surface within two hours of contact. The silver, a safe, non-nano ionic silver salt, is EPA registered, and provides Beacon Linens products with highly effective and durable antimicrobial and anti-odor protection.

PurThread is the first to embed silver into the fiber itself before it is spun into yarn and woven into fabrics. This novel technology yields intrinsic antimicrobial benefits that don’t wash off or wear away for the life of the fabric or change the fabric’s physical characteristics.

“Working with Beacon Linens is a natural fit for us,” says Lisa Grimes, president and CEO of PurThread. “We were originally founded with the goal to bring matchless antimicrobial protection

PURE PROTECTION linens are dermatologist approved. photo by Anthony Harden

DROP WIRES used to detect a yarn break while the loom is weaving. photo by Oby Morgan

to healthcare textiles, and we’re thrilled for the opportunity to work with our North Carolina neighbors to do that with the added bonus that consumers can take advantage of that protection, too.”

Beacon’s Safe Haven Linens™ with the PurThread technology offers hospitals both cost savings and the potential to reduce healthcare-associated infections. According to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections Progress Report, published last year, on any given day, about one in 25 hospital patients has at least one such infection.

John King, executive vice president of Health Care and Hospitality for Beacon Linens, explains that while antimicrobial agents have been used in textiles throughout history (the Egyptians applied spices and herbs to the fabrics used to wrap mummies), in modern times the applications used can wear off in time or leach into the ecosystem.

“One of the unique features of our products is that the antimicrobial agents are intrinsic to the fibers used in the fabrics,” says King. “They are permanent and don’t wash/leach out. The linens we produce afford a level of continued page 64 January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 61

SIGN FOR Beacon Blankets

IN SI D E BE AC O N

An Economic Beacon Anne Chesky Smith is director of the Swannanoa Valley Museum and History Center, and she is quick to note the immense importance of Beacon Blankets to the Swannanoa area, explaining that though the Swannanoa Settlement was one of the earliest communities to form west of the Blue Ridge in North Carolina in the 1780s, it wasn’t until Charles D. Owen II saw a 160-acre farm near the Swannanoa Train Station in the 1920s and moved his Beacon Blankets Manufacturing Company, brick-by-brick, from its original home in New Bedford, Massachusetts, that the village began to thrive.

Because one of Owen’s primary motivations for moving his mill South was to get away from the union activity in the Northeast, he did his best to ensure that his employees would have little reason to unionize. He did so by providing services to his workers—like inexpensive housing, health care, help with hospital bills, credit at company stores, and recreational opportunities, such as baseball and basketball teams for youth and adults.

According to Chesky Smith, downtown Swannanoa was centered on the mill, and for over half a century the community operated as a company town. Most families

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living in Swannanoa had at least one family member working for Beacon, and many children remember the mill villages as idyllic places to grow up in. They could freely roam the neighborhoods with their friends, playing games, coming and going in almost anyone’s house in the village for an afternoon snack.

“At its peak, just before World War II, Beacon employed 2,200 people, certainly the largest employer in the area,” says Chesky Smith. “As a company town, Beacon really was the lifeblood of Swannanoa during the 20th century.

The Owen family did their best to keep their employees happy by not only providing jobs, but also housing, health care, recreation, and basic infrastructure to those living and working in downtown Swannanoa. And when the mill suffered, so did the community.”

She adds that after the 2003 fire, “Many former employees still lived in the mill village and equated its loss with the loss of a home. Without Beacon at the heart of the community, most businesses located near the mill closed. At least one former employee referred to the mill as ‘the big red beating heart’ of Swannanoa.”

photos courtesy Swannanoa Valley Museum and History Center

1923 1924

B E ACO N D Firs t Chr is tmecember 1939 as part y

Construction began on the plant, and many of the New Bedford employees and their families relocated to Swannanoa.

Owen bought the 160-acre tract of land in Swannanoa for his Beacon Manufacturing Company, at the time still based in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

1925

The plant officially opened and many residents were hired.

1941

During World War II, 930 of the plant’s 2,220 employees served in the Armed Forces. Seven million blankets were produced for the war.

1981 Cannon Mills Company of Kannapolis purchased Beacon. The Swannanoa plant employed approximately 1,100 workers at this time.

B E ACO N 19

50

2002

On April 15, the Swannanoa plant closed. .

1964

Owen sold Beacon to National Distillers. The Swannanoa plant employed approximately 1,500 workers at this time.

2001

Beacon Acquisition Corporation signed an agreement to purchase Beacon from Pillowtex Corporation.

2003

A fire set by an arsonist destroyed the Beacon plant.

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 63

antimicrobial protection to the healthcare and the hospitality industries. Simply put, antimicrobial linens will help reduce the bio-burden in the facilities where they are used. Our linens are patient/guest-safe and environmentally friendly. From a retail perspective, consumers find great comfort in knowing that the bedding they sleep in can help protect them from harmful bacteria. In the healthcare environment, antimicrobial bedlinens offer a passive approach to infection control.”

The Beacon team is providing hospitals around the United States with a cost-savings analysis of the Safe Haven Linens™. Not only do they see savings from the sheets outlasting what they are currently using, but they also save money on the laundering of the sheets as they wash and dry faster than a traditional sheet. Hutcherson has made a prediction: In 10 years, their antimicrobial sheets will be the norm in the hospital industry and probably in the hotel industry, too.

The microfiber for the sheets is currently made in China. A cotton-poly version is made in India. The antimicrobial yarn is bought from Beal Manufacturing in Gastonia, then sent to Hamrick Mills in Gaffney, South Carolina, where it is woven. The woven, unfinished fabric is then sent to a neighboring state, where it is finished. Then the finished fabric is sent to Western North Carolina, where it is cut and sewn.

A self-sanitizing/acne-fighting, antimicrobial pillowcase has also been developed, and the knitting for it is being done at Kudzu Textiles in Burlington. It is a promising product for those who suffer from acne as it kills bacteria that cause acne. Dr. David Cogburn, a board certified dermatologist with Carolina Mountain Dermatology in Asheville, is endorsing the Safe Haven Linens™.

“These linens, by their very nature in having anti-microbial qualities, are effective in treatment of patients with chronic folliculitis and acne,” he says. “I recommend Safe Haven Linens™ for anyone concerned about excess exposure to microbial contaminants while they sleep.”

Going Green The PurThread antimicrobial protection is permanent and only works with polyester because it is embedded into the fiber before it is extruded. Once it is extruded and the fiber is made into yarn, it is in the yarn and it can’t get out—in other words, as an integral part of the fiber, the silver never goes away.

Smith and Hutcherson have talked to recycling centers in North Carolina about the possibility of recycling the antimicrobial sheets. If you can recycle a water bottle, then why not a polyester sheet?

“To recycle a sheet is basically the same process that takes place when you recycle a water bottle,” says Hutcherson. “The costliest part of it is gathering the discarded products and bundling them up and taking them to a recycling facility.” The sheets are not recycled back into sheets, but instead as new polyester that might go into carpets or other products.

“Our product uses cooler water to wash it; cooler temperatures to dry it and less drying time; we can recycle it—so basically, even though it’s a plastic product, it is like a green product—more so than cotton. It doesn’t go into the landfill.”

Hutcherson recalls a phone call he received from his granddaughter’s seventh grade science teacher. She told her teacher that her grandpa was making a sheet that kills bacteria. Hutcherson was certain the teacher did not believe this claim, but he accepted his invitation to speak to four classes.

“The whole idea was not to sell our products, but that everyone can be a scientist,” says Hutcherson. “All my life, I have sold product because people liked it, because it was colorful, was the right color, had the right pattern—things like that. I’ve never been involved where I sold something that was truly helpful that could make a change in someone’s life—that could keep someone from catching MRSA. And my only hope 64

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HIGH-SPEED sheeting looms capable of weaving wide sheeting or multiple widths of narrow fabric, photo by Oby Morgan January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 65

is that we are able to lead the way in healthcare lines so that we can sell these goods at a price that can be available to everyone.”

Looking to the Future In 2016, over a decade after the fire that leveled the former Beacon facility in Swannanoa, the emergence of new and innovative products from Beacon Linens offer an opportunity to write the next chapter of Beacon’s history in the Swannanoa Valley. Fans of the popular and valuable Beacon Indian design blankets from the past will soon be able to buy a similar product at Bed Bath & Beyond.

“Steve and I have just developed a real strong belief and dedication to the fact that we ought to be able to bring Beacon Blankets back in some shape, form, or fashion, manufacturing and so forth in a couple or three years, worst case scenario,” says Smith. “Because with all the equipment advantages now, streamlined production, there are still a lot of people in that area that know about blankets. If we can’t get anything there on the same property, we can get something within the town limits of Swannanoa.

“We are really excited about that. We both have a dedication to bring back jobs and industry to this area. Blankets, right

We know

advanced manufacturing L e ar n m o re a t

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now, are a very small part of what we are doing. We have huge plans for blankets and it’s exciting, but [at the moment] the sheet business is so much larger.”

Smith and Hutcherson say their business partnership is successful because they balance each other very well.

Smith: “I’m so much of an optimist that I will believe anything, and Steve is smart enough to say, ‘Wait – let’s think about this.’

You have to have a little bit of both.”

Hutcherson: “Tedd says if I turn over a rock, I expect to find a snake under it.”

Smith: “That’s a good thing. It’s kept us from getting snake bit a few times!”

Smith and Hutcherson own 75 percent of Beacon Linens, with a third shareholder owning 25 percent. They currently have nine employees, and anticipate starting to see significant returns on their investment in 2017, with projected sales of close to $10 million. Beacon Linens’ products will be available via QVC, as well as at Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. this year.

They anticipate that 35 percent of their business will come from their home products, and 65 percent will come from healthcare products.

They are going to continue to sell the Safe Haven Linens™ antimicrobial sheets to hospitals, but their hope—and key

B LU E R I D G E . E D U

strategy for growth—is to make the product affordable for the consumer to purchase for their home.

Notes Hutcherson, “We want, five years from now, to go into Bed Bath & Beyond and buy our antimicrobial

population. We want to get it to the point where everybody can afford to buy it.”

Hutcherson declares that he and Smith “might be two old coots,” but they are fresh thinkers. And they want to continue to be creative, innovative thinkers.

“We want to make money—that’s going to happen—but we want to bring the antimicrobial bed linens to a point where everyone can have access to them,” he says. “I love seeing the Beacon brand out there again. It was a strong label before, and it can be again—it might represent something different—more than a blanket.”

The textile industry has been a rollercoaster ride for Smith and Hutcherson, but with their desire to deliver new and life-changing products, they are on the cusp of something big. Each turn in the road of their careers has been a valuable lesson, which has led them to this point.

“I swear, I’ve got to be one of the luckiest people in the world,” says Smith. “I’ve had a lot of opportunities, met some wonderful people, been all over the country. I’ve got lots of regrets, but being in the blanket and textile business is not one of them.”

“I love seeing the Beacon brand out there again. It was a strong label before, and it can be again—it might represent something different—more than a blanket.” sheets so that when you take it home for your 13-year-old daughter’s bed and she’s sleeping on this pillowcase, that she doesn’t have acne and low self-esteem. Or a 16-year-old football player doesn’t get folliculitis on his leg. There are so many attributes to the antimicrobial factor. What we would like to do is make an impact in the home with our sheets.

This is something that could make a huge difference in our

Smart personal investing for all of life’s seasons 828.274.7844 | info@wofm.us www.WhiteOakFinancialManagement.com Every Investment Strategy Has The Potential For Profit Or Loss.

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 67

column

A Promise to Keep

With a new administration arriving in Washington this month, what should we expect for the economy, both short- and long-term?

T

O TA X OR NOT TO TA X, THAT IS A QUESTION.

To facilitate all activities that tend to allow businesses and individuals to create jobs. To turn the deficit into a surplus in order to begin the long, slow, but steady process of paying off of the national debt. To modify the Affordable Care Act, that will insure the uninsurable, but to do it with free-market forces and make it cost-effective, affordable, and good.

T

thomas c . stevenson , iii

is the President & CEO of Laurentide, Inc., manufacturing and was a founder/board of directors member of The Bank of South Carolina.

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To eliminate trade barriers that will promote fair trade, not free trade at the expense of our workforce.

To bring back all the cash being hoarded overseas, that, together with fewer regulations and lower taxes, will have the possibility of unleashing a new burst of economic freedom and prosperity. To unchain the economy—that is the question.

To venture forth what might come from a Donald J. Trump presidency, we must first look at what he has said and what he has proposed. Some very specific and concrete promises on his part, if fully enacted, will have a direct impact on the majority of us who work for a living. It is these promises that we will try to address, and see what they might have in store for us.

Mr. Trump said he will be the greatest jobcreating president of all time. He knows full well that the federal government is not the job-creating machine in this capitalistic, free-market economy.

As a matter of fact, it can be the great inhibitor of

| January 2017

job growth, and along with that, inhibitor of wage increases. Even with interest rates at historic lows for some time now, and with the Federal Reserve in an accommodating policy mode for an extended period of time as well, the recovery from the Great Recession of 2008 has gone on too long, and has caused too much hardship on the workforce.

Wage increases have been flat for this extended period as well. Thus, the real economic engine of this country—a well-paid, highly motivated, fully employed workforce—has been, at best, in idling gear, if not in reverse. To create jobs, the businesses, individuals, and entrepreneurs need to be turned loose to invest in jobs and equipment to supply the goods and services the consumers in our marketplaces demand.

As a first step, the President-elect has sought the advice of world-class financiers, bankers, and businesspersons. He has chosen Steven T. Mnuchin from this group as his Secretary of the Treasury. Mr.

T Mnuchin has stated that he understands the economy needs a bold economic agenda—he had already been giving economic counsel to the President-elect in his role as chairman of Mr. Trump’s finance committee—and recommended a series of tax reductions. Reducing taxes, especially on businesses (in particular, small businesses), will allow companies to move ahead with investment plans that heretofore may have been deemed not profitable enough to overcome the risk involved.

The various investment models most companies use to determine investment decisions may not have produced the necessary return on investment that would give a go-ahead to these investments. A reduced tax rate would give the calculation a better outcome.

WITH THE INVESTMENT CAPITAL IN PLACE, THE BUSINESSES, INDIVIDUALS, AND ENTREPRENEURS CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE TO MAKE THE TYPES OF INVESTMENTS THEY CONTEMPLATED.

When the businesses proceed to the capital markets (or lending institutions), they will find banks in a much better position to listen to their proposals, and hopefully make the necessary loans. The banks, upon having Dodd-Frank (2010’s Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act) lifted from their operating guidelines, will most assuredly be looking to lend money to credit-worthy customers. The interest rates banks will charge will be high enough to warrant the risk, but low enough to encourage the investment to be made.

With the investment capital in place, the businesses, individuals, and entrepreneurs can move forward with confidence to make the types of investments they contemplated. Some of this capital will find its way into productivity enhancements, such as computerization and automation of business tasks. (This will become a challenge in the years to come, as businesses strive to reduce cost and improve processes.) A great amount of the capital, however, will create new jobs, and hopefully, better paying jobs. These new jobs will drive the economy onward as the workforce becomes more skilled, higher paid, and more productive. All these benefits will inure to the new economy, driven by lower taxes, reduced regulations, and renewed confidence.

Tax methods to bring back the tremendous amount of cash currently placed in overseas investments and banks—and January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 69

column

LOCAL INSTITUTE NOW OFFERING STEM CELL THERAPY

“In time, it’s our hope that this truly amazing therapy will eliminate the need for drugs and surgery.”

- Dr. Andrew Wells, DC.

Superior Healthcare is now offering state-of-the-art stem cell therapy at its Asheville and Hendersonville locations. For more information on this amazing regenerative treatment, call (828) 575-6244.

This painless and safe stem cell injections are particularly effective in treating such conditions as: DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS BONE SPURS DEGENERATIVE JOINT DISEASE

DEGENERATIVE CARTILAGE AND LIGAMENTS BURSITIS TENDONITIS

They do this by pinpointing the impaired areas, removing the swelling with powerful anti-inflammatory properties and healing them by regenerating new cells and tissue.

The practice will be holding a

FREE EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR on stem cell therapy

at the Country Inn and Suites in the Westgate Shopping Center near Earth Fare and downtown Asheville.

Please call for the date and times, and to reserve your seat, as space is limited!

Superior Healthcare | SuperiorHealthcareAsheville.com January 2017 38 Westgate| Pkwy, Asheville NC 28806

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therefore lying in wait—will have a salutary impact on the economy as well. Reductions in the estate taxes will also be beneficial. And tax reductions on individuals will become the most powerful driver of our new, unchained economic engine. With more money at their disposal, people will create demand for items such as houses they want to live in and consumer goods they believe they need.

Once the economy has been unshackled and is beginning to create more jobs and generate higher incomes, other initiatives proposed by the President-elect can be tackled.

Reducing the regulatory burden imposed on the banking system by such acts as Dodd-Frank can be addressed. This act has not only been burdensome and costly to comply with, it actually determines what kind of loans banks can make. For example, the Bank of South Carolina, located in Charleston,

ULTIMATELY, BEING STRONG AT HOME WITH A PRODUCTIVE AND WELL-PAID WORKFORCE, ACHIEVING A BALANCED BUDGET WHILE REDUCING TA XES AND REFORMING REGULATIONS, AND UNLEASHING OUR CAPITAL TO SPUR ON OUR ECONOMY WILL IN FACT UNCHAIN OUR ECONOMY.

and the highest rated bank in that state, currently cannot offer a 12-month/interest-only loan, or a short-term/threeyear loan with interest-only, and the principal due at the end. Thus, consider a once highly desirable class of bank customers, newly graduated medical students: They are good borrowers who simply need time to get their practices going, but now are no longer able to borrow from the bank, or at least not on terms suitable to their particular needs. Mr. Dodd and Mr. Frank are no longer in Congress, but our medical schools are continuing to supply doctors, and they need and want loans that suit their individual needs. Many other similar regulations are inhibiting our economy.

The President-elect has stated that he would repeal or renegotiate a number of trade deals the country has been engaged in over the many years. As a self-proclaimed dealmaker, he would end the bad ones, and promote the good ones. To further ensure this, he has chosen Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., as his Secretary of Commerce. Mr. Ross is a seasoned businessman, and has spent his career working on and fixing

up distressed or broken companies. Many of these have been turned around and regained their profitability, ultimately hiring new workers. He has spent his career negotiating all sorts of deals, and knows a good one when he sees it (and a bad one, too). The impact on the economy of an aggressive stance towards trade deals should quickly be apparent, as in the case of the recent announcement by the Ford Motor Company to keep a plant here rather than taking it out of the country. While there may be a question of who exactly was responsible for that decision, the action itself is very clear to all. In addition, Mr. Trump has gone to the Carrier Corporation in Indiana and gotten directly involved in that company’s decision to relocate jobs to Mexico. In this action, he has been successful in preserving, by his estimate, over a thousand jobs that were slated to leave this country. It appears this, too, will become part of his commitment to the workers of the country.

To further strengthen his understanding of the financial instruments of the economy, the President-elect has assembled a Strategic and Policy Forum comprising a formidable group of successful, thoughtful individuals, men and women who do not appear to be as much interested in getting their names in the news, but rather in getting things done, and should be of comfort to even the most critical voices in the country. The Forum’s first meeting has already been put on the calendar for early February, just a few weeks after the inauguration; Stephen A. Schwarzman, chairman and CEO of private equity/financial services firm the Blackstone Group, will serve as chairman of the Forum.

Another economic initiative has been spelled out by Mr. Trump: rebuilding our infrastructure. While sounding promising, the federal government is not the place for such projects to be undertaken or managed. It is not that the individuals who work for these projects are not smart, or loyal, or committed. It is simply that the government—any government—does not have the accountability factor baked into its DNA, while the private, free-market, for-profit mindset does. Government projects, on their own, consume precious time, money, and effort. However, government-sponsored projects, placed in the free-market system, can greatly benefit all interested parties. Much like our modern interstate highway system was envisioned by President Eisenhower in the 1950s, so, too, can the infrastructure projects envisioned by our newly-elected president be cost-effective, provide for the general good, and create jobs.

Ultimately, being strong at home with a productive and well-paid workforce, achieving a balanced budget while reducing taxes and reforming regulations, and unleashing our capital to spur on our economy will in fact unchain our economy. In doing this, President-elect Trump will have answered the original question.

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The United States Air Force awarded S&K Aerospace a multi-year contract with a baseline of $4.2 billion. S&K Aerospace is one of five subsidiaries of S&K Technologies, which is owned by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes on the Flathead Indian Reservation. The contract is for work with the USAF’s Parts and Repair Ordering System V Program. The company will hire physicists, psychologists, engineers, and former military personnel to handle parts and repair orders for aging weapons systems, as well as pertinent engineering and technical services. S&K was not the lowest bidder, but it won the contract due to its “beyond satisfactory” performance on former contracts. Qualifying criteria included the company’s ability to provide

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fast turnaround to quality standards, working with over 90 foreign military clients and a variety of international suppliers. Since 2002, S&K has generated more than $25 million in revenue for the confederated tribal government.

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In spite of analysts’ bleak projections, Sears Holdings’ Chief Executive Officer Eddie Lampert said there were no plans for Kmart to go out of business. Earlier this year, the closing of 64 Kmart stores was announced. In addition, Executive Vice President Jeff Balagna and President and Chief Member Officer Joelle Maher announced they were leaving the company in the middle of the holiday season.

Downsizing?

Moving?

Relocating?

Handling a Family Member’s Estate?

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As 2016 closes out, startup Unearth is on-target to reach its $1.5 million fundraising goal. Proceeds will fund the hiring of two engineers for testing a product scheduled for release in early 2017. Unearth integrates drones, Internet of Things, and remote sensing to generate and populate an easy-to-use dashboard for construction projects.

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From 2000 to 2015, sales revenue in Sears stores dropped from $41 billion to $15 billion, and that of Kmart stores dropped from $37 billion to $10 billion.

At least six suppliers are cutting back on deliveries for fear of bankruptcy. In September, Moody’s said Sears Holdings had a strong asset base, $3.5 billion in funded debts, but $2.1 billion in unfunded pensions and other post-employment benefits. The company was sustained by a $300 million infusion from Lampert’s hedge fund last quarter, and Moody’s said it could remain in business with more of the same or by selling real estate or brands like Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard.

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Chief Executive Officer and cofounder Brian Saab intends his product to provide a wider scope and better drilldown of project data, as well as seamless communication among all stakeholders, from the field to the office. The company in many ways echoes Saab’s first startup, Buuteeq. Buuteeq was established to help bring the hotel industry up-to-date, and it has since been purchased by Priceline. com. Saab sees vast untapped potential for drones to simplify industry, and he chose to address construction over a number of fields explored due to its reputation for overruns in time and money.

allowed persons to sell insurance without a license. As a result, Washington fined the company $100,000; California, $7 million. Another problem fixed was the software was offered for free, profiting off commissions whenever the software was used to purchase insurance, and that ran afoul of inducements laws in several states. Zenefits now charges $5 per employee. Its competitor, Gusto, charges $6 per person and boasts twice as many customers.

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Zenefits’ chief executive officer, David Sacks, is stepping down, claiming his mission has been accomplished. Under his leadership, Zenefits settled compliance issues with at least four states, laid off hundreds of employees, and more than halved the company’s valuation.

Zenefits supplies businesses with cloudbased human resources software with an emphasis on insurance coverage. One of the problems resolved was the company

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pitching it to commercial carriers. A design described as “radically updated” sports three engines and reduced noise.

It could charge business-class fares for an initial three-hour New York-to-London run. Only trans-oceanic routes are being considered; overland connection would require legislative lobbying. The greatest drawback, though, could be the carbon footprint, which runs three times greater per seat than that of 1950s craft.

Too Businesslike to Bail

Lowering Demand for Onboard Movies

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Boom Technology, Inc., has been analyzing the reasons why the supersonic Concorde couldn’t make it into the mainstream. Commercial airlines are still using 1950s technology, traveling on average 550 miles per hour. Boom is working on a 45-seat craft that would actually travel faster than the Concorde, at Mach 2.2, or 1,451 mph. The technology is not as challenging as the market and regulatory hurdles. Boom is therefore trying to make the numbers work for range, fuel burn, maintenance, and dispatch to develop a solid product before

Dixit Joshi, head of Deutsche Bank AG’s I nstit utiona l Cl ient Group, announced the bank would no longer engage in debt and equities sales activities with 3,400, or half, of its Global Markets and Corporate Investment Banking division’s clientele. The bank is terminating relations with customers it has served at a loss. The financial institution is described as hobbled by a struggling European economy and low interest rates. Compounding problems are uncertainties over the final amount of a settlement being negotiated with the United States Depar tment of Justice over a multi-billion-dollar fine assessed for packaging and selling

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Deutsche Bank is following in the footsteps of other European banks adjusting to new European regulations forcing firms to realize greater profits with less risk. Chief Executive John Cryan has in recent years made decisions to cease doing business in certain countries and reduce the number of derivatives the bank trades.

Additional moves are expected.

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Eight Loudoun County Public School students were awarded a patent for something they created three years ago. They call it the Floodie. It was developed for an assignment in which they were asked to come up with something to aid in the event of a natural disaster. The year was 2013, and floods had devastated Colorado, Haiti, and the Philippines. They even accounted for 44% of deaths from natural disaster.

So, the students decided to make a better lifejacket. Since everybody hates lifejackets for their bulkiness and tightness, the students sought a comfortable alternative. They decided on a hoodie that, after being submerged more than three seconds, would self-inflate. For added measure, it was striped with reflective tape, chipped with a GPS locator, and given a pouch supplied with a Clif bar, water bottle, foil blanket, and flashlight. One child learned to sew to create the prototype; Oblon, an intellectual property firm, offered to navigate the patent process pro bono; and now the kids are trying to decide how to mass-produce the invention.

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Walmart is working to meet customers where they are, keeping up with

WE SELL innovations in convenience. Like many stores, the superstore already allows customers to order groceries online and have an employee pick and pack their order for quick pick-up. But for even more convenience, the chain is piloting Walmart Pickup and Fuel. The first opened in Huntsville, Alabama, and the second just opened in Thornton, Colorado. These are convenience stores offering fuel and normal gas-station fare, as well as grocery order fulfillment. The convenience stores are open from 5AM to 11PM daily with same-day grocery pickup available between 8AM and 8PM. People order online, and a Walmart employee will pull the order from a nearby Super Center and deliver it to the convenience store in a refrigerated truck. The service is also available for nongrocery items, including treadmills.

Worldwide, online grocery sales grew 15% last year and now constitute 4.4% of the market.

Apple Notes Safety Regulations Stagnating Safety Technology sunnyvale, california

While Apple still has not made a public announcement about its research on self-driving cars, the tech giant is great at dropping clues about what Elon Musk refers to as an “open secret.” The latest disclosure occurred when Apple wrote to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requesting the agency and Congress lighten up on regulations. In particular, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards require Safety Assessments for vehicles tested on public roads. Apple representatives argued its innovations could go through multiple overhauls within a matter of months while conducting research and development in road tests. They said an exemption for “controlled testing of internal development vehicles on public roads provided they will never be used by the general public” would protect

proprietary information, save both organizations a lot of administrative hassle, and allow advances in life-saving technologies to progress at a faster pace.

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Howard Schultz announced he will be stepping down as chief executive officer of Starbucks Corporation.

Effective April 3, he will be replaced by President and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Johnson. Johnson has been on Starbucks’ board for seven years. He came to the company after a thirtythree-year career in the technology industry, which included sixteen years at Microsoft and service on the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. Schultz will retain his position as chairman of the board and continue to work closely with the company. Initiatives he will champion include developing Starbucks’ premiere Reserve Roasteries line, expanding the store’s retail format, and working with the brand’s signature social initiatives.

Schultz joined the company as director of operations in 1982, back when the company had four stores. It now has 25,000 and employs 300,000.

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ONCE HUMMUS reaches the optimal consistency it gets ready for packaging.

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| January 2017

Laying DOWNRoots written by maggie cr amer

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As our ScaleUp WNC case study reveals, Roots Hummus founder Matt Parris took hummus from a side revenue stream and turned it into the company’s main course.

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 77

MAT T PARRIS photo courtesy Roots Hummus

A

s an adaptable, keen businessman and founder of Roots Hummus, Matt Parris has tried his hand at many food ventures: operating a cafe, offering catering services, providing bulk orders to wholesale clients, and, of course, selling product in the retail market. In other words, his company has looked very different from year to year over the past decade. But as these shifts between endeavors have taken place, one thing has remained the same: Roots’ purpose. As a social entrepreneur, Parris has had the consistent goal to create a viable company so that it, and he, can give back.

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“The idea has always been to be ragingly successful so that the business can be used as a tool for good,” Parris says. But, he notes, he didn’t expect to be a raging success out of the gate, nor want to be a company that makes a huge splash in its debut, but struggles to keep up with demand, ultimately fading away.

He wanted to carefully and consciously craft a business with staying power, for its customers and its beneficiaries.

His focus and intention has paid off: Roots has grown more than 50 percent every year since inception and recently established the nonprofit Roots Foundation, which pays it forward by building edible landscapes to strengthen communities.

Launching With Purpose Mission in mind, Parris first launched Roots as a community café in 2006 in just 200 square feet of rented space at the back

5-LB. BULK BAG being filled with hummus

of the West Asheville Co-Op. Although not a career chef, he wanted to bring people together through affordable, delicious, and healthy food—made with fresh, local ingredients like he grew up eating from his parent’s backyard garden.

“The dream,” Parris explains, “was actually to help people convert their yards into productive growing spaces and sell part of the yield to Roots to provide income for the growers and erode social divisions.”

He wasn’t able to immediately source from neighboring yards, but he did bring in kitchen help that shared his vision of sourcing locally and organically, and together they served up a seasonal, farm-fresh menu of honest and nourishing eats—including scratch-made hummus.

Unfortunately, numerous rent hikes at the Co-Op compelled Parris to seek out a new location; rent increased from $250 per month at the outset to $2,650 within 18 months—a 960 percent increase. (The Co-Op would close in May of 2009 following a string of financial troubles.) Ultimately, he moved Roots to what is still its current home base at 166 West Haywood Street in the River Arts District (RAD). The new space couldn’t house a café right away, but he and his shoestring staff of two kept on cooking. They quickly reinvented the business model, taking catering orders wherever possible and forging a fruitful—and what would become pivotal—relationship with Earth Fare to stock their deli case with premade items like salads.

Near Wipeout: Bouncing Back from a Revenue Hit While it wasn’t easy to keep the café closed and seemingly abandon his original focus, in late 2007, Parris turned the company’s attention almost exclusively to wholesale clients and the budding relationship with Earth Fare. He reminded himself that the business needed to be profitable in order to give back, and at the time, wholesale business was booming: The Roots team literally cranked out tons of deli salads, wraps, and hummus primarily for the Asheville-based grocer, which was deep in the process of expansion itself—opening stores throughout North Carolina and beyond.

“It was great because as Earth Fare grew, we were growing,” he shares. “We would have yet another store we were sending several hundred pounds to every week.”

When the relationship began, Roots sold Earth Fare their hummus in bulk, which each store would then package for resale with the grocery’s own deli labels. But in 2008, Earth Fare decided to go to with another bulk hummus supplier.

Fortunately, they offered to still carry his hummus—if packaged in its own branded retail containers. It was a somewhat serendipitous “in” in a business where competition for shelf space is notoriously fierce.

Parris knew Roots had a standout product thanks to its pure, quality ingredients, and one that people enjoyed based on customer feedback to store deli managers, as well as previously January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 79

at the cafe. So, he accepted the challenge to brand their hummus and sell it alongside the big guys. With encouragement from Earth Fare and an intense production push, the first labeled tubs of Roots Hummus hit the shelves that year. At that time, Parris also began investing in a local marketing team to help build the new brand and ensure the hummus sold, which it did… well.

He invested cautiously, not throwing all of his eggs into the Roots Hummus basket just yet. With a little change in his pocket, he reopened the café in the RAD location that same year. He later moved it to the Grey Eagle on Asheville’s Clingman Avenue because the bulk wholesale business continued to grow and demand space at their home base.

Although they had gone with a new bulk hummus supplier, Earth Fare kept Roots on for other deli orders. And even though Roots was selling, to start 2012, Parris and his growing team still directed much of their attention to bulk deli products—he closed the café for good in 2011, and early in 2012 took catering services off the table. But

photo courtesy Roots Hummus

MICHAEL PORTERFIELD Roots CEO

that fall, Roots got the news that Earth Fare had found a cheaper supplier, and that they’d no longer be ordering any of their bulk items.

“Everybody wears margin goggles in the grocery industry,” Parris laments. “That’s what drives their purchasing decisions. Even though volume may go down, if they get a higher percentage per sale, a cheaper source looks attractive at the beginning.”

It was a near wipeout: Roots lost half of its annual revenue in one fell swoop. But, as Parris explains, the financial hit was a blessing in disguise. “For several months, I had to pay people less and really dig into another aspect of the business,” he says. “It was a tough six to eight months. But the brand development that happened in that time may not have really taken hold had it not been required.”

A Rising Tide: Becoming a Hummus Brand When Earth Fare opted for another hummus supplier, it was the first time, aside from efforts with the café, that Roots became a business and a brand. And marketing the fledgling brand is where 80

| January 2017

TR AVIS ROGERS adds the fresh ingredients that flavor this particular batch of hummus.

all company energy was funneled after the big blow at the end of 2012. Luckily, it was a good year for hummus—and has remained so since.

“Hummus has been a growing product, and it’s a really high volume product,” Parris notes. “It’s now a staple in a lot of people’s homes.”

Not only was increased interest in hummus evident at Earth Fare, but Parris and his team saw its star rising at Greenlife Grocery in North Asheville, too, where they also began selling shortly after the first branded, packaged tubs rolled off the line. It didn’t take long for Roots Hummus to become one of the store’s best-selling products. In fact, the Merrimon Avenue location sold such a high number of Roots’ tubs that by the time Texas-headquartered chain Whole Foods had acquired and fully transitioned Greenlife to their store, also incidentally in 2012, they not only continued to sell Roots, but gave them shelf space in all of their North Carolina outposts.

Whole Foods also opened their store shelves to Roots in other markets, including Los Angeles. Parris spent four months establishing the brand in that region and building a marketing team local to Los Angeles. While there, he also recruited a West Coaster to join his management staff: His brother, Lowell, who left his long-time gig at Microsoft and helped usher in a new

level of organizational competency that continues to provide a solid base for operations today.

And despite the fact that a bulk foods relationship with Earth Fare ended, a partnership remained intact. They welcomed Roots into their stores to conduct samplings and build their following: Area Roots marketers hit the road across the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Georgia for in-store product demonstrations.

In all markets, they let customers try the hummus for themselves, and educated them about its ingredients, or more so what it doesn’t contain: anything canned, powdered, or processed. “With few exceptions, it’s a difference people immediately recognize,” Parris says.

Thanks to intense marketing efforts and an increased presence around the Southeast and country, more and more people began to take notice—and take home a tub, or two, or three. In 2014 Roots even began shipping to a store in New York City, Murray’s Cheese, where buyers had heard of and loved the product. Eventually, Parris also traveled there for several months to build the brand and an New York City team. The Northeast is now Roots’ second-largest sales region.

“The market has been more and more ripe for local and authentic goods, and so we got the benefit of those doors being January 2017 | capitalatplay.com

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opened or being available to be opened,” he shares. “The time was right and that was the tide that was rising.”

Riding the Wave: Growing a Brand and Team Sustainably Although he believes Roots is the best hummus on the market, had the tide been rising for salads or wraps, Parris admits, he would have moved the company in that direction. “The transition helped me hone in on the overall business philosophy: We’re about a really, really good product, and whatever that product is, we’re about using it to do good in the world.”

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Parris credits this ability and desire to go with the flow with how Roots has not only survived, but thrived in the face of changes and setbacks. “There is no finish line that we’re trying to race to. It’s really about sustainable growth and the quality of the experience along the way.”

Thus, he’s continued to invest a considerable amount of money in marketing staff—12 out of his total 43 full-time employees work in marketing. Since a shift to full-time focus on hummus in 2014, their job has been to build a brand with, well, roots: To round up a loyal following that wants the hummus to stick around so that the company and foundation can dig in and help the communities in which it’s sold.

“There is no finish line that we’re trying to race to. It’s really about sustainable growth and the quality of the experience along the way.”

“There has been a lot to do as far as the marketing end of the businesses—establishing and fleshing out the soul of the business—and I think we’ve done a good job of that,” Parris says. “One of the ways that we market is to really get involved in our communities. And as we show up to do some of the good work that’s happening, with yummy snacks to share, we make real connections that translate into lasting sales. We plant seeds with the people that resonate with what we’re doing.”

He adds that his staff, particularly the marketing team, are also 100 percent on board with the company’s purpose. For example, the members that engage in outreach efforts around

school and community garden events and workdays personally value Roots’ mission and sincerely believe in food as a powerful education and community-building tool.

Over the years as the company scaled, Parris says his role became predominantly about relationships and recruiting talent for his team. His loyalty, he says, is first to team members, with customers, distributors, and other partners a close second— though, he acknowledges, that each relationship is important and must be nurtured. While a chief focus for the company, hiring and team expansion happened organically and without a great deal of strategy. Rather, it depended more on Parris’ innate ability to find the right people.

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 83

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“There’s some magic in there that is hard to quantify,” he says of his process. “When I’ve connected with someone with a certain skill set that I thought could be useful in the company, and I felt like they were a good person, then I have created space and developed a role for them.” But that’s not necessarily the path he’d suggest for other business owners: “It can drive some people a little bit crazy, because it can be distracting.” In his case, he’s certain his unconventional approach is the reason Roots has a strong team today.

With growth, Roots has consistently provided raises for its employees, and everyone is paid a living wage. Staff members now get four weeks of paid vacation a year, and the company has a quarterly profit-sharing system and gives its employees a health care stipend.

“Obviously, the revenue has to be there to support the kinds of things you want to do for your team,” he says.

“But I’ve really believed in this business and been very determined to make it sustainable and successful, and finding the right people and treating them right has always been a priority.”

As a result, he feels he has the perfect team to take on any future challenges and growth opportunities that come Roots’ way. “A lot of people have come through the business and a lot are still here that understand what the heart and soul of the business is about,” he says. “They’re not just there punching the clock; they actually bring themselves to the business, and I know that’s a huge part of why we’re successful.”

MARK ROSENSTEIN

Manufacturing for Quality and Innovation Much of Roots’ dynamo team is in manufacturing, which Parris notes is one of the more challenging aspects of the business. “There’s a reason that a lot of food companies don’t do their own production,” he jests. Not only is production difficult to manage, but being the manufacturer requires a significant financial investment up-front. However, as Roots has scaled and continues to scale, Parris says that being their own manufacturer was and will be much more profitable than paying a co-packer.

What’s more, keeping the manufacturing in-house allows Roots to stay acutely focused on product quality and consistency, as well as to innovate and set their eyes on additional sustainable growth in the future.

Parris likens these innovation goals to those of the craft beer industry—after all, Roots’ slogan is “the microbrew of hummus.” In craft brewing, manufacturing facilities often have experimentation labs, he points out, to help them stay ahead of the curve and expand on their techniques and processes. He envisions a Roots lab and test kitchen for everything from pressing oils to limited-run flavors to even further distinguish the hummus from others on the JARRET T LEONE, Packaging Manager January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 85

market in terms of quality, purity, and nutrition. But not only does he see such advancement improving the end product, he also sees it benefitting his team.

“I want people who have a real passion for great food to have the space and the environment to innovate and experiment,” he says, “to keep that spirit alive.”

They’re outgrowing their tiny home in the RAD and are currently using satellite space for storage, as well as the shared commercial kitchen at Blue Ridge Food Ventures to cook their chickpeas. “That was a real bottleneck in our production,” he shares. “The beans are the most significant input. We were running almost 24/7 at our existing facility with just a few hours of downtime, so something had to give.”

That shift, he says, has helped with the manageability of the business. “It’s not just running all of the time. We can actually work Monday through Friday now, during normal business hours, which is a relief for the team.”

Roots has taken on very little liability. “I really don’t like to do it. It puts you in a position where you can’t roll with the punches as far as cash flow goes.”

Roots isn’t there yet, though, and Parris’ insistence on keeping manufacturing in-house has held the company back when it comes to increasing sales. They have had to turn down the opportunity to expand into a thousand new stores through another grocery chain because they simply didn’t have enough available production capacity at the time.

Spreading Its Roots He recognizes it’s a temporary solution. “I’ve been at this point for a couple of years of really trying to find our next home and get a proper production facility set up,” he says. Once they do, Roots will be able to scale up further.

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There is a good reason that Parris hasn’t already moved the company: debt—or lack thereof. “One of the things that I’m really quite proud of is that we’ve paid for most of what we’ve done with the revenue from the business,” he shares. Besides a local producer loan from Whole Foods that allowed them to buy a packaging machine, and small loans from Mountain BizWorks and individuals, also for packaging equipment, Roots has taken on very little liability. “I really don’t like to do it. It puts you in a position where you can’t roll with the punches as far as cash flow goes.”

However, a move may happen soon. “Financially, the company is in good shape and getting better,” Parris says. “Things come together for us to really create the kind of facility that can accommodate where we’re going, then we can start to focus on sales again; not just marketing, but sales.”

He’ll be leaning heavily on his team for that, which includes his brother Lowell as COO and Michael Porterfield as CEO, as well as Mark Rosenstein—whom Parris affectionately calls “the father of the local farm-to-table movement”—at the helm of the Roots Foundation. Parris has recently stepped away from the day-to-day operations of the business to explore personal interests, recharge from the decade-long marathon, and digest where the company has been and where it’s headed.

“I will continue to be closely involved, but not in the same day-to-day way, i.e., not like Michael and Lowell, and certainly not in the CEO position,” he explains. “The change in my role is permanent. The time frame before I fully re-engage in my new role is yet to be determined, but most likely at least another six months.”

However, he fully intends to remain independent as far as ownership goes.

“It’s not about trying to cash out. It’s about the long-term sustainability of the company, and becoming more and more capable of being a part of essential changes that we, as a society, must focus on and manifest.”

Case study provided by ScaleUp WNC, a program of Mountain BizWorks that annually provides 30 regional entrepreneurs with intensive growth strategy development, mentorship, access-to-capital support, and a rich network of peer business owners. Find additional cases and learn more about the program at Capitalatplay. com/scaleupwnc.

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1. Brent Coston, Plant Manager of Elkamet, welcomes Balfour Education Center (BEC) Students to Elkamet for Made in Henderson County Tour.

2. BEC bus at Elkamet for Made in Henderson County Tour.

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3. Students looking at rotational molded products.

4. Brent Coston, Plant Manager of Elkamet, tours students through Elkamet.

5. Students & teacher Gary Thomas learn about rotational molding.

6. Engineer shows students how tanks are cooled in steam bath to harden the plastic.

7. Elkamet engineer discusses rotational molding and engineering as a career.

Made In Henderson County: Balfour Education Center Students Tour Plastics Manufacturer Elkamet Flat Rock, North Carolina | November 17, 2016 photos by Rachael McIntosh Photography

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8. Students & Gary Thomas learn about rotational molding and finishing.

9. Elkamet employee teaches student about CAD and allows them to make 3D cube.

10. Mickey Maxwell tours students around Elkamet.

11. & 12. Students learn about processes of manufacturing. \

13. Students looking at rotational molded products.

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 89

events

january 6

january

EVENTS january 1- 8 The World of Giant Insects Consult schedule.

North Carolina Arboretum 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC Everyday insects appear in giant form.

A praying mantis and caterpillar are standouts. The exhibit was produced by Kokoro, with consultation from leading entomologists in order to, as humans say, meet realistic body expectations.

Displays are engineered to optimize engagement with children of all ages. The Bug Bytes quiz box sounds a tad daring.

> Parking: Member FREE, Personal

Vehicle $12, Motorhome $50, Bus $100 > 828-665-2492 > ncarboretum.org

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| January 2017

Caz-Ma-Tazz: A Benefit for Hurricane Matthew Victims 6-11:30PM

Salvage Station 468 Riverside Drive, Asheville, NC The keynote musician, as it were, will be Artimus Pyle and Friends. Pyle is best known for having played drums for Lynyrd Skynyrd and getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a result. Two other bands will keep the music going all night. David Earl and the Plowshares will provide rock, funk, and soul; and Chappell will provide some global fried tribal boogie.

>Tickets: Advance $12 + processing, Door $15

> salvagestation.com january 6 - 8 , 13 -15 , 20 - 22

The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)

7:30PM (Fri & Sat), 2:30PM (Sun) 35below 35 East Walnut Street, Asheville, NC How can one go wrong with such a title?

The worn-out tale of a damsel in distress

unable to pay rent to her evil landlord is given fresh, new life as it is told five more times, in five acts, each set to the music of a different composer. Could this be a satire of satires as well?

> Admission: $20 > 828-254-1320 > ashevilletheatre.org january 7

Cooking Class at the Farm – Asian II 5:30-8:30PM

The Farm Cabins and Cottages 215 Justice Ridge Road, Candler, NC This is an interactive, hands-on cooking class teaching techniques of original recipes inspired by the Far East. The instructor is the Farm’s Executive Chef Mike Ferrari. The Farm is a rustic gathering place in a quiet, out-of-the-way setting. It hosts weddings and other special events; Ferrari is running The Farm Kitchen. Check the website for 411 on more of his exciting classes.

> Admission: $70 > 828-667-0666 > thefarmevents.com

january 13

Infamous Stringdusters w/ Billy Strings

8PM Orange Peel Social Aid & Pleasure Club 101 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC The sound is homespun and bluegrassy, and a connoisseur can detect the Experimentalism along with touches of Bill Monroe, John Hartford, Earl Scruggs, and David Bromberg. These dudes can really play fast.

>Tickets: Advance $17, Door $20 > 828-398-1837 > theorangepeel.net january 13

Southern Folk Art: Collecting, Curating, and Connecting with Artists

11:30AM-1PM UNC Asheville, Reuter Center, Room 102 One University Heights, Asheville, NC Ann Oliver will tell her personal story of fulfilling an inner need to create. Crafters, she says, are often isolated. She and her late husband traveled the South, collecting so many folk art pieces, strangers

would knock on their door to ask if they could take a gander. This led to the opening of a gallery in Hendersonville, which has since closed. Oliver now curates folk art for a number of venues.

> 828-232-5181 > news.unca.edu january 13 -15 2017 Big Band Weekend Omni Grove Park Inn 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville, NC

This is a weekend package that includes two nights of accommodations and two tickets to concerts by the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra on Saturday and the Andrew Thielen Big Band on Friday.

> Reservations: From $905 double occupancy > 800-438-5800 > omnihotels.com

january 14

Abbey Road Live

4PM & 8PM Orange Peel Social Aid & Pleasure Club 101 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC

There’s a matinee and a late show to remember “Yesterday,” as it was. A walk down memory lane could lead to “Penny Lane,” and maybe even make you want to “Twist and Shout.” The emulators take your requests in a family-fun way.

As a bonus, the Athens quartet often does the entire album that gives them their name—and of course, the Beatles never performed it live.

> Admission: Adult $12, Child $8 > 828-398-1837 > theorangepeel.net january 14

Sierra Hull

8PM Tryon Fine Arts Center 34 Melrose Avenue, Tryon, NC As part of the 2016-2017 Main Stage Series, Sierra Hull will pay a visit while on her eastern states tour. Hull was identified as a mandolin virtuoso at age seventeen, and her singing ain’t bad, either. She has since received well-deserved acclaim from the best bluegrass artists and the 2016 International Bluegrass Music Association’s Mandolinist of the Year award. She will give a master class prior to the concert. The hour-long class begins

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January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 91

events

at 1PM and costs $20. All skill-levels are welcome. Pre-registration would be courteous.

>Tickets: Adult $35, Student $17 > 828-859-8322 > tryonarts.org january 14

Asheville Symphony Presents…

8-10PM Thomas Wolfe Auditorium 87 Haywood Street, Asheville, NC Each season, Maestro Daniel Meyer includes a presentation of his favorite Germanic composers. This turn, entitled “Eine Kleine Rhine Musik,” will include Brahms’ Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn, Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C featuring Cicely Parnas, and Schumann’s Symphony No. 3 (“Rhenish”).

> Prices vary. Consult web site. > 828-254-7046 > ashevillesymphony.org january 15

Mike Doughty

8PM Grey Eagle 185 Clingman Avenue, Asheville, NC If you were moderately sentient during the ‘90s, you remember NYC’s wildly eclectic Soul Coughing (“Super Bon Bon”). Founder Doughty continued to pursue his idiosyncratic muse after the band’s demise, and his latest record, The Heart Watches While the Brain Burns, a collaboration with hip-hop producer Good Goose, is no letdown.

He’s touring with a full 6-piece band.

Opening act: Wheatus.

> Admission: $15 and $18 > 828-232-5800 > thegreyeagle.com 92

| January 2017

january 15

Like Mind Trio

7:30-10:30PM Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria 42 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC This is a local group whose sound has the feel of impromptu tuning drill and elevator music. They do with rhythm, bass, and xylophone what McDonald’s does with biscuits, sausage, and strawberry jelly: It takes a few minutes to grow on you, but after that, you’ll keep wanting to go back for more.

> Admission: FREE > 828-255-0504 > barleystaproom.com january 16

Aesop Rock with Rob Sonic and DJ Zone

9PM Orange Peel Social Aid & Pleasure Club 101 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC This is professionally-executed techno-sampled rap. Aesop Rock is touring with his latest album, Impossible Kid. It’s autobiographical, the story of depression, family issues, and running away from his adoptive parents to live in a barn in the woods. Aesop is considered a king of hip-hop. Must be 18 to enter.

> Admission: Advance $18, Door $20 > 828-398-1837 > theorangepeel.net january 18

Band of Heathans

8PM Grey Eagle 185 Clingman Avenue, Asheville, NC An Austin band whose blend of folkrock, alt-country, blues, and jam-band has endeared them permanently to the

Americana scene, they are touring behind powerful new album Duende.

Expect some seriously high-energy moments along with melodies to die for.

> Admission: $12 > 828-232-5800 > thegreyeagle.com january 18

Gypsy Jazz 101

7-9PM Asheville Music School 126 College Street, Asheville, NC Instructors Phil Alley and Steve Karla will teach elements of style characteristic of Gypsy jazz. The course is built around the guitar, but participants are welcome to bring any instrument of their choice. The technology transfers.

> Admission: $15 > 828-252-6244 > ashevillemusicschool.com january 19

Why Is Everyman Jack Important to All of Us?

6-7:30PM Blowing Rock Art & History Museum 159 Chestnut Street, Blowing Rock, NC History is so vast, students must choose an area of focus. How about viewing it through the lens of characters named Jack in legends and lore?

Author and illustrator Gail Haley will follow the adventures of Jack’s archetype from the Viking beanstalk to all his romances in the British Isles. Haley managed to find Jack in 24 stories preserved two centuries in the oral traditions of Appalachia.

> Admission: General $5, Member FREE > 828-295-9099 > blowingrockmuseum.org

January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 93

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

events

january 19

Dr. Walter Kimbrough on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

7PM UNC Asheville, Lipinsky Auditorium One University Heights, Asheville, NC

Dr. Kimbrough, president of Dillard University in New Orleans, is an acclaimed biographer of African-Americans. His keynote address will kick off a week of activities commemorating the liberating messages of America’s most celebrated civil rights activist.

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> 828-251-6674 > cesap.unca.edu january 20

January Old-Time Dance

7:30-10:30PM Blowing Rock Art & History Museum 159 Chestnut Street, Blowing Rock, NC This is more about old-fashioned fun than choreography. Cecil Gurganus will lead the music for dances in squares, circles, and lines. No experience necessary. Callers will give verbal instructions, and you won’t have any trouble finding somebody to lead you by the hand.

> Admission: Adult $5, Child (0-12)

For ForThe TheLove LoveofofSewing: Sewing:

FREE > 828-295-9099 > blowingrockmuseum.org

january 20

Bob Nocek presents Paula Poundstone 8PM Diana Wortham Theatre 2 South Pack Square, Asheville, NC

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Comedy Hall of Famer Paula Poundstone is coming to Asheville. And she won’t have any trouble finding the humor in it all. Perhaps best-known as a regular on NPR’s Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!, she is

deserving of the numerous awards and acclaims bestowed in her 32-year career.

>Tickets: $34 and $44 > 828-257-4530 > dwtheatre.com

– february 17 International Exhibition of Contemporary Drawing january 23

9AM-6PM (Mon-Fri) UNC Asheville, Owen Hall One University Heights, Asheville, NC

The eighth annual event will kick off with a 5PM lecture and 6PM reception January 20 in the S. Tucker Cooke Gallery in Owen Hall. Close to 1,000 sketches were juried by Scott Noel, professor of drawing and painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. In addition to curating, Noel creates works that, to date, have been worthy of going solo in over thirty exhibits.

> 828-251-6559 > art.unca.edu january 25 - 29

Jeeves in Bloom 7:30PM (Wed-Sat), 2PM (Sun) NC Stage Company 15 Stage Lane, Asheville, NC According to the literature, “The lovable Bertie and faithful valet Jeeves return!

The pair pay a visit to the English countryside where Bertie’s amphibian-loving school chum, Gussie, hatches a plan to win the heart of the fanciful Madeline Basset. Bertie’s plan for a peaceful getaway is dashed when Aunt Dahlia attempts to commit burglary, Gussie’s attempt to woo Madeline backfires, and the disgruntled French chef seeks revenge on Bertie!” Enter Jeeves.

>Tickets: $16-$40 > 828-239-0263 > ncstage.org

january 26

Exploring the Radical Tradition of African American Museums

11AM-12PM Blowing Rock Art & History Museum 159 Chestnut St, Blowing Rock, NC The opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., is a milestone.

Dr. Andrea Burns will talk about the role neighborhood museums and historical societies played in paving the way, with special focus on how events unfolded in Junaluska. Burns is a professor in Appalachian State University’s Department of History, specializing in public history with a focus on museums.

Your source for Hearth & Patio needs

> Suggested Donation: $5 > 828-295-9099 > blowingrockmuseum.org january 26 - 29

The Asheville Fringe Arts Festival

Multiple downtown Asheville venues.

The festival has been going since 2002 to keep Asheville weird, er, interesting.

Envelope-pushers, renegades, and people so advanced they’re once again back on the wall and thinking inside their respective boxes are invited to network their thrill for adventure with individuals whose only common thread is their lack of one. Events are ticketed separately.

> 828-254-2621 > ashevillefringe.org january 28

Polar Plunge Brunch

10AM-12PM Timberlake’s Restaurant at Chetola Resort 185 Chetola Lake Dr, Blowing Rock, NC While the Eskimos are jumping in the eekie-freezy cold lake, you and yours

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www.bealandco.net 5522 Willow Road, Hendersonville, NC January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 95

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can cuddle in the warm lodge, by the fire, and watch them on the big screen.

Live feed of the daredevils will be just the right sauce for your Eggs Benedict, Shrimp and Grits, Smoked Salmon, or other gourmet selection. Gratuity and drinks cost extra; reservations might be courteous.

> Admission: Adult $22, Child (0-12) $16 > 828-295-5500 > chetola.com

january 28 - may 2

Dugout Canoes: Paddling through the Americas

9AM-5PM The North Carolina Arboretum 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC

Dugout canoes were used by Native Americans in North, Central, and South America. This exhibit was inspired by the discovery of 101 ancient dugouts in a Florida lake dried by drought. Modern techniques dated them as having been built between 500 and 5,000 years ago.

Patrons will see some of the canoes and other artifacts and learn about the culture anthropologists have reconstructed from them.

modern, hip-hop, salsa, tango, and who knows what all.

>Tickets: Adult $20, Student/Child $10 > 828-257-4530 > dwtheatre.com

january 29

Reed Mathis and Electric Beethoven 9PM Salvage Station 468 Riverside Drive, Asheville, NC

This act is not like the others. It’s very low-key from a visual perspective, but this small group of very talented musicians jam out on improvisational Beethoven. Mathis, whose bass drives the songs, claims responsibility for the rearrangements. One need not be familiar with Beethoven to get into the grooves. The Royal Potato Family label just released Mathis’ double album, Beathoven, which is already being hailed as a key example of new genre CDM—Classical Dance Music.

> Admission: $15 + processing > salvagestation.com

> Parking: Member FREE, Personal

Vehicle $12, Motorhome $50, Bus $100 > 828-665-2492 > ncarboretum.org

january 28

Dancing with the Asheville Stars

7PM Diana Wortham Theatre 2 South Pack Square, Asheville, NC

Professionals will perform with students in ballroom, contemporary, Latin,

If your organization has any local press releases for our briefs section, or events that you would like to see here, feel free to email us at events@capitalatplay.com.

Please submit your event at least six weeks in advance.

From leather jackets to raincoats, we’ve got you covered in style, warmth and fit.

ASHEVILLE: Historic Biltmore Village 9 Kitchin Place 828-274-2630 STORE HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9:30am-7pm Sat. 9:30am-6pm Sun. 12pm-5pm January 2017 | capitalatplay.com 97

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high performing teamwork high performing teamwork

Resources are one thing, resourcefulness is our thing.

Resources are one thing, resourcefulness is our thing.

We’ll take ownership of the problem or opportunity with you and deliver results without the runaround.

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Assurance | Tax | Advisory | Asheville | 828.254.2254 | Hendersonville | 828.692.9176 | dhgllp.com

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