New In Town, Falling For Black Mountain

A leap of faith can look like a rental signed sight unseen, a job change across state lines, and a promise to figure it out as you go. We sit down with Melissa Baker to trace how a Florida beach couple found their footing in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and why they now want their retirement to keep the mountains close. It starts with walkability on 4th Street and a chance hello at My Father’s Pizza, then grows into wine club nights at Que Sera, live music at Old Town District, and a dependable rotation of lunch spots—Black Mountain Bistro, Trailhead, and a Cuban sandwich at Cousins that passed the Tampa test.

From there, the story climbs—literally. Lookout Trail proves steeper than advertised but pays off with sweeping views, weekends turn into waterfall hunts near Marion and Hendersonville, and plans take shape for Catawba Falls when the weather warms and grandkids visit. Along the way, the practical side of mountain life kicks in: bears do wander through town, so porch lights, sealed trash, and food-free cars matter more than you’d think. Drives through Montreat add a quiet, almost storybook calm, making everyday errands feel like small pilgrimages.

The heart of the conversation lands on belonging and service. With ties to military life, Melissa steers toward the Black Mountain Home for Children and the local veterans home, spotlighting transitional support for youth aging out of foster care and the power of simple visits, tutoring, and community-led drives. What began as a career move becomes a blueprint for starting over well: follow the friendly leads, say yes to the next invite, build rituals around great food and music, and let the mountains set a kinder pace.

If this story nudges you to explore, subscribe for new episodes, share with a friend who’s thinking about a move, and leave a review with your favorite Black Mountain spot—we might feature it next time.

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Transcript

Meet Melissa, New To Town

SPEAKER_01 0:29

Melissa Baker. I met you last week. I don't know much about you. And so that was actually part of the reason I thought you'd be great to have because you're brand new here. You moved here in September with your husband. And so what's your story? Where you're from?

SPEAKER_00 0:48

Well, thank you. Originally we're from Jacksonville, well, a suburb of Jacksonville, Florida called Middleburg. But we always say Jacksonville because no one's heard of Middleburg.

SPEAKER_01 0:58

Claim it, claim Middleburg. Come on.

SPEAKER_00 1:00

I've been there actually, but go ahead. Yeah. Okay. So yeah, the country. We're from out in the country in Florida. But we recently moved to Black Mountain from Indian Shores, which is a small barrier island off the coast of Tampa.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

So his job brought him up here. Who does he work for? Kierfot. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

On Highway 90. They are chamber members. I've really enjoyed getting to meet them and get to know them a little bit better. So that was that was fun when he said he was from Kierfot. I'm like, ooh, somebody on the inside. You can teach me all about it. And that's what we were talking about. But anyway, yeah.

From Florida Beaches To Black Mountain

SPEAKER_00 1:38

Go ahead. So yeah, we lived on the beach in Florida and really enjoyed the lifestyle. Loved being able to walk to local restaurants, bars, things like that. So just really loved the lifestyle of living at the beach. And then he got offered, he worked for an aerospace company there in Tampa. Long drive, hour a day, you know, both ways. And he got offered a job at Kierfot. We had never really heard of Black Mountain, except I did see an old movie once, and the lady, she was an art teacher in the movie, and her dream was to go to Black Mountain, get accepted into Black Mountain College. Yes, I thought it was fictional. And then when he said I said, Well, where's this company? He said Black Mountain. I'm like, I think I've seen that in a movie. I think they have an arts college there. So we didn't know much about it. He came up here for the flew up here for the interview, came back, said, I think this would be a good fit. The company seems really good. So his father was s sick at the time. They had called hospice in, sadly. And they his parents live in Elberton, Georgia. That's right. So taking this job would bring us closer to them. We're only two and a half hours. So we decided to take it, sight unseen. I had never been out here. Yeah, it was kind of bizarre because we had a condo on the beach. Helene had just hit a few months before we were repaired. We had gotten repaired in the middle of March, I think it was, finally got the permits. I heard you guys dealt with that up here as well. Still are. So we thought we would keep that and come here, keep that as a vacation house, come here. But my neighbor was a realtor and sold our place without even putting it on the market. Great. We had 23 days to get up here, so I didn't even have time to house hunt. Good. We rented a house through Greybeard Realty, sight unseen. Have never done that in my life. Oh my goodness. You're a brave woman. Yeah, it was scary. It was really scary. And we lucked out. We're right on 4th Street, so I can have the same lifestyle I did at the beach. I can walk downtown, get lunch, get dinner, have cocktails. I love Black Mountain. Good. Beautiful town. Good.

SPEAKER_01 4:35

We met actually at my father's pizza.

unknown 4:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 4:40

And my friend Andrew. I need to have Andrew on the podcast. Anyway, Andrew is a new bartender, new in town, and he is he's he's Mac Daddy. I just think he's a tall guy, right? Yeah, he's great. But anyway, that's where we met. And so I know that you already, I already, I know you knew that. And then we talked about Old Town District while we were there, and y'all were headed there later or another day or something. Um so I love night.

First Impressions And Local Hangouts

SPEAKER_00 5:06

Oh, was it? Okay. Yes. They were so you were sitting next to my husband, right? And when we had walked in, there was a young couple sitting to the left of me. Well, evidently, Greg he that guy works at Kirafot as well. And Greg doesn't know him that well. Like I said, we know him better now up here. Exactly. So I talked to him and his wife, and they told me that some friends of theirs were playing at Old Town District. We love live music. That's another reason why we love Black Mountain. Good music. So we decided after my father's pizza to walk over to Old Town District. I love the vibe there is so nice. I do love it. We've been there to watch football games too.

SPEAKER_01 5:55

Yes. Yes. Those are the two places to watch football games in this town, in my opinion, which is, you know, I'm sure there are others. I probably will hear about that. But um, but those are the two that I tend to watch sports at, those two places. But where else do you like to go? What else do you what else have you found since you got here?

SPEAKER_00 6:13

Okay. A lot. So my neighbors, they when we first came, probably a month after, a month or two after we moved in, they came and knocked on the door, invited us over for wine and charcuterie. Very nice couple. Well, they belong, they go to a wine club every month at K Sarah. So they invited Greg and I. So we went, had a wonderful time, met some other people. So we've been going every month since, except last night. They had one last night, but we were unable to attend, which I was sad. Greg had a meeting. But should have told me, I'll be your plus one. Oh, that's good, you're awesome. Yeah. So yeah, the owner of K Sarah is great. Danielle. She's fabulous. I love all of them. She puts out a huge charcuterie spread down the table. We taste six wines and they're pretty hefty pour. So he And you didn't think of me. My goodness. Yeah, it's really nice because the wines are, you know, between$20 and$50 a bottle. So afterward, if you want to buy some, it's not, you know, it's not super expensive. And they actually go on a trip every month, every year as well. This year, Greg and I missed out. We weren't here in time to sign up, but they are going to Provence. I'm jealous. Well, where are we going next year? Tuscany. Let's go. Yeah. So my neighbor, Dave, he actually plans these trips. And from what I hear, he's retired, but he loves to act the it like a travel agent and said I need to meet Dave. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:00

Hmm. Okay, my brain's turning now. All right. Well, that's exciting. Okay. So you've you that you where do you go at lunchtime? Those are all sound like dinner time things.

SPEAKER_00 8:11

Yeah. So I like uh Black Mountain Bistro, of course, Trailhead. I think they have a great hamburger and the best hand-cut French fries. Um I should be eating French fries, but they're too good to pass up. Um I have been to Cousins. Now, so coming from Florida and living in Tampa, you know, it we have a lot of Cuban restaurants in Tampa. And one that has been around since 1905 called Columbia. It's famous. They have the best Cuban sandwich. I used to ride, we had one a couple islands over from me that I would ride my bike to with my girlfriend for lunch. So when we first came, we're driving through to get to the house, to see the house. First sight unseen. We're driving down the main road, and I see the Cuban restaurant. I said, Greg, we're gonna go there tomorrow for lunch. And if they have a good Cuban sandwich, then I know we have moved to the right place. So we went, the Cuban sam sandwich is fabulous. So good. I highly recommend it. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 9:28

It's I go there once a week for sure. For sure once a week. But yes. Well, good. What else have you found to do that's not eating and and live music and football games? Uh hiking.

Finding Community Through Wine Nights

SPEAKER_00 9:41

Really? Yes. So we uh did uh here right up the road here. We went to look out and uh Greg said to me, Oh, it's an easy trail, Melissa. He didn't finish reading the whole thing, that it's pretty steep. Steep going up, and then you have to kind of climb a few rocks. So I didn't have on proper footwear. Oh no, I just had on tennis shoes. Yes, come on, buddy. But it was absolutely beautiful when we got out. It was worth the trip, yes. So I want to go back when I mean things are starting to bloom now, but when everything is in full bloom, I want to go back. Amazing. It's it's amazing. It was breathtaking, literally, yes, yes, and this weekend we did some falls too. What'd you do? We went to Okay, Waterfalls. I'm like, what are you talking about? Falls down the mountain, I don't know. Yeah, waterfalls. We went to one called Tom's Creek, okay, which I think is Marion. Yeah, it's not around here, so yeah, yeah, no, yeah, you had to travel for yeah, and then we went to three just outside of Hendersonville. Okay. Have you been to Catawba Falls yet? Not yet. Girl, because I heard there's like 500 steps. There's different ways to do it.

SPEAKER_01 11:07

Oh, okay. Teach you, I'll teach you all.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

Okay, but yes, we wanted to save that for when things are blooming just when you can also get in the water. Yes. That's the other and my grandson, he comes every summer. Okay. Yep. That'll be good. Yeah, I'm excited.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

Good, good. So you've you've figured things out. That's one of the things that I um I grew up coming here. I always say I was born and raised in Atlanta, but I grew up here because we spent the weekends up here. My father inherited his mother's house. And so there was a lot of work to be done on it. And so every weekend he would come and work on that. We got to play in the woods and run around and all that. So I grew up here, quote unquote. Didn't go to Owen High School, but I did do that. And then I moved here two years ago. And one of the things that when you move somewhere, it's a whole new game. I mean, you can vacation somewhere forever, and then you move there and you have to find somebody to cut your hair. You have to find, you know, where all the things are. When you first move here, you have to figure out where to do everything and how to make things happen, and you know, who's the best plumber and all those sort of things. So, how did you do in figuring all that out when you got here?

SPEAKER_00 12:26

Well, actually, my neighbor helped me, Suzanne. She helped me with hair, nails, but also the there was a lady I met at the coffee bar inside the bookstore, Sassafrax. And she helped me a lot figuring out where to go to get things done. And then this is a funny story. My landscaper was doing a neighbor's yard. I seen him from the upstairs. So he probably thinks I'm crazy. I don't know, he could be right, but anyway, he was finishing up and he was going around the corner and he had these things on his ears and couldn't hear me. So I'm running behind him. He was so friendly, so friendly. And so he took my name, my number, and started showing up and doing my yard for me. But everybody we have met here has been super friendly, super helpful. Like you, I met you at the bar.

Lunch Spots And A Proper Cuban

SPEAKER_01 13:33

Well, I mean, we were talking about business. Actually, you were talking to somebody else, and your husband and I were sitting there, and I finally said, Well, let's have a conversation. So we had this big conversation, we had a big time, and anyway, that's how we met. So that's how I that's how I've met almost everybody, not not necessarily at a bar or a restaurant, but but everywhere I go is is people are so friendly and willing to help and give their ideas and suggestions and things like that.

SPEAKER_00 13:58

So I really like it. I think everybody I don't think I've met a mean person in Black Mountain. Everybody has been nice and friendly.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

Well, good. That's what we're supposed to do. Like our mama's taught us.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

That's what your mama taught you. Yes, even like we'll go, we'll walk up to because we don't live far from downtown, so we can walk there. We'll walk up to look out brewing and sit out by the fire pit. How have I never seen you there?

SPEAKER_01 14:26

I'm there every Thursday night. Really?

SPEAKER_00 14:28

Yes. Yeah, music bingo all the time. Music bingo. They have not been from Music Bingo. You gotta come. I know, I know. They were telling me they just did a wine tasting there. Do you ever go to the wine? Well, I gotta music bingo at Lookout Brew. That's what I do. Well, they got brewing has wine tastings and they pair it with pizza from French. That's cool. Yeah, it can't I mean how can you pass it wine and pizza? Wine and pizza, exactly. Yeah, but we like to sit by the fire pits and everybody talks to us.

SPEAKER_01 14:56

Yes, it's fun. It's fun. Yeah. Have you found something that is off the beaten path or something that you didn't you were surprised by when you got here that you didn't know we had, or something like that? Bear. Bears. Yes, we do have bears.

SPEAKER_00 15:15

Do you have a bear story yet? Well, uh no, just one was on my front porch. Everybody's got a bear story. Right. So you gotta work on it. Yeah, I didn't I didn't come across a bear. It was on my ring camera. Okay. And the funny thing is, is that I had told Greg that I think it was that morning, right before he left for work, I said, you know, I'm seeing on the ring camera. You know how like your neighbors will post things. And I said, they're seeing bear, and I said they tell you to turn your porch light on before you go out in the morning. So you don't, because when he leaves for work, it's dark. So you don't startle them because that's when they might charge you just because you're scaring them. So he kind of laughed at me. He's like, Oh, I'm fine, no bear's gonna get me. You know how men are, they're tough. So, right after he left for work, I looked at my ring camera, and maybe two hours before we had gotten up, there was a big black bear from Porto. So I sent it to him. I said, Oh, if he stands up on his hind legs, you're done.

SPEAKER_01 16:29

Yeah, that's cute. That's cute. Yeah, you've gotta have bear stories because everybody has a bear story.

SPEAKER_00 16:35

Yeah, I didn't think living right in town that I would see them, but yeah, they're everywhere.

Hiking Lookout And Chasing Waterfalls

SPEAKER_01 16:42

They are everywhere. It's true, it's true. They're they're they're so cute. They are they really are cute. You want to until they destroy until they destroy your garbage can. Do not leave trash out. You know that. Yes. And do not leave it in your car. Yes. Food in your car is a bad idea. A French fry on the floor in your car is a bad idea. Yeah. There you go. Okay. They told me take my gum out, my ticket. Everything they will eat a granola bar that's still in the wrapper. How do they know it's in there? But they do. They do. So, yes. My father always says, Is there any food in your car? And I'm like, No, of course not. And then the next morning I'll get in, I'm like, ooh, was food in my car. And I'm thinking, ugh, I haven't been attacked, but I mean my car hasn't been attacked. But well, yes, but they're back. They I saw them, gosh, I guess two days ago I saw them walking. So I there there's a den across the street from my house. Oh, well. And I see them all the time, but I hadn't seen them in, you know, you see them off and on in the winter, but not as much as as now. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:40

This is when they start to really start to hit the streets and visits warm. Yeah, I did not realize that. You know, I always thought bears hibernated in the winter. Not it's not woe cold enough here. Yeah. See, I never realized that until we moved here. I am. And we like to drive through Montreat. It's beautiful. Looks like something out of Harry Potter. Oh, how does stone and breeze? I've never thought of that. It's very mystical. Yeah, it's just beautiful. But we drive through there hoping that we'll see Bear. I mean, we're not going to get out of the car. We'll just like to drive by and see. You'll see them. You'll see them a lot.

SPEAKER_01 18:24

That's a great place to look for them. Yeah, I'll give you some. Uh, you need to meet Gatewood Campbell because she is the bear tracker. I mean, she knows where they are, what time, and where to go, and she lives in Black Mountain. But I'll have to connect you with her because she's the bear queen. Oh, that'd be awesome. You'll have to get to know her. Have you found a church? Do you go to church? People are looking for one. No. Okay. Nonprofits, volunteer stuff.

SPEAKER_00 18:52

Not yet. We haven't been here quite long enough. Like I said, Greg uh his father was sick and then passed away on Thanksgiving Day, actually. So we're having to go there every weekend. So we just are able to explore here. Right. And have some weekends here. That's right. Yeah, which is nice. But I did see that they have volunteer opportunities, and I think I may take them up on it at the the Black Mountain Children's Home.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

Yes, what a wonderful place. They uh they it it's amazing too. What I love about their uh there's a lot of things to love about the Black Mountain Children home for children, but one of them is that they have a transitional housing kind of situation where kids when they're when they age out of the foster system, a lot of time a lot of places they don't have anywhere to go. But they they've thought that through and they've planned a little area that they can live, but they have to have, you know, they have rules, but they kind of push them out of the nest, but not shove them out. Yes, I know it's really cool. I love that.

SPEAKER_00 20:00

I love that Yeah. Well, we had talked about before that Greg was retired military. And so it being military, you run into a lot of adults that grew up in the foster care system or in a children's home. And they tell us all the time that's why they joined the military. Because when they turn 18, they're given a brown sack with a couple pairs of clothes, and it used to be$75. Yeah. That won't even rent you a hotel room. And a lot of recruiters end up trying to get these kids in quickly. So they have a roof over their head, a paycheck. So that's nice that they're doing it.

SPEAKER_01 20:45

It's yeah, they really think things through. And their new director is he's not new anymore, but he uh is very forward thinking. He has lots of great ideas that he's working on.

SPEAKER_00 20:55

And I've he's a dreamer. They do do a good happen. I think engaging the community because I see they reach out on Facebook, like it's baseball season, and so you can order things from Amazon and have it sent directly over there for the kids to play baseball and t-ball, or like Valentine's, they were having a Valentine's party, and so you could get on Amazon, they share the link, and you can order stuff for their we're gonna have to talk to them.

SPEAKER_01 21:25

They need to start thinking local here too, not just Amazon. Come on to go see him this afternoon.

SPEAKER_00 21:32

Anyway, but yes, see, they do they do want people to do a good job of trying to engage the community. They do, yeah.

Bears, Safety Tips, And Montreat Drives

SPEAKER_01 21:39

One of our volunteers did some math tutoring over there. He's math genius, and he went and he said it was, you know, really, really rewarding to get to help these kids. Yeah. So I think that and I just didn't think about I don't know. I I don't know what I thought people would do over there. It just didn't cross my mind to do math tutoring. Yeah. I don't know. I would probably because I wouldn't be very successful at that. That's not my gift. But anyway. Well, that's a great place for you to go figure out, you know, that might be a great place to see what you want to do.

SPEAKER_00 22:08

And then we uh went to the VFW and I was looking at, you know, do they go and walk through the veterans home here? Which is, I think, is important. Yep. And so I told Greg I'd like to get something started at the VFW where we do walkthroughs and visits. It with the guys. Make sure everything's good.

SPEAKER_01 22:33

I'll introduce you to Maria right at the Veterans Home. You don't have to go through the VFW. You just go straight there. She's wonderful and she'd be a great and a really good person for you to know. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:43

Well, thank you. I appreciate that. Sure.

SPEAKER_01 22:45

Yeah. No, that's cool. Is there anything else that I haven't asked you or you want to say or a place you want to shout out?

SPEAKER_00 22:55

Well, I I think I really love Black Mountain. We had planned on Greg and I. We skied North Carolina, Boon Area, Sugar Beach. So our plan when we were retiring was always to have the condo on the beach in Florida and have a condo up in the mountains. We're in North Carolina where we like to ski, but now that we have been here, we have adjusted that retirement plan. That's awesome. Yes. And now Black Mountain is part of our retirement plan. We love it here. I couldn't imagine being in another town.

SPEAKER_01 23:35

Well, cool. Good job. That was a great answer. That was a Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center kind of answer. So that was perfect. That was perfect. Well, thank you for coming today. I appreciate that. Thank you. I get to know you a little bit better, and that's that's great. So I have a new friend and I have a new plus one for K Sarah wine night. Don't skip it! Yes. I'm your girl. Okay. All right. Thank you. Thanks for joining us on Exploring the Valley. Until next time, keep celebrating the pride of our community and discovering the magic of the mountains. In the meantime, you're free to move about the valley.