Ask Jeeves Got Replaced By Ask Wesley

You can tell a lot about a town by the people who quietly keep it moving and by the ones who choose to come back after trying somewhere else. We’re talking with Wesley Barker, a lifelong North Carolinian who grew up in Ash County, took a detour through the Durham and Chapel Hill area for public service work, and then made a fast return to the mountains when he realized “not home” is a real feeling. If you’ve ever wondered what makes Black Mountain, NC feel different, this is a candid, lived-in answer.

We get into what his job at the Town of Black Mountain actually looks like day to day: constant pivoting, answering citizen questions, helping with public information, supporting coworkers, and handling requests that keep local government transparent and functional. We also clear up a common mix-up for residents and visitors alike: the town and the chamber of commerce work together, but we’re separate. That difference matters for businesses, events, and how information flows in a small community.

Then we shift into the fun parts of putting down roots: Ash County cheese, small town festivals like Sourwood, live music nights, local restaurants, craft beer culture, and learning the hiking trails around the Blue Ridge Parkway. A big highlight is a plain-English breakdown of the Main Street program and what a Main Street designation could mean for downtown revitalization, from public art to better gathering spaces and stronger support for local businesses. If you care about economic development in Western North Carolina, you’ll want this one.

Listen, share it with a friend who loves mountain towns, and then subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one change you’ve seen in your hometown that turned out to be good?

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Transcript

Meet Wesley And His Path Here

SPEAKER_00 0:29

Wesley Barker, you are my go-to guy over at the Town of Black Mountain. You're the one that I call on both of your phones. Well, three of your phones.

SPEAKER_01 0:39

Just two. Let's have two.

SPEAKER_00 0:41

Well, you also have the landline.

SPEAKER_01 0:42

Oh yes. Forgot about that one.

SPEAKER_00 0:44

Yes. So you're the one I call when I have any question, that I don't understand something, when they when people call me and think I'm the town. So I don't know the answer, but I'm not about to tell them that. I'll say, hey, you know what? I need to get back to you in just a minute. I call Wesley, and Wesley's the one who answers the phone and helps me out. But I want to start with what's your story and where are you from?

SPEAKER_01 1:05

Well, I am a native North Carolinian. Um was born and raised in Ash County. So about two hours, two hours and some change north of Black Mountain, and lived there for most of my life and and worked worked in government after college. But then I decided it was time for a change, and so I in 2022 I moved, packed up everything I knew and moved to Durham in Chapel Hill area.

SPEAKER_00 1:30

Co-Blue Devils.

SPEAKER_01 1:31

Well Durham.

SPEAKER_00 1:32

Well Durham. I heard Durham first.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

Right. Okay. Well, I t I was technically in Durham. Okay, keep going. I worked for uh the town of Carborough. Okay. And so which was right next to Chapel Hill. And so was down there for about a year and a half and decided that I love the mountains and I needed to come back as fast as possible. And so a job opportunity opened up here in Black Mountain at the town, and I got up back up here as quick as I could.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

Well good. Well we're glad we're we're glad you're here.

unknown 2:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

So and then when I went to Western North Carolina directors of chambers of commerce or something like that, I don't know what their name is. It's got a whole bunch of letters. I got to meet one of your favorite people, is Kitty, who runs the Ash County Chamber of Commerce.

SPEAKER_01 2:15

Yes. Yes, Kitty Honeycutt.

SPEAKER_00 2:17

And she's fabulous. And I met a lot of her family, so that was fun. But but anyway, but that's kind of once I met her, then I was like, oh, let's open that floodgate and started asking Wesley all the questions. Yes. So sorry about that.

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Yes. No. And also once you learn that served on a chamber committees and the board in that county. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:38

So that's right. So that's what I learned. I always have trouble remembering which county it is you're from. Remember that. I'll text him when I'm on my way to something and I'm like, which county is it you're from? But now I'm gonna remember. You know how I'm gonna remember?

SPEAKER_01 2:50

How?

SPEAKER_00 2:51

Ash County has cheese that is the best cheese in the world, and they have it at Papa's place in Swananoa. And that is where I go and get my cheese now.

SPEAKER_01 2:59

Okay. So I've noticed some restaurants down here will say, you know, then they list

Ash County Cheese And Tour Nerds

SPEAKER_01 3:04

out the things they say specifically Ash County cheese, and I'm always like, What? What? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:09

Well, they sell little blocks of it. So if you're ever having like a little charcuterie table or something at home, go get some because they have a bunch of different flavors. It is so good.

SPEAKER_01 3:16

So side story, when I was in third grade, I did a science project on how the cheese was made and got to go to the cheese plant. Yeah. It was pretty cool. And we used b I'm dating, you know, Polaroids that I took to put on my platform.

SPEAKER_00 3:30

Well, they're cool again.

SPEAKER_01 3:31

They are cool.

SPEAKER_00 3:31

They're cool again. So it could have been last year.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

This was the OG though. So it's been a good one.

SPEAKER_00 3:35

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well, very cool. I went to a cheese making place in Missouri one time and uh and I didn't I didn't know how cheese was made. I didn't know anything about I knew there was milk in it. That was about everything I knew.

SPEAKER_01 3:46

Right.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

Pretty cool process. It is cool. I am a total manufacturer or uh a tour nerd. I just love to go on a tour of anything. It doesn't matter what it is, but I really do like manufacturing tours. And that was something we did at our chamber in Georgia. We had Manufacturer Appreciation Week.

SPEAKER_01 4:03

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 4:03

But since we have so few manufacturers here, I don't know how we would really pull that off here. But we probably should think about adding that in somehow.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Our our chamber back home. I say back home, which means Ash County, because you know, Ash County is always going to be my home, but uh even though Black Mountain is right now. So uh we would do tours of the different facilities in the county, the chamber groups would. And it was just a way to learn about how things were made and why we were the whatever number one producing of this in the country. You got to see firsthand and so you could share that with the community.

SPEAKER_00 4:36

That's cool.

SPEAKER_01 4:37

It's very cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:38

We need to figure that out.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 4:40

Let's talk about that another time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

We brainstorm.

SPEAKER_00 4:43

Brainstorm, that's what we do. It's kind of what we do anyway.

SPEAKER_01 4:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:46

But okay, so you moved here in twenty-two, twenty-three. Twenty-three. Twenty-three. And one of my favorite people had your job beforehand was Savannah, is that right?

SPEAKER_01 4:57

Yes, Savannah.

SPEAKER_00 4:58

And then Savannah went to be the town manager in Montreat.

SPEAKER_01 5:01

She did, yes.

SPEAKER_00 5:02

So that so see, that was double whammy for me because I live in Montreat. And so I got I I got to really experience Savannah after during the storm recovery time. She was amazing and great. And then I got this job and I got to experience the whole Wesley thing. And it's been great. So I think that must be like the world's best job because it like produces great people, or maybe great people take the job. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 5:28

It's a it's a job that you know how they say like nurses or other jobs, you it takes a this particular person to do that. Sometimes I feel like in my role it does because it's so many facets of government that you're you know, you pivot hourly. Yes. And so, you know, you might call me for a question about something, you know, in the town

The Job That Requires Constant Pivoting

SPEAKER_01 5:49

or what something that the council did at a previous meeting, but then I can pivot and help an employee with something, you know, on the website.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

Right.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Or a citizen's gonna call and say, I need a public record request. So it's very you have to be able to multitask and pivot so well.

SPEAKER_00 6:05

You don't come across as ADHD boy. And I am I'm clearly ADHD girl. That's why I love my job because it happens every day that there's I never do the same job two days in a row.

unknown 6:15

Right.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

Ever. But you don't either.

SPEAKER_01 6:16

Really no.

SPEAKER_00 6:17

But that's why your office looks neat and orderly and mine does not.

SPEAKER_01 6:20

Well, that's debatable.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 6:23

It's all relative, I guess. Hopefully no one's gonna come and be I want to see your office after listening to this.

SPEAKER_00 6:27

So uh well, just tell them to go next door first.

SPEAKER_01 6:29

If they do, I'll be like, I need you to give me about an hour and then go.

SPEAKER_00 6:32

And go see Cheryl. Go see Cheryl's desk first. If you can find her desk, you'll be doing great. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So this podcast is not about the town of Black Mountain, but I do appreciate the support that y'all give to the chamber and y'all do support us at the chamber champion level, which is really there because our job is to help businesses. And that's um, you know, that's where the tax a lot of the tax base comes from. And so we do work together, but most people think we're we we work together, like we're the same entity entity, and we are absolutely completely separate.

SPEAKER_01 7:06

Right.

SPEAKER_00 7:06

So, but that's why I love having you over there so I can call you and go, how do I do this? How do I do that? What is this answer? So anyway, tell me, but I do appreciate what the town of Black Mountain does do for the chamber so that we can do for the businesses in the community. So that's good. And but I'm really trying to find more about Wesley Barker and living here and like so you're not a new resident. It depends on who you're talking to.

SPEAKER_01 7:33

Right.

SPEAKER_00 7:33

You didn't go to Owen High School, so you're not from here. I did not. You are not from here. Right. And I I have been told that, and I'm sure you have too.

SPEAKER_01 7:40

Yes, I do not claim to be I don't claim to be. I don't think it's been long enough for me to claim anything like that.

SPEAKER_00 7:45

So I think we don't, but but you you're you're relatively new here. And so tell me what it's like to move here from especially from somewhere you weren't like super happy to be. You weren't bad. It just wasn't home. Right.

SPEAKER_01 8:00

It wasn't mountainy. Right. It was not mountain y at all. It was uh very much suburban, urban, borderline, or you know, it was near I live near University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Um I see you smirking it, but you know, go heels. But Go Devils. Uh we'll talk about it later. Okay. Uh yeah, it was uh the atmosphere was just different. Uh the people were different. Uh and I just

Leaving Durham And Choosing Black Mountain

SPEAKER_01 8:24

you know, you have that feeling sometimes when something's not right. And it was speaking to me almost six months in after moving. I was like, this is not this just not working for me. I know other people can do move somewhere different and it works great for them, but I just always had that feeling, and when I would come back home to visit, it was like, I miss it here. You know, I don't know that I want to go back to my hometown because one of the reasons is I needed to get out and experience things other than what I knew for 35 years. Sure. So uh it was just one of those things. Is but once I moved here, you know, obviously you move to a new place and it's you learn you have to learn the roads, you have to learn all the things. Right. And uh but yeah, it it was uh and get to know people and know, especially not only moving, but with a new job and in a public job where you're having to get to know other people, citizens, businesses, all that stuff in a quick fashion. That's right. Uh so it was a lot at once, but uh it was quickly I knew I made the right decision.

SPEAKER_00 9:26

Good.

SPEAKER_01 9:27

So very quickly I was like, I like it, you know. I I moved to the in the city limits of Black Mountain, which is work for the town. So uh it was the walkability to downtown. I like that. I didn't have that in Chapel Hill or Durham. And uh the just the different um options for dining and activities. There's so many places to eat here. That's right here close by that's just so and everybody's friendly and uh you know they remember you when you come back and things like that. And it reminded me a lot of where I grew up, but in a different scale, if that makes sense. Because you weren't from there, so it's not one of those Right. You know, you feel at home, but it's not, you know.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

Right. I get it. I did the same thing two and a half years ago. So yes, I get it.

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Yes. Did it answer your question? Yes, it did.

SPEAKER_00 10:12

Yes, it did. What do you like to do when you're not at work?

SPEAKER_01 10:15

When I'm when I'm not at work.

SPEAKER_00 10:17

And sitting on the porch reading a book is not the correct answer here.

SPEAKER_01 10:21

Well, uh when I read a book on the porch, it makes me want to take a nap. So you know, usually I reserve book reading for when I'm visiting the beach. But so obviously I like to be outside. I grew up outside, you know, I'm sure everyone says they like to go hiking, but it's truthful to say that I like hiking, yes, absolutely. So uh exploring the trails. I'm familiar with the Blue Ridge Parkway, you know, on my end of the state. Right. But

Food Festivals And Live Music Spots

SPEAKER_01 10:44

this and exploring that a little bit more because I don't know all of the trails on this side of the state. That's right. But also I like food.

unknown 10:51

I know.

SPEAKER_01 10:52

And I like, you know, adult beverages. And so we're in what the capital of the beer world down here, right? So uh so yeah, trying out new restaurants, that was something I like to do when I first moved here, is trying out the different restaurants and getting recommendations from people, and it's true. It's awesome how many options there are. Uh and so trying to trying that. Uh I like going to uh some different events that's in town. Like sour wood. Like sour wood, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:20

Like sour wood festivals. That's your favorite, right? Yes. Good answer. Yes. Okay. You can tell the real answer. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 11:27

No, I like small town festivals because we had that back home. So uh it's it's not really small per se, but it's you know what I'm saying. I know. In the downtown. But uh so little events, music, live music. I like live music. Uh so just a I'm very Where do you go for live music?

SPEAKER_00 11:43

White horse is the obvious answer. Have you found a a watering hole or something that has over and over really good good music? Or that you is good for you, I should say.

SPEAKER_01 11:55

Sometimes I stumble on it, stumble upon it, don't know that they're having live music that night or something, or I'll be surprised, pleasantly surprised, that there's someone's playing, look out brewing. And they've I've been there and they've they've had bands. And then down at the the station, they have people come in too, and so good.

SPEAKER_00 12:15

Okay. Have you been to Old Town District?

SPEAKER_01 12:17

I have been to Old Town District. Uh I haven't been when they've had music. I went plan around. The last time I went, it was the uh they had the hockey games. So that was fun because everybody was into it and doing that. Yeah, that's what I heard. I heard about that. Yeah. I think they um I think they might have won. Did they? I think. Okay. I think. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

I don't know. I'm from Georgia. We don't we don't hockey.

SPEAKER_01 12:42

Right. That's yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:43

We did when I was a kid.

SPEAKER_01 12:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 12:45

There was hockey when I was a child. We would go. But anyway.

SPEAKER_01 12:48

But yes, I went there. Uh I like the atmosphere there.

SPEAKER_00 12:50

I love that you can go inside or outside.

SPEAKER_01 12:52

Exactly. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 12:53

And you can have so my friend drinks beer and I don't.

SPEAKER_01 12:57

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 12:58

But they also have a bar.

SPEAKER_01 13:00

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 13:00

But you can order it both and it's the same same ticket. And so Bob can still pay for it.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 13:06

I'm a fan.

SPEAKER_01 13:07

That's good to know. That's good to know. Yeah. Uh I was outside when I went. So I do I like that. I like when I like unique places that are you don't know what to expect when you go in, you know, just the atmosphere or something. That's definitely one that'll surprise you. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:22

So cool. So everybody when I ask this question, they give me the same answer.

SPEAKER_01 13:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

Favorite trail. One that you use a lot over and over again. Hike and trail. Hmm. Looking at me with like deer in the headlights. Well, that is with the names.

SPEAKER_01 13:42

I just know where they're at.

SPEAKER_00 13:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 13:44

I bet the one that people tell you is something is it in Montreal?

SPEAKER_00 13:47

Absolutely. Every time. I'm like, come on, he's gonna have something different. But you said something about Blue Ridge. Blue Ridge Parkway. So do you go down to the Blue Ridge Parkway

Favorite Trails And Group Hike Ideas

SPEAKER_00 13:54

and hike from there or do you hike so yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:56

Not not as much as I would like to have so far because just that you know adulting. That's right. But uh I don't know the names. I'm sorry. I just Well so so our new Obviously the mountain let me say the mountains to seetrail obviously weaves through, but that's not what I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

The what?

SPEAKER_01 14:14

Mount Mountains to seetrill.

SPEAKER_00 14:17

Mountain to seal. Mountain to sea, got it. It sounded like Mountain to Citra. I'm like, what the heck is that? I'm like, what is that? I don't know. I've lost my mind. I know what it is. Yeah, well, and I'm I'm from the South too, so I usually understand it.

SPEAKER_01 14:29

The Appalachia, Northwestern North Carolina Appalachia. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:32

So what so okay. But so our new rec and parks guy, Jacob, is one of your buddies. And he was going to do, and then it they had to cancel it because of a shift change thing, but he was gonna do lead a couple hikes. Yes. And I was gonna go on them and I was excited about it. So you have to go with me.

SPEAKER_01 14:51

I would love to.

SPEAKER_00 14:51

Would be fun.

SPEAKER_01 14:52

Because some of those that were listed on that I had not been. I had neither. So one of them I had, but the other two, I will encourage them to reschedule the perhaps the fall would be a great time to do that.

SPEAKER_00 15:03

And he'll be a little more settled maybe by then.

SPEAKER_01 15:05

Yes. But I do like that.

SPEAKER_00 15:06

I love that concept so that people can get to know him. There's an opportunity, and it's not just an opportunity to stop in and say hello. It was a I told him he he was on the podcast a couple few weeks ago, and I told him, I said, I will go hiking if there's something else going on, like activity, like talking to somebody else and not by myself or just hiking with somebody who doesn't talk. Forget it. Right. I'm out. No thank you. So I was excited about that. But yeah, let's see if we can get that rescheduled. Not that that's your world, but it's kind of like a lot of people.

SPEAKER_01 15:37

Maybe I can um get permission to go too. So uh it'll be I think we should be helpful. To learn about the trails.

SPEAKER_00 15:43

Yes. Okay. All right. What else do you like to do? Hiking, eating, drinking adult beverages.

SPEAKER_01 15:49

Yes. I enjoy it's not really anything in the town, but I like uh gardening.

unknown 15:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 15:55

I grew up in agriculture classes and things like that. So I enjoy gardening and uh landscaping, things like that. So uh side sidebar in high school I had a small greenhouse business.

SPEAKER_00 16:07

Really?

SPEAKER_01 16:07

I did.

SPEAKER_00 16:08

Like you built them or you like sword things out of them out of it?

SPEAKER_01 16:12

Yes. I was like a little entrepreneur

Gardening Roots And A Teen Greenhouse

SPEAKER_01 16:14

in tenth, eleventh, twelfth grade. Uh you should renew that. It was fun. It was a lot of work for a s you know, a sixteen-year-old and going to school and coming home and but I learned a lot and it was through my ad classes. I was in FFA and so that was one of our projects. We had to do a project. And so I've always enjoyed doing that sort of thing. So so yeah, it's something I've not done in a while, but I would like to get do it more.

SPEAKER_00 16:39

Well, I know a place that would love to have you help them if you ever can get some time to get away from is the community high school. I don't know if you know about their ag department, but it it it got washed away in the in the storm and they've rebuilt it and they're they're getting it up and going. But it they had even uh even farmed a table, I think, like a restaurant sort of situation. I may be wrong about that, but where was that now to school? Community high school. It's it's what was Swananoa High School, and now it's the community high school that's in the same area. But they're in our little world down here. But anyway, pretty cool organization over there, and a guy who runs it is pretty neat too. So anyway.

SPEAKER_01 17:19

And I'll also uh you know, I like I like going to downtowns and looking at this looking at the stores, like shopping at the stores. I like to wear my town swag. So anytime I see cool t-shirts or something that has Black Mountain on it or wherever, you know, back home I still have some that from stores there, you know, I like to do that. I like to I like to have my the swag. That's right.

SPEAKER_00 17:43

I'm a swag girl too.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

Yes. But also gifts for, you know, holiday shopping, birthdays, things like that. Um

Shopping Local Plus Pottery And Art

SPEAKER_01 17:49

I like to just go and look around and look at cool artists and stuff too. Uh I love pottery. I wish I would like to learn to make pottery.

SPEAKER_00 17:57

Well, but I have a couple ideas on that too. We'll talk about that.

SPEAKER_01 18:01

That would be like something I would be interested in one day, maybe.

SPEAKER_00 18:04

I tried last summer. I I do a new hobby every year.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 18:07

Just try it out, see if I'm any good at it. I'm never very good at the art ones, but I have a great time. It's really fun. It's not like I'm gonna make millions doing it. But last summer was pottery and I had a really good time and I learned a lot. And so, and I learned a lot and I learned from other people too. We have two chamber members that you need to meet that will teach you.

SPEAKER_01 18:27

Okay. And I have dabbled in uh like abstract art too. And I enjoy that. That was sort of after during COVID. I had uh you know, had lots of free time during COVID, so uh dabbled in doing some abstract art and not for sale or anything, but just gifting it or just have it. And so it's really it's very abstract and it's very it's nothing expert level at all. But it was fun. It was colorful and fun and it brightened people's day if I give them one. So that's right. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:56

Well, cool. So I heard a rumor. If you can't talk about it, that's fine. But I'm excited about it.

SPEAKER_01 19:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 19:04

Main Street USA.

SPEAKER_01 19:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 19:06

Coming our way?

SPEAKER_01 19:08

Possibly.

SPEAKER_00 19:09

Working towards that? Are we allowed to talk about that yet?

SPEAKER_01 19:11

I think yeah, it was mentioned at a at a council meeting. Um and so another side story. Before I come to Black Mountain, I worked for the Department of Commerce um rural planning division for about three

Main Street Program And Downtown Momentum

SPEAKER_01 19:24

years. And uh I worked specifically with communities in western North Carolina that was part of the Main Street program.

SPEAKER_00 19:30

Good. Good, good, good.

SPEAKER_01 19:31

And uh also worked with the Appalachian Regional Commission, which is in a nutshell, economic development grant program. So um I'm familiar with the Main Street program. Good.

SPEAKER_00 19:41

Tell me what it is. I know what it is, but tell me like so it makes sense to somebody who's listening and doesn't know what Main Street USA is.

SPEAKER_01 19:47

Main Street USA, I mean it's an if you from USA is a national organization and uh communities can be designated as a Main Street town. There's certain criteria you have to meet to be designated, but you also have to maintain that. So it really boils down to like economic development things. And like I said, there's certain certain requirements you have to keep up with reports and things like that, but also it's a way to get money for your downtowns for different projects. So it's it's a good uh designation to have. That's right. So uh Black Mountain is currently not a Main Street town, but also I'll say North Carolina there's chapters, so Main Street USA is the overarching, and then each state has their own Main Street program. North Carolina's is one of the strongest in the country, and I say that because I that's what I heard. I knew that. So and I agree with it. We have great there's great staff there. So so we're not um uh designated yet. Right. There's some and so the still cannot act. It's been sorta in the in the works for a really long time and it's just never came came through. Yes. So yeah, the preliminary things I believe we're working on that. That was my first experience with And when I say we, uh the planning department. Right. Yes, right. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 21:01

That was my first experience in town hall when I got here. I didn't have a job. I moved here without a job. And I went in there and I talked to the town manager, and I'm like, I don't know if y'all have ever discussed this or not, but you need to be a Main Street designated town. And I don't know if you have ever discussed that. He's just looking at me like, sure, woman, whoever you are, you know. And he I said, I don't know if you've ever discussed it or not, but I'm your director, just so you know. I wanted to be the chamber director, but that didn't work out quite yet. So I would like to be your main. And he just looked at me like, who is this person walking about anyway? But he looked at me, he says, We're working on it. And I will keep you in mind. Thank you very much. And anyway, but but that was my first thought was this is such a cool town. I mean, it's so cool already. Right. And then go to some town like have you been to Murphy and seen their, their, their, their designated town, and it's their little alleyways. Every time I walk through our town, I'm like, ooh, that alleyway is cool, but it could be so cool. Right. You know, and that little area there is great, but it could be so great. And so I'm excited about that.

SPEAKER_01 22:07

Yeah, all the little projects like that are are things that they can help with and just bringing people to the downtown and encouraging businesses to participate in the events or stay open later or whatever, you know, if you're having a special event to make sure the businesses are involved. Right.

SPEAKER_00 22:23

Uh so uh and it makes it where the people who live here want to go downtown too. It's not thought of as just a

SPEAKER_01 22:30

Right. So even down to getting new, you know, public art and like uh you know sitting spaces, things like that, just to invite people to come downtown and stay.

SPEAKER_00 22:41

You mean in addition to all the rocking chairs that are all over together?

SPEAKER_01 22:44

In addition to that, yes.

SPEAKER_00 22:45

Or instead of or a combination therein?

SPEAKER_01 22:48

I think a combo, absolutely. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 22:50

Maybe we could get rocking benches. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 22:53

Okay.

unknown 22:54

That'd be fun.

SPEAKER_00 22:55

Okay. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01 22:56

If I like that, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:57

Bring it back in.

SPEAKER_01 22:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

Okay. All right. So Mama and Daddy still live in Ash County?

SPEAKER_01 23:04

Yes. Okay. They do.

SPEAKER_00 23:06

And so do you go back very often?

SPEAKER_01 23:08

I do. Not as much as I would like to, but uh, you know, every couple weeks I go up there. Or maybe, you know, once once every two months or it just depends. I go up on holidays and special events. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:20

Like Kitty and Larry invited you and me to come pick up a Christmas tree

Ash County Visits And Christmas Tree Pride

SPEAKER_00 23:24

one year.

SPEAKER_01 23:24

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 23:24

That was our road trip. They said the two of y'all is Larry, right? That's right. Yes. Yeah. He runs a Christmas tree farm up there. And I was I was telling him we needed a Christmas tree for Black Mountain, because we really do need one and we can't seem to find one. And they're very expensive to buy an artificial one. So I said, Well, what if we could work something? He said, Well then you and Wesley would have to come get it. I said we're on our way. That'll be great. Yes, I think that can be uh I think it's a I think it's a work trip.

SPEAKER_01 23:52

Yes. Yeah, yeah, definitely. So that's that's one thing too that I'm of proud you're always proud of where you're from is the fact that where I'm from is one of the top producing Christmas tree counties in the nation. We we compete with a town or a county in Washington State or Oregon. Oh wow. Um and it rotates every so often of who the number one producer is. So, you know, that's our big economy driver up there. So uh I'm proud of that too. And who doesn't like a Christmas tree?

SPEAKER_00 24:23

I know. I'm not a huge Christmas nut, but I like a Christmas tree.

SPEAKER_01 24:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:27

And I want us to have a really good one down in the yeah in the square or somewhere.

unknown 24:31

Right.

SPEAKER_00 24:31

We're gonna get it's gonna happen. Well, is there anything I haven't asked you about? Anything you want to talk about? I don't know. I don't know. I think so. Okay. Anything new and exciting that we need to know about in town that's like anything exciting going on that or do you just send people to the visitor center to answer that question?

SPEAKER_01 24:54

Well, like you said when you started when we started today that people thought you were the town. They think sometimes we're the chamber. And so I we kind of I'm like, no, you're almost there.

SPEAKER_00 25:04

You're next door. Almost a little bit further.

SPEAKER_01 25:06

Um but yeah, uh as far as town things, you know, we I guess sourwood would be the the next um big thing coming up. Uh you know, town is the town itself is um going through some changes right now. And, you know, with our with staffing and some other things.

Why Change Upsets People At Festivals

SPEAKER_01 25:24

I mean, we just started a new budget here. And uh thank goodness. Yeah, so it's uh you know, there's it's change is good.

SPEAKER_00 25:31

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 25:32

It can be a little difficult.

SPEAKER_00 25:33

But okay, I'm gonna throw this out there.

SPEAKER_01 25:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 25:36

One of the things that drives me crazy, and it happens in every town around the world. It change happens. But one of them, like sourwood's what we're talking about now. But so people say, Well, sourwood's not like it was back when it started. And I want to say, what social media did you complain on in 1977? Oh, you didn't have one? That's a change.

SPEAKER_01 25:56

Right.

SPEAKER_00 25:56

What car were you driving in 1970? You're in a different one? That's a change. You make changes too. We all change.

SPEAKER_01 26:02

I've never thought about it like that.

SPEAKER_00 26:03

And it and it just it makes me crazy. And they do it in Cartersville, they do that here, they do it in Ash County, they do it everywhere. So it's not a Black Mountain thing or anything. But I do think sometimes we lose sight of it, especially like you from Ash County, me from Atlanta or wherever I was in Georgia. But um, but I'll think, oh, I do miss it like that. Well, but I like some of the changes too, and it's hard to remember that there are there are some of the changes are good. Like I don't want to drive the car, I was driving in in 77. Right. Of course I was you weren't born yet, and I was you said I was probably minutes, minutes old or something. But I mean anyway.

SPEAKER_01 26:46

Well, I've experienced the same thing in when I lived in Ash County. We had a festival that and it has it, what's it saying? Christmas and July Festival was actually part of that committee for about ten years. And the town was heavily involved with that, as as was the chamber up there. And it went through many transitions. It's still going on, it's in its like 37th year or somewhere around there.

SPEAKER_00 27:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:05

Um so it's it's been going on for a while. And they changed the structure of it. It used to be in the it occupied the entire downtown area, every street. It was three days, it was massive. And then it they had some changes and they had to condense it. And then it was on the back street, which is you know, it was significantly smaller. And so being on that committee, I managed the social media and website. And that was a you know, it's not like it used to be. And but it, you know, there was reasons for that. But there again, it it still draws a lot of people, brings a lot of of people to downtown and they're spending money not only there, but in the businesses. And so I try to think about it that way too. And I'm sure when it started in 1987 that people were saying we don't want the streets closed for three days. Right. Right. So it was see I understand that and you know, I think but also I'll say that at least we have, you know, social media accounts and things for people to you know, they're able to have conversations. Mm-hmm. Um sometimes not productive, but sometimes they are. You know, you can learn a lot that way. So I'm always a positive poly.

SPEAKER_00 28:21

So there you go.

SPEAKER_01 28:22

There's that well for you now. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 28:25

Well, anyway, well, thank you very much for coming today. Thanks for having me. I appreciate you being in here. I appreciate all you do for me. If people knew how many times I look like a rock star just because I called Wesley and asked a question and got an answer and then I had the answer. Um I'll never tell them though. Okay it's a secret.

SPEAKER_01 28:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 28:42

It's like ask Jeeves, but now it's asked Wesley.

SPEAKER_01 28:44

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 28:45

There we go.

SPEAKER_01 28:45

Yes. But thanks for having me. And I like I said, I enjoy being here and and uh living in the town and invite everybody to come experience Black

Closing Thanks And Local Invitation

SPEAKER_01 28:54

Mountain. That's right. So and Swannanoa.

SPEAKER_00 28:56

All right. Well, thank you so much.

SPEAKER_01 28:58

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 29:00

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.