Boone Area Chamber Announces 2020 Business Of The Year Winners - GoBlueRidge

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The Boone Region Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce its winners 

 The list of winners will be announced on Thursday, January 28

, 2021 

 Sponsored by Peak Insurance Group and supported by additional sponsorships from 44, Allen Wealth Management and Skyline National Bank.

The award is made by 

. The Chamber of Commerce and community members submitted nominations, and the Chamber’s Business Development Committee selected the winners. The Chamber of Commerce received 41 nominations from 28 high-level enterprises.

The basis for awarding companies includes endurance, sales and/or labor growth, innovative products and services, strong responses to adversity, contributions to community projects, and standards for using local resources in business operations.

The word community means different things to different people. This is the place where you live, the company you run, and the place where you can draw inspiration. When normalcy erodes and people seek familiar bonds to stop chaos, communities can become a force for stability.

As the pandemic changed reality, the local Lions cling to the spirit of community influence.

The owner said: "We had early discussions with employees and decided not to make a negative decision." 

 "I told them that we must make a decision, have hope, spread hope, and do our best. No matter what happens in six months, whether we achieve it or not, we will make a decision immediately and move forward."

The local Lions club sees steady traffic through its through car windows, and customers seek a normal diet of a cup of coffee and freshly made doughnuts. The company saw the impact of the intentional behavior of local residents and purchased gift cards and large-capacity coffee just to "help us do this." As the transaction volume increased, Davis and his team considered closed businesses and worked hard to connect these local merchants with customers.

"A few months later, my wife Meredith considered businesses that could not enter the market because they were still closed. We created a pop-up market where people could drive across our routes and buy from various local businesses. Merchandise, from candles, local potters, Easter baskets to flowers, everything. We didn’t charge space fees for these businesses, nor did we get any sales. It’s really a wonderful time to see customers join us and send them Buy products, otherwise these companies will be closed."

The tool change operation led to a reimagining of the space of the local lion. When the internal store was closed, Davis and his team embarked on a major renovation project to prepare for the return of customers in the pandemic world, while making necessary and desirable changes to the store with minimal impact . Even if its normal operations have changed, and thanks in part to the strong support of the community, Local Lion will still increase its sales by 30% in 2020 over the previous year.

Even with success on the register, Local Lion's greatest impact is still focused on community support. They continued their annual Donut Day fundraising activities and made $2,500 for Zhongcha Greenway in just one day of concentrated sales. They provided advice and the voice of the board of directors to new companies that opened their doors during the pandemic and to companies struggling to deal with the reality caused by COVID. In the national turmoil caused by racial inequality, Local Lion reached out to help and had an active dialogue with the Boone Police Department and the herder community. They also contacted and supported a black-owned coffee shop in Ferguson, Missouri, dedicated to racial reconciliation. 

Davis said: "We find that the beginning of 2021 is very different from last year." "We are pursuing the same vision, although it has been reorganized on many levels. We are eager for people to help "conquer their mountains." We are very grateful and I believe we are stronger and closer than ever before."

Other nominees (compiled based on the information submitted by the company during the selection process):

 – Cooperate with local restaurants and companies to quickly resolve signage needs during the shutdown period, use expedited fees and reduce artwork production fees to help make necessary changes as cheap as possible. They cooperated with Boone Drug, Inc to label and distribute locally made hand sanitizers, and they quickly became PPE's distribution options to local companies that had difficulty obtaining supplies from regular suppliers.

 – During the COVID-19 pandemic, local clothing and souvenir shops were among the first adopters of roadside product delivery. The rapid shift to online sales and social media marketing helped the business exceed total sales in 2019. They have been long-term supporters of local businesses and non-profit organizations. They have acted as sales points for local product manufacturers and continue to provide charitable donations to various non-profit organizations.

 -At the beginning of COVID-19's entry into force, send all paid workers home to ensure that their families are as safe as possible. Once the staff returns to work, the staff will comply with the mandatory "cover-up" policy and redesign customer interactions to limit face-to-face customer interactions. The business continues to grow as a supplier of local construction workers in the highlands, and continues to donate products to people who are suffering from financial difficulties and who provide money and volunteer support to various non-profit organizations.

 -The Boone restaurant in the downtown area moved quickly to assist local farms, which are facing harvestable crops, and the market for sales to restaurants and other suppliers is decreasing. Beginning in early spring, they began to sell agricultural products packaging boxes filled with locally produced products from regional producers. Since then, they have added food bags to their product portfolio, highlighting Carolina Golden Rice, Pecans, Western NC Mio products, and other items grown and processed in Western NC. The weekly boxed sales in the spring provide a steady income for the spring and give customers access to fresh local food. 

  Free pet care services are provided to help pets who encounter difficulties and receive services from hotel guest houses, Caldwell hospice and palliative care, and OASIS. A 5-star pet boarding resort that provides services to the highland community, provides services to the highland community and residents, has helped community members, raised animals for various rescue organizations, and is always eager to serve the needs of the community. 

Although the retail business has been closed for five weeks, it still maintains support for local organizations and non-profit enterprises. With the support of customers, they continued to provide meals for all active and retired K-9 aircraft and donated more than US$6,500 in food. They worked with distributors to donate dog and cat food to displaced restaurant employees, and donated more than $1,200 in pet food to the Vatoga County Humane Society.   

 -Since the opening of the Boone Shopping Center, South’s annual sales and profit margins have tripled since the start of operations. Over the years, they have added a variety of services, including a new Merle Norman cosmetics production line, which happens to follow their move into the newly renovated space in the Boone Shopping Center. They regularly provide advice to regional business owners and support local breast cancer charities for a long time. 

Blow stone

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Val Cruz Conference Center

The staff at Paul H. Broyhill Health Center use the term "more than just a gym" to describe the impact of gifting to their clients. Overnight, the slogan became a reality because the entire Appalachian health care system (ARHS) felt the impact of the reality of COVID-19.

General Manager Kris Hartley said: “For some of our hospital employees, parenting will become a big problem.” “When we are closing to regular customers, local schools are closing and nurseries are closing. We know that with the pandemic Intensified, our doctors, nurses and staff must be in the hospital."

The staff of the health center quickly expanded the scale of its Fit Academy, making it a childcare resource for hospital staff, thus ensuring that ARHS can avoid a significant impact on the labor force. Staff work hard to provide baby care for infants of junior high school age and help facilitate the delivery of virtual schools when students switch to online classrooms.

When open to the public, Hartley and his team knew that the 5,400 members of the health center would not have access to daily activities that promote healthy lifestyle choices-access to fitness equipment and cardiovascular care, nutrition services, and other valuable course. The health center began offering their courses online, creating virtual spins, aerobics and yoga classes to keep members active and engaged. 

Hartley said: "Broy Hill Health Center has always been about the community, and we hope to continue through the pandemic." "Our response to the migration of certain services was amazing. We actually gave the entire The community opened the service for free. It’s great to see people doing yoga, stretching and bending, and lifting weights in this virtual environment. For them, it’s exciting, it’s a new experience, and it’s become We are such a powerful tool. I bring this to our employees and a commitment to achieving the goal of being an extension of the Appalachian health care system and doing everything possible to support the community."

The telemedicine options for nutrition and diabetes services keep patients in touch with their health goals. With the relaxation of government regulations, the health center reopened and made a firm commitment to safety. They installed plexiglass around aerobic equipment and public workplaces, and moved courses outdoors in summer to limit close indoor contact, strengthen cleaning procedures, and provide priority space for high-risk customers participating in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and other activities .

Hartley said: "This is a challenging year for everyone." "We thank those who took our courses and found ways to contact us. For those who came back, we tried to make all The people who use our facilities are as safe as possible. We are happy to be a part of this community and thank you all for your support as we tackle these challenges."

Other nominees:

 – VPC Builders has experienced considerable profitability in 2020, has 19 full-time employees, and has promoted the COVID security protocol throughout the organization. They continue to take a community-centered approach, donating breakfast to teaching staff in district schools, and providing financial support for numerous non-profit businesses and activities. 

 – 2020 has experienced growth. The company executed nearly 600 transactions, the number of transactions increased by 29.4% over the previous year, and sales volume increased by 33.2%. As the largest independently owned and operated real estate company in northwestern North Carolina, the team continues to cherish its opportunities to influence local organizations, has a long history of non-profit donations, and is committed to nurturing the next generation of industries through relationships with the following organizations Professionals Appalachian State University. The company has grown from one office and seven brokerage agents to now has about 50 brokerage agents and eight full-time employees operating in seven offices throughout the Highlands region.  

 – As a property management company, it has experienced continuous growth and has expanded to 19 multi-family real estate and 217 single-family real estate in high rural areas in just 11 years. The company also provides absent home care services to more than 20 hotels in the area. The company has 35 full-time employees, including real estate agents, leasing, accounting and maintenance teams. The team has also been a local partner of Appalachian State University housing and athletics, providing support for climbers and families with weekend meals, and providing local annual internship opportunities for more than ten years. 

release 

 The relief fund is used to help members facing COVID-19 financial difficulties pay for electricity and heating bills. So far, by 2020, 2,259 people have been helped 

 with 

 -The total amount of assistance provided is US$256,313. In addition to other charitable work, they also provided a grant of US$25,139 as part of 28 classrooms in the Blue Ridge service area 

 Grant plan. 

Through PPP loans to assist small businesses in the high-country market, while continuing to provide personalized services, help customers by delaying the payment of loans and insurance premiums. During the pandemic, they contacted the community and customers in various ways, and expanded the scope of electronic options, providing training and education on other ways to conduct business. Employees voluntarily participate in hundreds of hours of volunteer activities each year. In addition, LifeStore also provides two paid hours of volunteer service for each employee every month through the support of the company’s various non-profit organizations throughout the highland area to encourage the community participate.

As a 15-year-old freshman at Watauga High School, Rowen Todd is ready to go to work. Eager to start his career, he soon knew that his young age and lack of previous work experience were running counter to his efforts to find meaningful work.

Instead of waiting for the opportunity to work for others, he founded his own company-Mountain Vista Window Washing. Two years ago, he bought consumables and started disseminating information about his services, using activities such as "out of business hours" to find commercial enterprises that could benefit from his services.

Todd recalled: "I was looking for a job in the local community, trying to make some extra cash." "No one would hire me because I was young and had no work experience. Since then, I decided to go out. I bought some window cleaning supplies and then I started talking with people. Since then, I have started to get more support from other community members, and establish contacts with some customers through the Chamber of Commerce. Since then, I have never stopped providing quality Service and responsible for my work."

After using 2019 to lay the foundation for the business, Todd saw that total revenue in 2020 exceeded five times the previous year's revenue. Not only did he create stable employment opportunities for himself, but he was also able to fund other part-time workers to assist with a large number of jobs each year.

Todd said: "I am trying to absorb new customers." "This allows me to get my father to quit his current job and work for me. It was just a special moment for me, like everything will be fine. The same. I think I have begun to build something important and can exist in this community for emergencies."

In 2020, Todd expanded the scope of services to not only provide window cleaning services. He added pressure washing and sink cleaning to the regular menu, and began to provide sink guard installation and screen cleaning in the summer of 2020. He now also offers new building cleaning, window detailing and track cleaning options, and even provides service work for small-scale handymen.

Like many businesses, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic caused 80% of Todd's business customers to close their doors for a period of time. This adversity caused Mountain Vista to turn its customer base more toward homeowners. This move requires investment in higher ladders, work carts, and more equipment used to serve houses rather than storefronts. He combined the transformation with his first marketing campaign, using Rays Weather and Apple Cart bus advertising to gain brand awareness in the local market. 

Todd's strategic move has increased Mountain Vista Window Washing's customer base to nearly 200 customers, covering the residential and commercial markets. While managing his own growth, he played an active role in supporting the corporate world by intentionally purchasing local equipment, vehicles and supplies.

Todd said: "I have been setting goals for the future, where I want to be, what equipment I will need, how I will grow, and my goal is to help people serve better."

Other nominees:

 – Personal consultation and regular relationships with regional contractors laid a solid foundation for businesses that opened in February 2020, just a few weeks before the effects of the pandemic began to be felt in the Highlands. Since May 2020, the company has grown into a company with three employees, sales have exceeded $50,000, and has cooperated with many customers on new construction, kitchen and bathroom alteration/refurbishment, full-service design and complete home furnishing Decoration items. Last year, regional and national media reports highlighted Lauren Brown’s 30 years of experience as a professional expert in the furniture industry, while examining her new business approach and its success in high rural areas. 

 -Since its opening in 2018, it has quickly established its brand awareness as a highland dessert destination.

 In operation throughout the year, they opened a second branch in downtown Boone and added a cafe and indoor space to meet the needs of tourists and Appalachian State University students. The third location is scheduled to be located in the downtown Blowing Stone Center and is scheduled to open in the summer of 2021. 

– Despite the travel uncertainty caused by the pandemic last year, this boutique hotel in downtown Boone has experienced steady growth. Since opening in February 2019, the property has maintained a strong occupancy rate and established a profitable average daily room rate from June to December, which is one of the most challenging businesses during the pandemic. Since the door opened, their innovative approach has continued, creating a snow bar in their rooftop space every month in winter, and establishing a New Year’s Eve drop ball, inviting community members to enjoy the celebrations in the King Street downtown area. During this period, the company and AppHealthCare are working closely with AppHealthCare to establish a clear and separate working model for hotel and restaurant/bar employees to reduce contact when the pandemic breaks out.   

 -Since opening in 2019, the business has expanded by 12 employees and its annual revenue has more than tripled. They are able to quickly deploy services to help regional businesses establish COVID-19 cleanup agreements. They use local suppliers such as WJ Office and Appalachian Innkeeper Janitorial to purchase supplies, and continue to use their social media influence to actively promote other High Country businesses.

The company launched its product line in September 2019 and established a production headquarters in Boone. In 2020, the company adjusted its best-selling product to

Cooperate with a major electrical appliance manufacturer. This strategic move has witnessed the large-scale distribution of "Made in America" ​​products manufactured at Boone in the retail market in November 2020. They use connections through Mountain BizWorks and SBTDC to help provide them with a business foundation and consolidate their Boone-based product facilities.   

 -Marketing and video production companies have established themselves as full-service creative partners for many High Country companies and organizations. Their income has increased by 92% over the previous year, and they have spent a lot of time helping local companies transform their online platforms. The company has also been providing non-profit support in its culture and plans to expand that range next year.

Bald guy Brewer

The only impact studio 

For more information about the Boone Regional Chamber of Commerce, please contact David Jackson at: 

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