HipHendo

Small Business Saturday

2012-11-24T15:08:00.001-05:00

Small Business Saturday, started 3 years ago by American Express as a way to encourage small businesses to accept their higher fee credit card as a form of payment, has taken on a life of its own. It has become the "Black Friday" for small, local businesses across the country to help start off the lucrative holiday shopping season right.

The basic idea behind this concept is to shop small. Small Businesses are defined differently in the US depending on the industry they are involved in, but in general they are thought of as businesses, franchises and independents, that have less than 50 employees. Small businesses don't always mean local businesses though. Because of the value and convenience of the global community, small businesses can officially operate in a different state (or country) than they are based out of and can often hire workers to create their product overseas.

Local businesses, however, are typically operated in the same community as the owners live and employ local workers to staff their stores. Local businesses are known for giving back to the community and tend to create personal relationships with their clientele. They make an extra effort to buy products from local or at least regional providers and work hard to support the "made in the USA" concept. Sometimes these businesses can seem large, such as our local grocery stores, Ingles and Harris Teeter, but both of these "middle to large businesses" are founded and based in North Carolina and employ many North Carolina residents, while carrying many products grown and crafted in North Carolina.

I believe that Small Business Saturday is a great concept, but should not be limited to one day a year. We, as consumers, should try to shop small and more importantly perhaps, local everyday. Give your money to the business, small, medium, or large, that is doing the most for your community. If that means spending a dime or a quarter more on your favorite product once a month, it is worth the extra $1.20 - $3.00 year spending to give back to your community.

Buy where you live, love where you live.

Valet Gourmet Expands to Hendersonville

2012-10-21T15:12:00.002-04:00

The Asheville based restaurant delivery service, Valet Gourmet, has expanded into the Hendersonville area. At the time of this post, they offer delivery from 18 different food establishments in the Henderson County area. For a delivery fee of about $5-$9, depending on your area, you can get food delivered right to your door from some of your favorite restaurants. The HipHendo folks ordered from them last night and in about 30 minutes we had fresh sushi on our plates! It was fantastic.

The online ordering system is simple and very easy to use. Just make sure that you confirm your order after your first order. Read the fine print and do what it says, otherwise you will get a phone call making sure you really meant to order. A good practice to make sure orders are correct.

Visit their website here: Valet Gourmet

West First Wood-Fired

2012-09-26T19:49:00.000-04:00

I ordered pizza takeout from West First wood-fired tonight and boy was it delicious! I had the Prosciutto pizza - aged parma ham, fresh mozzarella & fresh arugula on crushed tomato sauce. Absolutely fantastic! One of the coolest things about this restaurant is their pizza boxes. They are made in the USA out of 100% recycled materials by Ecovention, LLC and are called Greenbox. The lid has perforations so it can be torn apart to make four plates and then the bottom can be folded in a certain way to make a fridge friendly box to store leftovers. So overall, West First wood-fired gets thumbs up for food quality and general eco-do-goodiness!

Cool pizza box

Delicious pizza

Calvin wants some!

2 Guys Pizza and Ribs

2012-09-04T18:50:00.004-04:00

2 Guys Pizza and Ribs never fails to satisfy. The menu is extensive, the portions are huge and the prices are reasonable. Service is friendly and prompt and the atmosphere is very inviting and comfortable. Without a doubt this is one of the "hippest" places in Hendo!

Apple Festival Parade Line-Up

2012-08-31T20:14:00.002-04:00

The 66th North Carolina Apple Festival web site has just posted the line-up for the Apple Festival Parade on Monday, September 3rd.

The line-up can be found here.

Nothing But Apples!

2012-08-30T15:14:00.002-04:00

Seems like I've been writing a lot about apples recently...

The 66th Apple Festival starts tomorrow, which is the official kick off of apple season here in Henderson County. The festival will be a blast for sure, but after the festival is over you can still enjoy Hendo's apples by going on a self-guided orchard tour.

The Blue Ridge Farm Direct Market Association has a great map on their web site of the 28 orchards whose doors are open to the public during apple season. Download the map here and plan an apple-filled, fun day!

Bring Us Your Best IX - Last Chance!

2012-08-29T15:51:00.001-04:00

This Saturday,September 1st marks the end of the Arts Council of Henderson County's "Bring Us Your Best" exhibition at Blue Ridge Community College. Final days for the exhibition are Thursday and Friday from 10am until 4pm and Saturday from 1pm until 3pm. The exhibit is located in the TEDC Building at BRCC. While you are there your can vote for the People's Choice prize. A great way to show your support for the local arts community.

Image from Arts Council of Henderson County website

16 Apple Varieties!

2012-08-28T18:38:00.000-04:00

In honor of the approaching North Carolina Apple Festival, I thought it was appropriate to share will you this list of the apple varieties grown in Western North Carolina. According to the Blue Ridge Apple Growers Association web site, there are 16 varieties of apples grown in WNC. That's a lot of apples!

If you have driven anywhere in Henderson County recently, you have seen how heavy the trees are with apples. Several of the local orchards are already open and serving up fresh apples, along with many other products.

Support your local farmers, buy local apples!

Photo credit: Blue Ridge Apple Growers Association

Mountain Fresh Orchards

2012-08-27T20:29:00.000-04:00

Mountain Fresh Orchards is now open for the 2012 Apple Season!

They are open 7 days a week from 8am until 7pm and right now they are offering up:

Honey Crisp - Gala Fuji - Mutsu - Golden Delicious Jonagold - Granny Smith - Jonathan

Apple Butter - Sourwood Honey

Fried Apple Pies - Apple Fritters - Apple Dumplings Apple Tarts - Apple Muffins - Apple Pie - Apple Caramel Cake Coffee - Apple Cider Slush - Peach Cider Slush

Stop by soon and feel good about supporting the local economy in Henderson County!

One More Reason to Love Our Community Co-Op

2012-08-26T15:12:00.000-04:00

Today a visit to the Hendersonville Community Co-Op yielded local produce as local as possible. Fresh Okra and Golden Nugget Grape Tomatoes from the Crab Creek Valley in Flat Rock, NC. The tomatoes are from Greys Reach and I am assuming that is where the okra came from also. How nice to be able to support our local, community farms. A+ for the Co-op!

Wickwire Fine Art/Folk Art

2012-08-26T12:22:00.001-04:00

Wickwire's latest newsletter is out and can be found here.

They are hosting an event during the NC Apple Festival. On Saturday, September 1st from 1-5 pm Renee Pardo & Delia Alonso will demonstrate their jewelry making techniques. Stop by and check it out.

Jump Off Rock

2012-08-25T18:52:00.000-04:00

In the serene neighborhood area of Laurel Park in Henderson County there is a hidden treasure known as Jump Off Rock. It is a small park, open to the public, with three walking trails and an amazing view from it's namesake, Jump Off Rock. The park is open from sunrise to sunset and the drive up to it is beautiful, through a gorgeous residential area. Just watch your speed and respect the homeowners who may be out for a walk.

For a neat web site about the story behind Jump Off Rock, check this one out.

Lime Leaf Thai Fusion

2012-08-24T21:57:00.002-04:00

Lime Leaf Thai Fusion on North Main Street in Downtown Hendersonville is definitely one of the "hip" places in Hendo. The menu features various kinds of Thai food from classic curry to pad thai. The restaurant offers two levels of dining rooms, as well as take out and the prices are quite reasonable. Take out service is quick, ready in about 15 minutes. So next time you are on main street stop in and give them a try.

342 North Main St. Hendersonville, NC
Downtown Hendersonville, between 3rd and 4th Ave. (Parking in Rear)
Phone: 828-692-3300

Apple Orchard Bicycle Ecotour

2012-08-23T13:45:00.000-04:00

A new event is being offered this year on Sunday, September 2nd, in conjunction with the NC Apple Festival. Sycamore Cycles and the NC Cooperative Extension Service of Henderson County are sponsoring a bicycle ride through apple country. The fee to join the tour is $20 per person and it benefits the NCCES' Pomology Program. For those of you that didn't retain everything you learned in high school biology (myself included), pomology is the science and practice of growing fruit. A registration form for the tour can be found here.

Hendersonville Community Co-Op is Expanding

2012-08-22T19:54:00.001-04:00

The Hendersonville Community Co-Op has plans to expand. According to the Co-Op's web site:

We have a signed purchase agreement to buy 2.1 acres of property at 899 Spartanburg Highway, at the intersection of South Grove Street and Spartanburg Highway, next to Carolina Mountain Credit Union. The property is under lease to Energy United Propane until August and includes a small office building. The purchase agreement includes an examination period that allows us time to check the land title, arrange financing, complete an environmental site assessment, and investigate the permits necessary for the project. During the same time we will be working with an architect and contractors to design the building and obtain bids for the building and equipment. We are planning to start construction by the end of this year and open the new Co-op in the summer of 2013.
The Co-Op is seeking to raise $1.1 million from its members and from donors within the community in order to secure a loan to finance the rest of the expansion. More information about this opportunity to invest in your community can be found here.

Apple Festival Just 11 Days Away!!

2012-08-20T19:44:00.000-04:00

The start of North Carolina Apple Festival is just 11 days away and this, the 66th year, is sure to be a great time. The Festival's web site is full of all of the information that you will ever need to know about this 4 day long festival.
A particularly neat feature is the "Meet the Growers" section where you can learn all about the apple farmers in Henderson County.

Henderson County Habitat ReStore

2012-08-17T12:22:00.001-04:00

One of the "hippest" places to shop in Henderson County is most certainly the Habitat For Humanity's ReStore. They actually have so much inventory that they operate two separate stores in buildings across the street from one another. The ReStore Home Interiors Store offers up furniture, housewares, books and various home decorating items. They have expanded this store to include an upstairs section of overflow that will not fit in the downstairs show room. The ReStore Home Improvements Store offers up doors to dishwashers and everything in between.

The ReStores contact information is:

The ReStore Home Interiors Store
222 West Barnwell Street
Hendersonville, NC 28739
Monday - Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Phone: 828-696-9524
Fax: 828-696-8572

The ReStore Home Improvements Store
230 South Washington Street
Hendersonville, NC 28739
Monday - Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Phone: 828-696-9524
Fax: 828-696-8572

Visit a ReStore today and help support a good cause!

LPC-Triathlon

2012-08-16T19:13:00.000-04:00

Henderson County's first ever Triathlon will be held this Sunday, August 19th at the Leila Patterson Center (LPC) in Fletcher, NC. According to the LPC Triathlon facebook page:

This triathlon is perfect for every level of athlete and features a 200 yard pool swim at the beautiful LPC, a 17.5 mile bike on quiet country roads and a rolling 5k run. We encourage both individuals and relay teams to participate. In the LPC Triathlon Team Competition, you don’t have to be a three-sport triathlete to be in the triathlon. You can pick whichever sport is your best event and just swim, just bike, or just run for a team. The race entry fee allows participating in the triathlon event and a portion of the race proceeds will benefit the LPC swim program for underprivileged children. Fees are: Introductory Offer Special, now thru May 15th – only $35! Early registration (May 17th-June 15th) - $40, Regular registration (June 16th –July 31st) - $45 and Late Registration (August 1st until race day) - $50. We are excited to also offer team registrations for both 2 and 3 person teams.

Online registration is available at imATHLETE

Good Luck to all of the brave triathlon participants!

Lunsford Farms

2012-08-15T19:33:00.002-04:00

Lunsford Farms in Hendo offers up locally grown vegetables and locally raised beef and pork. You can get their products directly from the farm, at the Henderson County Tailgate Market, and in local grocery stores and restaurants.

Support the local economy by buying local!

Blue Ridge Humane Society

2012-08-14T17:43:00.000-04:00

The Blue Ridge Humane Society, a limited admission nonprofit 501(c)3 animal welfare organization that has been operating in Henderson County since 1950, is hosting the 2nd Annual Pet Photo Contest. According to their website, you can:

Enter by submitting your best photo of a pet, alone or interacting with a friend or family member. In addition to prizes, First and Second Place winning photos will be permanently on display in our animal shelter, and may appear on the BRHS website and other promotional materials.

The entry form can be found here.

There is also a fundraiser dinner know as "Wags to Riches" held at the Hendersonville Country Club at 6:30pm on Saturday, September 29, 2012. The winner of the photo contest will be announced that evening. For information about tickets, click here.

Hendersonville, NC Poster

2012-08-13T11:56:00.001-04:00

The Hendersonville Historic Preservation Commission is offering a really cool poster for sale as a fund raising effort. The poster uses architectural elements found around Hendersonville to spell out "Hendersonville, NC". Proceeds from the sale of the poster go towards paying for the Commission's projects to help conserve Hendersonville's historic resources. Poster is $15 and is for sale at Mast General Store, Fountainhead Books, Framing Arts, Blue Ribbon Framer, Heritage Museum and City Hall.

Read more about what the Hendersonville Historic Preservation Commission is and what it does here.

Pardee Apple Festival 8k

2012-08-12T10:45:00.000-04:00

The annual running of the Pardee Apple Festival 8k will be held on Saturday, September 1, 2012 at 8:00am. The shared start/finish line is a close walking distance to the festival, so after the race you can enjoy the Apple Festival.

More information can be found on the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce's web site and online registration is available through Active.com

Image Credit: Henderson County Chamber of Commerce

Grandad's Apples

2012-08-11T10:06:00.000-04:00

It is almost that time of year in Hendo, yep I am talking about Apple Season!!! While out on a garage sale hunt this morning, I passed Grandad's Apples and saw that they are already open. I stopped in and purchased a jar of Apple Butter made by Barbara Lackey of Hendersonville and an Applesauce Loaf, both of which are delicious! Glad to have a little sneak peak of the season ahead.

Photo credit: Grandad's Apples

ECO Green Home Tour

2012-08-10T09:47:00.002-04:00

A very "hip" organization based in Hendo is the Environmental & Conservation Organization. Founded 20 years ago, ECO's mission as stated on their web site is:

To preserve the natural heritage of Henderson County and the mountain region as an effective voice for the environment. We fulfill this mission through focusing on four key areas: green infrastructure, water quality, energy conservation/renewable energy and recycling.

On August 18th, ECO will be holding the annual Green Home Tour from 10am to 4pm. This tour showcases homes that have been built with green building standards. Tickets for the tour can be purchased on the ECO home page and last year's tour sold out, so get your tickets soon!

Census Facts about Hendo

2012-08-09T09:31:00.000-04:00

While Googling "Henderson County" I came across the U.S. Census page with facts about Hendo. Some facts that I found especially interesting:

The number of persons 25 and older in Hendo that are high school graduates is 87.2%, which is significantly higher than the state average of 83.4%

The number of persons 25 and older in Hendo that hold Bachelor's degrees of high is 27.3%, which is also higher than the state average of 26.1%

The home-ownership rate in Hendo of 76.8% is also significantly higher than the state average of 68.1%

The median household income in Hendo is $46,446, almost a $1,000 higher than the state average of $45,570

I guess it goes to show that Hendo is not only "hip", but also above average!