Boone Area Chamber of Commerce

08/27/2026

This week's Policy & Pints at The Cardinal centered on childcare: what changed in Raleigh this year, and what it means for the High Country.

Our panel:
📋 Halee Hartley, Kid Cove and the NC Task Force on Child Care and Early Education
🧸 Elisha Childers, The Children's Council of Watauga County, Inc.
🏡 Julie Page, Little Jewels Home Childcare
🧡 Jennifer Warren, Western Youth Network

Childcare access shapes who can take a job and keep it, which makes it a business conversation as much as a family one.

🍻 Thank you to Kid Cove for sponsoring and The Cardinal for hosting!
➡ Policy & Pints is an initiative of the Chamber's Advocacy Task Force: https://www.boonechamber.com/advocacy-task-force

08/26/2026

There is no better advocate for early childhood education, Southern Appalachia and rural tourism, philanthropy, country music, and hair rollers. 🪕🦋✨⛰️💞

Thank you, Dolly

08/24/2026

Ten years ago this month, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce handed David Jackson the microphone - and he has not put it down since! In August of 2016, Jackson stepped in as President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce after 16 years with Appalachian State Athletics.

Upon accepting the role, Jackson said he looked forward to "leading a team that will seek to build upon those strengths and further support the growth and welfare of our business community."

A decade later, that is the record. Jackson was vital in the creation of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation and has built a staff that has grown with the organization. He has built dozens of events and programs that outlast any one year, including Vision Northwest North Carolina, Keep Boone Healthy, the 4 Under 40 Awards, Advocacy Task Force, and the Mind Your Business Podcast. And through this region's hardest seasons of pandemic, disaster recovery and economic unrest, he has been a trusted community response partner and a steady voice.

His service runs well beyond the Boone Area Chamber office. Jackson serves on the Governor's Advisory Committee for Western North Carolina Recovery and the Watauga County Economic Development Commission, along with the boards of AppalCART, CACCE, the NC Early Childhood Foundation, and the NC Employee Ownership Center, was named Community Advocate of the Year by the NC Rural Center and Childcare Champion by NC Child in 2025. Jackson also teaches at Appalachian State University, where he graduated in 2000. The list is long, and it still does not capture it all!

Ten years on, the job is still about showing up and being a trusted voice on the regional, state, and national level.

🎙 Congratulations, David.

08/22/2026

Know Your Neighbor: The Beacon ✨🍽 Located at the historic Water Wheel on Hwy 105, The Beacon serves an elevated meal experience crafted with intentionality and local love. Pasta made by hand, pizza dough from imported 00 flour, daily specials built around local farm produce, and live music by the iconic riverstone fireplace several nights a week.

The Beacon is a staple in Tina Houston's High Country restaurant lineup alongside Reid's Cafe and Raw Bar, Pearl's Kitchen and Tiny Market, and Betty's Biscuits. Houston received the Chamber's Kathy Crutchfield Citizen of the Year award in 2024. 😋

https://www.boonechamber.com/news/know-your-neighbor-the-beacon-

08/20/2026

Encore registration is OPEN!

Encore is a course through the Watauga Leadership Institute built for WLI alumni, community members, and anyone looking to keep growing as a leader. Four sessions, one morning a month:

🎯 September 17: Going All In (Eventually) with Dr. Jim Street
💡 October 15: Bringing the Entrepreneurial Spirit Into Your Life with Erich Schlenker
🎤 November 19: Learning to Facilitate from the Facilitator with Dr. Jim Street
🤝 December 10: Conflict Resolution 2.0 with Julie Gates, retired VP at Domino's Pizza

Standard and non-profit rates available. Course details and registration: https://www.boonechamber.com/watauga-leadership-institute

08/17/2026

Today marks the first day of the fall term across the board in the High Country! Watauga County Schools, Appalachian State University, and Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute all opened this morning. 🎒

A few of our staff sent their own kids out the door today, and campuses across Boone and Watauga County are filling back up!

Students coming back to town means a busy fall for local retail, restaurants, and service businesses, and Watauga County Schools remains one of the county's largest employers.

Thank you to the educators, faculty, and staff across all three institutions for the work that starts today. Cheers to a great school year and Watauga County's top export: educated individuals 🎓

08/15/2026

Business After Hours took us to Deer Valley Athletic Club this week, hosted alongside Kingdon Marketing. Around 100 members came out for great weather and a mac and cheese bar ☀

💡 The hosting duo was intentional: Deer Valley was Kingdon Marketing's first High Country client!

Most people know Deer Valley for the tennis courts, pickleball, gym, and pools, but it also works as a year-round gathering space for local businesses, with corporate retreat space, a conference room, and bar catering. Check them out for your next retreat!

Kingdon Marketing is a web design firm and SEO agency based who helps businesses stand out online, reach the right customers, and grow with proven digital marketing strategies that turn website traffic into more calls, bookings, and sales.

Thank you to both teams for hosting. There is no Business After Hours in September - we'll see you at Spirit of Boone!

08/14/2026

This week's Know Your Neighbor comes from VPC Builders, who have been building homes and commercial spaces across the High Country for years and now have a Boone office to match their Banner Elk headquarters.

What started as a local builder has grown into four divisions: custom homes, home projects, commercial construction, and design. Their team also serves on regional boards and volunteers through their CARE program.

Read the full story 🔗 https://www.boonechamber.com/news/know-your-neighbor-vpc-builders

08/12/2026

The wheels on the bus go... "Yay, local produce!" Appalcart Watauga County Farmers Market

AppalCART will begin Saturday service to the Watauga County Farmers’ Market during the fall and spring semesters at App State beginning Saturday, 8/15/2026 using the Gray route. The route will run from 9:05 am until 5:35 pm. A route map can be found at https://www.appalcart.com/route-maps-and-schedules

08/11/2026

Announced live this morning on WATA 1450AM and 96.5, introducing your 2026 Community Award Winners ✨ https://www.boonechamber.com/news/spirit-of-boone-77th-annual-membership-meeting-community-award-winners-announced

☕ Economic Development: Stick Boy Bread Company/Hatchet Coffee, represented by Carson + Mindy Coatney
👏 Citizen of the Year: Dave Brewer
⛷️ Advancement of Tourism: Governor Josh Stein + Anna Stein, First Lady of North Carolina
🙌 Volunteerism: Judith Phoenix
💫 Woman of the Year: Missy Harrill
📜 Community Involvement: Ashemont Title, represented by Lindsay Miller
🤝 Partnership: Howard K**b - Destination by Design, Stitch Design Shop, Explore Boone, Watauga County
🌱 Sustainability: Dr. Lynn Gibbard
✨ Community Leadership: Tasha Rountree

Stay tuned in the coming weeks to learn more about the stories behind our honorees and join us in celebrating them at Spirit of Boone on September 24! 🎟️ Tickets are going fast.