Sylva’s Creekside Oyster House and Grill will soon upgrade to a new building following the Tuckseigee Water and Sewer Authority’s decision to allow the owner an alternative to paying a large, upfront impact fee. 

It’s 3 p.m. on a weekday, a time when any restaurant would be well within its rights to be all but empty. But business at Granny’s Kitchen in Cherokee is humming along steadily, the main parking lot about half full and the hostess busily engaged with fielding phone calls, ringing up customers on their way out and welcoming customers on their way in.

The Franklin Town Council unanimously approved the local adoption of the brunch bill, which will allow restaurants and stores to begin selling alcohol at 10 a.m. Sundays instead of waiting until noon.

Sylva has joined the growing list of towns and counties approving Sunday morning alcohol sales following a 4-1 vote Sept. 28.

It’s 12:15 p.m. Sunday.

On a normal weekend, Tipping Point Brewing in downtown Waynesville would have been open for 45 minutes, its craft beer being poured to numerous local residents and summer tourists. But, this past Sunday, the front doors were locked, with owner/brewmaster Jon Bowman sitting inside. He watched as, one-by-one, confused people try to open the door, looking at their watches, looking around for an answer — one that Bowman holds.

More than a year after the food truck controversy in Waynesville prompted Sylva to review its own regulations, a proposed food truck ordinance is on its way to a public hearing and vote at the July 13 town commissioner meeting.

Sylva’s pub-lovers got a shock this summer when a closed sign appeared on O’Malley’s Sports Bar and Grill June 2.

Surrounded by piles of debris, old wood and gravel, Joe Rowland sees opportunity. “This is the inevitable next step for us,” he said.

Co-owner of Nantahala Brewing in Bryson City, Rowland wanders around a four-acre lot at the end of Depot Street, less than a block from the flagship brewery. Purchased by Rowland in early 2016, the property consisted of an abandoned warehouse (formerly the RC Cola bottling company) and large open field. Initially, the 11,000-square-foot building was going to be used for Nantahala’s equipment storage, barrel aging program and bottling line.

Since announcing its closure after 51 years in business, Joey’s Pancake House owner Brenda O’Keefe and her staff have been bombarded with well wishes and awards, including the highest honor in North Carolina — Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

Some institutions are meant to last forever, while others have their place in time and then they’re gone. 

After Tuesday, June 13, Joey’s Pancake House in Maggie Valley will be gone.