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Some downtown Sylva leaders oppose church move

fr sylvachurchA church is looking to bring a little more religion to downtown Sylva, but some local business owners, as well as elected officials, are skeptical of the move.

Maggie aldermen bow out of business approval process

The Maggie Valley town board will soon divest itself from the role of both judge and jury for new businesses moving into the town’s commercial district.

Flourishing in a fading art form

fr clyderaysIt’s Monday morning, and Mary Lou Rinehart is taking a moment to relax.

Owner of Clyde Ray’s Flower Shop in Waynesville, Rinehart spent most of the weekend putting the final touches on innumerable corsages and arrangements for the two high school proms that were on back-to-back nights.

Congressman Meadows among good company with Haywood business leaders

fr meadowsU.S. Congressman Mark Meadows told Haywood County business leaders this week that the federal government should borrow a page  — or perhaps a whole chapter or two — from the private sector playbook when it comes to financial problem solving.

Franklin merchants run afoul of festival planning protocols

Some downtown merchants in Franklin have clashed with town leaders in recent weeks over a perceived lack of support for new ideas and initiatives to boost commerce.

On the job with Franklin’s Main Street director

Franklin’s Main Street Program has found itself in an uncomfortable spotlight in recent weeks as Franklin merchants have complained that the town’s formal downtown association isn’t doing enough.

Vying for foot traffic: The Holy Grail of downtown commerce

coverTry scaring up a parking space, hunting down an empty bench or pushing a double-stroller along the crowded sidewalks on peak days, and the popularity of downtown Waynesville’s quaint, tree-lined shopping district is obvious.

But for merchants, getting those browsers off the sidewalks and into their shops is another job altogether.

As Black Friday morphs into Grey Thursday, shoppers trade in the turkey in hopes of huge savings

fr blackfridayBefore the gravy had turned cold and the Thanksgiving Day turkey had been packed away in Tupperware, shoppers were already lining up at the Walmart in Waynesville for one of the earliest Black Friday door busters ever — Thursday night.

In a Main Street mood: Shoppers trade Black Friday chaos for downtown charm

fr shopmainstreetShe is every Main Street merchants’ dream.

With a penchant for the eclectic and a passion for supporting independent businesses, Carolyn Phinizy worked downtown Waynesville’s shopping district during the post-Thanksgiving spending days like it was her civic duty, not calling it quits until the trunk of her SUV wouldn’t fit another parcel.

From down-and-out to up-and-coming, former factory town undergoes transformation

fr hazelwoodPatty Atkinson took a short break from helping the constant flow of customers at a local family pharmacy in the heart of Hazelwood to talk about the evolution of the community around her — from a bustling blue collar factory town to a mostly deserted streetscape to a quickly changing, thriving pocket of Waynesville.

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