Exploring the Valley

PC PRODUCTIONS
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Places & Travel

Discover the hidden gems, local legends, and can’t-miss experiences in Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley as we dive into the perks of Chamber membership and uncover what makes this mountain town a must-visit destination. Whether you're a local business or just passing through, there's something cool waiting for you!

  1. 3d ago

    How Tourism, History, And Volunteers Keep Black Mountain Thriving

    You can learn a lot about a place by listening to someone who has loved it for decades, then chose to serve it on purpose. We’re joined by Glenn Cox, a Swannanoa Valley local with deep family roots and a lifetime of stories that stretch from Atlanta summers to a full-time home in the mountains, complete with a reservoir view toward Craggy and the Blue Ridge Parkway that still feels unreal.  We also get practical about how a town like Black Mountain gets supported and seen. Glenn walks us through his nonprofit management journey, from Handmade in America to his operational role at Explore Asheville, and what it takes to build systems, separate organizations, and keep the work steady even when politics and funding shift. If you’ve ever wondered whether “Explore Asheville” includes smaller communities, we talk honestly about what gets done, how relationships matter, and why showing up changes outcomes.  Then we dig into the Tourism Development Authority: what it is, how occupancy tax funding works, and why grants and marketing support don’t appear by magic. We connect that to real results like the Sourwood Festival’s demand, and to the community side of the valley: the Swannanoa Valley Museum and History Center, exhibits that hold hard memories like Helene, and hiking programs that turn neighbors into friends.  If you care about Western North Carolina travel, local history, community development, or simply what makes a small mountain town function, this one is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves Black Mountain, and leave a review telling us what topic you want us to explore next. Send us Fan Mail Best Buy Metals is the industry leader in long-life metal roofing and siding materials. With seven manufacturing locations, they deliver high-quality products at everyday low prices and at speeds others can’t match. But what truly sets Best Buy Metals apart is their people—a dedicated team committed to providing exceptional service for projects of any size, every single day. Support the show

  2. Aug 18

    Why Painting A Flood High Water Mark Matters

    A local business owner pulls you aside at dinner and says, “We want you to take ownership.” That’s the moment Jessica Gruver and her now-husband Nathan step into a life-changing decision: buying Black Mountain Handyman and leading a team that homeowners across Black Mountain, Montreat, and Swannanoa already trust with their houses and their to-do lists.  We talk with Jessica about the real mechanics of a small business acquisition, why an 11 month transition can feel like having a baby, and what it means when a founder hands you the keys early and says, “Treat it like it’s yours.” We also get specific about what “handyman” can mean at a professional level, from helping an elderly neighbor change a light bulb to managing full renovations through Black Mountain Renovation and Design, backed by licensed general contractors and a team culture shaped by Montreat College ties and Eagle Scout values.  Then the conversation turns to Hurricane Helene and the kind of resilience you can’t fake. Jessica shares how 37 inches of water hit their building, what they lost in vehicles and tools, and how they rebuilt the space. One of the most powerful details is the painted high water mark on the exterior, a clean line with a date that quietly says: it happened here, and we kept going.  You’ll also hear how they show up for the community through Hammer and Heart and the Valley Hope Foundation, including donated labor that turns skills into real help. Subscribe for more stories from the Swannanoa Valley, share this with a neighbor who loves local businesses, and leave a review with your favorite takeaway. Send us Fan Mail Best Buy Metals is the industry leader in long-life metal roofing and siding materials. With seven manufacturing locations, they deliver high-quality products at everyday low prices and at speeds others can’t match. But what truly sets Best Buy Metals apart is their people—a dedicated team committed to providing exceptional service for projects of any size, every single day. Support the show

  3. Aug 11

    From Rory Gilmore To Chamber Pro

    She packed up her life, moved to the mountains days after graduation, and jumped into a Chamber of Commerce job that didn’t even come with a neat little job description. That’s the kind of real world leap we love, and it’s why our conversation with Sophie Sullivan feels so relatable for anyone starting over in a new place. We talk with Sophie about growing up in a tiny farming town in northwest Indiana, living in the Tampa area, and then choosing Swannanoa and the Black Mountain NC community as her new home. She shares how meeting her fiancé changed her timeline, what it’s like building a life near family, and the everyday joys that make Western North Carolina stick, including hiking with their puppy, chasing country music concerts, and the very real puzzle of wedding planning. If you’re searching for wedding venues near Black Mountain, Lake Eden and Hidden River come up as memorable options, especially for out of town guests who need cabins and an easy place to gather. On the work side, we get into what a chamber assistant actually does: social media, administrative support, Canva design, and the kind of careful proofreading that keeps community communication clear and trustworthy. Sophie’s journalism background shines as we talk about learning from volunteers in the visitor center and how one simple question, “Where are you from?” can turn a quick stop into a genuine connection. We also pull back the curtain on Sourwood Festival preparation, from signage and parking passes to handling calls from lost vendors and learning street names on the fly. If you care about local business, community events, and what makes the Black Mountain Swannanoa area feel like home, you’ll find a lot to love here. Subscribe to Exploring the Valley, share this with a friend who’s new to town, and leave us a review so more people can discover the pride of our community. Send us Fan Mail Best Buy Metals is the industry leader in long-life metal roofing and siding materials. With seven manufacturing locations, they deliver high-quality products at everyday low prices and at speeds others can’t match. But what truly sets Best Buy Metals apart is their people—a dedicated team committed to providing exceptional service for projects of any size, every single day. Support the show

  4. Aug 4

    What If The Right Town Finds You First

    They came to the mountains to be close to their daughters at summer camp and left with something way bigger: a new sense of home in Black Mountain, North Carolina, plus an “accidental” house purchase that might change everything. We sit down with Lisa to talk about what happens when a family from Wilmington starts spending more than a weekend in the Swannanoa Valley and realizes the place isn’t just charming, it’s livable. We get into the real details behind a potential relocation to Western North Carolina: why they were drawn to a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains, how Airbnb and short-term rental realities shape the first step, and what it’s like to keep one foot in the coast while imagining a future in the mountains. Along the way, we trade notes on rainy-day pivots, restaurant finds, coffee shop hopping, thrifting, and that moment on the Blue Ridge Parkway when the clouds erase the view and you find out what you actually love about being here. Lisa also shares the family side of the story: raising four kids, watching teenagers grow through a summer counselor experience, and navigating homeschooling in North Carolina with co-ops, sports, theatre, and a community that’s often more social than people expect. We wrap with dreams of remote work flexibility, flipping fixer uppers, and the local spots and people that make Black Mountain feel like it’s already theirs. If you enjoy stories about mountain town living, Black Mountain NC travel, family transitions, and building community in a new place, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who’s dreaming of the mountains, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. Send us Fan Mail Best Buy Metals is the industry leader in long-life metal roofing and siding materials. With seven manufacturing locations, they deliver high-quality products at everyday low prices and at speeds others can’t match. But what truly sets Best Buy Metals apart is their people—a dedicated team committed to providing exceptional service for projects of any size, every single day. Support the show

  5. Jul 28

    Ask Jeeves Got Replaced By Ask Wesley

    You can tell a lot about a town by the people who quietly keep it moving and by the ones who choose to come back after trying somewhere else. We’re talking with Wesley Barker, a lifelong North Carolinian who grew up in Ash County, took a detour through the Durham and Chapel Hill area for public service work, and then made a fast return to the mountains when he realized “not home” is a real feeling. If you’ve ever wondered what makes Black Mountain, NC feel different, this is a candid, lived-in answer. We get into what his job at the Town of Black Mountain actually looks like day to day: constant pivoting, answering citizen questions, helping with public information, supporting coworkers, and handling requests that keep local government transparent and functional. We also clear up a common mix-up for residents and visitors alike: the town and the chamber of commerce work together, but we’re separate. That difference matters for businesses, events, and how information flows in a small community. Then we shift into the fun parts of putting down roots: Ash County cheese, small town festivals like Sourwood, live music nights, local restaurants, craft beer culture, and learning the hiking trails around the Blue Ridge Parkway. A big highlight is a plain-English breakdown of the Main Street program and what a Main Street designation could mean for downtown revitalization, from public art to better gathering spaces and stronger support for local businesses. If you care about economic development in Western North Carolina, you’ll want this one. Listen, share it with a friend who loves mountain towns, and then subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one change you’ve seen in your hometown that turned out to be good? Send us Fan Mail Best Buy Metals is the industry leader in long-life metal roofing and siding materials. With seven manufacturing locations, they deliver high-quality products at everyday low prices and at speeds others can’t match. But what truly sets Best Buy Metals apart is their people—a dedicated team committed to providing exceptional service for projects of any size, every single day. Support the show

  6. Jul 21

    Mountain Town Stories

    You can live near a place for years and still realize you’ve never actually seen it. That’s the moment that hits when Judy Schuford talks about finally taking a real tour of Swannanoa and walking away convinced we all need to show up, spend locally, and help the rebuild keep moving. We start with Judy’s personal story, from Monroe, Georgia to Chapel Hill, then a long arc that brings her back to Montreat for good. She shares what first brought her to the area, how camping and community connections turned into roots, and why moving to Highland Farms ended up being more than a lifestyle choice. When Hurricane Helene hit, “home” became complicated fast. Judy’s account of getting stuck, getting help, and then feeling deep gratitude for support systems is a reminder that resilience is built before the storm. From there we get practical and local: the Swannanoa businesses fighting back, the KOA campground rebuilding, and simple stops that make a difference when you choose them on purpose. We talk places like Papaw’s Place, Short Sleeves, Open Oven, Roots and Branches, and Blunt Pretzels, plus the little details that make a mountain town feel alive again. Judy also honors the legacy behind the Andy Andrews Visitor Center and shares why stories and service still matter here. If you love Western North Carolina, Black Mountain, Montreat, and Swannanoa, hit play, then subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a review so more people find the stories that keep our valley connected. Send us Fan Mail Best Buy Metals is the industry leader in long-life metal roofing and siding materials. With seven manufacturing locations, they deliver high-quality products at everyday low prices and at speeds others can’t match. But what truly sets Best Buy Metals apart is their people—a dedicated team committed to providing exceptional service for projects of any size, every single day. Support the show

  7. Jul 14

    The Disco Ball Barn That Launched A Thousand Ideas

    A place can hold more history than we realize until someone walks us through it with names, dates, and stories that snap the whole landscape into focus. That’s what happens when we sit down with Leigh Maher, longtime event producer at Lake Eden in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and one of the people who helped shape what so many of us think of when we hear “LEAF Festival.” From a childhood in a Western Massachusetts mill town to a post 9-11 flight that unexpectedly changed his life, Lee connects the personal and the practical in a way that makes community feel tangible. We talk about how LEAF grew from a bold, multi-genre vision into a cultural arts education powerhouse, and why festivals are never “just music” when they are done with care. Lee shares what it takes to curate spaces that spark curiosity, protect local small businesses, and create traditions families return to for generations. Then we zoom out even further into the layered Lake Eden history: apple orchards, E.W. Grove’s quarry and planned community dreams, and the Black Mountain College era that brought progressive education and world-changing art into the Swannanoa Valley. Finally, Lee lays out what comes next with Lake Eden Reunion, a new gathering designed around play, family camp energy, and an experience-first approach while Western North Carolina continues recovering after Helene. If you care about community festivals, event safety, historic venues like the Black Mountain College barn, and what it means to keep a place alive, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves these mountains, and leave a review with your favorite Lake Eden memory. Send us Fan Mail Best Buy Metals is the industry leader in long-life metal roofing and siding materials. With seven manufacturing locations, they deliver high-quality products at everyday low prices and at speeds others can’t match. But what truly sets Best Buy Metals apart is their people—a dedicated team committed to providing exceptional service for projects of any size, every single day. Support the show

  8. Jul 7

    Use Your Legs And Buy The Fish

    Fresh seafood in the mountains sounds like a contradiction until you hear how it actually works. We’re catching up with Carolyn Bajesse, a St. Thomas native who found her way back to Black Mountain, North Carolina and stepped into ownership of Black Mountain Seafood, one of the most practical, community-rooted small businesses in town.  We talk through the real behind-the-scenes logistics of getting fresh Atlantic seafood inland: the Thursday night pickup packed in ice, the Friday sell-through, the short Saturday hours, and the simple rules that keep fish at its best. Carolyn also shares what shows up week to week, from North Carolina shrimp and scallops to rotating local catches like flounder and black sea bass, plus how her Wednesday email list lets customers reserve what’s coming in before it even hits the case. If you care about sustainable seafood, seasonality, and buying food with a clear story, you’ll get a lot out of this.  Then we zoom out to what makes Black Mountain feel like Black Mountain: the Tailgate Market under the trees, chamber coffee meetups that turn into real referrals, and the local spots we keep coming back to when we just want to sit outside and watch the world move. We also get honest about Hurricane Helene recovery and why visitors matter even when downtown looks “fine.”  If you enjoy conversations about local business, community culture, and the best things to do in Black Mountain NC, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Send us Fan Mail Best Buy Metals is the industry leader in long-life metal roofing and siding materials. With seven manufacturing locations, they deliver high-quality products at everyday low prices and at speeds others can’t match. But what truly sets Best Buy Metals apart is their people—a dedicated team committed to providing exceptional service for projects of any size, every single day. Support the show

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5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Discover the hidden gems, local legends, and can’t-miss experiences in Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley as we dive into the perks of Chamber membership and uncover what makes this mountain town a must-visit destination. Whether you're a local business or just passing through, there's something cool waiting for you!

Information

  • Creator
    PC PRODUCTIONS
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Exploring the Valley
  • Show Website
    Exploring the Valley