Western North Carolina has always been a place that attracts people who march to the beat of their own drum. It’s not just artists and musicians (though there are plenty of them around here), but people who want to create something that’s outside of the box and enjoy a life that is a little less ordinary.
The Road Trip to Everywhere, USA
If you travel around the United States, one of the first things you’ll notice is that it’s immense, it’s beautiful, and it’s filled with incredibly warm people (for the most part). What you’ll also find, especially when you hop off the interstate for gas or food, is that there are thousands of commercial strips in this country that look exactly the same. You’ll have fast food options, fast casual options, and casual chain options sandwiched between the same eight or nine types of gas station and one of six or seven hotel chains. There will be a Walgreens. There will be a Cracker Barrel.
Some people find comfort in this because they know what to expect from each one of these establishments. An Arby’s in Ohio is supposed to be the same as an Arby’s in Anchorage, with the same weirdly consistent sliced beef log on a bun. Consistency is what keeps certain customers coming back time and time again.
Enjoying a Sense of Place
These kinds of commercial strips exist throughout WNC, too. However, just a few minutes from Tunnel Road in Asheville or Russ Avenue in Waynesville, you’ll also find thriving main streets that are dominated by small stores run by people who live in town. There is a sense of place there and you may not always know what to expect when you walk into a local brewery, a local diner, or a boutique.
When people say they want to keep a place weird, it doesn’t mean they want it to be an oddball freakshow; it means they want to keep it from looking like, sounding like, tasting like, and being like everywhere else. It means they want to not just have a unique Main Street to walk up and down; it means they want to enjoy and help create a sense of place. They want to own a home (or homestead) that fits in with the larger tapestry of the community.
Finding a Place to Call Home
Though it’s easy to recognize everything that WNC has to offer, it can be difficult to get to know every mountain town and neighborhood without years of research. This is why it helps to have a guide, like resident WNC explorer and Owner and Broker in Charge of LandCrazy Tom Curé, who has 20 years of experience in WNC real estate and knowledge sharing under his belt. If you want to discover the most appropriate place to establish roots, Tom can help you on your journey and show you everything that WNC has to offer.