The Brief is coming soon from AVLtoday. This weekly newsletter will deliver the best business content from our community — local news, announcements, jobs, events, deals, company blogs, and podcasts. Take this quick survey to share your thoughts and help shape it. Only five launch partnerships are available — email rjohnston@6amcity.com to learn more.
Highland Brewing’s next adventure
The brewery already has a disc golf course and volleyball courts. | Photo via Highland Brewing Co.
Highland Brewing’s 40-acre East Asheville campus will see some exciting new additions this year, welcoming Cultivate Climbing, Black Dome, and a new pizza restaurant into the fold. In addition to its current lineup of disc golf, volleyball, a trail, and playground area, here are the new adventures to expect:
Trusted gear
Black Dome Mountain Sports will move from its Tunnel Road location to the brewery’s property, continuing its 40+ year legacy of outfitting adventurers with reliable gear. The shop will continue to display its Carolina Climbing Museum, showing off artifacts from generations of NC climbers.
New heights
And speaking of climbing,Cultivate Climbing is opening a 20,000-sqft rope climbing gym in Highland Station. It’ll feature 45-foot walls, a kids’ area, fitness and training zones, bouldering areas, and two training boards. In the meantime, try out the Foundy Street bouldering gym that opened this fall.
Cheesy bites
Highland will debut an in-house pizza spot, serving up “New Haven’ish pies” (think: thin-crust, Neapolitan pizza), hearty sandwiches, and salads.
County commissioners approved a new funding strategy that gives Buncombe County and Asheville City Schools a fixed share of 37.76% of property and sales tax revenue, providing more stable + predictable budgets. The plan is expected to increase funding year over year.
Health
Buncombe County Health and Human Services confirmed three measles cases in one household after the family visited Spartanburg, South Carolina, amid a large outbreak. Learn more about the local cases and how to get vaccinated at the Buncombe County Health and Human Services Immunization Clinic at 40 Coxe Ave.
Coming Soon
Whistle Hop Brewing Co. will open a Chimney Rock taproom in 2026. In a social media post, owners said they were inspired by the Raise the Rock plan, and “when we heard they needed a brewery, we knew we wanted to answer that call.”
Outdoors
According to Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine, the Art Loeb Trail is the best hiking trail in the Blue Ridge. See if you agree with the other winners of the magazine’s 2026 Best of the Blue Ridge winners.
Cause
BeLoved Asheville’s neighborhood of 12 deeply affordable homes, BeLoved Village, is nearing completion in East Asheville. House numbers crafted by local artists have been placed on each home — follow BeLoved on social media to keep up with the journey and learn how to get involved.
Real Estate
Two historic Biltmore Village commercial properties are for sale, near Corner Kitchen — and one of them may have held documents belonging to Richard Sharp Smith. Although we don’t know the local lore for sure, we do know that whoever buys the buildings has a chance to be part of Biltmore Village’s comeback. (To Asheville and Beyond)
Biz
A Tourism Development Authority presentation shows FY25 lodging sales fell 23% from FY24, and as of September 2025, hospitality accounted for all net job losses since October 2024, down 2,000 jobs. Stats could improve as major media coverage and events like the PGA Tour are spotlighting Asheville as a top travel destination.
Stop borrowing your partner’s moisturizer. Particle created the world’s first six-in-one face cream tailored for men. Just one cream, applied twice daily, covers all your concerns: fewer wrinkles, brighter skin, less puffiness, and lasting hydration. Try Particle risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and save 20% today with code CITY20.*
A new taproom isn’t the only exciting thing Whistle Hop has announced recently. The boxcar at the Fairview brewery is now decked out with wall-to-wall couches for cozy sippin’.
}})
