As we enter Spring the Village is gearing up for our first full tourist season since the flood. We have Spokes of Hope and the Amish back in the Village and you can see signs of rebuilding in many locations.
Hickory Nut Falls Campground is hoping to reopen this spring and is looking forward to welcoming back their regulars as well as new faces. Chimney Rock Gem Mine is putting the finishing touches on their building and also hopes to reopen in the spring.
The afformentioned Amish are swarming all over the Broad River Inn and it is looking great. The Inn, the Stagecoach restaurant, and the Mini Golf are all coming back. Their opening date is not set but the work is being done and every day is a step closer to opening.
In the category of rebuilding is the Hickory Nut Shop and Bubba O’Leary’s General Store. Both locations are busy digging and working on foundations. We hope to see buildings going up soon.
And in the new to the Village category is Whistle Hop Brewing. Their flagship location is in Fairview, NC but they are busy starting a new Tap Room at the old Bayou Billy Sweat Tea location. This is between the Gem Mine and the Chimney Rock Park Historic Gate.
All 8 of these businesses hope to open sometime in 2026. Some will open this spring and some may need a few more months. This is exciting to see the rebirth and resurrection of these Chimney Rock mainstays. It speaks to the resiliency of our Village and gives a foreshadowing of more to come.
Main Street, bridges, streetscapes, riverwalks are all still in the planning, discussing, and engineering stages but we anticipate activity on many of these to start soon also. As Spring returns with new growth so does the Village. In the coming months I hope to bring you many more stories of recovery, rebuilding, reopening, and as always, renewed hope.
Continue to follow us on Facebook – Chimney Rock Village NC – and on our website. You can see updates and progress reports and plan for your visit now and in the future to see us rebuild and check on the progress. You can also see the TASK Force’s Master plan at “raisetherock.com”. This is a 120 page document that gives a lot of information on the planning process, background, and designs and plans for the future.
Please keep me posted as to any changes, news, or information you would like me to include in future Village reports. You can email me at bubbaolearys@bellsouth.net or call 828-545-1243. You may also contact any of your Council Members; Peter O’Leary, April Schick, Buck Meliski, Bruce Godzik, and Patrick Warncke with any concerns or questions.
Remember the Chimney Rock Village Council always meets the third Tuesday of every month at 5:30 pm in the Chimney Rock Volunteer Fire Department building (unless a special meeting is called or the Council votes to change a particular date). These meetings are open to the public. Please contact Peter O’Leary 828-545-1243 or Village Clerk, Steve Duncan 828-777-5718 if you have any questions or concerns.
