Latest news with #HighlandBrewing
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
North Carolina brewing company mourns the passing of it's founder
ASHVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Oscar P. Wong, the founder of North Carolina staple Highland Brewing, has passed away. Wong passed away after a multi-year long battle with Cancer. Wong founded Highland Brewing in the basement of a pizza shop in downtown Ashville. Highland has grown into one of the largest brewing companies in the Southeast and have now been making beer for over 27 years. During his life, Wong turned a post-retirement hobby into a pioneering brewery that helped shape the industry. He is also was a recipient of US Small Business Administration's Person of the Year, the Brewers Association's Recognition Award, and was a member of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. For more information on Highland Brewing and it's founder, visit the Highland Brewing website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Highland Brewing founder, Asheville craft beer pioneer, Oscar Wong, dead at 84
ASHEVILLE - Oscar Wong, a beloved father, friend and community member who became known as the "Godfather of Asheville Craft Beer" as the founder of the city's first brewery, Highland Brewing, has died. On May 25, Oscar Wong died peacefully at his home with Anna Wong, his wife of 57 years, and one of his daughters, Leah Wong Ashburn, by his side, according to a news release from Highland Brewing. He was 84. Nearly three years ago, Wong was diagnosed with cancer and given a prognosis of six months to a year to live. Wong was described as a person who valued the "quality of life and spent his remaining time fully immersed in the love of his family and those he cherished deeply." He was attributed to saying, 'Personal relationships are the currency of life.' Wong often "expressed deep gratitude for an enriched life that exceeded his wildest imagination," the news release stated. "From sipping scotch with friends every Friday to playing handball at 84, Oscar lived fully and always encouraged those around him to do the same," the news release stated. Wong's death comes after what was officially recognized as Oscar Wong Day on May 16, commemorating the founding of Highland Brewing and Wong's contributions to setting the foundation for Asheville to become known as a "Beer City." In 1994, Wong launched Highland Brewing in the basement of Barley's Taproom at 42 Biltmore Ave. downtown. Wong, the son of Chinese immigrants in Jamaica, attended Notre Dame and went on to lead a long and successful career as an engineer. Upon retirement, Wong made a home in Asheville, where he discovered a new interest: craft beer. Wong became an entrepreneur, mentor, active society member, and performed community service at ARC, Rotary and UNC Asheville. In 2023, he was presented by the governor with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina's highest civilian award. Other accolades earned over the decades include the U.S. Small Business Administration's Person of the Year for North Carolina and the Brewers Association's Recognition Award for 'individuals whose inspiration, enthusiasm, and support have contributed to the craft brewing movement.' Last year, Wong celebrated Highland Brewing's 30th anniversary. "My vision was that it would be one or two breweries in town, and I'd be one of those and have my personal watering hole and it'd be small," Wong told the Citizen Times in 2024. Highland Brewing will host a celebration of life for Wong at Noon on June 29. This is a developing story. Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Tips, comments, questions? Email tkennell@ or follow @PrincessOfPage on Instagram/Bluesky. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Oscar Wong, Highland Brewing founder, local beer pioneer, dead at 84
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Robin Roberts Visits Western North Carolina With A Major Gift And A Powerful Message
On the six month anniversary of Hurricane Helene, as "Good Morning America" host Robin Roberts prepared for a two-hour live special on Western North Carolina, she was thinking about where she was in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In late August 2005, Roberts had been sent to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where she grew up, to cover the storm. Her mother, who was living in Biloxi, had decided to stay home because she was too ill to evacuate, and now Roberts had lost contact with her. 'I got there and I realized there's no way I can go on the air unless I find my family first,' she told Southern Living. 'I fortunately was able to find my mother with the help of a police officer and get to her home. The roof was damaged, but it was standing. And I get into the house and Mama's just in the back singing 'What a Friend We Have in Jesus.' She was oblivious to what was going on in the world and just happy.' After being encouraged by her mother and sister to return to work, she made it back to the live shot with her colleagues Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer in the nick of time. 'It was Charlie who said, 'Robin, when you left here, you hadn't made contact with your family. Were you able to?' And the floodgates just opened. I just started bawling live on national television. I knew that people were tuning in that morning not knowing about their loved ones. And I knew what that felt like because that had been me.' Roberts remembered that feeling of helplessness when she was covering Hurricane Helene, which devastated much of Western North Carolina on September 27, 2024. As someone who has covered hurricanes as a reporter far too often, she understands the emotional toll they can take. She also knows how important it is to support impacted communities long after the news cycle has passed. Hurricane Helene caused an estimated $60 billion in damage to Western North Carolina. That's why she and the GMA crew are checking in with local businesses and residents to see what they need. On the GMA special, 'Asheville Rising,' one of those businesses was Highland Brewing, often named one of the best breweries in the South. The 31-year-old brewery avoided flooding because it sits on a hill, but its business ground to a halt due to the loss of its water supply for two months. That didn't stop the company from becoming a distribution hub for food and supplies and a gathering place for the community. 'If it seemed possible, we said yes,' said Leah Wong, President and CEO of Highland Brewing. 'We had nine different communities here at one time.' Beloved Asheville is still operating out of the brewery. Now, six months later, tourism is down around 40 percent. 'We still have areas in our communities that are enduring huge losses,' she told Southern Living. 'Some are still desperate to fill their basic needs while others are focused on survival of their businesses.' To do their part, Highland Brewing has just released a new beer called Highland Haze, a Hazy IPA that's only available on draft. For six months, every time they sell a keg, a portion of the proceeds goes to the NC Hospitality Workers Relief Fund, which supports local restaurants, the backbone of the economy. 'We are surrounded by heroes,' Wong told Southern Living. 'I want people to know that we have so much to offer but we still have a long way to go.' On "Good Morning America," which was broadcast live from Highland Brewing Company, Robin Roberts announced a $3 million in donations to the community from a range of corporate sponsors. Her message to viewers is a rallying cry. 'Asheville is rising, they're open for business. This is what I want people to know,' she told Southern Living. 'They rely on tourism. And there are people who feel that. It really is showing people how they can be of assistance. I want people to know that there are things that can be done to help these communities rebuild and be what they once were—or even better.' 'It's so important for them to know that they're not forgotten,' she said. Read the original article on Southern Living
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Helene 6 months later: Recovery efforts across western NC
Today marks six months since Hurricane Helene slammed the Carolinas. The storm left so much flooding and did so much damage that parts of western North Carolina won't ever be the same. But across the region, communities are working hard to bounce back. Channel 9′s Erika Jackson spoke with people at Highland Brewing in Asheville Thursday, a business that has been at the forefront of the recovery process. ALSO READ: Popular Morganton attraction washed out by Helene partially reopens The owners of Highland Brewing do much more than brew beer. In the weeks after Helene, the team stored supplies for North Carolina State Highway Patrol, helped a non-profit provide clean water, and housed pet food for the Humane Society. All of this was going on as Highland was dealing with its own operation issues. Businesses like Highland Brewing are working to bring visitors back. Explore Asheville said 70 percent of hospitality-dependent businesses are back open. The group's vice president of marketing told Channel 9 that's important, since 1 out of every $5 spent in Asheville comes from tourism. 'Looking ahead towards the spring and the fact that we are moving forward with these milestones and these openings, and these big events on the calendar, we're seeing lots of signs of hope and resilience,' Dodie Stephens said. And Highland Brewing isn't the only business helping with Helene recovery efforts. Erika Jackson also visited Resurrection Studios Collective in downtown Asheville. READ MORE: Asheville artists find new home after Helene Co-owner Heidi Adams turned her family's former music studio into an artist workspace and gallery, so displaced artists have a place to work. 'We do have glass, we've got ceramics, we've got woodworkers and fine art painting. We've got a leather maker,' Adams said. Channel 9 also stopped by the nonprofit BeLoved Asheville Thursday. Everyone at BeLoved Asheville has worked tirelessly over the past six months to make sure residents have essentials like food, water, and healthcare for stability. The Good Morning America team is in western North Carolina Thursday, highlighting recovery efforts in the hardest hit areas. Robin Roberts, Sam Champion, and ABC Chief Meteorologist Ginger Zee will report live from the area starting at 7 a.m. WATCH BELOW: NC Governor signs Hurricane Helene relief bill into law
