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There is a restaurant called The Crown in Brasstown, Clay County. 432 miles from Wilmington, 357 miles from Raleigh, 240 miles from Charlotte, 113 miles west of Asheville.
worth the drive.
Owned by Donna and Robert Forsyth. Robert grew up here and his best friend’s grandmother owned the land.
“My life purpose is to build community,” he said.
When the property became available, Forsyth bought it, saying they weren’t restaurant people, but created this beautiful space for people to gather.
Tri-County Community College partners with small businesses like The Crown
Serving Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties, Tri-County Community Colleges contribute $49.2 million annually to the region.
In this report you will find:
TCCC is an important asset to local employers. Specifically, the university adds highly trained human capital to the local workforce and provides training to local businesses at the Small Business Centre. TCCC’s Small Business Center is designed to foster the success of small businesses in the region. The Center provides high-quality assistance to businesses in the form of workshops, seminars, confidential counseling sessions, information resources, and more. This will boost job creation and retention and strengthen the local labor market.
“Let me tell you an interesting story,” Paul Worley, Executive Director of Workforce and Government Relations at Tri-County Community College, said the night he and I met at The Crown.
He first met Donna five years ago when the Clay County Commissioner suggested he contact Donna.
Wally’s first visit to the property was to discuss how to obtain right-of-way from the road to the restaurant. The access road had to be widened and had to be paved.
The pavement had just finished the night we visited The Crown.
The Crown first opened in September 2019 and will reopen during COVID-19 in 2021.
The Forsyths say community colleges help small businesses in all aspects. Wally and his team help with things like right-of-way and purification systems. The Small Business Center assists with business planning and budgeting, market research and recruitment.
“It’s been a great partnership,” said Donna. “As someone who knows nothing about business, I can get the help I need.”
Why it’s important to say things out loud
“We are little unicorns,” said Robert. “Secluded Restaurant Ideas”
Locals come from neighboring counties, but many of those who frequent The Crown drive from Northern Georgia. If you are in the mountains, tourists will come in the summer.
Known for its craft cocktails, local and international cuisine, The Crown is much more than just a restaurant. There is a wellness center with yoga classes and massage therapists. We have his Airbnb on the property and Donna has his art studio called Souldance.
The building that is now the restaurant was a lumber store. The Tri-County team helped the Forsyths figure out how to utilize the existing infrastructure on the property.
Robert Forsythe grew up and moved away from Clay County.
He said coming back to this place has taught him who he is and why he’s just like everyone else in Clay County where he grew up. I learned the importance of
“I wanted to create more meaning in my life,” said Robert. “One way he does it is by saying out loud, ‘This is the purpose of my life.'”
Robert says that saying things out loud will start something happening in your life and move you in the direction you want to go.
For Mr. and Mrs. Forsyth, it looks like they are investing in this place.
