ASHEVILLE — With business looking up across Buncombe County, panhandling and public transportation rank as the top concerns for many business owners.
Some 168 volunteers working with the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce fanned out across the county, visiting 450 businesses on Oct. 17 in the first Business Walk survey.
“You would expect responses about lower taxes or less regulations, it was really the quality of life issues,” said Laura Copeland, the chamber’s vice president of public policy. “But that fits Asheville so well, it doesn’t really surprise us. That’s the kind of community we are.”
Chamber officials will unveil the results at 4:30 p.m. today at the chamber, 36 Montford Ave. A reception will follow the presentation.
Kit Cramer, chamber CEO and president, borrowed the Business Walk from a similar chamber survey in Bakersville, Calif.. “I thought, what a great idea. You think you know what business is thinking, but you need to test that sometimes.”
A vast majority of respondents said business is growing, while only a fraction said business is in decline.
Quality of life issues surfaced in the three-question survey more than typical business concerns.
