Susan Renfro

There’s fashion with a message at Gracewear Boutique in Cashiers, where sisters Wendy Strong Lupas and Mary Strong Blackburn have built a brand around the idea that what a woman wears can be both beautiful and meaningful.

Wish & Shoes opened its newest North Carolina location in Cashiers in September 2024, building on the success of its Highlands debut in 2019.

Step into McCulley’s and enter a world where luxury and fashion have gone hand in hand since 1980. With locations in Highlands, Cashiers and Aspen, the boutique is renowned for its extraordinary selection of Scottish cashmere – shawls, sweaters, scarves, stoles and ponchos chosen for enduring quality and timeless appeal.

Monkee’s of Highlands brings a playful polish to Plateau shopping, mixing of-the-moment fashion with the kind of personal attention that can turn a quick browse into an afternoon’s diversion.

Wit’s End has been part of the fabric of Highlands since 1940, when Mrs. Oliver Earle Young Sr. opened what is now the oldest shop on Main Street.

Highlands Culinary Week returns November 12-15 with special dinners, tastings, and events highlighting local culinary talent.

Women across the region are redefining hospitality through leadership that prioritizes relationships and long-term success. From bakeries and cafés to dining rooms and wine programs, they are building businesses that nourish both people and place.

At Stubborn Buddha, Executive Chef Vijay Shastri blends Pan-Asian flavors with classical technique, creating a dining experience that feels effortlessly sophisticated.

After a knee replacement inspired him to take up candle-making, Brian Young transformed a rehabilitation project into a fragrance company rooted in the
spirit of Highlands.