A Family Affair

Written By: Luke Osteen | Issue: May 2023 | Photograph By: Susan Renfro

When I’m working on pages of The Laurel, I like to have noise in the background.

So, I just happened to have my laptop playing the C-span feed on February 27, and what I heard coming through my earbuds stopped my work mid-sentence.

There was Congressman Joe Wilson on the floor of Congress, talking about the dire needs of the February 6 Turkish Earthquake survivors and how the owners of a restaurant and convenience store in Sapphire, North Carolina, had managed to amass an astonishing haul of relief supplies.

“The heroes who have worked tirelessly to rescue, treat, and comfort those affected by this tragedy must also be recognized and honored,” Rep. Wilson said, citing Nesli and Vinnie Senturk, the owners of Hidden Valley Tavern and Toxaway Trading Post.

In retrospect, I shouldn’t have been surprised. Though their businesses have only been operating for a few months, the Senturks and their generous spirit have been part of the low-level chatter that animates Sapphire and Toxaway all along.

In fact, their generosity has changed the course of this article. I’d originally set out to review Hidden Valley Tavern, but the Senturks insisted that I focus on their relief efforts and their absolute delight that they’ve landed in the midst of such a kind, compassionate community.

“We came to visit our friends a few years ago – on our third day we decided to get a place,” explains Nesli. “I grew up along the Mediterranean and love mountains and water, so this was paradise. I fell in love with Lake Glenville.

“We bought this place (the former Gamekeeper’s Tavern), and this is the first opportunity for the entire family to be involved with our business – our son Kaan, a student at Brevard College, works whenever he’s not in class and is learning every aspect of the business. Our daughter Ashli manages the Toxaway Trading Post. She also oversees her father’s businesses –  including the Shell Station and the Wine Shop that’s taking shape. And I love decorating, so I’ve had a wonderful time coming up with the new look for Hidden Valley Tavern. A lot of our guests have remarked on the McKenzie-Child Décor throughout the tavern. I think it give us a real cozy look that you can feel.”

“What makes it easy for us is the fact that this is not your typical community, where everyone views you as a stranger,” says Nesli. We’ve gotten to know so many of our customers – most of them are repeat customers and they’ve come to view us as their family-owned business.

“We were in Istanbul when the earthquake hit, and people from here were contacting us to see if we were alright.”

That close-knit Sapphire/Toxaway/Cashiers community allowed the Senturks to stage two fundraisers to benefit the earthquake survivors.

“We donated our all our proceeds from our Valentine’s Dinner, and people who couldn’t make a reservation because we were booked and people from out of town asked if they could help, so we had a second night for Earthquake Relief with live music and a silent auction and people were so generous,” says Nesli. “Everything went to the relief agency, and we also ordered 1,000 $5 hygiene kits for women who were victims. Even the restaurant owners, who in another place would be competitors, have been generous in their support of our relief efforts.

“A lady who doesn’t even live here full-time, who just stopped by and asked what we were doing – when I told her, she just said, ‘Can I write a check?” said Nesli. “I don’t even know her name – when I came back, she’d gone, but left a check for $1,000.”

“When we meet the kind people here, and we receive support from the local businesses, we know we made the right decision,” says Vinnie. “Cashiers Cares came here and asked how they could help with this effort, and they shared with their groups, and Sapphire Valley, Holly Forest, Burlingame have been our biggest supporters.”

Of course, that deep community spirit flows both ways. In addition to opening a much-needed dining destination, the Senturks made a commitment to recognize everyone in the community. The couple made the costly decision to offer gas at the Toxaway Trading Post at rates that matched those off the Plateau.

“Saving a bit on gas is important to everyone,” says Vinnie.