Support Gypsy Road NC's Recovery from Storm Damage

My name is Brandy Boone. I am from Spruce Pine, NC. Born and raised here. Came back from Madison County after 3 years and this was my dream. This was my new business in Spruce Pine Gypsy Road NC.

This building has been in my family since 1976. This building provided my grandparents the opportunity to provide a living in the stone business. Out of this little building Boone Stone Co provided rock to build a portion of Epcot with Disney. The rock work on the front was my grandfather, dad, and uncles masonry. I wanted to incorporate that into a new business here for the community. I wanted to make a difference.

After the loss of my father in August of 2022, I began renovating this building which also housed Fast Fix repair for many years in Spruce Pine. Dennis Boone provided services with electronics, appliances, and even game arcades. In his spirit I pulled up my bootstraps as the only child and revamped the building.

I opened on 6/8/2024 as Gypsy Road NC. I put my very last dime almost to opening my own business. Sandblasting was in the family, so to say, so I took that and wanted to put a spin on stone again with the Boone name. I began making animal stones and memorials and branched into sandblasted wooden signs as well. I had taken my fathers collection of retro items and creating a way for retro tshirts, stickers, and other items such as vinyl for people here to have a place to see them and browse. I had incorporated some youth into seeing and aspiring to create their own images onto clothing, in their colors, in their likeness. This is what I say out to accomplish and business had began to really take off.

On 9/27/24 we suffered catastrophic damage with Hurricane Helene. We were not on lower street here for the flooding. We were on the hilltop above town heading to Avery and received wind gusts that were unreal. The tin on the hand hewn roof of this well loved building folded to the brunt. The tin was rolled as paper and thrown and the ceiling, insualtion, and any items overhead were soaked. The weight of the 24 inches of rain gave way inside. My uncle and fiance have worked tirelessly with others to gut the building once again.

I have signed papers on a temporary home for the business but with the situation here working your way out without power and other services put a financial strain on me that is just unbelievable at the moment. I don’t ask for money lightly. I know what it takes and I’ve never asked for handouts. I’ve started over many a time but this time, I do have to ask for help. Any monetary donation will go into rebuilding this business for a community. SBA is requiring a lot for a loan. I was a banker and I don’t want a loan to pay off a loan. The grants look to be for those in business over a year. Any help of any amount is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.