The Haywood Tourism Development Authority enters the spring season with a new director at the helm. Lynn Collins, previously the director of the Maggie Valley Chamber and Visitors Bureau, became only the second director in the Haywood TDA’s history when she took over this winter.

“There are a lot of great things already in place here,” Collins said. “I think my fresh take and some new approaches will only help us continually progress, and I am eager to forge new relationships and partnerships with individuals, businesses and other organizations throughout the county and region in order to reach our goals.”

Collins has more than 30 years of tourism and destination management experience, from the marketing department at Ghost Town in the Sky in the late 1970s to the director of a visitors and convention bureau in the greater Disney World area in Florida during the ‘90s.

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Maggie Valley Club has a new general manager. Jay Manner came to Maggie in late 2008 from a manager post over four East-West Partners clubs in Florida. East-West Partners is the new managing entity of the Maggie Valley Club. “Going forward, one of our main focuses is reaching out to locals and folks across Western North Carolina,” Manner said. “As a semi-private club, we are a local option for dining, golf, special occasions and business meetings. We want to be a bigger part of this community and the fabric of Haywood County.”

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The Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau has moved to a new location at 2511 Soco Road in the Maggie Business Center. Contact. It is across from Smoky Falls Lodge and just past BB&T if coming from the Waynesville direction. 828.926.1686.

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The Herren House, a historic bed and breakfast in downtown Waynesville, began serving lunch on weekdays for the public this month. Located on East Street two blocks from Main Street. 828.452.7837.

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The deadline for the Greater Haywood Chamber of Commerce Business Start-Up Competition is April 27. The winning business plan with a potential to create jobs will receive a grant of up to $10,000 to help with marketing and start-up. An important aspect of the competition is to encourage would-be business owners to plan in detail because many businesses fail due to lack of planning. The local business community contributes money to the grant fund. www.haywood-nc.com.

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A new sales office for Andrew’s Contracting has opened in Whittier. Andrews is a residential builder, a Daniel Boone Log Home dealer and carrier of Awnbrella custom awnings. It is located along U.S. 441 in Whittier. 828.497.7100

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A new business has opened in the Waynesville Lake Junaluska Area called Coffee Cottage & Triple Moon Tattoo Studio. The interesting combo is served up by a husband and wife team: Elizabeth Moxley behind the coffee counter and her husband, Miles, on the tatoo side. Miles is not only a tatoo artist but expresses creativity through painting with oils and acrylics and ornamental sculptures from scrap metal. They are located across from Ammons’ Drive In on Dellwood Road. 828.944.0270.

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A teen hangout called the Chillerz Café has opened in the downtown Waynesville area. The hangout gives teens a place to socialize and be creative in a safe, smoke-free and alcohol-free environment. Local Artist Jennifer Riddle created a thought-provoking scene inside the cafe of an abstract mountain town that is rich in texture and embedded with words to inspire the mind. It is open weekdays after school and on Friday and Saturday nights. It is located on Depot Street beside the WNC Visitor Center in Frog Level. 828.452.3545.

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H.E.L.P. Air Conditioning and Refrigeration based in Bryson City is an official carrier of NuTone’s heating and air conditioning products for Swain, Jackson, Macon and the surrounding counties. NuTone has a full product of heating and cooling systems, including air quality products like humidifiers and filters. 828.488.6977 or helpacrefrig@yahoo.com.

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Jackson County Psychological Services has been accredited for a period of three years for its Community Support, Day Treatment, Intensive In-Home and Outpatient Therapy programs by CARF International accrediting body. It has offices in Sylva and Waynesville. 828.586.6600.

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Stockton Turner Mortgage Bankers has opened a branch in downtown Waynesville. The branch manager is Julie Coombs with over 35 years of experience in the mortgage industry. Her husband, Richard Tupper, is a senior loan officer at the branch. It is is located at 52 Walnut Street in Waynesville and can be reached at 828.456.7692 or jcoombs@stocktonturner.com. The company is based in of Maitland, Fla.

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Furniture Village, a large two-story business on Main Street in Waynesville, is closing. Most of the inventory has been moved out of the store. The asking price for the building is reportedly around $3 million. One art gallery and one gift shop on Waynesville’s Main Street closed over the winter as well.