Welcome

Located in the center of inviting Bryson City, NC, just one mile from both Great Smoky Mountains National Park and 10,600 acre Fontana Lake and one block from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad’s depot, the store has become a can’t miss destination on any visit to the Smokies. Walk into swell surroundings, wafting music and the fragrance of handcrafted soaps. Customers have said “It’s like an art gallery inside a BBQ sauce store with a heavy dose of cool,” and “I could live in here.”

Lance and Tina Holland spent their young adulthoods as back country guides in various parts of the southern Appalachians leading to twenty year careers. Lance as a Location Manager/Scout for major motion pictures including The Last of the Mohicans and The Fugitive. Tina as the storekeeper at Fontana Village catering to tourists and Appalachian Trail hikers. In 2010 they combined their talents to create a unique experience at

Appalachian Mercantile.

The purpose of this website is to invite you to visit us in the store and enjoy the unique and fun experience that has had people returning year after year to see what we are up to next. We ship a limited number of items; but much of our stuff is breakable, handmade, or one-of- a-kind and not suited for unescorted travel.

Lance Holland worked his way into opportunities most people only dream about. He is a man

of varied talents: woodsman, builder, plantsman, photographer. With the practiced skill of an

Appalachian historian, storyteller, and guide, he will keep you entertained and often laughing

along his trail of life’s adventures.

Some people who see the cover photo of this book for the first time say, “Oh, that’s terrible.

But for Holland, it’s beautiful. The production team spent months of diligent planning and hard

work to create this shot, the aftermath sequence of the famous train wreck for the 1993 movie

The Fugitive.

Freelance Editor, Beth Butler, wrote to Lance, “Working on this book was an absolute delight. I felt like I was hearing exotic tales of a larger-than-life existence – but hearing them from an old friend as we sat on the front porch. I literally laughed out loud so many times. Thank you from Editor Beth for the opportunity to share in this project, and thank you from Reader Beth for hours of entertainment! Can’t wait to find out what’s next!”

You are invited to read about more memorable adventures and find out for yourself, What’s Next.

About the Author

Lance Holland is a man of varied talents: backcountry guide, builder, author of Fontana: A Pocket History of Appalachia and coauthor of Hiking Trails of the Smokies. He worked twenty years as a location manager/scout for motion pictures including "The Last of the Mohicans", "The Fugitive", and "Nell". Lance produced and directed the historic documentary films Nantahala: Land of the Noonday Sun and Hiking on Hazel Creek. He lives in the Stecoah community in the heart of the western North Carolina mountains and owns Appalachian Mercantile in Bryson City, North Carolina.

Welcome

He wrote the book about it!

The Nantahala River A History & Guide By:Lance Holland

Fontana, A Pocket History of Appalachia By:Lance Holland

NOW AVAILABLE!

What's Next

About the Author

And she makes the candles and soap!

Appalachian History Center