The Appalachian Land Company Story
Appalachian Land Company was founded in 1985 by the late Steve Crowe and his wife, Jo, both lifelong natives of Murphy (Cherokee County), North Carolina. Jo grew up in her father’s country store, Laney’s Grocery and Tire, located in the Hot House community in the western part of the county. She could often be found happily waiting on customers and pumping gas. Steve also came from an entrepreneurial family. Steve was a 1977 honors graduate of Hiwassee Dam High School and Jo was the 1980 salutatorian at the same school. They were high school sweethearts and were married in December, 1980.
Steve and Jo both attended Tri-County Community College in Murphy. Steve pursued his real estate brokerage license with a focus in law and finance. Jo graduated with honors from Mars Hill College near Asheville, NC with a degree in business administration. With deep roots in family businesses, it was a natural course to follow. With great vision and much support from their family, Appalachian Land Company was created with the first office located in the back of Jo’s parents’ country store.
Jo’s love for people and marketing began to evolve into increasingly more people discovering the hidden treasures this beautiful area has to offer, along with an unsurpassed quality of life. Through Steve and Jo’s love for the outdoors, customers and clients soon turned to friends as they introduced many to this simpler, more peaceful approach to life. Celebrating much success, it wasn’t long until 1988 that they relocated their office to their current location.
Relationships built on trust have always been the “heartbeat of Appalachian Land Company. Jo is committed to choosing people to be on the ALC team that exemplify the professional standards and values that have given the company its distinctive representation during the past 28 years.
Jo feels that God has not only blessed her company, but her personal life as well as she is happily remarried to William Joines after the loss of Steve. William shares in her vision and continued goal to always strive to provide the very best customer service. Together, along with their loyal hardworking agents and employees that goal continues to become a daily reality.