Whoo are you?

I am Skip Wade. I’m originally from Erie, Pennsylvania. I moved to Charlotte, NC after college where I worked in advertising and visual merchandising for a large retail chain.

I moved to Asheville in 1994. My husband and I bought, and restored a classic foursquare house in West Asheville. In 2010, I started volunteering with WNC Bridge Foundations’s estate sales (FKA CarePartners Foundation.)

Now, I’m the Director of Retail Operations. I love to travel. We have traveled all over, but have been frequenting Italy and Mexico lately.

When you were a child, what did you

want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a veterinarian. However, I get too

attached to animals—and I don’t like blood.

How do you handle the temptation of buying treasures you

see here everyday?

Not very well. But there is only so much room at home. Sometimes I see something I want while traveling but don’t buy it because it would be hard to get it here. It’s nice when I see that same item in our store. It’s like having someone else do the transporting.

What is the most unusual item you’ve had for sale here?

We’ve had many unusual things come through. The most recent was a very old and dusty taxidermied goose.

What is your favorite TV show and which character would you be?

My all time favorite was Gilligan’s Island. I guess in some way I relate to all

the characters.

How do you like to relax?

By gardening. Our house is surrounded by large, old, oak trees so we have a lot of shade gardens. We also like to go on short weekend trips just to get away.

What do you put on your pizza?

Tomato sauce, local mushrooms, olives, ricotta, mozzarella, fresh basil,

and anchovies.

What kind of music do you listen to?

It depends on my mood and who I’m with. If I’m in the car alone, I’m probably

singing along to some disco tune or ABBA.

Do you have pets?

We have a cat named Fred. He’s an eight-year-old ginger tabby.

What was your first car?

A blue ’78 Volkswagen Beetle that I shared with my sister.

What do you love about your job?

I love what I do and feel fortunate that I don’t ever dread coming to work. The best part is that I work with an amazing staff and volunteers. The volunteers choose to come here so they are generally in a good mood, and they’re fun to work with. Over the years we’ve become a family. We have an amazing support network.

Skip Wade

Director of Retail Operations

WNC Bridge Foundation

Estate Sales & Services

Thrift Store

75 Fairview Road

Asheville NC 28803

828-575-2509