Life

Specialty tag could promote downtown

By Bill Moss, Published: March 13, 2015

Should Hendersonville have its own specialty license plate? Yes, says Barbara Hughes.

Hughes, owner of the Narnia Studios on Main Street, told the Hendersonville City Council last week that the tag would be a low cost way to promote the city. If 300 motor vehicle owners place an order and pay in advance, the state will make a tag with a logo on the left side, she said. If 500 place an order, the design could cover the whole plate. The state has 157 specialty tags promoting everything from college sports teams to tourist attractions to political causes.
"They raise money, a lot of money," Hughes said. "But what I like best about this idea is that people who buy them will be ambassadors for historic downtown Hendersonville wherever they go."
On top of the annual tag fee, specialty tags cost an extra $25, $10 of which goes to whatever the tag promotes.
"I talked to (downtown coordinator) Lew Holloway and I said this would be like all your money," she said. "It could be used for events or promotions or marketing. I really don't have any financial interest about the whole thing. I just think it's a good way to have ambassadors running around."
A Facebook page she launched to promote the idea received 93 "likes" in a couple of days.
"I've gotten really positive feedback," she said. "I figure most people love their hometown and would be willing to do it. You know me. I'm always optimistic. If we got the whole plate, we might get a slogan or color behind it. We can do it, we can do it."