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George Smith is the President and CEO of Copper Barrel Distillery on Main Street in North Wilkesboro. George came to town as the result of a chance meeting at the NC Main Street Conference in New Bern. While there, George shared his vision of opening a distillery with North Wilkesboro Mayor, Robert Johnson, and, within a few short months, he was headed to Wilkes County, the Moonshine Capital of America. Another serendipitous meeting between George and a local artisan distiller, Buck Nance, lead to the creation of Copper Barrel, the first legal moonshine distillery in North Wilkesboro's history. Since arriving, George has championed North Wilkesboro’s downtown and those of neighboring communities. He truly understands the spirit of Main Street, making him a North Carolina Main Street Champion.