A Dream Takes Shape

Mill Town 48 was a work in progress created by Hershel and Dianne’s son, Mark Anderson, during a time when the world was changing. As the COVID-19 pandemic affected communities everywhere and Canton’s beloved paper mill closed its doors, Mark was inspired to turn his family’s longtime barbecue sauce recipe into something that could honor his family and his hometown.

In the fall of 2023, Mill Town 48 officially launched its products—and the response was incredible. What began as a family recipe quickly became a local favorite, finding its way onto the shelves of Ingles grocery stores, Ace Hardware, local restaurants and produce stands, a BBQ food truck, and the WNC Farmers Market.

A Proud Partnership

In early 2024, we received an incredible blessing when Mossy Oak endorsed Mill Town 48 and welcomed us as an official Mossy Oak licensed product.

For our family, it was a milestone worth celebrating—a recognition that helped carry our little family recipe beyond our hometown while staying true to the roots from which it began.

When Everything Changed

But in the midst of our success and celebration, devastation struck.

Mark’s dental laboratory, Image Dental Arts, located in Historic Biltmore Village in Asheville, North Carolina, was hit hard by Hurricane Helene. More than 11 feet of water flooded the first floor of the building, destroying equipment, materials, and so much of what had been built over more than two decades.

Yet through the devastation, Mark’s heart and determination never wavered.

Within days, an owner of a competing dental laboratory reached out with an extraordinary offer: a place for Image Dental Arts and its employees to continue working while their home was rebuilt. It meant hours of commuting each week, countless sacrifices, and significant time away from family—but it gave nearly 50 employees the opportunity to keep working and serving their customers.

For seven months, through long days, hard work, and countless challenges, the Image Dental Arts team persevered.

The Road Back

After seven months of hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance, Image Dental Arts reopened its doors and began the process of returning to business as normally as possible in a community forever changed by a natural disaster.

That same spirit of perseverance is part of the story behind Mill Town 48.

It’s a reminder that family traditions can survive difficult times, that communities can come together when they’re needed most, and that sometimes the things we build are about much more than a product.

Mill Town 48 is family. It’s community. It’s perseverance. And it’s a taste of where we come from.