by Dean HensleyMon, July 13, 2026 at 8:30 AM
HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Rep. Chuck Edwards (NC-11) and his wife, Teresa, have sold all of their McDonald's restaurants.
According to a July 13 news release, Edwards said the sale ends a five-decades long chapter of his life, since he started as an employee at McDonald's when he was 16 years old. He ended up purchasing that same McDonald's years later, the release said.
Chuck and Teresa Edwards owned McDonald's restaurants in Henderson, Transylvania and Haywood counties. According to the release, they sold their restaurants to their longtime friends who are also McDonald's franchisees - Christine and Chris Nevant of Asheville. The release didn't give a total dollar amount for the sale and also didn't specify how many restaurants Chuck and Teresa owned.
The release said the decision allows the Edwards family to fully transition from business ownership and devote even more attention to public service.
"McDonald's changed the course of my life," said Congressman Edwards in the release. "It taught me the value of hard work, personal responsibility, teamwork, and serving others. Those lessons have shaped every chapter of my life — from running a small business to serving in the North Carolina Senate and now representing the people of Western North Carolina in Congress."
Before purchasing the restaurants with her husband, Teresa Edwards worked as an office manager for a local construction company, according to the release. Together, the couple built and operated their McDonald's business for many years, creating jobs and serving thousands of customers throughout the region.
When Chuck Edwards was elected to the North Carolina Senate in 2016, Teresa assumed day-to-day leadership of the businesses, while her husband fulfilled his legislative responsibilities.
"There is no question that Teresa made this possible," Edwards said. "She carried the responsibility of managing our business for nearly a decade while I served in elected office. Her dedication, leadership, and countless sacrifices gave me the opportunity to serve our communities. I couldn't be more grateful."
Edwards said selling the business was "a natural next step as his responsibilities representing Western North Carolina continue to grow."
"Serving the people of Western North Carolina has been the greatest honor of my professional life," Edwards said in the release. "While leaving a business that has meant so much to our family is bittersweet, this transition allows us to dedicate even more time and energy to the work of serving our communities and fighting for the people of our mountain region."
In the release, the Edwards family expressed gratitude to the employees, customers and communities who supported their restaurants through the years.
STORY COURTESY OF WLOS-TV13
